Brave and beautiful poppies

The other day I really enjoyed reading a post on Karen's lovely blog, about Minnesota's state flower, the Lady's Slipper.  She also talked about the poppies of California, which made me think of how delighted I had been earlier this year to find poppies growing wild everywhere, in my springtime trip around Greece and Turkey.  It made me think about the photos I took of them - hence this post!

In Mycenae, in Greece, the poppies grow amongst ruins which date back three thousand years.  These ones were in cracks of the stones which remain from the palace where Agamemnon was murdered by his wife and her lover.

On top of the Acropolis in Athens, poppies grow amongst the tumbled columns of many centuries past:

Ancient ruins are pretty much my favourite places to be in the whole world.  I have spent so many years learning about classical history - I love nothing more than to stand in these places and imagine what it would have been like to be there when the inhabitants were going about their daily lives. 

For some reason they give me an incredible sense of peace and connection.

In Perge, in southern Turkey, the same bright flowers flared bravely amongst the stones:

 

and in Pamukkale, a strange and beautiful place:

Finally, on the way back to Istanbul, we visited Gallipoli.  I had really hoped to see poppies here, but no - everything had been rendered very neat and tidy for the Anzac day celebrations a few days later.  

These poppies there were, however. 

What heavy burdens these symbolic flowers carry, what dark stories they relate.

 

At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

Laurence Binyon

Alexia