A whimsical lizard at Park Güell in Barcelona
Photo by Ron Fritze  ~  October 16, 2011

A Tale of Three Cities:

Corinth, Palermo, and Barcelona

The grand object of travelling
is to see the shores of the Mediterranean.
— Samuel Johnson

I've used this Samuel Johnson quote before, but it is a good one because it has so much truth in it. Our experiences on this trip fully bear out its truth.

 
By Ron Fritze from Athens, Alabama
Filed on October 25, 2011, and Posted on February 13, 2012

The Brilliance of the Seas arrived in Piraeus harbor near Athens early on 18 October, a Tuesday. Greece is suffering some major financial problems, making the average Greek very unhappy with the situation. Strikes involving the subway, bus system, and taxis are commonplace, so the ship's staff recommended a couple of excursions likely to avoid the domestic uncertainty. The excursion to the Acropolis didn't interest us because we had visited there twice before. A visit to the ruins of ancient Corinth sounded interesting. Soon we were sitting in the tour bus, heading west.

Our bus left about 8:30 for a 60-mile drive that took about an hour and fifteen minutes. Along the way we passed the site of the great sea battle of Salamis in which the allied Greek fleet soundly defeated the fleet of the invading Persian king Xerxes. Along the same stretch of coast lay Eleusis, the site for a mystery cult popular with the Athenians. Further on was the location of Megara, a city-state that was implacably hostile to the Athenians.

Crossing the Isthmus of Corinth and its canal, we arrived at the site of ancient Corinth. The setting is magnificent. To the west stretches the Gulf of Corinth, separated from the Saronic Gulf by four miles of the Isthmus of Corinth. The snowcapped Peloponnesian Mountains, a favorite destination for modern Greeks skiers, tower on the southern horizon. And off to the northwest stands fabled Mount Parnassus, also topped by snow.

The Acrocorinth
Photos by Ron Fritze  ~  October 18, 2011

A Version of the Acropolis

The ancient city was situated next to the dramatic formation known as the Acrocorinth, the Corinthian version of the Acropolis but much higher and steeper. Our viewpoint from below did not allow us to see the Acrocorinth from all sides, though I did manage to view about two-thirds of the structure. We weren't able to climb all the way to the summit. It may be that tourists aren't allowed up there. Besides, getting to the top is a challenging climb for all but the fittest walkers. Nevertheless, the buildings at the top were intriguing, though nothing like the Parthenon.

Sparta and Athens are the Greek city-states most widely remembered in history and popular culture. Corinth is also remembered in the popular mind, especially among folk with a religious bent, chiefly because it was the site of an early church founded by St. Paul, who addressed two of his letters in the New Testament to the Corinthians. "Unto the church of God which is at Corinth...."

Corinth was among the great cities of the Greek world and one of the most prodigious colonizing forces of ancient Greece In terms of colonizing, Sparta and Athens were small potatoes, founding only one colony each. The great colonizing cities were Eretria and Chalcis on Euboea Island, Megara and Corinth on the mainland, and Miletus in Asia Minor. Corinth's strategic location by the Isthmus of Corinth, connecting the Peloponnesian peninsula to the rest of Greece, provided ample impetus for the founding of colonies, including Corcyra and the greatest colony of them all, Syracuse on Sicily.

A Closed Oligarchy
Inspired the Will to Colonize.

Corinth was dominated by a very narrow oligarchy called the Bacchiads, a clan consisting of about 200 households, who almost always intermarried. This insular practice created exactly the type of closed society that motivated Corinthians outside the clan to seek a better life through the establishment of colonies.

Another influence in Corinth's expansion was its heavy involvement with trade. Proximity to the isthmus afforded easy access to the Aegean and the Ionian Seas. Many seamen preferred to haul their ships over the isthmus rather than sail around the rocky coast of the Peloponnesian peninsula. The Corinthians obliged by building a road specifically designed for dragging ships over the isthmus. Various plans and attempts were made to dig a canal across the isthmus, but the technology capable of accomplishing that enterprise did not emerge until the late nineteenth century.

By about 680 B.C. Corinth had become the foremost power of Greece, dominating trade with Asia and Egypt. According to Thucydides, Corcyra and Corinth fought the first naval battle among the Greeks during this era, sometime between 664 and 660 BC. The issue was probably control of trade between Greece and Italy.

The history of the Greek city-states often turned on the recurring theme of conflict between oligarchy and democracy. The method and style of government in the Greek polis evolved from the early monarchies into various expressions of aristocratic oligarchy, following a winding course punctuated with episodes of intrigue and violence. As the cities grew and their economies diversified through trade, other groups arose to challenge the domination of the aristocratic elites. Eventually this conflict between oligarchy and democracy would ignite to great divide between Sparta and its allies on the one hand and Athens and its allies on the other.

A Tyrant by Any Other Name. . . .

Oligarchs and democrats struggled with each other in the individual cities as well. On occasion a leader of a popular or democratic party would establish one-man rule. Some of these rulers established dynasties, most short-lived. The Greeks called these individuals tyrants, a word possibly derived from Lydia and meaning nothing more than "ruler." Gradually the term in Greek usage assumed the connotations of unjust rule by one man.

One such tyrant was Cypselus of Corinth, the son of a commoner named Eetion. Cypselus' mother, Labda, was a Bacchiad. She was also lame, a condition that prevented her from marrying another Bacchiad. When her union outside the clan produced the infant Cypselus, an oracle came forth and predicted that the child would grow into a powerful figure and eventually overthrow the Bacchiads. The powers that be promptly dispatched a party of assassins to kill the baby, but upon arriving at Labda's home, they succumbed to a momentary fit of mercy and hesitated to act. By the time they steeled themselves to the task, it was too late. Labda had hidden the baby Cypselus in a pottery jar.

When Cypselus reached adulthood, he seized power from the Bacchiads around 657 BC and promptly banished the clan from Corinth. Clearly, he was a talented leader. Although classified as a tyrant, Cypselus appears to have been genuinely popular as he could walk around Corinth without needing bodyguards.

Periander Consolidates
The Cypselid Dynasty.

Cypselus was succeeded by his son Periander, who is remembered as a much harsher ruler than his father. He did employ bodyguards during his rule over Corinth from about 627 until his death in 586 BC. Like his father, he was a very capable ruler, conquering Corcyra and annexing it into his Corinthian empire. His alliance with Corcyra led to the co-founding of colonies at Apollonia and Epidamnus further northward on the Adriatic coastline of what then Epirus but is now Albania.

Other acts by Periander show him in a less favorable light. One story tells that he had his wife Melissa put to death, an action that earned the hatred of his son Lycophron. Periander quickly banished his son to Corcyra but soon thereafter desired a reconciliation, offering to switch places with his son by making Lycophron the tyrant of Corinth and himself the banished ruler of Corcyra. The offer terrorized the Corcyrans, who greatly feared Periander. They attempted to undermine the plan by killing Lycophron. Periander reacted with vengeance, ordering the death of fifty Corcyrans and the seizure of 300 Corcyran boys. The boys were supposed to be transported to Lydia where they would be castrated and trained as eunuchs. Fortunately for the boys, the people of Samos rescued them and gave them shelter in the temple of Artemis on their island.

Gulf of Corinth. Mount Parnassus rises in the distance.
Photo by Ron Fritze  ~  October 18, 2011

Too Much War

Periander was succeeded by his nephew Psammetichus, who was killed a few years later in 582 BC, marking the end of the Cypselid dynasty. A merchant oligarchy then became the rulers of Corinth. Their goals brought them into conflict with Athens and made them natural allies of the Spartans in the Peloponnesian War. Although Corinth fought on the winning side, the stress of a decade's long war weakened the Corinthians and the rest of the Greek world. They fell prey to the Macedonians and then to the Romans. In our day, the once thriving city is a small town whose former greatness is testified to by little more than the surviving ruins.

Ancient Corinth was graced with two theaters and several impressive temples, including the magnificent temple of Apollo. Present day Corinth has a small, old-fashioned museum of Corinthian archaeology, nice in its humble way. For the intrepid tourist with a sense of history, the once-great Greek city-state is a good place to visit.

After Corinth the guide took us to a folk art store -- piles of high-end ceramics, tiles, and pottery, all dreadfully over-priced. The members of our excursion almost universally considered it a waste of time. From there we went to the Corinthian canal. Built in the late nineteenth century, the canal is a four-mile-long slash in the isthmus connecting the Saronic and Corinthian gulfs with no locks and one level.

Taramasalata, Sausages,
Olives, and an Anchovy or Two

We climbed onto an excursion boat that took us from the Saronic entrance to the Corinthian entrance and back. Along the way, the ship served a buffet of Greeks snacks and Uzo, a sort of licorice liqueur. The snacks were really quite good — taramasalata, sausages, shrimp, fried anchovies, tomatoes and olives. A wonderful crusty Greek bread accompanied the buffet. As for the Uzo, I am not a fan of licorice so it was pretty nasty as far as I was concerned. The ever-cautious Twylia did not even taste it. I opted for a can of Mythos beer from the ship bar. Twylia also told me to keep my distance because I had eaten an anchovy. That freed me up to eat a couple more. It was an interesting experience.

Our day at Corinth was beautiful and sunny, made even more beautiful because it broke a spell of chilly, rainy weather that had followed us all the way from Istanbul. We also lucked out by missing a two-day general strike that was scheduled for the next day. Not everyone was so lucky. As our ship headed out to sea that night, a couple of passengers and a crew member were left behind because they weren't able to escape a traffic jam in downtown Athens. Not a good position to be in.

The next day, a sea day, was marked by a high point: We won the afternoon trivia contest. The topic was Greek trivia and our prize was a couple of those nice wallet holders that you hang around your neck to foil pickpockets. Up to that point on the cruise, our trivia experiences had been gloomy.

San Domenico Church in Palermo
Photo by Ron Fritze  ~  October 20, 2011

We Joined the Mass.

Palermo was our next stop on 20 October. On a previous visit to Palermo a couple of cruises ago, I saw the Cathedral housing the tombs of the Norman kings of Sicily and the Emperor Frederick II, the Stupor Mundi. The Palatine Chapel is also a beautiful Byzantine style church. Otherwise, I remember a city filled with maniac drivers. My goals this time were to see the Cathedral again and to get a Birra Morretti, a Margharita pizza, and a chocolate cannoli.

On our stroll to the Cathedral, we came across the baroque church of San Domenico. Peeking inside, we realized that a mass was just starting, so we decided to join. It was a good experience. They pass the peace in their service, which should have been Matins since it was morning. You might imagine that the Italians are good singers and they were.

Further on we found a nice place to sit and get a coffee called the Café Latina. I thought it would do for the pizza when we were making our way back.

The Cathedral was as impressive as ever. On the way back we stopped at another outdoor café. I enjoyed my Birra Morretti while Twylia got a nice taste of local rose wine. From there we walked back to Café Latina. I drank a draft Heineken, Twylia a tasty red wine. I was disappointed that the beer was not Birra Morretti. We also ordered a pizza. Quite good, too, although not as good as the Margharita pizza we ate in Naples several years ago.

The Last Day at Sea
Becomes a Bittersweet Thing.

The next day, 21 October, was a sea day and the last day of the voyage. One's last day at sea is always a time of conflicted feelings. The voyage's end is a bittersweet thing, evoking feelings of regret and relief. It is the point where a traveler begins to long for home. Packing in preparation for the final leg of the journey home is also a big consideration. But we still managed to squeeze in some trivia at 5. I also tried a new Spanish pilsner called Cruzcampo. It was a good one. For the trivia we partnered with two ladies from Dallas and managed to win very handily. The prize was Royal Caribbean umbrellas. We’d been wanting a couple of those, so it was a double pleasure. Also those umbrellas may come in handy when we land in Barcelona as there is a possibility of rain. We signed up for an excursion around Barcelona, which includes a lot of Antoni Gaudi’s architecture. It should be fun.

The Brilliance reached Barcelona’s docks about 6:30 am. Disembarking, we met our excursion group in the Pacifica Theater. The group filled less than half of the bus, but that's fine with me. A smaller group gets around better. Our bus headed out at 7:45 for our Gaudi excursion. I was a bit skeptical. Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926), the leading figure in the Catalan modernist movement, designed buildings that stand today as important Barcelonan landmarks. His style is unique to say the least. Many of his buildings wouldn't seem out of place in a science fiction movie or a fairy tale setting.

A Delightful, Fanciful Place

On the way to our first stop at Park Güell, the bus passed a couple of Gaudi’s works, Casa Batlió and La Pedrera in the Eixample neighborhood. Although rain threatened early, the day was rapidly turning beautiful by the time we arrived at the park, located on a high point of northwest Barcelona. Our guide led us through a delightful array of paths and viaducts. Joggers, dogs and their human attendants, and leisurely strollers were everywhere around us. Gaudi designed it all, and his designs created a magical place. We even saw a flock of escaped Amazon parrots who had formed an exile community in its trees. Originally, Park Güell was planned as a residential community, but the concept was never realized. Only a few houses were ever built there, although Gaudi ended up living in one of them. If whimsy and imaginative architecture suit your tastes, don't miss a visit to the park if you ever visit Barcelona.

Our next stop took us to Gaudi’s iconic and not-yet-finished church, Sagrada Família. A private foundation arranged for the building of the church starting in 1882 under the direction of architect Francisco de Paula del Villar. It wasn't long before the foundation and Villar parted ways over disagreements about the architect's designs. Gaudi took over the project in 1884. Work on the Sagrada Familia has been ongoing ever since.

Gaudi's Three Magi at Sagrada Familia
Photo by Ron Fritze  ~  October 21, 2011

Medieval, Gothic, Modern,
And Undeniably Avant Garde

So, we found ourselves at a church that has been under construction for about 130 years -- a very medieval thing. It is hoped that the construction will finally be completed by 2026 in time for the centenary of Gaudi's death. Prolonged construction time is not the only medieval thing about Sagrada Família. The church also looks very medieval at a distance. Gaudi designed it to be gothic modernist. One of the great entry facades is based on the theme of Christ’s nativity. The other is based on the theme of Christ’s passion. The nativity façade was designed by Gaudi while the passion façade was designed by a successor after Gaudi died. Gaudi’s style of sculpture was much more realistic. The interior is vast and extremely impressive. The building would look very avante garde if it was being designed today. Thanks to the excursion, my initial skepticism was overcome. By tour's end I had developed a genuine appreciation for Gaudi.

The bus returned to city center, dropping us off at Plaça de Catalunya, where we caught a taxi to our hotel, the Zenit Conde Borrell. Comfortable and accommodating, the Zenit is nestled in a residential neighborhood to the west of the University of Barcelona. After checking-in about noon, we left quickly to begin our exploration of the city.

After coffee and lunch at a local café, we walked toward the waterfront, passing through the San Antoni neighborhood, where some guys who claimed to be police ordered us to stop. I was a bit skeptical about their ID, and I was even more skeptical that the Barcelona police were using short, fat, bald guys for undercover work. It might have been a scam, but we were not missing anything after they finished their odd interrogation and sent us on our way.

Our first goal was to see the Maritime Museum near the waterfront, located in the old royal shipyards known as Reials Drassanes. Unfortunately, a big portion of the museum was under renovation. Medieval Catalonia played a very significant role in the history of cartography, particularly regarding its possessions the Balearic Islands.

From the top of the Columbus Column we could see
Gaudi's Sagrada Familia rising in the distance.
Photo by Ron Fritze  ~  October 21, 2011

A View Worth the Trouble

Next stop was the Column of Columbus. I wanted to go up to the top and take in the view. Twylia declined. The way up requires the visitor to squeeze into a tiny elevator with an operator. Luckily, I got to ride up with two cute Catalan girls. We were disgorged onto a small circle observation area, mercifully enclosed. If you have a fear of heights or experience bouts of claustrophobia, you might not want to visit the top of the Column of Columbus. I'm glad I was able to overcome my discomfort with high places because the view was quite good.

During the bus tour, the guide had pointed out the royal palace of the Kingdom of Aragon and the Cathedral of Barcelona, so we walked over to check them out. This involved walking up Las Ramblas again and then heading east. Both cathedral and palace were truly medieval. That portion of Barcelona, known as the Gothic neighborhood, is the oldest part of the city. There is a wonderful market in front of the cathedral with stalls offering all sorts of crafts and foods.

Always Time for a Brew

From the Gothic area we headed back to Plaça de Catalunya and toward our hotel. As we neared the Gran Via Corts Catalanes, Twylia spotted a place called the Alt Heidelberg. It was a German restaurant in the heart of Barcelona! We decided to check it out. I got a Pilsener Urquell and Twylia got a glass of red wine. We split a plate of sauerkraut — all quite good. I tried to tell the owner that there was an Old Heidelberg in Huntsville, Alabama, but my Spanish was too poco. So was his English. A fun diversion nonetheless.

We headed back to the hotel as it was after 5:00. Along the way, we noticed a nice looking place called the Bracafe about two blocks from our hotel. After dropping off the camera we decided to go back there. Remember, our hotel was in a residential neighborhood, so eating and drinking with the locals is always cheaper and the quality is as good or better than you get at the touristy places. The Bracafe turned out to be a rest stop for the neighborhood Barcelona police. I got a big Estrella on draft and Twylia got a red wine. We split an apple tart. Twylia got a second double of red wine -- and all for 5 euros. In the tourist area, my beer alone would have cost 6 euros.

On the way back to the hotel, we bought a baguette of wonderful crusty bread, some cheese, some chorizo, and a bag of curly potato chips cooked in olive oil. We also got another bottle of red wine for the amazing price of a bit over 2 euros, which would have been just over three dollars here. It was a great bottle of wine. The bread had a crunchy crust rather than a tough crust. The cheese and chorizo were excellent, while those olive oil potato chips had a simply wonderful taste. The food cost 5 euros, which made for a filling but inexpensive meal.

Time to Fly

The next morning the taxi picked us up and took us to the Barcelona airport. We had a grossly expensive bite to eat before boarding. Then we were on our way on a ten-hour flight. I read one of Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe novels and watched the movies Hanna (very downbeat) and Hangover II (very silly but I liked the monkey).

Arriving in Atlanta, things went smoothly until we and a cast of hundreds encountered the redundant and unnecessary Homeland Security area. We were in a secure area and going into another secure area, yet we were being screened anyway. I think that might constitute an unreasonable search, but I kept my mouth shut to avoid the cavity search that such a comment might provoke. But here is a warning: I you are flying into Atlanta on an international flight, make sure you have a minimum of three hours on the ground to catch your connecting flight. It took us two and a half hours from when we got off the airplane to get to the shuttle that took us to our car.

Now we are home. Glad to be here, too. The pups missed us. We’re still jetlagged but it will pass. For now, I got up at 4:45 am because I was awake, which is how I got to finish this essay. It was a good trip. We saw a lot of marvels, had some pleasant and fun experiences. The Column of Columbus, Mount Etna, Hagia Sophia, Corinth, and the Dardanelles were all on my must-see list. I would do it again but not right away. I want to see Istanbul in nice weather and do more exploring. Maybe next time, I will actually get to see the Piri Reis map.

Click on the black panther to read about Ron Fritze's latest book, Invented Knowledge: False History, Fake Science, and Pseudo-religions.