Greece - After Easter

After Easter we visited the Palace of Nestor, a few kilometres from Koukounara and the main site of antiquity found in this area. Last year, as archeology students, we started to uncover what may prove to be a minor palace which was associated with the main palace, but situated near to the village of Iklena. So it was with some satisfaction that we entered Nestor's palace knowing a little about it!

These pictures show Sam at the site and in both pix is the bath which is purported to be where Telemachus, the son of Odysseus, was bathed by the beautiful Polycaste, the youngest daughter of King Nestor. The bath is very small, far too small for most adults today, and is a reminder of the short stature of the ancients.

"When she had bathed him and rubbed him with olive oil, she gave him a tunic and arranged a fine cloak round his shoulders, so that he stepped out of the bath looking like an immortal god. He then went and sat down by Nestor, the shepherd of the people." Homer- "The Odyssey". Rieu, E.V.(Translator ) 1987 London:Guild Publishing.

The site is covered with an iron roof and is protected by a vigilant security fellow. It has a commanding view to the sea. Linear B tablets were found here which had been fired, rock hard in the conflagration which consumed the palace. Finally deciphered they proved to be a mundane record of goods such as olive oil paid to the King by individuals. As the palace was largely wooden, built from the large tracts of forests which were then here, there is little left of the construction. However traces of skillful tile work and other pottery survive at the site. It is well worth a visit.
At the Southern edge of Pylos stands the Castle. In earlier times it has been used as HQ for numerous invading and aiding forces. It stands guard over the entrance to the Navarino Harbour and has also been used by the state as a common prison. Snow was imprisoned here in 1942 after his forced March from Kalamata. He managed to escape, probably during a British air raid, with 6 others all with rifles! Only he and Ernie remained at large, the 4 others being picked up shortly after by motorbike patrols. Snow and Ernie were then found in the fields by a Greek who brought them food and drink, and then organised shelter for them, hence Koukounara.
Today the castle is empty and one has to conjure very hard to realise what the condition here were like. The views out to the bay are breath taking.












On the Wednesday after Easter we were invited to Geroge and Amistasia's home in Kalamata.
Possibly a better word for it is a mansion! It is the final stages of construction and consists of 4 apartments, one each for the boys when they are older, one for Vasiliki who is George's mum, and one for George and Amistasia. We had lunch in this beautiful home and
looked out to the sea of Kalamata Bay and to the old castle.
After a trip around the highlights of Kalamata with Amastasia and the boys We took our leave from this lovely family with a lot of sadness, but with firm committments to stay in touch.

Amastasia outside one of the schools she teaches in.

The following day, Thursday, we were invited to Theodoro & Dina's house in Koukounara, for lunch. And what a lunch it was! Vasiliki and Georgos were also there which was just as well as only George spoke any English. But, of course, it didn't matter as we loosened up with beer and local wine and great merriment was the result! Dina's lamb was cooked in their traditional wood oven and was, simply, to die for. I didn't feel too guilty about eating so much meat as it went down with green vegetables (boiled oregano), and salad steeped in olive oil, not to mention lots of other traditional Greek food.

During this final week I realised an ambition to get to the top of a conical shaped hill (620m) which stands directly above the town of Chandrinos and which can be seen from Koukounara.
I wanted to get up there because I knew that Snow, Ernie and possibly other New Zealanders had stayed in the ruined church at the top. But how had they survived without water?
Ernie tells the story of them living up there and lighting a fire in the ruined church to keep warm and to cook with. One day the local Papas (Greek Orthodox Priest) arrived to see them on the summit and said, "What do you expect me to tell the Italians about the smoke coming from your fire? Maybe I will tell them that there is a new volcano in the area!" Nowadays there is a rough road to the top, back then it was all bush beating. So the priests were as tough as the soldiers. There was water at the top too! A deep artifical well had been built which took rain from the roof of the church.







JJP in the old part of the tiny Church.

So our final day at Koukounara came to an end with another dinner at the Taverna. Georgos shouted us the meal at which He, Vasiliki, Theodoro, Dina, Sam, Gina, myself and Varna were present. We had a lovely time but it was tinged with sadness. We said goodbye to Georgos, Varna, Theodoro and Dina and made our way to Vasiliki's for our final night. Never will we forget these people who have been so generous and open.

Tomorrow we must say goodbye to Vasiliki too, but we are determined to return next year.

To Vasiliki and her family, to Georgos and Varna and to Dina and Theodoro we want to say thank you and Arohanui.

Something good has sprung from the sadness and bravery in Greece, Italy and New Zealand those 60 odd years ago.