ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL VISIT TO GREECE

Three weeks was hardly long enough, but I made the best of it.  I spent three days at my favorite place, the Maragas Camping on Naxos.

From there I took the sea-jet ferry to Irakleion, Crete.

 Venetian harbor

The Lion Fountain

 I visited some of the sites, including Knossos, and met my writer/mentor friend Dr. Jack Dempsey, for the first time in person. (We've been communicating for a number years on-line). We spent a wonderful few hours talking about our writing at a seafood restaurant by Iraklion's Venetian Harbor. He's an authority on the Minoans and has written two books about them: Ariadne's Brother and People of the Sea. 

Jack and me

 KNOSSOS

I got around town there on the hop-on-hop-off bus which took me to several sites over two days including the Archaeological Museum and the Natural History Museum.

 Finds from Knossos

 Dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum

 I also visited the grave site for writer Nikos Kazantzakis up on the city wall where he was buried because the Orthodox Church wouldn't allow his burial in the cemetery.

Then I returned to Athens for two busy weeks of book readings at the Canadian Institute and the American Community School where I read to a class of 50 grade nine students and conducted a writing workshop/reading with a smaller group of older students.  The following week I did another successful reading at the Athens Centre with a lecture titled 'In Alexander's Footsteps'.  All three centres have invited me back next year!

Reading at the Canadian Institute, Athens.

 The class of Grade 9 Students at the American Community School

 writer's workshop

 Reading at the Athens Centre

My time sped by there. I didn't didn't get much chance to travel around.  We did see the new Niarchos Community Centre in Pireaus.

 Then I went to Salamina for a few days where I explored a few new archaeological sites.

The monument to the warriors of the Battle of Salamis

 Then it was time to head home.  Too fast, but a successful trip nonetheless. And for sure I'll return next year!