Several villages across Greece share the name ‘Plagia’, so it would be good to note that the subject of today’s post is now often referred to as Palia Plagia, or Old Plagia. It lies on a ridge, high enough that one gets good views of the seaside town of Lefkada a couple miles west. From … Continue reading The Ghost Towns of Greece: Plagia
To break up the stream of Greek ghost towns on this blog, here’s some other, more random, sights we got to see on our visit. Greece has always been a seafaring nation, and has myriad shipwrecks to show for it. Not far from Athens, the pitched-over hull of the Mediterranean Sky lies a stone’s throw … Continue reading Interlude
The island of Corfu has had a fraught history. Over the centuries, it has changed hands among the Greeks, Venetians, Byzantines, and Ottomans, among others. Its location, in an important sea lane where the Ionian Sea meets the Adriatic, has been a double edged sword. It led to Corfu Town, the island’s biggest city (which … Continue reading The Ghost Towns of Greece: Sinies
In the north of Greece, about ten miles from Mount Olympus, lies a deep, narrow gorge. The steepness of the surrounding hills coupled with the dense vegetation means the gorge receives little sun, especially in the winter. In the early nineteenth century a lumber mill was built here, and a company town sprang up around … Continue reading The Ghost Towns of Greece: Darkness
(last of the Utah series) There was no better way to wrap up these posts from our trip to Utah than at the Valley of the Gods. This aptly named valley is an area of fantastically weathered sandstone formations in the southeast corner of Utah, just across the Arizona border from the similar but more … Continue reading The Valley of the Gods
(part of the Utah series) Utah’s nickname is “the beehive state”, which I had always found odd as it doesn’t seem like a place where you would find a lot of flowers, being mostly arid desert or scrubland. But not knowing much about bees, I was prepared to be surprised and find that that is, … Continue reading Beehive State of Mind
(part of the Utah series) A pause now before the next post returns us to another one of Utah’s stunning national parks. Though those were the main focus of this trip, we will always make time for some old human relics. As much as I loved the desert landscapes, it was places like these that … Continue reading Spirits, Echoes, and Things Left Behind
(second in the Utah series) Besides some of the more famous national parks, we decided to visit the Bentonite Hills outside of Capitol Reef National Park. Though not part of the park, the U.S. National Park Service maintains a page about them, which can give you a quick rundown of the interesting geology of the … Continue reading Exploring the Unique Bentonite Hills of Utah
The state of Utah is blessed with some of the most astounding landscapes in the country. It has five national parks within its borders, a number bested only by Alaska and California. Earlier this year, I and a couple of friends spent a week in the Beehive State to experience some of this natural splendor … Continue reading Arches National Park
About a month ago, my friend and I returned to Italy to try our luck, yet again, with this beautiful country. A year ago we mostly toured the northern half, a frantic meandering that even took us into the alps. This time, we did a loop around the south that started and ended in Rome … Continue reading Many Happy Returns
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