Diakofto - Kalavryta - Corinth

This morning we take the Rack Railway from Diakofto - Kalavryta. This area will either attract the walker and/or the train enthusiast. 

 

 

Last evening we walked to the beach. It was a stoney beach but the scenery on the Gulf  of Corinth was breath taking. (Note the snow capped mountain tops).

 

We returned to our hotel and at a coffee shop en route met a Canadian couple from Vancouver who had spent two weeks cycling in Albania prior to their visit to Greece. They had come here to ride the rack rail.  

Diakofto is a small hamlet and we had dinner at the only restaurant in the town. I mention it because of all the places I have travelled to, I have never been asked, when requesting a menu, to come into the kitchen where all the pots were opened to us and we were invited to choose from lamb, stuffed aubergine and peppers, stuffed vine leaves and meatballs! The food was very good. 

The rail journey was as impressive as is its history

  

 

 

The scenery was spectacular as we rode between high mountain peaks,

 

 through numerous cavernous tunnels 

 

Note the middle track - the train binds itself to this track as it climbs the steeper parts! 

with the river gorge deep beneath us.   

 

We arrived at Kalavryta. It is a town steeped in history. 

 

We visited the holocaust museum it was indeed harrowing as one saw videos of some of the female survivors. All the population had been herded into the local school and men and boys over 13 years of age were removed and shot outside the town. It was left to women and children to bury them. The killings were in revenge for the partisans killing German POW s when an exchange could not be agreed. 

 

 

In winter, the town is a ski centre. The main thoroughfare was lined with shops displaying the best of Greek produce. 

 

We retreated to the station, where the local, young band entertained us. Their slain forefathers would have been members of that self same band. 

 

We turned to Diakofto 

 

We are departing for Corinth on the 15.15 hrs bus. At Kito, we join the train for the 10 minute journey to Corinth - the train continuing to Athens. 

Til tomorrow......

Olympia - Pygros - Diakofto via Patras

I feel I've been away for weeks ! 

We depart this morning by train for  Pyrgos (30 minutes).  On arrival we will travel north via Patra to Diakofto, where we'll take a scenic train ride. The only train running on the peninsula is the Kito to Athens line. Supposedly, the present narrow guage line which circumnavigated the north of the peninsula is to be converted to the standard European gauge but there is no sign of any work in progress! 

One notices the tragic effects of the economic collapse - multiple shops shut down, roads in poor repair, lightening stoppages and constantly changing schedules everywhere. One cannot plan ahead - just take it as it comes. 

Hotel Kroni was a steal at €40 and a full breakfast at €3 to include juice, cereal, fruit, eggs, croissants and cakes.  I thought this tourist spot would be expensive but no. A three course dinner with local wine cost about €30 for 2 everywhere. In addition travel is inexpensive - so holidaying here in the Peloponnese won't break the bank. 

I'm sitting outside in the bus station cafeteria. It's 10.30 hrs and our bus for Patra departs at 11.15 hrs. At Patra, we'll have to find a bus to Diakopto, (no joined up thinking), where we'll overnight and if the scenic train is running, take the train tomorrow.  Travel here is slow.! 

The morning had dawned bright and fair. Unlike yesterday, the sun was high in the cloudless sky and the temperature at 0930 hrs at Olympic railway station must have been inthe early 20s   

  

The tour busses were already arriving as we quitted the hotel at 0900 hrs - hence their absence on the ancient site yesterday afternoon! 

An elderly man engaged me in conversation and continued to converse even though I informed him that I did not speak Greek. He was a pleasant man and we saw him happily ensconced in Pyrgos station cafe imbibing his coffee, prior to commencing his business in Pyrgos. 

The train arrived and 4 passengers boarded. The line is not fenced so the driver had to continuously hoot the horn - one lady on the track obviously did not hear him and he blew again! It stopped at 3 stations and more passengers boarded. It is not economical but I believe it was built fot the recent Olympics held in Greece. 

On arrival at Pyrgos at 10.00hrs 

 

we walked to the nearby bus station, where we had to await the 11.15 hrs bus back to Patra. I was not looking forward to this repeat performance but there was no alternative! 

Diverting into many small towns as we did on the outward journey, we arrived back at 13.30, the final part of the journey treating us to stunning views of the Gulf of Patra. 

 

We crossed the road to the train station, where railway buses follow much of the old rail route. 

A quick lunch in the station cafe and we departed for Diakofto to take one of  Greece's most spectacular journeys from Diakofto to Kakavryta. 

The journey from Patras to Diakofto took us along the glorious Gulf of Corinth bathed in the afternoon sun and flanked by mountains of many hues. 

 

 

I again expied the suspension bridge, first seen as we approached Patra from Bari. It appeared more structured but did not disappoint. 

 

We left the coast and climbed into the mountains finally arriving at our destination. 

On arrival, we booked out tickets for tomorrow's journey and adjourned to the Chris  Paul hotel minutes from the station. It is a typical pension - not on a par with last night but quite acceptable. However, its location is spectacular set among the olive, lemon and orange groves with the mountains acting as sentries in the background. 

The owner was very friendly and advised us to stay a few hours in Kalavryta instead of returning immediately as we had planned. He rang the station to alter the return time. 

More to come....

Petra - Olympia via Pyrgos

 

What a night!!! I tossed and turned as the springs of the mattress dug into me! The Greek Prime ministers are reputed to stay in a suite at this hotel when visiting Patra - I hope for their sakes that the mattresses in the suites are of better quality!! 

Last night we walked the main shopping street of Patra and then adjourned to Labyrinthos  - a highly recommended 80 year old Greek Taverna. Reviewers on Tripadvisor, without exception, raved about it. We shared stuffed lettuce leaves to start, followed by delicious meatballs with yoghurt for CC and goat and rice for me! Dessert, coffee and their own homemade degustation, which tasted like black currant juice, were 'on the house'!! The meal was good but I would not endorse the rave reviews!! 

Sitting beside us was a group of Chinese from Beijing. Their meal consisted of a Greek salad followed by steak and chips all washed down with tap water. I wondered what the trip had cost them? 

 

This morning, we boarded the 0930 bus for Pyrgos, (2hrs/€10). The bus was a local one and diverted to collect and drop passengers at every town! We were the only passengers to complete the journey from Patra to Pyrgos.   After a 15 minute interval in Pygros bus station, we boarded another bus for Olympia. (30 mins/ €2.20). Again passengers embarked and disembarked en route. 

On arrival in Olympia, it became clear that the place only caters for tour groups. Bus after bus was lined up beside the entrance to the ancient site of Olympia. There was no information centre and no where to store our bags, so we decided that we had no option but to book into a hotel, leave our luggage and visit the site of ancient Olympia. 

Another factor which determined our stay was the train, which ran to Pyrgos, was making its final departure at 13.15! 

 

 

 

We met the driver who informed us that there was a train tomorrow morning at 0930 hrs We'll take the train back to Pygros. 

 I would like to visit Sparta and though it is only c.170 km from Pyrgos, it would take at least a day, if not two to travel down south and that's an estimate, as there's no timetable, time and train commitments did not permit! There is a delicate balancing act on this trip between cultural pursuits and scenic rail journeys!!  One needs plenty of time travelling in Greece, what with lightning strikes, changing timetables and few express busses!!  

What is amazing about the Peloponnese is its lack of tourist information centres - there was none in Patra, in Pyrgos or here in Olympia. At the bus station, you can obtain information on going from A-B but not to C - frequently, one must wait until one gets to B to find information to C.  For a country that relies on tourism, the lack of information is incredulous! 

Olympia, population 1,000 is a modem village adjacent to the Ancient Olympia. 

 

It is where Zeus allegedly held the first Olympic Games! Games were held here for 100 years. The philosophy behind the games was the suspension of war between tribes in the month of July (the first full moon after the Summer solstice) as they competed at the games. 

This is where the flame is lit for the Olympic Games every four years. 

 

   Site of Olympic torch lighting ceremony

 

In Ancient Greece only Greek males could compete - women and slaves were excluded and a woman caught attending the games was thrown from Mt. Typaion! During Roman times the Games declined until the final Games were held in AD 393. The modern Olympics commenced in 1896 and with the exception of WW1 and 11 have continued ever since. 

We first visited the Archaeology Museum, adjacent to the site. It is spectacular in display and very informative - a must prior to visiting the site itself. 

We then entered the site. 

Each building is well documented. The main attraction is the Temple of Zeus. To commemorate the Olympic Games being held in Athens in 2006, the German Archaeology Society restored one of the arches of the Temple of Zeus to give visitors an idea of its scale!! 

 

 

 

  

 

                           Zeus 

The site  was destroyed by Theodosius in AD 393 in his efforts to root out pagan festivals and thence by fire, earthquake and landslide. Yet one is enthralled by the sense of history here . 

The original Olympic track is very impressive. I ran (well, if truth be told, walked ) the track. I felt a great sense of history.   

 

 

 

There are numerous other sites to be explored. 

 

 

To visit the site and museum would require a minimum of  3 hours. The entrance fees are modest but as today happened to be designated a free admission day to all international museums., it was free entry for all. 

We commenced our visit at 1400 hrs - the tourist buses had departed and one could appreciate the site as the number of visitors were few.  May is an ideal time to visit as the season has not quite begun and the weather is pleasant - in the early 20s with a welcome breeze. 

After three enjoyable hours we returned to our hotel Kronio (€40) adjacent to the railway station and a 5 minute walk from the ancient Olympian site. The hotel provided an informative video of Olympia in each bedroom and linking at it after visiting the site was most instructive. 

More tomorrow .......

 

En route to Patras, Patra, the Peloponnese, Greece

Strike no! It appears there's a 48 hour strike st the Greek ports! It commenced at 00.01 hours this morning. We were advised of it as we checked in but it appears that we are being allowed to dock! 

The crossing was smooth. Our neighbours, the school group retired quietly or we didn't hear them as we were exhausted after a day of sightseeing in Bari. The cabin was very comfortable - very similar to a cabin on the Rosslare - Cherbourg crossing. I slept well. 

At breakfast, there were very few people about. Most of the truck drivers, who made up the majority of passengers, disembarked at Igoumenitsa at c.0530. It appears that the truck deck, full to capacity on departure, has been depleted - three trucks remain. CC tells me that there was a lot of banging and clanging at the port but I heard nothing!! This port is south of Corfu and would provide a more direct route for truckers to Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Turkey. 

Later, as we approached Patras, I went outside to see the Rio-Andirio suspension bridge, an engineering feat that links the city with western continental Greece. It was difficult to photograph as it appeared to float on the sea and was so delicate in structure that it blended with the sky. 

 

It was cool and breezy. (Don't say we brought Irish weather to Greece as we did to New Zealand?? ). We docked at 13.00 hrs. and walked the 10 minutes to Hotel Astir. The weather was a little warmer than on board but I did not feel overheated in my jacket! 

Patra (Patras) is a shadow of its former self ! It is the largest city in the Peloponnese, named after King Patra who ruled Achaia c.1100BC. It was an important trade centre under Mycenaean and Roman rule. Although it boasts a university population of 20,000, it teems with derelict buildings which mar its spectacular coastal location. 

 

On arrival at the hotel, we are treated to an unusual fruit which appeared to have been soaked in syrup. It was a pleasant touch. The Greek Prime Ministers take a suite in this hotel when they visit Patra - so it must be good enough for us!!

 

The hotel, though 4 star, has an air of faded grandeur. The rooms are spacious and will adequately fill the bill! 

Our next port of call was to the bus station next door to enquire about busses (yes busses) to Olympia. We have decided to take the 0930 bus tomorrow -2 1/2 hours via Pyrgos. Two points to note if you pass this way. You must be at the station to buy your ticket 1/2 hour before as the bus might leave early!! In addition, there are two bus stations in Patras (population 168,000) so check your departure station - luckily our departure point is next to the hotel. 

It was now 1500hrs so lunch beckoned - our first Greek meal. Next to the hotel was Mareipeio restaurant where we shared an enormous portion of Mousakka together with bread and a jug of local wine - excellent!

 

We adjourned to the railway station across the road from the hotel. All our needs are thankfully compacted in a small area. 

 

The station only caters for suburban lines at present as they intend to convert the narrow gauge railway to the European norm. No trains today - there a 24 austerity strike! Are we Irish toocompliant?  

As I sit here in the station restaurant sipping an Americano (coffee is expensive here relative to water and wine  €2-4 a cup) - overlooking the tracks and the stupendous sea view, its good to be back in Greece after a long interval. 

 

Tonight, we are dining in  Labyrinthos - an 80 year old family run restaurant that serves classic Greek dishes for the adventurous epicurean - that's us!! 

Details to follow......

 

Bari

This morning we awoke to the sound of traffic. The sun was high in the sky! 

The hotel Excelsior Congressi was a pleasant surprise! Though we had only booked on Sunday night, we were surprised to discover that many hotels were booked out, so we settled for the above in spite of the fact that Trip Advisor's reviews were poor.  We later learned that a G8 summit is taking place in the city - hence the shortage of hotel accommodation. The hotel has recently been renovated and our only complaint was the lack of air conditioning!

On arrival the room's temperature measured 28 degrees and I couldn't lower it!  On calling reception, I was informed that it was centrally controlled. I asked for the temperature to be lowered and reception said it would comply but on our return, a window had been opened (we're on the 5th floor) . We opened the other and as the temperature outside reduced we had a pleasant sleep until traffic resumed around 6am! 

Breakfast was excellent - a selection of cereal, yoghurts,  hard boiled eggs and omelettes in addition to a choice of croissants, cakes, biscuits  and tarts. The coffee was excellent and the staff most obliging. 

We set off to explore Bari. We walked along the very picturesque promenade outside the city walls

 

The Italians have a wonderful sense of style - the area suffers from sea erosion yet the defences exhibit this sense of style : 

 

En route we discovered the Teatre Petruzzelli - one of Bari's main attractions. Here operas and classical concerts are performed. 

 

We walked to the busy industrial port, en route we passed the Fish Market but we were  too late to experience it as its busiest. 

 

We then swung inland to discover the old town where stands St Nicholas Cathredal - 

 

another of the city's star attractions. It did not disappoint - the altar appeared Romanesque and the ceiling was a treasure to behold. 

 

 

Downstairs was the crypt of St Nicholas with his remains entombed in the altar dedicated to him.

 

I never knew that Santa Claus hailed from Bari - I always thought he came from the North Pole but there you go !!!

We continued to the port. It was not as large as I had thought. 

 

On we went through the alley ways. 

 

 

The old city is a living city - people reside in the ancient buildings and one considers one's mortality as the vaporettas whiz by, without any regard for pedestrians. To escape, we took refreshments outside an old bar, where local men sipped their beer. 

 

We eventually found one of the oldest restaurants in Bari - established in 1870, the year Italy was unified.  

 

The proprietor asked us for our choice of pasta and main course: a local dish (rice, potatoe and baked mussels in their shells), octopus or from a variety of pastas then for our choice of main - fried fish, prawns or beef. 

We were then served with a starter of the most delicious prosciutto and mozzarella together with a dish of sun dried tomatoes and what appeared to be a variety of cucumber, accompanied by delicious bread. 

 

That would have been more than sufficient but this was followed by the pasta and the local dish described above. The pasta was homemade - one saw the women making the pasta as one traversed the alleyways of the old town - mixed with a variety of fish and sweetly tasting tomatoes. The local dish was delicious - I have never seen it on an Irish / Italian restaurant.  (My apologies dear reader but I forgot to photograph the pasta course!!!)

Then came the main course of fried octopus and calamari for CC and prawns for me - 3 large prawns lightly grilled. 

 

All this food was consumed with a bottle of water ( water is as expensive as wine), a jug of white wine for CC and red for me - no wine glasses - water glasses had to suffice!!! 

As if that wasn't sufficient, the meal concluded with a plate of deliciously sweet strawberries and a custard filled pastry! 

 

Total cost €23 pp. - a steal for quality!!  I couldn't move - we had intended to have a light lunch but alas!! Our waiter, who spoke excellent English, asked me where we were from. He was very excited to hear we were from Dublin. When I told him we had flown to Bari directly with Ryan Air, he couldn't believe it. I don't know how long Ryan Air have been flying in here but it is obviously not well known among locals. He is now going to visit his friends in Dublin!!

However, a little later, I managed a small cone of chocolate ice cream - it wasn't small but I couldn't leave Italy without having had their delicious ice cream! 

En route to the hotel, we took a coffee at the station - two Americanos €2!! We returned to the hotel to await a taxi to the port. 

We had to check in at 1730 for the 1930 sailing. We were taking the Superfast Greek ferry to Patra. We were able to board immediately. 

 

We're now here in our cabin relaxing before we set sail.  

We boarded early and as I relax here in the cabin, a large group of very vocal Italians, school kids I'd wager, appear to have taken over the deck. The Italians are so dramatic but I love to hear them speak their language with such expression and gesticulation. It is such a beautiful sounding language. 

We went up on deck to watch the trucks load. It was a sight to behold how the drivers reversed on and parked so close together!! 

 

The sunset was spectacular and as we departed Bari a half an hour late, before departure, it had disappeared into the horizon - the light was fading quickly - there's no dusk here. 

 

We leave Italy behind and arrive in Patras , Greece on the Peloponnese tomorrow morning. 

More tomorrow......

  

Dublin- Bari (Italy)

We leave on the Ryan air 15.55 to Bari, Italy. From there we will take a cruise ship to Patra on the north coast of the Peloponnese. 

Arrived in Bari airport and took a train to Bari Central - 18km taking 18 minutes. The station is new and for a regional airport with a train stopping at the airport should make Dublin , a capital city blush! The train was 1 minute late arriving and there was a public announcement to that effect in addition to the public display!!

We arrived at Bar Central and adjourned to our hotel Excelsior - a 3 minute walk from the station. 

It was now 2100, so after a quick freshen up, we took a 10 minute walk to the restaurant area. It is Monday night so a number of eateries were closed but we eventually chose s restaurant. We chose a pizza, Naples is the home of the pizza, but we thought the Mezzogiorno ( the land of the midday sun) is its home.   

The restaurant was replete with Italians - too early for tourists? A bottle of local wine hit the spot !! We retraced our steps to the hotel. Tomorrow we will check out historic Bari - as it was dark on arrival at 2200 hrs, it was hard to form any firm impressions but tomorrow is another day !