September 3 – Mystras, Palamidi Castle

It seems everywhere you go in Greece there are beautiful sea views, usually with islands in the background.

And for today...more ruins.  Today we go to Mystras for Byzantine ruins. This was a fortified town near Sparta (drove through modern Sparta…nothing to see).  The buildings date from the mid-13^th century and the fortifications were constructed the area was conquered when crusader states were being established.  The entire complex sits high on a hill and stair steps its way down. 

Lefteris drove us to the top gate so that we could walk down.  We walked up a small ways to the upper citadel and then decided it was much too great a climb for the time we had (plus it was hot).  Jim and Phyllis didn't even try the climb up...very wise.  So we headed down.  There were a number of Byzantine Churches in fairly good repair and a number of frescoes could be seen.    

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More photos of Mystras
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We then had a long drive through the countryside...

Jim checking out the local rocks.

down to the seaside village of Githios for lunch (about 2:00 – we seem to be adapting to the Greek style of eating – lunch at 2:00, dinner at 8:00).  Seemed like a long way to go for lunch but the food was good and we were right on the water with views of the lighthouse and the harbor.  Plus the gentle breezes.  Doesn’t get much better than this.

Octopus legs hanging out to dry.

One of the interesting things we have noticed throughout Greece is little tiny churches or shrines on posts along the roadways.  Lefteris said that they were shrines erected by family members at a place where someone died in a car accident.  A little like the crosses and flowers you sometimes see along the roads in the US.  They were hard to photograph as there is no warning but Paul managed to snap photos of a few.

When we got back to Nafplio Lefteris  dropped us off at the Palamidi Castle for photos of the city…

and bit of exploring.

Arial Photo of Palamidi Castle with the town of Naplio on the left

Then back to the hotel.  Lefteris wasn't sure he would be our driver back to Athens tomorrow so we decided we needed to take photos with him tonight...just in case.

Just as we were getting ready to head out to eat the electricity went off, basically in the entire town.

We eventually found a place with some back-up power and got a cold dinner.  By the time we had finished the electricity was back on so we went across the plaza to the ice cream shop for dessert.