Riding into Larisa!

Βυσσ'νί θύελλα, σούζα τ' αλογάκι, ιιιιιιιιι χα!!!

The horse is the symbol of Larisa the capital of and also the largest city in Thessaly. Larisa means "stronghold" in the ancient language of Pelasgian, an early Greek culture. There is archeological evidence that man settled here over 12,000 years ago. The region of Thessaly was famous for its horseman since times of antiquity. The very best of Greece's cavalry came from here. Greek mythology states that Poseidon, the God of the oceans, created horses and he likely first placed them upon the earth here. This was also the land of the Centaurs, the mythological creatures that were half man and half horse. This shows just how much these people love their horses !!!

Larisa is not the most attractive city in Greece, but it has many facilities and stores, making it the hub of the region. It is all function and little form. There is an exceptionally well-preserved Ancient Theater that is well worth a few minutes of your time. There is an Acropolis, but unfortunately it has been covered with buildings. Some say that Achilles was born here. It is more likely that he was born in Farsala, a small town in the region, but he definitely knew the town. He certainly would have passed through here on his way to Mount Pillion to study under Chiron the Centaur.

Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, was born in Kos, a Greek island off the coast of Turkey, but he died here in Larisa. If the medical system was as poor here then as it is now i am quite certain he died awaiting treatment. Modern Larisa is famous for two things: very "friendly" women ;) and Lakis Lazopoulos,the  most famous comedian in all of Greece (he also had a roll in the fantastic movie "El Greco"). So if you are looking for a quick laugh or a one night stand, this is a great place to spend a weekend...

A statue of Hippocrates.

The Ancient Roman Theater of Larisa.

Ancient Roman ruins downtown Larisa.

Graffiti in Greek: "Greek-fitti"