Sun. 16. [16 April 1899] Breakfast at 8. Another hot bright day. Met
our Curator friend. Steep up the stony hill and into H. Georgios,
Byzantine covered with mouldering frescoes - Virgin and child over
the altar, Crucifixion Palm Sunday, Raising of Lazarus, Transfiguration
all the familiar subjects Stilted arches. Inlaid pavement and scraps of
carving on the lintels. Little town chapel with St John baptising Christ.
Up again to Pantanassa with an exquisite colonnade looking over the
valley. Cypresses at the door. Inside is buried Theodora wife of the
last Palaeologus - Gabril Lascaris, dux said our guide, his bones in a
hole in the floor. A charming tower with two sets of arches and
columns arranged in threes, the middle one stilted The upper go
smaller. Frescoes much damaged. Corinthian capitals, pavement
inlaid, at the e. end a Judas tree in full flower. Masonry of brick and
stone, brick surrounding each stone; arches of brick. Up again and
out onto a level piece from wh. we saw all the ruined houses and the
monastery below us. Through a gate with a clock tower into the
Princess's palace. Barley green in the great court, ivy inside the
chambers, barley on the Princess's walk in front. Path turned round
the hill by a round tower under which the sheep were grazing; turned
again then a gate guarded by a square tower. Across a cornfield to
H. Sophia, courtyard paved, ruined belfry, dome fallen in, lovely
pavement. Straight up, scarlet anemonies and to the acropolis. The
first gate led us inside a battlemented wall, the second into a narrow
passage with a walled cistern on one side. Over the ruins of the
Palace of the Despot through a corn field full of poppies, to the
highest point of the wall whence we saw Taygetus [Taiyetos Oros]
standing up finely and Parnon [Parnon Oros] on the other side. The
Acropolis stands over the great split in the rock caused by an
earthquake. Down by another way, through the palace and then out
by the west side of the hill. Went to Panagia church, shut but I saw
through the window great figures of saints, into the Evangelistira, birds
on the capitals, 1 column in the nave, frescoes fallen away, carvings
round the door and on the lintels. Lunched at the monastery;
charming pillared court with the loggia above. The church is the
Metropolitan church. Frescoes in ruin, carved lintels, imperial eagles
on a stone let into the floor. After lunch sat on a wall by a flowering
orange tree. In a ruined garden a Judas tree and a mass of white
irises. Pantanassa standing up finely. Mounted mules on Greek
saddles and rode over the shoulder to Trypi [Tripi]. Village lying all
up the gorge. Poplars and mulberries. Real meadows above full of
anemonies. Most comfortably lodged in a private house; two rooms
opening onto a covered balcony where we dined. After tea Papa and
I walked about the village. Charming friendly people and unfriendly
goats and dogs. Cyclamen and Judas trees and broom and
primroses and scarlet anemonies. Early to bed.