Went on a great walk yesterday. We got the early bus to Sotiranika from Stoupa then walked across the gorge ate our sandwiches in Kambos under a shady tree in the plateia and then followed tracks back down to Kardamyli where Valerie had a swim. Didn’t go wrong too many times but it always takes us twice as long as the book says
This is for our camper van / motorhome friends who have LPG tanks.
We found we couldn’t put any gas in. We knew from the monitor that it needed some but the pump thought it was already full. After phoning various people in England for advice the conclusion was that if the outside temperature is very hot (it was about 30 C) the temperature of the van’s tank is greater than the pump tank, so the pump thinks the van is full. We went into the mountains where it was 19C and could fill the tank with no problem.
So … if you have problems filling your LPG tank because of the heat either go up a mountain, or try early morning.
Spending a few days in the campsite at Stoupa ( the only campsite down this coast – fortunately it’s fine) and went for a walk in the hills today. In the village of Kastania found an amazingly beautiful 1000 year old Byzantine church – Agios Petros.
And inside it was stunning. The first amazing thing was that it was unlocked and then it was covered in beautiful frescos!
It’s amazing to realise that this is how all these churches would have been
As we travel around I continually realise how little I know about so many things. We’ve just spent a day in Mystras an amazing ruined Byzantine city with a castle perched on top of a hill. Know about the Byzantine empire? Well I didn’t.
A very quick history lesson – whilst the western Roman Empire came to an end in AD476 when the last emperor of Rome was executed, the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) continued until AD1204. It started when the Roman emperor Constantine I founded Constantinople (Istanbul) in AD330. The Byzantines made Mystras into their second city and this was maintained into the 15th century even though the knights of the Fourth Crusade and other Franks (any foreigner from NW Europe) had sacked Constantinople and taken over part of the Peloponnese.
The churches in Mystras and throughout this area of the Peloponnese have a very distinctive style and architecture, and internally and are filled with amazing frescos.
We stayed in a nearby campsite called Castle View and walked to the old Mystra site. There are two entrances and I recommend entering at the top ‘Fortress’ entrance as then you walk slowly down. If you entered at the Main entrance you’d have to walk up and would probably run out of legs before getting to the castle. It is a fantastic site and we spent the whole day there wandering around looking at the castle, houses, churches etc
(if you click on a photo in the gallery it will open in its own page)
i was walking along a country lane when I heard this quintessential sound of Greece – if you’ve been there you’ll know it.
By the side of the road to Kalamata €3 a bag!
Met a lovely Greek couple in the Methoni campsite who were down from Patras for the weekend getting their caravan ready for the summer months. The whole family have been coming to this campsite for 15 years. Their daughter lives in north London near Clissold Park and it turned out that the mother loves travelling on the 73 bus and he loves shopping in Primark!
They were so friendly, inviting us to contact them when we were back in Patras.
They also advised us only to stop in campsites rather than ‘free camping’ places as it isn’t safe. For the first time in Greece I’ve seen people begging – coming up to the van and knocking on the windows (though this was only near Patras)
Our third day in Greece and have moved south to Methoni, staying at Camping Methoni recommended by Sian and Phoebus. Definitely our sort of town and our sort of campsite. A relaxed feel and most of the people staying here are Greek. Right by the Sea, here is the view from our van
fabulous!
Went out for a meal this evening and had really interesting food, different to what we’ve had on the islands. Artichoke with peas, green beans (thick runner beans rather than thin beans), leek pie (delicious pastry) and potatoes done in the oven. Wonderful herby tastes of parsley dill and of course oregano. The town has two fresh fish shops so the barbacue is coming out tomorrow.
Spent a couple of days in a campsite on Golden Beach a fabulous bay in the Messina area of the Peloponnese (the first finger). Doing some domestic chores – washing clothes, making bread, but then got our bikes off the back of the van an went on a cycle ride to nearby Pylos and I didn’t have to push my bike even once up several hills and hairpins!
