In Greece with bike 2008

In Greece with bike 2008

Exiciting motorbike travel experience in North-Eastern Greece of a young couple.

 

Trani - Brindisi (km.170)

Here we are again. Start from where we were and that is since two years ago when we scorazzato far and wide to the Peloponnese. This time however the goal and the north-eastern Greece.
We have only seven days and write a route with any changes in the course of work. Cutting oil and filters to our Kawasaki Ninja 636 and I have uploaded as a donkey (a motorcycle came to the track .. if he could speak as they would have said) is part.
Shipment from Brindisi to 21.00 hours with the ferry "penelope" Agoudimos of lines that start with a delay of two hours, late arrival kept up to Igoumenitsa at 09.30 local the next day.

Igoumenitsa - Ioannina - Kalambaka (Km.220)

Ultimate landing operations, we suffered with our full motion, discovering with pleasure that the gasoline costs about € 1.20 and take the fast road to IOANNINA, which is about 80 Km The same is still under construction and therefore there forcing at least a couple of detours for what is the old route through the mountain roads that we do not just slow down, because dell'asfalto not really exceptional, the rapid succession of hills and winding bends as well as the presence of goats and sheep, which often and we would cross the road heedless of our arrival.
We arrive around noon at IOANNINA, noting a very pleasant town whose center winds around a charming lake, which later tell, because we have scheduled a stop on the way back.
Then proceed in the direction of KALAMBAKA at the time of the famous "Meteora." We climb through the Katara Pass at an altitude of 1690 meters, where the temperature is lowered to varying degrees, but for us the mountain crossing and pleasant as it is a beautiful sunny day which is high in the sky to the Central Time of the day . During the trip we stop to drink some water source along the road, given the altitude is frozen, but very pleasant.
Come to KALAMBAKA in the early afternoon, admiring the road already tops the overriding of meteors that suddenly Parano background ribbon of asphalt as if to block the route.
1 km. around the center of KALAMBAKA we stop at the camping "Meteor Garden" where you treat for the night, since the fatigue of the journey begins to be felt. Thus the modest sum of € .18,00 for two people, the bike and take care of our tent pitches.
The camp also has a swimming pool so take advantage now of a rilassantissimo bath. The facility is equipped with all you need and also clean, but want to be fussy perhaps some services including sinks baths are dated and perhaps not perfectly maintained. Ultimately the whole is fine, perhaps the only neo is that KALAMBAKA to visit in the evening we are forced to return the bike because as I said the center is approximately 1 km. provincial road without lights.
KALAMBAKA is a small town that lives at the foot of the meteors with an intense heart citizen motivated by small shops. During the tour through the streets of the country do know a nice pair of motorcyclists arrived in Florence the day before in which after a quick exchange of information are we going to dinner at the restaurant "PARADISOS" going to the meteors, where we eat well with chicken soulaki and pork, feta and eggplant with minced meat which does not remember its name, paying only € 25 per couple.

Meteore - Larissa - Thessaloniki - Nea Kalikratia (km.260)

Meteors are rock formations high and steep that stand out in the sky up to heights of over 400 Mt below the town of KALAMBAKA, crowned by monasteries, which give the name to the entire region, giving it an extraordinary charm. According to experts, there are over 60 million years.
The landscape is very beautiful, surrounded by a mystical aura caused by feelings of fear and ecstasy that stimulate the recollection and meditation, so much so that early this century since the town with its numerous caves was chosen as the hermitage monaco Orthodox , which has lasted with various vicissitudes, until the present day, by building on top of steep rocks more than six monasteries that seem suspended in air.
Within them still find refuge in those voluntary confinement have dedicated their lives to the continuous effort towards God, the monks of Meteora.
The visit of the monasteries is possible from 09.00 hours to 17.00 hours approximately modest price of € .2,00 per person and be assured that it is worth the pain if only to look to the terraces suspended in a vacuum while admiring the beautiful contrast of large rocks with the green carpet of the underlying flat tessali.
Personally, we found even more fascinating to meet some monks in the monastery "Metamorfosis", the largest and the highest in order of distance, with its indescribable simplicity and humility of their prayers leave deeply affected.
Downstream towards the city center of KALAMBAKA admire the rocks whose summits emerge suddenly from the empty side of the road that seems so close you can touch.
Once in town we stop in the square where the bakery Bakery eat some delicious delicacies, before we can travel at a time of the Halkidiki peninsula in the northwestern part of the Aegean, with its characteristic shape of a hand with three fingers.
After the lavish meal we put ourselves on the road in the late morning with Larissa direction where we come in the early afternoon to find a semi-small town.
After having consumed a frugal meal we put ourselves back on the road at a time of THESSALONIKI that we reach with a short motorway in the late afternoon. Along the route on the motorway is only a distributor of fuel in mid-otherwise we would be forced to go out and seek another.
Came to the city of THESSALONIKI cross the very long promenade with a note of the variety of great local fashion already full of beautiful youth. In one of many we stop to sip a cold drink. During the short notice is not no Italian, perhaps the city is a little outside the routes of our compatriots.
Inforchiamo again our bikes and we head south to the first finger, the peninsula of cassandra. After about 30 km. south of THESSALONIKI are the signs of camping "Aigeas" that are in the coast of NEA KALIKRATIA.
And 'now evening and we are tired so we decide to stop. The fare is € .18,00 around the camp but it is really well-stocked, not really missing anything, the swimming pool with adjacent restaurant is beautiful, and is directly on the sea, just enough to cross the road, though in that stretch l 'water in comparison to the beaches of the place is not so exceptional. A nice special feature of this campsite that we have not found in any other structure is that every pitch is adorned with a cage penzolante kinds of trees with a bird.
Let the bike stand and ordering dinner in Annexe tavern roast beef and fries and two fried fish, and drinking our usual beer, paying € 30 in two.

Nea Kalikratia - Nea Moudania - Paliourion (Km.231)

After a hearty breakfast bought in Annexe minimarket starting to round the peninsula of Cassandra, although the morning does not augur well with the sky and cloud with a few droplets of water that sometimes falls on our heads.
Nea Moudania direction and towards the extreme south of the peninsula in the same location Paliourion. Along the route we stop in the small village of Kassandria almost the same name of the peninsula itself, but does not disdain the beautiful beaches of fine sand and crystal clear waters where advantage for a refreshing swim in that for the moment the weather is still mild.
Beachside vendors with merchandise transiting of all types, and one of them brings a tray of donuts (in Naples and we call the 'staples) and looks really inviting. It tasted a couple and in fact, we can certainly say without fear of being accused of rhetoric that before that time we had not ever eat so good, and that my wife and intenditrice because it is tasty.
Resume the journey towards the south direction Paliourion where we arrive early afternoon and we pause feature on the beach big enough, with overflowing shores, especially young people, music, ball games and water at will for those in the vein of emotions. However, Nuvoloni returning to hide the sun does not make us appreciate the colors of crystal.
After a few hour back in motion for the return journey and in fact we do just in time because it starts to rain with some consistency so that we are forced to strengthen our clothing with kway that we had been careful to follow the morning .
Unfortunately along the way, we realize that someone has paid the cost, in fact after a long queue to see the flashing police local roads are for traffic and lying lifeless on the ground a young rider with an equal to our Ninja surrounded by so many rescuers who flock around and the pieces of his half scattered along the road.
We hope that among us it is not a serious accident, but unfortunately we fear the opposite.
Arrived in the evening at NEA KALIKRATIA we stop at small clubs on the seafront where we consume by eating a quick dinner as usual, well and truly paying little.

Nea Kalikratia - Vourvourou (Km.78)

Alarm clock early in the morning, breakfast and again at the time of the peninsula of Sithonia, the second finger of the Chalkidiki peninsula. The journey time is short and in fact already in the morning we come near our destination, the town VOURVOUROU.
For € 18. housed excellent camping "Rea" that we find along the way, where we accept a very nice lady as well as friendly and in fact proves a happy choice.
The camping is great and very well equipped not only with very nice series of avenues and paths that lead directly to the beautiful beach of VOURVOUROU. To be fair across the Halkidiki peninsula, we did not find any beach to compete with the beauty of this place, which brings us back with your mind back two years when the Peloponnese in the south we were enchanted by the beach Voidokilia, which for some ways resemble.
This is a tongue of sand that divides in two the bay below the town of VOURVOUROU so that the beach is surrounded by sea on one side and the other with water shades ranging from transparent to green bagnasciuga marine just took place some way to heaven and the deep blue in a harmonious blend of color characteristics of marine locations that are in other parts of the world far more remote and inaccessible. A little crowded and the water was strangely warm a paradise in which it would be a grave sin not hold a few more days.
Just arrived on this beach we have forgotten the past efforts and even if with only a couple of Greek Yogurt and a po 'di frutta we were all day to bask in the warm sun immersing several times in the beautiful tropical waters.
In the evening we went in the small town far less than a km. where in the supermarket in that, after taking the remaining spot in our backpacks for the return trip, we bought a few bottles of "Ouzo" as a souvenir to bring to friends and family. In any of the taverns of the area we have eaten a good dinner, to say I miss eating well and paying little.

Vourvourou

A beautiful sunny day live in a wonderful place as we have already had occasion to say, dedicated entirely to relaxation.
At lunch time take advantage of a brace in existing camping available to customers for grilling sausages Greek giants, who will be our lunch.
In the evening walk on the fly along the coast that we admire the beautiful atmosphere of the sunset and then dinner in one of the clubs on the coast with the usual good value for money

Vourvourou - Ioannina (km.438)

Penultimate day on Greek soil. We decided to undertake the return journey and in fact do well to bring forward by one day, is a small setback to the motion that does not want to share knowledge makes us lose a little 'time.
Fortunately with the help of a group of campers arrived at the same Napolitain camping that we are in trouble, after half-dismantled bikes can solve the problem. It was just a loose battery terminal readily rearranged. Then we start the return journey.
Arriving in THESSALONIKI give us a break and a snack in a typical room at the Esplanade. Pity not to have more time available so that this city deserves at least a full day of stop to be visited at least a little, as compared to its all other towns encountered seem villages and the lively nightlife certainly should be very animated.
Resume the march without further delay, which will lead us to IOANNINA dusk now, practically destroyed, which is why we planned the last stop in this town, to same that we had seen only smear.
We stop at the camping "Limnopoula" just beside the "Pamvotis Lake" for the figure of € .20. Also this campsite is equipped as required of others and all things pretty well for the position on the shore of the lake. We are interested only then to sleep because tomorrow you will start to Igoumenitsa.
In the evening we stroll to the city center, very nice, if my wife can not resist the temptation to buy some more souvenirs. Eat a quick dinner in one of the many taverns and then to bed.

Ioannina - Igoumenitsa (km.80)

Alarm comfortable and having dismantled once again to our tent, luckily is the last, we in the characteristic city center near the lake where ever consume a supercalorica breakfast. After a last ride bikes through the streets of the center and admire the day as well start at a time of Igoumenitsa, where we arrive at lunch time.
We bring it to the port for the processing of the rite of boarding the same ship journey and we learn that even in this case leads to delay at least one hour. So the departure originally scheduled for 22.30 will move forward.
We decide to do another day of sea and rose again after the bay of the port emerge on a road that runs along a beach near a sea still more than acceptable when we stop in the afternoon making for a further bathroom. The showers on the beach that allow us to wash off the salt rather than starting all attaccaticci.
In the evening around the streets of the city center, which for the truth over the port and to a tiny island with few pedestrian corner shop does not offer anything and after a quick snack made of pita and meat on a spit in the port where we return in late evening comes our ship just before midnight at a time of sails.

Brindisi - Trani (km.170)

Landing in perfect time, at least this time.
Ground the last km. that separate us from home, happy to embrace the coming of our two puppies that were now at sea with the grandparents, with the knowledge of having lived a wonderful holiday, which gave us great and unforgettable emotions.

Fabio & Paola