Ithaka, Greece
After a peaceful night anchored in Vathy we awoke to beautiful day in the Ionian Sea. Vathy means “deep” in Greek; the harbor is deep enough to accommodate a car ferry which allows the Ithakans to have access – some of our expeditions opted to explore Saturday night activity in the pretty town square. The clarity of the azure sky tempted us into heading north into the highlands to take advantage of the panoramic views from the heights of Ithaka. As we crossed the narrow isthmus (25 meters at the narrowest point) that connects the northern and southern peninsulas that make up this island, we feasted on the panoramic views on either side of the Ionian Sea and Ithaka's numerous beaches and harbors. The countryside is rural, goats gamboling about the rocks. Ancient olive trees with enormous trunks punctuated the landscape interspersed with small vineyards and terraced gardens up and down the hillsides.
We passed through several small villages including houses built by the British as part of the international relief following the devastating earthquake of 1953, and stopped at an old monastery. Having carefully closed the door to the courtyard (a bronze plaque prominantly displayed warned against letting in the goats) we found a lovely small church in the Byzantine style. The ceiling of which was painted an intense deep blue with gold stars so you felt like you were looking up into the heavens. Our next stop was the quaint hilltop village of Anogi (the former capitol) and the medieval church of Agia Panagia (according to some sources from the 12th century). Agia Panagia has some remarkably well preserved Byzantine frescoes of a virtual army of saints – including, of course, St. George and a very ferocious looking dragon - intermingled with the more traditional iconography and an unexpected embossed painted tin ceiling. Out front was an usually fragrant bramble rose and the remains of a Venetian cannon. In keeping with local practice, the bell towers of both churches were built separately from the church building in the event of earthquakes.
In Stavros (the “crossroads”) we stopped for a refreshing frappe at a small cafe on the square. While some chose to meander around the picturesque village, others hiked up the hill to visit the small archeological museum with artifacts from nearby excavations, some dating as far back as 3000 BC. The small but comprehensive exhibit included an exquisitely detailed plate decorated with roosters, several large wine goblets with circular stems particular to the island, as well as finds from Pelikata Hill, believed by some to be the site of Odysseus' palace. Of special note was an artifact dedicated to Odysseus. Although it has been dated to around 1000 years after Odysseus would have made his epic voyage, the very existence of such a piece is a testament to the continuing importance of the hero of Homer's epic to the island's inhabitants. Perhaps the most unexpected connection of Ithaka with homecoming was made by the curator herself, Fotini Couvaras, who welcomed us as friends returning after a long absence (even longer than the 20 years it took Odysseus to return home). She proudly showed us copies of a National Geographic article from 1973 in which an interview with her late husband, the former curator of the museum, was featured. Special thanks are due to our wonderful guides, Judith and Ester, who gave us a thorough understanding of the history and daily life of this peaceful island and to our intrepid bus drivers who finessed the hair raising switchback roads so that we could experience the delights of these remote villages.
The afternoon was spent anchored in a secluded bay swimming and kayaking.
After a peaceful night anchored in Vathy we awoke to beautiful day in the Ionian Sea. Vathy means “deep” in Greek; the harbor is deep enough to accommodate a car ferry which allows the Ithakans to have access – some of our expeditions opted to explore Saturday night activity in the pretty town square. The clarity of the azure sky tempted us into heading north into the highlands to take advantage of the panoramic views from the heights of Ithaka. As we crossed the narrow isthmus (25 meters at the narrowest point) that connects the northern and southern peninsulas that make up this island, we feasted on the panoramic views on either side of the Ionian Sea and Ithaka's numerous beaches and harbors. The countryside is rural, goats gamboling about the rocks. Ancient olive trees with enormous trunks punctuated the landscape interspersed with small vineyards and terraced gardens up and down the hillsides.
We passed through several small villages including houses built by the British as part of the international relief following the devastating earthquake of 1953, and stopped at an old monastery. Having carefully closed the door to the courtyard (a bronze plaque prominantly displayed warned against letting in the goats) we found a lovely small church in the Byzantine style. The ceiling of which was painted an intense deep blue with gold stars so you felt like you were looking up into the heavens. Our next stop was the quaint hilltop village of Anogi (the former capitol) and the medieval church of Agia Panagia (according to some sources from the 12th century). Agia Panagia has some remarkably well preserved Byzantine frescoes of a virtual army of saints – including, of course, St. George and a very ferocious looking dragon - intermingled with the more traditional iconography and an unexpected embossed painted tin ceiling. Out front was an usually fragrant bramble rose and the remains of a Venetian cannon. In keeping with local practice, the bell towers of both churches were built separately from the church building in the event of earthquakes.
In Stavros (the “crossroads”) we stopped for a refreshing frappe at a small cafe on the square. While some chose to meander around the picturesque village, others hiked up the hill to visit the small archeological museum with artifacts from nearby excavations, some dating as far back as 3000 BC. The small but comprehensive exhibit included an exquisitely detailed plate decorated with roosters, several large wine goblets with circular stems particular to the island, as well as finds from Pelikata Hill, believed by some to be the site of Odysseus' palace. Of special note was an artifact dedicated to Odysseus. Although it has been dated to around 1000 years after Odysseus would have made his epic voyage, the very existence of such a piece is a testament to the continuing importance of the hero of Homer's epic to the island's inhabitants. Perhaps the most unexpected connection of Ithaka with homecoming was made by the curator herself, Fotini Couvaras, who welcomed us as friends returning after a long absence (even longer than the 20 years it took Odysseus to return home). She proudly showed us copies of a National Geographic article from 1973 in which an interview with her late husband, the former curator of the museum, was featured. Special thanks are due to our wonderful guides, Judith and Ester, who gave us a thorough understanding of the history and daily life of this peaceful island and to our intrepid bus drivers who finessed the hair raising switchback roads so that we could experience the delights of these remote villages.
The afternoon was spent anchored in a secluded bay swimming and kayaking.
