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Spinalónga the stronghold	Greece Links
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photo's  Spinalónga  (go with  top to the upper part of the table)
Spinalónga 1	Spinalónga 2	Spinalónga 3	Spinalónga 4	top Spinalónga 5
Spinalónga 6	Spinalónga 7	Spinalónga 8	Spinalónga 9	top Spinalónga 10
Spinalónga 11	Spinalónga 12	Spinalónga 13	Spinalónga 14	top Spinalónga 15

Spinalónga the stronghold
Spinalónga was an important strategic island with a stronghold. The island lays before a natural harbour which made it strategic. In 1669 the Turkish had conquered Iráklion, but only in 1715 they could conquer this stronghold. About 1903 the function of this island was changed. Because of it's isolated position the island became a colony for leprosies. This function remains until the end of 1957!. The guide does talk about the colony of leprosies but not about the stronghold.

Boot trip
Because Spinalónga is an island, you will be brought by boat. This also gives you an idear of the difficulcy to attack this stronghold.

Commerce
Because lepracy was a dangerous diseas nobody wanted to touch a patient. But some leprosy had money. So how could you trade with leprosies without getting the diseas? The solution was simple: They has a spot on the island were leprosies didn't come. There theyplaced a drum with water. When a lepracy bought something, he put his money into the drum. Later, the water was boiled, so the money was desinfected. The drum still stands on the island as a memorial of this trade.

The village
The island was a complete village for leprocies. The buildings now are ruins. Everybody in the village did have his own task. there was a mayor, a backery etc. Some leprosies had more money, but all had one thin in common: they had to stay at the island there whole life.At the end of the excursion you walk to the entrance gate of the vilage.

Graves
At the last photo you see tourists standing on graves. Bit I think this was a little bit manipulated by the guide. He said "there's a very nice view" and so the tourists walked to the view. They didn't see they were walking over the graves. (Fortunately I did see it were graves).After almost evry tourist had walked over a grave the guide said "Look what you're doing, you're walking over the graves, don't you have any respect?". These tourists then felt guilty, but I think this happens all the time, so the guide should feel guilty instead.  

Tip: When you visit Spinalonga and the guide say: "look at that beautifull view"you can see to the guide "Can't you warn the tourists for the graves, don't you respect the dead!"