Once more into the fray for one last hurrah!! Arriving in Nafplio this morning, we are anchored in the Argolic Sea in the region of the Peloponnesian Islands. Directly across from us is the city of Argos which, as we found out later is NOT a tourist town at all. Our excursion didn’t leave until 1 p.m. – another tender boat adventure! So we took the leap and actually went to the World Cafe for breakfast! As you might think, there were many, many things to pick from and it was quite a nice change. Afterward, we spent a nice hour or so enjoying the view of Nafplio from the ship and reading or playing games. At about 11:00 we went to the shipboard computers to check in for our flights tomorrow and to print our boarding passes. Although we had Viking Air confirm that our flight from Athens to Munich was categorized as Premium Economy, the seat map of the Airbus showed only two basic classes of seating BUT we did get the exit row so that allows for a bit more legroom. We returned to our room to collect our gear for the excursion and headed to the gangway. This time there was a very short wait and we were off!!
We arrived at the dock and were greeted by our guide – a nice man whose name I will never know – and we started our walking tour. Nafplio’s population is only 15,000 and for a brief time – seven years – it was the capital of Greece. It’s roads are wider and the alleys are wider than the other cities where we’ve walked. As with all other Grecian cities, Nafplio saw it’s series of conquerors – their proudest moment, as it was in Crete, is when they revolted against the Ottomans and won their freedom in 1821. Since France, England and Russia assisted them however, they were given the gift of a king – King Otto from Germany! Since that time there have been a series of kings until 1973 when the last king, Constantine II, was ousted in favor of Greece becoming a republic.
The guide told us from the beginning that Nafplio was the prettiest city in Greece and as we walked around the Old Town, we found he was telling the truth. Other than the graffiti, the buildings are neo-classical, mostly in fine condition and best of all, a variety of lovely colors that make the city very welcoming. We learned of the first governor of Nafplio, the general that led the revolt and a woman who fought in the revolt as well – all having statues erected in their honor. The governor was actually assassinated in 1831 on the steps of a nearby church. We saw three different fortresses that were built to defend and protect the city. One is on an island in the harbor, one is built on the very top hill with a famous stairway of 999 steps leading up to it, if you dare, and the third on the other side of the hill. All are in restored condition and stand as reminders of the time when Nafplio was constantly under siege.
We visited the local museum which had two floors, both only accessible by our favorite thing – steps!! And big ones too!! Most of the artifacts represented various stages of pottery from the area along with jewelry and glass but the most remarkable thing was that most of the amphorae, bowls, and cooking utensils which were made of clay were found in pieces that were painstakingly put back together – talk about the ultimate jigsaw puzzle!! As we were leaving the museum we walked by an active Orthodox church – unbelievably outfitted as you’ll see below.
As we returned to the port to take the tender back to the ship, we got one last pic of our time in Greece with the Palamidi fortress over our heads and a last look at Nafplio – the town, the harbor, two fortresses and the mountains. It really was a pretty city and a great last excursion. Oh, and in case you didn’t notice the beautiful blue skies and white, puffy clouds, it was another fine day in Greece.
Back to the ship, packed up for luggage pickup by 10:00 p.m., down to dinner, wine, good conversation, cookies and baklava. Last entry for the trip here tonight – will add the random thoughts and observations after we’re home. It’s been a great trip and best of all – we’re still friends!!
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