• sa
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  • a
  • 1
  • Transalpina Pass
  • Transalpina Pass
  • Romania
  • Riding....
  • Moldova....
  • My shadow...
  • Ukraine
  • In Evinos river reservoir, Greece...
  • Curving...
  • Montenegro...
  • Croatia...
  • Bosnia i Herzegovina...
  • Bosnia i Herzegovina...
  • In Graz, Austria...
  • In Montenegro...
  • Ljubljana...
  • Bled lake
  • Bled lake to Bohinj lake
  • Nockalmstrasse, Austria
  • Bohinj lake, Slovenia
  • Triglav National Park, Slovenia...
  • Triglav National Park, Slovenia...
  • Grossglockner, Austria...
  • Grossglockner Pass
  • Grossglockner, Austria...
  • Don't drink and drive...
  • Nockalmstrasse, Austria
  • Graz
  • Nockalmstrasse, Austria
  • Nockalmstrasse, Austria
  • Nockalmstrasse, Austria
  • A1, Croatia
  • Curving in MotoLeonidio Race...
  • In a Gas Station in Serbia
  • On the road...
  • On the road in Hungary...
  • On the road in Belarus...
  • In Minsk, Belarus...
  • In Russia...
  • Borders Belarus - Russia...
  • On the road in Russia...
  • Riding in Moscow, Russia...
  • In Red Square, Moscow, Russia...
  • In Red Square, Moscow, Russia...
  • On the road in Russia...
  • Crossing a bridge in Latvia...
  • On the road in Latvia...
  • On the road in Trakai, Lithuania...
  • On the road in Trakai, Lithuania...
  • In Trakai, Lithuania...
  • On the road in Poland...
  • In Automotodrom Brno, Czech Republic...
  • In Automotodrom Brno, Czech Republic...
  • In Trigrad Gorge, Bulgaria...
  • In Buzludzha Monument, Bulgaria...
  • Tsagkaralona - Greece
  • Morocco...
  • Morocco...
  • Morocco...
  • Morocco...
  • My son Konstantinos
  • Falkirk, Scotland...
  • Biogradsko Jezero, Montenegro...
  • Fez, Morocco...
  • Rabat, Morocco...
  • Transfagarasan Pass, Romania...
  • Careterra Austral, Chile...
  • Unpacking my new baby...
  • Leonidio, Greece....
  • Transalpina Pass, Romania
  • Transalpina Pass, Romania
  • In Romania...
  • Riding...
  • Moldova...
  • In Evinos river reservoir, Greece...
  • Curving...
  • Montenegro...
  • Croatia...
  • Bosnia i Herzegovina...
  • Bosnia i Herzegovina...
  • In Graz, Austria...
  • Keeping notes of the trip, in Montenegro...
  • In Ljubljana, Slovenia...
  • In Bled lake, Slovenia...
  • On the road from Bled lake to Bohinj lake, Slovenia...
  • Crossing Nockalmstrasse, Austria...
  • In Bohinj lake, Slovenia...
  • Triglav National Park, Slovenia...
  • In Triglav National Park, Slovenia...
  • In Kaiser Franz Josef Hohe, Grossglockner, Austria...
  • Crossing Grossglockner Pass, Austria...
  • In Kaiser Franz Josef Hohe, Grossglockner, Austria...
  • In Benedikt, Slovenia...
  • Crossing Nockalmstrasse Pass, Austria...
  • Walking in Graz, Austria...
  • Crossing Nockalmstrasse Pass, Austria...
  • Crossing Nockalmstrasse Pass, Austria...
  • Crossing Nockalmstrasse Pass, Austria...
  • Heavy rain while crossing A1 Highway in Croatia...
  • Curving in MotoLeonidio Race...
  • In a Gas station in Serbia...
  • On the road...
  • On the road in Hungary...
  • On the road in Belarus...
  • In Minsk, Belarus...
  • In Russia...
  • Borders Belarus - Russia...
  • On the road in Russia...
  • Riding in Moscow, Russia...
  • In Red Square, Moscow, Russia...
  • In Red Square, Moscow, Russia...
  • On the road in Russia...
  • Crossing a bridge in Latvia...
  • On the road in Latvia...
  • On the road in Trakai, Lithuania...
  • On the road in Trakai, Lithuania...
  • In Trakai, Lithuania...
  • On the road in Poland...
  • In Automotodrom Brno, Czech Republic...
  • In Automotodrom Brno, Czech Republic...
  • In Trigrad Gorge, Bulgaria...
  • In Buzludzha Monument, Bulgaria...
  • On the road in Armenia...
  • Military Road - Georgia...
  • Silk Route - Armenia...
  • In Tabriz - Iran...
  • Caucasus Mountain - Georgia...
  • Military Road - Georgia...
  • Flame Towers - Baku (Azerbaijan)...
  • Genocide Memorial - Yerevan (Armenia)...
  • Kandovan Village - Iran...
  • Kazbegi - Georgia...
  • Military Road - Georgia...
  • Tatev Monastery - Armenia...
  • Iran...
  • Tbilisi - Georgia...
  • Yerevan - Armenia...
  • On the road in Azerbaijan...
  • Tsagkaralona - Greece...
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Dolomiti - Italy (August 2023)

Written by Thanasis Vavaroutas. Posted in Expeditions

Details coming soon....

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Bucharest (Romania)

Written by Thanasis Vavaroutas. Posted in Expeditions

Details coming soon...

 

 

 

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Sofia (Bulgaria)

Written by Thanasis Vavaroutas. Posted in Expeditions

Details coming soon...

 

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Albania (Oct 2022)

Written by Thanasis Vavaroutas. Posted in Expeditions

Click here for the map...

 

        Albania has developed into an emerging destination in Europe and not only for motorcyclists but also for those who want to enjoy their holidays on the Albanian Riviera and for those who want to discover its wonderful landscapes! It was blocked for years due to the communist regime and after finding its stride after liberation from it, it is making steady progress not only in modernizing the life of Albanians but also in its tourism.

        I had crossed our neighboring country several times in the past to be in Montenegro on my trips to Europe and also when I was returning from those trips to Greece. But I had never taken the time to discover its beauties. In conversations I had with my fellow biker friends who had visited it, they told me about its beauties. So I decided to travel to our neighboring country to explore its beauties. The days my companion Maya and I, had at our disposal were not many, so it was decided to explore the southwestern part of the country, which is not far from our base.

        At the end of October, with the weather as our absolute ally, as the weather reports said, we would make our expedition. The bike was ready and patiently waiting for the first start to begin our expedition. This moment arrived on the morning of the last Thursday of October.

 

                        Patras (Greece) – Sarande (Albania)  345 km

 

        We left from our house early in the morning and after crossing the Ionia Highway, we entered in Egnatia Highway in the direction to Igoumenitsa city (Greece). A few kilometers later we stopped at the archaeological site of Dodoni (Greece). It was my second time visiting this spectacular place and Maya's first. The ticket price was at 2€, and I think was quite cheap. We started walking towards the ancient theater. You feel awe when you are in such places and it is reasonable! You feel the greatness of your ancient ancestors!

        The archaeological site of Dodoni is located 22 km south of the city of Ioannina (Greece), in the narrow valley between the mountains Tomaros and Manoliasa. Ancient Dodoni was a cult center of Zeus and Dione, as well as a well-known oracle of the ancient Greek world.

        Dodoni as an archaeological site according to archaeological evidence appears to have been active since the Bronze Age, centered on the worship of Gaia or another female fertility deity. Later, the cult of Zeus was introduced to Dodoni by the Sellians, to develop in a short period of time into a dominant cult.

        The archaeological site of Dodoni includes the acropolis of the settlement, which occupies the top of the hill and the sanctuary of Zeus, which is located at the foot of the hill and is defined by a precinct, which on the eastern side, where its entrance was, is a continuation of the precinct of acropolis.

          The sanctuary functioned as an open-air, with a simple house for the needs of worship. The various rituals took place around the sacred tree, where the pair of gods resided. From the flight of the birds that nested in it and from the rustling of the tree's leaves, the soothsayers interpreted the will of Zeus. Oracles were also given based on the gurgling of the waters of the sacred spring and the sound of copper cauldrons standing on tripods around the sacred tree.

        After we walked through this wonderful place I flew my drone to take some shots for the video of the trip. After completing our visit back in time and history, we returned back to the parking lot to get on my motorcycle, to continue our trip…

        We got out again on Egnatia Highway and continued towards Igoumenitsa city (Greece), covering the 64 kilometers that separated us quite quickly. We crossed Igoumenitsa and rode towards north, to the Greek Border Station of Sayada. It was not far, only 29 kilometers away but the backroad which lead us to the border demands your attention.

        There wasn’t a lot of traffic at the border, and we crossed the Greek checkpoint quite quickly. We stopped for shopping at the Duty Free Shops and after that, we continued to the Albanian Border station. We got through there pretty quickly too, since the check was typical. We continued in the direction of Ksamil (Albania). After 20 kilometers we arrived at the dock of a ferry that would take us to the opposite side, to Butrint. An improvised ferry, (i.e. a platform with wire ropes to the right and left), which covered a very short sea distance. We paid 3 euros total. The operator told us that it is 2€ for the motorcycle and from 50 cents per person. It didn't take more than 5 minutes to get to the other side...

        As soon as we arrived across, I parked the motorcycle in the parking lot opposite the entrance to the Archaeological Site of Butrint. The guard assured me that the motorcycle would be safe under his supervision, so we entered to visit the archaeological site of Butrint, which is one of the most important historical and archaeological sites in Albania. The ticket cost us approximately 9€ and it was quite expensive compared to Dodoni.

        Before going to Butrint, we had done our research and had read several things about this important archaeological site. History tells how on his way to ancient Italy, Aeneas stopped at an area on the coast opposite Corfu Island (Greece). There - according to Virgil - he saw spread before his eyes "A little Troy": a city where the King and his court welcomed him in a spacious castle. The name of the city was Butrint and it was founded by Helenus, the son of King Priam, after the fall of Troy, in the 8th century BC. UNESCO declared Butrint part of the World Cultural Heritage and turned the sparsely populated area into a national park.

        After we were done our visit to the archeological site of Butrint, riding the motorbike we continued on our route towards Ksamil, the little diamond of Albania, because of its wonderful beach which in the summers is full of tourists. The village of Examili - in Greek - is so called because it is 6 miles from NW Corfu. The so-called Albanian Riviera starts from here and extends northwards. We refueled in Ksamil and the price per liter was 0,30€ cheaper than it was in Greece. Several Albanians spoke Greek to us and some of them, in a conversation we had with them, told us that they had lived in Greece.

        We left Ksamil and continued towards Sarande city where we had booked a hotel. We had another 14 kilometers to cover. The road to Sarande is provincial and I could say that its condition was good. In less than an hour we had reached Sarande. The route with the sea on our left became even more beautiful. There was good visibility and Corfu Island across seemed very close.

        We entered in the city of Sarande and I used the directions of my GPS to access my hotel, which was next to the beach. Entering the city, we were impressed by the many newly built apartment buildings. It seemed to us from the beginning that an anarchic building prevailed, but this kind of thing showed that a lot of money spent into this area. We easily arrived at the Sun N Blue hotel where I had booked through booking.com. Decent, good price with its own parking space and right on the beach. The view from the room was wonderful!

        After settling into our room overlooking the sea, we went out to explore this small town of 40,000 inhabitants. Communication was easy in Greek language and we had no difficulty communicating at any time. We didn't need to speak English at all. We exchanged a few Euros for Albanian Lek, to be more comfortable in our transactions and of course we also used our debit card where needed.

        The population of Greeks living in Sarande is quite big and you will hear Greek language everywhere. I won't tell you that I was thrilled by the beauty of the city as it doesn't have any picturesqueness and maybe its coastal road is its strong card, but I was thrilled with the good facilities (whether we are talking about hotel units, or restaurants and cafes), with its cleanliness city and of course with very very low prices! Several newly built apartment buildings are in the mountainside where the city is amphitheatrically built. The port is beautiful and picturesque, while the beach front is very beautiful! A spot where locals and visitors to the city enjoy their walk and drink their coffee or eat in the adjacent cafes or restaurants. The current name of Sarande comes from the name of the Byzantine monastery of 40 Saints, in honor of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste. The ruins of the monastery are preserved on the hill above the city.

        It doesn't take long to walk around most of the city, since it's small, but there's nothing worth mentioning. I could say that we had a great day and late at night we returned to our accommodation.

 

Sarande – Gjirokastër  – Sarande     115 km

        A sunny day dawned and found us having our breakfast on the balcony of our room, a remnant of the Covid era... It seems that some hotel units served breakfast in the rooms instead of in the restaurant area (due to Covid) and it remained because of a lower cost???

        After breakfast we enjoyed our coffee in one of the many cafes on the beach and returned to our hotel to get ready to leave for Gjirokastër. My motorcycle was patiently waiting for us in the hotel parking lot and as Ι I put my thumb to ignition button and started, my ears filled with the pleasant purr of its engine!

        At the exit of the city we had a close call with the car of a woman driver who ignored our right of the way. She ignored the STOP sign but luckily, I had anticipated her movement and we were spared the worst. A rider must pay a lot of attention when riding and even more so in Albania where the driving behavior is not the best!

        We continued north and entered the newly constructed Kardhiq-Delvinë road which was delivered in August 2022. It was not on Google maps or in my GPS maps, although it was updated with the latest version of Garmin. That's why riders shouldn't blindly trust the navigator and we should have maps (on paper) when we travel and why not when we have trouble asking the locals too. There is no shame! By asking you reach to the city they say! The road crossed a mountain mass and is a good choice as long as one does not wish to use the same route back and forth (Sarande to Gjirokastër and back).

        We arrived at Gjirokastër and I wasn’t impressed by the new town at all. I asked a policeman how to get to the old town and he gave me directions and I found myself driving up an uphill cobbled road until I reached the point where it became a pedestrian street. I parked the motorcycle and Mayia and I, started walking to explore the old town.

        The old town of Gjirokastër has been registered since 2005 on the World Heritage List "as a rare example of a well-preserved city". The city is built on the slope surrounding the citadel, on a plateau. Although the city walls were built in the third century and the city itself is first mentioned in the 12th century, most of the existing buildings date from the 17th and 18th centuries. Many houses in Gjirokastër have a distinct local style, which has given the town the nickname "City of Stone", because most of the old houses have stone gray roofs.

        So, we found ourselves in the district of Bazaar, with the Ottoman houses of the 18th century. Wooden loggias, stone roofs and many – many – large windows, decorated with white embroidered curtains dominate everywhere we look. Many of the Ottoman mansions can be visited for a 1-2€ ticket. If you must choose just one, follow the signs that say "Skenduli House": If you're lucky, you'll find Mr. Skenduli himself there, who will be happy to show you around (in fluent Greek) through the three floors and… nine fireplaces of his father's house, which was confiscated during Hoxha's reign to become a folklore museum and today is slowly and gradually being restored. Very close by, is the house where the bad boy of Albanian history, Enver Hoxha, was born - which was almost completely destroyed by fire and rebuilt in the same place - and today it functions as a Folklore Museum, with its rooms representing houses, loggias and other areas of a traditional Ottoman mansion. Other attractions worth visiting are the remains of the Roman Aqueduct, the 18th century Church of Agios Sotiros which is open every Sunday, the Turkish baths and the Gjirokastër mosque built in 1757.

        We made a break to enjoy a coffee and continued our tour by walking uphill to the castle which was not far away. It took us 10-15 minutes to get to the entrance paying 200 Lek (1.70€) at the entrance. The castle that gave its name to the city was in turn baptized, according to legend, by Princess Argyro, who fell from one of its towers when the Ottomans invaded the city. Straight out of a children's fairy tale with knights and princesses, the second largest castle in the Balkans is extremely well preserved, and has enough labyrinths, dark rooms, dirt paths, battlements with panoramic views of the entire Gjirokastër valley and small museums to keep you busy for a whole afternoon.

        Among the most interesting parts of the Castle are the atmospheric semi-dark corridors that lead to the War Museum, immediately after the entrance, the two tekkes of the Bektasi Dervish order, the Clock Tower, which was bombed in World War II and remained visible forever at the time of the bombing (11.45, in case you were wondering) and the large flowered plateau that hosts the stage of the Gjirokastër National Festival of Traditional Music.

        After walking a large part of the castle, we sat in the enclosure where remains of USAF aircraft allegedly forced down by Albanian Air Force in communist period is located and I flew my drone to take shots of the castle and also of the city where the view (from the castle) enchants you. We filled our souls and minds with beautiful images and began to descend towards the old town. We stopped at a cafe and ate a delicious burek, got our strength and got on the motorbike to return to Sarande. The return would be from the south, passing by Blue Eye. We didn't stop there because we were scheduled to do it the next day. The distance to Sarande was 57 kilometers, of which 22 were to Jorgucat village. There we left the road and turned right and headed towards Muzine village, Blue Eye and Sarande. A beautiful route on a road with several twists and turns in a low mountain complex that needs attention.

        We arrived at Sarande in the evening and had time to enjoy the sunset that disappeared behind the bay where the city is hidden. Later on, we enjoyed our dinner at a restaurant recommended to us by a lady who spoke fluent Greek and had divided her life between Athens and Sarande. Mussels and other seafood made up this fine dinner. I could say that he price was normal. Not expensive but not cheap either. Our day ended with a walk on the wonderful beach front of the city.

 

SarandeBlue Eye – Kakavia - Patras   320 km

 

        A very beautiful day has dawned! In the fall having the opportunity to enjoy so many beautiful days in a row it is rare! We took our breakfast in our room and started packing to leave. First, we enjoyed our coffee in a nearby cafe and then, after checking out, we put our stuff in the motorcycle’s panniers and left Sarande behind towards the Blue Eye. The route was familiar since we had done it the previous day on our way back from Gjirokastër. We covered the 20 kilometers that separated us and arrived at the gate of this National Park. Fortunately, the guard with a tip of a few euros let us pass with the motorbike and we didn't walk the 2 kilometers which is the distance from the gate to the point. A nice pedestrian path has been built that takes you to the water spring, which blends harmoniously with the environment.

        Blue Eye, or Syri I Kaltër in Albanian is a very beautiful and picturesque spot in the green scenery. It is one of the 18 springs of the Bistritsa river with a diameter of about ten meters and the shape of an oval eye. Its color (from where it got its name) is blue like the sky. The depth of the source is estimated to be more than 45 meters, as the strong water pressure does not help divers in its accurate calculation. The water flow is 6 cubic meters per second and the temperature is around 13 degrees Celsius. The spot is a place of attraction for many tourists, as the sight is amazing. The source is in a green landscape dominated by oaks and plane trees. I can't say I went crazy but if anyone is in the area why not visit?

        After a few kilometers we entered in a quite familiar road to me, the one that leads to the border station of Kakavia (Albanian-Greek Border Station). I have crossed this road several times passing through Albania. After a while we had entered Greece again and went to Piges Vellas (a few kilometers from the historical village of Kalpaki) for lunch but also to enjoy nature. There was quite a crowd because as I said the day was sunny! We had trout and I can assure you it was delicious! We enjoyed the moments and got back on the bike to continue the way back. We passed outside the city of Ioannina and after a few kilometers we entered Ionia Highway where after a boring two hours on the highway, we arrived home...

        Neighboring Albania for a short-day trip is an ideal destination since it is only a few kilometers away from Greece and has enough beautiful places to visit! Also, gasoline is cheaper than in Greece and certainly the cost of the trip (accommodation and food) will be cheaper than traveling in Greece. Personally, although I have passed through it several times, I had never taken the time to get to know it. But now I have several parts of the country in mind to get to know in the future…

 

 

 

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Kastoria - Prespes lakes (July 2022)

Written by Thanasis Vavaroutas. Posted in Expeditions

Click for the map...

 

The last time I visited the city of Kastoria was in winter and it was by car... So, the time has come to tour it on my motorcycle! I booked a hotel for a weekend in July and as the D-Day has came, Maya and I found ourselves preparing our trip to Northern Greece! The motorcycle was always ready in all respects and it was just waiting for us to load the panniers and the first... ignition...

 

So, on the first of July, we got on the bike one after the other and headed north! We crossed the Charilaos Trikoupis bridge (Rio – Antirrio) and got the Ionia highway. We wanted to get to Kastoria as quickly as it was possible, just to have enough time to enjoy it, so the highway was the right choice! The first 200 kilometers until we met Egnatia Highway went by quite quickly Before the cross section of the two highways we made a stop for a coffee and to catch a breath... The sky was getting overcast and it seemed that we were not going to avoid the rain until we reached our destination. We departed again for our final destination and the weather started showing us its teeth! With the first drops we stopped safely in the parking lot of a tunnel and put on our rain gear. How much it breaks my heart to wear rain gear during a hot summer!!! The temperature is high, and you have to take a sauna from the inside, avoiding to get wet from the outside... How many of us haven't felt this???

 

When we reached the city of Grevena, the first drops began to fall from the rain curtains that we saw in front of us. In less than a kilometer, the rain became heavier!!! The rain drops were banging on the helmet with such a noise that you thought someone was hitting it with a hammer! Maya, even though it was the first time she faced such a situation, she was fearless and had a lot of fun! We exit from Egnatia highway following the signs pointing to the city of Kastoria, but also the voice of the lady from the GPS was giving me imperative orders to turn in 400 meters, in 200 meters etc...

 

So, before the city of Siatista I turned and took the road to Kastoria to cover the last 46 kilometers of the route. We entered Kastoria shortly before noon with the rain letting us enjoy the last kilometers to our destination. The nice lady who lives inside the GPS quickly directed us to our hotel, which was in the center of town. The Mansion of Venetoulas (our accommodation) is located in the old neighborhood of Doltso and is housed in a traditional neoclassical building that offers an excellent view of the lake. We got settled in our beautiful room and after freshening up we went out to explore the city and discover its beauties.

 

We started with a coffee in the picturesque square of Doltso, and then following the cobbled downhill streets we found ourselves on the shore of the lake. The setting was magical! We started walking towards the city center. We also had our notes (info) for the city on hand which said the following…

 

The city is built amphitheatrically on a narrow peninsula, reminiscent of an island, and impresses with its many majestic Macedonian mansions and dozens of Byzantine churches, which are reflected in the clear waters of the lake. Its hallmark is undoubtedly its famous lake, which impresses at first glance. Also known as Orestiada, after the mythical Orestes who took refuge in the area after the murder of his father Agamemnon, the lake seems like a real gem of which the locals are particularly proud and not unjustifiably. Its area covers 28 square kilometers, its depth reaches 10 m, while its coastline reaches 30 km.

 

The view of the lake is calming, especially from the hill of St. Thanasis, with the mountains that surround it - Vitsi and Grammos - being reflected in its clear waters. Designated as a "Monument of Natural Beauty", the lake is an important wetland - included in the European "Natura 2000" protection network - and more than 200 species of birds find refuge in its waters, such as silver pelicans, gray geese, larks, swans, ducks, herons, cormorants etc., while it is considered the second richest lake in catches in the country (grinds, pike, gourds, perches, butterflies etc.). Many birds nest in the surrounding area.

 

The history of the area goes back to the 6th millennium BC, where the finds of the prehistoric lake settlement, which came to light on the southern shore of the lake near the village of Dispilio (7 km SE of Kastoria), are dated. Among them is the so-called "Dispelion Tablet", which was dated precisely to 5260 BC, at the end of the middle Neolithic period, by the carbon-14 method and has not been deciphered to date.

 

Capital of the prefecture of the same name in Western Macedonia, and one of the most atmospheric cities in Greece, it is one of the few Greek capitals of prefectures whose beautiful landscape does not begin outside its borders but is a constituent element of their urban fabric. The magnificent mansions of the rich merchants are evidence of its prosperity and wealth, since it developed a strong economic and cultural identity thanks to the fur industry. Today stands quietly on the shores of the beautiful lake, among the peaceful mansions and apartment buildings, the historical weight of the precious Byzantine monuments – a whole open-air Byzantine Museum – and the largest exhibition of furs in the world. Byzantine churches next to apartment buildings, old mansions, cafes and alternative cafes, shops make up the image at its heart.

 

We enjoyed our walk by the shore of the lake and the old mansions that are built next to it, having for company the ducks that were frolicking in its waters and also fishes that made jumps on the surface of the water to escape from bigger ones that were chasing them. I spent some time on a bench by the lake trying to fly my drone to take some shots. There was a ban (no fly) in the area and I had to have a special permit. At last, and with the help of my son through the phone, I managed to get permission and take it off...

 

After this hardship I went through (hahaha) we continued our walk in the city, and in the late afternoon we ended up, after a friend's recommendation, at the Gramophone restaurant (near the City Hall), a modern, picturesque bar-restaurant where we enjoyed tsipouro and wonderful appetizers.

 

After this culinary feast we walked uphill in the direction of our guest house. We walked for a few minutes, and it was very good in order to sleep better.

 

The next day dawned and after we had our breakfast, we prepared to go to a water paradise... in Prespes Lakes... We got on my motorcycle and after 60 beautiful kilometers we arrived at Agios Achillios. The weather had improved greatly and there was no chance of rain. What the heck? We were in the heart of summer!

 

I parked the motorcycle in the small parking lot near the pedestrian bridge. Agios Achillios is a small islet in Mikri Prespa Lake and is connected to the mainland by a 650-meter footbridge. First stop, the basilica of Agios Achillios. The temple was built in the last decades of the 10th century at the expense of the Bulgarian tsar Samuel by craftsmen from the city of Larisa. At this point you enjoy the natural wealth and feel the peace that the landscape generously offers you. You empty and fill at the same time. After we finished our tour I flew the drone to get some shots of this wonderful landscape. We walked back across the footbridge to the parking lot and stopped next to a boat that was aground with a rather large fish caught by the fisherman in the lake... How much this lake gives to the locals!!! Wonderful birds were flying quite high above our heads making various formations and we were enjoying the sight.

 

We left Mikri Prespa Lake behind us and with Megali Prespa Lake on our left we took the road to the village of Agios Germanos. We visited the traditional watermill of Agios Germanos which is the only one of the 20 watermills that existed in the area and has been fully restored. It is a stone building with a wooden roof that was built in 1930 and was used as a water mill (for grinding grain) and as a water mill (for washing cloth). This particular watermill won the European Union's prize for Cultural Heritage, the Europa Nostra Award 2016.

 

Then we visited the temple dedicated to the memory of the Patriarch Germanos of Constantinople. A temple of special architectural importance, it captivates you from the inside and from the outside you admire the four massive pillars that support the cylindrical dome. After that cultural exploration, we stopped at the small tavern located in the square and enjoyed a local snack... What could one of the dishes be? Giant beans, of course, baked in the oven! Could we not try them? How was? Perfect of course! What does Kastoria produce anyway? Beans and furs…

 

On our way back to Kastoria, we stopped and bought beans... We thought that winter is coming...

 

Entering Kastoria we saw from above the city curling lazily around the beautiful lake and the sight was very beautiful!!! We left the motorcycle and our stuff at our hotel and started walking again on the lakeside street of the city. We visited the Monastery of Panagia Mavriotissa, which is located at the eastern end of the peninsula that enters the lake. It is likely that it was built in the 11th century AD. and it was called Mavriotissa in the 17th century because the inhabitants of the village of Mavrovo took care of its maintenance.

 

We went back to the city and started wandering in Doltso as the oldest and most picturesque district in Kastoria is called. Untouched by time, it made us want to get lost among its narrow cobblestone streets! Beautiful, restored mansions - some neoclassical and others faithful to Macedonian architecture -, remarkable museums and cobbled cobblestones "conspire" to take us on a mental journey to another era, when the city was at its zenith.

 

It was getting late, and our stomachs started to complain loudly so we headed to the "En Kairó" restaurant and soothed our digestive concerns with delicious snacks and nice wine. Its prices were very good and in general I could say that the prices in general were quite moderate to the point where you could say they are cheap! Now, if you can call the reasonable prices cheap, this is where another discussion should start... However, I believe that Northern Greece has very good food and the prices are not related to those further south! Anyway, the evening went very nicely, and we slowly retired to our accommodation to get some rest!

 

The next morning, we started to pack our bags, and after having our breakfast, we got on the motorcycle and went down to the lake for a coffee before leaving.

 

For our way back home we chose the old Kastoria-Ioannina road, a wonderful route of 165 kilometers that crosses northern Pindos and moves along the outskirts of mountains Grammos, Smolikas and Tymfi (Gamila). We passed through Nestorio village and left behind Pefkophytos and Pyrsogianni to reach the heart of Epirus in the town of Konitsa. A beautiful town, with imposing mansions, arched bridges, cobbled streets and rivers. We had a coffee and continued our way to Patras making a stop in the capital of Epirus, Ioannina. We had our lunch in a nice taverna, we strolled a bit by the lake and after our eyes were filled with beauty, we got on the bike to cover the last 210 kilometers on the Ionia highway to Patras. The highway may be boring but it offers you safety and fast travel. So, after a couple of hours we found ourselves at our base full of images and beautiful feelings! A very beautiful weekend ended and our minds began to be flooded with ideas for the next trip...

 

I will close by saying... "How excited I am to drive on the country roads of N. Greece!!! The landscapes, the mountains, the lakes, the rivers, the bridges, the small villages, the delicious food and the beautiful and pure people make you not want to go back to your base!”

 

 

 

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