'The ancient Oracle said that I was the wisest of all the Greeks. It is because I alone, of all the Greeks, know that I know nothing.'
Socrates
'Luckily, I know everything.'
Monkey
October 2021
Its been a long time coming....what with all these humans feeling unwell and running around with their jab this jab that jabba the hut and jab up your trumpet!
Covid is done....and finally we get to leave the prison....er....country.....bye bye UK for a week...
The Peloponnese....8,000+ square miles of southern Greece bathed in 20-25 degrees of warmer than home!
Pelops was the local hero, conquering most of the area...hence the name.....wonder what his nickname was...Plops....no doubt.....'hey Plops me ol' fart, come over here and smell a bit'.....
Flew in to olive country.....Kalamata....from what I can tell there were only two flights that day, no doubt that suits the...er.....slightly 'slower' approach to things that Greeks tend to have...unless they have decided to retire in which case they are usually in a hurry and try to make it as close to leaving school as possible....if they could retire at 20 they would but the only thing stopping them is some of the kids are at Uni till they are older.....well...that and their bloody great big debt they owe to the European Union of course.....
Heres a bunch of photo opportunities I managed.....
...up a hill to this castle.....
....to get this view of this amazing beach.....
Mystras....in the background, in the distance, is Sparta...
Let us stop at this point to say the word again....Sparta....
.......the army feared by....everyone!...the army with the reputation of die or dont bother coming home....return a hero is the only option.....
The blokes took to it....all they were interested in was kicking arse and killing....then killing and kicking more arse....most other peoples, whilst going round generally killing also managed to pick up a few nik-naks....and put them in museums and such like.....Spartans....nah....bugger that....for a start it meant carrying stuff around....so today you are welcome to Sparta....council estate....
......and if you can be bothered theres an Olive and Olive Oil museum....though to be honest Kalamata is just up the road so quite why they havent got it there I cant figure out.....a shame....but there you go....not about the museum....but Sparta....reputation gained....reputation lost....
Monemvasia....an impressive town of narrow streets built on a small
outcrop...its very hustle and bustle in the streets but up the top at the
castle its quiet and well worth the walk....
....and theres a shrine....
A terrible joke....
We found a tortoise...I may....or may not....have had a ride....if youre
a right on righty I didnt....if yorue more relaxed....I did...
We did some 'tites and 'mites....
Gates of Hades....bit disappointing really...no one was in...
At the Roman bath house on the way to....
...the southernmost point of the Peloponnese...
Last day, we climbed up from Kardamyli to this church,
still in use, at Agios. Hot and sunny.
