PROFUNDO JOURNEYS
Greece 2011
Athens
From the breakfast deck of our hotel was an unobstructed view of the Acropolis. We walked through the ancient Plaka up worn and winding paths to the Parthenon. Our guide Maria brought the Ancient Greek civilization alive for us. We journeyed later to Cape Sunion, to capture sunset at the Temple of Posiedon.
Crete
Our first morning found our group photographing the sunrise on Elounda Bay. We later journeyed to Kritsa, a timeworn mountain village of sheep farming, and olive trees. On one crystal clear morning, we traveled by charter boat to the island of Spinalonga, known for its leper colony. Haunting remnants of the town center still lie timeless.
We journeyed into the mountains to interior Anogia, a village of winding streets, plazas, old churches and numerous sheep. Many of the inhabitants were elderly women traditionally clothed in black. Some invited us into their small and very sparse homes, sharing cheese, bread and fruit. The songs of Anogia were mournful in tone, telling of the tragic history of this small town during the Second World War.
Santorini
In Oia, our hotel sat at the top of a volcanic crater high above the turquoise Sea of Crete. The views were iconic; windmills, blue domes, tiers of buildings cascading down the hill.
We visited the lesser known hill villages of Pyrgos and Emboreio, featuring traditional stuccoed volcanic stone houses clustered around an ancient castle. The roads are like labyrinths; as one nears the top of the hill, the lanes become narrower, vaulted with an occasional tunnel. We visited Red Beach for lunch on the dock of the Dolphins restaurant and feasted on Greek salads, full of native tomatoes and feta cheese. A walk along the beach gave us the chance encounter with a wedding.
We returned to Athens for a final day of photographing, shopping, and an authentic Greek dinner at the home of our Cultural and Tour Advisor, Daphne.