We took a final walk in to Nafplio where I got a much needed haircut and was fascinated by a recycling scheme based in a shipping container where people were turning up with jumbo bags of plastic and glass bottles as well as cans and feeding them in to a crusher that credited them with 3 cents an item which soon added up : brilliant.
A few miles north we passed the substantial walls of Tiryns before pulling in to the village below Mycenae where a large and empty car park provided a place to stay. The linear village seemed to have seen better days with a string of rundown restaurants and shops that were mostly closed. We enjoyed a quiet afternoon and were up early the following morning to beat the crowds up at Ancient Mycenae where the extensive ruins of the city founded in legend by Perseus and the centre of Mycenaean influence with proven occupation since 2000BC spread out over the hillside. The remarkable Lion Gate leads up to the main site with the acropolis reached by passing grave circles and the outlines of various buildings. A cistern tucked away had been excavated to reach a spring that lay outside the walls and we were lucky to have the place to ourselves as the coaches were already arriving in the car park below. However one group of Americans on a 'Mystery of the Seas' cruise aimed at those seeking an alternative path had already formed a circle on the temple and were listening to the wisdom of, I kid you not, Sasha Starseed. Still each to their own so we dropped down to the impressive museum although some of the finest relics are in the National Museum in Athens. Just down the road lay the Treasury of Arteus, an impressive and intact beehive tomb with a 15m entrance corridor leading to a large gateway with an amazing 9m long lintel estimated to weigh 118 tons. Ironically it was humming due to a large number of bees buzzing around inside the remarkable structure, built entirely of stone with no mortar. Looking back up to Mycenae itself the newly arrived visitors really did look like ants scurrying around and we were glad to have avoided them. The relative proximity to Athens has meant more tourists than elsewhere on this trip but it must be heaving in the high season.
Passing through the village we filled up with water and headed off to Ancient Corinth where we planned to stay overnight and again visit the ruins first thing in the morning. However with time to spare we took the road high up to the Acrocorinth located 565m above the surrounding plains and regarded as Greece's most important mediaeval fortress. Still surrounded by 2km of walls it has been occupied by a wide range of invaders over the years and even today the Turkish influence is very evident. Admission was free but the site still closed at the usual 15.30 leaving us a bit of a dash to climb up to the highest citadel passing the site of the Temple of Aphrodite, once used as a brothel, having passed through a triple gate complex. We were rewarded with panoramic views across the Gulf of Korinthos and the Sardonic Gulf but couldn't linger as the closing siren was sounding.
Down in Corinth itself we found plenty of space in the main car park and took a walk through the town which has various parts of Ancient Corinth spread amongst its more modern parts. A welcome ice cream before the sun set preceded a night in and an early start to visit the main site with the impressive Temple of Apollo the central and main attraction. We enjoyed looking round the extensive ruins and were joined by a friendly stray dog that had found us the night before and quietly latched on to any friendly face. The museum had many exquisite statues and other artefacts and we left as the first coaches arrived and had a coffee on a roof top terrace looking over the ruins and up to the Acrocorinth.
The Corinth Canal, started in Roman times but only finished by Hungarian engineers in the 1880s is visually jaw dropping and if you need more dropping a bungee jump is possible. We watched a nervous lass finally take the plunge to a round of applause and another lad who opted for the chest harness rather than ankle loops approach. Towards the north end of the deep but narrow cut we could see a floating crane at work so no vessels were passing through but it sees around 35,000 ships a year looking to save a 400 mile diversion round the Peloponnese in normal use.
To avoid the traffic and navigational nightmares of central Athens we used the toll motorway which again charges a fair bit more for vehicles over 2.2m but reached the Camper Stop near the airport where a night with power was a very reasonable £20. Whilst we charged everything up Mandy sorted out her belongings for the journey home after which I placed the genny and fuel can within easy reach as it may well see use in Turkey. The following morning we made use of the washing machine before heading out to the airport which has a free 'hug and drop' section. It's always hard going our separate ways and this time it's for up to 6 months but we have had the most amazing 8 weeks together, I've been away 3 months already and further adventures await.
Down at Piraeus I parked alongside a marina, deciding that paid, secured parking was worth the extra tenner and walked round past some smart looking fish restaurants no doubt patronised by the owners of the various luxury yachts moored up. I'd failed to get any gas but have two full ones and can get Turkish cylinders once over there, all of which I hope to refill in Gori, Georgia by mid to late April. Joris and his wife who we met a while back from Belgium have encountered heavy snow in central and eastern Turkey so there is no need to crack on as crossing the Caucasus may be similarly affected. Thus I decided to extend my interlude on Chios which is the stopping point for getting to Turkey.
I arrived in the main port of Piraeus in plenty of time, confirmed my etickets were in order and by 2pm was being directed to reverse deep in to the bowels of the Blue Star Ferry 'Mykonos' alongside the HGV trailers. Departure was scheduled for 16.00 so I found my cabin which was high up on deck 7, directly below the bridge and with a forward facing window. As we left on time the vessel was pretty full with most people in seated accommodation as I realised that the ship called at several other islands en route during the night. We passed large numbers of tankers and container ships as Piraeus is a very busy port and were soon heading to Mykonos our first stop.
Later on the seas became rougher with waves hitting the port side and sending torrents of water over my window so although the restaurant fare looked excellent I took the safer option. At Skyos for example it was fascinating to see the ship reverse up to the quayside, disgorge passengers and vehicles, take on new and get going again in a matter of minutes : clearly back at Piraeus loading had taken in to account which vehicles were going where and as we arrived at Chios I was the only one left in Garage 5. I'd had a welcome and courteous wake up knock on the door at 05.30 and as we arrived dawn was breaking.
Heading north I stopped at a small garage for fuel where a guy said they were actually closed but would allow me to fill up. Unfortunately his pump was faulty so I left it to start heading round to the top of the island. I checked out the filling station at Volissos online only to see that it had been destroyed in a forest fire last year so tried another one back in Marmaro only to discover it was Greek Independence Day and nowhere was open. Thus a bonus day of rest was in order down at the small beach of Girolimenas where due to a strong northerly wind the waves were crashing on to the pebbly beach. It was a peaceful spot and I made use of the nearby tap to wash the salty spray off the van the following morning before returning to Marmaro where the guy had found the fault in his pump lay in the trigger switch and I put in €50 to get me in to Turkey where it will be half the price, despite the turmoil in the oil markets at present.
A road across the mountains brought me to Volissos, passing the ruins of the garage with burnt out cars still on the forecourt or up on four post lifts - a sobering sight. Large areas of forest had also gone with blackened trunks dotting the bare limestone. The village lay on a hillside and had largely escaped any damage but was very quiet with just one mini market open for bread.
Moving down to the coast I soon came to idyllic Tigani bay that would be impossible not to stay on. It was a hot sunny day, I could tuck away almost unseen and with nobody about I enjoyed a day on the beach and a paddle up to the knees - still a bit of a wuss in the sea swimming stakes at this time of year.
Beautiful coast roads brought me round to Limenas, a small port where a ferry to goodness knows where was berthed and I stopped for a strong black coffee - I have decided to seriously address weight issues over the next 6 months in the hope it will resolve a chronic knee pain so have halved the quantities for all meals and stopped the snacking....
Following the coast south I entered an area known for the production of a mastic gum from the pine trees which gives rise to the term 'mastihohoria' that covers a group of around 20 villages. Mesta is one of these and is a very well preserved mediaeval fortified village built in the shape of a pentagon and protected by six iron gates. The houses have no outward facing windows and within the walls there are numerous blind alleys and tunnels all surrounding a main square and church. Another coffee in the sun allowed me to soak up the atmosphere before I moved on to Pyrgi with its decorative houses in xysta patterns that are etched through the whitewash layer in to the black sand render.
A side road out to Ayia Dhynami produced two superb coves near a Genoese look out tower and small monastery. Nearby may have been an artillery training ground as I spotted a number of tanks parked up and a large military helicopter.
At Emborios I visited the archeological site of Old Emborios and whilst the lofty position was impressive the remains were less so. The ticket lady seemed surprised to have a visitor and after watching a short video I signed the book, the first for ten days...
High in the mountains with rain and winds forecast I called at abandoned Anavatos that is almost invisible on its craggy escarpment. Some work using a trolley rail system is underway on the castle and the odd house seemed occupied with a clever representation of the village itself painted on to the walls of one cottage.
I found a quiet spot just off the road for last night as the heavens finally opened and will head down to Chios shortly for my ferry over to Cesme. It's only a 30 minute crossing (and thus quite pricey at £160) but has saved the long haul round northern Greece and through parts of Turkey covered last year.
Priority on arrival will be a month's vehicle insurance and a local SIM as I expect to enter Georgia within 3 weeks if the winter snows clear.
Thus that's it for Greece which has exceeded my expectations and will certainly be factored in to my plans for future winters..........
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