Always on the look out for something interesting to do or see, our next stop was the natural hot springs of Thermopylae, bathing in the water of a natural spa is not something we have ever done, the sulphurous water, rich in minerals are reputed to be very therapeutic. The Ancient Greek Hercules used bathing in the hot springs to regain his strength after his legendary labours and Hippocrates lauded them to be beneficial so if it's good enough for them it has to be good enough for us! The water temperature is a steady 40° - just like a hot bath but not quite so fragrant, the sulphur smells like bad eggs so you have to put up with that. We lowered ourselves gently into the water, adjusting to the heat gradually, but once you were in it was bliss (although a bit stony under your bum - it's a natural formation in the rocks) It was a unique sensation with the warm water flowing around you and the green algae appearing in clumps from time to time, but despite everything it was extremely relaxing. I'd like one at the bottom of my garden at home please!
From here we headed to a village called Vergina to visit the Royal tombs of Philip II the father of Alexander the Great and were we in for a treat! The Royal tombs were discovered in 1976 and had not been plundered- the funeral was a lavish ceremony with many artefacts put in the burial chamber for his afterlife. The funeral took place in 336 BC. The massive doors to the tomb and chambers had been restored in situ in the underground vault and the magnificent artefacts are displayed in many glass cabinets in the dimly lit museum. The golden oak wreath in this photo was placed on the body on the funeral pyre, it survived not only the fire but over two thousand years in the tomb. The beautiful gold and the detailed work of the wreath was just stunning as was the Kings' suit of armour and the bronze banquet sets. It certainly was well worth the visit.
The next day we headed out for our last cycle ride of our stay in Greece, cycling up into the hills and a remote monastery, a place of peace and tranquility, an escape from the hustle bustle of modern life. This photo was taken just by the monastery- what a fabulous view!
For our last night in Greece before heading into Bulgaria we found a place to park in a National park, right on the edge of Lake Kerkinis. There was an incredible diversity of bird life- pelicans, cormorants and flamingos, as well as roaming horses, herds of cows and unfortunately rather too many mosquitoes, but that's the price you pay to park next to a beautiful lake.
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| Roaming cattle at Lake Kerkinis |
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