Crotone, Italy
Crotone, Italy Link to Google Earth Monday, April 25, 2022
Today is
Day #126 of 196 for our ATW tour.
Originally ATW meant Around The World.
Now, we’ve claimed that it means All The Way to New York City in
July. Jerry and I continue to feel very
grateful for this unique opportunity to live on a ship, see new sights, eat
luscious meals, have our laundry done for us, and enjoy visiting with others
whose lives are unique and whose stories are vast. Then there’s the invitation to play bridge as
often as we wish and the daily writing assignments with attached photos. How can life get any better??? THANK YOU to each of you who take time to
read and follow us AND who are helping to take care of the details that allow
us to be away. We look forward to seeing
you in a few months.
We are gradually making our way to Rome for Jerry’s birthday on Thursday the 28th. Today we are back in Italy, landing in the port of Crotone (kroh TOH neh) in southern Italy. We continue to the toe of Italy’s boot and then around it in the next couple of days.
Crotone’s
foundation dates back to the 700s BC and this depth of history extends to the
places where we visited today in a circle tour to the craggy coastline and its
map showing multitudes of former fortresses which vibrate with history and the
remaining fortresses that have other fortresses built upon them and even more
upon THEM!
Our bus loaded just off the ship’s exit ramp. By the time we’d ridden to the street (less than a block), we were already treated to an ancient fortress with the leftover crumbled wall that disappeared and then reappeared a block later near the market. It didn’t take long to immerse us in deep history.
Lots of people out and about all
day today as it is a national holiday—celebration of their independence from
Nazi fascism. The 60 degree forecast
with bright sun surpassed itself early on and it felt soooo good to see spring
settle in on Italy. Flowering trees
joined hillsides of mauve wildflowers dotted with various other bright colors
for accent. Plus, some of us are still
processing the heaviness of being in Albania yesterday with its rising hopes
for the future.
Our bus drove through the newer
part of the capital of Crotone on its way out into the countryside with freshly
turned black soil, newly planted wheat fields, acres upon acres of olive trees,
and farm homes with sheep, goats, and cattle.
In only about 15 minutes, we reached our first goal which was the city
of Capo Colonna which boasts 2700 years of history demarcated in its modern
archeological museum. Inside are remnants
of treasures from underground and under the sea. Much of the area, although it shows the walls
and outlines of a city and fort and a temple, has been pillaged over the
centuries. Stones and entire structures
have been repurposed into churches and homes; “pirates” and citizens have taken
the multitudes of treasures and enjoyed them in their homes. Just recently, the museum thrilled at the
return of a marble statue of a mermaid that had been taken years before.
It was a jewel of a day for walking
among ruins; many local families agreed and meandered with us. Our tiled path to the former fortress took us
through a reconstructed garden area with bushes and trees and flowers that are
similar to its 15th Century plan.
Our second stop came after
continuing to follow the coastline to yet another village called Le Castella.
Yup, you guessed it. Another
fortress. This one is on its own island
when the tides are high enough, and dates below ground two levels to the 5th
Century BC, with the visible above ground layers dating to the 15th
Century.
But before we went to the fortress,
we stopped at a ceramic artist’s shop.
He is known for making terra cotta masks and designs for hanging on
one’s house. Particularly, one of his
styles is ugly and horrible masks intended to ward off any evil from entering
your house. The photos will make you
smile or they will revile you. This
society is quite superstitious, so the artist has a good following.
Our motley group traipsed down the
main street of this village to the shoreline and the fortress, climbing up and
inside so as to have a picturesque view of the village and the bay. Then we had a tasting of local products in a
nearby restaurant: local wine, goat cheese, a spicy spread on a baguette, and a
chance to sit for a bit. We were given
about a half hour to get back to the bus, allowing time to shop…but the shops
were now closed (siesta time and holiday) but we waded through a huge wedding
party and cars arriving and trying to find a place to park.
Back to the ship and a nap. Ahhhh.
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