Athenian Acropolis – Αθηναϊκή Ακρόπολη

Posted on December 19, 2011 by admin
Buffer

I’m not sure if it was because it was just the half day tour or if was because a few of the other participants on the tour became lost from time to time, but the amount of time we were given to explore the Acropolis and Parthenon (Παρθενών) was miniscule compared to the enormity of the site itself.

Athenian Acropolis

It’s a good thing that I am in fairly good shape (Angila said I was her hero because I climbed to the top hill of the nymphs to visit the Monument of Philopappos one morning) because I had to hurry through the Parthenon at the top of the Athenian Acropolis  (Αθηναϊκή Ακρόπολη ). The Acropolis itself is essentially a flat topped rock. It’s topmost surface is just shy of 500 feet above sea level and is surrounded on all sides by the vast city of Athens.

The Parthenon atop the Athenian Acropolis

The tour guide explained that the Acropolis has also been called the Citadel of Athens in addition to The Acropolis of Athens. I have also been to the Acropolis of Edinburgh, Scotland on which Edinburgh Castle sits majestically.

Of particular significance is that the Acropolis of Athens is often known as simply The Acropolis without any other identification. In fact, until this trip to Athens I was really not aware that acropolis merely means a high fortified point. But if you look in the dictionary under acropolis there are many references to the Athenian Acropolis.

While a little crowded on the first of September  I did manage to get around the top of the Acropolis and was able to photograph the Parthenon and other ruins atop the Athenian Acropolis.

The Erechtheum

While I hurried through the actual site in order to get all the photographs I wanted and still be back on the bus in time (and not become one of the hopelessly lost) I would be doing a disservice to this incredible site if I were to hurry through it in this blog. Therefore it’s going to take a few days just to explore this one incredible site.

And on my morning jaunt to Philopappas I was afforded some much better views of the approach to the top of the Athenian Acropolis and subsequent site of the Parthenon. Additionally I learned so much more when I went to the The Acropolis Museum which is a specialized museum in that every artifact within the walls of this modern museum was found either on the acropolis itself or at the foot of the rock.

Acropolis Museum as seen from the Parthenon atop the Athenian Acropolis

Evidently the museum sits atop an archeological site from Roman times. As one enters this museum there are glass panels in the floor that allow visitors to see not only the ancient excavations but also excavations which are currently being explored and documented.

 

 

 

Posted in Athens, Greece, On The Road | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Jim & The Athens Experience – Part Two

Posted on December 18, 2011 by admin
Buffer

September 1, 2011 (continued)

Meanwhile back at the mother ship, all the smaller shuttles had managed to drop off all the other eager tourists just chomping at the bit for  an Athenian Adventure. So, off we go to explore both the remnants of Ancient Greece as well as a more current Athens Experience.

As you might possibly imagine the tour guide at least attempted to set some general considerations for all of us. I can only imagine that working with tourists might be a lot like working with a slew of children in a busy classroom. In the end, as a tourist, I do consider myself a student of sorts. It’s not just an adventure but a fabulous learning experience. Generally in most circumstances it’s a really good idea to pay attention to what’s happening all around me. And while I consider myself fortunate to have Greek friends that speak English they weren’t with me on this particular tour and as I hadn’t established any real bearings I really didn’t want to get left behind. At the time, Greek, really was ελληνικά to me.

Jim & The Athens Experience Part Two

First stop was the Panathinaiko Stadium(Παναθηναϊκό στάδιο), which while at first sight didn’t appear to be an ancient architectural treasure per se but more a modern representation. But in fact it is essentially the same structure that was first constructed in 566BC. Then in 329 BC the structure was re-built to include marble seats and steps. In Greek culture it is also commonly known as Kallimarmaro (Καλλιμάρμαρο) which translates to “beautifully marbled.”

These seats are paved in Marble

The most recent renovation took place just before the 2004 Summer Olympic Games which were hosted and celebrated in Athens, Greece.

While the original structure is reputed to have held as many as eighty-thousand spectators, this most recent renovation has capacity for a mere forty-five thousand spectators. Just imagine this is the only major stadium in the world that is crafted entirely of marble. It is constructed of white marble that comes from Mount Penteli. As I traveled around Athens and other parts of Greece I did observe that marble has survived in many unexpected areas. I would imagine that their use of marble is akin to the use of native materials in other parts of the world.

Beautifully Marbled - Kallimarmaro (Καλλιμάρμαρο)

Another interesting feature of the current stadium is that the design specifications which were implemented some 2,577 years ago and have remained unchanged since that time match the current standards for athletic venues around the world. It appears that the Ancient Greeks set the standards way back then.

The Panathinaiko Stadium is located in downtown Athens not far from the National Gardens which as you may recall from part one are adjacent to both the Presidential Residence and Syntagma Square.

The Athenian Experience

Our tour guide allowed us to explore the area on our own but did ask that we be back on the bus within a fairly short period of time as this particular tour was just scheduled for half a day. My Greek friends advised the half day tour for a couple of reasons. First off, the intensity of the Greek summer sun can become overwhelming  during the middle part of the day. And then more of a cultural consideration is the “necessary siesta period.” I have siesta in quotes because that’s exactly how it was presented to me. And while I did not initially engage in this necessary activity there were a few days in Saronida where this necessary siesta period was in fact a blessing as it was just too hot to do anything else.

As you might imagine our departure from this venue was delayed as one of our group became lost. And our poor Shepard had to go find her. I couldn’t really be upset with the woman who got lost as I have many times had that feeling of being awestruck as the sheer enormity of it all sinks in and makes it’s impression upon me. Later when we actually get to Scotland I have a funny story to tell.

Tomorrow, after we locate the woman who got lost somewhere around the Stadium we will take a first visit over to the relatively new Archeological Museum which is nothing short of amazing.

Jim & The Athens Experience- Part Two

 

Posted in Athens, Greece, World Travels | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Jim & The Athens Experience – Part One

Posted on December 16, 2011 by admin
Buffer

September 1, 2011

The tour bus arrived essentially right on time although it was a little difficult to tell that it was actually the right bus. But no worries. It was 7:45 in the morning and possibly already 90 degrees F. It was fabulous for this Mainer who’s lost 120 pounds in just two years and has subsequently been freezing to death.

I was proactive for this first real tour of Athens. I had put everything together the night before so I was sure not to forget anything that I wanted to take along with me. Breakfast was a hurried event this morning. But except for the part about not enough coffee, I think I could get used to feta and fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and a myriad of select proteins for the first meal of the day.

Jim & The Athens Experience - Part One

The first bus was a wee blue thing that whisked me off to Syntagma Square where we were transferred to the mother ship, a much larger bus. We sat in the bus for about thirty minutes waiting for the smaller shuttles to bring yet other eager tourists to the mother ship.

If you are ever aching for the Athenian traffic experience this is the place to visit. When I was in Italy I was amazed at how creatively the Italians drive. In the film Under The Tuscan Sun there is a line that goes something like “A yellow traffic light is just a suggestion.” Now I am thinking that all Europeans must go to the same driving school. It’s important to note that while in the states pedestrians have the right of way, they don’t in places like Italy, Greece, France and the UK. And while I do know that I have nearly been creamed a couple of times primarily because I was looking the wrong way.

Guarding the Palace in Athens

Syntagma( Πλατεία Συντάγματος) Square is a central hub in Athens. Of particular interest is the Greek Parliament which is just past Amalias Avenue to the east. Here, if you happen to be in the vicinity on the hour you can see the changing of the guard. I did not see it on this day but on another when Yioryis and I were doing a marathon walk through a myriad of neighborhoods in Athens. In fact on that day I not only saw the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Μνημείο του Αγνώστου Στρατιώτη) but also in front of the Presidential Palace which is across the street from one side of the National Gardens; a huge park with a variety of gardens and really an oasis in the central part of Athens.

The Athens Experience - Changing of the Guards

The changing of the guards is fascinating to see. It’s unlike any other guard changing ceremony I had ever seen before. I was told that there are very strict rules about becoming a guard, but it’s also an enormous honor. What I recall is that you must be 100% Greek and you must be not less than 6’2″ tall. My friend Alexander (Αλέξανδρος) would not have qualified for such a position partly because he is only 6 feet tall but more because he has an interesting case of ADHD and one of the other integral requirements is the ability to stand at attention in the blazing hot Athenian sun for hours at a time and not move at all. I’m quite certain I couldn’t do that either.

I wonder if I could rent a guard?

During travels to other places where there have been similar sorts of guards I have seen tourists all but harass these brave young men as they are attending to this honorable duty. I was impressed that in Greece you can see the guards, and you can have your picture taken with them in a respectful manner. But there is a third guard there who is essentially a guard for the guards. Quite frankly I would find it impossible to stand there for any length of time under those conditions. Oh and did I forget to mention the traditional uniform. I was wearing shorts and a thin tee-shirt and was quite comfortable. But to be dressed to the hilt in what appears to be heavy wool? That takes true dedication.

Formal Guard in full traditional Dress Uniform

One Hundred Percent Greek

I’ve only briefly mentioned above that the National Gardens (Εθνικός Κήπος) are within walking distance of the Parliament Building bordering one side of Syntagma Square. Also within just a short walk are some of the oldest and most interesting neighborhoods in Athens. I know I was in Plaka (Πλάκα) and Monastiraki (Μοναστηράκι). I’m not so sure I was in either Psiri (Ψυρρή)  or Kolonaki (Κολωνάκι). I was really only in Greece for a rather short eighteen days and while I did see and experience many wonderful things I know I will have to return many times in order to see and experience so much more.

These Streets are Paved in Marble

And, yes there is more so much more there are some of the more famous sites that are all within a very short distance of Syntagma Square. In subsequent blog posts we will be traveling to places like The Acropolis(Ακρόπολις) , The Theater of Dionysus  which I was able to see from a distance, The ancient Agora of Athens (Αρχαία Αγορά των Αθηνών) where Yioryis heard and translated for me some much younger Athenian men note that when they are as “OLD,” as these two guys (Yioryis and me) they hope to be in as good physical condition. I will also take you to Philopappos Monument  (Μνημείο του Φιλοπάππου) at the top of the hill of the nymphs and finally to Lycabettus Hill where I was essentially and almost overwhelmingly struck with the sheer enormity of the city of Athens Greece.

And yes, I am holding out just a wee bit with a special experience. But you have to come back to see what that might be. Nope, sorry..it’s a secret. Shhhh.

And this is merely The Athens Experience. Just wait until we set sail for the Islands of Greece.

Sailing In The Greek Islands

Jim & The Athens Experience continues tomorrow. So come travel along with me. We have some amazing places to visit.

Posted in Athens, Greece, On The Road, World Travels | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Dinner Guests in Laurium

Posted on November 10, 2011 by admin
Buffer

After touring the Temple of Poseidon in Sounion we traveled up the cost a bit to the fishing village of Laurium. In ancient times Laurium was known for thier mining of silver which was then turned into coinage mainly used in Athens. Evidently they also had a terrible reputation for the way they treated slaves who worked in the silver mines.

Today it is partly a peaceful fishing village and partly the home to several yacht leasing companies. Evidently this is the place where my friend Yioryis goes when he wants to lease a yacht that he then sails in and around and amongst the various Greek Islands.

Laurium Yachts

Once we finished a leisurely walk through the boat yard and some of the small village that is there. We settled on having dinner at a small  outdoor cafe. While there weren’t too many others dining at what I now know to be a rather early hour at about 9:00 to 10:00pm, pretty much as soon as we sat down we were joined by eager dinner guests.

Dinner Guests in Laurium

Prior to traveling to Rome in March I had been told that I would see lots and lots of cats there. But it seems to me that there are quite a few more cats all about Greece.

Fresh fish for dinner

We actually went up to the cooler at this cafe and picked out the fish that would then be our dinner. I’m guessing that our dinner guests are used to visitors taking pity on such sweet countenances and handing over a morsel or two here and there. They were all quite patient and cute. Not a one of our guests ever ventured to leap onto the table to abscond with anything uninvited.

Sweet, Innocent Dinner Guest in Laurium

I would think that after three bottles of Ouzo that Our Dinner Guests in Laurium could have gotten away with just about anything. Of course I think I was more affected by the Ouzo than either on my Greek friends. Yioryis did say that this particular Ouzo seemed a bit stronger than some other that I was able to enjoy, but then at 40% alcohol I guess it would be.

Oreki Ouzo

 

Polite Dinner Guests in Laurium

Next Stop is the Acropolis in Athens, Greece.

Posted in Greece, On The Road, World Travels | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Cape Sounion

Posted on October 4, 2011 by admin
Buffer

After a marathon walk with Yioryis in the hills behind the village of Saronida we took a nice jaunt down the road to Cape Sounion. Here I was introduced to the ancient temple of Poseidon which sits high on a promontory that extends out into the Aegean sea.

Here Yioryis reminded me of the story of King Aegus and his son Theseus. It goes something like this. Theseus set sail for Crete as a part of a group that was intended as tribute for King Minos. Evidently King Minos demanded a tribute of fourteen youths; seven men and seven women each year who would be devoured by the great and feared Minotaur.

Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion

Theseus set sail as a part of this group with the intention of doing battle with the Minotaur and ending the tribute sacrifices to King Minos. Before he set sail he agreed with is father that upon his return if he had been successful in his quest to kill the Minotaur that he would return flying a white sail.

Cape Sounion

Theseus was indeed successful and slain the Minotaur. However he forgot to fly the white sail upon his return. So when his father saw only the black sail he was so stricken with grief that he hurled himself from the cliffs just beyond the Temple of Poseidon into what is now known as the Aegean Sea.

Yioryis pointed out the stone from which King Aegus hurled himself to his death on the rocks below. While much of the area is roped off to keep tourists and others from venturing too close to the edge much of the area is open. The main temple is now roped off and un-pretentious guards mill about with the other visitors to the temple.

The Temple of Poseidon at Sounion

I was completely unaware of the presence of guards until one of them sounded an alarm alerting other guards that an invader had crossed the boundaries around the temple and were (somewhat) secretly ensconced inside the temple. The invader and his lady friend were removed from the area.

While we were there Yioryis scoured the areas that we could see from behind the ropes searching for the inscription in the temple wall that reads “Byron.” Evidently in the early 1800′s Lord Byron traveled to Athens and Sounion and is said to have carved his name into the stone below the columns.

Lord Byron was here

It was Yioryis who was able to speak to one of the temple guards who then took my camera up to the area on the temple where the inscription clearly says “Byron.” While there is some contention about the authenticity of this carved name it is indeed clearly a part of the history of this place.

Byron mentions the Temple of Poseidon in his poem “The Isles of Greece.”

Lord Jim at Cape Sounion

Posted in Greece, On The Road, World Travels | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 25 Comments

Demetrius in Saronida

Posted on September 9, 2011 by admin
Buffer

According to my friends Yiorgis and Anguilla Demetrius is synonymous with James. I don’t often refer to myself as James although there have been others that do. Even so James is indeed my name and so  whilst I am in Greece I am certainly okay with Demetrius. In fact just for fun I recently changed my iPhone setting to Demetrius Talbottopolis or “Δημητρησ Ταλμπετοπολισ,” Thanks to my friend Alexander for translating it into the Greek. Quite frankly I like the way it looks although I haven’t a clue how I would go about pronouncing that.

Demetrius in Saronida

So, on we go to Saronida. First off, to pronounce it correctly you might say “Saroni-dth-a.” I know it might be somewhat different than English per say but what you want to do is to pronounce it with the “th” sound but adding a bit of the “d” sound. To me it’s a lot like cooking where you add a little bit of this with a little bit of that and then you end up (hopefully) with something fabulous and tasty.

The picture above is actually a photograph I took from the terrace of my friends Anguilla and Yiorgis. We traveled here today from Athens so that we could enjoy the swimming and beach community.

Yacht at Saronida

Verandah in Saronida

According to my friends it was unusually humid this day. And mostly because of this unusual humidity they could not share the beautiful sunset with me that they usually enjoy from their lovely verandah.

After the requisite siesta Yiorgis and I took the Dog Botticelli for a five minute walk. Actually our five minute walk turned into a forty-five minute hike up into the hills behind the houses of Saronida. I’m thinking that poor Botticelli doesn’t often get that much exercise as he had some difficulty keeping up.

Botticelli

But for me it was a nice walk in the hills and the views from way up were lovely, albeit somewhat foggy.

View from on top of the hills of Saronida

Posted in Greece, On The Road, World Travels | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Grasshopper & The Ant

Posted on September 3, 2011 by admin
Buffer

You might be wondering what I am on about now. Well the title for this post is actually the name of the first restaurant in which I enjoyed a fine Greek meal when I arrived here in Athens, Greece on the thirtieth of August.

While not all my flights were on time we did seem to manage to get to our destinations on time and without too too much difficulty. Because I have recently flown long distance from Maine to San Francisco I already had a good idea that the airplane seats could be rather uncomfortable. So I had prepared for this next adventure by ordering both a neck pillow and an inflatable seat cushion. And quite frankly I made a great decision. I actually had a nice sleep on the plane and arrived in Athens relatively rested and not numb from the pain.

Waiting to Depart from Amsterdam to Athens

George Katopis met me at the airport and whisked me off to my hotel The Athenian Callirhoe. I had been led to believe that this was a four star hotel. But after being here now for several days I have my doubts. Even my Greek friends Yiorgis & Angilla have commented that the people at the desk here are less than helpful and neither professional nor terribly friendly. Nevertheless it’s a place to sleep and that’s all I really need to start my journey. Next time I come to Athens I will stay elsewhere.

Rooftop Restaurant at the Athenian Callirhoe

Yiorgis & Angilla picked me up at the hotel at around 9:30pm when we then went to the Grasshopper & the Ant for a fabulous taste of all sorts of Greek food. My friends have told me that this is a place that is not frequented by tourists as it is difficult to find and the people here speak Greek. It’s more the neighborhood restaurant than a tourist attraction.

Four Star Hotel ?

4 Star Hotel ?

At some point during this first meal in Greece Yiorgis announced that he thought it was time to get me back to my hotel because he thought I was fading. I let him know that after around 15 hours of flying time, the Ouzo with which we started the meal and the several carafes of Greek wine that it was a wonder I was still even half awake. I slept fabulously and I haven’t experienced Jet-lag at all.

Tomorrow we go to Saronida,

Posted in Greece, World Travels | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Peary’s Eagle Island

Posted on August 13, 2011 by admin
Buffer

Just this past Tuesday I took a trip out to Admiral Peary’s Eagle Island. All too often because I live here in Maine I seem to not be able to get out beyond the little village where I live and get to some of the prettiest places that Maine has to offer.

The  twenty passenger boat that makes it’s way out there met us at Cook’s Lobster House on Bailey Island. Bailey Island is the southernmost Island of a string of Islands known locally as The Harpswells.

Boats at Cooks Lobster House

Admiral Robert Edwin Peary is most known for his accomplishment to have planted the American Flag at the North Pole on April 6, 1909. This was the achievement of a lifelong dream for Admiral Peary who spent a significant portion of his career employed as a cartographer as well as a civil engineer in The United States Navy.

Peary's Eagle Island

His other lifelong dream was to build a home on Eagle Island in Casco Bay which he was able to purchase in 1877 for the grand sum of $200.00 just after he graduated with honors from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. It is said that he paid for the Island with money he had earned on his own.

Peary's Eagle Island Home

The house is located on the northernmost point of this seventeen acre island. Peary evidently envisioned this point of the island as much like that of the bow of a ship sailing northward.

Passage to Peary's Eagle Island

Peary and his family spent summers on Eagle Island from 1904 until 1955. One of the tour guides quotes Peary’s son as having said “Our home was in Washington D.C., but we really LIVED on Eagle Island.

When I was there this week our boat pulled up to a nicely constructed dock and passage way leading to the island and the house. But as I understand it during the day’s that the Peary family spent summers here there was no such dock. The family would maneuver their boat through the precarious rocky passage and then unload their boat and belongings on the beach just below the house.

As we approach the house across the lawn we come first to the doorway into Admiral

Doorway to the Admiral's study

Peary’s study which is located in the round stone structure with the lovely windows that look out to sea.

Admiral Peary's Study

South Harpswell to the north as seen from Eagle Island

The tour guide told me that often either the caretaker or a member of the family would bring supplies including blocks of ice from South Harpswell to the Peary’s Eagle Island in a row boat.

The Peary House from the back looking north towards Harpswell

During the time they spent summers here they had no electricity or running water. They had lovely oil lamps that are preserved there just as they were 100 years ago. And even now there is an outhouse which accommodates the Park Ranger who manages Eagle Island as a Maine Historic site, the volunteers and summer visitors who come to the island.

On March 11, 1911 Peary retired from the Navy a full Rear Admiral. The first order of business for him was to gather all the quality carpenters, masons, and other craftsmen who would then craft the house that now sits proudly on the northernmost bluff fulfilling Peary’s vision of his house as if it were the prow of a grand ship heading north through Casco Bay.

Three sided fireplace.

While I have seen many older homes in Maine that boast, among other things a grand center chimney often with four flues this house has the only three sided fireplace I have ever seen. The tour guide made sure to mention that each of the three sides was crafted of a different kind of stone.

Atlantic Queen Cookstove

In the kitchen you can see an old Queen Atlantic stove. More than likely this stove served not only as a cook stove but as a source of heat for the more chilly Maine spring and autumn seasons.

Seaside Bedroom

Once finished the house boasted five bedrooms upstairs. My first thought at seeing the windows looking out to the ocean was how nice it would be to wake up in the morning to such a fabulous view to say nothing of the sounds of crashing surf below.

Player Piano before the days of cell phones & Computers

The Payer Piano which sits along one wall not far from the three sided fireplace is one octave shorter than most pianos so that it would fit perfectly along that wall. Evidently no one missed that extra octave. It was a luxury just having it out there for the family to enjoy.

Admiral Peary died at the age of sixty-four in Washington D.C., on January 20, 1920 from an incurable (at that time) case of pernicious anemia.

View out to Sea

In 1955 after the death of Admiral Peary’s wife the surviving family chose to give Peary’s Eagle Island to the State of Maine so that it could be preserved as a Maine Historic site which could then be enjoyed by travelers who come to the island during the summer months.

The present Park Ranger has lived in the caretakers cottage for the past seventeen summers. The flowers that can be seen all about the island and near the house are her contribution to a well loved island. The tours of the house are facilitated by the all volunteer crew of The Friends of Eagle Island.

Caretakers Cottage & Lobster bouys

If you’d care to help preserve this historic site you can do so by becoming  a member of the Friends of Eagle Island. This all volunteer, non-profit group serves to maintain Peary’s Eagle Island just as it was One Hundred Years ago.

Peary's Eagle Island

Leaving Peary's Eagle Island & Heading for Bailey's Island

Posted in Maine, World Travels | Tagged , , , , , , | 22 Comments

Alcatraz Prison

Posted on August 7, 2011 by admin
Buffer

On a recent jaunt to San Francisco I had the opportunity to also see Alcatraz Prison. Actually it was really only a prison for twenty-nine years. And now after oodles of interesting history and occupation as a prison and then later as an American Indian Colony it is now a National Historic Monument.

Situated a mere one and one half miles from the city of San Francisco Alcatraz Prison enjoys what I am sure was once thought of as the perfect location for a prison. But the sheer fact that it only survived as a prison for twenty-nine years indicates that there were issues.

Alcatraz Prison: The Approach

On the day that we took the tour boat over to the Island the weather couldn’t have been more perfect. It was sunny and warm with a nice breeze. And as you will see as you scroll down through the pictures the locals were out in force with their sailboats enjoying the brilliant day.

I can only imagine that the approach to Alcatraz Prison by a prospective inhabitant was less than attractive no matter how pleasant the day might have been. In fact as you get close enough to the island to see some of the signage you get a pretty good idea about how isolated you are and just how hard it might be to escape from this place.

In August of 1934 Alcatraz Prison was established as a Federal Prison and was know to

Welcome to Alcatraz Prison

have housed such notorious prisoners as Al Capone,  “Machine Gun” Kelley, The Bird Man of Alcatraz (aka Robert Stroud) and a whole host of other criminals that I have never heard of.

When first arriving the park rangers gather all the tourists much like prisoners were assembled but thankfully without the handcuffs, leg restrains and stripped uniforms.

Guard Tower's View

Initially we were given an introductory talk on what we could expect on the island. One of the issues of having a prison out there was that there was no natural source of fresh water. So, during it’s operation as a prison all the fresh water for inmates, guards and their families was provided by barge. Oddly enough at some point there was a laundry service set up on the island where inmates could work. This facility also depended on water that was brought to the island by barge.

The island consists of twenty-two acres of predominantly rocky terrain, and is inhabited

A Beautiful Day for Sailing

by a colony of thousands of birds, mostly seagulls and egrets. There are areas of the island that are fenced off and tourists are discouraged from getting too close to where the birds are nesting. In fact I believe in that initial talk that everyone gets upon landing on the island that they told us it was best to steer clear of the baby seagulls because the momma’s had been known to attack. We saw lots of baby seagulls but fortunately no upset mommas.

Alcatraz Prison Gardens

When we first got off the ferry we were located at the dock. Located in that area is the old barracks building which predominantly served as a barracks where it housed the guards and their families who lived on the island. It was interesting to hear that there were, in fact, a whole host of children who lived on the island. They evidently never saw the prisoners who were remanded to the cellhouse which is located at the top of

Alcatraz Prison - Model

the island. The cellhouse has it’s own recreation yard and except for a very few select prisoners who garnered special privilege to be able to work in the gardens and/or as houseboy at the warden’s house (also at the top of the island) the children were never exposed to the prisoners.

Evidently the children had a boat that would take them to San Francisco for school during the week. And as strange as it may seem Alcatraz children were permitted to have overnight guests. Of course the children who were guests had to meet fairly stringent background check process.

Once we made it up the winding paths, past the power plant, the old laundry facility which is in ruin now and occupied by a myriad of birds,  we come to the cell house itself. I read recently that the cellhouse was at one time built by prisoners who would then be incarcerated there. In 1912 when it was finished it was considered to be a modern prison in part because of it’s steam heat, electric lights and skylights.

Cellhouse at Alcatraz Prison

The National Park Service provides a great tour experience in the form of a self regulated audio tour. It’s a really good thing that it’s self regulated. I suspect that I am neither the first, nor the last to get lost during the audio presentation. But with simple to understand instructions I was able to rewind the portion where I got lost and play it again.

During the course of the presentation we were actually taken not only through the major parts of the cellhouse but also through a re-enactment of the escape that occurred in 1962. During this escape prisoners were able to use a service corridor just three feet wide to then access a fan vent which led to the outside. Prisoners who escaped that night left cleverly crafted dummies in their bunks to fool the guards. I believe that all but two of the escaped prisoners were accounted for. Of course the official report indicates that the two missing were drowned in their attempt to swim across the bay. But their bodies were never found.

Alcatraz Lighthouse

The cellhouse and the barracks are the two best preserved buildings on the island. In 1970 there was a fire that essentially destroyed the warden’s home as well as the lighthouse keepers home. The lighthouse at Alcatraz Prison is the oldest operating lighthouse on the west coast.

 

 

 

San Francisco July 17, 2011

San Francisco Sailing

Posted in California, On The Road | Tagged , , , , | 17 Comments

Caserta Royal Palace: The Park

Posted on June 26, 2011 by admin
Buffer

While Caserta Royal Palace can be said to be resplendent with it’s ornate 1200 rooms, 1790 windows and 34 staircases, it is the Park that encompasses a stretch of 2.5 miles of gardens, fountains and statues that draws a greater presence of both tourists and native Italians.

The Park much like the palace itself was inspired by the Park at the Palace of Versailles.  Caserta Royal Palace: The Park starts from the back side of the Palace all the way to the grotto that crowns the entrance of the aqueduct that pours hundreds of gallons of water into the system of waterfalls and fountains that line the promenade of the Park.

Caserta Royal Palace: The Park

The park and the various gardens were planned and designed by Luigi Vanvitelli. However the entire park including the adjacent English Garden was completed in 1780 by his son Carlo Vanvitelli.

The stretch of these fabulous fountains and pools starts just as soon as you leave the back side of the palace. Perhaps because of the sheer distance from the back of the Caserta Royal Palace all the way to the Great Fountain of Diana & Actaeon, as a visitor you have the option of taking a small electric bus or a horse drawn carriage instead of walking the full 2.5 miles.

I chose to walk. Of course I had to stop along the way to photograph all the wonderful sights. From the central promenade there are paths that lead off to other pleasant but more woodland areas of the Royal Park.

The first fountain that I came upon is the smallish Margheritta Fountain.

Margheritta Fountain

According to travel guides this fountain is in a centralized location as paths that lead from here into the rest of the park return to this spot. So if you happen to find the English gardens that are adjacent to the final fountain at the bottom of the cascade you can be assured that you will end up at this smaller fountain upon your return.

Next in the series along the promenade is the Bridge of Ercole. When I was here in March I noted that there is a modern road that runs under this bridge. We surmised that since the construction of these gardens that the towns have encroached on the gardens and Caserta Royal Palace. But that evidently is not the case. The road actually leads to the town of Ercole.

Stauray Lining the roads

Creative Statues

All along the pathways there are either manicured hornbeam hedges or creative statuary that were evidently recreated just for use here at Caserta Royal Palace: The Park.

The next thing to come along on this 2.5 mile hike is the fish pond. It is a structure that is a mere 1558 feet long by 89.4 feet wide. Since the parks completion the pond has regularly been stocked with fish. It makes a lot of sense that they used the fish pond as a park attraction but also as a source of fresh fish that were used in the Royal Kitchens.

Fish feeding on bread at the Palace

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Dolphins

The Dolphin Fountain is next along the promenade. Here, as you can see in the picture there are three monstrous dolphins gushing water out into the basin below them.

 

The Dolphins Fountain

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we continue our trek up the path we come to the fountain of Aeolus. The fountain has a basin that is 138.9 feet long by 113.7 feet wide. The water that feeds this fountain is later recirculated and transported via an underground system to fuel the gushing fountain of Dolphins.

Fountain of Aeolus

Fountain of Aeolus statues

Fountain of Aeolus statues

Aeolus Fountain with statues

Caserta Royal Palace Aeolus Fountain

While I didn’t count them when I was there, this fountain has 29 statues of zephyrs and winds from Greek Mythology.

 

 

Aeolus 29 Statues

Royal Palace Fountain Statues

Caserta Royal Palace:The Park

Caserta Aeolus Fountain

Evidently this fountain was supposed to have had 54 statues. But at some point the original plans for the fountains  were downgraded due to diminished funds for the project.

 

The Fountain of Ceres , next in line has a large pond measuring 1055 feet by 57.41 feet in which seven small waterfalls are placed.

The Fountain of Ceres

The fountain is replete with tritons, nereids and more dolphins. Of course at the center of the fountain is Ceres flanked by dragons and nymphs.

And just a little bit more up the hill is The Fountain of Venus.

Caserta Royal Palace - Fountain of Venus

This one has twelve smaller waterfalls in front of it. The fountain depicts Venus as the central character attempting to convince Adonis not to go on the hunt so as to protect him from being killed.

Caserta Fountain of Venus

At the top of the Promenade  is the largest of the fountains. The Fountain of Diana and Actaeon sits at the bottom of the waterfall from which the waters out of the Carolina Aqueduct flow.

Fountain of Diana & Actaeon

The fountain is a depiction of Diana and Actaeon. As the story goes Actaeon dared to spy on Diana as she bathed. For the error of his ways he was turned into a stag and then attacked by hounds that ripped him to shreds.

The Source of the Fountain Waters

Flanking the final fountain are two roads one on either side of the waterfall path. The waterfall was  constructed to cascade down from the grotto at the top. The water comes from a specially built aqueduct which was built just to feed all the fountains and ponds at Caserta Royal Palace: The Park.

The Aqueduct is thirty-one miles long and travels through five mountains. When it was first turned on it took four days for all the fountains to be filled and operational.

Water bursting from the sides of the waterfall along the road

 

 

 

 

 

Ths way to the Source

While the entrance to the roads is blocked and closed to the public some rather enterprising young kids have created another path.

So after following the path through the woods and up the precarious original  roads, all the while encountering waterfall walls that were braced to keep the water in the waterfall contained and not spreading any more than it already has, I made it to the top.

Kids at the top

Welcome Committee

Upon my arrival at the top I was greeted by some enterprising youth. They encouraged me to take this picture and then to cross through the water and over to where they were.

I chose a safer path.

 

Grotto at the top of the Park

This is the grotto at the top.

It is 200 feet above the last fountain.

The Park View from inside the Grotto

Caserta Royal Palace: The Park

Posted in Italy, On The Road, World Travels | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 26 Comments