Day 80 May 1st (Friday)
It is May Day in Europe which is like our Labour Day .
We docked in Pireaus about 5:30am and we had to have breakfast early as departures started at 8am. We all had different times for disembarking so Eric decided to get off early and then we had to wait for our rental car to arrive. It came about 10:30am and after all the paper work we headed out of Athens towards Korinth. Unfortunately it was bumper to bumper which was moving at a snails pace. It reminded us of a holiday weekend on the 401.
We tried to find a room in Nafplina and there wasn`t anything. We then went to Tolo and found a place. It worked out for the better as we stayed there for two nights as it was a really quaint little town right on the water.
It was nice to see the snow capped mountains and the green valleys. The oranges ladened the trees and the smell of the orange blossoms filled the air. The farmers are busy, the wildflowers are in bloom and there is a sense of activity in the air.
We settled in and wandered into the town to have a look around and some dinner.
The GPS doesn't work outside of Athens so we went back to the old way to navigate in Greece, Judy translating the Greek signs. 

Day 81 May 2nd (Saturday)
Things are back to normal as the stores are open again. We have to pack up as we are staying in a different hotel tonight -- one with a view of the sea.
We spent the day driving along the coast to Iria and stopping in Ermioni. The scenery is breathtaking with every turn in the road and again we saw the snowcapped mountains in the distance . It is cool but sunny.
We saw artichokes growing and I have never seen that before (I had never seen pineapples growing before either but saw them in Australia). The cabbages were being harvested along with the red onions and potatoes. We even saw lots of kumquat trees.
We had our rest and continued along the coast to Galatas for lunch. The wife of the owner was from Chicago and there were a lot of Brits staying here for 6 months. One couple asked us if we knew where Bancroft was as they had friends from there. I tell you the world is getting smaller and smaller.
We eventually returned to Tolo for the night and after dinner we walked the streets full of pedestrians. The town was alive.

Day 82 May 3rd (Sunday)
We left Tolo this morning and headed for Argos where we encountered alot of security, police and throngs of people standing if front of a church and someone was speaking over a loud speaker. The police lined the roadway all along to Astros. Still don`t know what was going and probably never will .
We hugged the coast along a twisty winding road carved out of the side of the mountains with gorgeous views at every turn.
We arrived in Leonidio which is a sheltered fertile valley surrounded by the mountains. We drove on through the mountains to Kosmos and it is freezing up here aand we aren`t dressed for it either. When we got down the mountain we stopped for lunch and were able to sit outside. Twice today we had to stop for the herds of goats in the middle of the road with their cowbells around their necks.
We then drove from Monemvasia inland to Neapoli where we stopped for the night. It is cold here on the water and now I am layering.

Day 83 May 4th (Monday)
We awoke about 2qm to the smell of cigatette smoke and I could hardly breathe. We are so spoiled with not having to worry about this. The fan helped abit and when we were ready to leave Eric decided that we weren`t sticking around for breakfast here as it was so smokey.
It has rained overnight and is still drizzling and is very cool .We drove to Papadianika where we stopped and got a couple tetra packs of juice and then went to the bakery for a roll and had our breakfast in the car. Then we continued along more winding roads with lots of orange trees and the olive trees are in full bloom. There are also lots of beehives here as well.
I just love going through these small hamlets, towns and farmers fields as it makes the countryside more alive.
We stopped in Gythio for a rest stop and then cut across country through the mountains to Areopoli and on to Kardamyli for lunch and a walk about. I found a wonderful shop but I don't want to carry the stuff home so I just looked. There are alot of tourists here and it is really a quaint little town roght on the water.
We drove through Kalamata to Messini to Petalidi for the night. It is still damp and overcast but we walked into the village for dinner and the lady took me into the kitchen to show me what she had for the supper. The fellow behind us was from Australia and then a couple from France came in and asked if we were from the French part of Canada . It was an interesting day and then we walked back to the only hotel in the place.

Day 84 May 5th (Tuesday)
A bright sunny morning but cool.
After breakfast we are hugging the coast exploring the last finger of the Peloponnese.
Koroni on the water is a little fishing village and on our way here we saw donkeys ladened down with supplies and sometime the master was on its back. They really are beasts of burden.
Eric just had to get the car washed and then we stopped in Kyparissia for lunch. Now we have to start heading back across the mountains towards Athens for tomorrow.
It is very mountainous through this part of the country and it makes you wonder how the soldiers trecked overland back in B.C. times. However we got so lost that we stopped in this tiny hamlet to get directions. Somehow we managed to be understood as well as they understand us. We did follow their directions to Tripoli. By the time we got to Megapoloi it was pouring rain and when we got to Tripoli for the night it had stopped raining . There are only 3 hotel in this city and we did get a room. By the time we finished supper it was raining again.

Day 85 May 6th (Wednesday)
We were awakened about 2am with the smell of cigatette smoke again and opening the windows did help. We had just settled down again when we were rooted awake by the garbage truck outside the window.
We walked to Baker's Dozen for breakfast and yes we had a donut.
We got underway about 9:30am and it is cool but sunny. We took the autostrata along with all the toll booths back to Athens only to arrive here by 12:30.
We have had a quiet day and will finish packing up in the morning.

Day 86 May 7th (Thursday)
We fly to London to see Eric's brother and family. When we talked to Alan he was looking forward to our arrival.
There won't be another blog until we get home on the 17th from Scotland as the rest of our time will be with family on this side of the pond.        

Till then

Eric & Judy