Day 23 - Sunday 26 May - Thessaloniki museums

Sunday 26 May, Day 23

I had scheduled some rest days, and today was one.  So we stayed home, did the washing and lots of updating here.  We headed off at about 11:30, to use up some museum vouchers we'd bought, at inflated prices, at the White Tower.

We  caught a bus and got off near the Exhibition Centre, and walked to the Archaeological Museum.  This had lots of pots and jars, goods from tombs and burial sites, some mosaics etc.  We stayed for about 1 1/2 hours.

We walked to the nearby Museum of Byzantine Culture, where there was a cafe for lunch.  Their exhibition had similar objects, but then featured lots of icons.

 We'd had enough by 16:15, and walked back to town, to Hagia Sophia church that we'd missed the other day, but it was all locked up. 

We'd also thought we'd visit the sister church of Sofia, but when we got there, the service was at 19:00, not 17:00, so we caught the bus home again.

Day 22 - Saturday 25 May - Kavalla

Saturday 25 May, Kavalla

We have always wanted to see the Corinth Canal, so Ancient Korinth was high on our list for this trip.  When I planned for us to come into Greece from the north, that secured Thessaloniki.  So we decided to make it a trifecta of Paul's epistles, and visit ancient Philippi as well.

So we were out the door by 8:15 to get to the big bus station up at the end of our street before 9:00.  We'd loaded Google maps, and had the memories of getting a cab from our bus when we arrived, but once we hit the street, I continued to be very confused, which is unusual for me because I'm good at maps.  We went one way, changed minds, went back, crossed over, checked maps and compass, and I got more and more stressed.  In the end we decided to get a bus or a taxi, but of course neither arrived.  At last a bus came, and we arrived at the bus station at 8:50, only to find that the 9:00 bus had sold out.  But the other strange thing was that we didn't recognise anything about the place - especially its distinctive dome.

 Anyway, we got the 9:40 bus, and had a nice drive through countryside at times reminiscent of Australia. 

 When we reached Kavalla, (with markets in full swing, and a nice sailing ship art installation)

we got bus tickets to take us to the archaeological site, and we were there in time for lunch in a very nice picnic area. 

We walked for about an hour through the site, which features ruins from C4-5, not C1 of Paul's time.  Then we got the bus back to the city.
 

I had read about a tourist sight-seeing 'train' that runs through the streets of the old town for free every hour.  Because we were running late all day, we decided we would still go on it, and be back to Thess very late.  But at the tourist office they told us that the train only ran on Saturday mornings, so we were out of luck.  Instead we walked to the double decker Roman aqueduct, passing a nice mosaic of Paul arriving in Neapolis (Kavalla) after his dream of a Macedonian asking for help.

 

Then we wandered around the waterfront, and were able to catch the 17:15 bus back home.
 

We got a bus back from the bus station and it took us to the railway station.  Only then did we realise that this was where we had arrived last Thursday, and since the rail station is slightly towards the city from our place, and the big bus station is the other way, this is what led to my total confusion this morning. So relieved my senses have not yet deserted me.

Day 21 - Friday 24 May - Thessaloniki hoho & waterfront

24 May, Thessaloniki

We had no milk, so we walked to the local Mall for breakfast, then continued towards the city, hoping to find where we need to catch a bus next Monday.  (We didn't, but at least now we know which way we should  go.)
We walked along the waterfront, until we reached the White Tower, the symbol of Thessaloniki. 

 

It was built at the corner of the city wall in C14, and is the hub for all tourist activities.  We waited for the next hop-on-hop-off bus, and it took us through the crazy congestion and right up to the remains of the fortress on top of the hill. 

 There we had lunch, took photos, and wandered for a few minutes until it was time for the next bus.

The pop of Thess is over 1 million, and there is no subway system.  There are also drainage works happening in the city and many roads are down to one lane.  Add to this the locals' penchant for double parking, and it's all a bit crazy.

 But we saw the Roman forum and gate, the markets (much more civilised than Hanoi), bought a SIM card for emergencies (as we have already had a few occasions when it would have been useful) and generally 'did' the city.
 

 
Back at the White Tower we boarded the Arabella for our 30 mins free cruise - but you had to buy drinks -

 

then climbed the Tower.

Then it was time for a bus ride back to the Mall, and home to cook dinner.

Day 20 - Thursday 23 May - Skopje to Thessaloniki

Thursday 23 May, Skopje to Thessaloniki

We packed up and left our bags at the luggage store at the bus station, where we met our private guide for the day. (Groups tours only done in the afternoon for this trip.)

We headed off through the city and south east out of town for 17km to Matka Gorge.  Here the river has been dammed for hydro power, and 2 pretty lakes have been made.  They are used for boating, kayaking, and there is a canoe slalom course downstream.  You can rock climb or hire a cabin in the woods.  In Summer it is pretty busy with bus loads of tourists as well as locals.

 We walked along the path, then climbed in a boat that took us up the gorge for 25mins.  It was a pleasant ride, with very clear water, and not many others around.  At the end we disembarked, and climbed up a trail to the mouth of a limestone cave, which is lit by generator.  Inside there were a few formations, but it was pretty poor in comparison to other places we have seen.  We came back on the boat, had a look in the little church there, and headed off.

Next stop was the monastery of  St Pantelejmon, patron saint of physicians, up a high winding road.  This is a working monastery housing 5-6 Gk Orthodox monks.  It was built in C12 with the usual frescoes, then in C16 it was damaged by earthquake.  The frescoes were over-painted, and when Giotto came some 200 years later, the new ones had been cleaned off, and they found the originals underneath.  It is said that he was greatly influenced by the style of these, especially the Pieta, and that this was the beginning of Renaissance Art.

 

Then we went to the middle level of Mt Vodno, and rode in the cable car to the Millennium Cross.  It was built by the government to commemorate 2000 years of Christianity, and so has alienated various sections of the community who don't agree with its symbolism or construction.  It has a lift inside, but this has been turned off.  There was a storm coming, so we didn't stay long, and were dropped back in the city.

 

 

 We walked across to the old side of town, I did my shopping, and we got back to the bus station with plenty of time, and very few dinars left. 

The bus was a modern minibus, and the Friendship Highway a very modern road, so we zoomed along to the Greek border, then it wasn't long until we reached Thessaloniki.
 

But it was late (21:30) and dark, so we got a taxi to our bnb.