We were set for a long drive today, expecting 5 1/2 hours drivetime, with stops at a cave and a mountain village. First up was a tall bridge, then a tunnel, and then a toll to pay for it all.
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More unexpected views of the mountainous terrain of Greece. We'd heard of Mt. Olympus, but that is well to north.
Snow capped in Winter, with snow pack lingering into May.
We then descended back to the coast to take in the Caves of Pyros Dirou. Although known some years before, the caves were set up for tourism back in 1963. This is the view just outside the caves.
We were anticipating beginning the cave tour riding small rowboats from one entrance, but we found out they're temporarily down for maintenance, so for a reduced fare (7 euro vs. 12) they allow you to walk the last half from the end and back out again.
Still lots to see...we have done caves on boats (Thailand) and tubes (Belize), so that bucket list item is already really checked.
At the end of the walk inward, where the boats would have dropped us off.
And now at Kastania, after a long drive up through the lower part of the mountains.
She'll be coming around the mountain, when she comes....also, notice the large wild fire burned areas - we learned from a villager that the fire was just last year.
Before we enter the village, we toured the cemetary and adjacent church.
And now in the village to take up the tour guide points of interest.
We're having much difficulty finding the points - although finding hidden keys to enter several churches does match the story. Where is the town square, it doesn't seem to exist.
If Lamborghini made tractors this would be one of them, oh wait, they did make this tractor!
Another cool church, not accessible however. We give up on finding the "points", and depart town, hmmmm, the road that goes westward is now a jeep trail, and we back track to ponder the sudden change of events.
See the Kastania below, the one we went to, it's not the right one. Turns out, at the "red balloon" is another Kastania, the one we were supposed to visit. We were gonna be at least an hour late to Kardamyli, our overnight town, where the host said, yes there're 2 Kastania's, and she's never been to the one we toured. To play it safe and not find ourselves trapped on dirt road our car couldn't negotiate, we needed to backtrack back towards the caves to the south and come back up the west coast.
After burgers and fries at a local eatery, we relax at sunset on our porch, pet the cat, and enjoy the scenery.
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