My day through Mythology July 1997      When I travel I like to be independent. I don't like to rely on others help or impose on others. So when I am staying with relatives, or relatives of relatives, I am grateful for their hospitality and try to do everything else on my own. That backfired on me one day.     An idea had come to me when I was waiting in the Tourist office of a little Greek town for information about scuba diving. I saw that the flat rate for a one day car rental was 50,000 Drachmas. I thought to my self. Great, I will rent a car for the day, travel up Argolis and see the major sites in the area. To history/Mythology buffs this region was a gold mine. There was Mycenae , the ancient powerful city-state that Agamemnon and Cyldmestra came from. Argos, of Argonaut fame and Nauplion the first capital of modern Greece. I would then take in the theater of Eidverous, the worlds only acoustically perfect amphitheater over 2000 years old and you had quite a day.      With out talking to anyone, I rented the car. I assumed I was renting the smallest one, and the fiat I got was very small. I had been warned by friends in Ermioni about disreputable gas stations, following traffic laws to the letter, crazy Greek drivers and insane Greek drivers. I had a very detailed road map of the area and I would be retracing the major bus route area. I should have no problems, if I played it safe. It was about a 200 K.M. round trip, no problem.      I went up through the rugged mountains that separate Ermioni from Nauplion with no problem. I stayed within the speed limit and the road was relatively scarce of other drivers thankfully. A couple people passed me but they did it safely, translated not on a curve. The drive takes you through some very scenic hills, with nothing more than goats to break the monotony of vegetation. It took me about 2 hours to get to Nauplion. No problem, it was only nine. My plan was to start at Mycenae about an hour or so north.      The drive to Mycenae was on a straightaway where I saw more typical Greek drivers. Fortunately it was straight enough that that neither my life nor anyone else's was in danger as they sped past at 120 km/h on the straightaway. I was more content to take my time. When I got to Mycenae I saw why it was worth the journey. The foundations of this ancient city-state are very well preserved. As you walk around them, you can imagine you are following the footsteps of Agamemnon and Clydmestra as well as Agamemnon's brother Menalous. (Two years later I would view Sparta) You get to see the royal tombs where many of the great archeological artifacts in the National museum were found. It also has an awesome view of the surrounding valleys. In the days of city-states, being on a hill was important. You could see your enemies approaching and had time to bolt the door. It was well worth the drive for the view alone.      My drive back took me through Argos. Unfortunately the Acropolis is high on a mountain (surprise). It didn't look as spectacular as Mycenae and it was already 1:00. Yes I had spent 3 hours wandering around Mycenae. So I scurried onto Nauplion.      Nauplion is one of my favorite cities in Greece. It is on the coast so it is cool. It doesn't have the traffic of most major cities. It has been inhabited continuously since 3000 B.C. by various forces that have used it as a trading post and thus fortified it. Since it was a trading port it became very rich and prosperous so in addition to awesome fortifications you had very rich architecture. There are three main sites. First the Venetian/Ottoman battlements. Successive invasions (i.e. one would drive the other out) kept forcing the controller of the town to fortify the town. The end result are 7 interlocking fortress that you have to climb 999 steps to enter (There is a back road up for less adventurous people). The battlements have a terrific view of the city, the gulf and the Argoid peninsula. The second site to see is is the waterfront with a Frankish fort turned prison in the center. It is quite scenic. The third is the old town that boasts some of the finest Venetian buildings outside of Venice. Nauplion is a nice place to linger. Seaside taverna, a nice pedestrian district among Venetian buildings. As well as the mellowness Greece is famous for. However, Lingering would have to wait for later. It was now 3:00 and I still had one more ancient sight. (On my second trip I had the choice of going through either Athens or Nauplion to get to Ermioni. There was a chance I would get stuck in what ever city I chose. I chose Nauplion.)      The ancient theater at Epidavros was my final stop. In the 6th century B.C. the cult of Ascpolise dedicated a temple here. Clerics would heal pilgrims of various aliments in one of the first hospitals. In about the third century B.C. an amphitheater was built into the Cliffside. It was believed that entertainment; as well as physical activity was key for recovery. The amphitheater is divided into two parts, the limestone slabs of the lower part about a foot smaller than the upper. Because of this, and its situation in a natural amphitheater, a whisper on the stage can be hard in the last row. It has perfect acoustics. The view of the valley it is in isn't bad either.      My day was more or less a success. I had seen three key sites on the Argoid peninsula in one day instead of the three it would have taken on the public busses. It was also 4:00 so I had to boogie to get back to Ermioni by 7:00 to return the car.      When I got back the main person was not there, but some helper. I soon learned why the price was too good to be true. Not only was there the set rate, but also you were charged for mileage. Also apparently my little fiat was the medium ca as well r. MY cost for one day was 70 dollars. It would have cost me 90 for three days. I tried to argue but he suddenly lost his comprehension of English. I griddle paid, knowing I would be back to argue with the person in charge, along with my Greek-speaking relatives. I ran into my Aunt's Cousin along with her ex-husband and a few other people at the coffee shop about 50 feet from the tourist office and told them what happened. They were outraged. They went over to the T.I. and began to talk with the lackey. Unlike most Greek conversations, they did it calmly and collectively. Not arguing. They got him to call the person in charge. Finally, after some negotiation I was charged for the smallest car, and got some other discount for a cost of 50 dollars.      I learned an important lesson. First it is o.k. To get help, especially if you are not familiar with the language. Second, be sure to read all of the fine print. Two years later I again wanted to rent a car to travel through the southern Peloponnesian. Instead of blindly going in, I asked my aunt's cousin for help and he got a very good deal on the car, again a small fiat. Guide Books |  FAQs |  Photos for Sale |  Travel Essays |  Links Contact info: