Crew depart, wet days exploring town. Hire car to see Ancient Messini
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37:01.41N 22:06.37E
Tuesday 2 to Thursday 4May Crew depart. Rain about, stay put in marina, explore Kalamata, excellent market (Weds and Sats) hire car to explore Ancient Messini (70sm) Tues Thunder and heavy rain, then hot sun, Wed grey, showery then persistent rain, Thurs sunny morning, wet afternoon, all cool Tues 2nd Crew up early ready for 0930 departure for airport. Thunder clouds roll in, and heavy rain. Break out porridge for brekky. Blows thro by 1200 to leave bright sun, but cool airstream.Explore commercial harbour and sea front. Tavernas busy as Labour Day bank holiday tagged on to Easter. All shops closed. Clouds over and more rain. Glad have mains elect for kettle etc Warming chili. Get HWB back in action Wed 3rd No 1 bus to top of town (1.20 each), busy fish, meat, fruit and veg market. Wonderful produce but most country folk looking glum. Visit Kastro – not really worth entrance fee. Showers start. Get wet walking back thro town and wacky park with rusting steam trains and a few vandalised carriages. Find best ever AB SM. Get soaked on short walk back to marina. Uninteresting town on grid pattern – not sure if that is how French rebuilt in 1830s after totally destroyed by Turks in War of Independence, or how rebuilt after flattened by earthquake 14 Sept 1986 – only 30 years ago. Stay below with book for rest of day. Managed to kneel on old kindle and knacker screen. Jane`s is already half knackered so getting morning newspaper now a problem. Will order new kindle when home next week. Umbrella it to marina bar for evening beer. Even the ducks are sheltering. Oh well, first bad weather for several weeks. HWB again. Thurs 4th Despite waking to sound of rain good forecast for rest of AM. Decide to hire a car and explore. Hellen car rental quite relaxed. Go for two days. Head for Ancient Messini, 30kn NNW of town. Founded 369BC, see remains of 9km surrounding wall and Arcadian/Laconia (depends which book you read) (round) gates. 12euros each to enter site – free to ramble all over. V peaceful, birds singing, usual bibs n bobs. Quality theatre with a couple of stone chairs for importants, impressive stadium and gymnasium at bottom of site and some good mosaic floors – which you can walk on too. Dark clouds build and thunder rumbles. Head for nearby village for hot chocolate and coffee as rain falls. Roundabout route S thro endless olive fields to coastal Pentalidi. Was going to visit on voyage N to Kalamata – glad didn`t, and now won`t bother, unless seeking shelter from strong NW. Many stalls on main road selling big bags oranges – but don`t actually see many orange trees, just loads n loads of olive trees, and the forever 4to6inch wide tarmac trail along road – must be newish broadband cable below. Cool evening sun on board. More HWB – its supposed to be summer! |
