Yesterday the weather changed dramatically. A day earlier you could have been forgiven for thinking that summer had arrived. Yesterday started quite bright but by lunchtime, a bolt of lightning and a clap of thunder was followed by torrential rain that turned the narrow alleyways into streams. At some point in the afternoon the precipitation…
I was asked recently how my lifestyle enables me to do the 2 month trips that I’ve been lucky enough to do in recent years. There is no short answer to that but I’ve tried to put it as succinctly as I can. Nafplio did play a part in how I made a big career…
Breakfast at Polyxenia is served by Maria who is sister to Alexandra who checked me into the hotel yesterday. A set breakfast is brought to me at a table in the small dining area. There is the option to also sit outside. Yoghurt with honey, two slices of cake, freshly squeezed orange juice, tea, bread…
Last night there had been more snowfall. Not that I could see it on the streets of Kalavryta town but the evidence was on a number of cars in the street. They must have overnighted higher up in the mountains. I have a couple of hours to kill after breakfast and checking out, so I…
Yeah I really struggled for a title for this one. I had only decided this morning that I would visit the ski centre. I’d called Alex the taxi driver and had arranged for him to pick me up from the hotel. Now the whole point of this trip was to see Greece in winter. It…
After my visit to the site of the massacre on Kappi Ridge earlier today, I was in a quandary about how to spend the rest of the day. As part of the Kalavryta City Pass I have a ticket for the Cave of Lakes in Kastria. I walk to the taxi rank which is just…
After visiting the Kalavryta Holocaust Museum yesterday, I want to walk up to the memorial site on the Kappi Ridge. I can see the large cross on the hill from my hotel balcony, just over the tops of the pan-tiled rooves across the road. This morning, however, even though the sky is bright, there are…
When I arrived in Diakopto last night it was pitch black and all that I’d noticed was the large church in the square by the train station. Now daylight has broken I can see that the village is surrounded by mountains. The area looks relatively affluent with wide avenues, large modern style villa’s where lemon…
Before I left for Greece I wasn’t sure if this part of the journey would work out for me. To get to the Peloponnese from Athens I’ve always caught the bus. However, on this occasion it will be faster travelling by train. The Hellenic Train website I found to be a bit hit and miss….
I had heard about the Skyrian ponies before I’d heard about the island’s very unique Carnival celebrations. Although I haven’t seen much of the island (probably the first time I’ve never seen the port of a Greek island!), my stay wouldn’t be complete without seeing the horses. Last night I’d messaged Amanda to see if…
The last twenty-four hours have been pretty ‘yuck’! After returning back to my studios in Molos, the lurgy that I’d been fighting for days now wreaked its revenge. I spent the night shivering and struggling to get warm. The air con was cranked up to the max and I put as many layers of clothing…
The thing about Carnival on Skyros is that there is a loose framework around what is going to happen and where it will take place. However, you really need to be ‘in the know’ to grasp what’s going on. It isn’t like the very commercialised and huge carnival in Patras which because of its size…
