A WALK BACK IN TIME....

I wish, you could just go back in time to the ancient days gone by. Walk down the flagstone paths in your toga, barefooted, with a Greek 'God' at your side. As you slowly make you way to the amphitheatre where you are about to be enthralled by a Tragedy, and fed grapes by your lover.....with the sunsetting over the mountains, and the smell of the eucalyptus trees.......

Opps got, carried away there! I forgot this is 'The little Greek Island', not 'The NOT so Greek Goddess'! Or a Mills & Boon.

THIS MORNING, i took a trail around the ancient paths with my two youngest children, who enjoyed it immensely. Climbing over rocks, stones and finding our way through some of the jungle (it's a little bit overgrown in places at the moment).

We visited 'The Odeon' (discovered in 1929), still in good condition, with some of the original marble steps. I fell down these steps from the top to the bottom years ago, and have had back problems ever since!
Here, underneath the Odeon was discovered one of the most famous statues of Hippocrates - The great Physician of antiquity, who founded the first Medical School in Kos (The Aesculapium),and for whom we owe 'The Hippocratic Oath' to.

The Aesculapium is one of the most spectacular sites on the island (i shall take you there on another day!)

There have been several major earthquakes in history, which have had a dramatic effect on the landscape of Greece. In 469 A.D. one in particular almost destroyed the whole island and later in 554 A.D. The quake was so 'earth shattering' that the ground level of Kos even sank by a meter.

Other earthquakes of a later date have unearthed previously hidden ancient monuments, old cities and temples. The island has a rich mythological background and prehistoric era in evidence. During history the island has seen many settlers and has been 'occupied' by 'a whole bunch of people'!.
This has resulted in a mixture of ancient architecture & design. The Romans had a huge influence on the island, and reconstructed the city, building on the foundations of the ancient ruins. The Italians also tried to 'alter' the island. Which has resulted in an island with its own unique character.

Today, we saw pieces of what was once, a beautiful mosaic flooring, roman baths, pillars that have been re-erected in the ruins of the Ancient Gymnasium, where 'games' would have been held, and wrestling matches were popular. Neptune was said to have wrestled with the Titan Polivotis here. Plutarch (The great Greek historian/biographer) mentions Kos is several of his 'works'.

A long story, but the original name of Kos came from a daughter of a king, of a son of another king which led back to the mythical king of Kos Merops! Something like that her name was 'KOOS'. Hercules, also fought with Antagoras on the island, and later escaped dressed in woman's clothing to the mountains, where he gathered an army and succeeded in crushing the king and then married his daughter!

Kos also participated in the Trojan war (I had to read that for my A'Level Classical Civilisation exam). Occupied by The Persians, Romans, Crusaders, Knights of St John, The Turks, Italians and The Germans!
FINALLY The Greek Flag was hoisted on the 7th March 1948.

ANYWAY TO CUT A LONG STORY SHORT....IT WAS A MYSTICAL, MAGICAL MORNING!