Aladja Monastery: Chapels Carved in Roack

Through centuries of war, shifting borders and rebellions against foreign conquerors, the Orthodox Church has been at the core of the Bulgarian indentity. At the core of the Church, was the admiration and appreciation of the ascetic who removed her/himself from society to seek an understanding of God, through prayer and solitude, as did similar believers among the Greek Orthodox Christians. While the latter Christians built their monasteries "in the sky", Bulgarian ascetics at Aladja carved monastic cells and a small church into a sheer rock face that can be found 14km (8.5 miles) from the modern city of Varna on the Black Sea. Ironically, this is very close to Black Sea resort of Golden Sands. Golden Sands, by the way, reminds me very much of South Beach, in Miami Floria. Source: www.travel-bulgaria.com

Bulgaria: land of Continuity and Change

Discussion with Bulgarian Writers

Bulgarian poetry and novels reflects the fatalism of that nations authoritarian past as well as a new optomism sparked by its recent accession to the European Union. Today, we met with Angel Igov, a journalist and arts critic, Kristin Dimitrova, a poet, and Alek Popov, one of Bulgaria's most prolific novelists as well as short story writers and playwrights.







"Alek Popov has won several literary awards including the National Radio's Pavel Veshinov Award for the best criminal short story; the Graviton Award for best science fiction; the Raško Sugarev Award for best short story; the prize Helicon for best prose book of the year, 2002; the annual prize of Clouds magazine for the English translation of “Mission London”, 2004; the National Prize for Drama “Ivan Radoev”, 2005 and most recently the Elias-Canetti Award 2007.His new novel "The Black Box" (2007) was at number one for weeks in the bestseller lists in Bulgaria. It is a satire of gold diggers in the West and the East, of the yearning for happiness shared by successful people and underdogs, and of the wrong impressions we immediately form of each other when a world divides us."Source: http://www.european-borderlands.org/festivals/iasi-2007/autoren/?L=2&a=22

Bulgaria: land of Continuity and Change

The American College of Sofia

Believe it or not, there is a high school in Bulgaria called The American College of Sofia. It is a 9th through 12th grade college prepartory school that takes in about 100 students are year. Like Stuyvesant many more students apply each year. The curriculum is taught in English, even though most of the students are Bulgarian. The day begins at 8:10am in the morning, and students typically take 14 courses at once. You see they must meet the Bulgarian government's standards and the International Baccalaureate standards. Don't be too shocked; some classes only meet twice a week. Unfortunately, students had just finished final exams; so they weren't around. However, we met with 14 of their teachers. From our discussions, it was clear that high school students in Bulgaria are very similar to U.S. high schools students.

Today, we also went to Sofia's Archeological Museum. Afterwards, we had a great lunch with trout and chocolate mousse.

Read more about The American College of Sofia at http://www.acs.bg/en/index.php and the International Baccalaureate program http://www.ibo.org/.

Bulgaria: land of Continuity and Change

The Rila River Monastery

The Rila Monastery is located in 1147 meters (3441 feet) altitude in the middle of the forests of Rila Mountain. The monastery is a construct of cultural, dwelling and farming buildings which take about 8800 square meters (27000 sq ft.) . The Rila Monastery has an unique architecture. Outside, the monastery looks like a fortress. It has 24-meter stone walls which forms irregular pentagon. That’s why when some tourist enters the monastery’s yard from some of the two iron gates he is surprised by its architecture: arches and colonnades, covered wooden stairs and carved verandas and the 300-400 monastic cells. The Hreliov’s tower and the main church “The Nativity of the Virgin” cohabit at the center of the yard. This tower was created by the local feudal lord Hrelio in 1334-1335. A small church stays next to it and it is only a couple of years younger (1343). A bell-tower was added to the tower in 1844. The main church “The Nativity of the Virgin” was built in these times. Its architect is a master Peter Ivanovich, who worked on it in 1834-1837. The temple has five domes, three altars and two chapels. Maybe the most important thing in the church is the iconostasis which has incredible wood-carving. The wall-paintings were completed in 1846 by many masters from Bulgaria, but only Zahary Zagraph signed his paintings. In the church there are lots of icons created in XIV-XIX. Source: http://www.rilamonastery.pmg-blg.com/Home_page_en.htm

Bulgaria: land of Continuity and Change

The Macedonian Tombs

It takes your breath away to stand outside of the tomb of Alexander the Great's son, who was murdered at the age of 16 by jealous rivals. A few minutes before, the fifteen other Fulbrighters and I stood by the amphitheater where Phillip II, Alexander the Great's father was assasinated. Both were buried in the 'Macedonian tombs', which were to be filled with everything needed in the afterlife. So they were richly decorated for royalty. (Incidently, theVia Egnatia, mentioned in the June 11th posting, passed by the tombs.)

This included friezes of hunting scenes, metopes with warriors, judges of the Underworld as well as Ionic or Doric facades.* Also the interiors of tombs were painted with scences of chariot races and battles, while being furnished with banquet seating, ornamented thrones, and marble sarcophagi with ossuary chests.** Source: http://www.macedonian-heritage.gr/HellenicMacedonia/en/D1.4.html

* frieze (n) - a superstructure of moldings and bands which lie horizontally above columns and resting on the
capitals of the same.

triglyph (n) - is an architectural term for the vertically channeled tablets of the Doric frieze.

metope (n) - is a rectangular architectural element that fills the space between two triglyphs in a Doric frieze.

** ossuary (adj) - related to a chest, building, well, or site made to serve as the final resting place of human
skeletal remains.

Greece: land of Continuity and Change

Pella Museum

Today, the 15 other Fulbrighters and I, focused in part on how the Macedonians made a disatoruous mistake (168 C.E.) in believing that the phalanx that defeated the Persian Empire could halt and turn back the Roman legions. The former formation, while difficult to penetrate, was slow to change direction or even adapt to changes on the battlefield. The Roman legions, subdivided into highly manuverable maniples of 120 men, devasted the Macedonians and carried off the wealth of the city to Rome.*

The Museum of Pella itself is devoted to the prehistory of Pella (Room A), sectors of the agora, sactuaries and cemetaries (Room B), and six mosaic floors that have survived with incredible detail (Room C).

*Beginning in 509 B.C.E, the Roman army was organized into three lines: the hastati, the principes, and the triarii. These were divided by experience and fighting ability, with the youngest soldiers in the hastati making the first engagement. Where resistance was strong this rank would dissolve back through the Roman line and allow the more experienced soldiers in the principes to fight. In turn, the principes could yield to the hardened triarii if necessary. Sources disagree on the numbers involved and in all likelihood they varied considerably but a generally accepted number is 10, 10 and 5 maniples of hastati, principes and triarii of approximately 120 men each, a total of 3 000 men. Source: Gabba, Republican Rome, The Army and The Allies, p. 7

Greece: land of Continuity and Change

Mt. Olympus National Park

There are at least two Olympic National Parks, one in the U.S. state of Washington and the other around the highest peak in Greece. The entire area around the latter was declared Greece's first national park in 1937 and encompasses eight peaks including the "Throne of Zeus" at 2909 metres (about 8,000 feet) and Mytikas which has the highest summit at 2919 metres.

I've hiked mountains in Canada and Colorado, but this trail was so rough and winding that I made it less than a mile before turning back. The park is about 100 kilometers (60 miles) away from the city of Thessaloniki, Greece, if you're every near by.
Source: http://www.indigoguide.com/greece/mount-olympus.htm

Greece: land of Continuity and Change

Mt. Athos: center of Greek Monastic Orthodoxy

First of all, if you are a woman you can't go to the monasteries of Mount Athos. "The monks have chose a life of solemn celibacy. Second, if you are a man, and you don't have the proper papers they won't let you on the holy mountain either. Provided you are a man and have secured the nessessary papers you are in for the experience of a lifetime. Mount Athos is simply one of the most beautiful places on earth, more like a fantasy than what we know of as reality. Enormous monasteries, like castles or fortresses dot the coast and appear on the mountain slopes with every bend in the road. There are caves that still house hermits as they have for thousands of years and many simple houses or kelions that have several monks in each and a small church. There are churches with more gold than some countries have in their vaults and icons that perform miracles. There are virgin forests and animals that are found nowhere but the Holy Mountain. There are monks from every country in the Orthodox world and even some from non-orthodox countries."

"Mount Athos Visiting Rules Basic Conditions for Admission to Mount Athos In accordance with a "Chryssobul" (edict) issued by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine Monomahos, in 1060 A.D. which still remains valid, conditions for entering the territory of Mt. Athos are as follows:
(a) A permit is required for both individuals and groups. This is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Directorate of Churches (at No 2, Zalokosta Street, in Athens, tel: 3626.894) or by the Ministry of Northern Greece, Directorate of Civil Affairs at Diiki- tiriou Square in Thessaloniki, tel. 031/270.092.
(b) Women are not admitted into the territory.
(c) Overnight stay is forbidden except for those who have proven religious or scientific interests in the area and are over 18 years old.If you need assistance try www.athensguide.com/dorian"

"If you are a woman, left behind in Ouranoplis, take comfort in the fact that there are worse places to be stuck. The town has some nice restaurants and a pretty good beach and has the feel of a decadent outpost on the edge of civilization. You can also take a cruise around the Holy mountian and wave to the monks and maybe your husband or boyfriend. And if by chance he desides never to come back, don't worry. You can still write to him and be sure it will be delivered." Source: anonymous

Tomorrow will be our first day off since May 29th!!!!

Greece: land of continuity and change

The American Farming School

Believe it or not, there is an institution in Thessalonki, Greece by this name. It was founded by Dr. John Herny House who originally came to Greece in 1904 to convert Greeks to Christianity. You may remember in our study of this region that the Apostle Paul began preaching Chritianity here around 49 C.E. So House, a self-styled “practical idealist” found more success in “educating the whole individual: the head, the hands, the heart.” This involved "practical training in field and garden crops, vineyards and orchards, livestock and silkworm production" as well as "in industrial skills such as carpentry, masonry and blacksmithing." Greco Americans' donations of funds and equipment helped the school to survive two Balkan Wars, World War I and the massive resettlement in Greece of refugees from Asia Minor after the Greco-Turkish War (1921-1922). House and his wife endured arrest during World War II and the Nazi Occupation of Greece. The subsequent Greek Civil War (1944-1945) saw the kidnapping by leftist guerillas of the American Farming School's entire senior class. Source: http://www.afs.edu.gr/page/default.asp?la=2

Today we also were given a lecture and tour at the Macedonian Contemporary Art Museuem. See http://www.afs.edu.gr/age/default.asp?la=2

Greece: land of continuity and change

Thessaloniki Archaeological Museum v. David McCauley

Today at the The Thessaloniki Archaeological Museum, I learned about Hippodamus of Miletus( or Hippodamos, Greek: ππόδαμος) (498 BC — 408 BC), who was an ancient Greek Architect, Urban Planner, Physician, Mathematician, Meteorologist and Philosopher that is considered to be the “father” of urgan planning. The Hippodamian plan of city layouts (grid plan). Oddly enough David McCauley's Roman City seemingly attributes the grid plan to the Romans, with no mention in the Greek Hippodamian. Even though he lived during the 5th century B.C. This is why it is important to meet every source with a healthy degree of skepticism.

Any way, Hippodamos' plans of Greek cities sought order and regularity, in contrast to the confusion of ancient Athens. Many Greeks still say this about Athens, by the way. in contrast to the more intricacy and confusion common to cities of that period, even Athens. He is seen as the originator of the idea that a town plan might formally embody and clarify a rational social order.
He is referred into the works of Aristotle, Stovaious, Hesichios, Fotios, and Theano.
According to Aristotle in Politics, Hippodamos was a pioneer of urban planning, and he devised an ideal city to be inhabited by 10,000 men (free male citizens), while the overall population including the correspondent women, children and slaves would reach 50,000 people. He studied the functional problems of cities and linked them to the state administration system. As a result he divided the citizens into three classess (soldiers, artisans and 'husbandmen'), with the land also divided into three (sacred, public and private).

We also were given tours of, and attended lectures,. at the Byzantine Museum, the Thesssaloniki Agora and St. Demetrius Church.

Visit the Thessaloniki Archaeological Museum at http://www.amth.gr#

Greece: land of continuity and change

Thessaloniki & the Via Egnatia

Today, the 15 other Fulbright educators and I arrived in the Greek city of Thessaloniki (i.e. Salonica). The Via Egnatia transects the city's center. Originally, Gnaeus Egnatius (Roman proconsul of Macedonia) constructed it in order to link a chain of Roman colonies stretching from the Adriatic Sea to the Bosphorus, making it a vital link to Roman territories further to the east; until a more northerly route across Illyria was opened under Augustus. It was repaired and expanded several times but experienced long periods of neglect due to Rome's civil wars. The road thus played a vital role in several key moments in Roman history, so even the armies of Julius Caesar and Pompey marched along the Via Egnatia during their civil war.

In the afternoon, we met with Hoyt Brian Yee, the U.S. Consular General for northern Greece. It is his job to increase Greeks' understanding of U.S. foreign policy and culture as well as to aid U.S. citizens with cultural and legal matters.

Greece: land of Continuity and Change

Greek Monasteries Suspended in Air

The Metéora (Greek: Μετέωρα, "suspended rocks", "suspended in the air" or "in the heavens above") is one of the largest and most important system of Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Kalambaka, Greece. Although it is unknown when Metéora was established, as early as the 11th century CE hermit monks were believed to be living among the caves and cutouts in the rocks.

While more than 20monastaries were built (beginning in the 14th century) only six remain today. These six are: 'Great Meteoron (or Transfiguration), Varlaam, St. Stephen, Holy Trinity, St. Nicholas Anapausas and Rousanou. Today, I visited the first two sites. Getting to the monasteries used to be extremely difficult, requiring either long ladders lashed together or large nets used to haul up both goods and people. Today you can go by stairs or bus. Guess which method I chose? Source: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/455/documents/

Greece: land of continuity and change

Fulbright Odyessy to Delphi, Greece

Today at Delphi, our Fulbright guide pointed out that Herodotus, one of the first people to record historical events systematically, chronicalled his travels through the Mediterranean world. This included his visit to Delphi where kings and commoners went to offer gifts to Apollo (the deity of prophecy) in hope of insight into the future (See Treasury of Athens at Delphi).

To King Croesus, the Pythia (i.e. prophetess) of Apollo at Delphi spoke the following lines in hexameter verse:*

I know the number of grains of sand and the extent of the sea;
I understand teh deaf-mute and hear the words of the dumb.
My senses detect the smell of tough-shelled tortoise
Cooked in bronze together with the flesh of lambs;
Beneath it lies bronze; and bronze covers it.

Prophecies were typically worded like this; resulting in multiple interpretations.

* a line of poetry consisting of six measures, the fifth being a dactyl and the sixth either a spondee or a trochee. The other four may be either dactyls or spondees. Homer’s two epic poems and Virgil’s Æneid are written in hexameters. The latter begins thus:
[Arms and the man] [sing, who] [driven from] [Troy by ill-] fortune
[First into] [ Italy] [came, as] [far as the] [shores of La-] vina.
Much was he harassed by land, much tossed on the pitiless ocean,
All by the force of the gods, and relentless anger of Juno.
Sources: http://www.afs.edu.gr/page/default.asp?la=2

More on Greece's Earthquake

Update from Forbes.com:

"Seismologists have said that aftershocks, which may be as severe as the initial quake, are to be expected in the south of the country. So far there have been 12 aftershocks recorded. Some experts forecast another subsequent earthquake of between 5 to 5.5 Richter in the immediate future."

"Greece is the most earthquake prone country in Europe and this is the strongest quake recorded in modern history."

Mr. T: Oddly, we have had no aftershocks in Delphi, Greece as of yet. 10:30pm in Greece

Earthquake on My Fulbright Greece Travels

About seven hours after the fifteen other Fulbright teachers and I left a town in the Peloponnesian Peninsula, it experienced a 6.5 earthquake. So we were 125 miles away when it happened. It was at 3:25pm our time (i.e. 8:50am, in New York). Because Greeks reinforce their buildings to resist earthquakes, there apparently have been no deaths or severe injuries.

. . . two questions:

On the Richter Scale, how powerful was the May earthquake that struck China?

Why are the initial reports of the damage caused by today's Greek earthquake far less severe than those of China's quake?

On a historical note, what is the significance of the Peloponnesian Peninsula to ancient, Greek history?

There is no simple answer!!!

Fulbright Greece and Bulgaria

As our Greek guide discussed the temples of Zeus and Hera, it became clear that the architects (which included Phideas, the designer of the Parthenon) applied the golden mean of 1:161 that is found in the proportions of the human body, sea life, and throughout nature.

Fulbright Greece and Bulgaria

...woke up at 7:30am in Naphtali, Greece (a seaside town); so it was 12:30am in New York City.
Fifteen other teachers and I (on the Fulbright program) then traveled two hours by bus to reach Olympia, home of the Greek gods.

We went to the Olympia Museum and then the temples of Zeus and Olympus. Both were in ruins because of early Christian converts and earthquakes.

This is where the early Olympics were held. I actually ran on the same track as did early Greek athletes.