Travels and weekend breaks

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Free books, a majestic cave in the Peloponnese and a road for smooching

A visit to Kastria Cave (aka Cave Lakes)

Today, I am pleased to share photographs from the majestic Kastria Cave (aka Cave Lakes) in the area of Kalavryta.

The cave system is vast and only a small part of it is open to visitors.

We had an enthralling tour for about 30 minutes, exploring the small part of the cave that is open to the public. The main reason why the rest of it will remain out of reach is to ensure its preservation, as well as the survival of its fauna that thrives there for thousands of years.

There are ten bat species in the lakes, something I wasn’t exactly pleased to be told before entering🫣Immediately, my mind conjured up an image of Jim Carrey’s Pet Detective bolting out of a cave that was full of bats and guano and screaming!

Ha ha. Luckily, I didn’t have to do that. The tour guide said we might find droppings on the ground, and said not to photograph any bats if we happen to see them. Again, I was spared from any encounter of the sort 🙃

But, actually, the guano is useful in the caves, as it becomes food for other species, including three endemic ones: a scorpion, a beetle and a spider. These, along with an endemic cricket, have survived safely inside the caves for millenia.

More than 18,000 bats live in the caves. When I found that out I felt even luckier I never saw a single one LOL!

 

This was not my first visit to a cave. I have been to the impressive Lake Melissani in Kefalonia and the beautiful Diros Caves in the Peloponnese (both explored by boat).

But, entering the Kastria Cave, I was stunned. Nothing could have prepared me for the staggering size of the chambers. I’d never seen a cave before clothed in every way with such sheer magnificence.

I kept looking up and marvelling at the tall ceilings and the beautiful formations from that very first chamber we entered.

The walking tour lasted for about thirty minutes. Walking on artificial bridges over the serene lake waters and going up and down steps, we explored a series of majestic chambers of incredibly high ceilings.

Some of the formations were really impressive, such as a series of natural ‘bathtubs’ that reminded me of those stone bathtubs one can find in luxury hotels in Aegean islands, like Santorini, which imitate natural cavernous spaces. Or, the much larger natural Kolibithres in Mikro Papigo, Zagori, that are out in the open and people can actually swim in them.

But the natural ‘bathtubs’ of the Kastria Cave are out of reach to the public, of course, and can only be viewed from a bridge at close distance. The guide on site told us all of them stay full of water in the winter. They had little to no water during our visit mid-April.

There are 13 lakes inside the cave. The total length is 1.980 meters, but only 500 meters are open to the public. The cave system is laid out on three different levels. Visitors walk along a short, sloped tunnel to enter the cave which takes them straight to the second level.

There are heavy security doors either side of the tunnel to ensure they stay shut in order to preserve the low temperature in the cave. You feel the sudden drop in temperature as soon as you enter.

The exploration of the Kastria Cave took place between 1964-1965. In 1981, it was handed over to the Greek Tourism Authority, and it has been open to the public since 1988.

Across from the entrance to the cave, in a beautiful court with greenery and trees, stands a small, yet interesting, museum. Various findings from excavations in the caves are housed there, including tools, and remains of animals (even those of a hippo!) from the Bronze and Neolithic eras.

All in all, it was a memorable and exciting visit, and if you’re in the area of Kalavryta, I highly recommend you check out this wonderful site.

The nearby village of Planitero is the perfect place for lunch if you’re visiting the area. Planitero is a stunning little village with trout farms and rushing river waters. I did go there for lunch on the same day and will share all about it some other time.

Here, I’d like to thank Perivassis Tourism & Τravel Services and our amazing tour guide, Katerina Liontaki, for another wonderful day spent under her wing, and also for her sending me some of her own photographs to post.

GO HERE to see all the pictures from Kastria Cave. Some of them are posters mounted inside the tunnel and depict speleologists. These photos show the cave and the lakes in all their splendour!

 

Vytina, a beautiful town with many treasures…

On the same day my husband and I visited Kastria Cave on the coach tour, we stopped at Vytina for coffee.

Vytina is a traditional settlement in the Peloponnese that has beautiful stone buildings. It is built at the foot of the mountain range, Mainalo.

Go here to see my pictures from Vytina.

We had coffee at the square in one of the many cafes beside a beautiful stone-built church. Then, we looked around the shops that sell traditional products, including the local honey variety that has a striking yellowish color.

It is called Elati Vanilia, and it is a treasure to the immune system, and also beneficial for a number of health issues.

We also found out that the region also produces a variety of marble that is named The Black of Vytina. Truly, it’s a blessed little place, with many treasures.

But that wasn’t all we discovered there. Thanks to our wonderful guide, who tipped us off, we then took a downward street from the square, looking for love…

And love, we did find, just a couple minutes later, getting into the most serene little road lined by trees that has a very special name 😍

 

This is a photo of me on ‘The Road of Love’ (O Dromos tis Agapis) in Vytina. It has been named thus by the locals because, for many generations, it has been the meeting place for young lovers to take a walk in the quiet.

The road stretches out into the distance, as far as you can see, with beautiful tall trees either side. There are hardly any houses around, just grassy fields and more trees.

Back in April when I visited, the distant snow-capped mountains were the perfect backdrop. The birdsong was ample and sweet in my ears. The grassy ground was strewn with tiny white flowers, including chamomile.

It all combined to create a sweet springtime memory that I will treasure forever.

I am at an age when I need nothing in terms of physical things. Most of the time, I don’t wish for a present anymore on the big days but always go for a meal out, or a day out in nature to celebrate, instead.

Beautiful memories is the only thing I seek when I think of exciting new ‘acquisitions.’

It is a privilege and an honor to share my experiences with you. Once again, I’d like to thank everyone who writes to tell me how they enjoy reading about my travels. You give me encouragement to keep on traveling and sharing!

Before I go, to share my big news. I just finished writing My Greek Island Christmas! What I can tell you is it got me and hubby (who is my forever eager editor) in the same places!

This means that if we laughed or cried in certain scenes, chances are you will too 😃 But it has a nice balance of humor, romance and family drama. Oh. And lots of Greek food. That blessed girl cooked every day in that farm in Santorini, and she kept me salivating 😛

Anyway, I am really pleased it’s done! Another baby of mine born, and the feeling is amazing every time 💗

GO HERE to check out the book and download a FREE sample! The book is available on preorder in various stores 🥳

Till next time, enjoy summer and keep reading amazing books!

Interested in discovering more places in the Peloponnese? Check out these posts next!

A cruise through the Corinth Canal and fun facts  https://effrosyniwrites.com/2024/10/25/corinth-canal-cruise-and-corfiot-pastitsada/

A stunning fresco at the Isthmia Roman Baths, Nero, and a mollusc with a royal secret https://effrosyniwrites.com/2024/11/08/fresco-isthmia-roman-baths-nero-corinth-canal/

Majestic views in Lake Doxa and an old secret school… https://effrosyniwrites.com/2022/12/09/majestic-views-secret-school/

Hey, before you go! In my latest newsletter, I am sharing a plethora of FREE kindle books! Check it out here!

 

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New! Clean Christmas romance. Two broken hearts. One magical holiday. A Santorini farm where anything can happen. 
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Planning to visit Greece? Check out my  FREE guide to south Corfu!
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FREE BOOKS, Cervantes in Nafpaktos and the Battle of Lepanto

The stunning fortress of Nafpaktos, and the famous naval battle of Lepanto

Nafpaktos is situated in the region of Greece called Aetolia-Acarnania on the mainland. It is a short drive from the magnificent Rio-Antirrio bridge that stands between the Gulf of Patra and the Gulf of Corinth.

This historic town has a vast history and its beautiful old fortifications attest to that.

The Venetian 15th-century fortress of Nafpaktos stretches out from the top of the hill all the way down to a stunning little harbor. There, the fortress walls stand on the beach, a stone’s throw away from the water.

This quaint little harbor is a focal point for locals and tourists alike to take a walk, swim or sit in one of the many cafes and eateries.

My husband Andy and I visited Nafpaktos on just a 2-hour stopover during our tour to Epirus (Arta and Ioannina mainly) by coach so we didn’t have the chance to  enjoy the place fully.

We had lunch at the amazing taverna “Nikos” on the square across from the harbor. Then, we only had time for a quick walk around before we had to leave.

I am looking forward to a chance to visit Nafpaktos again, this time to stay, and explore it fully. On the mountain region nearby that is called Orini Nafpaktia, there are numerous villages of stunning beauty for the visitor to explore as well. This is another of the reasons why I am gagging to go back and when I do you’ll be sure to know 😉

Two war heroes honored at Nafpaktos harbour: Georgios Anemogiannis and… the Spanich author of Don Quixote, Cervantes!

As I walked along the harbor and read the numerous plaques mounted here and there, I quickly delved into the town’s glorious history, and especially The famous Battle of Lepanto, i.e. of Nafpaktos. Lepanto was the name of the town in the Venetian era.

The Battle of Lepanto took place on October 7, 1571, and it was fought between the Holy League, i.e. a coalition of Catholic states, and the Ottoman Empire. The Holy League that was mainly comprised of the Papacy, Spain and Venice won the battle.

This victory had a great significance as it lifted the morale of the European Christian nations and, more importantly, it put an end to the Ottomans’ naval supremacy in the Eastern Meditteranean.

The Battle of Lepanto was also considered to be a forceful Christian retaliation, a grudge match of sorts, against the Ottomans, since the latter had shown extreme brutality in the way they tortured Christian heroes of the war that they captured and executed.

One of them was the Greek hero Georgios Anemogiannis, a statue of whom stands today at the harbor.

Anemogiannis (1798-1821) is depicted raising a torch as he stands atop the wall of the fort (see picture above). The reason is because he was a fire-ship captain, setting the Ottoman boats on fire. An almost identical statue of Anemogiannis  stands in Gaios on Paxos, the island where the hero was born. He was tortured and murdered brutally at the age of 23 having been captured by the Ottomans in Nafpaktos in 1821, i.e. in the year when the Greek War of Independence began.

Across from the statue of Anemogiannis, depicted as if greeting him back across the short distance, stands a statue of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616).

He is the Spanish author of Don Quixote, the first modern novel to be published in Europe, and one of the world’s favorite classics today.

Cervantes is depicted holding a feather in his raised hand, a nod to his great literary achievement. Cervantes drew from his own war experiences and chivalric romances of his time to write Don Quixote.

He enlisted in the Spanish Navy in 1570, serving as a soldier until 1575. When he fought in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571 he was 23 years old.

Although he was ill with fever during the battle, he offered to take part saying he’d rather die for his God and his king rather than hide under the blankets. His heroic choice left him with three gunshot wounds: two in the chest and one in his left arm, which was then amputated.

Cervantes always said that the loss of his left hand served to glorify his right one, referring to his later literary work. For the rest of his life, he carried his wounds from The Battle of Lepanto with pride.

‘

As the sun began to set during my short visit in Nafpaktos, the views became increasingly breathtaking. The beach, right before the fortress gate, is beautiful and seems to be stretching out all the way to the Rio-Antirrio bridge in the far distance.

GO HERE for a short video that I took on the beach. The serenity, the dramatic sky and the sweet murmur of the sea are enchanting.

GO HERE to see all the stunning views of Nafpaktos that I was blessed enough to capture that day. Shortly after sunset, the Christmas lights came on everywhere and the dramatic sky made the snaps just perfect!

 

Can I interest you in some book freebies? In my latest newsletter, I am sharing a plethora of FREE kindle books! Some in PDF format too. Check it out here!

 

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New! Clean Christmas romance. Two broken hearts. One magical holiday. A Santorini farm where anything can happen. 
Check it out on Amazon     Read a FREE sample!

 

For my delicious Greek recipes, go here. 
 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out my  FREE guide to south Corfu!
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FREE books, the Castle of Ioannina and delish air fryer frittatas

The Castle of Ioannina

In a recent post, I shared about the island on the lake of Ioannina and the history and the legends that connect it to Ali Pasha.

This evil Ottoman ruler had given the order to drown Lady Frosini and seventeen other women in the lake, and it was an injustice so huge and so cruel that the Greeks never managed to forget it across the centuries. You can read my post here if you missed it.

Today, I am sharing about the Castle of Ioannina, i.e. the fortified old quarter of the city that offers stunning views of the mountains and the lake. Visitors can visit there a series of historical buildings.

 
 

The Castle of Ioannina has maintained the same form since the Ottoman period. Ali Pasha rebuilt it in 1815 almost from scratch. Previously, the grounds were used as a fortress in both the Byzantine and Hellenistic eras. The Normands also occupied the Castle and made alterations to it.

Perhaps, one of the most beautiful historical buildings in the Castle is the Fethiye Mosque (see photo above). The Church of Archangel Michael used to stand in its place during the Byzantine period.

The tomb of Ali Pasha is situated before the mosque today. Beside it stands the impressive Byzantine Museum of Ioannina that has a line of old cannons outside, on the back end of the building. It was built on the ruins of Ali Pasha’s “Serai” (Turkish for “Palace”).

The visitor will find these edifices in one of the two inner fortresses of the Castle that is called “Its Kale” (Turkish for “Inner Castle”). It was made by the Normands and it is on the southestern corner.

 
 

The northeastern corner was once the main fortress area of the Byzantines. The main point of interest here today is the Mosque of “Aslan” Pasha (Turkish for “Lion”).

Other points of interest on the Castle include: The Silversmithing Museum (see photo above), the Treasury, the Hamam, the Byzantine Baths, the Synagogue et al.

 
 
 

More breathtaking views awaited me as I walked along the Lake Pamvotida. The pedestrian path is wide and seems to go on forever. But alas, it was Christmas Day and particularly chilly, so I only had a quick stroll and then dived into a semi-closed space at one of the lakeside cafes that was nicely heated.

 
 

The cafe I picked called to me from afar as its sign read “Kyra Frosini” i.e. Lady Frosini of the old legend, which is basically my name – Effrosyni.

I am glad I chose it as it served delicious coffee and the freshest mille feuille that I have ever tasted 🥰

Earlier that day, I had picked a busy family taverna for lunch, which is called Rebetiko. I had roast lamb and it was absolutely yummy. I highly recommend both these places if you’re ever in town!

Again, if you’ve missed my post about Ali Pasha and the museum that bears his name on the little island, you can find it here. I highly recommend a visit there too, if only for the quick ride on the cute little boats across the serene lake waters.

GO HERE TO SEE MY PHOTOS from the lake and the Castle of Ioannina!

 

My new toy in the kitchen is an air fryer!

Finally, my husband Andy and I caved a couple weeks ago to everyone’s insistence, who kept praising their air fryers, hailing them as the best thing since man invented the wheel (well, not really, but you know what I mean🙃 )

I guess we had to see it for ourselves to believe it.

And it is true. The air fryer has tranformed the way we cook and we now use it on most days. It’s amazing how crunchy it makes fries with just a sprinkle of oil and what a big saving it is on electricity to cook meat as opposed to the oven.

And I still can’t believe how fluffy and tender it makes everything it cooks, especially eggs and meat.

This small frittata with egg, spinach and feta cheese in the above picture is out of this world good. My air fryer is large so I can fit four silicone moulds in it at the same time.

Using 4 eggs, I can make 4 frittatas in no time at all. I just beat the 4 eggs with salt, pepper, oregano, paprika, optionally adding some basil too. Then, I mix in 100 ml milk, 50 gr of chopped spinach, 50 gr of crumbled feta cheese and 50 gr of chopped tomatillos.

Using a ladle, I fill the 4 silicone moulds and carefully place them in the air fryer basket.

No need to preheat! I set them to cook at 160 degrees C for 15 minutes and they come out fluffy and golden, a piece of heaven!

Since I am still a new user I am still discovering new recipes. If you have one that you love cooking in your air fryer do comment below or send me an email and share it with me. I’ll be really grateful!😃

 

Before I go, to share a FREE sample from my upcoming novel, “My Greek Island Christmas”, set in Santorini. Enjoy!

New! Clean Christmas romance. Two broken hearts. One magical holiday. A Santorini farm where anything can happen. 

Check it out on Amazon     Read a FREE sample!

 

DID YOU ENJOY THIS POST? CHECK OUT THIS ONE ABOUT MY VISIT TO THE AMAZING MUSEUM OF ALI PASHA THAT’S ON A TINY ISLAND IN THE LAKE OF IOANNINA. READ ALL ABOUT THE LEGEND OF KYRA FROSINI AND THE SCARY LITTLE DUCK I MET THERE THAT MADE ME LAUGH NO END 🙂

 

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The island of Ali Pasha, a scary little duck, and fish in tomato sauce

 

The island of Ali Pasha in the lake of Ioannina offered sadness but also laughter

During my recent trip to Epirus where my husband and I stayed in the historic city of Arta, we visited another historic city – Ioannina – for a day. Ioannina is a stunning city built on the lake Pamvotida, and there is a small inhabited island in it that people can visit on small tourist boats. All day, they go back and forth on the lake, full of tourists.

The first thing we did when we arrived at Ioannina was to queue up for the next boat to the island to see the museum of Ali Pasha and have a walk around.

Seeing that this island was never given a name, it is colloquially called “The Island of Ioannina”, “The Island of Ali Pasha”, or “The Island of Kyra Frosini.”

Ali Pasha was an Albanian from Tepeleni who became a ruler of Epirus in the days of the Ottoman Empire. Although during his longstanding rule over the Greeks he built many Christian churches, roads, and generally benefited the Greek people greatly, he was also infamous for his cruelty.

In my post about the famous bridge of Arta I mention an ancient plane tree by the bridge where Ali Pasha would have people hanged. He loved to sit under it and watch the people hanging on the branches.

That was him all over. And the comeuppance he got in the end was just as cruel, I believe. As they say, what goes around comes around… I’ll tell you about that a little later in this newsletter…

Perhaps one of the most cruel deeds of Ali Pasha was the heartless decision to have a local woman, “Kyra Frosini” (Lady Effrosyni), drowned at the lake along with seventeen other young women on the night of 11 January 1800.

Kyra Frosini was no Jane Doe, and her execution caused much upheaval in the community. She was an aristocrat and socialite, a mother of two children, who was greatly admired for her beauty and her intelligence. Her family was local but very rich, seeing that her father was a merchant in Venice.

Frosini had an affair with Ali Pasha’s son, and Ali Pasha’s wife couldn’t stand it. It was because of her insistence that Ali Pasha gave the order to have Kyra Frosini arrested and drowned at the lake for adultery, while punishing at the same time seventeen other innocent girls in the same way.

However, there are rumors that Ali Pasha himself was in love with Frosini and thus had her killed out of spite as she’d chosen his son instead of him, and that he had the other girls executed to hide his real motive.

Whatever was the real reason for the executions, the legend still holds strong today. The name Kyra Frosini is famous all over Greece. Her name is especially prominent on the lips of everyone who visits Ioannina, seeing that through the centuries the attrocity transpired in the lake is still deemed so difficult to digest that everyone keeps speaking of it, unwilling to let it be forgotten.

The museum of Ali Pasha is housed in a traditionally stone-decked old building that is in the grounds of the old Monastery of St Panteleimon. Before entering the museum, I visited another small building at the court. It had a single space inside, the display dedicated to the drowning of Kyra Frosini.

Inside a small barge, the visitor will see dummies of Kyra Frosini and the Turks who carried out the merciless deed of her execution. A lament echoes through the speakers while a large TV screen silently plays on a loop the scene of the drowning from the 1959 movie, The Lake of Sighs starring Irene Papas in the role of Frosini.

It was heartbreaking to stand inside that room and witness all that, to say the least, and I lingered a few moments silently in there to contemplate upon the cruelty and attrocities of evil rulers, and the longstanding oppression of the barbaric Ottoman Empire over my homeland, in particular.

 

In Greece, we have a saying that goes, “He/she put on Arta and Yannina” (Yannina is a colloquial way to say “Ioannina”.) The saying is used when someone is overdressed, especially when they’re wearing too much jewellery.

This is a remnant from the days of the Ottoman Empire, where places like Arta, Ioannina, and Zagori were inhabited by rich Greek merchants. They lived in luxury, displaying their wealth with gold-threaded clothing and heavy jewellery, in huge contrast to the masses of their countrymen who lived under miserably poor conditions.

Inside the museum of Ali Pasha, the many artefacts of clothing and jewellery from that era attest to that fact, showing how this saying came about.

The museum has two levels full of displays, some easier to digest than others. I refer here to the dungeon and torture instruments part of the displays where one can see torture tools that I am having trouble to forget.

The most gory of all was an instrument that ‘separates flesh from bone’. Just looking at it behind the glass and imagining how the very thing had been used, surely even on innocent people, caused my blood to chill. Sometimes, being an author with an active imagination can be counterproductive LOL!

After considering the oppression and the cruelty of the Turkish rulers, and the suffering they have caused to my countrymen while I shuffled from display to display, I finally reached one that told the story of Ali Pasha’s day of demise.

In the end, it was his own people who turned against him, branding him a traitor. So, on January 24, 1822, knowing that Ali Pasha had found refuge at the Monastery of St Panteleimon on the island of Ioannina, Turkish military men attacked him there. Ali Pasha shot at the men and a short battle ensued.

Having been mortally wounded, the 81-year-old was rendered helpless. The men dragged him to the court outside and beheaded him there, at the same space that is now the entrance to the museum. They then took his head to the Sultan Mahmud II, who had ordered the execution, to show proof that it had been carried out.

Leaving the main museum building, I entered another small one across from it. It had two tiny halls that house letters from prominent Greeks, like Alexandros Ipsilantis, and many household items too, like porcelain figurines and pottery.

After that, making a right turn past the Ali Pasha Museum I arrived at the small caves that were used by the locals in WWII. They fled there to shelter themselves from the bombings carried out by the Italians in November 1940.

In the cave openings, now stand dummies of men, women and children, while old items of the era are scattered everywhere, like a radio, lanterns, flasks, stretchers and petrol containers. Sounds of bombings echo from the speakers. It is a bleak, yet, I expect, accurate representation of another harrowing era in this city’s vast past.

The same caves also served as dwellings to holy men in the 15th century – like Saint Savvas and monks Theophanes and Nektarios Apsarades who founded the Varlaam Monastery in Meteora.

An insistent (and rather scary) little duck

After seeing all the displays, it was time for some fun outdoors. I had kept some ‘koulouri’ (sweetened bread with sesame) to feed the ducks and once they saw me holding it they swam straight at me. One of them quickly proved to be the quickest to get to the bits of sustenance, but it also turned out to be insatiable!

Once I’d thrown all the bits, it came out of the water and started to follow me around. I kept shooing it and laughing, and it kept looking at me inquisitively, as if saying, “Come on! Where’s the rest of it?”

Somehow, it let me go in the end, and once it began to waddle away from me an Asian lady approached it and tried to pet it. The moment her hand hovered over its head, before she even got to touch it, this duck emitted the most shrill loud scream one could ever imagine would come out of such a small creature.

The poor Asian lady literally jumped back in horror, then walked away in a hurry from the mad fowl. It’s been four months and I still laugh when I think about it haha

More fun awaited at the sweet shop, “A Thousand Quintals of Sugar.”

Before visiting the island someone had tipped me off to look out for the ‘funny guy’ who is famous on Tik Tok. They said he sells traditional syrupy desserts of Ioannina in his shop that are unmissable. The family make them in their own preparation facility a little further down the road from the shop.

I clocked the guy easily! And you can’t miss the shop. It’s on the path from the dock to the museum of Ali Pasha, and it’s right in front of you when you get to it.

The shop is called A Thousand Quintals of Sugar (In Greek, Χιλια Κανταρια Ζαχαρη) and the logo is a drawing of Kyra Frosini (I told you she’s everywhere!)

The man stands at the shop entrance giving people little treats to entice them to buy while making funny faces, calling the strangers funny names and saying the most hilarious things. I had a little taste of the guy’s humor and I soon was in stitches just like everybody else.

He called me ‘bourbourini mou’ and I have no idea what that means LOL! And he called all the men ‘Pashako mou’ which means ‘My little Pasha).

There are some absolutely hilarious clips of him on Tik Tok (hashtag #γαργαλιαρης), if you’re interested in seeing him firing on all cylinders with a big crowd. You can watch the short video I took of him to get an idea. You’ll hear me giggling away 🙂

He didn’t stop speaking both times I passed by and while I shopped inside the store, and people kept laughing. He is like the Duracell bunny champion of salesmen, what a guy!

Well worth visiting the island just to meet him! Chances are, he’ll see you and call you over before you even spot him LOL!

I don’t know if he’d be interested in a career as a comedian, but he definitely has the talent!

After purchasing a selection of his delicious desserts we also got some souvenirs from the many Greek art stores. If you’re ever in Ioannina do check out their silverware on display. The silver craftsmen of Ioannina are famous, and you’ll find something to take away with you at a low price to cherish forever, that’s for sure.

I have uploaded my photos from the island on Facebook. Go here to check them out! You will see more artefacts at the museum, the caves with the WWII display, and also the glass tanks full of live eels and frogs at the tavernas on the dock.

Oh yes! Eels and frog legs are on the menu over there, but, of course, I shied away, LOL!

You can also visit the museum website to see more photographs.

 

Before I end this post, I’d like to share a quick recipe with you.

This quick and easy meal with fish and prawns is best served on a bed of rice or fries. I’ve also had it with boiled potatoes. That works too!

The tomato sauce is very light as the recipe uses only fresh tomato in small quantity. It’s a light but hearty meal to have for dinner.

Although it’s aestherically pleasing as it is, being so colorful, I sometimes add a final touch using the super-nutritious black sesame seed as you can see in the picture. It adds a dash of color to the boiled rice, too.

Hubby loves it!

GO HERE TO GET THE RECIPE

 

DID YOU ENJOY THIS POST? CHECK OUT THIS ONE ABOUT THE STUNNING FORTIFIED QUARTER OF IOANNINA THAT STANDS ON A HILLTOP AND OFFERS AMAZING VISTAS

 

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New! Clean Christmas romance. Two broken hearts. One magical holiday. A Santorini farm where anything can happen. Check it out on preorder! Launches December 4, 2025

 

For my delicious Greek recipes, go here. 
 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out my  FREE guide to south Corfu!
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The stone bridge of Plaka in Epirus and Greek baked fish with onions and tomatoes

The most intrepid thing I’ve done in ages…

During my Christmas break in Epirus where my husband and I stayed in the historic city of Arta, we visited the mountain area of Tzoumerka for a day. Our first stop was the famous stone bridge of Plaka dating from 1866.

An earlier attempt to build it was made in 1863, but the bridge had collapsed on the day of its inauguration!

During WWII, it was bombed by the Germans near its centre but the damage was easily repaired.

This bridge is the biggest of its kind in the Balkans and the third biggest in Europe. The arch is 40 metres (130 ft) wide and 17.61 m (57 ft 9 in) high.

This marvelous single-arch stone bridge was demolished in February 1, 2015 during a flood caused by a heavy rainfall. Only a small bit on either side remained, only what touched the ground. The rest of the bridge, all parts that hovered in the air, collapsed.

It was on the news in Greece at the time, and everyone got upset about it, seeing that the stone bridges of Tzoumerka, just like those in Zagori, are legendary, unique in their mastery, and it’s not easy to replicate these nowadays.

Still, the architects and engineers at the Athens Polytechnic University stepped in, worked diligently, and were able to reconstruct this magnificent bridge, while trying their best to make it look as similar as possible to the original one.

The undertaking was huge. The university team comprised of 30 professors and 40 researchers. Committed to reconstructing the bridge just as it was originally, they used no modern technology, no hidden supports, and not a single kilo of metal.

As I admired it during my visit, I was particularly impressed by the coloring of the stone. It doesn’t look at all brand new, as one would expect. In fact, if one looks at pictures before and after the collapse, the sight is identical!

The bridge was given back to the public in 2020, a little over five years since its destruction.

I was thrilled on the day of my visit to find out that I was actually traveling on the coach with one of the people who had made the reconstruction of the bridge possible! That person was a reporter who works in one of the major Athens newspapers. She read a published article of hers to everyone on the coach, which she’d written about the bridge of Plaka, as we made our way there on the mountains.

It was a treat for everyone to listen to her article as we traveled up and down on windy mountain roads, amidst a lush landscape that was crowned with heavily snowcapped mountains and thick cloud formations.

At the end of her beautiful and highly descriptive article, the lady reporter informed us that she had last visited the bridge a few days before it collapsed. She had taken several photographs that day, and, would you believe, those wound up playing an integral part in the reconstruction of the bridge!

This is because when the professors at the Athens Polytechnic University heard about her article they contacted her, hoping to acquire photographs of the bridge, so they could reconstruct it as closely as possible to its original design.

It turned out she had a wealth of photographs from all possible angles from surface level to give them, and these photographs made up the model they managed to recreate.

Sadly, I do not know the name of the reporter to give her credit here, but I am sure those who used her photos have already honored her by name for her contribution to this amazing reconstruction. I cannot help but think it was fate she had visited just a few days before the catastrophe to take all these photos.

 
 

As we took the beautiful paved path alongside the river Arachthos from the large parking area to the bridge, we couldn’t help but marvel at both its size and its beauty.

The lush mountains crowned by the fog that quiet Christmas eve morning when we visited served as the ideal backdrop that encouraged everyone to keep taking photographs and made the atmosphere even more enchanting.

Walking on this bridge remains to this day an unforgettable experience for me. I have walked on several stone bridges in Zagori, but the incline on this one towards the center was that something else. The top of the arch is on a much higher level than one would expect, because of the steep incline leading up to it near the center from both sides.

I found walking on the bridge very difficult near the top, especially coming down from it.

Plus, seeing that the ledge was low, there was nothing to hold on to up there. Therefore, I wouldn’t recommend walking on this bridge near the top unless you are confident on your feet, or, at least, without having someone strong to hold on to.

 
 

Just look at me on this photo. It may not show, but I was getting ready to faint😵‍💫hehe

No, seriously now, it was a wonderful experience. The view from up there was fantastic.

Go here for a super-short video that shows a 360-degree view from the top of the bridge.

But getting up there wasn’t the only reason why I used the word ‘intrepid’ on the heading earlier!

The more important reason is related to a sign that stands at the entrance of the bridge. According to it, the architects who rebuilt it in the recent years did not apply any modern reinforcement techniques whatsoever. This was so they could maintain the exact look that the stone bridge had always had.

Thus, they simply couldn’t vouch that it was safe! As a result, the sign warns visitors that by walking on the bridge they do so at their own risk!

I tell you, I haven’t taken that many risks in one day since I was a reckless teen 😂

GO HERE for all my photographs from the bridge as well as for beautiful vistas along the mountain roads.

My travel report from Epirus isn’t finished yet, by the way. See you in the next newsletters for the final two parts!

 
 

The secret of “Psari Plaki” is in the layers…

In Greek cuisine, “Plaki” is a type of cooking that involves either fish (psari plaki) or lentils, like broad beans (fasolia plaki).

Today, I am pleased to share my family recipe for ‘psari plaki’, meaning ‘fish plaki’. The word ‘plaki’ is probably derived from ancient Greek, as ‘plakion’ was the name of a marble or iron slab used for baking, a tradition that still survives today in some parts of Greece where housewives still use iron pans to bake breads or savory pancakes that they call ‘plakopitta.’

In the Greek language today, the word ‘plaka’ means a marble slab or a tile, and thus, in my understanding, ‘plaki’ means baking that requires some kind of laying, as in setting the food in layers.

Such is the case in my recipe, where the fish is cooked whole, covered with thick slices of tomato and onion, in this particular order. Under this covering, the fish absorbs the aromas and the juices of these vegetables and, thus, is kept soft during baking. The result is a succulent fish that tastes phenomenal, especially as this recipe also involves the rich aromas of dried oregano and garlic.

Please note that there isn’t one standard recipe of plaki, and that there are infinite varieties from all around Greece. Some recipes involve a rich tomato sauce and no vegetable covering for the fish, and others include potato and carrot chunks in the pan. My recipe is basic, and, thus, quicker to rustle up.

This is the classic ‘psari plaki’ recipe. My mother and her own mother never made it any other way.

The fish should be baked whole and thus only small to medium-sized fish must be used. I use mackerel in this recipe, but you can also try scorpaena, plaice, haddock, swordfish, sea bream etc. Basically, any fish with white flesh that comes from the sea will do.

So, what do you say? Will you try it?

GO HERE to get the recipe and enjoy!

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The alluring sea lake of Messolonghi and a family recipe for squid stew

I visited Messolonghi by coach during my Christmas break in Epirus where I stayed in the historical city of Arta.

On our way back to Athens, the driver took us for a ride around the sea lake of Messolonghi, a historical town that is famous for an amazing feat of bravery during the Greek war of Independence.

The town was under siege by Turkish forces for many months, and the people had suffered for a long time with hunger and thirst. Seeing that their demise was certain, instead of surrendering to the Turks, they decided upon a heroic exodus from within the city walls, attacking the enemy with what little strength they had left. It was the night between the 10th and the 11th of April, 1826, and their heroism is still remembered today, as one of the most humbling acts of bravery the Greeks have ever known.

Today, Messolonghi is a stunning bustling town, graced by its beautiful sea lake (lagoon) that offers a treasure of gifts to both locals and tourists.

In the quaint residential areas of Kleisova and Tourlida, where I took the photos you can see above, the landscape is dotted with colorful and charming stilt houses on the sea lake that the locals call “pelades.”

The salt produce of Messolonghi, which comes in various types, is famous and highly sought after all over Greece as it contains high nutritional value (92 different metals and other nutrients).

On the quiet beach where we made a short stop a little further away from Tourlida there is a small museum dedicated to salt. There, at the little shop, people can buy various types of salt.

Messolonghi is also famous for its fish produce, including sea bass, eel, and tarama (i.e. bottarga – a mediterranean kind of caviar). At the many exquisite tavernas in town cooks prepare fish dishes with flair, confident about the freshness and high quality of the fish on offer that the sea lake provides in abundance.

One of the resident birds at the sea lake is the colorful Akyoni bird with its mournful song that resembles a kingfisher.

According to the ancient Greek legend, Alkyoni used to be a princess… She and her husband Ceyx were boastful and blesphemous towards Zeus and Hera. To punish them, Zeus killed Ceyx with a thunderbolt. When Alkyoni found out she threw herself into the sea. Then, the gods took pity on them both and turned them into Alkyoni birds.

On top of that, and as the Alkyoni birds made their nests on the rocks by the sea, the gods decreed that in the middle of winter there should be about 14 days of calm weather so that the alkyoni eggs can hatch safely.

Hence, the term the “Days of Alkyoni” (“Halkyone Days” aka “Alkyonides” in Greek) that traditionally come around the middle to the end of January in Greece every year, when it’s sunny and generally mild.

On our way out of the town of Messolonghi we stopped at the “Garden of the Heroes,” a grassy park of about 14 acres with tall palm trees, eucalyptus trees and pines that is dotted with 69 beautiful monuments, and even some tombs of local heroes, from various wars.

Some of the monuments were donated by armies of other countries that were allies or enemies to Greece in its many wars, such as Russia, Italy, Germany and France.

The buried remains here include those of the hero of the Greek war of Independence Markos Botsaris. In 1858, King Otto and Queen Amalia of Greece financed the planting of trees and donated a marble lion for the park.

I loved strolling around this beautiful park on a sunny day with the sound of birdsong delightful in my ears. However, my experience was considerably enriched, albeit with a great measure of sadness, to see the decrepit building of the town’s old hospital barely standing erect right beside the park.

Old image credit: Fourtounis.gr

Messolonghi’s old hospital was built in 1906 and was in operation until 1999. It is such a pity that it was abandoned and turned derelict to this tremendous extent in just over a couple of decades, having been totally left to its fate to battle the elements.

The marble plaque above the entrance reads: “Chatzikosta Brothers Hospital, founded 1906, during the years of the Mayor Sokratis…” (the surname is illegible).

Indeed, a bit of research confirmed the hospital was built and financed by brothers Georgios and Anastasios Chatzikostas. This is one of the oldest hospitals of Greece.

As I looked at it from behind the fence, unable to get closer, I tried to imagine its heyday, when it was busy with staff, visitors and patients coming and going in haste, the latter arriving by foot on stretchers, and others in army vehicles, during the many dark years of wars that my country has known since 1906. That’s two world wars, and the bloodiest one of all for my country, i.e. the civil war that followed WWII.

I look at the old photograph above which provides such a depressing contrast to the forlorn look of the hospital today and can only shake my head ruefully.

Still, I always aspire to a future in my country where gems of the past such as this one will be cherished and protected, instead of being left to go to ruin by neglect.

On a cheerful note, GO HERE to see all my photos from Messolonghi.

It was a swift visit, so I feel I need to go back there and stay awhile. For one, to absorb the beauty of the place and to walk along the seafront road that stretches for miles, the lake stunning, a splendid silver mirror under the blue sky.

I can see why Lord Byron loved Messolonghi so much… The great romantic poet was forever inspired by the brave Greeks, who fought for their freedom. He died in his cherished Messolonghi on April 19, 1824, at the age of 36, having been defeated by a high fever.

His body was embalmed to be sent for burial back to England, but the people of Messolonghi, who loved him just as much as he loved them, asked that part of him stays there. According to some sources, Byron’s heart remained in Messolonghi…

I don’t know about you, but all this talk about the sea lake of Messolonghi and its produce made me think ‘seafood’ LOL! So, I thought it would be apt to share one of my seafood recipes here with you.

It is my father’s recipe for cuttlefish (‘soupia’, in Greek)  in tomato sauce, but squid (‘calamari’), which is smaller, can also be used. This meal can be equally enjoyed with rice, potato or pasta.

GO HERE TO GET THE RECIPE

Enjoy!

 

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The stunning Kipina Monastery in Tzoumerka, built inside a rockface

At the heart of Tzoumerka, Epirus, the traveler will come across the most enchanting sight. Kipina Monastery is literally cradled high up inside a rockface that has been carved masterfully to receive it in its snug embrace.

Although it is reminiscent of the famous Panagia Soumela Monastery in Pontos, Kipina Monastery is a lot less known, much smaller, and more humble.

The mountain landscape is ragged in places and forlorn, and the road to get there was rather treacherous, I thought. Maybe because I travelled up the winding mountain roads inside a large coach where masterful negotiations of hairpin turns were often required. We crossed narrow bridges with rusty old railings and, all the while, our wheels rolled near the edge of the precipice with the river Kalarritikos busily flowing below.

Still, when you arrive and you see this stunning view, you are instantly more than compensated…

The proper name of Kipina Monastery is “Monastery of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary.”

No one knows for sure when it was build, but according to one source it was build in 1212 by a bishop named Grigorios. According to a legend, it was build in that place because some monks at Viliza Monastery saw lights there in the darkness. When they got there, they found an ancient icon of Virgin Mary.

Plenty of icons of Virgin Mary have been found in many parts of Greece in inexplicable ways over time, even through visions and dreams that led someone to the place where Her icon was hidden. In every case, a monastery was then built in the place that the icon was found miraculously in order to house it there and to protect it from harm.

What harm, you may wonder?

For one, to keep them safe through the trecherous centuries of the brutal occupations that Greece has suffered over time, such as the one of the Ottoman Empire. The Turks loved to deface and to destroy religious artefacts. As for the Nazis that came later, they may have been respectful of the artefacts themselves, but they stole away from the Greeks, without shame, many of their treasures. Not just ancient artefacts, but religious ones, too, by the thousands.

Kipina Monastery flourished in the 18th century. It stopped being in operation sometime in the 19th century, and in 1931 it was put under the care of Tsouka Monastery, which uses its small grounds for cultivation.

To get to the monastery from the road, you take a beautiful cobble path, and at the end of it, just before entering the monastery, you cross a wooden bridge. There’s a sheer drop underneath, and it is actually a drawbridge that uses heavy chains. It is centuries old. It was installed to protect the monastery from the frequent raids of bands of thieves during the years of the Ottoman Occupation (1450s-1820s).

Using a lever, the monks would raise the bridge, sealing the entry to the monastery, thus making it impossible for the thieves to enter because of the sheer drop in between.

I am feeling so gutted I have been to this beautiful monastery and only managed to see a small part of it because of the bad timing… I was there on Christmas Eve, you see. On that special day, only the spaces on the entry level were open. Access to the upper two floors to see the church, the communal areas and the cells was not allowed.

I only hope to return one day to see all the spaces I missed as they are a rare sight. Being carved inside the rockface, they have the rock as a ceiling!!!

You can go to this image gallery on Mytzoumerka.gr to see photographs of the truly amazing interior. Enjoy!

At the entrance floor, we were welcomed by a local lady and her son who stood there displaying for sale a selection of works of art depicting religious figures. All the artefacts are made by art students and donated to the monastery so that the proceeds from the sales can finance its maintenance. That lady has the key to the monastery and is the one who opens it for the tourists daily, as it hasn’t had any resident monks for many years.

We were allowed to visit just one other small indoor space on that same level to light a candle. It was a cavernous space where an ancient, weathered icon stood on the rocky wall in the semi-darkness. A little further away, red ribbons hanging from side to side served as deterrents to the visitors so they may not venture any further as a vast cave system began there, apparently stretching for many miles below…

In times of war, the locals fled in these caves to hide from hostile armies, and in general, whenever persecuted…

As I stated earlier, the monastery is no longer in operation, and a local woman holds the key to give tours to the tourists at specific times. The monastery is open every day from 8:00 am till sundown. To find out when would be a convenient time for a tour, contact the monastery directly on this number: +30 26590 61186.

Perhaps, one of the best memories I’ve made from this visit that I am bound to treasure always is that amazing rainbow…

Leaving the monastery, we got back on the coach under a drizzle and when we descended to the level of the river, we crossed the small bridge and as we turned the first turn, through the trees, a rainbow came into view through our rain-drenched windows.

As we began to climb an opposite peak, the rainbow was visible fully, in all its magnificence. With the mountain where Kipina Monastery stood as a backdrop, it felt like a glorious goodbye from it, as well as a blessing from above. As I admired the heavenly sign, I felt ever so blessed and grateful, and emitted a silent thank you… hoping, one day, to return.

Go here to see my photos from Kipina Monastery.

 

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The legend of the Bridge of Arta and a church with a tragic story

The haunting legend of the Bridge of Arta

During my Christmas journey to Epirus, I had the pleasure to visit the Bridge of Arta. Oddly enough, I had seen it dozens of times in my life, but only from afar and for a few seconds at a time, just passing through in the family car, as my father drove us to Corfu. Somehow, we never stopped to see it. I guess we were always too excited and eager to get to Igoumenitsa for the ferry crossing on time, LOL!

So, anyway, the time finally came for me to see the legendary bridge of Arta, and it was absolutely worth the wait.

The site is beautiful with a cafe and a local produce store on the side where our coach left us. Walking along the bridge offers picturesque views as the sound of rushing waters from the river Arachthos reaches the ears.

This magnificent stone bridge was built in the 1600s and typically carries the legend of sacrifice related to various stone bridges all over Epirus.

The folk poem is in old Greek and thus quite lyrical as it rolls out the tongue, but I’ll do my best not to ruin it in the translation to English. Here goes one small excerpt:

 

Forty-five masons and sixty apprentices

Were contstructing a bridge on the river of Arta

All day they built it, and at night it would collapse.

A little bird went and sat on the right of the arch

It didn’t tweet like a bird – it spoke as a human:

“Unless you sacrifice a person, the bridge won’t stay in place.

“Do not sacrifice an orphan, a foreigner or a passer by

“But the lead mason’s beautiful wife.”

 

(If you speak Greek, you can read the original in its entirety here.)

So, according to the legend, the lead mason sacrificed his wife, albeit reluctantly, and with a heavy heart. One of the masons tricked her into going on lower ground at the first arch saying her husband’s ring had fallen down there, and the woman offered to find it.

The workers began to build around her, and her husband layed a stone. Realising what was happening, the woman lamented her misfortune and cursed the bridge to fall, but her husband urged her to take the curse back, since she had a brother that might cross it and die.

Thus, the woman took back her curse and blessed the bridge to be strong like the mountains, so that if her brother crosses it he won’t be harmed.

As I stated earlier, there are legends of this kind all over Epirus, related to its masterful stone bridges, and they serve as a symbolism of the great sacrifice that it may take for a creator to make something magnificent.

And, more often than not, it is something very precious to him that has to be lost.

Even though human sacrifice probably never happened in Greece during construction of any kind, the Greeks, believe it or not, used to sacrifice roosters (or, less commonly, hens or lambs) in earlier times. I believe people still did this largely up until the 60s or so, when traditions were never questioned and were still followed religiously.

The owner of the house would kill a rooster, shedding its blood on the foundations, and leave its body there to ensure the house would stay erect. No kidding!

If you’d like to catch the vibe at the site of the bridge, with the sound of the river Arachthos flowing busily, here is this short video I took from ground level, and this one I took from the bridge. Enjoy!

On the east side of the river Arachthos, by the bridge of Arta, stands, to this day, a large plane tree. It is 350 years old, 10 meters tall, with a circumference of 13.45 meters. The locals call it, “The plane tree of Ali Pasha.”

According to legend, the vicious Otthoman ruler of Ioannina and the whole of Epirus used to sit under the shade of this tree looking with glee at the people he had executed by hanging on its branches.

Sadly, I have no picture of it, as I never ventured on the other side of the river where it would be, and our time there was limited.

But you can see it here.

There’s an old folk song that gives voice to the plane tree, with these words:

“What is it, Plane Tree, and you look so wilted, even though your roots are in the water?”

“Ali Pasha has been here…”

Arta has a tremendous and diverse history that goes back for thousands of years. The ancient town Amvrakia used to stand where Arta is today. Arta has been recorded through the ages by Romans, Venetians, and Otthomans, of course.

The town has many places of interest today, as you would expect, including a large Byzantine fortress that stands on level ground amidst modern houses and traffic.

Arta has many Byzantine churches, too. One of the most beautiful is dedicated to the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. Its name, Panagia Parigoritissa, means “Virgin Mary, the Comforter.”

Here is a picture of the church, which I regret to say we never got to see on the inside. This wasn’t a programmed stop for our tour, and the place was closed at the time as it was Boxing Day.

We walked around the grounds from the street and saw from afar beautiful greenery and the 16 old monk cells our tour guide had mentioned, saying a monastery used to stand there in the past. You can see the old structure with the cells in line partly in the background.

Our tour guide also informed us of another legendary “sacrifice.” This one pertained to the construction of this church.

The church was built in 1285-1289 AC by Nikiforos I Komnenos Doukas and his wife Anna Palaiologina Katakouzinis.

The high dome is magnificent depicting the Pantrocrator (Christ). The dimensions of His image are huge, but because of the great height an optical illusion makes it seem normal in size.

Legend has it that the lead mason at this church had a very rigid idea about how he wanted to build it. But, as he was very popular, he had to leave the site at some point and go start work on another church. Before leaving, he gave precise instructions to one of the young masons about how he expected him to complete the building in his stead.

But, this mason had other ideas, and he didn’t hesitate to implement them, completing the church the way he wanted it.

When the lead mason returned to inspect the finished work, he was livid. It wasn’t just that the mason had ignored his instructions, but, as it turned out, the church was more beautiful the way this man had made it.

Consumed by both rage and envy, he led the man to the roof on the false pretense that he wanted to point out a weakness in the construction. Urging him to inch closer and inspect a spot near the edge, he pushed him.

The man got hold of the lead mason as he lost his balance, and they both fell to the ground and to their deaths. Legend has it that their bodies were left there and, in time, turned into stone. Today, two reddish boulders lay on the ground on the back of the church…

According to the same legend, after the young mason’s death, the Virgin Mary appeared before his mother to comfort her, and this was why the church was named, “Virgin Mary, the Comforter.”

Here is a short video on Youtube, just 1 minute long, so you can take a look at the grounds of the church and the truly stunning Byzantine architecture on the inside.

During this wonderful excursion, we stayed in a fabulous hotel just out of Arta, called “Byzantino.” It was true to its name with beautiful decorations of Byzantine motifs and luxurious spaces that would truly make an emperor feel right at home! 😀

GO HERE to see my pictures of the hotel, the church and the bridge.

 

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The joy of traveling and sunny Calamos

You know me… I cannot commit to staying at home too long. My heart always yearns for the next escape. I have always been an eager traveler, but in the recent years, I have been deprived of this great passion of mine.

Family health issues, first with my beloved Corfiot grandmother, then both my parents, who got ill with cancer in succession, forced me into assuming the role of carer that didn’t allow me to have almost any travel experiences at all for about 7 years.

Sadly, all the aforementioned members of my family are now gone. It’s tough to be left behind with all the memories, good and bad, and I am sure many of you can relate, but I continue to count my blessings every day as I have a lot to be thankful for – a husband who is loyal, funny, and who supports me on my writing journey, for one. And he is a fellow keen traveler to boot!

It’s been a busy year travelwise, which had the added benefit of allowing me to escape from the harrowing memories of the past few years and my own sense of mourning.

Traveling opens the horizons of the mind. It unravels and refreshes it and lifts the soul. If you are mourning whatever in your life, I highly recommend traveling to you as an escape, if you can do it. Even one-day escapes or extended time spent in nature often, especially in the company of other people, can have the same effect.

Andy and I had a wonderful 4-day coach tour to Epirus last Christmas. In the photo above, you can see some of the stunning places we visited. We stayed in Arta, that is well known for its legendary stone bridge. It’s pictured on the bottom right in the picture above, and you can read all about it here.

Each day, we went to a different place. We were enthralled to visit Tzoumerka for the first time, a mountain area near Arta very reminiscent of Zagori, as one will find there stone bridges and enchanting villages with beautiful stonemasonry.

We also dedicated a day to explore Ioannina, a stunning city built on a lake, that has a lot of history, mainly from the Otthoman Empire.

Last, we visited Messolonghi and the absolutely breathtaking Nafpaktos. The latter made our heads spin with its quaint beauty. The old fort on the tiny port made our cameras sing. I am going to have a hard time picking which pictures to show you from that place. They are all postcard-perfect!

Before I go, I’ll change the scenery completely for you! I am not going to leave you without some sunshine today. Nuh-uh!  There’s a few months left till it’s summer so I thought some sunny pictures would be very apt right now, to keep our hearts warm. Keep on reading!

 

A weekend at Calamos in north Attica

Since it’s so grey and cold out there right now, I hope these sunny photographs serve to brighten your day. They certainly did that for me.

Andy and I spent a weekend (2 nights) last September in a family hotel called Calamos Beach Resort.

It is situated in the area of Calamos in north Attica, across from the island of Evia (Euboia), 2.5 kms out of the town of Agioi Apostoloi.

We had all-inclusive bracelets, so all meals and drinks were paid for (we had to exercise all of our restraint LOL). We had everything we needed on the grounds for a fun weekend, but we did venture to the town to have a walk around, too.

Agioi Apostoloi has a lovely marina, very reminiscent of our town of Nea Peramos, what with the fishermen fixing their nets and chatting, and the local cats waiting to be fed. There were many inviting eateries and cafes on the seafront that seemed to be popular. We didn’t need to visit one of them, since the hotel provided everything we needed, but it’s lovely to know they are there in case we ever return to stay in town somewhere.

We came across 2 cinemas (always a plus when I visit towns as we are both film enthusiasts) and on the road that leads out of town, at a short distance away, there is a stunning church that I’d love to explore on the inside, perhaps during my next visit.

Back at the hotel, we had the most relaxing time, just lying under the trees or a beach umbrella for hours every day. The beach was perfect for me as I love pebbles – the sound waves make when they scrape pebbles is my favourite beach sound. I couldn’t get enough of it. As for the waters they were incredibly clear. Swimming there was amazing, reminding me of the perfect sparkling waters of my beloved island of Corfu.

The sea bed was uneven, mind you, with large pebbles, making it a little hard to get in and out of the water. I would recommend to use flippers or other suitable swimming footwear to swim in this place. The store in the hotel sells plastic swimming footwear in case anyone needs them.

They think of everything at this shop. It had great merchandise. We bought a box of playing cards to play by the pool in the evening. Doing that in the cool night air while people-watching proved to be more fun than watching TV all by ourselves in the room!

In the evening, we also took long quiet walks on the seafront along a wide cemented road with sparse traffic. The area seemed to be touristy in previous decades but no more. We saw various establishments that seemed deserted.

We didn’t walk too far after dark, though, as it can get pretty quiet there. And, for a short stretch near the hotel, there are no streetlights.

The view to the opposite shores of Evia (Euboia) in the dark was enchanting. In the areas where there are air turbines on the mountains–like in Aliveri–lights came on in the dark that blinked delightfully like little stars. It was all very pleasing to gaze at in the semidarkness.

If you’re interested in booking this hotel, you can find it here at Booking.com.

If you’re driving to the resort, you may benefit from these instructions:

To get to the resort, you take the Athens-Lamia highway and turn off at Kapandriti (after Afidnes). The route takes you via the centre of Kapandriti and continues to Calamos along a quiet country road. At Calamos there is a sign post to Agioi Apostoloi, where you take a right turn to follow a road at high altitude with panoramic coastal views.

Very important: Once in Agioi Apostoloi, make sure to drive all the way to the marina. Turn right there and immediately right again, at the first turn into a narrow road. The way is straight after that, and you will see the hotel on the left side of the road after a couple minutes’ drive.

We made the mistake of relying on Google maps and turned off the main road BEFORE reaching the marina. As a result, we found the hotel after a maze-like detour via narrow dirt roads in the backstreets of the town. Stupid Google maps! LOL!

I’ll know for next time. And I am saying this because I am definitely going back. Andy loved it there too, and we reminisce about it all the time.

I think the reason Andy and I loved this place so much is because it made us feel so relaxed…  As all our meals were included we didn’t have to venture anywhere outside looking for sustenance or even to think about what to order.

This hotel offered us a chance to unwind, and it was somewhat like us reverting to our childhood in a way… No worries at all, no schedule, no to do lists, nowhere we needed to be, no need for a watch. We just ate when we got hungry, swam, and slept all day!

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A stunning fresco at Isthmia Roman Baths, Nero, and the Corinth Canal

Today, I am pleased to share my photographs from the Isthmia Museum and Archeological site. The latter boasts the Roman Baths with the largest monochrome fresco in the eastern Mediterranean! And it is STUNNING, adorned with a variety of sea creatures (octopus, fish, lobster, squid, dolphin, sea snake) and mythological marine creatures too, including what looks like a Nereid and a Triton.

We happened to visit on the day that the ancient games of Isthmia were revived in the area for the first time, and we spotted in the museum two locals preparing the pine tree wreaths for the winners.

We left the place before the games began, so we didn’t see any sporting action.  But after seeing that breathtaking fresco, and with the cruise of the Corinth Canal as our next stop that day, we didn’t feel like hanging around LOL!

The museum was tiny but very interesting, with a plethora of artifacts in great condition that helped to imagine the everyday life of my ancient ancestors.

The archaeological grounds were mere ruins, nothing standing except for the Roman baths. We had to imagine the Temple of Poseidon, the stadium, and the other buildings we got to see only on signs, but the pine trees were ample – holy trees to Poseidon, apparently!

When I heard that from our guide, I wondered if this is why there are so many pine trees on Greek beaches. Or, maybe, it’s the other way around. The Greeks imagined Poseidon liked them seeing that they are often found so close to seawater. I guess we’ll never know, LOL!

The archaeological site is set on a hill that overlooks the bay. It is a short drive away from Isthmia where the Corinth Canal begins.

In my recent newsletter and blog post about my cruise through the Corinth Canal, I mentioned that the ancient Greeks had conceived the idea of the canal so the ships did not have to circumnavigate the Peloponnese to go to the other side of mainland Greece. However, their plans never turned into action as when they asked Zeus for permission to go ahead (via the high priestess and Oracle Pythia of Delphi), his reply was negative.

Still, that didn’t stop the Corinth tyrant Periander in the 7th century BC. He did try to dig for a canal but found the task far more demanding and expensive than he’d thought. So, he constructed a ‘diolkos’ instead, i.e. a passageway from one shore to the other that involved dragging the boats across the land on porous blocks.

Later, the Romans tried too. During the reign of Tiberius, another failed attempt was made in 32 AD but their equipment and know-how proved inadequate for this feat. They, too, settled for another solution, similar to the Greek ‘diolkos. The Romans went for an Egyptian mechanism that had been used previously to roll huge blocks of granite to build their pyramids. The boats rolled across the Isthmus upon tree trunks.

In 67 AD, philhellene Roman Emperor Nero ordered six thousand slaves to dig a canal with shovels. Most of them were Jewish pirates during the Jewish wars. Nero was so keen on the project he was the one to give the first blow to the land of the Isthmus with a golden pickaxe.

Sadly, he passed away the next year and the project was soon abandoned.

Today, a relief adorns the wall of the canal near Isthmia. It is on the side of the mainland, not the Peloponnese, i.e. on the right side as you begin the boat cruise from the Saronic Gulf (Isthmia) side. You will see it high up on the canal wall right next to an old stone base to a bridge over the canal that no longer exists.

It is a mystery as to who created this relief of Nero and when, but it is said to be a remnant from a temple built there in his honor.

It is sad it has been left to its fate as it continues to fight a losing battle with the elements, but here it is, a quickly fading image of the man who had the dream of the canal and went the furthest along than any other.

He was the most determined to do it, and he followed through, in a world that didn’t yet have the mechanical and technological marvels of today.

 

To hear more about the Corinth Canal, for fun facts, and to see photos, see this blog post.

 
 

All this talking about emperors made me think of the purpura mollusk and I have to tell you why!

This mollusk is an exquisite meze for Greeks in the know. It also carries an ancient secret related to royalty!

Porpura  derives its name from ‘porphura’, the dated Greek word for ‘purple’ (pronounced ‘porfeera’). This is the Greek name for this mollusk. In ancient times, they were used to extract the color purple, which was then used to dye the clothes of kings and emperors. The practice is 3,000 years old.

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