DJmotortouring – Page 48

Glyfa (Pelopennese), Greece – Dec 2017

It seems there are a number of villages across Greece by the name of Lygia – it is Greek for “musical”. There is a Lygia close to where I am currently parked in Glyfa in the Pelopennese Region but the Lygia I left this morning was in the Preveza Region far to the north. I shall remember that short stay. It was very pleasant and the fish was superb.

I forgot to mention that, whilst drinking the local red wine yesterday afternoon, Ikis was continually providing me with small plates of pickled vegetables that didn’t look too nice but tasted divine…

Soggy looking pickles (lot of olive oil) but they tasted great

Today was about the drive down through Greece, across the Rio-Antirrio Bridge to Patras (in Pelopennese) and then on to Glyfa – a journey of about 180 miles – although I was prepared to take another day or so to complete the journey if necessary because I also wanted to stop off at Nikopolis. Nikopolis (Victory City) was built by the Roman Emperor Augustus (then known as Octavian) to commemorate his victory over Anthony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC. The ruins are supposed to be spectacular.

Unfortunately (at least so far as my planned stop at Nikopolis was concerned) a new motorway has been built since my so called state of the art sat-nav was installed and before I knew it I was on the motorway and well past Nikopolis. If nothing else, that explains why things went so wrong for me whilst driving in Albania. I mentioned on the Shkoder to Vlore blog that I was continually being directed towards a ferry. That’s why; the sat-nav is so out of date the road I should have taken isn’t even recorded in my sat-nav system! There was another occasion in Albania, that I didn’t write about, where I (again) found myself on a motorway that according to my sat-nav didn’t exist. Not impressed.

Because of the motorway I soon found myself parked up at the Ionian Beach Camping Site. It’s impressive. It’s on a pretty beach and has all mod-cons. All things being equal I’ll stay here for a day or two before starting my exploration of the Peloponnese Region – Sparta as was.

That’s us heading across the Rio-Antirrio Bridge towards Patras. Next time I am here it will be to get a ferry across to Italy. I need to do something about that over the next few days

…and there’s the beach. Can I gather the courage over the next day or so to go for a dip?

Ammoudia & Lygia, Greece – Dec 2017

Yesterday was good and it was always going to be difficult to follow but I think today matched it and, if chill factor were to be a primary consideration, today would have surpassed yesterday.

It was cold when I awoke this morning and it speaks well for the Van (and the quilt that I am currently sleeping under – only yesterday I considered changing the quilt to a lighter one because it’s too warm) that I had a really good night’s sleep even ‘though the temperature slipped to -3 last night. No matter, it was warm and sunny this morning and that is the forecast for days to come. A quick cup of coffee and some cereal and I was off back to the coast, to Ammoudia (where the River Acharon hits the Med), for something more substantial to eat. I could have knocked up some bacon and eggs in the Van but I’m getting lazy.

Ammoudia was pretty (and different) from many of the coastal villages/towns seen so far but it was also a bit of a disappointment. Very little was open (I’m sure it would be different in the summer) and after an hour or so of checking the place out I moved on. I didn’t even stop for a coffee.

The fishing boats in Ammoudia are moored on the Acheron River as opposed to in the bay…

… and they sail (or motor) out of the Acheron into the Aegean…

… not that there is anything wrong with the beach

I don’t know what caused me to pull off the coastal road into the village of Lygia but I’m so glad I did. Lygia is in the middle of nowhere and aside from a small harbour (there’s only room for a handful of fishing boats) and a small taverna, there is absolutely nothing else.

I checked it out with a couple of locals and they said it would be in order to park the Van on the quay while I had my breakfast in the local taverna. I’m still there 12 hours later and I’m staying overnight. The locals are happy for me to stay on the quay as long as I want to.

Breakfast wasn’t brilliant (the taverna, Skaloma, only had the one egg and they apologised for that) but the setting and the friendly reception from the owner of the taverna (Ikis, he’s called) was second to none. He asked if I would be staying for dinner and, after explaining that they only do fish, enquired as to my preferences. I had to choose 2, preferably 3, options as my choice would influence where and how his man would fish. Promising or what?!? Well, that night (this evening) I got my first choice – a local sole – served with a Greek Salad and two half litre carafes of the local dry white wine. This place is simply not real. I love it.

One of the first views I saw of the beach at Lygia…

…and a later view

As for the food, it was my first choice and it was outstanding. Which one do you want? That one, please!

I don’t know what the (complementary) dessert was but while I have eaten most fruits in my lifetime I have never eaten this one (served with a cold yoghurt). In it’s natural state it is a white wine colour and very bitter but it was served having been boiled with sugar. Nice

Don’t ask what my plans are for tomorrow.

Sivota, Parga & Acheron Springs, Greece – Dec 2017

A good day that would probably have been a great day except for a slight miscalculation on my part.

It started well. I was on the road by 8.30 am and covered the 30 km to Sivota within about 45 minutes. Sivota is a small seaside town with a pretty harbour, crystal clear water, a surprising number of cafes that are open notwithstanding that it is well out of season and free wifi anywhere in the town. A cup of coffee, a quick tour of the town and to buy some supplies and then I was off up a hill at the back of the town seeking the long abandoned traditional stone village known as the Vrachona Settlement. That is where the miscalculation occurred. I walked 10 km up, down and around a much bigger and wholly incorrect hill and never found the Settlement. Wally!

Sivota waterside- pictures taken in the town

Looking down on Sivota but not from the Vrachona Settlement. Well I got my exercise today and a photo opportunity that would have otherwise been denied me

The next stop was the smaller coastal town of Parga. I hadn’t been too sure about going to Parga but it wasn’t going to be too much of a detour. So glad I did. It’s a beautiful town with, for so small a place, a surprising number of interesting features. In particular, there’s the local church on the island in front of the harbour and a Venetian Castle on a rock overlooking the town.

Ali Pasha (the same Ali Pasha who has figured in so many of these blogs) bought the town from the British in 1819. Greece regained it in 1913 but by then many of the Greek inhabitants were long gone, fleeing to Corfu. Don’t ask me what we were doing with it. I would have visited the Venetian Castle (if only because there would be fantastic photo opportunities from the battlements) but I was running well late because of a certain hill outside of Sivota (not to mention my pig headedness in thinking the Settlement must surely be over the next rise) and I wanted to reach Acheron Springs before nightfall.

I must have taken dozens of photos in Parga

As I drove inland to the Acheron Springs the weather deteriorated but upon arrival I couldn’t have received a better welcome:-

That’s the Van and both ends of the Rainbow were visible from where I stood. The end you see appeared to originate at the entrance to the gorge where the Springs are

In case you didn’t know (and apologies if you did), Greek mythology tells us that Hermes and Charon would guide the souls of the dead down the Acheron River to Lake Acherousia and the underworld, Hades. I stayed parked at the Acheron Springs overnight reflecting as to whether it was Hermes himself who had organised the Rainbow for me. Some welcome. I just hope he wasn’t intending I stay longer.

On to Ammoudia in the morning (where the Acheron empties into the sea).

Igoumenitsa, Greece – Dec 2017

I’ll be wild camping over the next couple of days and I therefore decided to stay one more night in “Drepano Camping” (near Igoumenitsa) although it vies with the place I stayed at in Munich as the worst campsite on the tour so far. It has all the basic facilities and is well placed (right on the coast with some nice views and just a short bike ride from Igoumenitsa Town) but it looks as if it hasn’t been cleaned in weeks.

The view above is from near where the Van is parked. That is Igoumenitsa the other side of the bay

… and that’s the wetland (a bird sanctuary) behind where I am parked. Like I said, Drepano is not badly sited

The only other people staying on the site are Simon and Julie Thomson whom I met briefly in Shkoder, Albania. They are the only Brits I have seen for weeks (since Belgium) and last night we polished off a few bottles of wine swapping stories and catching up on events in Albania.

This morning I cycled into Igoumenitsa to have a look around but stayed only for a quick coffee and to buy fresh doughnuts (I’ve been craving doughnuts for weeks). You’ll understand why I didn’t stay longer when I tell you that Lonely Planet describes Igoumenitsa as “a port city and… is not very attractive and there’s little to draw you here other than the promise of sailing to lovelier shores.” Not very kind but… true.

Igoumenitsa. Enough said.

Ksamil to Greece – Dec 2017

Waved cheerio to Mairin & Todd but, otherwise, I did very little yesterday. It was a total “chill” day. I simply drank some wine and watched the first four episodes of the latest Peaky Blinders series on the BBC catch-up facility.

Actually, it hasn’t been all that different today with my only priorities being a short drive across the border into Greece and to put my watch forward another hour.

I have really enjoyed Albania. Yes, the roads and the standard of driving are about as bad as they could be and; there is a marked shortage of the luxury items I currently crave (after almost 2 months on the road) and; there is a really serious rubbish problem (the place makes Canterbury look spotlessly clean) but, without a doubt, I have not come across a more friendly and welcoming people anywhere in Europe – so many total strangers have gone out of their way to offer help or advice or simply ask how I am finding Albania and if I am enjoying my stay. Lovely place, lovely people.

I would have stayed another couple of days but the weather forecast for the Ksamil area is not good for the next two weeks or so and, while the north of Greece (about 30 miles away) is likely to be very wet for the next two days, it is scheduled to get significantly better in the area just south of Igoumenitsa. It is amazing how the weather can vary so much over such a short distance; it’ll be the mountains I suppose.

By Albanian standards the roads weren’t too bad coming over the border to Greece today but there was monsoon style rain for parts of the journey. At times the windscreen wipers on the Van couldn’t cope and I had to pull in. I’m currently parked up just outside Igoumenitsa; it’s raining cats and dogs and I am not going any further. There’s an open bottle of Bailey’s in the fridge and the freezer is half full of ice. Job done!

The main road to Greece – Been on worse since arriving in Albania

The Greek side of the border

Do I stay with Igoumenitsa and the coast road to Syvota (which has long been on my list of places to visit) or make a short detour to Ioannina (and take in the road to Papingo which I also fancy)? I suppose I could stay in the region a little longer and do both

The road to Papingo

Sarande, Albania – Dec 2017

I decided to stay on in Albania a little while longer and took the bus yesterday to Sarande with a really nice couple from the USA, Mairin and Todd, whom I met a couple of days ago and who are themselves currently touring Europe in a van (although they are following a different route to me).

In Albania too the bus services are frequent, regular and cheap and for just 100 leke each we were soon in Sarande, a fairly sizeable coastal town some 8 miles to the north of Ksamil. I passed through it on the way down here.

There is not a great deal going on in Sarande at this time of the year but we had a very pleasant afternoon; starting off with a brief walk along the promenade; followed by a leisurely walk to and from the mostly derelict Lekuresi Castle (which sits on a small hill at the back of the town and offers sensational views) and; finally, relaxing in a seafront restaurant (with a litre of the local white wine, a pretty good pizza and some fried squid & prawns) waiting for the sun to set. Then it was time to take the obligatory sunset photos and take a taxi back to the Van for a proper drink.

Sarande sea front

These silly one man pill boxes are everywhere, even in the town centre. It seems more than 750,000 were built – nice contract for someone

The entrance to the Lekuresi Castle and a view of a part of the castle which has been converted into a restaurant

Two views from the Lekuresi Castle. Had the restaurant been open we would have stayed to photograph the sunset but it wasn’t to be…

… but the sunset from the promenade wasn’t bad

Mairin & Todd are heading north tomorrow and we therefore took it fairly easy on the alcohol; a bottle of Albanian Berat (or was it a Fernet Branca?), a bottle of Amarone from Italy, Bailey’s with ice, a couple of cask strength Ardbeg Whiskies and then Todd produced a very unusual and very nice raki (Raki me Arra from the Cobo Winery in Albania) which tastes unlike any other raki I have tasted, probably because it is mixed with various unripe nuts and herbs.

All the best Mairin & Todd. Stay well.

Ksamil, Albania (Butrint) – Dec 2017

Ksamil is a small town on the peninsula of the same name about 8 miles south of Sarande. Just 3 miles further south in the National Park on the shores of Lake Butrint are the archaeological remains of Butrint city.

Butrint is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (and has been since 1992) and, while it was off limits to the general public under the communist regime (because of fears people could be tempted to flee the country by swimming the short distance to Greece), it is now one of the most popular tourist destinations in Albania. It will inevitably be busy in the summer but it really is a “must see”. I consider it to be one of the most fascinating places I have seen during this tour.

It is different from many archaeological sites because in this one place you can see structures from so many different eras (especially Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman civilisations) and it has, rightly, been described as a microcosm of history. It costs 700 leke (just over 5 euros) to enter the site and with your entrance ticket you get a pamphlet which identifies various walking trails that showcase both the different cultures that have occupied this area and the scenery. This is a National Nature Reserve too. You don’t need a tour guide because the pamphlet with it’s trail map, the museum and numerous information boards in Albanian and English tell you all you need to know.

Too much has happened at this site over the years for me to recount in this blog so, I will simply say that there is evidence the site was occupied in prehistoric times but it was about 1200 BC when a first proper settlement was established (reputedly by the Trojan exiles Helenus and Andromache) and it was under the Greeks (starting around 400 BC) and especially the Romans (228 BC) that the city really developed and grew. It declined with the demise of the Roman Empire and, most especially, following a 3rd century earthquake which saw extensive flooding and caused the formation of malarial marshes around the city. Indeed, most of the city was abandoned at that time but the area was still of strategic importance and what remained changed hands many times between the Byzantines, Angevines and Venetians (who all left their mark on the city) with the ultimate victors, the Venetians, then having to develop various military installations in an ultimately failed attempt to fend off the Ottoman Empire.

In 228 BC the Romans took the city from the Greeks and the Greek Theatre was “Romanised”. Over a period of time, most especially under Augustus, the Romans more than doubled the size of the city adding an aqueduct, fountains, baths and villas

The city was already in decline when the Byzantines built their Great Basilica and, especially, when the Venetians started on their Triangular Fort the other side of the Vivari Channel (which connects Lake Butrint with the Straits of Corfu)

The grounds of the 14th – 16th century Venetian Fortress which now houses the museum and sits on the hilltop where the Acropolis used to be, have been turned into delightful gardens

The Venetian Tower and the Lion’s Gate

I suggested in an earlier blog that Albania is a place of total contrasts and I see yet another example of that in Butrint because I really cannot understand how a place can be so tranquil and yet exude such feeling.

Cicero said it all in letters to Atticus when he wrote it is “… the quietest, coolest, most pleasant place in the world”. He’s not far wrong.

Ksamil Beach on the way out

Ksamil Beach on the way back

Collected on the way in. I feel a Gin & Tonic coming on

Going to have to think about moving on to Greece.

Vlore to Ksamil, Albania – Dec 2017

The roads in and around Vlore are no better than those experienced yesterday. I was going to visit a monastery, the Manastiri i Shen, which is on an island just off the Zvernec Peninsula near Vlore (you have to use an unusual and rather fragile wooden walkway to get to the island and I thought it would be fun and it would make for some great photos) but the town road to Zvernec was simply too dangerous. It’s bad enough having to cope with pot-holes the size of small wells but in the towns you also have to contend with the fact that manhole covers and the iron grates over most drains have been removed (presumably taken for scrap value) leaving seriously deep holes to the side and in the middle of the road that you cannot see because of flooding.

Just go for it and hope…

I’m pleased to say that everything improved after I made the decision to move further south to the small town of Ksamil, not far from the border with Greece. It was an adrenalin filled drive around the hairpin bends as we (the Van and I) moved south but the quality of the mountain road was much improved over the town roads and with the temperature well up in the teens I wasn’t worried about the snow on the higher hills- that’s what the winter tyres are all about.

Nobody seems to give a damn about the 20 kph speed limit on the hairpins; it’s like being on a helter-skelter

En route to Ksamil, just before the coastal village of Borsh , I stopped to investigate a small castle on an island in a bay. It was the Porto Palermo Castle built by Ali Pasha Tepelena in the early 19th century with the help of some French military engineers. Ali Pasha subsequently executed the engineers but that’s another story. I parked the Van up outside of a restaurant/cafe that I thought was closed but there were 2 Albanians sitting inside drinking from a bottle and in a combination of Albanian, English, Italian (sic) and, mostly, sign language they required that, prior to leaving my Van in their care, I should partake of some of their bottle. It was a home made Grappa and not bad. Of course, after visiting the castle, I felt obliged to reciprocate and insisted they drink a dram of 10 year old Ardbeg that I had in my hip flask. I stopped in a lay-by thereafter for a strong coffee. There’s no doubt the Albanians are a most friendly and generous people.

Porto Palermo Castle. The last photo is of Ali Pasha’s personal quarters

By the way, Ali Pasha got his comeuppance when on 21 January 1822 he was himself treacherously killed on the island of Ionnina. You reap what you sow.

Yer man himself

Currently parked up in Ksamil. More about that tomorrow.

Shkoder to Vlore, Albania – Dec 2017

While the weather was really nice today (how it can change so significantly from yesterday, I do not know), the forecast for Shkoder over the next 7 days is terrible. I therefore decided to spend this morning touring the city and revisiting the Rozafa Fortress (so as to get at least one decent photo) and then, in the afternoon, move south to Durres or even beyond where the weather forecast is considerably better.

Shkoder is a place of total contrasts. It is one of very few places in Albania with a track record of resisting communism and it’s not therefore surprising to see it has a cathedral and a number of mosques while the rest of Albania seems to have toed the party line and done away with religious buildings of any kind and; there seem to be considerably fewer of Enver Hoxha’s military bunkers in Shkoder than anywhere else in the country (Hoxha was paranoid about the West invading Albania and instructed that individual pill boxes be constructed for each and every Albanian capable of carrying arms) but; the contrasts don’t stop there. It is a real mix of ancient stone wall buildings alongside distinctive modern buildings such as the Marubi National Museum of Photography or even the city’s Grand Hotel (although, if I am honest, the ugly drab housing blocks one associates with Eastern Europe do predominate). There is clearly much poverty, with so many people standing on the streets all day trying to sell clothes that they have grown out of, and yet all the usual designer brands are on sale in shops. Donkeys, goats, turkeys and so many stray dogs wander the same streets as are filled with expensive cars (the great majority of private cars on the roads, and almost all the taxis it seems, are Mercedes, Audi or BMW). I’m not altogether comfortable with that. It reminds me of Bangladesh and India.

The view from the walk along a bank of the flooded River Buna and a photo of Democracy Square in Shkoder

I said the weather was good today and that is perhaps reflected in a few of the photos I took both of Shkoder and during my return to the Rozafa Fortress:-

Going back up to the Fortress in altogether nicer weather.There has to be a window shot.

Looking down on Shkoder.

Moving on. I decided to chase the good weather and head for Durres but I think the sat-nav was playing up once again because when I entered Durres it kept directing me towards the ferry terminal and insisting that I take a ferry. After driving several kilometres in circles around Durres and repeatedly ending back at the ferry terminal I gave up on the place, turned the sat-nav off and followed the road signs further south to Vlore. What a journey that was but before I continue, lest there be any doubt, let me state categorically that the roads in Albania are the worst I have come across outside of Africa.

At the time I didn’t understand why the sat-nav should keep directing me towards the ferry terminal but now I think it was perhaps some form of divine intervention. It took me so long to reach Vlore and even then I didn’t have time to find a decent wild camp (I’ve literally just pulled up off the motorway) but, take a look at the quality of the road I had to follow for miles and miles:-

That, believe it or not, is an “A” road and that was one of the better parts where I could take a hand off the wheel to take a photo. I could have done with 4 wheel drive today (or perhaps I should have taken the ferry)

Anyway, I am in or close to Vlore. I’ll see what that is about tomorrow.

Shkoder, Albania (Legjenda) – Dec 2017

I’ve already posted a blog today, about my rather wet escapade up to the Rozafa Fortress, and I think I mentioned too that I was going back to the Legjenda Bar & Restaurant to eat this evening? So pleased that I went back.

The welcome I received upon my return was wonderful (and wholly out of proportion to what I spent last night – bless them). Once again, the food and drink was very good. This evening, however, I was joined by the proprietor, Linda, and (for a short period) her husband who in addition to being a co-owner of the Legjenda and it’s accompanying camp site is the artist and inspiration behind a great deal of what sets this business apart.

Slow-witted that I am I didn’t realise until this evening that the name of the bar-restaurant “Legjenda” has a direct correlation with the “legend” of Rozafa / Rosafa whom I wrote about in my last blog. In addition to providing a bit of a history lesson on Shkoder and the Rozafa Fortress and life under communist rule (Linda is a history teacher by profession) and giving me bags of advice as to where else I need to go to maximise my time in Albania, Linda explained that much of the art work in the restaurant is influenced by the Rosafa legend and it is all her husband’s own work.

I’m sure I don’t need to repeat the story but I’ll explain it anyway. I think his art is wonderful:-

The brothers working to build a fortress for protection and the beautiful Rosafa at home with her newborn

The fortress walls keep collapsing (that’s Linda’s husband, the artist, sitting there)

That’s the brothers receiving advice from the wise man and then, jumping ahead, there’s the wives of the two elder brothers plotting against Rosafa

That’s Rosafa sealing her fate, delivering the lunch, and then there is a sculpture of Rosafa immured in the wall (you may think differently but I think he’s a better painter than sculptor but ten out of ten for artist’s impression). I’d be interested in Clare Dedic’s view on that one?

Lovely evening. Finished with a large raki (complements of the house).

I was going to move south to Durres tomorrow but there are still things I want to see here and the weather forecast is good tomorrow.