I spent little time here, since I only wanted to see Pella, until my friend told me to add Vergina to the list. I know I saw her many times in the streets, and boy, did she look sexy, but there is also an old city by that name. I went there and found one of the great surprises of this journey. I was totally awed and impressed, and in my insignificant opinion, the treasures of Tut-Ankh-Amon, which I saw in Cairo, have little on this. For anyone going to Greece, this is one of the least advertised and most amazing sights and not to be missed.

Macedonia at Philip's Death (336 BC) There was no Greece,

which is probably why, when you enter Greece, it reads

Welcome to Macedonia on the green and white border sign

Looking deeper into what might be the political problems between the Greeks and the Macedonians, this is what I just learned from the Magazine, The Economisti: Greece, far from being satisfied with having the treasures of Macedonia's past inside of their borders, even begrudge Macedonia its name. The article I refer to pointed out that Macedonia may now officially keep their 1000s of years old name (whch they have had since before they even conquered and owned Greece). Greek politicians have fought that, for fear that Macedonia then will claim the northern parts of Greece, that they once owned which had, after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire at the end of WW1, been given to Greece. Moreover, for many years, Greek politicians had been fighting to keep tiny Macedonia out of the UN and NATO, and had blocked Macedonia's access to the EU. What a great trade-off for the EU that one was. Maybe now, finally, that the name issue has been resolved in international courts, Macedonia can go forward and join the rest of Europe.

Just like I remember from Athens. No building or infrastructure project will be safe from work stoppage for antiquity finds.