To Kardamyli

 Oct 3

Olympia town seemed deserted when we stepped out for breakfast, the cafés empty, shops shuttered. We had omelets in one of them, asking first if they were really open.

From Olympia, we drove south to a little coastal town called Kardamyli. The roads were refreshingly wide, with actual lines down the middle, and, until the end, the curves were gentle. Part of the way was on a toll road. Tolls are low here, less than €3, and considering the alternative, well worth it. We were a bit trepidatious about going through our first one, just outside Athens, but the approach to them is perfectly clear: there are many booths with large, different-coloured signs above them, and you go to one of the ones that shows an image of a person. Pay the person with card or cash. A breeze!

We passed through the town of Kalamata, and thought we’d stop in because, you know, olives. The Saturday market was just off the highway, and it was bustling. Would have stopped had there been parking, but no. We squeezed ourselves back to the highway and carried on.

From the hills, we made our way down into lovely, lively Kardamyli. There is a Literary Festival happening here now, and the town is swarming with literary Brits. Apparently the topics of today were geo-political in nature, and our Prime Minister “showed” well — the leader of the Western World, someone told us. We try not to gloat.

There are a number of beautiful patios for eating, and we chose one for lunch and another for dinner, lingering with a view to the west over the Ionian Sea. This is the life!

A few Kardamyli sights:  

View from lunch patio

What better lunch -- salad and a 0% fix, er, beer?!

Sundress weather

I want one of these! Not sure Carol would fit, though.

No bike rack needed -- these loops are bolted into the curb

Dinner spot

Oct 4

With two nights in Kardamyli, our plan had been to use today to loop south in the Mani Penninsula, exploring small hilltop towns along the way, à la Rick Steves’ tours. But knowing what we now know about tiny roads and tiny villages, the idea of driving and returning has lost its appeal, and we decided to stay here and just hang out. We can go south tomorrow, adding an hour on to our planned drive to Nafplion, over on the next peninsula to the east.

Carol is back on a beach lounge chair in the sun, and I’m enjoying one of two decks in our huge apartment. In the original planning, I’d neglected to remind myself to build in a down day or two. This is it! 

My view as I write

 

We had a late breakfast on the same patio where we had our dinner last night. We looked for a likely place for Carol to set off on a swim later. (I generally don’t go near water, nope.) And now here we are. 

There'll be no need for lunch after a breakfast like this

There won’t be much to write about today — a short walk up to the castle, maybe, and yet another seaside dinner. They’ve left us a little bottle of Ouzo here at the Aniska Apartments, so we may indulge in that this evening. 

So this is all you get today, with greetings from heaven.