Exploring Gortyns (at least finding the parking lot) &, (festos) Phaistos Crete
GORTYS: Bummer..... closed for the night so we need to come back tomorrow!!
The archaeological site of Gortys is lying in the plateau of Messara. We actually drove past it a couple of times as we didn’t realize the site also had the Basilica of St. Titus an early 7th Century aD church. We saw the Basilica and the sign and drove past… Then we would get to the next town, know we passed it and turned around. When we stopped at the St. Titus church we found the Goryns sign was hidden by vegetation.
We arrived as the personnel were leaving. Darn! They ignored our questions as they walked quickly to the car….
When we had been driving back and forth on the highway (looking for the site) we had passed a restaurant several times. We decided to stop to see if they were open. It was called Island Girl but in Greek. *****look for the sign with the palm tree ***** We climbed the stairs and stood uncertainly on the large deck. It looked closed …. Then a lady hurried out and asked if we would like to eat and showed us to a table in the shadow of the deck. A shy, beautiful 10 year old girl came out and set the table.
David and I ordered a Greek Salad: They consist of cucumbers, feta, lettuce, olives and tomatoes. (We split this because I am allergic to tomatoes and David doesn’t like cucumbers: the olives, feta and lettuce are halved) I started to order a couple of things but it appeared there was a problem as she kept stopping me. The girl finally rushed inside to bring the lady. The lady asked me if I would like Moussaka. Sure, I would, as long as it’s Greek food I knew I would be happy. David ordered and we got a carafe of wine. Ahhhh, life is good.
It was one of the best meals we had on Crete.
FESTOS: PHAISTOS Amazing place: the disc of Festos was discovered here.
We drove towards the south west of the island. The area we were driving through was a rich agricultural region called the valley of Messara. It was lined with orchards, vineyards, gardens and fields. We wondered what it would have looked like when it was around harvest time. It was really wonderful to look out across the patterns of the different crops. Phaistos is built on a hill As we drove we saw the signs for Festos: also spelled Phaistos. We thought it would be closed but amazingly it was still open. We bought the tickets and walked down the wooded path to the ancient site. They had a nice gift shop and a small restaurant at the site entrance.
The excavations showed the site was ruins of Neolithic times 3000 BC.
Phaistos palace was located so it was the dominate force of the Messara valley. It administered the government of the area and was the economic center of the region. The palace had huge storerooms for goods for trade and consumption.
It flourished but was destroyed by the Gorthnians during the 3rd century BC.
The Disc of Phaistos is one of the most important discoveries. It is embossed with symbols believed to be an early example of printing Which is basically pressing shapes into damp clay. The hieroglyphics are the earliest know Minoan script dated approximately 1700 to 1600 BC. Both the front and back are covered with Hieroglyphs: it’s arranged in a spiral. The groups are divided by lines (like a pie cut). It is theorized each of the groups represent a word. There are 45 different types of signs. There are many suggestions of what they could mean. One theory is it may be a list of soldiers. Another suggests a ring is discussing the erection of the palace of Phaistos. The disk has not been interpreted satisfactorily yet.
One thing I really enjoyed was watching a man repair an oil vessel. He was working down in the storage areas (which are sunken areas) and had a tarp over him for shade. It was really quite hot. I kneeled and took some pictures ... He was so nice..... he put the shade cover up so I could see better..... It was so great to see the careful work he did.... first he filled he holes with a palette then he matched the grain on the outside with the paint brush.... it was really an art. I sat for about a half hour watching him.... then I noticed how hot he was and realized he must be quite uncomfortable.... I thanked him in Greek and handed him a cold bottle of water I had just purchased at the snack bar. This kindness is typical ..... What a really nice man.
MATALA...... A PARTY TOWN IN SUMMER.... BUT IT WAS EMPTY WHEN WE GOT THERE....
It was getting late and we needed to find a motel: We drove to the nearby town of Matala. We were surprised at how deserted it looked. We drove up one street that had little hotels and guest house and even looked at one of the rooms. We didn't really mean to look at any room but the lady/owner was sweeping her drive way and stopped us when we drove back out the street. She insisted on showing us a room. It was 35 Euros but I didn't want to stay there as it had no view and the room smelled very strongly of bleach. I couldn't see how we could sleep there.
We drove in to the far area feeling a bit strange about going in. We saw an open Taverna I got out of the car and asked the owner if she knew of a motel and mimed sleeping.... she said " a rrroom? (trilling the R") I said yes.... She pointed up a steep driveway and said ugh...then mimed a right turn with a grunted ugh and then mimed straight again...... OK ... we are on our way.... I let David know I'll be right back and ran up the hill...turned right then again straight..... a lady was standing under an apartment balcomy drying her hair with a towel.... I asked if she knew of a motel or place to sleep.
After we brought up our suitcases we decided to go find an internet and get dinner.
We walked down.... just before we walked in David warned me that there was a huge group of men sitting around a table singing and they were probably drunk..... We walked to a table and sat down.... a man got a menu for us and returned to the group.
Later that night we walked back through the deserted town towards our room. The little taverna was still serving drinks so we got two glasses and a bottle of red wind ..... we walked around the back of the building to enjoy the sunset as we sat and talked.
LIFE IS GOOD....
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
