Kyllini to Vartholomio
We worked exceedingly hard today for little difference on the map. The plan had been to head towards Amaliada via the various small coast roads. We worked our way slowly but steadily up the hill from Kyllini Port towards Kyllini beach as we wanted to have a look and possible swim. It was another glorious day and we made it to Chlemousti Castle which looks very imposing, but we didn’t have time to go in and explore.
The Frankish Chelmousti castle built by Geoffrey de Villehardouin in 1220 - he seams to have been busy as there are lots of other castles of his dotted about.
Once at the top we whizzed happily down the hills through beautiful countryside, - very lush valleys full of Cyprus trees and Olives.
The view from the top with Cephalonia across the water.
Feeling full of the joys of spring we turned off to go to Kyllini beach and dropped some more. Once at the beach we realized our very bad mistake through careless map-reading as we had arrived at a dead end, not the short cut along a beach that we had hoped for. Rather a blow as we had to push all the way back up again. However, thinking positive, it gave us lots of opportunity to smell the newly cut verges full of wild fennel! About an hour later we were finally on the road we wanted to be on, by which time we had lost enthusiasm for continuing much further. Going through the village of Vranas we spied a hotel which ticked all the boxes, so checked in there. After dumping our heavy kit we set off to explore the rather more accessible beach of Thines and to have an early supper in Vartholomio as there was no taverna in our village.
Children in Greece have more freedom that at home and you see them a long way from anywhere on their bikes. It seems that the coolest thing they aspire to, is to own a motor bike and do ‘wheelies’ with it. We see quite a few large lads doing exactly this; as they pass us, they lift their front wheel at least a foot off the ground and rev the engine very noisily and travel like that for up to a hundred yards. (no helmets of course) The smaller children bicycle alongside us doing the same thing with their bicycles and saying ‘vroom, vroom’ all the time. They must be very disappointed in us who cannot lift the front wheels off at all, in fact we still cannot ride with no hands which is most irritating as we both could in our youth.
Alec swam as always but I chickened out.
Vivi (whilst I swam) wondering if this bar would be open in time for dinner.
In Vranas we met a very friendly restauranteur who cooked us salted cod in batter, with a mash made from potatoes, bread and a LOT of garlic cloves. It is apparently traditional at this time of year. It was awfully rich and we felt positively queasy afterwards!
His wife’s sister’s parents own a hotel in Methoni where we hope to go soon so they were full of advice even though that particular hotel is closed. We biked home in a very full moon which was wonderful but not so wonderful later as all the local dogs barked all night as it was so light.
Greece prepares for Easter as the army would for a Field Marshall’s inspection. It is as though the Greeks have just come out of hibernation and every village is full of people white washing, strimming, mowing, pruning and washing everything in the house and even the streets. It is traditional for all whitewashing to be done before Easter. They also paint very small squares and rectangles on the pavements and we have yet to find out what why.
The week before Easter everything is painted white!
The houses with rooms to let are be-decked with pillows and blankets airing. They mostly open just after Easter which will be good for us.
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