What would have been a forgettable day crossing a plain was made special when I was given cake as part of some celebration at the church in Neochoraki.
Leaving my campsite I passed a sign saying "Skopos Castle" over some ruined walls. Several times I have passed similar remains and taken them as abandoned sheep pens or houses, but it would appear these walls were special as they had erected girders around them (for building a roof at some later date maybe)?
The valley I walked down had a "soft focus" feel with the sun behind me, the lombardy poplars and the dust raised by passing pick ups and cars. Entering the first villages I tried hard to avoid disturbing the still sleeping dogs. I was passing through an area of quarrying. At the quarry nearest to my path it looked like they were producing lignite (brown coal), used to produce electricity, I could see a cooling tower in the distance.
After the first few villages it was across the plain through farmland: ploughed fields, maize and grassland. I stopped at the village of Neochoraki for a Coke. While drinking it at a table outside the bar, people were coming out of the church. They were picking up packages of food as they left. I was surprised and pleased when a young girl brought over a package for me. It contained cake, almond and cinnamon flavoured shortbread, and what looked like maize soaked in something sweet that you ate with a plastic spoon. I tried to ask at the bar what the food was celebrating. They said St Athanasios, although maybe I was unclear as I later realised that he was the saint the church was dedicated to. I was touched by the gift which I greatly enjoyed whatever was being celebrated.
Then it was along roads and dirt tracks through a couple more villages to the major town of Florina. The final few kilometres were lined with retail outlets and petrol stations which was a little tedious but now I am feeling much refreshed after showering at the Hotel Hellinis. Their brochure even has map showing the E4!
Sunday night in Florina seems a busy time, lots of people in bars and driving motorbikes and quad bikes up and down the road, generating the maximum amount of noise, outside the taverna where I am eating.
Leaving my campsite I passed a sign saying "Skopos Castle" over some ruined walls. Several times I have passed similar remains and taken them as abandoned sheep pens or houses, but it would appear these walls were special as they had erected girders around them (for building a roof at some later date maybe)?
The valley I walked down had a "soft focus" feel with the sun behind me, the lombardy poplars and the dust raised by passing pick ups and cars. Entering the first villages I tried hard to avoid disturbing the still sleeping dogs. I was passing through an area of quarrying. At the quarry nearest to my path it looked like they were producing lignite (brown coal), used to produce electricity, I could see a cooling tower in the distance.
After the first few villages it was across the plain through farmland: ploughed fields, maize and grassland. I stopped at the village of Neochoraki for a Coke. While drinking it at a table outside the bar, people were coming out of the church. They were picking up packages of food as they left. I was surprised and pleased when a young girl brought over a package for me. It contained cake, almond and cinnamon flavoured shortbread, and what looked like maize soaked in something sweet that you ate with a plastic spoon. I tried to ask at the bar what the food was celebrating. They said St Athanasios, although maybe I was unclear as I later realised that he was the saint the church was dedicated to. I was touched by the gift which I greatly enjoyed whatever was being celebrated.
Then it was along roads and dirt tracks through a couple more villages to the major town of Florina. The final few kilometres were lined with retail outlets and petrol stations which was a little tedious but now I am feeling much refreshed after showering at the Hotel Hellinis. Their brochure even has map showing the E4!
Sunday night in Florina seems a busy time, lots of people in bars and driving motorbikes and quad bikes up and down the road, generating the maximum amount of noise, outside the taverna where I am eating.
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| Track across the plain to Florina, tomorrow's mountains in the distance |
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