15. Small Prespa Lake

15th day: In the morning, I enjoy the tranquility of Lake Ohrid before we head towards Lake Prespa. Actually, the two lakes are quite close together, and one might think it's just a hop, skip, and a jump. Far from it! Due to the border crossings, it takes almost 3 hours. However, in the late morning, we are waved through by the customs officer with a friendly 'Welcome to Greece'.

Our first destination for today is the island of Agios Achillios in the small Prespa Lake. You can reach the island from the mainland via a pretty long pontoon bridge. On the way, you pass through the reed belt where you can find a variety of (water) birds. It's wonderful here, and we soak up the peaceful atmosphere. Luckily, we immediately spot one of the local Dalmatian pelicans. These rare birds can have a wingspan of up to 3 meters and are currently in the breeding season. Unfortunately, they don't like to give too much away about their nesting places. But we keep seeing flocks of pelicans gliding across the lake.

The island is inhabited by a few farmers, and all their pets roam freely. Our little tour around the island takes us past some sacred buildings, including a ruin from the 10th century. The peaceful atmosphere in the reed belt continues here as well. The people here live very modestly.

Back on the mainland, we continue to the big Prespa Lake. There, in the village of Psarades, we enjoy the last warming rays of the sun before it sets behind the opposite peninsula. We find our overnight accommodation on that peninsula in the parking lot of an abandoned hotel.