Heidi is taking the week off, and so we have
a guest today. H. S. Stavropoulos was born and raised in a small Greek Village
in the middle of Oakland, California, and writes about being born in America to
Greek immigrant parents and living between those two worlds. A frequent visitor
to Greece and having hundreds of relatives there, H. S. Stavropoulos writes
stories that describe life in Greece, Greek food (of course!!), the wealth of
Greek culture, mythology and traditions, and the complex and wonderful Greek
people.
The
wonderful thing about visiting my family in Greece is that when I need to
escape for a weekend getaway, I have hundreds of islands to select. I’d always
wanted to see the Palace at Knossos, so Crete it was.
I flew
in and grabbed a cab to my beachfront hotel. I spent the day swimming and as
the day drew to a close and I walked along the shore listening to the gentle
sound of waves lapping against the sandy beach, a single white flip-flop was
tossed among the waves. I reached it and kicked it onto the beach, continued my
walk, and eventually headed back to my hotel.
Sunset over Heraklion |
I
awoke to the sun shining into my room. I opened the window to admire the sea
view. But today was not a beach day, today was for an archeological tour. I
hopped on a local bus and headed into Heraklion, where I transferred to
another, headed to Knossos. Arriving at Knossos, I walked the short distance to
the gate, paid, and entered the heart of the Minoan Civilization.
The
day was hot and dusty and filled with the cries of peacocks. I’d never seen
peacocks in the wild and for a time I was enthralled watching them, almost
forgetting that they weren’t the reason I’d come.
Knossos peacock |
I
walked to the palace with its red columns and frescoes of dolphins, bulls, and
bull-jumping youths. The colours were bold and vibrant and the artistry
magnificent.
I
walked around the complex and was amazed that the site covered 20,000 square
meters. The palace is a multi-storied structure with multiple floors,
innumerable corridors and colonnades. I wondered as I peered down several
levels with zig-zagging staircases that reminded me of an Escher painting
whether this wasn’t the basis for the myth of the labyrinth.
The
Palace of Knossos features in many myths about the Minotaur and the Labyrinth.
In Greek, minotaur, means the “bull of Minos.” Minos was the King of Knossos.
King Minos commissioned the great architect, Dedalos to build the labyrinth to
house the Minotaur. But the King kept Dedalos prisoner to prevent him from
revealing the layout. Dedalos fashioned two sets of wings from feathers and
wax. He and his son, Ikaros, escaped by flying off the island of Crete. Ikaros
flew too high and the sun melted the wax and he plummeted into the Aegean Sea.
Knossos Palace |
Another
myth surrounding the Palace is that of Theseus slaying the Minotaur. Crete
required a tribute from Athens of young men and woman to be sacrificed to the
Minotaur. Theseus, the son of the King of Athens, vowed to kill the Minotaur.
If he succeeded, he would change the sails on his ship to white to alert his
father, Aegeus. When Theseus returned, he forgot to change the sails, and his
father jumped to his death from the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, thereby
giving his name to the Aegean Sea.
One modern
theory is that the word “labyrinth” can be associated with the double headed
axe, the labyrs, used throughout Crete.
As I
walked about the palace, I thought of these rich stories filled with symbolism
and tragedy.
I
waited in line to view the alabaster throne, surrounded by reclining griffins
painted on the walls of the room. I saw ceramic jars taller than myself. A
double horned limestone sculpture, the symbol of the sacred bull, stood in an
open area with tourists vying to be photographed in front of it.
Double horns at Knossos |
After
spending the better part of the day at Knossos, I returned to Heraklion, where
I toured the open exhibits of the Heraklion Archeological Museum. The museum
houses the actual frescoes from Knossos along with many of its findings. Items
from other sites on Crete are also included. The Phaistos disc has always
fascinated me with its hieroglyphic symbols arranged in a spiral that has never
been translated.
The
next day I explored the city of Heraklion, once owned by ancient Venice. Along
the stone walls built to fortify the city, I wandered past a large structure
with vaulted ceilings and arches then walked to the old harbour. At the end of
the pier I came to the Venetian fortress. I entered the cool and dark stone
fortress and then walked up to the top of the battlements overlooking the sea.
Venetian fortress in Heraklion Harbour |
I
walked back towards the city and entered a pedestrian street filled with shops.
I wandered through a pedestrian mall and cross streets until I reached a
magnificent fountain in the center of the shopping district surrounded by cafes
and restaurants.
The
Morozini Fountain is an ornate 17th-century Venetian fountain used to supply
water to the fortified city. Water flows from the mouths of four lions into the
base of the fountain.
After
eating lunch, I went to the tomb of Nikos Kazantzakis, the writer known to most
Americans for his story, Zorba
the Greek. He
is supposed to have lost the 1957 Nobel Prize for Literature by one vote to
Albert Camus. Camus is reported to have said that Kazantzakis deserved it more.
Kazantzakis
is buried outside the walls of the city of his birth, as he requested, since
the church would not allow him to be buried in a cemetery. The epitaph on his
grave reads, “I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.”
I ate
at a seaside restaurant as the sun glowed orange as it set over the sea. That
night, I mused over the sights I had seen on this too quick jaunt to Crete,
knowing that there was much more to see and experience on the largest of
Greece’s islands. The next day would see me on a plane returning to Athens.
Remember
that white flip-flop I found on the beach? It inspired a story that will be
published in Fish Nets, the second anthology of the Guppies
Chapter of Sisters in Crime, which will be released in early May 2013.
Thank you for the wonderful description, a lovely reminder of my visit to the island about ten years ago when I accompanied my son's class on a trip. I loved everything about Crete and your article just reminded me of all that.
ReplyDeleteThank you!! Glad it reminded you of Crete and your trip.
DeleteH. S. Stavropoulos
Fabulous. How you packed that all into one weekend I can only imagine and thanks for the heads up about the anthology.
ReplyDeleteLOL!! I walk very fast. Thank you!!
DeleteThanks for the refreshing trip! Loved it.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed the 'trip'. Thanks for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteAnother place to add to my list of places to visit. Great descriptions! I'll be looking forward to reading your story in the anthology.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful place to visit, though I hope you have more time than I did. Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteI haven't made it to Crete, but thanks for reminding me about how fabulous the Greek islands can be!
ReplyDeleteThe Greek islands are fabulous and each has its own unique features. I hope you get to Crete soon!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your trip, Helen, and your wonderful photos.
ReplyDeleteGlad you stopped by. Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteMy husband, Craig, & I went to Greece for our honeymoon last year. Most of our time was spent on Crete & it was, by far, our favorite part of the trip. The Palace of Knossos was HUGE, & I agree, that it could've doubled for a labyrinth in its heyday.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. I'm glad you enjoyed your trip. Crete is very special. Wow!! What a great honeymoon!!
DeleteLove all the pictures and the descriptions!!! Most awesome, Madame!
ReplyDeleteThank you my dear!!
DeleteI enjoyed your vivid account of a place I'd love to visit. And how wonderful that a moment there inspired a story. I think stories often begin this way--with a small, seemingly inconsequential detail that sparks the imagination to ask: What led to this? What could happen next?
ReplyDeleteYou are so right. Stories come from many directions. That flip-flop just wouldn't let me go. Thanks for dropping by.
DeleteI love looking at this area of the world through your eyes! Knossos Palace, now it's on my bucket list!
ReplyDeleteThank you!! You'll be amazed when you get there.
DeleteWhat a fantastic visit! I didn't realize Greece was so rich in history, art, mythology and natural beauty. Thanks for sharing such a lovely story.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome and thanks for coming by!!
DeleteMuch fun to read. My main reference, previously, was Mary Renault's The King Must Die.
ReplyDeleteAnother book to read. I'd never heard of her books.
DeleteThanks for letting me know.
DeleteCongratulations on a great blog, Helen -- a cultural journey with etymology thrown in is a winning combination!
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice thing to say!! Thank you.
DeleteGreat blog, Helen. Transported me to Crete, if only in my mind. I'm always amazed at how the sky and water manage to be the same vibrant blue in Greece. I'll get there some day.
ReplyDeleteI hope you do get there very soon!! Thank you.
DeleteI haven't been to Crete, but it's on my bucket list. Your wonderful, descriptive post just moved it nearer the top.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a great time when you get there. Thank you.
DeleteI've always wanted to go to Crete so your post was the next best thing. Of course now I want to go even more!
ReplyDeleteThank you. I hope you enjoy your visit there very soon.
DeleteI've wanted to visit Greece for a long time. Love the food and the history (a lot of which is entwined with Persian history). Now I know I must put Crete on my itinerary when I go. Thanks for taking us on this vivid tour of a fascinating place.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for allowing me to share my love of all things Greek!!
DeleteMust have been a fabulous trip, Helen. Thanks for taking us there.
ReplyDeleteHave never been to Crete, Helen, but your story really grounded me there. The Ikaros story is one I've always remembered, but now I have the image of him swimming away in the Aegean Sea:-) Thanks for the ride!
ReplyDeleteI loved your descriptions of Knossos. Perhaps someday I will be able to tour the Greek Islands. I love the mythology. Thanks Helen.
ReplyDeleteSo gorgeous! Now I really want to go. Thanks for this, Helen!
ReplyDeleteLisa (Brackmann)
I was only in Greece for a few days years ago on a tour,but I've long wanted to go back and spend more time there. Your blog has made me want that trip even more. Beautiful descriptions.
ReplyDeleteNext time you go, can I squeeze into your suitcase? I want you to be my tour guide!
ReplyDeleteAmazing---I've been to Athens and Santorini, and I had heard that each island offered a varied experience, but I hadn't realized just quite how different they would be. Crete seems almost light years away from the life and culture of Santorini! And so fascinating! I'd also heard the stories of Daedalus and Icarus but hadn't realized they were rooted in an actual setting. I must visit this place!
ReplyDeleteWow!! Thanks everyone for your wonderful comments.
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