Nafplion Greece

 2nd September

For us, going back to Nafplion bought back many memories of 1981 when we travelled through Europe by camper van with the three boys. Originally the first capital of  independent Greece. There are plenty of sites to visit including medieval castles, monuments, fountains and churches. There were many Bougainvillea trees in town and the housing areas which made it look so pretty.
We took a bus up to the Palamidi Fortress. Although we could have walked up it was really hot and the steps ( 990 of them ) are very slippery which makes it difficult coming down.
Its an awesome site looking up at it from the town (built in 1711 )but was just as spectacular from the top especially the view down over the town and harbour.
The photo above is a Pomegranite tree growing up against a stone wall and was laden with fruit.

 Looking down on the town of Nafplion. A very friendly town with a population of 335,000 and where most people spoke English.

 A section of the Palamidi Fortess. Unfortunately I didn't take a photo from the town looking up which shows how spectacularly  huge and high up it is.

A type of prickly pear cactus which was growing prolifically out of the side of a steep rock wall.

 A section of inside the castle.

The ants up at the fortress were really huge. Amazing what can keep you amused while waiting for the bus.

This is one of the most important sculptures of 19th century Greece. The sleeping lion is carved into the rock. It was commissioned by Kind Ludwig of Bavaria, father of Otto the first King of Greece and in memory of the soldiers who died during the typhoid epidemic of Nafplion between 1833-1834.

The area now is a small park with benches to provide a place of rest.