MARI'S TRAVELS WITH HER CAMERA

Category: Europe – Mediterranean

Spain, Italy, P:ortugal & France

  • Rome and the Tiber

    Rome and the Tiber

    Castel-Sant'Angelo-from-across-the-Tiber

    Castell Sant’Angelo across the Tiber – Photo Mari Nicholson

    The Tiber has been the soul of Rome since the city’s inception, and it could be said that Rome owes its very existence to this strategically important river on whose banks the first settlements were built.  The two sides of the river are joined by more than thirty bridges, creating a fascinating setting for the archeology and history of the eternal city.

    View_of_the_Tiber_Looking_Towards_the_Castel_Sant'Angelo,_with_Saint_Peter's_in_the_Distance
    Old View of the Tiber, possibly 18th century

    Several of the old Roman bridges no longer exist, in Papal Rome and in the modern city seven were built in the 19th century and ten in the 20th century.

    Bridge on the Tiber leading to Castell Sant'Angelo
    Ponte Sant’Angelo with statues

    The Tiber (named after Tiberius who drowned in the river) is unlike rivers like The Danube, The Seine or The Thames as there is little activity on the water.  In the summer, various boats convey tourists along the stretch of the river, but in general, it seems underused. However, along the Lungotevere, the boulevards that run alongside it, human traffic always seems to flow.

    Flooding was a regular occurrence before the high embankments were built in the 19th century when there were houses located along the banks of this navigable river which was used for fishing and bathing.  Over time, however, silting and sediment build-up meant that the river became unsuitable for navigation.

    Looking downriver towards the Cavour bridge

    Looking down to Cavour Bridge, Rome

    As in other cities such as Bangkok, Seville, London and Paris, tour boats were introduced along the river to give locals and tourists a unique opportunity to view the city.  This is a great way to take in the panorama, and immerse yourself in one of the most evocative cities in the world.

    A stroll along the Boulevard is also a favourite pastime and a visit to Castell Sant’Angelo and the Jewish Ghetto and Synagogue, which are both situated along the Tiber can be combined in a “Tiber walk”.  There are many restaurants, cafes, and bars down by the river  so sustenance is not a problem: these are very noticeable at night when the warm lights from their windows illuminate the Boulevards.

    The Tiber

    The Tiber, Rome – Mari Nicholson

    Whether you opt for a dinner cruise, a daytime hop-on-hop-off cruise, or a private jaunt, along the way you can admire the great Palace of Justice, designed by William Calderoni;  Sant’Angelo Castle, one of the oldest monuments of Rome; St. Peter’s Basilica, Tiberina Island, a picturesque island linked by one of the most famous bridges in the city, and the innumerable bridges that span the Tiber.

    Ponte Sant'Angelo with statues

    Ponte Sant’Angelo Looking towards the Castle – Mari Nicholson

    When the surface of the Tiber is calm and the monuments that span the river are reflected in the still waters, they increase one’s delight in the vista they offer across Rome.  Ponte Sant’Angelo (by the castle of the same name), Ponte Fabricio, Ponte Rotto, Ponte Garibaldi, they all offer a sense of the history of the city.

    Angel-on-Ponte-Sant'Angelo-near-Castle
    Angel on Pone Sant’Angelo – Mari Nicholson
    Angel on the Ponte Sant'Angelo
    Angel on Ponte Sant’Angelo

    The first named, Ponte Sant’Angela is the most spectacular, being embellished with angels carrying the instruments of Christ’s passion, and was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini whose fountain in Piazza Navona is one of the most photographed in Rome.

    The Ponte Sant’Angelo was erected to ease the movement between the Vatican (which was also connected to the Castell Sant’Angelo) and the commercial area across the river.

    Ponte Sant'Angelo

    The Vatican City is the only zone controlled by the papacy today, but in earlier centuries papal dominion was exercised over the entire city, hence the need for easy connection with the commercial area of the settlement.   Three energetic popes, Urban VIII (1623–44), Innocent X (1644–55), and Alexander VII (1655–67), harnessed the versatile talents of the great artists nd sculptors of the day to build monuments and beautify areas all over Rome but especially in the Vatican area.

    View from the Vatican Dome
    View from the Vatican to Ponte Sant’Angelo – Photo Solange Hando

    A walk along the Tiber, and then up the imposing obelisk and olive-tree-lined road to the Vatican is an exercise in itself and you can be forgiven if you decide to postpone visiting St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museum until another day.  It can take a long time to do justice to them both.   A trip to the top of St. Peter’s is a worthwhile exercise but be warned, there are many steps to the top.  A lift goes part way only.

    Part of Bernini's Magnificent 4-Rivers Fountain in Piazza Navona, Rome

    Part of Bernini’s Magnificent 4-Rivers Fountain in Piazza Navona – Photo Mari Nicholson

    How to get there:  Ponte Sant’Angelo:  Metro Line A, Lepanto stop. Boats leave from nearby.        Buses 23, 34, 40, 49, 62, 280, 492, and 990.        Tram 19.

  • Photography Challenge 101: Landscape

    Took me a while to think about some landscapes, and unfortunately, I was unable to get out and about to photograph some, so here is a selection of some of my favourites.

     

    Chicago from Sears' Toweer
    Chicago, from Sears’ Tower – Photo Mari Nicholson

    This was taken on a fairly good day in Chicago from the top of the famous landmark, the Sears’ Tower.  The skyline is probably more impressive from ground level, but I found the view from above quite exciting.   See another Chicago photo, bottom.

     

    Citiva 6
    Citava, Italy – Photo Mari Nicholson

    Citiva is in Lazio Province, within driving distance of Siena, Rome. and Orvieto.  Inside the mountain fastness is a quaint old town of cobbled stoned streets, a couple of good restaurants serving rustic food, and a Bodega where the wine flows very liberally.

    Walking trails to Stanserhorn
    Walking trails to Stanserhorn in Switzerland

    This was taken from a cable car as we floated over the mountains in Switzerland.  I seem to remember that it was quite a long cable-car trip, longer than most I remember.  It was a magical journey over the mountains and villages below, the brown and white cows hardly visible and their cowbells muffled by the distance.

    Village in the Madonie National Park, Sicily
    Village in Madonie National Park, Sicily – Photo Mari Nicholson

    One of my favourite places in Sicily, the National Park of Madonie, where wild figs grow along the roadside and just a few locals are left in near-deserted villages to sit outside their doors and chat to whoever passes by.  Now and again one sees a thriving village like this one, which is being slowly restored to its former glory by returning families who have made some money working elsewhere and now are coming home to reclaim their birthright.

    Skyline with clouds - Chicago
    Chicago skyline peeking from out the clouds

  • Photography 101: BIG and P.o.V.

    Having difficulty in keeping up with the daily stint and due to other work commitments am not free to wander out and about with camera.  Frankly, even if I were, the bitter cold is enough to prohibit my photography excursions, as I find cold hands do not for good photos make!

    I have just returned from Rome and when I saw BIG, the one thing that sprang to mind was the Colosseum, that massive elliptical shaped theatre of blood lust and killing, where in the first hundred days of the inauguration games in 81 AD, it is said that over 9,000 wild animals were slaughtered.  During another festival in 240 AD 2,000 gladiators, 70 lions, 40 wild horses, 30 elephants, 30 leopards, 20 wild asses, 19 giraffes, 10 antelopes, 10 hyenas, 10 tigers, 1 hippopotamus and 1 rhinoceros were slaughtered.  In fact, so many wild beasts were killed in the Roman arenas that some exotic animals became virtually extinct.

    Here are a few of my images of that iconic spot in Rome.  Maybe I haven’t covered point of view so well, but I hope you will enjoy the perspective anyway.

    Colosseum
    Exterior of part of the Colosseum, Rome – Photo Mari Nicholson
    Interior of Colosseum showing 5 levels
    Interior of part of Colosseum, five tiers to hold up to 80,000 spectators. The animal pits are on the basement level from which they were released to do battle with either the trained Gladiators or the early Christian martyrs – Photo Mari Nicholson
    View through entrance arch
    View through one of the entrances to the other side of the Colosseum – Photo M. Nicholson
    Part of Interior Colosseum
    A better look at the pits below the seating, where the wild animals were kept before they were released to do battle with the Gladiators. – Photo Mari Nicholson
    Colosseum by Night.
    Colosseum by Night – Photo Solange Hando

    N.B.   It is generally accepted that the Ridley Scott film The Gladiators is a very true depiction of what the Colosseum arena looked like in those days as the research was meticulous.

  • Photography 101: Connect

    Connections between rooms in castles are well documented, less well known is the connection between the Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome and the Vatican City.

    The Castel of Sant’Angelo, the massive fortress-like building on the right-hand side of the Tiber, was originally built by the Emperor Hadrian (117-13 AD), as a monumental tomb for himself and his successors, not far from the Mausoleum of Augustus near the edge of the Vatican fields.

    Castell Sant'Angelo, Rome
    Castel Sant’Angelo, Rome. Hadrian’s Mausoleum

    By the 5th Century, the Mausoleum had been included in the defensive system of the city walls, and from the 10th century onwards it had become a fortress, the Castel Sant’Angelo, its purpose being to defend the Vatican, to which it was linked by a special passageway (the Connect).  Originally the Mausoleum was surmounted by a gilt bronze statue of the emperor in a chariot.

    Below is a photograph taken from the cupola of St.Peter’s at the Vatican and the Castell is quite some way from it, on the left-hand side just beyond the patch of dark green trees that can be seen.

    Looking down from St. Peter’s, Vatican City.

    Looking Down from the Cupula of St. Peter’s in the Vatican, towards the Castel S Angelo.  Photograph Copyright Solange Hando.

     The Mausoleum was incomplete when Hadrian died but he was buried there one year later in 139 AD.  The bridge connecting both sides of the Tiber had been built by Hadrian to facilitate direct access to the tomb, a more elaborate bridge than any other Roman bridge at that time: it survived until the end of the last century by which time it had become known as the Ponte Sant’Angelo. The two end spans were rebuilt at the end of the last century and only the three central arches are originals from the period 130-134.

    Ponte Sant'Angelo, Rome

    Ponte Sant’Angelo, Rome:  Photograph copyright Mari Nicholson

     

     

     

  • Photography 101: Street

    I was away last week but managed to log on to my tablet and saw that the subject was Street.  I hope I’ve got this right because I cannot now remember how to get the rest of the week’s Photo Challenge words up.  I thought they were to be emailed to me, obviously I’ve got it wrong.  I’ve gone into Photograph 101 but all I see there is the Weekly Photo challenge and Daily Prompt Word, so if anyone can steer me in the right direction I’d be obliged.

    So, hope I’m right about last Tuesday’s subject being Street, and here are two from Rome.

     

    City of the Vespa
    Italy, where the Vespa still reigns supreme

     

    P1140836 copy
    Parking> Not my problem. I’ve just gone off for a coffee..

     

  • Weekly Photo Challenge – TIME

    Quite literally, this is about time: a clock, no less.

    This is the Great Clock (Gros Horlogue) in Rouen, France, which dates from the 16th century and sits amoung the maze of narrow streets that make up the old part of town.  The half-timbered houses that line the streets seem to be always freshly painted and look smart.

    Rouen is, of course, Joan of Arc’s town, and the church dedicated to her is truly wonderful.  It is set near the market square which has stalls selling the most amazing cheeses – always a reason for visiting this area.

    Gros Horlogue (1527-15290 Rouen, France.

    Gros Horlogue (Great clock) 1527-1529.JPG

  • The Violin Makers of Cremona

    The Violin Makers of Cremona

    I went to Cremona last winter and two things from that trip I remember clearly: one was how cold it was, so cold that I had to buy a woollen hat from a street trader who charged me an outrageous €20 for a very inferior product:  the second, but most important, was my meeting with violin maker, Stefano Conia, a master luthier, an intense young man who makes violins with passion, violins that are bought and played by some of the world’s finest musicians.

    Cremona has been important in Italy’s cultural life since Roman times, located as it is on the banks of the Po River, a major junction for trade and commerce.  The narrow streets of the city are rich in history, the red brick medieval towers and the Renaissance buildings shading the many statues of its famous sons, Antonio Stradivari and Claudio Monteverdi.

    Statue of Claudio Monteverdi, in Cremona
    Statue of Claudio Monteverdi, in Cremona
    Statue of Antonio Stradivari, in Cremona
    Statue of Antonio Stradivari, in Cremona

    Today the town has 147 luthiers who still make violins using the template of the great masters whose common bond was a tradition of classical techniques handed down from the middle of the 16th century.  It is this tradition that is still being practised by Stefano Conia and others like him.

    In his workroom/studio, Stefano explained the finer points of violin making to me as I took in all aspects of the space around me, the overpowering aromas of resin, varnish, wax, woods and other smells to which I couldn’t put a name.  His studio, evocative with smells from the pots of glue, wax and resin, is hung with violin parts awaiting varnishing or waxing, and the workbench is littered with tools of every description.  Juniper Gum tickled the nostrils and had a mind-clearing effect when I inhaled it.  Wood shavings littered the floor and had their own peculiar smell, violins hung from the ceilings and part-completed fronts, backs, and frets of as yet uncompleted instruments, sat awaiting his attention.

    Stefano demonstrates his method of violin making
    Stefano demonstrates his method of violin making

    Earlier I’d had an insight into the history of the violin and its unique acoustic characteristics at the Violin Museum, one dedicated to Cremona’s sovereign musical instrument.  In this impressive building, there is a stunning collection of stringed instruments (violins, cellos and a viola) made by the most renowned violin makers.  I was also privileged to hear a skilled young musician play Meditation by Massenet and a Paganini violin concerto, on an original Stradivari for a small audience in the auditorium of the museum.  I do not exaggerate when I say that the playing brought tears to my eyes and I know, beyond doubt, that my emotion stemmed from the lush, rich sounds that came from the Stradivari violin as the music penetrated the skin and found the pleasure centres of the brain.

    The Museum boasts a collection of the most ancient instruments – including one dating back to 1556, made by Andrea Amati for Carlo IX of France, and the original “Cremonese” made by Stradivari in 1715.  Museum pieces they may be but they must be played every day to preserve their purity.  One elderly musician described a Stradivari to me as being like an old wine that gets better with age.

    At his workshop, Stefano told me that creating an instrument with such depth of character relies on centuries of tradition being handed down from father to son.  In his own family, his uncle is also a violin maker and he has hopes that at least one of his two sons will follow in his footsteps although they are too young yet to even consider it.

    Stefano in his workshop
    Stefano in his workshop

    Stefano is obsessed with wood because apart from the craftsmanship, it is the wood from which the instrument is made that gives the violin its unique sound. Over the course of our conversation, I learned that the wood for the front of the violin comes from the spruce trees found in the Dolomites, the Northern Italian Alps.  Stefano often goes himself to choose the tree to be cut as sometimes he feels the need to be totally hands-on, but usually, he is happy to leave it to the experts who know exactly what he is looking for. The wood for the back of the violin is Maple and has to be imported from the mountains of Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Balkans. The search for the perfect wood is an ongoing pursuit and although he owns valuable stocks of old wood, there will always be a need for more.

    Awaiting assembly in Stefanos' studio.
    Awaiting assembly in Stefanos’ studio.
    Violin parts awaiting assembly in the workshop of Stefano Conia
    Violin parts awaiting assembly in the workshop of Stefano Conia

    A violin will take approximately two months to make from start to finish but with time in between for resting and drying the varnish, he reckons to make possibly 12 violins per year each of which will sell for approximately 12,000 Euros.

    Stefano plays the violin himself as do all luthiers.  “How do you feel when you part with one of your violins, given that you have devoted so much time to making it the best you can,” I asked.   He smiled.  “Each violin is like my baby, but I have to let it go.”

    As yet unvarnished, violin making in Cremona
    As yet unvarnished, violin making in Cremona

    There is some concern in the town that the East Asians are now making violins and may make inroads on the trade.  In China, violins and cellos are mass-produced for a fraction of the cost of those made in Cremona and nowadays, many of the craftsmen in the town are Asian.  In the town’s international Violin Making School, it is estimated that 80% of the students are foreigners, Koreans, Japanese and Taiwanese predominating.  Most will return home but some will stay to continue the learning process and to open their own workshops.

    The name Cremona is synonymous with the work of the great violin makers and it is said that there are few investments like a Cremonese violin and that a buyer can expect a 20%-30% return on the money invested.  That is why the luthiers of Cremona will survive despite the competition from the East.  As a Rolls Royce is to a car enthusiast, so a Cremona violin is to an instrumentalist.

    Stefano’s sons, it is hoped, will follow him into the workshop in which their grandfather worked, producing exquisite violins for the world’s great musicians, the floor will still be covered in shavings and the ripe smells of gums and resins will still waft out through the doorway of the studio in Corso Garibaldi in Cremona.

    POSTSCRIPT:

    Nearly 80 years ago on June 13th, 1937, at the Ponchielli theatre in Cremona, a concert took place which is still spoken of with awe. The music of Corelli, Bach, Vivaldi and Boccherini was played using twenty-four Stradivarius, nine Guarneri and one Amati. I cannot imagine the effect on listeners but musicians to whom I’ve told the story have almost wept that they were not there.

    The founder of the Ponchielli Theatre in Cremona
    The founder of the Ponchielli Theatre in Cremona
    Ponchielli Theatre, Cremona
    Ponchielli Theatre, Cremona

    Following that, Cremona launched a violin-making school in September 1938 but with the coming of the Second World War it was closed.  Not until the 1950s did it pick up momentum and begin to inspire the passion for making violins in the tradition of the original luthiers.  The handful of violin-makers with which they started has grown and now there are some 150 workshops where instruments are made and restored and where students practice their craft.  Most work is commissioned and the waiting list can be as long as one year.

    Oh, and you want to buy a Stradivari?  You’ll have to find something in the region of €200,000, I was told.

    To hear a Stradivarius being played, try the Palazzo Comunale at midday, or ask at the Violin Museum.

    Information on Cremona and Milan: http://www.turismo.milano.it/wps/portal/tur/en

    Information on Cremona:  http://www.officeoftourism.org/europe/italy/Lombardy/cremona.asp

    Daily life in Cremona is like any other Italian town or city
    Daily life in Cremona is like any other Italian town or city

     

    Night time in Cremona
    Night time in Cremona
    Just a short distance away is Milan with its famous Cathedral
    Just a short distance away is Milan with its famous Cathedral

  • The Samaria Gorge, Crete

    Samaria Gorge, Crete4
    The Samaria Gorge, fast flowing icy water and stones, stones, stones

    It was when I was sorting through some old photographs of former vacations to make room for the overflowing baskets of new images I’ve acquired from  this year’s trips, that I came across those of the Samaria Gorge in Crete, a place I hadn’t thought about in years.

    It was 1990 when I was there last if my memory serves me right, and I can still recall the icy-cold waters which we had to wade through.  I remember I had to buy a pair of trainers because I didn’t have adequate footwear for the trek and you aren’t allowed to enter without full preparation for the walk.

    Samaria Gorge, Crete3
    Me, younger, fitter and wondering if I’ve bitten off more than i could chew, bearing in mind I hate having wet, cold feet.

    I so enjoyed looking through my old photographs that I thought I’d write something about the Gorge and upload some of the photographs, taken on negative film on my trusty old Canon Camera.  I’ve had to scan  these in and because of their age the colour is not very good – a rather pinkish tinge seems to cloud them.

    I know that the Samaria Gorge  hasn’t changed since I did the trek as I stayed at the Mistral Hotel in Malame in Crete last year and spoke with visitors who had done the walk.  They had to leave the hotel at 05.00 a.m to do this, came back exhausted but thrilled to have accomplished the walk (with boots, walking poles, mobiles, sat navs. etc.)  We didn’t have those sort of things when we did it as you can see from the above photograph.

    Samaria Gorge, Crete7
    At times the cliffs on either side seem to bear down on you. Don’t rest beneath them, there is sometimes a rock fall

    Samaria Gorge is situated in the National Park of Samaria, in the White Mountains in West Crete and is considered one of the main attractions of that lovely island.  It is 16 Kilometres long but the walk from the exit of the National Park to Agia Roumeli adds another 3 km. to that.  Even so, it is not the longest in Europe as it sometimes claimed: that honour belongs to the “gorges du Verdon” in Southern France which is a little over 20 km in length.

    The Samaria Gorge starts at an altitude of 1230 metres and takes you down to the shore orf the Libyan Sea in Agia Roumeli, and the walk will take between 5 -7 hours to complete.  The terrain is rough and difficult to negotiate at times due to the water rushing over stones which can cause you to stumble, so you need to have a certain degree of fitness and walking experience.  I doubt if I could do it now, but in 1990 (it may even have been the eighties) I was younger, fitter, and up for anything!

    Samaria Gorge, Crete5
    A few are hesitant about going on. This is the start of the trek.

    Best way to arrive is by public buses (KTEL) from Chania to Omalos every morning when the gorge is open. Once you have walked through the gorge and are in Agia Roumeli there is a ferry boat to take you to Hora Sfakion for the return connecting bus to Chania.

    Normally, the Gorge opens at the beginning of May and closes at the end of October, but if the weather is at all inclement, this can all change.  The gorge will also close on rainy days when there is a danger of rock falls.   Make enquiries before heading off to Crete if the Gorge is one of your main reasons for visiting the island.

    Samaria Gorge, Crete
    Negotiating the terrain in Samaria Gorge isn’t easy. It may be shallow but it is slippery

    The park opens at daylight and closes at dusk but I would suggest starting at dawn if possible, as the first tourist buses arrive about 7.30 or 8.00 o’clock and it can get a bit crowded then.  You can start later, at say, 11.30 or noon when there are fewer people, but you will need to spend the night in Agia Roumeli because the last boat out will have left by the time you get there.  Spring is the best time to walk the Samaria Gorge, avoid the summer at all costs when the heat is intense.

    This is not a walk to do with children who could easily fall and injure themselves, although children accustomed to walking, say from the age of nine or so, should manage it.  Bear in mind though, that once embarked on the walk there is no quick exit anywhere along the way.  There are wardens in radio contact with each other along the way, who will help you in case of trouble or injury and the presence of well-maintained springs mean that you do not have to carry much water but there are no huts in which to rest.  The walk is long but not especially difficult for the experienced walker – the word here being experienced.  Every day some people manage to get into trouble, but they are usually those who have never attempted a long walk, or a walk over such rough terrain.

    Samaria Gorge, Crete2
    Nearly half way along now

    When I say rough terrain, I mean stony terrain.  You will encounter stones in all shapes and sizes, from uneven stones at the start to pebbles in the river bed (tiring on the soles of the feet).   You often have to cross the river bed by stepping on large stones which have been placed at strategic intervals and which require some sure-footedness.

    The village of Samaria is situated roughly at the halfway point and most people take a rest here.  You may care to take a quick walk around the village where you will probably catch glimpses of the  kri-kris, the Cretan wild goats, but avoid approaching them if they are with their young.

    Samaria Gorge, Crete6
    And lastly, a Cretan wild goat with her day-old kid. She was a Diva and refused to pose, deliberately turning her back on me.

    And lastly, you can visit the gorge on an organised coach trip and the coach will usually pick you up at your hotel in the early morning.  You don’t walk in a group, once there you can set your own pace but you have the advantage of knowing there are other people entering the Gorge at the same time.  It can be a lonely walk if there are not many there on the day you choose to do the trek.

    Essentials for the trip

    You won’t need much water but you will need a water bottle which you can refill on the way.

    The last part of the walk has very little shade so sun cream and a brimmed hat are essentials.

    Sturdy shoes.  Something that won’t cause you to slip on the stones.

    There are no shops, no cafes and no restaurants  inside the National Park so you must carry your own food if you are likely to be hungry.

    It can be cold at dawn at 1230 metres so wear something warm .

    Waterproof plaster in case of blisters.  You never know and help is a long way away!

     

  • The German Cemetery in Crete

    The German Cemetery in Crete

    The Granite Cross that Dominates the Entrance to the Cemetery

    The huge granite cross, starkly outlined against the blue sky, dominates the entrance to the German War Cemetery in Malame, Crete, scene of some of the most ferocious fighting during the Second World War – the aptly named Battle of Crete. The cemetery, home to the remains of 4,700 German soldiers who died on the island, is easy to find as it is just off the coast road in Malame, a short distance from Chania.

    The German Cemetery High Above Malame, Crete
    The German Cemetery, high above Malarme

    Once in the cemetery proper, one is faced with sombre, grey granite crosses dotted about the area with small granite plaques embedded in the ground, each one bearing the name of two soldiers who lie beneath.  Interspersed with the grey lozenge-like plaques are tough grasses and plant forms that can withstand the dry heat and the cold, snowy winters of Crete.

    Plaque to a German Soldier
    Plaque to a fallen soldier

    The Battle of Malame in May 1941 has become famous as one of attack and counter attack, assault and retreat, with the Cretan partisans and what remained of the Greek army on the island, fighting alongside a New Zealand infantry company, the RAF and Fleet Air Arm personnel left stranded at the airfield.

    Three crosses and two plaques.
    Three crosses and two plaques.

    Over 500 Junkers attacked in a blitzkrieg similar to that launched on Guernica, Spain, five years earlier.  Historians still query why the powers-that-be failed to realize that Hitler might try the same tactics again five years later.

    Wave after wave of German paratroopers invaded the island. The Junkers were followed by an armada of paratroopers who were ferried in on gliders and parachute troop carriers and who darkened the sky as they descended in their thousands.  (There were 70 gliders each one holding 10 paratroopers and these were followed by parachute troop carriers). Many were shot as they descended or were enmeshed in the surrounding olive trees.

    The invaders who died in this assault were initially interred at 62 locations on the island but in 1960, following permission from the Greek Government, the Germans were permitted to recover these bodies which were then transferred to the Gonia monastery at Kolymbari. (The Monastery had been a centre for the Resistance during the Battle of Crete and the monks were imprisoned in Chania prisons, after the Germans found guns inside the chapel).

    German Cemetery at Malame
    View of the German Cemetery with its crosses and granite plaques.

    In 1971 the remains of 4,465 German troops were transferred to their current resting place in Malame, designed as a cemetery for the Germans who died on the four main battlegrounds of Malame, Chania, Rethymnon and Heraklion.  The cemetery was consecrated on 6th October 1974.

    The human cost paid by the German and Allied forces in the fight for Crete was very high.  There is a little Museum on the cemetery site with information on the walls about the history of the battles but most Cretans dispute the interpretations offered.

    View from The German Cemetery at Malame
    View to the Coast from the German Cemetery

    From the cemetery the view to the coast is stunning.  Standing at the top one can see far into the deep blue bay of Chania across hillsides dotted with olive trees, winding down to the Tavronitis River.  Goats graze among the trees, their bleating rising from below sounding eerily like a child crying. A thin ribbon of road runs between the olive groves and the Aegean Sea beyond, and it is hard to imagine the horror that erupted in this peaceful area 75 years ago, or to visualize the dead and dying that littered the beaches and fields.

    Neither side has exact numbers of fallen soldiers.

    R.I.P.

    Best books on the history of the Battle of Crete:

    Crete:  The Battle and the Resistance by Antony Beevor (John Murray, Paperback – a division of Hodder Headline (1991).  Still regarded as the best history of Crete during WW11

    The Cretan Runner by George Psychoundakis (trans. by Patrick Leigh Fermor):  John Murray, Paperback (first published 1955).  A first-hand account by one of the partisans from the mountains.

  • Canal Cruising in France

    Canal Cruising in France

    “If I shout ‘Duck’! It doesn’t mean look out for wildlife: it means hit the deck – now”!   This was Captain Julian speaking, during instruction in safety etiquette on board the converted eight-passenger Dutch barge ANJODI, our home for the next six days as we cruised the tree-lined Canal du Midi in France.

    The Anjodi Barge
    The Anjodi Barge

    The reference to ducks and wildlife was timely, for shortly after leaving our embarkation point of La Somail, a delightful little village just 45 minutes from Montpelier, our boat was surrounded by friendly ducks and drakes with their ducklings, as sleek coypus swam close to the willow-hung banks, and grey and white geese scolded us from the tow-path.

    But a warning is a warning and we were careful to keep a look out for low bridges as we cruised along this, the oldest canal in France, designed by Pierre-Paul Riquet to link the Mediterranean and the Atlantic.  He spent much of his fortune on the project but sadly, he didn’t live to see this magnificent feat of engineering, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, completed in 1681.

    Canal du Midi, France

    Shop on the Canal du Midi
    Shop on the Canal du Midi

    The Canal du Midi is 240 Kilometres long and runs from the city of Toulouse to the Lagoon at Thau on the Mediterranean Sea.  On our six-day trip we covered only part of this fascinating waterway in which the landscape changes from pasture to vineyards and from grain crops to rice paddi as it nears the Camargue.

    We soon found out what the captain meant by “duck” as we met bridges so low that even the tiller had to be removed at times – and we marvelled at the skill with which he and the crew took the barge through narrow locks just wide enough to accommodate it.   The ‘ladder-lock’ at Fonserannes, a staircase of seven locks took 45 minutes to negotiate and watching this was as engrossing an experience as I’ve ever had.

    Stone-bridge-with-Almost-Bl

    The plane trees that line the Canal du Midi giving shade to the boats and barges that use the waterways were just coming into leaf, their delicate pale green leaves a perfect contrast to the bright blue skies as we journeyed further south. The banks yielded up wild irises, white snowflake flowers, primroses and poppies, and the houses we passed were already displaying geraniums, crocus and, most surprisingly, peonies.  Relaxing on deck with a Kir Royale or a glass of something bubbly, watching the passing panorama and admiring the churches and chateaux silhouetted on the hillsides, was total bliss after days hunched over a computer in a stuffy office.  Often it was with great reluctance that we left the comfortable chairs on the deck for our meals as there was always a feeling that there might be something exciting just around the next bend.

    Camargue Wild Life

    Wild Horses of the Camargue
    Wild Horses of the Camargue

    And one day there was.  Standing on the bank contemplating us with curiosity were some of the wild horses of the Camargue.   Storks flew overhead and off in the distance we could just see a flock of flamingos.   Too excited to grab for the cameras we just revelled in the sight of the birds as they huddled together in the lagoon devouring the shellfish that gives them their pink colour.

    There were major sight-seeing jaunts in the barge’s mini-bus each morning, leaving the afternoons free for relaxing, walking or cycling along the towpath on one of the onboard cycles, and exploring the pretty villages along the way.  We would catch up with the boat at the next mooring or lock – and as we always knew just how far the distance was between locks it made planning easy.

    Cathar Country, Carcassonne, Minerve and Narbonne

    Carcassonne, France
    Carcassonne, France

    Our barge sailed through Cathar country, a land where the memory of the massacres that occurred during the Albigensian wars is preserved like a fly in amber in the minds of the villagers.  The most famous massacre may have happened in 1210, but to the people of the Languedoc, it is as though it happened yesterday.  Visits to fortified hill towns like Carcassonne with its dungeons and fairy-tale like turrets that soars into the sky, to the UNESCO protected town of  Minerve,

    Minerve, well fortified and perched high on a cliff.
    Minerve, well fortified and perched high on a cliff.

    perched on a limestone plateau between the gorges of the Briant and Cesse rivers,  and to Narbonne with its well-preserved Roman Road, were constant reminders of the bloody wars fought over this land.

    Inside the protective battlements of these fortresses are winding alleyways and narrow streets with half-hidden shops selling distinctive local crafts and products.

    Cloisters of Bishop's Palace at Narbonne
    Cloisters of Bishop’s Palace at Narbonne

    Visits to these and other towns, like Pézanas, the birthplace of Moliere, and Villeneuve-les-Beziers, alternated with wine tastings at prestigious chateaux and a very special wine-tasting at the home of one of France’s top female sommeliers, Mdme. Jackie Bonnet.

    Moliere, Pezanas
    Moliere, Pezanas

    Food on Board the Barge

    The Holy Trinity of the French table is wine, cheese and bread, and although our barge cruise was not solely about food and wine, it played a large part in our daily life.  I’d cruised with European Waterways before and knew that the chefs and captains of the barges were chosen as much for their knowledge of regional specialities and produce as for their professional skills.  Every day we sampled exquisite and unknown wines, often the product of a small single vineyard, alongside premium Crus of the great houses, and we ate the best locally sourced food available as Chef Lauren matched food to wine and cheeses to what had gone before with a skill that owed much to her knowledge of the countryside and its produce.

    Chef Lauren and hostess Alex prepare pre-dinner drinks.
    Chef Lauren and hostess Alex prepare pre-dinner drinks.

    Leaving the barge at our last stop for the drive back to Montpelier, was a wrench.   The Anjodi offered peace and tranquillity and a stress-free environment with the ambience of an upmarket family hotel.  At the same time. we had been given the opportunity to make trips to the major cities along the route, we enjoyed wine tastings at famous vineyards and had even lunched out at a superb restaurant on one occasion.  And all this while sailing through some of France’s most quintessential countryside.  It can’t ever be better than that.

    Fresh fruit always available.
    Fresh fruit always available.

    FACTFILE:

    The cruise is fully inclusive of gourmet meals aboard and ashore, fine wines, champagne reception, all day open bar, all excursions and admission fees, use of cycles, spa pool, and transfers to and from embarkation point.  Crews are British or French but all speak perfect English and double as tour guides and drivers.  Because this is a converted Dutch barge, not all of the rooms are spacious but they are all very comfortable and have air-conditioning and central heating.  The lounge is elegant and comfortable, and the deck – on which meals can be taken – is equipped with deck-chairs, dining table and seating for eight.

    http://www.gobarging.com   European Waterways, The Barn, Riding Court Road, Datchet, Berks, SL3 9JT.

    Tel: 01753 598555:    Fax: 01753 598550