Nafplio

Wednesday, 31.05.2023

Today is market day in Nafplio. We are at the bus stop promptly at 8.50 am, and the bus arrives with only a 6-minute delay. It's not very crowded yet, but the bus stops at every coffee shop, which is comparable to having seven bus stops on Römerstrasse in Ettlingenweier! The bus driver is solely focused on driving the bus, and there is also a ticket seller on board, who initially waves us through and then, after a while (the bus fills up quickly), goes around and collects the tickets (€1.60 per person). He also acts as the seat usher when it gets very crowded and only a few seats are available. Sitting across from us is a thin, middle-aged man who crosses himself about every 2 minutes, which makes me a little worried. I don't know if he's maybe thanking God for the accident-free trip so far. To my great relief, the bus is relatively new and appears to be German-made. Just before each stop, the words 'Wagen hält' (bus stops) appear in bright red letters at the front!

After about 25 minutes of driving, we arrive in Nafplio and head straight to the weekly market. Here, we encounter a multitude of impressions! The tables with clothes are overflowing and strongly reminiscent of Woolworth during the end-of-season sale. In addition, there is a lot of voices as every vendor loudly promotes their products. The tables with fruits and vegetables are a true explosion of color, everything looks delicious, and so we buy strawberries, oranges, and apricots. The honey seller has cleverly placed his jars so that the sun shines directly into them, making the honey look like liquid gold. Only the fish section makes me slightly shudder at some of the fish, and of course, the smell here is not very pleasant.

After the market, we go to the old town, and Nafplio rightfully has the reputation of being one of the most beautiful cities in Greece. Everything is well-maintained, renovated, and the alleys shine brightly and friendly. We can't get enough of it.

At noon, the sky becomes quite dark, and in the distance, we hear thunder. How convenient that we are near the bus station and 10 minutes later, a bus to Tolo departs. The return trip is significantly louder, apparently many locals use market day to stock up on groceries. Everyone is loaded with numerous bags and the aisle is full, both with shopping and with people. It's nearly impossible for the ticket seller to get through, but he handles it with stoic composure. In Germany, unthinkable!

In the evening, Martin cooks his universally loved and renowned vegetable soup, which is an essential part of every camping trip...