Cruising to Argostoli

The beautiful country of Greece was a delightful surprise. I'm so happy to share my  Golden Anniversary cruise to Greece and Italy...

I love Greece.  On Friday July 30th. 2010, our cruise ship pulled into the port of Argostoli.  Greece's best-kept secret.

We visited the Monastery of St. Andrew famous for housing a bizarre relic, which is claimed to be the sole of St. Andrew's right foot. During the 1953 earthquake the whitewashed covering of the inside of the church was loosened and revealed frescoes dating back to the 13th and 17th centuries which are now considered to be the island's biggest artistic treasures. We were not allowed to take photos, because it will damage the frescoes.  Sorry.  Next we visited the Rombola winery to gain insight into the production methods of the famous Rombola Wine made from a local species of grape, which comes in red, white and sweet Muscat.  All wineries in this area are cooperative.  Small grape vineyards contribute to the production of this wine.  This is a great help to the over all economy of the region.  Next we visited the village of Kourkoumelata.  The village was rebuilt after the earthquake of 1953 by a wealthy local citizen reconstructing the whole village in the neoclassical style.  We wandered through the village and admired the sweeping views of the sea below.  A photo stop was made at the Castle of St. George before we returned to the cruise ship.  What a glorious morning we spent, visiting the sights for one of Greece's best-kept secrets.

 Hope you have enjoyed your visit to My Cozy Corner today.

I would love to read your comments and become a follower too.

I'm linking to:

A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday

Oh, The Places I've Been

Thanks again for visiting and please come again

xoxo

Betty

  

Santorini

Santorini.  The postcard island of the Greek islands.  We arrived in Santorini on Saturday, July 31, 2010.  The harbor on this island was created by a volcano in 1500 BC., and the effect is still explosive: steep cliffs rise from sea level, cubist white houses glow in the Aegean sun.

Our panoramic tour of Santorini started with the first stop at the Profitis Ilias (Prophet Elias) Mountain, offering the best views on the whole island.  Descending the mountain we stopped on the way to Oia Village to visit a winery.  We had the opportunity to see how the wine is made from the unique Santorini grapevines.  The drive to Oia definitely acquainted us the the inspiring volcanic nature of the island: and the views from various different angles were quite spectacular.  The picturesque town features blue-domed churches, old two-story mansions, and narrow cobblestone streets lined with tiny shops selling hand made ceramics, paintings and semi precious jewelry.  The little town was an ideal location to capture the beauty of this remarkable island.  Transportation to the top of the mountain is cable car, riding a donkey up the hill or taking a motor coach as we did. Personally, I liked riding in the air-conditioned coach.

Santorini was our last port of call in the beautiful country of Greece.  What a wonderful experience to visit a beautiful place with blue water and white houses lining the top of the mountain.

I Hope you have enjoyed your visit to My Cozy Corner. 
I always enjoy sharing a my experiences with you.
Please leave a comment and I would love it if you would join as a follower.

I am joining Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.  Please link back to Mosaic Monday at Mary's house for more mosaic fun.

xoxo
Betty

Argostoli

I love Greece.  On Friday July 30th. 2010, our cruise ship pulled into the port of Argostoli.  Greece's best-kept secret.

We visited the Monastery of St. Andrew famous for housing a bizarre relic, which is claimed to be the sole of St. Andrew's right foot. During the 1953 earthquake the whitewashed covering of the inside of the church was loosened and revealed frescoes dating back to the 13th and 17th centuries which are now considered to be the island's biggest artistic treasures. We were not allowed to take photos, because it will damage the frescoes.  Sorry.  Next we visited the Rombola winery to gain insight into the production methods of the famous Rombola Wine made from a local species of grape, which comes in red, white and sweet Muscat.  All wineries in this area are cooperative.  Small grape vineyards contribute to the production of this wine.  This is a great help to the over all economy of the region.  Next we visited the village of Kourkoumelata.  The village was rebuilt after the earthquake of 1953 by a wealthy local citizen reconstructing the whole village in the neoclassical style.  We wandered through the village and admired the sweeping views of the sea below.  A photo stop was made at the Castle of St. George before we returned to the cruise ship.  What a glorious morning we spent, visiting the sights for one of Greece's best-kept secrets.

 Hope you have enjoyed your visit to My Cozy Corner today.

I would love to read your comments and become a follower too.

I'm linking to:

A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday

and

Faded Charm for White Wednesday

Thanks again for visiting and please come again

xoxo

Betty

  

Corfu

We are off to Corfu, Greece this week.  This port of call was on July 29, 2010.  A beautiful Thursday morning.  Off we go.....

We passed through the main part of the town of Corfu and headed out into Corfu's lush and verdant countryside of olive, orange and lemon trees.  Our destination was the village of Gastouri, where we visited the Achillion-the mansion built by the Empress Elisabeth of Austria and later owned by Kaiser Wilhelm II.  Its beautiful gardens and statues have been left intact for visitors to admire.  We continued to Kanoni for a distant view of the convent of Vlacherna and Mouse Island.  We returned to town by a different route and took a walk through the narrow streets of the old district.  We stopped at the beautiful St. Spiridon church before returning to the ship.

Hope you enjoy the beautiful sights of Greece and thank you for visiting me at My Cozy Corner.

I am happy to join Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday.

Hope you leave a comment and become a follower.

xoxo
Betty