The rest of my travels

Due to Ryan Air promotion all my future flight are now ordered. So the rest of my wanderings are more or less set.

I am in Meknes, Morocco now and hope to cross the Strait of Gibraltar around March 10 by ferry. Plan to visit Gibraltar, possibly Sevilla, and move fast to Southern Portugal. Around March 21 will be in Madrid and by March 25 be in Girona near Barcelona.

March 26 flight Girona -- Tenerife South...FR9725...6:10 -- 8:50.

Return from Canary Islands April 6 flight Fuerteventura -- Girona...FR9722...12:55 -- 17:15.

Visiting Barcelona -- Balearic Islands by ferries -- Valencia.

April 16 flight Valencia -- Rome...FR9678...21:35 -- 23:25.

Have 3 weeks for Rome, perhaps more Florence, from Livorno to Corsica, return to Genoa and arrival to Milan before May 7.

May 7 flight Milan -- Brussels...FR4523...8:30 -- 10:05. Almost 2 weeks for Belgium, possibly Netherlands.

May 20 flight Brussels -- Dublin... FR47...19:00 -- 19:15.

May 23 by American Airlines flight Dublin -- Chicago AA93...10:30 -- 12:30, flight Chicago -- New York La Guardia AA362... 14:20 -- 17:30.

This was the first time I was traveling in Europe during wintertime. So I decided i will at least enjoy opera. Alas for different reasons I cannot boast too much.

Bucharest season was opening only on October 14 when I already left.

Sofia opera house was closed for long repairs couple of days before my arrivals.

In Athens I did enjoy Rossini's La Cenerentola -- though in simplified children version.

The greatest disappointment was Italy -- no opera performances when I was in Naples, Florence, Venice. Milan.

But in Barcelona I did listen at last the performance of Richard Strauss" Electra with Deborah Polanski and Eva Marton. First Class! I even have changed my unfavorable opinion on R. Strauss.

Maybe I will be more lucky in Rome.

Besides, in Belgium the city of Liege has had two celebrities: Simenon and Gretry.

While everybody knows Simenon's inspector Megre very few people remember Gretry -- the most popular opera composer in Paris before the French Revolution. Though hard core opera lovers know about him, as the old countess in Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades sings a melody from Gretry's opera Richard Coeur de Lion. But Liege does remember her favorite son -- in front of the opera house they erected his monument and they do perform his operas. I'll try to attend one.

Another cultural story about Neapolitan painter of 17-18 centuries Salvator Rosa, who by mid-19 century was counted among the greatest. but after that his fame faded away. But to my surprise in Naples they do remember him -- and are having a personal exhibition now, unfortunately a week after I left Naples.

Ok,

bye-bye now!

Leo

My travels from Dec 23, 2007 to Feb 26, 2008

Not all of my correspondents enjoy my twisted sense of humor. Some demand details straight from the guide books. But I usually discard the guide books after using them -- so I will try to list the places I have visited fr the last two mnths.

Rhodes Island -- Marmaris, Turkey and along the Mediterranean Coast of Turkey (historical areas of Caria, Lycia, Pampylia): Koycegiz, Dalyan, ruins of Kaunos, Fethiye, Saklikent Gorge, ruins of Xanthos, Kas, Myra, ruins of Olympos--in all these places many impressive Lycian Tombs cut in stone.

Antalya -- Turkish city with monuments from Hellenistic, Roman, Turkish times; Anamur with huge Mamure Castle built by Cylician Armenians and another ruined Greek-Roman-Bysantine city Anamurius, Beautiful ride along the coast to the port of Tasucu and waiting for good weather for ferry crossing to Northern Cyprus;

Kyrenia, Famagusta, Nicosia(Turkish-Greek), Paphos, Limassol, Larnaka -- numerous monuments from prehistoric, Greek, Crusaders, Venetian, Ottoman, etc. periods.

Malta -- absolutely unique island -- no words to desribe.

Italy: Pozzallo, Agrigento, Naples, Florence, Venice, Milan -- commentaries not needed.

Girona and Barcelona, flight to Fez, Morocco, First day here.

Greetings from morocco!

Leo

Florence, Italy

В Греции и на Кипре куда ни глянешь -- везде
старые друзья. Даже улицы названы именами
моих старых друзей:  Софокл, Перикл, Платон,
Ликург, Геродот, Сократ, и др.  Это уже не
говоря о богах и героях, с которыми я давно
запанибратски. Я даже стал думать, не в аду
ли я.  Говорят там куда ни глянешь -- везде
встречаешь старых знакомых.

Так что я сбежал из еллинского мира -- и
оказался на острове Мальта. Хотя я раньше и
не якшался с членами рыцарских орденов, я
легко вошёл в их среду и был зачарован
Мальтой.  Кроме совершенно фантастических
нагромождений совершенно гиганцких крепостей
тем меня также поразили доисторические
мистические сооружения времён неолита,
воздвигнутые ранее Стоунхеджа и египетских
пирамид.

В связи со своей лвиной натурой я
ассоциировался с рыцарем Ричард Львиное
Сердце.  На Кипре я даже побывал в замке,
где он венчался с Буренгарией Наварской.
С Мальты на пароме я прибыл в Сицилию.
Оказалось, что тут меня тоже не забыли.
Знаменитый крецтный отец Корлеоне -- ведь
это по-итальянски он значет тоже Львиное
Сердце!  Так что там я был мафиозо.  Но тут,
во Флоренции, итальянцы совсем обнаглели.
Какой-то Микельамджело изваял моё тело, но
назвал скульптуру Давидом. А Леонардо украл
мою знаменитую улыбку и отдал её какой-то
Моне Лизе. Возможно придётся с ними судиться.

Так что я пробуду тут ещё несколько дней.  И
точно не знаю, куда направлюсь дельше.

Но два авиабилета уже купил:
20 февраля Милан -- Барселона,
26 февраля Барселона-Фес (Марокко).

А пока шлю приветы из Флоренции.

Лев.

Tashuju, Turkey

Говорят, что жизнь человека проходит
через 3 стадии:

1). когда он верит в Деда Мороза;
2). когда он не верит в Деда Мороза;
3). когда он сам становится Дедом
Морозом.

Поскольку я уже перешёл в третью
стадию, сдаётся, что в этом путешествии
я не могу избавиться от Деда Мороза/
Санта Клауса/Святого Николы. Мало того,
что я отправился не Северный полюс, чтобы
посетить его лично, ныне я скитаюсь по
Турции главным образомв местности.
которая в древности именовалась Ликией.
Здесь Святой Николай родился и в городе
Мира Ликийская он служил епископом и
свершал свои чусдеса. (Вспомните картину
Репина "Николай Мирликийский избавляет
от смерти трёх невинно оцуждённых")

Кроме Миры я посетил столько развалин
храмов, гробниц, театров и т.п., что
потомки будут рассказывать об этом, как
о чудесах. Так что привет вам из Турции
от будущего святого Льва!

А пока что я сижу в маленьком порту
Ташуджу и жду у моря погоды, которая
позволит переправиться кораблём на
Северный Кипр.

Rhodes Island

Вероятно, вам знакомо латинское выражение:
" Hic Rhodus -- hic salta!" (Здесь Родос -- 
здесь и прыгай!). Это замечание обычно
делают хвастунам, любящим рассказывать 
небылицы о своих былых свершениях. Основано 
это на басне Эзопа, где герой уверяет, как
высоко он прыгал, когда был на оцтрове Родос.  
Но я уже на этом острове и хвастать не стану, 
а то ещё вы поймаете меня на слове
и скажете: "Hic Rhodus -- hic salta!"  
Ныне о себе я могу только
сказать, перефразируя другого баснописца:

   "Попрыгунчик стрекозёл
   Лето красное пропел,
   Оглянуться не успел,
   Как мороз за ним пришёл!"

Да, даже в этих южных краях декабрь весьма 
чувствуется.  А в дополнение сегодня самый 
короткий день года.  Вскоре, по-видимому, 
достану из рюкзака свою тёплую парку с 
Северного полюса.  Как любит поучать меня 
мой тёзка очень мудрый, но слишком осторожный 
Лев Баренбаум: "Ну, Лёва, подожди!  Ты ещё 
допрыгаешься!"  Он оказался прав -- я таки-да 
допрыгался до Родоса. Дальше прыгать уже 
некуда, островов больше нет.  Ещё один прыжок -- 
и я окажусь на азиатском материке, в Турции.  
Но пока я всё ещё в Греции, хочу поздравить 
вас с Новым Годом, играя на лире Аполлона:  

  Когда бы прискакал Пегас, 
  Я бы забрался на Парнас.  
  Ввиду ж большого бездорожья  
  Я побывал лишь у подножья.  

  Но всё ж моя бряцает лира --  
  Привет от старого сатира!
  И вас со всем честным народом 
  Я поздравляю с Новым Годом! 

Ваш страдающий от многократного раздвоения 
личности  Лео-Аполлон-Геракл-Ариадна-Тезей 
и другие (но,скорее всего, Нарцисс) 

Heraklion, Greece. (Crete Island).

Now I am exploring the Greek Isles. Sure it is very low season. From one side it is easy to find relatively inexpensive accommodation. But from the other side many places and services are closed or work very rarely.

So unfortunately I failed to visit the island of Delos only 6 miles from the popular Mykonos. This is the birthplace of Apollo and his sister Artemis. That is why the Delos is uninhabited from the antiquity and only welcomes worshippers and tourists to the major shrine of Apollo – mainly during the summer. This sanctuary became even more important now when the
house in Kiev, where Apollo lived during his second coming to Earth in the image of Leo Falk, has been converted into a bank and is not accessible any more for the worshippers.

And Mykonos – this world famous resort. Here EVERYTHING is whitewashed. So I was whitewashed with the houses too. All my sins are now forgiven, I am an innocent boy again.
The other islands (Syros, Paros, Naxos, Santorini) were interested for me too, but cannot tell too much in a short message. Now I am on Crete, later Rodos – and from there to Turkey.
Recently I began suffering from multiple personality disorder. Looking at Delos I was Apollo, but on Naxos I felt like Ariadna, abandoned by her lover Teseus after she helped him to get out of the labyrinth by providing the thread. So I was singing: "Sola, perduta, abandonata!".
Now in Crete I did visit Knossos palace and the labyrinth – and I was Teseus himself slaying the Minotaur.

The only solace I take is in the fact that all Greek mythical heros: Heracles, Teseus, Perseus, Leo Falk, and others were granted immortality.

So I am heading to Mount Olympus to share a drink of ambrosia with the Gods. If you repent your sins you may join me there.

Ciao, Leo

Athens, Greece

About my recent explorations in Greece.

Sure the vast archaeological areas of ancient Greece in Athens, Corinth, Mycenae, Epidavros, Sparta,etc. are impressive, but after awhile all these deja vue ruins become a little bit boring. Still more impressive are Venetian towns and fortresses at Corfu and at extremely picturesque Nafplion. Some Turkish mosques, hammams, fountains, etc. here and there and the old town of Ioannina are interesting too. Near Sparta there lies the abandoned Byzantine town of Mystras, which grew up around the crusader castle of 1249.

But those are still ruins, though rather well preserved.

And nothing could prepare me for Monemvasia. Near the NE shore of Peloponnese peninsula a huge rock jolts from the sea in the shape of Devil's tower in Wyoming, but much larger. It became separated form the mainland during the earthquake in 375 AD., but i connected now by a causeway. A bus takes you to the only gate in the otherwise impenetrable wall on the other side of the rock. By passing through the gate you enter a medieval Byzantine city with the houses, churches, rainwater cisterns, etc. along the cobble paved streets. No motor vehicle or even a bicycle allowed inside -- so the supplies to the restaurants and boutiques are delivered only by pack horses or donkeys.

Well, sure now is a low season. But I did not expect to be the only passenger on the bus and the only visitor to the excellent museum in the former church/mosque/prison and generally to the city. My only companion was the rain -- the first after many dry days, so lucky I am -- but even that could not spoil my admiration. I felt like a feudal signor to whom the whole place belonged.

In the afternoon the rain stopped and a group of Greek tourists appeared. But majority of them did not even attempted the steep climb to the top of the rock with the Agia Sofia church perched on one side of the precipice and the fortress on the other. Between them the vast area with occasional ruins belong to the nature. Though the rock is not that high it has some features of an alpine meadow with tender fragile crocus-like white and blue flowers spread along the hardly noticed paths. The only sounds were the occasional chirpings of insects reminding the beeps of an electronic device.

Well, I considered myself to be a reasonably educated person. But I never before heard of this place deserving at least the fame of Brugge, Carcasson, Dubrovnik, Rothenburg, Lijiang, etc.

So I do not look any more like self-confident and sophisticated Apollo of Belvedere, but rather like a stupid naive simpleton with wide open eyes and mouth wondering about the things around me.

So now, as it turns out I am not Apollo do you still want to hear from this stupid simpleton and receive his foolish messages? Generally my list becomes to vast -- I am afraid Yahoo soon will deny me sending messages to so many addresses. While very few of my correspondents occasionally respond -- which is appreciated -- from very many I never hear anything. I am not even sure they read my reports.

So I would like to hear whether you still desire to be on the list and receive my messages.

Ciao, Leo

Short notice in Russian:

Proboval perevesti v Cyrillic, no na etom computere eto nevozmozhno. Tut ya govoryu o svoyom viskhishchenii starinnymv vizantiyskim gorodom i prohu soobshchit bsyo li vy eshchyo khotite byt v moyom spiske i poluchat moi otchyoty.