sept 08 07 day 1........... Angie and I were aboard the ferry to Patras Greece at 20.00h We departed fom the port at Bari Italy and in no time we were gazing at the city lights as we steamed toward that land of ancient treasures.After scouting the Superfast ferry we discovered that this boat was more like a luxury liner!!!!!!!!,casino,three bars,three restaurants,dance floor and disco,internet cafe..........oh ya! crossing the Adriatic in style!"Right now we're chillin in the lounge.Smooth sailing.warm,clear sky,ideal conditions to sail.We're about 3 hours out and can still see the lights of Italia!" A quick stop at Igoumenitsa at 6.30 a.m.for an exchange of vehicles and passengers and a short 4 hours later we arrive at Patras. The view sailing into port was picturesque to say the least. We were greeted with high mountains, clear blue sky and azure coloured seas. Patras is the third largest city in the Pelponese.An industrial and commercial centre with a busy port which,i guess, explains the large groups of transient Gypsies trying to hide themselves among the boarding transports hoping to get a free ride to wherever the ferries were headed.Many of them were intercepted by port authorities but I suppose a few every day manage to avoid being caught. The two of us walked around the port in search of a car rental agency but were soon informed that all were closed on this beautiful sunday afternoon! We promptly stuffed our packs into a luggage bank at the port until the next day. This freed us up to search the city for the Pension Niko which we read about in the Lonely Planet . A short walk and 30 euros later we were on a soft bed with a bathroom down the hall!Later in the evening we wandered the streets until we found restaurant Tzorou Erimoni on Riga Fereou St. This "mom and pop " taverna was perfect for sampling traditional Greek fare. The two of us feasted on "Gemista". which is stuffed vegetables like tomatoes or peppers with rice. It was a great informal place to experience truly traditional Greek cuisine. The wife and daughter both prepared the daily dishes in the slightly visible kitchen. Prices were low and you can rub elbows with the locals. After dinner we wandered around Plateia Vasileos Georgiou, the main square in the centre of Patras. The next day we were up early to rent our car from Avis. Within a short time we were navigating our way through the narrow streets pointing the car south towards Olympia. day 2 ............... The drive down E55 south was stunning! the ocean,olive groves and mountains all made for an awesome way to begin our Greek odyssey. Good road,not much traffic and small towns like Alissos and Nea Manolada provided for some interesting stops. Eventually we arrived at Olympia,the town.Situated in a mountainous region,the village itself was a little commercialized with tourist oriented stores everywhere but what we really came to see was ancient Olympia.The site of the 1st olympic games,ancient Olympia is just a short walk from the town. Once on the grounds you can purchase a guided tour or hook up with one already in progress. The Temple of Zeus,Temple of Hera, stadium, and the statue of Hermes of Praxiteles are some of the antiquities you will see while wandering the area. Every 2 years the olympic flame is lit at the temple of Hera and transported around the world to the site of the current olympic games. "Me and Angie ran the entire 120m length of the stadium. Angie did it in beach flip flops! " Admission was 12 euros each and 6 euros each for the museum. "I'm finding that if you let your mind drift into the ancient past the endless ruins begin to take on a new meaning.They become more than piles of limestone and marble." We continued our journey south until we arrived in Kalamata at 5.30. Soon after arriving we discovered a nice little campground across from the beach. 15 euros bought us Ionian Sea breezes,crickets grinding their legs together,a radio off in the distance playing Greek folk songs and a level piece of real estate to set up our tent. It wasn't long before we were sipping ouzo and enjoying a jar of Kalamata olives.When in Kalamata you must try Kalamata olives! They're the deep purple ones that are hand picked to avoid bruising.Each olive is slit with a knife to help the brine permeate through. You can distinguish the Kalamata olive tree from others by its large dark green leaves and unlike others this olive must be picked ripe. So between running the olympic stadium and eating Kalamata olives in Kalamata I think it would be safe to say that its been a great day!
