1. We start from the Adriatic
PatuPatu not accompanied us on the Ionian and Aegean. Back from Ponza we loaded our car with two inflatable canoes, two tents, fins and masks, and everything else and we left for Bari to take the ferry to Igoumenitsa. In Bari
I lived two years, almost twenty years ago. Obviously I found it changed (for better), but I have also found a little 'home. Leaving the car on the waterfront near the old port (where I did not see the boats of smugglers who remembered: motorboats colored black or blue, with the hulls sharp, no frills and a wide well), we toured in the old town, in the narrow streets, white houses, entering one of the courtyards in which it captures the domestic dimension, which is not perceived from the outside.
In the afternoon we board the ferry. We have tickets for passage over the bridge. The cabins were already all occupied when we have them bought. We go up late and late look for a place to sleep: the interior of the vessel is filled, there are people lying everywhere, light and noise on bridges all places sheltered from the wind are employed. Eventually we settle on the deck along the side: there is a bulkhead at least a little 'should take shelter. It could really take shelter if there was a continuous passing of people who, despite an indication to close the door on the bulkhead that is left open, or pass to beat the wind. We sleep anyway. We wake up in the morning the announcement that we are about to arrive. Are 4.
2. And from Athens to Athens: Lefkada
go down quickly, all already in the car and directly take the coastal road to Preveza and Lefkada. It 's still dark, the road is almost deserted, there's even a coffee shop. We just have to continue past the junction for parga arrive quickly and in view of Mitika, where the road runs along the beach. We decide to stop. Simon and I pull out a sheet and two sleeping bags and we lie on the beach, the boys - who have not actually ever stopped to sleep - are continuing their sleep in the car. It's almost 7 when we wake up and I dive. The habit of taking a boat can be kept here as well. The water is calm and transparent, the bottom of pebbles. Gradually waking up everyone and everyone to take advantage of the first swim of the day.
A few meters from our car (and a few meters from the road by Igoumeniza leads to Preveza) also stop two campers. I guess as we want to take a short break, the first swim in the Aegean and maybe breakfast. Not so. They begin to pull out tables and chairs, to accommodate a towel in front of the camper to cover the ground and a porch to shelter from the sun. In essence, they create a real camp. But we do not stand by and watch. This time, in costume, we go back into the car and continue to Lefkada. Simon and I were there once in the past, many years before. We remembered an island joined to the ground by a drawbridge, a castle, a street full of restaurants and a dock full of boats. Are there any more.
To get to Lefkada but now There is a tunnel that allows you to save a bit 'when crossing the street of the great lakes that separate it from Preveza and the mainland. There is a moderate traffic and crowding. Despite this we can find a place for the car and go to breakfast. We stopped in one of the many cafes that offer even the wi-fi and we start to notice they are no longer in Italy. Despite the presence of Italians is clear, hospitality, service and prices are still those who had left twenty years earlier.
only time we stop for a coffee, check email, look for some in the Orthodox church whose architecture still visible traces of the past Genoa (As in the castle of Santa Maura, which is located before the bridge to the island) and to observe the holiday, most of which incorporate parts masonry with wooden parts and sheet metal: This is a housing suitable for support the earthquakes. But decided to return. Back
twenty days later, we moved to Athens, Chios, the Aegean coast of Turkey, Delphi, the Gulf of Patras, and we need a place to stop for a bit ': I must return to work on (even though for short) and it is difficult to nomadism. When we return we do not stop at Lefkada, we would like a place on the sea, enabling us to put water in inflatable canoes with us and we do not force us displacement. The north coast of Lefkada is open to the wind and the sea. It 's suitable for those who want to windsurf or kite (now trendy), less for those who have a program like ours. We begin to walk the south coast, stopping at almost every hotel or camping: despite the end of August is still completely full. Go ahead and we're already almost to give up looking for a place on the coast, when - passing along the bay of Nidri, a real, natural harbor crowded - we see the signs leading to the Bay Desimir.
It 's a little bay in front of Meganisi, according to the papers there are two camp sites. It 's true. The bay is beautiful and there. Too bad that the two camping are crowded: they have no place and even if they did not just stay there very pleasant. We note, however, a number of bungalows in a garden which gives access to the sea. We ask for a bit '. We rent, but generally you have to book much earlier. We stopped, however, actually two bungalows are free. However, it is expected that someone will come exactly the day when we leave, we must sweat a bit ', but in the end we get the bungalows.
It 's a great place to work: I get up early, go for a swim when the beach is still deserted and then start work in the shade of the veranda at the entrance of the bungalow or in a wooden hut not far from the sea. Then, when I send or receive mail or look for something on the internet, I move around the campsite where the use of internet is free. Thanks to this, after a couple of days my work is done.
It 's time to inflate the canoe and explore a bit' the surrounding area. This also allows us to leave the beach before it starts to get crowded in the second part of the morning. All around there are beaches which can be reached only by sea, small coves, cliffs. We manage to avoid almost all human contact. Almost, but the ones we have are nice: the skipper and owner of a large sailing boat (at least 50 feet, in sandwiches, with lines ULDBs) with whom we are talking, talking about boats and Turkey, an elderly gentleman in a small boat of 70 years, the owners of other boats that are moored in the bay and are intrigued by our canoes (at least from what we can bring PatuPatu in Greece in the future and leave it at Lefkada - Nidri).
Now came the end of the holidays. He's also noticed that the sky after nearly a month of sun is full of clouds in the night it rained now there is a strong wind from the sea. The beach is deserted, and even many of the boats are at anchor in the bay of Desimir have raised anchor and went away (in Nidri? A Meganisi). Paul and I begin to deflate the canoes, but despite the wind we decided to make a turn. Think of a lap short, just enough to once again visit the caves and the beaches of the previous days. But once on board and now we realize the limits of the bay that the wind does not bother us much: the canoe on which China is fairly low on water and we are unable to keep it on course without problems. So we begin to paddle towards Meganisi, we do not know how far (but we know that in the days before other canoes were directed there) and we are certain that if the trouble gets too hot, we can take advantage of the wind pressure to return. Fatigue never makes itself felt (also because I think those who walk to get to the island are about two miles) and then before we reach the small island in front and then Meganisi Meganisi true. Come back less paddle, the wind pushes us (even if not en-route). The main effort is to avoid being cross wind and the waves.
There is still time to wash, dry and deflate the canoe. Then we go to lunch at the restaurant on the beach: the moussaka that there has never been in previous days ahead.
The ship leaves in the night and the journey from Lefkada Igoumeniza is not long: on the way back we stop to Parga (but it's too crowded, perhaps the most pleasant in winter) and the Acheron Delta: the river on the outskirts Hades. We must go back.
3. To Athens: Mitikas, Astakos, Rio and the Gulf of Patras
But now we go back in time. Lefkada left to continue on to Athens to continue taking it easy: we stopped again on the road between Pogonia and Paleros (cliffs, clear water and fishes) and lunch Mitikas. In fact, just before Astakos, opposite the island of Kalamos is another village called Mitikas. Even Mitikas is on a small promontory. Perhaps the best part is that in the west: a few houses along the docks and some restaurants on the sea. No tourists. The lady in the restaurant where we stopped speaks Italian. It seems that time the Italians were much here, he says, for some years but they do not see anymore. This year will see even less of the Greeks. On the east coast, more sheltered from the wind, there is a marina. Mitikas is also marked among the places to go.
The road continues through Astakos, where some shipyards vying for our attention, and then inside. Turning first to a very barren hills and then to the plains full of crops we arrive at the lagoons that surround the town of Missolongi (where the only thing to see is the statue of Lord Byron). Then it's back inside again to get to Antirio. We are on the Gulf of Patras to expect for us to enter the Peloponnese is a large bridge built for the Olympics a few years ago.
to sleep we stopped in Rio, just under the bridge. We are in a strange hotel, a modern building full of decorations that recall the ancient times. And here we are the only guests. The hotel was built in the Olympic Games too, by an emigrant returned to Rio after living in Sweden for 20 years and have traveled all over the world as a sailor. Shows us the way to get to Athens along the Gulf Coast, passing through little tourist towns frequented by foreigners - but with a beautiful sea - then passing through the ancient Corinth (which is on a hill) and then crossing the bridge over ' isthmus.
We follow his advice and the first afternoon we are in Piraeus and Athens soon after. Tomorrow morning, we will pass from the Ionian to the Aegean, with a ship that will take us to Chios.
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