Phillips Tomb!!!

[Ambrosia]

I am planning a trip to Greece this summer to visit family and friends out there. I am also going to fullfill a life long dream of mine and go to Thessaloniki and see the museums containing findings from King Phillips tomb. I would like to know if anyone has been there to see them, and if so how is it?

[jona]

The museum and Vergina are just great. Don't forget to visit the Nymphaeum of Mi+½za, where Aristotle teached Alexander. If you can rent a car, try visiting Kastoria in the west, and get an impression of the mountain area.J

[kenny]

Jim Jonah HailI home you enjoy your trip and it is all that you anticipated.To be honest the museun and the site of Pella for me were great,,, But the rest of the regionwas a real let down,,, Before I went I thought id get the feel for Alexander and maybe gewt feedback from the locals... I was sadly mistaken.All i could find was a few rings and pendants in the jewely shops and a few very few busts or statues.I tried to mix in be friendly and talk about Alexander dut they really didnt want to know,,, The were more intereested in the up comming european football tournament.I felt even the tour guides on our bus relatively knew little,,, I was listening to her talk and had to laugh when She refered to Cassander as trusted general and friend to Alexander.RegardsKennyI found more interest in the Islands or Rhodes and Corfu

[ruthaki]

I've been there a couple of times, the most recently in '03 and the tombs, now that they have moved the treasures there from Thess. are amazing!
There is little accomodation in Vergina but Veria is a very intersting town to stay in. We took the bus from there to Naoussa and a taxi to Mieza one day (easy day trip). If you want to see Dodoni (where Alexander's mother lived) Go to Ionannina (a lovely town too) and take a taxi to the site (20 Euro) The cab driver will wait for you to look around. Bus service there is poor.
There are many other interesting sites around the area too including Dion, though mostof the ruins there now are Roman. It's worth a visit though, in the shadow of Olympus.
I've done many research trips up around there and also I'm a travel journalist and have written about the "Search for Alexander" tour so if there are any more questions please feel free to contact me.
I will send you my email if you want. Also check my website http://www.dreamwater.org/ruthaki for a story about the Alexander tour although that one is an older version so some info about the tombs and Mieza are not included or outdated now.
I've lived in Greece and visited there since '78 so I have a lot of detailed info about travel there.

[Ambrosia]

Thanks for respounding, I appreciate it. Ruthaki I checked out your website, and you had some really good informative things to say. That is just what I need to plan my journery. I would love it if you would send me your e-mail,I have never traveled to northern Greece before, but like I mentioned in my previous e-mail it has always been a dream of mine. I am currently a student trying to get my bachelors degree. I have worked very hard and decided that this summer would be a great oppurtunity to travel to Greece to visit my family, recharge my spirit and visit the birthplace of someone I admire a great deal Alexander. Thanks again and I look forward to hearing more about the acient ruins there and how do go about seeing everything that is worth seeing. I have a whole punch of questions

[Jooles]

Hi
It is not exactly relevant here, but if you want really good reproductions, jewellery etc. about ATG the best place to go to is Olimpia. There are some wonderful art shops there, where I bought an excellent copy of ATG face (18 years old) kept in the Akropolis Museum in Athens. Also the jewellers there have a very extensive choice of assorted stuff. Perhaps your next trip will be Olimpia?? Apart from the above, it is a truly inspiring place!!
Jooles

[ruthaki]

You can reach me at ruthaki1@telus.net
I've done the trip many times, for research purposes and pleasure. Been living in and visiting Greece since 1978. So I hope I can be of help.
By the way, there were a couple of shops at Vergina that sold pretty good souveniers. My favorite possession is a ring that I got in Athens (Plaka) - copy of one of the coins minted by Lysymachos with Alexander in his horns of Ammon helmet and inscriptions on reverse.
ruthaki

[Manny E.]

Now you understand why Alexander intended Babylon to be the capital of his empire. Even after India he didn't want to go straight back home. Arabia was in his way. Macedon in Alexander's day probably felt like a small backward town in Texas where the most hi-tech thing people did was watch the traffic lights change. Then someone came rushing back from a place called Las Vegas with fantastic tales to tell. Lights, booze, music, girls and boys of all sizes and design. Macedon was perfect for the likes of Antipatros---and that old guard ilk, including, ironically, Olympias, who wasn't even impressed with Athens. But what about the SMELL of Macedon? It has a coastline, I know, but Pella, Mieza, and Vergina are all way inland, right? Are there McDonalds there now? 7-11? any relic at all remotely suspected of being the house where alexander grew up?An oldtimer whose never been there but keeps Macedon in his top ten list of dream destinations