Notes from our trip - Ancient Corinth

Navplion, Greece
crescent, waning moon
weather: perfect. Sunny & slightly breezy - low 70's

On the way to ancient Corinth I see black and white dog at a crossroads. He is limping and I can see that the left back foot is either hurt or has some congenital defect. He seems to get around and to be healthy enough - these town dogs have a hard time of it. I would have fed him if I could have, but we were on a bus, which moved turned left and moved on up into the mountains. I hope he made it, either to help (if he needed it) or to food. (1)

Corinth was one of the best days of the trip. I hadn't expect it to be so beautiful up there. We were at the top of a mountain, with views of both the Aegean and Ionian seas. The doves were cooing in the pine trees when we approached museum and later I could hear them all over the site. I spent time at the Temple of Apollo and poured a libation when the others weren't looking. It was only bottled water, but Apollo is a gentleman and he'll appreciate the gesture.

The site is more intact than I had imagined it would be. The place is full of history; Neolithic, Greek, Roman, et all. Archaeologists have uncovered a great deal and they have a lot more work to do. I hope to go back some day and see more.

The museum there is small, but very special. The mosaics, are gorgeous! (I liked one of a shepherd, the best) and pots,in particular, were lovely. I love spirals and one bowl, in particular caught my eye. They also had a very powerful image of a sphinx which I loved.

The sculpture pieces that depicted both women and Goddesses were all very strong physically and very beautiful - this image of female strength is one of the reasons why I love Greek art. Ironically, very few of the female art pieces I loved are pictured, either at the museum website or on postcards. Go figure.

Sad to say, many of these art pieces were stolen by Greek nationals in 1990. Nine years later, they were found in crates in Miami (and not before some of the pieces were sold by Christies). All of these pieces were returned to the Greek government. Since then, security at the museum is much higher.

From ancient Corinth, we went on to the Corinth Canal (started by Nero and finished by Napoleon). When you stand on the bridge you are literally standing on between the Ionian and Aegean seas, with a beathtaking view of of the area known as the Peleponnese. I hope the pictures come out. We stopped at a hillside cafe and had cokes and some vanilla ice cream. It was lovely to sit there, look at the hills, feel the gentle seas breezes and watch some cute school kids get off a bright, very purple bus and tour the canal.

It was, all in all, a very good day.

Sia

(1) Thalassa later told me that these tarot signs can mean "pay attention". To me, black and white also signals a search for balance. I've spent much of this trip trying to be aware of the negative and positive, both within and without, and to deal with each as spiritually appropriate.