May 26
Lefkada Town
Sunday morning saw another familiar boat circling the harbor in search of a spot on the wall. It was a Swedish couple Francis and Erika knew from their winter in Sicily. We turned down the offer of a 10am beer and since there was a hike in our future, opted for tea instead.
Today's adventure was the search for a monastery that, according to Lonely Planet, was on a hill about three kilometers west of town. Much like Fiskardo, however, we never got there.
We should have known the trip was doomed from the start when we couldn't figure out which way was actually west. After much debate and Francis' announcement that, "Oh, that's how this compass works!" (another explanation for Fiskardo?) we realized it must be in the direction of the only real hill on the outskirts of town. So with remnants of the Balkan Ska/Reggae Hot Jazz Swing version of Ring of Fire still floating around my head we were off.
Based on how long we had been walking, we figured we were about three kilometers from town. Only problem? We had just reached the base of the hill. With no sign of the monastery and no sign of sign telling us we were even headed in the right direction, we popped into a gas station to ask for some directions. The attendant, despite his disappointment that we wouldn't let him have Dodger, told us we were about three kilometers from the monastery... three kilometers up the winding mountainside road. Right, so apparently it was three kilometers to the end of town and then three more (up a mountain) to the monastery.
Okay, next question: Which way to the beach? He pointed us down a small, olive tree and farm-lined path with directions to turn right at the end of the road and then left at the big corner.
Goodbye monastery. Hello beach.
The hour-long walk wasn't too bad: more goats, a front yard soccer field and a bit of false advertising on the guard dog.
But really, when this is where you end up... who cares how long it took to get there?
Francis returned from a walk down the beach with news of a BBQ with 1 Euro beer and 1 Euro souvlaki.
Goodbye Beach. Hello BBQ.
And if the beer and souvlaki weren't enough... there was a tower. In retrospect, it probably would have been better to climb the tower before the beers.
May 27
Lefkada Town
A lack of wind derailed our plan to head to Preveza so we were looking at another day in Lefkada Town and then on Tuesday, when the wind was expected to pick up, we'd sail all the way up to Paxi.
We had seen most of the town and weren't overly motivated so we made up for the missed monastery (it's Greece, we should see something old, right?) by taking a short walk across the floating bridge to a fort... or castle.
The fort/castle confusion resulted from the map of the town calling it a castle and Lonely Planet calling it a fort. With our confidence in LP shaken by the whole distance to the monastery mishap, we were betting on it being a castle. Regardless of what it was, it was closed.
And to make matters worse... there was a big boat with a giant Bayern flag passing through the floating bridge on the way back.
With the siesta winding down and the fort/castle locked up, we took a final run through Lefkada Town. Now, I know there are a lot of Greeks in Astoria but it appears we entered some alternate reality where Astoria is actually in Greece. Wakeman, are you here somewhere?
Passing on the Biological Treatment, we made our way back to the main shopping street where we came across this strange object in a bin of balls.
No need to label the crazy purple one with the head on it of course.
Moose Out Front Shoulda Told Ya.
Monday, May 27, 2013
Lefkáda, Ionian Islands, Greece
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