Joanna Lumleys Greek Odyssey

[john]

Did anyone see the first episode of this programme? I really enjoyed seeing Olympia, Delphi, Athens and the other sights in this area. Looking forward to the next few episodes and i have to say that Joanna presents it really well!

[bucephalus01]

Yes, I saw it and found it thoroughly enjoyable.

looking forward to tonights episode. I'm a bit puzzled though why she's in tears at one point in the preview. Maybe just a teaser to get us to watch.

[jed]

I believe it's the bit when she's on Corfu and is told that she's too old for the 18-30 Beach BBQ in Benitses!

[Bell]

Sadly it is on passed my bed time. Tried to stay awake last night and fell asleep on the settee

[john]

I started to watch last nights episode and was stunned by all those millionaires mansions on Corfu! didn't see much past this as i had to go to bed as i was up for work at 0330! I enjoyed what i saw but will have to look out for the re-run later on.

[bucephalus01]

John, there's always the iPlayer!

I enjoyed last night's episode.

I was surprised though that when she was in Philippi she only dealt with it's religions links and made no mention of it's historical significance. It's a fascinating place.

The original citiy was built by King Philip II of Macedonia, father of of Alexander the Great. When that fell into disrepair a Roman city was built on top of it and was the Central point fot hthe inal battle between Mark Anthony and Brutus, and then there's a Byzantian city built over the top of that! In some place you can see distinctly the 3 types of architecture overlaying each other.

Well worth a visit if anyone is in the Kavalla area, or as a day trip from thassos which was how we did it.

[Phil]

The episode last night was well worth watching. After Corfu the journey was through the northern mainland near to the borders with Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Turkey. It was interesting to see the different cultures up there - much different than most of us see in the Ionians. And a bit of enlightening history thrown in too.

I wonder how Joanna would have coped with the recent thunderstorms on Kef?

There was no mention at the end of the program about where parts 3 and 4 of the journey will be.......... If anyone has any info please post it on here.

Phil

Edited to add: I posted my reply before I read Bucephalus's post........ thanks for that ......... I would love to hear more, see photos etc

[kefallon]

Surprised to see how big Kavala was, we got the ferry to Thassos there but did not realise the size of the town or its history.

[suej]

when we went to Thassos we went from Kremiti but went over to Kavala for the day. The old town is amazing and a fort at the top with an outside thearte. The views are fasinating. In Kavala town there is a church built to where St. Paul arrived on his first visit to Greece.

[bucephalus01]

I've dug out some photos Phil.

Firstly some general info http://www.urlaube.info/en/Thessaloniki/Philippi.html

Also, the Roman cities was known as Caesarea which some of you may have come across in ready the New Testament.

E124_Via Ignatius.JPG

The Via Ignatius was the There's a groove in the flat stone at the bottom. We were told that this was made by thew chariot and cart wheels which were always the same width, just like railway tracks today.


Our guide for the tour was actually an Archilogist who had worked at the site uncovering some of the Roman Mosaics. This is "one of hers". You can see bits of an earlier Macedonian structure that they just built over.

E125_Mosaic @ Phillipi.JPG



This is a Macedonian building later used for storage. The large jars are Roman.






And here you can clearly see the layers of the 3 cities. Macedonian at the bottom, then Roman and then Byzantian.