Greece 2014 Adventure: Day 4

Day four Wednesday

We woke up bright and early with the sun promising a beautiful day in the sun and sea. We went down stairs for scrumptious breakfast. While having our freshly squeezed orange juice and delicious coffee, we meet a young couple from England. It turned out he was originally from Zimbabwe and could still speak his home language which is similar to Zulu, a language spoken in South Africa. We giggled as we chatted in Zulu, him with his British accent. His girlfriend who has the most gorgeous red hair I have ever seen, informed that that she had worked in South Africa for a short while and knew a little Afrikaans. So here we all were on holiday in Greece, from two different countries chatting in two languages native to South Africa, who would have thought, this is why I love to travel you just never know who you will meet.

This morning we decided to walk down to our favorite beach, Kalamia for a few hours then we needed to head off to Argostoli, the capital. The Body of Mount Ainos National park had their office close to the Lagoon. Tomorrow I was off to climb Mt Ainos and had no idea how to get there or where the starting point was.

Kalamia Beach is spectacular, breathtaking and well, a piece of paradise. We found a spot and decided that we were not going to hire chairs and umbrellas opting to find a more secluded spot with some shade. We found a spot up against the white cliffs. The rock is spectacular, white and very fragmented. Sea water had over time erode away at its weak spots to form stunning tunnels, caves and arches that took you into a magical world.

The contrasting dramatic sea blues of teal, aquamarines, blue skies all competing against the white rocks and beeches left you reeling in a visual symphony of complete awe and pleasure.

The water itself is completely see-through and you are able to see your toes so clearly you would be forgiven for thinking you were looking through glass. Tiny little fish swam around your feet with the odd sand skipper sucking up sand and creating little and craters in his path.

Surround the small bay are mountains, very rocky with scrubs making up the greenery. On the slopes colourful holiday studios lay scattered offering a gorgeous contrast to the mountain colours.

This was one of the beeches that was never crowded as it it a little off the main centre of Lassi’s hotels. We were in 7^th heaven.

We then went back to Niko Studio’s, showered and changed. Our taxi had arrived to take us directly to the National park’s officers in Argostoli. We arrived at the car park and had to take a short journey through the forested pathway to the offices. If you don’t know what you are looking for you may miss it as its is actually build in a mound that takes you underground. Very novel and very cool in the very hot island days. The staff were very friendly and helpful. They showed us around and gave us many information pamphlets. I explained that I needed to actually climb Ainos and from what point to be able to claim it as one of Europe’s Ultras.

They tried as best as they could to give directions in their broken English. However we did land 10km’s off route, but that’s tomorrow’s story!

ARGOSTOLI

The capital of Kefalonia is a very a busy stunning small tourist town with honking traffic, resident communicating from balconies and a bustling harbor which is one of the busiest in all of Greece. The population is around 14,000 people. Arogostoli stands on the far end of a natural bay surrounded by beautiful mountains and verdant forests. Once stunning Venetian buildings stood on the slopes and along the narrow streets before they were sadly destroyed with the entire town of Agrostoli in the devastating 1953 earthquake along with many other villages across the island. The town has since been rebuilt but apparently no effort was made to try and maintain the traditional architecture and the local color. This is just so sad. But none the less I loved the town with all its hustle and bustle.

To the east of the town, at the end of the bay, just beneath the imposing Castle of St. George which we were to visit on Friday, sits the Koutavos Lagoon a large body of water which is the feeding ground for the Loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta). It is now a nature reserve, however in its past it was once an almost impassable swamp where mosquitoes and malaria were once rife. Under the British governor of the island, General Sir Charles James Napier, a wooden briged was constructed across the lagoon in 1813 by Colonel Charles Philip de Bosset, he was a Swiss engineer who was in the British army.

Four years later stone arches were added and, after some 26 years, the entire bridge was rebuilt in stone. In continuous use until 2005, this narrow bridge is now closed to traffic, currently undergoing renovation by the Greek Ministry of Culture. Walking along the walk way that runs parallel to the lagoon, we came across this stone bridge, known as the Drapano Bridge which is about 650 metres long. We found it at the entrance of the capital. At the centre of the bridge is a small pyramid which Charles de Bosset, the guy who built the bridge dedicated to the British Empire.

We continued our walk along a beautiful paved coastal road – promenade which was lined by palm trees and many colorful pebbles from the sea and we came across a SPAR supermarket with the same branding as our South African Spas, so we quickly went inside to buy some supplies (we had walked with our backpacks!) and some cold drinks and ice cream, this walking was hot work.

The road then ends at a small ferry quay where boats connect the two towns of Agrostoli and Lixouri, every half an hour we are told. This is also where many small fishing boats moor creating a bustle of colour with the mountains offering a dramatic backdrop.

The town’s central square, Plateia Valianou (Vallianos Square) is large and has many restaurants, cafes and bars lining it and it comes alive with many tourists soaking up the Greek hospitality and food especially at night when the locals join in and things become very festive.

The town it built a bit of a slope so you have to walk upwards and meander between the narrow streets and make your way to the top to connect with the road to Lassi. We came across the gorgeous cobbled street known as the pedestrian Lithostroto Street (Cobbled Street) which is actually the main street of the capital filled with all kinds of shops.

While walking down this street we came across a beautiful Catholic church Saint Nicolous Also along here is the equally beautiful church of Saint Spyridon and the interesting clock tower of Campana Square.

We also found in and around Argostoli a variety of restaurants to keep any type of taste buds happy. Above the you will find the lush Botanical Gardens.

One thing your are sure to find a shortage of in Greece and its Islands are the many fascinating Museums and beautiful churches. In Argostoli we came across the Archaeological Museum of Kefalnonis which is home to many interesting archaeological findings from the Mycenaean, Hellenistic and the Roman period. The rich collection contains coins, swords, sculptures and ceramics.

The second museum that is worth a visit is the Korgialenios History and the Folklore Museum which is housed in the ground floor of the Korgialenian Library, a 19th century restored Kefalonian house.

The museum has an interesting collection of photographs on the history of Kefalonia. The library of Argostoli bosts some 50,000 books and old manuscripts, some very rare indeed.

Close to the library is a beautiful theatre known as the Theatre of Kefalos and its reported to be the best theatre of Greece.

Once you reach the main road to Lassi and make it over the hill on your left as you walk down you are treated to breath taking views of the many small coves and beaches and of course our favorite beach. The water sparkles inviting you back in.