A walk in the sunshine passed vineyards and olive groves, the low hills hiding some steep slopes.
Looking across the valley while eating my generous breakfast at Asion Lithos it looked like my walk today would be over low hills, however these hid some steep slopes and big climbs. According to my GPS over the day I climbed over a 1000 metres. My walk was through an agricultural area. From a distance the hillsides looked like of jigsaw of fields of vines, olive trees and bare earth, all draped around rocky outcrops. The lines of vines and olive trees had a pleasing regularity bringing order to an unruly landscape. Higher ground had its usual cloak of scrubby vegetation.
I went through a number of villages: Kerasia with its little alleyways, Kiparisos where I enjoyed an ice cream with an old gentleman who was trying to converse with me (he had no English and I had no Greek so not entirely successful) and after the climb to the village of Profitis Ilias I needed a cold drink.
I passed the Palianis Nunnery enroute with its restored church (locked when I was there) and sacred tree, which had silver tokens on, which I presume indicated where people needed some prayers answered. At one point I had to cross a drainage ditch, the water covered with green slime, fortunately I managed to stay on the stepping stones! The 350 metre climb late in the afternoon was hot and sweaty. On one side of the ridge I could see the snow lined peaks of the Psiloritis mountains I had crossed a few days ago, the other side I could see the mountains I would cross in a few days time.
Tonight I am staying in Archanes, a place with an old area with little lanes to get lost in, from before the age of cars. I found the door to the Troullos traditional homes where I am staying. It opened into a courtyard off which there are a couple of rooms and stairs up to a larger courtyard with more rooms. I had a 3 room affair all to myself with old taps and photographs to match the old buildings.
Looking across the valley while eating my generous breakfast at Asion Lithos it looked like my walk today would be over low hills, however these hid some steep slopes and big climbs. According to my GPS over the day I climbed over a 1000 metres. My walk was through an agricultural area. From a distance the hillsides looked like of jigsaw of fields of vines, olive trees and bare earth, all draped around rocky outcrops. The lines of vines and olive trees had a pleasing regularity bringing order to an unruly landscape. Higher ground had its usual cloak of scrubby vegetation.
I went through a number of villages: Kerasia with its little alleyways, Kiparisos where I enjoyed an ice cream with an old gentleman who was trying to converse with me (he had no English and I had no Greek so not entirely successful) and after the climb to the village of Profitis Ilias I needed a cold drink.
I passed the Palianis Nunnery enroute with its restored church (locked when I was there) and sacred tree, which had silver tokens on, which I presume indicated where people needed some prayers answered. At one point I had to cross a drainage ditch, the water covered with green slime, fortunately I managed to stay on the stepping stones! The 350 metre climb late in the afternoon was hot and sweaty. On one side of the ridge I could see the snow lined peaks of the Psiloritis mountains I had crossed a few days ago, the other side I could see the mountains I would cross in a few days time.
Tonight I am staying in Archanes, a place with an old area with little lanes to get lost in, from before the age of cars. I found the door to the Troullos traditional homes where I am staying. It opened into a courtyard off which there are a couple of rooms and stairs up to a larger courtyard with more rooms. I had a 3 room affair all to myself with old taps and photographs to match the old buildings.
Later, in the village square where I have just finished my meal, people are riding up and down on motorbikes, scooters and ATVs, nobody wearing helmets of course, men and women alike. Kids are doing "wheelies" on their bicycles, tourists wander around wondering which taverna to frequent and a lady opposite is trying (in vain) to encourage some amorous response from her husband(?). He is wearing a Givenchy tee shirt, I look it up on the web and am shocked at the price, but maybe it's not genuine. The fumes from passing cars are not so pleasant but the food is good and they have given me some ice cold raki and desert.
26.3 kilometres walked today and a total ascent of 1050 metres, the owner of my accommodation said I looked tired!
26.3 kilometres walked today and a total ascent of 1050 metres, the owner of my accommodation said I looked tired!
 |
| Regular patterns in fields |
No comments:
Post a Comment