My last day in Nafplio. I need to check up on buses for tomorrow at some point. But for now I'm resting my feet and having a much-needed lunch after an inspiring morning in the Peloponnesian Folklore Foundation.
To an English-speaker, Folk-art Foundation might be a better name - I associate the term "folklore" more with tales of King Arthur and piskies and the Black Dog of Bungay. The PFF however has a marvellous collection of traditional regional costumes and nineteenth and twentieth century clothes and jewellery, as well as furniture, assorted domestic items and folk arts and crafts such as embroideries, weavings, and decorated chests and trunks. It's a small museum, with an exterior so modest it's easy to miss it; but well worth a visit.
The sense of colour, design and texture in the clothing displays is astonishing. I can't wait to get my hands on my watercolours and try to get down some kind of response to all the riches. I've taken tons of photos; these are just a few, to give a taste.
There were also a couple of windows with a very beautiful patterned glass that diffused the light from outdoors into wonderful patterns of muted green and gold. They looked like fabulous quilts made of light. Combined with the tremendous colours and patterns in the exhibition, this has simply left me itching to make some art...
Well, I'll indulge myself with a bit of playing around with my paints after lunch. But I need to get packed this evening; tomorrow I move on to Corinth.
Back in 1991, the year I stayed on Aigina and had to use a cane because of my bad leg, I decided towards the end of my trip that the only way I was going to get to see anything more than I could hobble to was if I booked a coach trip; so I did the "Classical History" day, which meant Corinth, Mycenae and Epidavros, all in one day. It meant a lot of sitting on a coach and not much time for site-visiting. Plus a guide who wasn't terribly interested, and all in all it wasn't much of a trip. That's the only time I've ever been to Corinth, so I'm really looking forward to that a lot. It was the capital of Roman Achaia and an incredibly wealthy city; I seem to remember the ruins were extensive and impressive 25 years ago, and there's been more excavation since then.
This morning it was bright but overcast; now there are small breaks in the cloud, little patches of blue showing through. I've eaten some lovely grilled sardines and salad, and I keep having to take my cardigan off, and then putting it on again; the temperature is right on that cusp where I can't decide if I'm too warm or too cool.
The cardigan has proved useful the last few days. At one point it looked as though I was going to carry it, a jumper, a fleece, a mac, three pairs of socks, proper shoes and a scarf around for a whole month and never need them once! But I've been glad of them since, although I haven't used the scarf, and I could have managed with either the fleece or the jumper - I didn't need both. In the main I think my packing was pretty well-planned. I haven't used my picnic set at all, and my binoculars only once or twice. I brought more shampoo and shower gel than I would need, because almost everywhere I've stayed so far has provided me with complimentary toiletries.
And that's another thing that so far has worked out well; my choice of accommodation has been highly successful. Everything was booked cold; I'd never stayed in any of these places before. The Athinaikon Hotel in Athens was old-fashioned and a bit scruffy, but immaculately clean, very friendly, and brilliantly situated in a characterful but safe and untouristy area. The Captain's Rooms in Aigina had a glorious view and a delightful small beach within five minutes' walk, and were spacious, a bit idiosyncratic but very comfortable; the Zontanos Studios, despite the incident with the burst pipe, were likewise really comfortable and well-appointed, and the owner was incredibly helpful. Here in Nafplio I've been staying at the Park Hotel, which unsurprisingly is situated next to the town park. I've had a king-size bed, with a superb mattress; the best bed so far (and they've all been good); everything is spotless, with daily cleaning and a constant supply of fresh linen; the staff are courteous and unobtrusively friendly; the breakfast buffet is generous and has enough diabetic-friendly items that I haven't had to eat the same thing every day; and I've had the luxury of a proper bath.
If the place I'm staying in Corinth is equally as nice then it'll be a hat trick. Or whatever a successful straight run of five would be.
Coming back to Nafplio has been wonderful. I have found much changed, and there have been losses. Inevitably after so long some of the shops and cafes I remember vividly have vanished, and there are too many closed businesses altogether; but some of the change has been improvement, and I've found continuity, too. I've been able to eat at the place where I had my very first proper meal on Greek soil; and have found the food still good. I've been able to go back to some terrific ancient sites, and found them still potent; and I've discovered other ones new to me. I've been able to swim, and mooch, and touch that sense of the deep-lying, undying past, just below the surface; the long bright past of Hellas and my own small personal past, intertwined. It's been good.
To an English-speaker, Folk-art Foundation might be a better name - I associate the term "folklore" more with tales of King Arthur and piskies and the Black Dog of Bungay. The PFF however has a marvellous collection of traditional regional costumes and nineteenth and twentieth century clothes and jewellery, as well as furniture, assorted domestic items and folk arts and crafts such as embroideries, weavings, and decorated chests and trunks. It's a small museum, with an exterior so modest it's easy to miss it; but well worth a visit.
This un-showy, barely-signposted doorway leads to the treasure trove that is the Peloponnesian Folklore Foundation
The sense of colour, design and texture in the clothing displays is astonishing. I can't wait to get my hands on my watercolours and try to get down some kind of response to all the riches. I've taken tons of photos; these are just a few, to give a taste.
There were also a couple of windows with a very beautiful patterned glass that diffused the light from outdoors into wonderful patterns of muted green and gold. They looked like fabulous quilts made of light. Combined with the tremendous colours and patterns in the exhibition, this has simply left me itching to make some art...
Well, I'll indulge myself with a bit of playing around with my paints after lunch. But I need to get packed this evening; tomorrow I move on to Corinth.
Back in 1991, the year I stayed on Aigina and had to use a cane because of my bad leg, I decided towards the end of my trip that the only way I was going to get to see anything more than I could hobble to was if I booked a coach trip; so I did the "Classical History" day, which meant Corinth, Mycenae and Epidavros, all in one day. It meant a lot of sitting on a coach and not much time for site-visiting. Plus a guide who wasn't terribly interested, and all in all it wasn't much of a trip. That's the only time I've ever been to Corinth, so I'm really looking forward to that a lot. It was the capital of Roman Achaia and an incredibly wealthy city; I seem to remember the ruins were extensive and impressive 25 years ago, and there's been more excavation since then.
This morning it was bright but overcast; now there are small breaks in the cloud, little patches of blue showing through. I've eaten some lovely grilled sardines and salad, and I keep having to take my cardigan off, and then putting it on again; the temperature is right on that cusp where I can't decide if I'm too warm or too cool.
The cardigan has proved useful the last few days. At one point it looked as though I was going to carry it, a jumper, a fleece, a mac, three pairs of socks, proper shoes and a scarf around for a whole month and never need them once! But I've been glad of them since, although I haven't used the scarf, and I could have managed with either the fleece or the jumper - I didn't need both. In the main I think my packing was pretty well-planned. I haven't used my picnic set at all, and my binoculars only once or twice. I brought more shampoo and shower gel than I would need, because almost everywhere I've stayed so far has provided me with complimentary toiletries.
And that's another thing that so far has worked out well; my choice of accommodation has been highly successful. Everything was booked cold; I'd never stayed in any of these places before. The Athinaikon Hotel in Athens was old-fashioned and a bit scruffy, but immaculately clean, very friendly, and brilliantly situated in a characterful but safe and untouristy area. The Captain's Rooms in Aigina had a glorious view and a delightful small beach within five minutes' walk, and were spacious, a bit idiosyncratic but very comfortable; the Zontanos Studios, despite the incident with the burst pipe, were likewise really comfortable and well-appointed, and the owner was incredibly helpful. Here in Nafplio I've been staying at the Park Hotel, which unsurprisingly is situated next to the town park. I've had a king-size bed, with a superb mattress; the best bed so far (and they've all been good); everything is spotless, with daily cleaning and a constant supply of fresh linen; the staff are courteous and unobtrusively friendly; the breakfast buffet is generous and has enough diabetic-friendly items that I haven't had to eat the same thing every day; and I've had the luxury of a proper bath.
If the place I'm staying in Corinth is equally as nice then it'll be a hat trick. Or whatever a successful straight run of five would be.
Coming back to Nafplio has been wonderful. I have found much changed, and there have been losses. Inevitably after so long some of the shops and cafes I remember vividly have vanished, and there are too many closed businesses altogether; but some of the change has been improvement, and I've found continuity, too. I've been able to eat at the place where I had my very first proper meal on Greek soil; and have found the food still good. I've been able to go back to some terrific ancient sites, and found them still potent; and I've discovered other ones new to me. I've been able to swim, and mooch, and touch that sense of the deep-lying, undying past, just below the surface; the long bright past of Hellas and my own small personal past, intertwined. It's been good.
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