Greece 6th part... and still Peloponnese

The mountains and East Peloponnese

We are still in Kalamata at the marina (for the third time already). A cold east wind is making life difficult for us. It has snowed again in the mountains. We can see the white peaks from the harbor (yuck). But we are complete again. Everyone is here. Adventure big family with their five children, Jana and Mark, Mark and Lucy from South Korea, and of course our constant travel companion Paul from England. We wash everything that can be washed and then quickly leave the marina again, because it costs money to stay here.

Kilian and I say goodbye after a few days. Our destination. Back to the Messini to my former employer Dr. Harder and his wife Heidy. Exactly thirty years ago I did my apprenticeship with him and then worked with Heidy in Dr. Harder's practice for another seven years after a short break. The two of them got stuck here on the beautiful Peloponnese ten years ago after a long motorhome trip to India. I can understand why :) I am very much looking forward to a reunion after such a long time.

So one morning we say goodbye to everyone. We drive to Petalidi and spend the night there (alone for a long time) on the beach. In the evening we stroll through the village, but even here everything is pretty deserted. The season has not started yet. I find out from home that an old friend of mine had a brain hemorrhage and that the machines will be switched off tomorrow, as he would remain severely disabled. Bang!! That hit me. It takes me some time to digest it, but I am glad that he does not have to waste away as a disabled person for the rest of his life. On this evening, I become thoughtful again and come to the realization that we are doing exactly the right thing. We are living our dream NOW!! Who knows what tomorrow, next month, or next year will bring?? R.I.P. Dear Sven - it was a pleasure to know you...

The next day we meet Heidy in Chrani at the supermarket. The joy of reunion is great. Twenty years have passed - and now we see each other again. We drive to her house, which sits high up on a mountain in a secluded location. A dreamy view of the valley, Chrani, and the sea awaits us. And of course Olaf. The joy of reunion is great. We have a lot to talk about. Back then, they traveled with their motorhome through Iran, Iraq, and all the way to India (respect!!). We would like to do this route too. Unfortunately, nowadays you have to pass through too many war zones for that. Anyway, the two of them ended up on the Peloponnese on their way back and fell in love with the island (just like us :)). They decided to have their things sent from Germany and spend the rest of their lives here on this beautiful island. I can understand it. In the evening, the two of them invite us to a Greek restaurant in the village and we enjoy a delicious meal. Thank you very much for that. Eating in a restaurant is always a highlight for us :)

Then the next morning, after breakfast together, we say goodbye again. Take care, you two. We wish you a wonderful life - here on the beautiful Peloponnese.

We drive back to Kalamata to the others. Meanwhile, they have landed high above Kalamata at a little church. A strenuous steep path leads us up there. But once we arrive, we have a truly spectacular view of Kalamata. The white city lies enormous below us. In the evening, we make a bonfire. The lights of the city turn on. Wow!! You can't get enough of the view. We celebrate farewell. Tomorrow we will drive with Paul to the mountains towards the east coast. And Jana and Mark's path leads to the west coast.

In the morning we wake up and huh?? What is hanging on the tree next to our buses?? I can't believe it. A bag with two huge freshly baked breads. The day before (when we weren't here), the bread delivery van apparently came up here to the mountain. The baker wanted to enjoy the view. Our friends went to him full of joy and wanted to buy bread. Unfortunately, he had finished work and only had six eggs left, which he gave to them. And it seems that the baker got up early this morning and made his way up the difficult path to bring us bread. Can you believe it?? The Greeks always surprise us with their hospitality. As a thank you, we hang two cans of beer in a bag on the tree and write a friendly Efcharisto (thank you) on it. Who knows?? Maybe he will come up again and find them?? Otherwise, the next tourists will enjoy them :)

We say goodbye to Jana and Mark. The two of them also want to arrive in Albania in about 4-5 weeks - just like us ... who knows?? Maybe we will meet again.

Then off we go - to the mountains. We take one last longing look at Kalamata. We have been here three times in the last few months - somehow we almost felt a bit at home in the city. Our path leads steep and winding up into the mountains. The cliffs next to us are rugged and enormous. Large rocks and boulders are lying on the road. We hope nothing comes down. Parts of the road are missing - they simply slid off and fell down the steep slopes. The mountain peaks in front of us are still covered in snow. It's getting closer. And at 1100m it's time. The first remnants of snow line the path. The view from up here is breathtaking. We stop again and again to enjoy the view. The road leads under overhanging rocks, and we constantly have to dodge boulders. After a photo stop, it happens. When Kilian starts the car, he overlooks a big boulder. With an ugly groaning noise, the stone slides under the car. Damn damn damn. He carefully drives backwards, and with an equally ugly noise, the stone reappears. Close call - nothing is broken!!

Then we spend the night somewhere in the middle of nowhere in the mountains. It is so quiet that we can hardly sleep. There is simply nothing to be heard up here - absolutely nothing!! After always having the sound of the sea around us, we have to get used to this absolute silence.

We arrive in Mistras. The old city from the 14th century has to be visited. This is where the Byzantines lived. Much of it is still very well preserved. In one of the monasteries high up on the hill, there are even nuns living in absolute seclusion. The city is located in the middle of the mountains, and we struggle up the steep rocky paths. There is a lot to see. Old churches with frescoes... hundreds of years old, beautiful houses with balconies (yes, they already had them back then), and also many remains of buildings. We climb all the way up to the Frankish castle (puffing and panting - they were really fit in those days). The reward is a breathtaking view of the ancient city and in the background the city of Sparti with snow-covered peaks. With our heads and cameras full of new impressions, we leave this great city after a few hours. The journey was worth it. We actually wanted to visit Sparta as well, but we hear that the Spartans apparently also lived and lived very 'spartan' . So we give it a pass.

We continue on spectacular steep roads (at about 30km/h) to Kosmas. A small, beautiful mountain village awaits us. Unfortunately, there is still snow up here (yuck), so we continue towards the east coast. We want to get back to the warm sea.

In Lakkos, we find a great spot on the beach. They even have free hot showers and fresh water - yes!! As we settle in, the police come driving by. We are not allowed to stay here, wild camping is prohibited - we should go to the campsite that exists here. Frustrated, we give up - but a campsite?? Never!! We drive to the next town. Leoinidi. Here, countless buses and motorhomes from all over the world are parked in the middle of the village. We join them and learn that they are all climbers. Due to the steep cliffs in the area, this is a climbing area. Paul befriends an Englishman and stays here for two days to climb with them. The next day, we want to leave the town and drive to Agios Andreas. We park in a small fishing harbor (which is deserted) and there is fresh water here - I'm looking forward to a hot shower :)

In the evening, we take our furry friends for a walk. On the way back to the bus, suddenly (wild?) huge shepherd dogs come running from all directions. Growling and barking loudly, they run after us (screaming) We rush back to the bus. Kilian manages to unlock the door just in time - everyone and all the dogs in the bus and close the door. And there they are. Barking, they run around our bus and eventually settle down in front of it (great). Two of them have completely cut off ears!! I wouldn't be fond of humans either. It starts raining at night - but the dogs stay. And when we wake up in the morning, they are still there. Stupid - because our dogs need to go out to do their business. We need a solution. Eventually, we decide to throw out some dog food. And behold - wagging their tails, they approach and eat. Kilian eventually dares to go out - he scouts ahead. Nothing happens. On the contrary - they come closer in a friendly manner. We take a risk and let our two 'beauties' out as well. After a short bark and sniffing around, it is clear. There is no danger here. 10 minutes later, Lucy is playing with the biggest one. Well there you go :)

We continue along the coast. Somewhere here, there is supposed to be a mountain river that flows into the sea. That is our destination. Maybe we can catch some fish there. We then find the river and yes - it is full of fish. We see them swimming in the crystal clear water. In my mind, I can already see them on the grill. Unfortunately, it turned out completely differently. Shortly before the only parking option, the road was washed away. No way through. So we turn around and look for another place. At some point, we get lost in a huge olive grove. Knotty, beautiful old trees surrounded by millions of blooming flowers. You might think it's very romantic - well damn it - the road got narrower and narrower. The trees scrape against our bus. It's so narrow - we have no way to turn around. Then suddenly, low-lying irrigation tubes in front of us. Too low for our high bus. Damn. We need a plan. We take out our extendable ladder. I drive at walking pace and Kilian lifts all the tubes so that I can pass underneath. Pure adventure!! But eventually, we get out and decide to give up. Goodbye river... goodbye fish... We've had enough.

We arrive in Astros. A beautiful little town by the sea with narrow streets and a beautiful marina. Unfortunately, the parking lot on the beach is also underwater (what's going on today?) and we continue driving. But after Astros, we find a wonderful large parking lot right by the sea. A palm-lined avenue and a sandy beach included. We decide to stay here for a while. We have been in the car for many days. Paul eventually returns from climbing with sore muscles. Since we have fresh water here on the beach, I do some laundry - and the bedding is hanging between the palm trees to air out. It reminds me once again of a gypsy camp. In the evening, the police come (not again, please) - but they just wave friendly and drive on (see, it worked).

Our next destination is the Larissa Castle near Nafplio. Once again, our Knut has to gasp going up the steep hill. Everything is blooming in pink, white, and yellow. We stop in between for a photo, and what's lying there on the side of the road? A giant turtle. There are supposed to be many of them here. Once we arrive, we have a great view of Nafplio and the sea again. We wander around the castle ruins a little bit. In the courtyard, millions of colorful flowers are blooming.

Then we go back down, through Nafplio (with a stop at LIDL), and to the next beach. And here we are amazed. A true dream bay with fine white sand welcomes us. Palm trees, cacti, and eucalyptus trees line the beach. Perfect. We park our motorhomes on the sandy beach and get out, thrilled - but what is that nasty sound?? It quickly becomes clear. Paul is losing air from one of the front tires. Damn - quickly get out of the sand with the motorhome, because changing a tire in the sand is not really fun. Hectically, he gets in and reverses - we shout STOP, but it's too late. He backs up full throttle into a huge palm tree. The palm tree survived. His suitcase on the back did not. WOW!! Within a minute, a flat tire and a broken suitcase. That takes some doing. Kilian helps him change the tire, and I try not to laugh to death (wink).. But the suitcase is definitely ruined, and the 'boys' drive to Nafplio the next morning to look for a new one or something similar. I spend half the day alone (for the first time in over 10 months). Chair in the sun, book out - and enjoy :)

The next day, we hike around the bay with the dogs. On one side, a small church towers high on the cliff. Thousands of colorful flowers line our path. The water far below us is crystal clear, and we can see the bottom. Then we continue on the other side to Nafplio. This path also leads us along the mountainside. Hundreds of palm trees line our path. Small bays invite us to swim. A well with fresh spring water stands in the middle of nowhere. The east coast is truly a little paradise. 4 hours later, tired, we return to the bus. Our two furry friends immediately collapse and sleep the rest of the day. The thermometer shows 23° - it's March 9th, 2019!

On Saturday, Kilian and I go back to Nafplio. Today is a big market day here. The city is overcrowded, and there is total traffic chaos. At the market, vegetables, fruits, clothing, and household goods are loudly advertised. According to the motto - the loudest one sells the most :) We stock up on fruits and vegetables at a bargain price. Then we stroll through the beautiful town a bit. The old town is built in the Venetian style. What? Are we still in Greece? We like the narrow streets. It's Shrove Saturday. On Monday, all Greeks have the day off. Accordingly, the city is packed with people. On the market square, there is a huge pool filled with foam for the children. They are searching for treasure in it, yelling loudly. Brazilian dance music blares from the speakers. There is life in the city.

In the evening, we enjoy an almost cheesy sunset on the palm beach. The next day is Sunday. Long weekend for the Greeks. At 11 am, we already have 24 degrees (yeahh). Everyone is coming to the beach. Car queues are forming. Tables, chairs, grills, and kites are being taken out. Nice to see... but it's time for us to move on. It's already mid-March, and we are still so far south of the Peloponnese. We actually wanted to enter Albania in April at the latest - but the Peloponnese just won't let go of us - it's too beautiful here.

15 minutes later, we are back in the mountains. One of the beautiful things here - you have both together: mountains and sea close by. Up high, we actually wanted to spend the night, but unfortunately, we can't find a nice parking spot. So we go back down to the sea on the other side. We are in the 'Didymo' area.

With a cheerful mood (still!) we start. Unfortunately, Google Maps (as often before) leads us on the shortest route to our desired spot. The road gets worse and worse. At some point, it's just a dirt road with huge potholes. In first gear, we struggle our way over the path. Then suddenly it's a dead end. So we turn around and go back. We continue on a terrible road. Everything is shaking in the bus. It's hot, and our furry ones are looking slightly apathetic in the back. Then we arrive in a town. But here too, some of the streets are so narrow that we can't make the turns with our bus. We need strong nerves. The nightmare of the gravel road continues - at a snail's pace. Hours later, we arrive (yayy). And as so often, the journey was worth it. An abandoned holiday camp 'Apollo' - with a dream bay - awaits us. Door open - dog and human out - and sit down on the beach and enjoy - everything is good again for humans and animals - we're staying here :)

The next day, we explore the deserted holiday complex together with Paul. All buildings are open. In the 70s, it was apparently run by an Italian, but it has been empty since the 90s and is gradually falling into disrepair. A huge empty swimming pool sits high up on the rock - overlooking the sea. Restaurants, bars, and holiday apartments - everything is there - and everything is pretty much broken. Nature is slowly reclaiming its territory. Trees and bushes are growing everywhere. There has been a lot of vandalism, and the walls are covered in graffiti. The complex is a bit spooky, but when it was still in operation, it must have been beautiful. There is a bar on every corner. Two beautiful beaches are part of it. Our dogs are also with us and enjoy wandering around here. But then suddenly on the ground!! Damn damn damn... quickly grab the dogs. Hundreds of processionary caterpillars are on the ground. Highly poisonous to humans and deadly to dogs. They crawl in a procession over the ground. Their fine hairs are like the poisonous nettles of a jellyfish. If dogs sniff them, they throw them off. And if a dog inhales them, it will die. And since our dogs (especially little Lucy) are extremely curious, they stay on our arms. Suddenly, we see them everywhere. They build their nests like spider webs in pine trees - and we are surrounded by pine trees. Well great - it's hatching time - the trees are full of them - and that will last until the end of April. We will have to avoid pine trees... which is not so easy, because they are simply everywhere here.

With the dogs on our arms, we go back to the buses. These are also under pine trees, and they are also full of them. Oh great! We search the area around our parking spaces and tie up the dogs for the rest of the day. Sad dog eyes follow us :(

The joy of the great spot is gone. The next morning we continue driving (better safe than sorry) and visit Portoheli. We walk through the town - and can you believe it - there are pine trees everywhere and the formations of the processionary caterpillars are everywhere on the sidewalks. Well, this will be fun in the next few weeks. I go shopping (yayyy). Here is a shop with (my!) favorite Indian pants. Well, I treat myself to two of them (a little luxury is allowed). Unfortunately, it's raining today, so we continue on the beautiful coastal road to Galatas. We find a free parking space right by the sea, and in front of us is the island of Poros with the eponymous town. We decide to stay here. At night, when the lights come on, it will be a great view of the city.

We have seen most of the Peloponnese. The next few days, we will continue to the Corinth Canal. There, we want to take a detour into the mountains for hiking, and then (with a heavy heart) we will leave the beautiful Peloponnese. But we still have two or three weeks ahead of us... and we will enjoy them very much.