In the ruins

We are really quite depressed about our experiences at the moment. Everything on the boat is breaking, we are spending much more money than we have. We've had to buy a new anchor and chain to go with the new windlass (Another Euro 1300 on top of the E3000 for the windlass). Our engine needs a whole new transmission (gearbox) on top of a new clutch (around E1500). We've just spent E8000 on a new generator and windlass. And then there's all the accident damage to repair. It never seems to stop, things keep breaking. We've had to fit a new shower sump pump as the old one kept getting blocked and stopped pumping. And on and on it goes. So this post is metaphorically, as well as literally, into the ruins....

Meegs and Michael

One of the most distressing things is that Michael, Megan's son has arrived, only to find our boat broken and disabled. The vision of 'cruising in the Greek Islands' has been replaced by the grim reality of mooring in the industrial port of Lavrion for his time here. Not what any of us had in mind. We've determined that in future, we must warn everyone who is thinking of coming onto the boat, what cruising is all about. IT IS NOT A VACATION, it is not a care-free existence sipping pina colada's under palm trees. We live and breath under the exigencies of wind and weather, mechanical failure, bureaucracies and other random factors. When those things are going well, life is wonderful. But when they are not..... life can be very difficult.

The ancient palace at Mycenae.

So, as some sort of recompense, we hired a car for a few days. Yesterday, we drove down the coast to Nafplio, a sea-side resort on the Peloponnese. After a swim and a few cappuchino freddo's to calm our frazzled nerves, we headed to Mycenae, center of the Mycanean culture, contemporous with the Minoan culture and Knossos.

Lion's Gate at Mycanae

Close-up of the be-headed lions

The entrance to the citadel is one of the most famous, the magnificent Lion's Gate. The large stone blocks of the walls around the gate are called cyclopean blocks, the myth being that Cyclops were used to build the walls, as ordinary humans could not lift such massive blocks.

Circle grave tomb

Circle grave tomb in the large

Death mask recovered from the grave tomb.

The palace at Mycenae was reserved for burials and thrones, and the business of government. It was not a residential centre. The massive round circle tombs, burial site of kings, preserved an impressive array of pottery, jewellery and artisan works, attesting to the high culture and artisan life-style of the Mycenaeans.

Classic style museum at the Mycenae site

Pottery from one of the circle tombs

So while we're recovering in Athens, and figuring out creative ways of paying for all our damage, we can still find time to look at 'piles of old stones'.

Entrance to a circle tomb

Circle tomb from above

Mycanean jewelery

Things will improve.... I have been promising Meegs that while our first year might be hard, everything will be easier in our second year.  Let's hope!