Got driven into Greece in a swanky big merc. To my surprise we had another passenger. Phillipa, a woman from Perth. She is somewhere through a year travelling adventurously. Dubai to Iran by boat, through Iran etc etc. We both then got another surprise. There is a time difference between northern macedonia and greece. What had been a train to catch in an hour was now one we were in danger of missing. And there were only three a day from Florina. In the end we caught it easily and it wasn't long before i was getting off in veria. Now i was back in the EU i had my phone available again and had booked a place in Vergina for the next three nights. I chose it for its cheapness, 20 a night, but now love it for its location. Veria is a big town, vergina is a lovely village, backed by forested hills ripe for a hike.
After depositing my bag i set off for a wander. My hostess, Rula, had suggested it might be possible to sneak into the ruins of Aigea, the city of Philip ii, Alexander the great's dad. They had just shut till monday morning. Unfortunately, i couldn't help myself as i passed a fenced tomb that clearly was no longer open to the public. When i saw that other people had been lifting the wire fence and crawling in for a look i was helpless to stop my urge to look at this illicit ruin. Crawled in and went to have a look. Down some ancient steps i went, a Macedonian tomb in front of me. And the siren started sounding. I had tripped a motion sensor alarm! With thoughts of a night in jail and/or deportation running through my mind, i made my way as casually as i could, out the way i had come and across the flower covered field. I soon came across a way marked path so thought i would literally head for the hills until the cops gave up hunting for me. I have no idea if anyone did go investigate the alarm, but spent a good hour or two walking up the track. I saw a mother wild boar and three babies and later, what looked like a wild catish thing. Big. A lynx maybe. Its head looked too wide to be a fox. And finally, a dung beetle rolling a huge dung ball. And of course, all the flowers. As i walked i realised i was going to have to go back to the scene of my crime. I had lost my room key. Now i had an image of a policeman finding it and waiting patiently in my hotel. As it happened the key was still lying in the grass at the foot of the fence . Phew, got away with it.
That evening Rula directed me to the taverna of her friend, where Victoria and her son and i had a long conversation about the state of the country, started by me noting the vat/gst was 24%. The son in particular was very down about the supposed economic recovery. We then got diverted into a discussion of the root of the word economy, since it is greek, from oikos, meaning house. Which reminds i also had an interesting conversation with a youngish guy the day before over a coffee. He was also very down on Greece, or perhaps Greeks. Reckoned i was more Greek than they were, since i knew at least something of their ancient past, which he seemed to think most of them were ignorant of. The subject of Northern Macedonia came up. I discovered today from an eager to inform lady in a church, that i should say Skopje not Northern Macedonia. She had a very pained look on her face when she heard me say the dreaded name. So much for that issue being settled. For me though all these conversations highlighted how many Greeks are completely fluent in English and are very keen to stop you for a chat, which also happened in the bus station, where the ticket seller gave me various tips of places to go, as did the lady in the archaeological museum. And they are so welcoming. Despite all the attractions of the place i was the sole tourist everywhere i went. In the byzantine museum i asked if it was always this quiet. Yes.
So, today it was wander round Veria day. It's known as little jerusalem, apparently, due to all the churches. Over fifty, i think, just tucked here and there among the modern buildings. All with byzantine frescoes over the walls. The old byzantine cathedral had been a mosque for 500 years, longer than it was a church, but had had the remains of the frescoes revealed from under the white plaster. Just outside was a huge ancient tree, still clinging to life. Lots of falling apart medieval houses and a very few that have been restored. There are three medieval districts, a greek one , jewish and vlach. Need to remind myself about vlachs. Which I've done now. It refers to Romanians. Saw a falling apart ottoman hammam, a couple of mosques and a synagogue.
Loved looking at the icons in the byzantine museum. So many virgin mary and jesus ones. And actually not all exactly the same, as i had said of the style of icons the other day. Some pretty freaky looking baby heads though. Later at the archeaological museum i saw lots of little statues of women with little baby winged eros. It struck me how similar the iconography is. I guess i am not the first person to think the representation of mary and baby is perhaps a continuation of this image from classical era religious belief.
My tour of the archaeological museum had to be brief, since i wanted to catch the 1.30 bus back yo vergina. There wasn't another till 8.30! I did see some nice little artefacts, but the highlight was the irkn sword that had a little golden, miniature statue of nike set into its hilt. I wonder if she helped the swordsman?
Photos:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/EqyNJtsYNYFQMMzv6
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