66. Athos -> Ouranoupoli

66. Tag: Actually, we wanted to leave early today and cross the Athos Peninsula at its isthmus. The sky was clear at sunrise, but not for long.

Only after noon does the rain finally stop. Let's just take a short walk. Because we still don't fully trust the weather, we first explore Ouranoupoli. The town has a few nice spots that suggest it used to be a pleasant place. But tourism has turned its once friendly face into a greedy grimace. Walking along the restaurant mile feels like running a gauntlet, and the souvenir shops with countless kitschy religious images are at best bewildering.

From there, we start a small hike to the remains of the abandoned Athos Monastery Zygou. It is located just before the border of the monastic republic. The border is an ugly wall with a rusty fence and unwelcoming signs. You really don't feel welcome! From there, we climb a hill with a beautiful view of the coast and the nearby island of Amouliani. Unfortunately, the weather has dampened the view. But in the end, it was still a recommended hike.

Originally, we also wanted to spend tomorrow here, but we prefer to move on to less "poisoned" areas. Just before the isthmus of the westernmost finger of Chalkidiki, Kassandra, we found a quiet parking spot at Kalyves Beach.