Messolinghio to Kastos 13 June

We are now on the final leg of our Greek trip, heading up northwards to Corfu. 

The dredged 4 km long channel into Messolinghio, on the way out.

Fishermans houses ( now converted to summer houses for the rich  and famous) a.ing the channel.

Leaving the channel.The whole coast here is marshland.  Shallow water way out and the suddenly very deep. Heading for the Ionion sea. 

Suddenly a lot more activity on the water, always one of two yachts in sight.

Carl thought this rock looked like a baby eagle sitting on its rump ( does it have a rump?)

Beautiful, beautiful, the trip to Kasto, for the first 5 hours, the wind got us the last hour.

The afternoon wind has come up. Waves from the side. What happened to the flat sea?

After an hour arrived at the cutest place, Kasto. Arrived here 15.15. Tiny harbour, charming village. Harbour full but we managed to squeeze between two boats, one Swedish and one Austrian. Found the last place on the quay, but more and more boats coming in anchoring in the bay.

The beach at Kasto.

A quite amazing flower. 

View of Kasto from the windmill bar.

The windmill bar.

This is Kasto!

Our neighbours on the right, a delightful couple from Vienna 

Neighbour on the left, Peter from Uppsala 

Ithea to Mesonlinghio 12 June

I Decided to travel through Gulf of Corinth and most Gulf of Patras today.

Leaving beautiful Ithea 06,00. Water like a pond.

The active mine and processing plant in the middle of the City. 

40 years ago it was Bauxit Parnasse who was the mine owner. Maybe still today.  But nevertheless heartwarming to see that the mining and processing operation it's still going strong. 

Passed by the village of Galaxide just outside Ithea.

The gulf of Corinth, smooth sea and beautiful scenery on both sides.

The suspension bridge where the gulfs of Corinth and Patras meet. It is apparently the longest cable stay bridge in the world, built 2004. Quite a lot of turbulence under the bridge.

Entering the gulf of Patras.

Arrive Messolonghi 14.15. Correct spelling of town. Decided to take it easy after   8 hours travrlling. 

The town is about 2 km from the marina and it was about 35 degrees, so spent time at the very pleasant Marina cafe fixing ways to get replaced stolen credit cards.

The waiter tells us that the town is known to have the best fish in Greece, that is because of the salt marches surrounding the town.  It is also the place where Byron died.

Corinth to Ithea 11 June

Another early morning preparing for a 5-6 hour trip to Ithea. We have to visit Ithea for two reasons. Delphi (leslie last here 1976 and Carl 1978) and Carl visited brother Lars who was working on the mine here about 40 years ago.  A good sea today, much better than yesterday. Passed two fisherman just outside Corinth.

Two small fishing boats for the daily catch. 

Carl had been asking for Dolphins for more than a week. Last time we saw them was when we came close to Skiathos on the 27 May. Now he spotted a few and started calling them to come closer. Watch what an animal friend he is!

We reckon that there were about 10 dolphins playing around the boat for about 30 minutes. They were in front of the boat, it felt like we were going to hit them. They were diving under the boat, across our path and alongside. It was a fantastic show.

Coming close to Itea. Ithea is a wonderful place. Lovely promenade, friendly people, and not at all run down. 

Took a taxi up toDelphi. Price 30 Eur and option to return for a total of 60 Eur. It was rejected. The bus back was 3,80 Eur. 

Another charging bull! Maybe the same one we saw in Orei?

So much to see, hear and learn. We are way behind. Have in any case learnt one new thing, omphalos. This is a conical shaped stone which sacred to Delphi. What we have understood, but think tbat some facts are missing, is that Zeus was to mark the centre of the universe. He sent two eagles flying in opposite directions, tied to the omphalos and the place it hit the earth was Delphi, which became the centre of the universe. We need Brother-in-law Pete to help out with historical facts!

The theatre with Carl delivering his speech.

Another view of the theatre.t

One side of the stadium, and...

The other side of the stadium. One of the main events in the ancient athletics was the 100 "fathom" race. In Swedish one fathom is the same as a "famn". A famn is 1,78 m. So the race was 178 metres. Carl figured this out remembering that in Ethiopa cloth was measured in fathoms. But a fathom is a variable measure. The Ethiopian buyer used a giant with at least two metres between the fingertips while the seller had a much smaller person to measure out the cloth. Big palaver of which measure was the correct one. 

A bit dark, but showing the engineer with the waterworks.

A drink with a view in Delphi, with Ithea in the bay in the distance. Beautiful.

Sun setting over this perfect little town, Ithea. 

Aegina to Corinth 10 June

Left at 6 am this morning in preparation for a very exciting day. We are going through the Corinth Canal! We have heard and read a bit about the procedures about going through the canal. Apparently sometimes one has to wait many hours tied up to a quay, which can become quite dangerous when larger boats/ships pass by.

Arrived at the quay, paid the fee, waited less than an hour, nothing dangerous and had the company of this sweet dog. Gave it some biscuits?

Entrance to the canal.

An expensive, but amazing experience.

The canal is absolutely straight. In Carl's estimate the highest height of the walls are 40 metres at least plus the depth of 6 metres.In any way much better than having to pull the boat over the narrow piece of land separating Peleponesos and the Mainland. That's what they did until the French built the canal in 1890?

In several parts the walls are disintegrating. Wonder how long they can afford the upkeep?

The walls had footholds in the rock.  The walls are not far from vertical. I can just imagine the "fear of height feeling" scaling up or down this wall. 

Another part of the canal wall falling down.

Exit

Leaving the canal.

Early morning start and excitement of the canal made us decide to spend the night in the town Corinth. And surprise, surprise, besides being a very pleasant, friendly town, Ancient Corinth is just a bus ride away.

Here we have Apollo beside the Temple of Apollo.

Apollo a guy worth building a temple for. 

Views of the ancient city.

Very hot and thirsty, we had a modern beer just outside the ancient city. Served by this very friendly waitress, from Canada, of Greek parents.

Later that evening we met two couples, all living in Canada, but originally from Greece. They have their holiday house in Corinth.

Patiently waiting for the bus, something we do quite often.

Lavrio to Nisis Aegina 9 June

After 5 nights in Olympic Marina,  the wind has finally died down and we are off to Nisis Aegina.

Goodbye to Olympic Marina and Lavrio.

Cannot believe this is the same sea as yesterday!

Rounding the cape at Sounion, the most southern point on the Attica peninsula. The temple of Poseidon high on the hill.

Arrived in the pleasant little tourist town Agina on the island Agina, in time for brunch and beach.

Apparently very full of tourists during the summer, and full of Athenians every weekend, escaping the smog in Athens. But we had a very enjoyable stay. Even though quite touristy the town has kept its charm. Maybe not in the middle of summer, though.

The ferries coming in to port Aegina. During the three hours we were at the beach we saw at least15 ferries dropping the anchor and going stern to the ferry quay letting the day tourists and cars off and pick up a load and then leave again. Many of the tourists came to the beach for a swim. 

Leslie in her favorite place doing the blog, etcetera. In the port of Aegina wifi was available free. So better get all things sorted out before the signal gets too weak. 

Carl can't stop taking pics of LB in her berth place for the day. 

Yet another one. 

Skyping to Alex, John and Calle from the marina.