We have landed on the island of Spetses, located off the northeastern coast of the Peloponnese (the Argolid) following a very long and serpentine journey that began in Finikounda on Thursday,
led us southeast through Kardymili and Stoupa, and across some stunning countryside into the Mani, a storied region of southern Greece.
Monemvasia, a huge monolith seemingly floating on the sea, is perhaps the best-presevered (and continually occupied) medieval city in the world, and a place of extraordinary history and spiritual significance.
A World Heritage site, the ancient city, with cobbled streets and narrow alleys, houses 26 Orthodox Christian churches and a level of architectural beauty that is unmatched.We spent Thursday night and Friday morning within the walls of the ancient city, exploring the many churches, the fortress walls, and the citadel that hangs atop this one-thousand foot edifice.
On Friday we were determined (against all suggestions to the contrary) to take the "scenic" route north to our destination, the small island of Spetses, which is located in the Saronic Gulf, about three miles from a spit of land in the Peloponnese. We left our car on the mainland and took a high-speed craft to the island.
Spetses has several significances for us. First, Jonathan's beloved grandmother Efstathia was born here in 1899. Second, Jonathan and Ann were married here in 1992. And, most of all, we have over the years cultivated strong family ties here.
In the past few years, Spetses has outgrown it's humble roots. Some say it is quickly becoming the Monaco of the eastern Mediterranean. Today it would be unrecognizable to our grandmother.
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