Over the years, I’ve competed in many sporting activities. Never, however, did I ever compete “naked,” and covered with olive oil. But that is how the Greeks competed in Ancient Olympia in 776 B.C. I did, however, get to stand in the very place they did for those ancient games.
The first Olympic games were dedicated to Zeus, mythological god of sky, thunder, lightning, law and order, who ruled as “king of the gods” on Mount Olympus. These naked men competed over five days in discus, javelin, jumping, running, wrestling, boxing, and chariot racing. A false start was considered cheating and resulted in corporal punishment. Geez!
Of all the wonderful places we visited in our recent Mediterranean Viking cruise, my favorite was Ancient Olympia. Walking on the site of the first Olympic games was incredible. And fortunately, there were no naked men to be seen, save for the statues. The olive oil in the splendid cuisine we experienced throughout the trip was plentiful, however.
The cruise taking my wife Carol and I from Athens, Greece to Florence, Italy, with stops in Croatia, Montenegro, and Slovenia, was our fourth Viking cruise: three oceans and one river. Although I don’t have the space to address all we experienced at each and every port/city we visited in these pages, I am sharing some of the highlights that I hope you’ll enjoy.
We began our trip in the birthplace of democracy, Athens, Greece. While in Athens, we visited the Olympic Stadium, Acropolis, Parthenon, and the Acropolis Museum, one of the most interesting museums we have ever seen.
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Located in the Aegean Sea, Santorini is the largest of several islands which surround the Santorini Caldera. This caldera was formed 3,600 years ago by one of the largest volcanic eruptions in history. With our local guide (who knew everyone), we walked the very narrow streets of the small communities of Megalochori and Pyrgos, enjoying the blue-domed roofs and white-washed walls that make Santorini so recognizable. The cable car experience was cut from our visit due safety reasons related to the minor earthquake which hit several weeks earlier.
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The quaint Greek fishing port of Katakolon was our access to Ancient Olympia. The ruins of massive columns, including those of the Palaestra (wrestling school) and the Gymnasium are incredible. We saw the “stadium,” which was the site of running and chariot events and watched many visitors running the 600-meter distance. I considered running myself but declined as I did not want to embarrass the other runners!
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The next stops on the cruise were two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Old Town and Fortress on Corfu and Kotor, Montenegro. Following those visits, we explored Dubrovnik and Zadar in Croatia, and Koper in Slovenia. The residents of these countries, which were formerly part of communist Yugoslavia, are so happy to live in a capitalist society and love their new tourism-based economy.
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In Slovenia, we experienced one of my most anticipated excursions: truffle hunting. We visited the Bordon Winery where we tasted several excellent wines and had a beautiful lunch. But prior to the wine tasting, the owner of the winery showed our group how his dog would sniff and dig up the truffles. Pigs were once to find truffles, but the pigs often ate the truffles before the handler arrived to take away the treat. Even now, the owner must get to his dog pretty quickly, or the dog will do its best pig imitation! The truffle hunting demonstration was held in winery’s back yard where the owner had buried truffles prior to our arrival and the dog was tasked with finding them. Although not a “real” truffle hunt, because they’re mostly done at night, it was still most interesting and informative.
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The last stop was the Port of Venice where we boarded our bus to Florence, Italy. We never actually saw Venice. En route to Florence, we enjoyed a very special stop in Modena (the home of Ferrari and Maserati) at the 300-year-old Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena D.O.P. While touring the facility, I noticed a large number of Rotary flags on the wall of the room where the vinegar is aged. Upon my asking, the owner said this was where the Rotary Club of Modena meets and he, his dad, and his grandfather are all Rotarians. Upon learning I was a Rotarian, he presented me with a flag from their club. It is a tradition when one visits another Rotary Club that flags are exchanged, so I have since mailed a Brunswick Rotary flag to our host and fellow Rotarian, Giorgio Zoccoli.
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Our stay in Florence included a tour of the city as well as the cities of Siena and San Gimignano. So many cathedrals and other ancient structures! We stayed at the Villa Olmi Firenze, a beautiful 18th Century villa located just over two miles from the center of Florence.
Florence is, of course, one of the most engaging cities in all of Italy. Before we entered the city proper, we stopped at the Piazza Michelangelo which provided a fabulous view of the city. Inside Florence, we visited a leather school, which was recommended by our friend Richard Altman. The shop was open, but it was Sunday so, unfortunately, the school was not in session. Still, the leather goods were beautiful and as costly as they were beautiful.
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We hoped to tour the Uffizi Gallery, which is housed in a very large building built between 1560 and 1580 and is the home of artworks by Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo, just to name a few. Much to our dismay, we discovered that on first Sunday admission to the gallery is free and the line just to enter was two blocks long. My wife Carol, of course, had the perfect response and solution: “No problem, we just have to go back another time!” She’s already making plans to return to Italy.
The bus drivers at each of our stops were outstanding. As you might imagine, the streets in much of Europe are not wide, but the buses were. The driving was impressive. It reminded me of the days I drove a Bekins moving van around the streets of Denver, although the word “impressive” probably would not have been the word used for my skills behind the wheel!
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Viking is one of the world’s best cruise lines, both for oceans and rivers. This fact was proven to us constantly. For example, after flying from Florence to Paris to take our flight home, a Viking representative met us upon deboarding our flight and took us through security to our next departure gate. We skipped every line and moved through the crazy Charles de Gaulle airport like royalty. Praise Viking!
Our love of travel is only enhanced by visiting new places and learning their history. We look forward to our next adventure and sharing our experiences with Elegant Island Living readers.
