Saturday, September 19, 2009

A Grand Day Out - Gromit..............




Kaleespera bloggers, with Mrs D now in the kitchen making tzatziki (as all her cucumbers are about ready at the same time and she is looking for things to do with them) I thought I would sneak a few words on the old blog.

Saturday today and we've done a few jobs this morning and been down on the beach all afternoon. Had a good swim in the sea and it's still quite warm. There is a storm rumbling over on the mainland now and we may cop for it later. Oh, by the way we had a bit of an earthquake here on Thursday night only a minor tremor but the windows were rattling a bit.

On to our grand day out. We promised ourselves a trip over to the mainland in August to see Ioanina and the Vikos Gorge, we planned to go for a few days but due to the unmentionable (room with the sink and bog in it) taking so long we did not get there. However, on Wednesday armed with flasks and butties we took the bike over on an early ferry to Igoumenitsa and rode across a super road to Ioanina. Ioanina is a Greek town sat on the edge of a lake in a valley surrounded by mountains. The road across was very quiet and Ioanina has an old walled part to it and within it is another walled citadel. We had a wander round the old citadel and a stroll on the lakeside before setting off for the gorge.

The Vikos Gorge is in the Guinness book of records as the third deepest in the world and when you walk up to it and look over you can see why. It must be one of Greece's best kept secrets. We followed this climbing winding road and suddenly round a bend without any warning it ended - just stopped and ran out - what a surprise (see video below.) It is approx 9 kilometers long, with small villages dotted along the way. It certainly gave us food for thought for a hiking trip there next year sometime.

Back here in Kopsocheilades, things are a little cooler. When I say cooler I mean we are down in the low 30s which is loads better for sleeping!! The chores list all but done for this year, quite good to be resting up. Tom and Caz arrive on Tuesday at the crack of dawn - that will be a shock to the system getting up at 0345hrs!!! We have all sorts lined up for them. After them our friends Jack & Andrea from Leeds are over here for a couple of weeks which will take us into October and then the journey back to the UK is looming.

It was early doors last night, a well established ritual and we ate out in the pallet arms with friends for a change. A good time was had by all and much was consumed leading to a splendid headache this morning for me!! A dry night tonight for me I think, we'll see.

Sign off time now as the splendid aroma of curry is wafting over from Mrs D's kitchen. Much as I would love to talk to you all night I'm afraid I must go and eat. Kaleenichta y'all......

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