Comeback

[maciek]

Hi I just cameback from vacations in Grecce.I saw all I had planned: Pella, Mieza (Aristotele school) and Vergina. I think all ATG fans should see it. Most striking for me was to see Aristotele school because of it's beautie ang quiet atmosphere. Beeing there I could understand why Phillip choosed that place for Alexander's education.
To WMP: pedestrianisation whitch You've asked is almost finnished but still some wires are exposed there. When I came there I quickly found out what You was asking for.
What I'm disapointed is that in Vergina there is no Phillip's armour and gorritos (quiver) in the exposition but still there is many things I'd reed in all those books.Best regards MACIEK (macm)

[agesilaos]

I think the Philip stuff is in the national archaeological museum in Thessalonike, I went there on a Monday when it was shut so I can't be sure.When going to Greece openig times etc need to be checked but allow two hours before they open , that's how long I waited at Dion! My big mistake was trying to do a teutonic blitzkrieg of the sites ; in at Thessalonike out at Athens. Having tried that I would now relax more ,stay in one area ,do that in depth and get into the modern Greek momentum of life. Everyone I met was friendly but by rushing off you never got a chance to lapse into the milieu, which isn't Alexandrian ,of course but is an antidote to northern European bustle.

[ruthaki]

Some good advice there. I've been several times to various sites during my research, and saw the tomb treasures first at Thessaloniki in 1978 when they were first put on display. (what a thrill!) You need to take your time, don't overdose yourself on the museums and sites as there is so much to digest.
The trip from Thessaloniki, Mieza, Pella to Vergina is a very good tour around.I've written (and published) an article "In Search of Alexander" which is reprinted on my website, which will describe the entire northern tour from Dion to Samothraki. But remember, when I go to Greece I most often go for six months at a time so I don't have to rush through the sites. I am also usually back-packing and camping so it's slow and easy travel for me on the public buses. This time I intended to go to Mieza. Decided to wait til next summer as I was already entrenched in research and writing a play about Sappho so I skipped the Northern routes of Alexander and went instead to Lesvos (Eressos). I felt sad about it, but knew I'd made the right decision for this time round. The only thing I haven't seen is Mieza and it will be there next year and the year after etc.
And maybe by then they'll have discovered more tombs and finished more excavations on the palace at Pella too.

[maciek]

No - I'd asked some woman from Tessaloniki museum and she was sure that all Philip's most importand findings was tranfered to Vergina, but it was not so long ago so they maybe couldnt manadge to get place for all.Maciek

[wmp]

Welcome back, Maciek!Glad you enjoy it - I too very much like the Mieza
site (even in the pouring rain ).The first time I went to Vergina, the armour &
quiver were there - but I know they'd gone last
year (replaced by photographs, neither of which
are the best reproductions in the world). I heard
two stories - one that they'd gone back to
Salonika, and the other that they were being
tested for dating (but where I don't know)... I've
not been into Salonika for a few years (I use the
ring road rather than the centre now), but I
guess Ruth will know what's there at the
moment.I'm off to mainland Greece myself in two days
time - Athens & to some friends in Napflion - so
I shall have to wait until May 2003 to see the
north again... yours,wmp

[maciek]

So I can answer for the first option because I was in Tessaloniki museum and I received the information there that they gave back that stuff to Vergina and as that nice lady said to me: "I have no idea what they are doing with it right now"
So I suppose that the second option might be correct.
The the photoses are nice but it is not the same then seeing orginal exponats.
Maciek