Recently, I decided to visit Crete to see the ancient cities that became the cornerstone of our modern culture. They were the precursors of 21st century Western civilization.
We flew from Athens to Heraklion and stayed in a lovely small hotel overlooking the harbor and the Venetian fortifications. (Unfortunately, the hotel appears to now be closed.)
The Lions’ Fountain in Heraklion. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
At the center of Heraklion is a square with a medieval marble fountain, known as the Morosini Lion’s fountain. On the sidewalks around the fountain, there are shops that sell one of the best Cretan treats called “bougatsa” that the locals have for breakfast or elevenses. It’s made from phyllo dough stuffed with either a savory cheese filling or a thick sweet custard filling and is sprinkled with a cinnamon/sugar mix.
The Kirkór shop is the oldest and most famous of the bougatsa emporia around the square. Add a cup of Greek coffee or a sour cherry cold drink, and you have a spectacular snack. These shops have been feeding foreigners and locals for almost 90 years.
The Palace of Knossos has been called the first and oldest actual city of Europe because it was a city, not just a palace. In the second millennium B.C.E., the inhabitants of this city had flush toilets, hot and cold water baths, clean water supply lines, and a sophisticated drainage system that separated septic waste from clean rainwater.
The Knossos site was an urban complex settled around 7000 B.C.E. during the Neolithic period. By about 2000 B.C.E., it had become a town of 18,000 people. According to archaeologists, at its peak just after 1700 B.C.E., the population had grown to about 100,000 individuals.
We don’t know what the inhabitants actually called themselves, but we call them “Minoans” because that matches up with myths written in ancient times about the Cretan inhabitants and their “wise” king, Minos.
In 1952, Michael Ventris finally deciphered the city’s name in the Linear B script as Ko-No-So. Therefore, we finally learned that the name passed down through the ages as Knossos was not that far off.
A fresco in the Palace of Knossos depicting bull leaping. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
We know that the inhabitants of the city venerated bulls from the frescos and stone horn-shaped sculptures around the site. Those images match up with the Minotaur legend of ancient Athens. A fresco on a wall that was excavated by Sir Arthur Evans shows images of bull jumping, a non-lethal form of games with the bulls.
Within a few months after the beginning of the excavations, Evans and his team realized that they were uncovering an intricate, interconnected maze of over 1,000 rooms on three to four levels. The modern term “labyrinth” actually means “the place of the Lavrys” in the ancient Cretan language. A lavrys is a double ax, another emblem of Minoan Crete, which would be perfectly fitting!
Evans called this a “Palace,” although some of the spaces were living quarters, artisans’ workshops, work rooms, food kitchens, religious and administrative spaces, and storage rooms with giant clay jars used to store wheat and barley, olive oil, wine, and honey – everything needed to keep a large urban complex functioning. There were also throne rooms, bedrooms, baths, and dining rooms.
A bath at the Palace of Knossos. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Evans and his team kept working through 1935, even reconstructing portions of the buildings. The architecture of the “palace” is monumental for the period. But the Palace of Knossos is not the only early urban complex we know about in Crete.
Knossos is located on the northern side of the island, a bit south from modern Heraklion, a centrally located city and harbor that’s halfway between the east and west ends of the island. However, there is another almost as large Minoan urban complex – the “Palace” of Phaistos (or Phæstos or Festos – the spelling depends on which linguist you talk to).
It’s located on the southern central coast of the island facing the southern Cretan Sea, about 39 miles south of Heraklion. It was the second most important Minoan urban center after Knossos and still enjoys an awe-inspiring setting, though it isn’t as impressive as Knossos because no partial reconstructions have taken place.
The Palace of Phaestos. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
A twin gate leads to a central courtyard, which measures 55 meters (180.45 feet) by 25 meter (82 feet), and features porticos supported by columns on two sides. “Royal apartments” were located in the northern part of the palace facing the majestic mountains.
It’s in this palace complex that the Phæstos Disk was discovered in 1908. The disk is from the middle or late Minoan Bronze period, bearing a text in an unknown script and language still undeciphered.
The Phaestos Disk. Photo courtesy of the Heraklion Archaeological Museum.
The disc was found in the basement of an underground “temple depository.” Its purpose and original place of manufacture remain in dispute. The disk is about 15 cm (5.9 inches) in diameter and is covered on each side with spiral text consisting of a total of 241 occurrences of 45 distinct signs. These were created by pressing individual stamps onto the soft clay before firing.
While it isn’t clear that it’s indeed a type of script, most decipherers assume that it is. Linguists are still doubtful whether the inscription is long enough to be unambiguously interpreted.
The northeast wing of the “palace” is assumed to have been Bronze Age artisans’ workshops, and we can see the remnants of a furnace in the courtyard that was once used to smelt metal. Both “palaces” are worth visiting at least once in a lifetime. After all, these places represent the very early beginnings of the Western civilization.
Nowadays, we hear a lot about symposia. In current usage, it has come to mean an academic or scientific gathering where distinguished speakers present their insights or findings on cultural, archaeological, economic, or scientific questions.
The word’s usage in ancient times, however, meant a sumptuous dinner attended mostly by affluent or influential male participants. In addition to food and drink, there would be entertainment, as well as philosophical or political discussions.
Of course, ancient Athenian Greeks hardly had the plethora of entertainment options we have today. They had theater, which they loved, but plays were performed only during specific religious holidays. There were discussions at the Agora (the marketplace) or at the Assembly or the Gymnasium, but not every man had the time or would be present to attend these meetings with their friends.
So they would gather in friends’ houses to attend a symposium. Someone would invite his friends to his house to socialize in a special room called andronas – meaning “room for the men only.” The women of the house or the guests’ wives were not invited in that space.
Besides the food, drink, and discussions, bards would recite or sing poems. Homer, of course, was a favorite choice. if the host was particularly affluent, there might also be acrobats, mimes, and dancers.
The only women allowed in the Symposia were the hetaerae. They played key roles in many intellectual gatherings much like Japanese geishas and were highly respected for their beauty, wit, conversational skills, and musical abilities. Many were well-educated, unlike the average ancient housewife.
They would entertain the men with music, singing, and occasionally sex. The 5th century B.C.E. was the peak for the institution of the symposium, and the hosts spent a lot of money to have the best available cooks and entertainers.
A symposium also included a ritual, in which guests followed actions in a prescribed order. First, servants (usually slaves) brought water to wash the guests’ hands, take off their sandals, and perhaps place ivy wreaths on their heads. The guests were supposed to wear their best clothing.
Then, an offering was made to Dionysus, the god of wine, pleasure, and festivities in Greek theology. The servants then led the guests to anaklintra, a type of wide couch or low bed, which they would share with one or two other guests and recline. They had low tables next to them for their food and wine, and the host would read the menu.
Kylix. Photo courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
They ate with their hands, and bread was used as spoons to sop up the sauces. Forks and spoons had not yet been invented, but personal knives were used to cut the meat. There were usually appetizers such as radishes, pickled olives, pickled wild onions, wild garlic, or cheeses, followed by main courses of roast whole lambs or pigs, chickens, or geese. Oxen and even swans might be served at the most affluent gatherings.
Their Kylix, the wine-drinking cup that was beautifully decorated with mythical scenes, was placed on the nearby tables. To finish, they would have fresh and dried fruits, nuts, sweet and savory pies, pastries, and more.
The hetaerae would play music, sing, and dance for them.
Modern copy of ancient Greek Krater. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Note that the wine was always diluted. The usual formula was one part wine to four parts water and sometimes a little honey. There were specific vessels, usually highly decorated with mythical scenes, that were fired red clay painted pots known as Kraters where the wine and water was mixed.
It was considered crass and very low class to drink wine straight or to be seen drunk by your friends or sponsors. Actually, one of the offenses that Socrates, the founder of Western philosophy, was accused of in 399 B.C.E. was corrupting the Athenian youths through his teachings and allowing them to drink akratos wine, which means undiluted wine.
After a trial that lasted a day, he was sentenced to death! The Socratic Method says that the realization of our ignorance is the first step in our understanding of what is happening to us and around us. To quote “I know one thing – that I know nothing!”
Even Plato, the great philosopher, used a symposium for one of his philosophical reflections. In his “Symposium,” the meaning of love is discussed. The setting is a symposium in a house in ancient Athens, where the poet Agathonas is entertaining friends. The guests decide to spend the night discussing Eros.
Each guest expresses his views on the matter. Plato’s character cites one of the most beautiful ideas of ancient literature about love. Using legend, he explains the meaning of true love and the reason we look for it.
Oedipus and Sphinx Kylix in the Vatican Museum. Photo courtesy of the Italian National Tourism Office.
During symposia, the influential men of Athens created long-lasting bonds with each other as they shared their views about life, politics, law, and philosophy. It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that the shared experiences during symposia impacted their ideas and civic practices.
The symposium’s institution, with its ritual and social significance, played a very important role in the educational, cultural, and political life of ancient Greece.
A copy of an ancient Greek Krater of a symposium. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
There was always much leftover food from the symposia, but it never went to waste. The slaves, women, and children of the family were fed much of what was left. After sunset, the food was placed in small shrines in front of each house as offerings to Hecate, the goddess of the underworld, and to the dead. But the very poor would come get it.
Those offerings usually included eggs, some type of small sweet cake, garlic, almonds, leeks and/or onions, and fish. Libations of wine and honey were also commonly offered. According to Athenian legend, the night of the dark moon is the night that the Goddess Hecate emerges from the underworld to gather the souls of the recently departed.
In one of Aristophanes’ comedies, “Plutus” (wealth), there is mention of a poor man’s meal as being of “lupines and Hecate’s Supper.”
It would be quite interesting to contemplate what might have happened if women were allowed to participate in symposia on equal footing with men. Perhaps the world of today might have been better! Who knows?
Naples wasn’t high on my bucket list, but after my recent visit, I’m happy to report that I was captivated by her scintillating charms. I visited one enchanting sight after another and still only managed to cover a fraction of the rich history waiting to be explored in this ancient seaside city.
Certainly, there is crime and a good measure of chaos, which is what made me leery to begin with, but what major city in the world doesn’t share these problems? So abandon negativity, embrace the adventure, and enjoy this vibrant, historic, artistic city, which is clearly one of the most robust in all of Italy!
Naples has been undergoing a renaissance in building and restoration in which many of its previously abandoned or under-maintained buildings are being returned to their earlier grandeur. There are world-class museums that rival those of Rome and Florence and the most unique catacombs possibly in the world.
Lovely 4-star and 5-star hotels line famous Naples Bay, providing breathtaking harbor views, while superb restaurants abound, challenging the culinary capitals of Piedmont and Tuscany for gastronomic excellence. In fact, I didn’t have a mediocre meal the entire week I was there, and it was a struggle just to maintain my weight.
My saving grace was the very unique cuisine of Naples that consists mainly of seafood, fish, and farm-to-table local produce that’s delicious without being drowned in heavy, fattening sauces. Falangina, Campania’s own food-friendly wine, caressed my palate and added to the enjoyment of long leisurely meals surrounded by Neapolitan hospitality.
Naples claims to be the home of pizza and has arguably the best in the world (more about this later). The city may well be the best kept secret in Italy. The weather even in late June was perfect with warm and sunny days kissed by cool sea breezes and clear balmy evenings. And if the weather should turn hot, there are wonderful beach opportunities in and around the city to cool down.
Naples Museum Pompei Fresco. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
There is no better sightseeing then the environs of Naples. Ror instance, a 45-minute scenic drive along the water delivers you to the historic ruins of Pompeii and/or Herculaneum. The offshore islands of Capri, Procida, and Ischia provide opportunities for day trips, as well as the Amalfi Coast and cliffside towns like Sorrento and Positano.
In Naples’ old city, you can wander for hours through the narrow winding streets where beguiling crafts are created right before your eyes, and tradition whispers to you from the ancient buildings. So varied are the opportunities for exploring in and around the city that you can experience fascinating historical, religious, cultural, artistic, and entertaining sights without fear of being overwhelmed by any one form. You certainly would never be left with nothing at all to do because you could just watch the passing scene, which never ceased to amuse me.
Naples Gesù Nuovo. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
My love affair with Naples began in the old city at Piazza Dante, with the Gesù Nuovo or the New Jesus Church. The 15th century embossed gray stone façade does little to prepare your for the resplendent 17th century Baroque interior, which is covered in multi-colored marble and adorned with stunning paintings by the most famous artists of the 16th century.
Santa Chiara Gardens in Naples. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
Right across the road from the Gesù Nuovo is the amazing Santa Chiara Cloister complex. The glorious day I visited it was perfect for admiring the brightly colored Majolica tiles that decorate the garden’s benches and columns. The exterior painted walls of the Cloister were like visiting an open-air museum of endless wonder.
It was hard to depart this garden with its well-tended trees and flowers, offering a verdant counterpoint to the lavish artwork, even more so since we were being serenaded by a chorus practicing a cappella for an evening performance.
Golden Mask of Christ. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
Returning to the bustling street, we made our way to the Cappella Sansevero, a unique chapel/museum that’s ostensibly the sepulcher of the Princes of Sangro di Sansevero. Although originally erected in the late 16th century by Giovan Francesco di Sangro, it was the Prince Raimondo, the 18th century alchemist and eccentric seventh Prince of Sansevero, who was responsible for the chapel/mausoleum containing both Christian and mystical Masonic symbolism.
It seems that Prince Raimondo was Grand Master of the Freemasons in the Kingdom of Naples. Among the sculptures that fill the small chapel, the most well-known is Giuseppe Sanmartino’s alabaster masterpiece of the dead Christ covered by a marble veil. But to me, the most intriguing image was that of a small gold face mask (possibly of Jesus) that was on the wall behind the High Altar.
Curiously, it wasn’t even mentioned in the floor plan, which I found odd since it was so captivating. The guard, noticing my concentration on the mask, told me that most people who discover the mask react in a similar fashion. Is this icon possibly linked to a deeper mystery of the chapel?
Via Tribunali in Naples. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
The old city is sometimes referred to as the Spaccanapoli, which literally means “split the city” after the straight main road of Via Tribunali that visually divides the city in two. Intersecting the main streets of Tribunali and Via San Biagio dei Librai is Via San Gregorio Armeno, which is a street replete with charming handmade crafts. This is where you’ll find the famous hand-carved Naples Nativity cribs or “presepi” religious figurines of the Christmas story borne out of the religious displays in the churches.
Representations of ordinary people are an extension of this craft. They tell in intricate detail the story of the people’s daily lives throughout history – accurate in dress and activity and honestly reproduced with maladies, warts, and all.
This ancient Neapolitan artistic expression evolved over time into an entertainment of secular pleasure for the aristocracy, whose dress and activities the ordinary people copied for their games. The scenes that were initially devout in nature developed into allegory and fantasy, incorporating religious iconography with Greek and Roman dress and architecture.
Carnival masks in Naples. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
On the Via San Gregorio Armeno, you’ll also find the commedia dell’arte masks and representations of Pulcinella and the Red Horn Mascot. According to tradition, one of these must be given as a gift in order to release its good luck powers.
There were beautifully painted drums as well used for the tarantella, and one of my traveling companions, who is exceptionally well-versed in the history and traditions of Italy, shared her insights into the deep social and mythological aspects of this well-known musical expression.
According to her, the tarantella was initially a dance that exorcised madness from young women who were afflicted by the bite of the tarantula spider (thus tarantella) when working in the fields. Caught in the web of society’s making, helpless young women were coerced into marrying men not of their choosing – perhaps not even to their liking – and then forced to work for them in the fields.
Crazed by repressed desires, the misery of their lives, or actual toxins from the tarantula’s bite, the young women would begin a frenzied dance. A local shaman beat the drum in a specific rhythm to draw out the poison and exorcise the physical or emotional distress of the possessed maiden. Woven into this mythology is the Greek tale of Arachne and Athena and the Gods’ punishment for hubris.
The story of unrequited passion to rock hard reality took us 5,000 years, 121 steps, and 40 meters down into the underground city beneath the old town. Originally excavated by the Greeks for the tufa stone with which to build the ancient city, the Romans expanded the digging to construct an aqueduct so that they could maintain a constant supply of fresh water for the growing population.
The aqueduct was used until a cholera epidemic forced its closure in 1884. During World War II, the warren of tunnels and caves were used as an air raid shelter.
Returning to the street, our next stop was a typical Neapolitan home of the 1st century. The tiny bedroom housed a small single bed that when pushed aside revealed a stairway and entrance to the Greek-Roman Theatre where Nero made his theatrical debut.
During one of Nero’s performances, the ground began to shake. Undeterred by the earthquake, he continued to sing. At the end of the show, he thanked both the audience and the gods for their applause.
Overlooking the excavated theater through interior windows, a home similar to the one we originally entered had been converted into a bed and breakfast. It was truly the most interesting accommodation we could ask for in the heart of the ancient city.
Neapolitan pizza. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
And now, more about Neapolitan Pizza…
We took a welcomed break from our exploration to check out one of the most renowned brick oven pizzerias in Naples. There were long lines to get into the two-story Gino e Toto Sorbillo Pizzeria, but trust me: it was well worth the wait.
Pizzas came flying out of the oven, and finally, it was my turn. The pizza hung over the plate and was so large that I couldn’t believe it was all for me! I had ordered the famous Margherita, named after the beloved Queen Margherita.
In 1868 at the age of 17, Margherita of Savoy married her first cousin and future King of Italy, Umberto. Knowing virtually nothing about her new land but anxious to learn, she had heard there was a savory pie called pizza and asked that one be brought to her.
The chef was overwhelmed by this monumental responsibility and reluctant to present the Queen with the common pizza. So as the story goes, he created a pie to represent the colors of the flag of Margherita’s adopted country – red sauce, with splashes of white mozzarella, and topped with green basil. It was an instant success and still one of the most frequently ordered types of pizza.
I saw many people eating just the center out of their enormous pie, but true to New York pizza etiquette, I ate the whole thing! Gino e Toto Sorbillo is located in the heart of the old city at Via Tribonali, 32. And would you believe that there is now a New York City branch of Sorbillo Pizzeria located on the Bowery at 2nd Street?
Naples Museum entrance. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
Once we were fortified, we made our last stop of the day at the National Archeological Museum (Museo Archeologico Nazionale). This world-class antiquities museum has the largest and finest collection of frescoes, mosaics, and statues excavated from Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Allow several hours to explore this remarkable collection before making the short journey to the site(s) themselves. Your experience will be all the richer for having seen the original works of antiquity up close. There is an added bonus that you’re allowed to take photos (without flash) – a rare perk these days.
Be advised, however, that you must ask to view the Secret Cabinet Room of Erotic works, which is accessible only by a museum employee for obvious reasons.
During the next few days, I visited several other notable sites, including the Palazzo Reale or Royal Palace. Noteworthy is the exterior, which has been restored and is adorned with larger then life 19th century statues representing the dynasties of Naples.
The interior great halls are filled with original furniture, tapestries, paintings, and porcelain, as well as a grouping of Queen Margherita’s clothing and jewelry. Note how very tiny she was!
The Piazza del Plebiscito in Naples. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
On weekends, the handsome, wide Piazza del Plebiscito directly in front of the Palace hosts dozens of wedding parties taking pictures and celebrating their nuptials, turning the plaza into a sea of white bouffant gowns.
And just across the plaza, you’ll find a steady stream of visitors entering Gran Caffe Gambrinus, a 150-year-old confectionery, for refreshment and an ogle. Beautifully designed and decorated by the most renowned artists of the age and serving some of the city’s tastiest gelato, it’s a well-known meeting place in Naples.
The Palazzo Reale di Capodimonte, built in 1738 by the Bourbon King Charles 111 as a hunting lodge, is now the Capodimonte Fine Art Museum. It houses a huge and stunning collection of Italian paintings by such greats as Titan, Botticelli, Perugino, Raphael, and Sebastiano del Piombo.
Naples catacombs. Photo by Barbara Angelakis.
But without a doubt, the biggest surprise to me was the San Gennaro Catacombs, which I was initially disinclined to visit, having been in catacombs previously and found them to be distasteful. But this was distinctly different. Vaulted ceilings and wide aisles are carved out of the tufa, which dates back to the 2nd century and was the original burial place of San Gennaro.
The catacomb was not only used as a final resting place for the dead, but was also a church for the living. And it still is, which gives a totally different feeling to these underground chambers. Mosaics and frescoes adorn the burial alcoves carved out along the walls, and I found it fascinating that as additional family members were interred, the art was redone to accommodate the new additions.
So for palaces and gardens, museums and churches, pizza parlors and gelato cafes, underground cities and catacombs, dinner cruises and excavated buried cities, ancient traditions and modern mysteries, Naples offers so much to the visitor.
For ages, honey has been considered the “perfect” food. Produced in many parts of the world but especially popular in the Eastern Mediterranean, it has been used as both food and medicine since antiquity.
Attiki Honey. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
The Greek thyme honey from Attica, the area around Athens, plus wildflower honeys from the mountains of Crete and the foothills of the Olympus in Thessaly, are considered to be among the tastiest and most aromatic honeys produced since time immemorial. Turkish, Bulgarian, and Lebanese honeys are also thought as top-of-the-line in the rest of the world.
I recently enjoyed three aromatic honeys produced in Wisconsin. The brand is Some Honey Both their orange and wildflower varieties are raw and unfiltered, blond-colored, and not pasteurized. They retain all of their natural nutritional and health benefits.
Some Honey Cranberry. Photo courtesy of Some Honey.
Raw honey has no additives or preservatives that you may find in other packaged products. It has exceptional preservative qualities on its own. These honeys are unfiltered but strained, which removes unwanted debris like honeycomb wax pieces, bee parts, etc. The pollen is kept in the honey, which is what gives it many of its beneficial properties.
What was even more interesting was the third variety I received called Cranberry, which is darker, the color of old amber, and as aromatic and tasty as any of the Greek honeys.
Another interesting honey sample I received was from a Chilean company, whose booth I visited at the Summer Fancy Food Show.
Abeja Dorada ULMO Honey. Photo courtesy of Víctor Andrés Martínez.
It is called ULMO Abeja Dorada miel pura from Colmenares Santa Inés – a family business that provides a raw, monofloral honey from Patagonia known for its antimicrobial properties. It came in a 250-gram jar. It may be on the pricey side, but if the medicinal claims are true, it would certainly be worth it.
The honey is very thick and starting to crystallize, but it’s also very aromatic. When topping strained yogurt, one of my go-to breakfast treats, it’s superb. It’s also a great energy builder, especially desirable as a “morning after” remedy.
You will find flavorful honey produced in some rather unexpected places in the world. On a rooftop terrace 20 stories above Park Avenue in New York City at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, some 360,000 bees produce more than 300 pounds of honey annually. This honey finds its way into the Waldorf Astoria’s menus, but is also used in treatments at the hotel’s Guerlain Spa.
Beekeeping at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in NYC. Photo courtesy of the Waldorf Astoria.
And it isn’t only New York City that has a luxury hotel with its own beehives. Québec’s Manoir Hovey is a five-star Relais & Chateaux lakefront luxury property that has a beekeeping program that produces both spring and summer flower honey. The hotel’s chef incorporates the honey into his menus and offers activities centered around honey for interested guests.
The Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam beehives in their garden. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
The Waldorf Astoria in Amsterdam is another luxury hotel full of sweet surprises. One of them is a couple of beehives in the hotel’s shape in the garden, which is considered the largest private garden in town. The bees provide the honey served every morning as part of an elaborate breakfast and also for sweetening the hotel’s spectacular afternoon tea.
A Colorado Springs’ grand dame, the Broadmoor, has more than 50 beehives at the resort’s Eagles Nest ranch, along with additional hives located at Broadmoor Farms and Golf Course. The bees produce more than 1,500 pounds of honey annually.
The first five-star hotel in Switzerland to maintain a bee colony, Zurich’s Baur au Lac Hotel produces its honey in a hive shaped as a miniature version of the hotel. The small “bee hotel” houses 80,000 honeybees.
Honeycomb and honey. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Because bees collect nectar and pollen from blossoms within a 3.5-mile radius of their hive, the honey harvested is considered a local Zurich delicacy. This honey is available at the breakfast table, and jars are available to take home at the hotel’s gift shop.
Actually, you can now find honeys at every grocery store and supermarket in practically every city, as well as assorted honeys online. The international honey trade is still as ubiquitous as it was over 6,000 years ago.
What’s your favorite brand of honey, and how do you like to use it?
Donate to help those affected by Hurricane Helene. Our hearts go out to all of those who experienced loss of life or property damage from Hurricane Helene. This link will take you to the American Red Cross North Carolina, where the flooding damage was especially horrible. There are victims in other states as well, however, including Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee.
Eurostar joins Sky Team Alliance. Starting early next year, Eurostar will become the first non-airline member of the Sky Team Alliance, which includes 20 airlines from around the world, including Delta, KLM, Virgin Atlantic, and SAS. Eurostar offers train service, including the English Channel Tunnel.
Can travel slow aging? It turns out the answer is yes, according to a study conducted by an Australian university. The positive experiences and potential for stimulation and stress reduction can possibly keep us younger longer.
Where’s the best pizza in the world? Nope – it isn’t Italy! It’s New York City. Next time you’re in Manhattan, visit Una Pizza Napoletana on Orchard Street, which ranked as No. 1 in the world in 50 Top Pizza‘s 2024 guide.
Pizza image. Photo by deeznutz1.
Delta and SAS now have a codeshare agreement. This agreement means travelers can use miles from each airline on the other, and it expands Delta’s reach in Scandinavia.
American and JetSmart now have a codeshare agreement. JetSmart is a South American carrier, so American Airlines loyalists can now get to South America easier.
JetBlue is entering the world of airport lounges. The airline plans to open its first lounges in late 2025 at NY’s JFK and soon after at Boston’s Logan Airport. You’ll have to have status with the airline or hold their premium credit card to enter on a complimentary basis.
British Airways lounge in Miami. Next year, British Airways will open a lounge at Miami’s international airport. It will be 13,000 square feet and on the fourth floor of Concourse E.
Airplane in airport. Photo by cegoh.
Southwest Airlines cabin redesign. Assigned seats are coming from Southwest with larger bins and seats with more legroom for a price. Watch this video for more info. Bags will still be free.
The 50 best hotels in the world. Check out this list. Have you stayed at any of these? I haven’t, unfortunately.
New Zealand increases its tourism tax. Starting October 1st, New Zealand’s International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) will increase from NZ$35 to NZ$100. In USD, that’s an increase from about $22 to $62 or approximately $40 more.
Which airline bumps the most people? Frontier Airlines bumped the most, according to a recent study. American Airlines came in second.
In Greece, the land beneath your feet is steeped in very ancient history and lore. Many of our current civic, as well as theatrical traditions, come to us from the city-state of Athena, in Attica. So when you visit Greece, keep all of what you’ll learn in this article in mind.
The Athenian basin is surrounded by mountains on three sides and the sea in the South. The city of Athens was built mostly around natural strategic points, the city’s steep hills, so that the populace could take refuge on the fortified hilltops whenever needed.
The Acropolis in Athens at night. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
One of the prominent hills in the basin is the Acropolis, where most of the ancient city’s many religious structures were located. The Acropolis is the foundation upon which the Athenian civilization was built. Its strategic location at the center of the basin was the city’s beginnings.
The Acropolis’s identity remains indelibly tied to classical Greece, which is the birthplace of modern democracy, philosophy, and theater. Two surviving ancient theaters – an early Athenian and later Roman -are located on the southern side of the hill. They have been rebuilt and refurbished and are still in use in the summer months as open-air stages.
An ancient theater is built in a semi-circle (amphitheater) usually backed by a hillside with tiered seating rising above the stage. Most ancient theaters used this configuration up to the Middle Ages.
It was only later on, starting in England and Germany, that we begin to have actual closed-roof theatrical venues. That was to improve the acoustics and protect the audience and actors from the elements so that the theaters could operate year-round. Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London comes to mind.
An ancient amphitheater in Greece still in use. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
The Greek stage is circular. There was no movable scenery or stage sets as in modern theaters, and no curtain.
The backdrop was an actual building that represented whatever the play required – a palace, temple, or noble’s house, for example. That building was also used as a backstage area to hide the “machine” – a winch used to lower an actor playing the role of a god to the stage (whenever the play called for a god to appear and intervene in the happenings).
As our legacy from the ancient Greek theater, we still use the Latin expression “Deus ex Machina,” meaning “God from the Machine” when we want to express that a person or thing is introduced into a situation unexpectedly to provide a contrived solution to an insoluble difficulty.
The ancient actors wore masks, which were used to help the physical actor disappear since many people would know him from everyday life. That way, they could hopefully believe in the character he was portraying.
The actors often played several different parts, and they would put on a different mask for each one. The masks also enabled the all-male casts to play both male and female roles. There were a few props used for symbolism or to suggest something about the character portrayed, such as crowns, scepters, lyres, or walking sticks.
In the Greek theater, the theatrical experience was built around the stories written by writers/producers. In a play cycle, there were three tragic performances on a particular subject, followed by a comedy to lighten the mood. Both tragedy and comedy had a didactic role to show what could possibly happen if the viewers acted in the same way as the characters.
There were no theater critics in ancient times. If the audience didn’t like a play, the response was immediate, as they hurled over-ripe fruit or pillow at the players.
We know the names of a number of these playwrights: Thespis, Achaeus of Eretria, Aeschylus, Euripides, Sophocles, Aristophanes, etc. Actually, the term for a modern actor – a thespian – is derived from the name of that early Athenian playwright, Thespis.
The three best known playwrights who created epic tragedy plays were Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles. They all won numerous theatrical competitions, and it was considered a great honor to have your play performed during a religious festival.
Many of the early plays were rewritten by later playwrights, as the Athenian mores changed in later years. For example, we see the Eumenides, a euphemistic name for the three chthonic goddesses of vengeance, written about early by Achaeus of Eretria and at a later date as a part of the Aeschylus trilogy, The Oresteia.
The Orestia consists of three 5th century B.C.E. tragedies regarding the murder of Agamemnon, king of Mycenae, by Clytemnestra, his unfaithful wife and her lover, after Agamemnon’s return from the Trojan War. The killing of Clytemnestra in revenge by their son Orestes, the trial of Orestes, and the end of the curse on the House of Atreus are also part of these tragedies.
Obviously, there were many plays, but most of them did not survive. The surviving ones are still performed every summer in Greece in adaptations in the modern Greek language either at the amphitheater of Herodus Atticus in Athens or at the amphitheater of Epidaurus.
The Epidaurus Amphitheater. Photo courtesy of the Greek National Tourism Organization.
This summer’s tragedies and comedies include the following…
The tragedies:
The Persians by Aeschylus
The play is based on the true events behind the victory of Athens against the Persian fleet during the Battle of Salamis in 480 B.C.E. The Persians play was controversial at the time it was written. The contemporary philosopher, Aristotle, perceived it as sympathetic toward the Persians. However, Aristophanes, another dramatist, saw it as a celebration of a major victory in the context of an ongoing war.
Orestia by Aeschylus
Orestia is based on the trilogy of the three linked plays, Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, and The Eumenides. As mentioned above, it’s about the murder of the king of Mycenae, Agamemnon, and the revenge taken by his son, Orestes.
Seven Against Thebes by Aeschylus
Seven Against Thebes is a tragedy about the battle of two brothers, Eteocles and Polynices, to claim the throne of Thebes. Despite the wish of Oedipus, their father, to alternate the throne every year, the two brothers decide to fight each other, resulting in their death. Aeschylus pointed out that if stable institutions are in place, they can prevent tragic events.
Oedipus Rex by Sophocles
This tragedy, the first of a number of plays on the subject also by other playwrights, describes the quest of Oedipus, king of Thebes, to uncover the reason for a curse that had befallen the city he ruled. Oedipus became king of Thebes after he successfully solved the riddle of the sphinx and married the widow of the previous king, Laius.
A prophecy sheds light on the mystery, revealing that Oedipus was actually the murderer of Laius, who was his father. According to the myth, Oedipus was abandoned in the wild when he was a newborn baby after it was prophesized that one day he would kill his father and marry his mother. He was rescued and grew up not knowing his actual lineage.
As the story unfolds, it’s uncovered that Oedipus had unwittingly killed his father and married Queen Iocasta, Laius’s widow, having children with her. When the revelation was made, Iocasta hung herself, and Oedipus blinded himself, departing Thebes, guided by his daughter/sister Antigone. The story continued in Oedipus in Colonus and Antigone, but these other connected plays were not performed at this time.
The comedies:
Lysistrata by Aristophanes
A masterpiece about war and sex, considered to be one of the greatest theatrical plays, Lysistrata was first staged in 411 B.C.E. The comedy portrays the way the Peloponnesian War was ended by a woman named Lysistrata, who successfully persuaded the women of Athens to withhold sexual favors from their husbands and lovers as a means of ending the war.
Ornithes (The Birds) by Aristophanes
This play, first staged in 413 B.C.E., was awarded a prize at the Dionysian festival in Athens. The plot is set around two middle-aged men discussing their discontent with Athenian life, where the only thing people seem to do is argue all day over politics.
The two men decide that it’s perhaps time to search for a better life somewhere else, until some birds show them that there is a way to change the situation.
Most tourists stay in midtown when they come to New York City, but even if you’re not in town for business, you might want to consider staying in other areas of Manhattan, including the Financial District. This area is where you’ll find the current World Trade Center and Trinity Church, where Alexander Hamilton among other luminaries is buried.
The lobby of the Artezen Hotel. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
You’ll also find the Artezen Hotel, dubbed the newest 4-star property in the Financial District. It’s located on John Street near the subway and across the street from a convenient drugstore. It’s a small nondescript property from the outside, but once you’re inside, it’s lovely and chic.
The lobby of the Artezen Hotel. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
My room was small, as is true of most Manhattan hotels, but very comfortable. I was also surprised by how quiet it was, even in the morning on a weekday when the area gets busy with people going to work.
The amenities include a welcome snack, a Lenovo tablet with a Bluetooth speaker dock, two bottles of Fiji water, Nespresso Coffee Maker with pods and sugar, safe, complimentary Wi-Fi throughout, and access to a gym and yoga room. All local and domestic long-distance phone calls are free as well, which is unusual, but not as necessary these days since we all have cell phones.
The desk and mini-fridge in my room at the Artezen Hotel. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
There are no minibars in the rooms, but there was a mini-fridge. There was a nice Frette bathrobe and slippers. I find that 4-star properties rarely supply slippers. This one also provided a steamer rather than an iron, but an iron and board were available upon request, as was a tea kettle. The TV was 49″.
My room at the Artezen Hotel. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The bed was very comfortable with a pillow top mattress and Frette linens. The bathroom had a shower only but nice Egyptian cotton towels and C.O. Bigelow toiletries.
I loved these convenient buttons by the door of my room in the Artezen Hotel. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The rooms span from 150 square feet to 250 square feet. Some of the larger rooms have a terrace.
Artezen is 100% non-smoking, and it only allows service animals. So it isn’t pet-friendly. It does have ADA-accessible rooms, however.
The enclosed rooftop bar at the Artezen Hotel. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The staff was very friendly and helpful. I was especially impressed with how welcoming the staff was when I entered its enclosed rooftop bar, which also has sliders and other food. I enjoyed the decor and ambience there.
A seating area in the enclosed rooftop bar at the Artezen Hotel. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
If you’re comfortable using the subway or don’t mind spending some money on taxis or Ubers, I recommend staying downtown when you visit NYC and checking out the Artezen.
Unfortunately, bedbugs are a reality these days, and it can be very difficult to get rid of them. But don’t panic! I even got them in my apartment (presumably from a package that was delivered, as I hadn’t traveled recently), and spraying did kill them because we caught it quickly.
I now keep the legs of my bed in trays that prevent bedbugs from traveling up the legs, and I make sure that nothing they could climb touches my bed. Maybe it’s paranoid, but it’s the only way I know to ensure I don’t get them on my bed. I also have a bedbug cover on my mattress.
You might think a 5-star hotel would be immune, but bedbugs don’t arrive because a property is dirty. They travel where humans will be because when they bite us, they drink our blood. So if someone has brought them into a luxury hotel, they may still be there. While they can bite at any time, they tend to be more active in the wee hours.
That said, one of the reasons I choose 4-star and 5-star hotels whenever possible is that they do inspect their rooms more often and take precautions against bedbug outbreaks. This doesn’t happen at lesser properties. The only hotels where I have been bitten have been 3-star or 2-star places.
But what can you do to avoid coming home with these horrible insects? No matter where you’re staying – whether it’s a hostel or a 5-star hotel – always lift up the sheets to inspect the mattress. Look at the seams for dark insects or traces of blood left by previously bitten guests. You might also want to check behind pictures on the wall.
Mattress. Photo by sensopur.
Then, don’t put items on the floor, as the bugs can crawl across rugs. They’re less likely to be on the tile in the bathroom, so I often keep my suitcase in there. I put my shoes and other items on a credenza or table rather than on fabric-covered furniture. This is no guarantee, of course, but I’m told they’re less likely to be on these surfaces.
Plus, they’re attracted to human scent, so that means your clothes will be a draw as much as your body. It’s another reason to keep your suitcase in the bathroom away from carpets and keep your clothes out of the drawers in the room. If there’s truly no space in the bathroom for your suitcase, try putting the entirely thing in a large garbage bag and twisting it shut.
The first time I was bitten in a hotel, I put all of my items, including my wallet and purse into the dryer at its highest setting the moment I got home. I also threw away my suitcase (cheaper than an exterminator). It seems that even if you vacuum a suitcase, the bugs can live in the vacuum cleaner and escape into your home.
Don’t try putting anything in the freezer, as bedbugs can live in cold. It’s the heat of the dryer that will kill them. Be sure to run the dryer for its entire cycle – at least 30-45 minutes.
If you do find that you get bitten at home, get certified bedbug covers for your mattress and pillows immediately, put your sheets and pillows in the dryer right away, and get the special trays to place under the feet of your bed. If your bed doesn’t have feet, you will need to hire an exterminator. In the worst case scenario, you might have to replace your bed with one that has feet so that you can use the trays.
It’s preferable to get a bed with metal legs, as bedbugs apparently find it harder to climb on metal than wood. Don’t use a bed skirt, and don’t allow sheets or blankets to touch the floor! Also pull your bed away from the wall.
How do you know if you’ve been bitten by a bedbug and not something else? It can be a bit difficult to tell since people react to the bites differently, but a telltale sign is three bites in close proximity. They call this “breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”
I don’t mean to scare you, as you can get rid of them. But you need to act fast because once they have increased their numbers too much, you’ll find it more difficult to eliminate them. If the infestation is bad enough, you might have to get fumigation or heat treatments done.
Besides travel, thrift shop or curbside furniture, luggage, musical instruments, electronics, and other items can be notorious for bringing bedbugs into your home. For this reason, I rarely buy anything at a thrift shop anymore.
If you’re concerned about bedbugs on airplanes, trains, and buses, you can buy plastic covers for the seats. You can also put your carry-on bags in plastic bags that are securely closed with twist ties.
But don’t let the fear of these nasty buggers make you afraid to travel. I haven’t been bitten in years, so it doesn’t happen as often as we’re made to think. Still, it pays to take precautions, and no matter where I stay, I always do.
In tropical climes there are certain times of day When all the citizens retire To tear their clothes off and perspire. It’s one of those rules that the greatest fools obey, Because the sun is much too sultry And one must avoid its ultra-violet ray.
…Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun. The Japanese don’t care to, the Chinese wouldn’t dare to, Hindus and Argentines sleep firmly from twelve to one…
…At twelve noon The natives swoon And no further work is done. But mad dogs and Englishmen Go out in the midday sun…
…In Bangkok at twelve o’clock They foam at the mouth and run, But, mad dogs and Englishmen Go out in the midday sun…
Nöel Coward (Mad Dogs and Englishmen)
Traffic in Bangkok. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Bangkok is a city you might not want to permanently reside in, but it is definitively a city well worth a visit. Imagine a town halved by a river without a formal street grid and with traffic so brutal that when asking for distances, the locals will say 20 minutes to 2 hours depending on the traffic.
Driving in Bangkok requires nerves of steel, as traffic regulations are more often ignored than observed, and hiring a car with a driver, a taxi, or even a tuk-tuk (colorful and much cheaper but not particularly safe) is highly recommended.
There are three seasons: hot, hotter, and hottest. And it’s almost always extremely humid. Travelers not used to tropical heat and humidity find the need to shower two or three times a day even during the milder season.
Bangkok. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Since Bangkok is Thailand’s capital, it has everything from super luxury hotels to open-air floating markets, palaces, and earthen-floor houses. The Thai people I met are all, without exception, very friendly, patient, and tolerant. They greet you with a “wai,” which is a small bow that involves pressing the palms together at chin level in a prayer-like gesture. Everyone smiles, because it is considered very bad form not to.
Noodle soup with crab claw at Odean. Photo by Nick A. Ross.
The hotel restaurants in Bangkok offer delicious international and local dishes, but if you want to really taste the local cuisine, try the restaurants in or near Bangkok’s Chinatown. One of the better ones is Odean, a very clean, rather discreet restaurant behind Wat Traimit in a street near the Odeon circle gate.
The best of their dishes, in my opinion, is their noodle soup with a delicious crab claw served on top. When ordering, you need to specify the price you wish to pay, as the cost of the dish depends on the size of the claw. The larger the claw, the more the dish costs.
Tom Yum Koong shrimpsoup at Madam Saranair’s. Photo by Nick A. Ross.
Another good restaurant to try is Madam Saranair, located at 139 Sukhumvit 21| Khlongtoey Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110. When I last visited, I flew in to Bangkok from Taipei. I was hoping to find a good restaurant near the hotel, as I’m very partial to good Thai food. Plus, the hotel’s restaurant was serving mostly Occidental dishes with very few Thai ones thrown in for good measure.
Luckily, the concierge recommended Madam Saranair’s. We ordered shrimp cakes, shrimp soup (Tom Yum Koong), pork dumplings, crab curry, and refreshing fresh fruit drinks. The service was friendly, and everything was reasonably priced.
Ayutthaya, Thailand. Photo by Nick A. Ross.
Images of a very ancient culture still survive in and around Bangkok. The early capital, Ayutthaya, is about 45 miles away and can be reached by car, bus, or train. But the boat trips organized by the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, using their own luxury boats up the Chao Phraya river, are most convenient and the least taxing way to get there.
For more than 400 years from 1350 to 1767, Ayutthaya was the capital of Siam (as the country was known in earlier times) and the seat of 33 kings from various dynasties. It was a great metropolis and a cultural and trading center for all of Southeast Asia with links from Europe and the Atlantic to Japan and the Pacific.
Ayutthaya. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Bang-Pa-In nearby was the summer retreat of the royal family – a fairytale palace in the middle of the jungle set in a broad basin by the Chao Phraya river. During the king’s residence, gilded gondolas carrying the king’s wives glided up and down the mirror-smooth water.
In Bangkok, the magnificence of the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo – the Temple of the Emerald Buddha – offers to visitors a panorama of Thailand’s last 250 years of history. Each of the complexes in this walled city is an expression of the architectural style of the period and the king who reigned at the time, who was responsible for its construction.
The historic sites of Bangkok are often gilded and ornate. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Entering through the Gate of Wonderful Victory, you see the Great Maha Chakri Palace at the end of the wide street leading through the outer courtyard, which is the center point of the Chakri Complex. The palace was occupied by the kings and queens of Siam. The kings occupied the east wing, and the queens occupied the west. The Audience Chamber with the silver throne under a nine-tiered umbrella is sometimes still used on special occasions when the current king receives ambassadors.
The line of gold Buddhas at Wat Pho in Bangkok. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Most of the buildings, gables, courtyards, and entrances are gilded and richly decorated with murals and brightly hued carvings, statues of mythical creatures and demigods, pillars with lotus capitals, and glazed earthenware tiles.
Bangkok is a wonderful and unusual experience for Americans that’s well worth the long flight.
The price of olive oil in the countries surrounding the Mediterranean, where 90% of the world’s olive oil is produced, is rapidly rising to a very high level. This means that the consumers of olive oil in the rest of the world will be paying much more.
For the first time – according to Reuters – sunflower oil purchases in Spain, the largest producer as well as one of the larger consumers of olive oil, have surpassed the sales of olive oil. In the first half of 2024, 179 million liters of sunflower oil were sold in that country compared to 107 million liters of olive oil.
Also according to Reuters, the average price of sunflower oil in Spain is $2.07 per liter, while the price of olive oil is now $6.65 for the same amount.
I usually purchase a 3-liter tin of Greek extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil for our kitchen that will last us for 7 to 9 months – long enough to keep the freshness and taste of the oil at optimal level. Last year, for the 3-liter tin of Minerva brand oil, we paid between $28.99 and $32.00 in New York City.
Two weeks ago, because we use so much olive oil in our cooking, we purchased a new 3-liter tin of another brand for $47.99 (Sitia from Crete, where the paternal side of my family originated). The Minerva brand now sells for at least $68.99.
Olives from Spain. Photo courtesy of Foods & Wines of Spain.
The reason for the price increase is because of climate changes. According to meteorological reports, the Mediterranean basin is warming up 21% faster than the rest of the world. Warmer and drier weather affects olive trees. The warmer and drier the weather becomes, the fewer olives the trees will produce to make sure they survive the dry, hot weather.
In Spain, the government is trying to stabilize the retail prices by considerably lowering the VAT (sales tax) on all olive products. In addition, because last year’s crop in the countries surrounding the Mediterranean was almost 7% larger than the year before, the prices seem to have leveled. In some areas, they’re even starting to lower a bit.
This year’s harvest seems to have been a little lesser than last year, but thankfully not as low as in 2022. I hope prices will start to stabilize in the US market as well. How much are you paying for olive oil in your part of the world?
