Portiannou, Poliochni and more - by Charlotte

We started off our day at 9 o'clock, leaving Myrina and checking out of our hotel. About 7km out of Myrina we swapped the large tour bus for a smaller one, which was needed to wind our way around the small, twisting roads to the Thermal Springs.
The water in the spring is said to be very beneficial for muscles and skin and is around 40 degrees celsius all year - warmer than the hotel showers!

The soldiers staying at Lemnos would walk from the hospitals and camps to the spring where they could soothe their aching muscles and pains. It has been recently renovated - turned into a small luxury spa complex, which we were privileged to be shown around. The main baths were very large, clad in marble with gold taps and mirrors.
We boarded the bus again and listend as Bianca, Breanna and Lila detailed their answers to the "Great History Challenge", a task set to them by Bruce regarding the diary of Sister Donald, a nurse at Lemnos.
 

Remembering Kit McNaughton at Portianou

While this was happening, we were making our way to the Portianou Military Cemetery. Here Laura commemorated Kit McNaughton, an Australian nurse who served in Lemnos, although she isn't buried there. It was a beautiful, sincere ceremony which suited the picturesque setting perfectly.
Still in Portianou we visited the Folkloric Museum (an old Greek house which had been converted into an museum). There were countless artifacts from every aspect of the war, military uniforms, money, photos, knives etc.

At the Anzac Cafe

From there we walked down to a small village square where we had some refreshments, the very same square where the Anzacs had relaxed, in what is now known as Anzac Street.
After our quick refresher we boarded the bus once again, this time destined for yet another part of Lemnos' vast harbour, where there was the mass grave of  170 Egyptian laborers at the Muslim memorial. Here Sam lead us in a beautiful prayer - an excerpt from a note left by a Muslim soldier. We all faced east while it was being read.

While we were still at the memorial from where we could look across to the site of the field hospitals, Carl and Amanda read out diaries and letters written by the nurses at Lemnos. Doing this (and having Bruce help analyse) really assisted in the understanding of  how truly heartbreaking and unbearable the war was for all involved.
Leaving the harbour behind, we headed off to Poliochni (with a few photo stops along the way). Poliochni is the oldest city ever found. Built 1,000 years before Troy, it was inhabited by humans in six million BC. We had the incredible opportunity of walking through the ruins of this ancient civilization, taking many photos along the way.

At Poliochni with the remains of the
world's first parliament in the background

By now it was about 3 o'clock, so we drove to the sea side town of Kotsinas, enjoying the scenery, food and interesting church. Our tour guide, Bridget, showed us a beautiful Greek Orthodox church, the most interesting part of which was by far the crypt (deep underground beneath the church) which had a well of holy water inside.
We arrived back at Lemnos by 6 o'clock, so we had one hour to shop and have a look around the streets of Lemnos. It was only a 20 minute drive to the airport from Myrina. We have arrived in Athens and are excited for our (very early) flight to Turkey. It was wonderful to have such an amazing last day in Lemnos - it was a lovely way to end our experiences there.
We are all buzzing at the thought of starting another new adventure in another coutnry.
Until then,
Antio sas!
Charlotte