Sunday, July 25, 2021

Another great day

Which, thanks to my mobility, had its first highlight in a monastery. Just as the sermon in the monastery 'Agia Triada Tzagaroli' was finished, the monks and the churchgoers came out and made themselves comfortable in the courtyard under the trees and roofs. A peaceful atmosphere. I took a walk and visited the small museum with the ancient scriptures and icons. Incredible witnesses of time in a peaceful and sacred place. On the way out, there was a monk at the 'ticket counter' (plastic chair that seemed to almost burst under the weight of the black-clad, bearded man) and I was able to pay the 2.50 euros afterwards.

The second monastery nearby closed its doors right in front of me. Visitors are not welcome from 12-5 pm. So I changed my plan and took a dusty, impassable detour to the nearby 'Zorbas' Beach.... Wow, here you can feel the power of the sea in a massive way. Impressive! Everything else, as expected, not worth mentioning. Even though the famous movie was filmed here.... Back then... a long, long time ago!

Frapé and freshly squeezed orange juice for lunch and off we go again..... Driving is fun and easy (if you know how Greeks drive and adapt to their driving style), so I enter the next destination in the navigation system: Botanical Garden in Fournes. The journey there is already worth a trip. The road winds higher and higher into the green mountains. The botanical garden is 2.5 kilometers long and 2 hours is a good estimate for the tour. Ticket for 6 euros and buy water; let's go! It's incredible what you can see and learn here. The path is beautifully designed and goes further down to a small lake and then steadily up to the starting point. Peacocks, geese, or chickens of all kinds cross the path. The plants are labeled and easy to navigate. Everything is always nicely shaded (with sometimes a lot of wind that made it even more pleasant) and even the few children had their fun. It was a very colorful and educational afternoon, including a few feathers I found and special honey that I bought.

Since I was already 'in the area' and wanted to eat at a very special tavern, I already entered the next stop in the navigation system: the 'Dsounias' is located at an altitude of 500 meters in the small mountain village of Drakona. This insider tip is really worth the trip. In addition to the gigantic view from there, the food is as typical as it can be. A tavern without a menu. No joke! The owner, Stelios, takes the guest into the kitchen (!) and opens all the pots that still have something delicious in them. He cooks everything on fire, without electricity! Slowly, gently, and everything from his own farm. I knew that this used to be possible in Greece before the tourist rush, to choose the dishes in the kitchen. But to experience this in today's time is incredibly amazing. I was late, so I was the only guest. Only one table with locals was celebrating Stelios' birthday. What a down-to-earth and honest atmosphere that I could enjoy and be part of.
With his broken English, Stelios tried to explain everything to me in detail. And then he came back with a handful of herbs. Mint, lemongrass, and 2 more he simply picked from the flower pots next to the tavern and asked me if I wanted a mountain tea. He said it's very healthy and delicious. The fresh herbs smelled incredible and the tea was accordingly unique. Oh yes, by the way, this multi-part culinary experience cost me only 14 euros.
As a conclusion, his little daughter showed me the maisonette apartment they own. So if I come again next time, I don't have to pay anything, he said. Oops. What a lovely offer....

On the way back, I enjoyed a beautiful sunset atmosphere and had to make sure not to overlook the 'pedestrians' on and off the streets! Smile