Nafplio Half Marathon Sunday 3rd March 2019 No 26
Richard 02:03:06 Jackie 02:15:50
This was now our 4th run in a row after Belgium on the 9th, Verona on the 17th and Split on the 24th . We had arrived back from Split on Tuesday 26th and we were off to Greece early on the Friday . I had never heard of Nafplio before and hadn't been to Greece for over 30 years .
" Nafplio is a seaport town in the Peloponnese in Greece that has expanded up the hillsides near the north end of the Argolic Gulf"
It has an impressive history and is overlooked by the Palamidi Fortress built by the Venetians in the 1600's. It is possible to reach by road but we chose the 999 steps on the day after the run and we paid the price the day after .
" During the Greek war of independence Nafplio was a major Ottoman stronghold and was besieged for more than a year. The town finally surrendered on account of forced starvation."
" Tourism emerged slowly in the 1960s, but not to the same degree as some other Greek areas. Nevertheless, it tends to attract a number of tourists from Germany and the Scandanavian countries in particular. Nafplio enjoys a very sunny and mild climate, even by Greek standards, and as a consequence has become a popular day or weekend road-trip destination for Athenians in wintertime"
I have concentrated on the history of the town as the run is still giving me nightmares. It followed the coast in an out and back and it was a wide road with gentle gradients . You could see the faster runners miles ahead which I find soul destroying and you are always asking yourself "where is the turn round point?" It went on and on . Jackie felt the same . I was hoping to get under 2 hrs and I tried but wide roads and gentle gradients always seem to catch me out . Loved the town but not the run .
On a way back we stopped off to see the Cornith Canal It separates the Peloponnese from the Greek mainland, arguably making the peninsula an Island.
Serious damage was caused to the canal during WW2 On 26 April 1941, during the Battle of Greece between defending British troops and the invading forces of Germany, German parachutists and glider
troops attempted to capture the main bridge over the canal. The bridge
was defended by the British and had been wired for demolition. The
Germans surprised the defenders with a glider-borne assault in the early
morning of 26 April and captured the bridge, but the British set off
the charges and destroyed the structure. It was deserted when we were there probably the stench of sewage from a nearby plant keeping people away but the old fortifications some partially damaged was moving and gave a great sense of history.
After this it was off to Athens where we had 2 nights to visit the sights .
This was now our 4th run in a row after Belgium on the 9th, Verona on the 17th and Split on the 24th . We had arrived back from Split on Tuesday 26th and we were off to Greece early on the Friday . I had never heard of Nafplio before and hadn't been to Greece for over 30 years .
" Nafplio is a seaport town in the Peloponnese in Greece that has expanded up the hillsides near the north end of the Argolic Gulf"
It has an impressive history and is overlooked by the Palamidi Fortress built by the Venetians in the 1600's. It is possible to reach by road but we chose the 999 steps on the day after the run and we paid the price the day after .
" During the Greek war of independence Nafplio was a major Ottoman stronghold and was besieged for more than a year. The town finally surrendered on account of forced starvation."
" Tourism emerged slowly in the 1960s, but not to the same degree as some other Greek areas. Nevertheless, it tends to attract a number of tourists from Germany and the Scandanavian countries in particular. Nafplio enjoys a very sunny and mild climate, even by Greek standards, and as a consequence has become a popular day or weekend road-trip destination for Athenians in wintertime"
I have concentrated on the history of the town as the run is still giving me nightmares. It followed the coast in an out and back and it was a wide road with gentle gradients . You could see the faster runners miles ahead which I find soul destroying and you are always asking yourself "where is the turn round point?" It went on and on . Jackie felt the same . I was hoping to get under 2 hrs and I tried but wide roads and gentle gradients always seem to catch me out . Loved the town but not the run .
On a way back we stopped off to see the Cornith Canal It separates the Peloponnese from the Greek mainland, arguably making the peninsula an Island.
 |
| defenses still in place |
 |
| from the foot bridge |
After this it was off to Athens where we had 2 nights to visit the sights .
We enjoyed our visit to Greece , we have heard a lot about its problems recently and you can tell times are tough but the people were genuinely friendly and they always had a smile for you .
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