Ancient Greece!
To visit the homeland of all European civilization is the duty of everyone. To know where everything originated from, to know what the concept of an ancient person is, where does what we use every day come from. To know history is to understand oneself. So we decided to go in parallel along the roads that once walked Alexander the Great, the Apostle Paul, to visit the homeland of Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius, who brought literacy to our world. Every person wants to climb the Acropolis, the same acropolis that you read about as a child. Truly a masterpiece of ancient architecture. I want to breathe in the air that the people of that time breathed. And to be at the site of the famous battle of 300 Spartans? ! Any boy from childhood dreamed of possessing such power, dexterity and fortitude, which the Spartans possessed. Greece is the place where democracy, philosophy, history were born. I wanted to understand how and when it all happened. My wife and I have been to Greece, limited ourselves to almost only beach holidays, snow-white clean beaches, and the Aegean Sea is an emerald! Halkidiki - heavenly place. But understanding what kind of land we are on, I wanted to plunge into history, feel what it is like to be modern Greeks and live in the northern capital of Hellas, Thessaloniki. At the beginning of spring, we booked a tour called "Ancient Greece-Eureka" for April, so that it would not be very hot. They chose him, so as not to depend on anyone, choose excursions themselves and plan their time. We dreamed of drinking a cup of coffee in Athens, being in the center of civilization, climbing the Acropolis, smiling at the yawning city in the morning. To be birds in the Meteora monasteries, to see the unique power of the human spirit. And to stand in the center of Mount Olympus, next to Zeus himself, to feel like a hero of ancient Greek legends. And here we are in the heart of the ancient Macedonian kingdom-g. Thessaloniki! Immediately a sightseeing tour, everyone fixed what to see, an open-air museum. A month is not enough to understand this city and get acquainted with the main periods that it has gone through. An immense 23-century history, what is most interesting is continuous, which the city of Athens cannot boast of. This city has been an economic, cultural and religious center in all eras. Just imagine where we were. Monuments of the heritage of the Hellenistic period, the Roman and the saddest Turkish. City of three eras. We were accommodated in the luxurious Macedonia Palace Hotel5*. A solid good 5k, the food is varied, they pleased us for dinner with Greek delights. The service is excellent, as expected. Immediately went on a two-day tour of Athens-Meteora. Our most cherished dream. Athens struck, an indescribable feeling, when they climbed the Acropolis, the sun blinded and for a moment it seemed that we were in a different era. And Meteora cannot even be expressed in words, this amazing energy, a place where time stops. You contemplate and understand how much we are all united, first of all with nature. Charge of positive energy. Special thanks to our guide Aris, I have never met such people. The presentation of information was so correct and balanced that we felt with every cell where we were. Thessaloniki was also waiting for us, set aside one day to visit the Archaeological and Byzantine museums, one of the best in Europe, climbed the tower, before us stretched far beyond the horizon Thermic Gulf. They lay on the grass, near the white tower with huge glasses of frappe and traditional bougatso (this is how all Greeks have breakfast). The sea did not calm down, as if it was in dialogue with us. We decided to go to Aridea-Edessa. A unique trip - we passed the place where Alexander the Great himself was born and grew up - the ancient city of Pella, we saw the majestic tombs of the Macedonian nobility. We were in the very heart of the ancient Macedonian kingdom, the birthplace of great people. Alexander and his father Philip. Picturesque waterfalls in the city of Edessa, old houses of the 19th century, undestroyed small churches, cobbled streets and a plain stretching from below - all this was breathtaking. the idea arose to come here in old age and sit in a small cozy cafe with a cup of coffee and enjoy the stunning views. Later they ended up in Aridea-thermal springs. A miracle of nature, a resort in the mountains! The contrast was very noticeable. . After hot 37 degree water, to gain courage and stand under a 13 degree waterfall is a matter of daredevils. But it feels like being reborn! Lunch at the tavern was the final link, I wanted to stay for a week. But there was still a lot to be done. We set off in the footsteps of historians to "Olympus-Dion-Vergina". Unplundered tombs, amazing finds, gold jewelry. Just imagine how many centuries have passed. Until now, modern jewelers cannot reproduce these masterpieces. We walked along the ancient Dion, the ruins of temples, but once there were secret mysteries. Well, get to Olympus and hear the famous myths! In a word, in the heart of the kingdom of Zeus. Well, in the end I decided to give my wife a gift, let's go to Kastoria. But not just to buy a fur coat, but to visit the center of furrier craftsmanship, to see the city with a rich history and unique nature. They were very satisfied and the wife is completely delighted with the quality fur coat, and even with a guarantee. But in fact, it is an indescribable feeling every day to sit on the highest point of Thessaloniki, drinking Greek coffee and enjoying the view of Thermic Bay. In Greece, you feel like a real person who breathes and does not take a breath. Everything goes on as usual, no one is in a hurry. And where is he in a hurry? We are used to running, rushing, but we ourselves don’t know where. As a result, the result of actions is the same, only we run headlong, and the Greeks know how to catch every moment. This is worth learning from them. Let's go back to Greece again. A trip for those who want to get acquainted with the history and culture of Hellas.
