1. June 26, 2008 Road trip in search of the "Pitsa caves"

2. July 4, 2008 A purely cultural escape

3. August 16, 2008 A slightly scary romantic night

4. March 26, 2009 Ski safari in the area's ski resorts

5. May 9th, 2009 A soul-resting excursion

6. December 13th, 2009 Mud therapy in the Peloponnesian mountains

7. June 4th, 2010 The Greek Megastructure, the Medieval battle of Lepanto and Alpine bliss

1. June 26th, 2008

Road trip in search of the "Pitsa caves"

I was feeling rather down this whole week and felt an urgent need to escape Sykia, if only for a couple of hours, and give free reign to my slightly adventurous side... So I decided to go in search of the "Pitsa caves" of which I knew almost nothing, as did everyone else I questioned about them.

I heard about them at the museum of Ancient Sikyon, a small part of which is dedicated to the findings there. Apparently these caves were inhabited for some thousands of years and became in Antiquity a place of worhsip of female gods and spirits. Women would go there to give offerings hoping in exchange that they would become more fertile.

Of course I did not find the caves exactly... It was too hot to go mountaineering (plus I was alone) and I knew it, but I needed an excuse, so this one was as good as any! But I did find some interesting things nevertheless.

I set off from Sykia towards Patra on the old national road. This road is really quite beautiful as it is bordered by the sea on one side and traditional old houses on the other. It was also empty at the time I was passing by (at siesta time), which made it also a little bit surreal. I turned left towards the mountains at Lykoporia. The road is quite narrow. It passes through silent vineyards and elegant olive groves as it slowly winds up the hills. I was amazed by the views I saw just a few minutes after leaving the main road! But what was best were the scents. That trademark scent of the Greek mountainside in summer: thyme and other delicious herbs, blending together under the scorching sun, creating in the mind images of the good times long past, when happiness would be being a shepard on the breezy hills, at one with nature and the elements...

I stopped to take pictures of the strange rock formations all around me and then noticed a very well kept small house. The eldrely owner appeared at the door and I stepped out of the car to congratulate him on his good taste in architecture and ask him whether he had heard of the Pitsa Caves. It turned out that he had and he invited me inside for a glass of cold water and a chat. I was surprised to find myself on a big rock terrace overlooking the entire gorge! A monumental view, which one would have hardly guessed when looking at the entrance of the house! Most of this splendid view was unfortunately tarred by the sight of burnt trees but I am optimistic that they will soon grow back... The old man then led me to his miniscule living room, where another, even greater surprise, awaited me: a friend of his had painted on the walls frescoes imitating the paintings on the walls of the Pitsa Caves!! So, although I did not end up entering the caves themselves (and by the way, even if I have I would not have seen the original wall paintings as they have been removed to be stored in various museums...), I got to see the paintings I was after!

Which brings me to another thing that never ceases to amaze me: You have only to take the trouble of looking a little bit off the beaten track in Greece, to discover not only that proverbial Greek hospitaliy is alive and kicking, but that there is also so much magic around!

I left the old man, after having written down his phone number and having agreed that should I or any of our guests at Daphne's Club wish to visit the caves we will call him and arrange to have him as our guide up the mountain!

I continued along my way, quite cured of any lingering depression! I looked at my map and decided to try the roundabout way of returning to Sykia. It was a success! It was a dirt road, but a fairly civilised one, so that my poor car did not suffer horribly... But the views it afforded us (me and my car!) made up for any uneasiness I might have felt at being alone on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere, with a car that is not a 4X4! Or is it that I am easily enthusiastic? I admit that when confronted with virgin Greek views I quite lose my usual coolness!

I arrived back at the hotel, full of positive energy and full of creative ideas! This diary was one them!

2. July 4th, 2008
A purely cultural escape

As you must know from this website, Daphne’s Club is near everything that is important in Greece! It is therefore also close to the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, where world-class plays are staged every summer. I chose Samuel Beckett’s play “Happy Days”, performed by the National Theatre of Great Britain, bought my tickets online and prepared to participate in one of the season's major cultural events!

I left Sykia around midday. My plan was to stop first at the archeological site of Mycenae, which I had not visited since my schooldays, then go for a swim near Epidaurus, find a shower to rinse off the perspiration from sight-seeing and the salt from the sea, dress up and go to the theatre.

It rained slightly on the way to Mycenae, a brief summer dribble, which cooled the air pleasantly. I caught sight of the archeological site from the road below, an excellent sight! I stopped the car to feast my eyes on it and take pictures.

The archeological site of Mycenae is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . You might not have heard of it, but if you have seen the film “Troy” you know something about it, indirectly. Mycenae was the home of Agamemnon, one of the leaders of the campaign to bring home the ancient beauty Helen of Troy, the so-called Trojan war, described by Homer in his epic poem “Iliad”. Mycenae was a very important city in Ancient times, with such widespread influence over Southern Greece that the whole period of Greek history between 1600 BC and 1100 BC is called “Mycenaean” in reference to Mycenae.

The day was slightly cloudy and there was a strong breeze, making the weather perfect for an excursion around ancient ruins. There were not really that many tourists either, so I could enjoy a leisurely walk, admiring the landscape as much as the ruins themselves. I confess: I find ancient rocks extremely romantic! I took nice pictures and thought once more what a pity it is that when visiting famous sites one focuses on the trademark pictures and ignores the sometimes much more splendid picture opportunities offered all around.

The site has recently been “renovated”. The most astounding thing about the renovation was that the site has been made wholly accessible to wheelchair users! An astonishing fact, since in Greece even pavements are hardly accessible to wheelchairs… I only wish the Ministry of Culture will take the same care of all the other archeological sites (and the pavements!)…

Last thing to be remarked upon is that the museum has also been renovated and is very pleasant.

After a brief visit to the now empty tombs of Klytaimnistra and Agamemnon, I set off for Epidaurus.

In Epidaurus I went for a quick swim, then showered near the beach, changed into more appropriate clothes and headed for the archeological site of Epidaurus, inside which is the theatre. I took my seat, glad that the theatre was not full and that I could stretch out and sit comfortably on the ancient rock seats.

The ancient theatre, with its backdrop of mountains and stars, was an excellent setting for Beckett’s play “Happy Days”, where the scene is dominated by an enormous pile of rocks from which sticks out, half buried, the protagonist “Winnie”.

I will never tire of repeating how wonderful it is to be able to bask in the sights and scents of the Greek night, high up in the Greek mountains. We are used to thinking of the Greek summer as a beach. But its most pure beauties are to be found not on the coast but up in the hills, among the shrubs of thyme, lavender, mountain tea and chamomile... Now imagine these scents, under a starlit night, with the view of the ancient theatre. I really believe such a sight must be seen at least once in one’s lifetime!

After the play finished it was finally time to indulge in the no-less sublime pleasure of Greek cuisine! I found an excellent taverna, housed in an old stone mansion, among lemon trees and vines (“Kalogerikon”, tel. 27530 42090, Ancient Epidavros). The food was as good as the setting, making it an appropriate ending to an excellent day! I returned to the hotel very late but very (spiritually) refreshed! The day had had it all: work in the morning, sight-seeing in the afternoon, swimming in the evening, theatre at night, food in the end! What more can one ask of life?! (yes, of course, love, but that's another story!)

3. August 16th, 2008

A slightly scary romantic night

August is a rather hectic month for me, but not so much that I cannot take to the mountains after midnight! Not for fear of being transformed into a pumpkin if I remain on the coast, heaven forbid! But to admire the beauty of the full moon in the silent darkness of the mountain plateau of Ziria. A beauty, a real, untainted, unpretentious, beauty! A little bit scary, I admit, but beautiful nonetheless!

4. March 26th, 2009

Ski safari in the area's ski resorts

One of the things one comes to appreciate when traveling in Greece is the extent of variety in the landscape. What one may not however realise unless he or she is an outdoors' person is the extent of different activities that one can pursue almost simultaneously, thanks to this big variety of landscape in such a small country.

What better way for me to illustrate this point than by telling you that last weekend (so, take note, that is the end of March!) I swam in the morning on our beach and then proceeded to go skiing, less than 60 minutes away, on beautiful powdery fresh snow!

Let me explain: there are two ski resorts in our immediate vicinity. One is the so-called Sports Centre of Ziria, just after the Trikala villages. It is not more than 40 km from the hotel. It has one baby piste and one half red/ half blue piste. This particular mountain is also said to be extremely good for ski-trekking and off-piste. Unfortunately I have not tried this yet, but plan to do so at the first opportunity, so keep watch of this webpage! The second is the Kalavryta ski resort, one of the biggest in Greece, which is 80 km away (you can combine this ski resort with a visit to the historical monasteries of Agia Lavra and Mega Spileo). It so happened that we had a sudden spell of low temperatures in Greece, which resulted in very good fresh snow. Coupled with excellent weather right after, the scene was set for a great skiing experience! Before or after a great swimming experience!!!

So, enjoy the pictures! It is not Austria, it is the south of Greece, at the doorstep almost of Daphne's Club Hotel Apartments!

The ski resort of Ziria

The ski resort of Kalavryta

I would like to further illustrate my point with 3 more photos. The first two have been taken on the mountain road from the mountain village of Zarouchla to the ski resort of Kalavryta. The third one has been taken on the way back from the ski resort, on the road linking Kalavryta to the coast. Could you possibly guess that it is the same area, at a few km distance? I would have bet that they were taken in different countries or at least at very different seasons!

5. May 9th, 2009

A soul-resting excursion

In our contemporary luxury-hungry society much ado is made of the rejuvenating power of pampering oneself with westernised oriental therapies, shopping therapies and exotic trips. Much less is said however of the amazingly rejuvenating power of a simple one-hour stroll in nature (a forest, a beach, a lake, a park), a stress-releasing game of table-tennis, or a short swim in the sea.

Work being quite intensive usually at Daphne’s Club, I indulge from time to time in my favorite body, mind and soul therapy: an excursion to the mountain. According to the time of year I will take with me my skis, my hiking boots, my Nordic walking sticks, my swimming suit or simply my camera.

I find the Greek mountain an utterly inspiring and completely soul-refreshing experience (not to mention the excellent exercise climbing the slopes like a goat!). I have spoken elsewhere already of the Greek mountain scents: a combination of fresh herbs and pure air that dizzies the senses and renders one speechless with simple pleasure.  

Today I set off for Gelini, a village 30 km from Daphne’s Club, which was described to me in the most vivid colors. The description included a small river and waterfalls. It was enough to set me on the trail!

I followed the road towards Trikala, a classic destination by now and one well-known to many visitors. At Rethi I turned left and followed a road I had never followed before, leading West of Trikala. The sight that met my eyes was astonishing; this area will simply not cease to amaze me! A sloping carpet of greens and mauves, reds and yellows, vines, olive trees and cypresses… a Greek Tuscany! And in the background a dramatic mountain, towering its forbidding rock body over a gorge of gargling waters and happy trees. I parked the car and spent a couple of hours climbing uphill, following the small river through the gorge, marveling at the beauty of the small waterfalls and the relaxing sound that water makes as it travels over the rocks.

Once more I could not bring myself to believe this small miracle happening right under my nose. A mere 30 minutes drive from the beach and the hotel is this old and quiet world of rocks and water, plants and insects, gargling and buzzing away, waiting for us mortals to bring our tired souls and bodies to them to refresh at a glance!

6. December 13th, 2009

Mud therapy in the Peloponnesian mountains

Or how a mountain trip turned into a near disaster!

It all started on a Sunday morning, following a Saturday night with too much Greek cognac... The conversation had revolved around culture, cultural excursions, cultural hotels, promoting culture... It was only natural that once awake I wanted to set off in a voyage of cultural discovery! Fellow hotelier Dimitris Liakopoulos was not only happy to oblige me with his company, but even had a plan: to visit Ancient Aigeira. Now, Ancient Aigeira is not far from Daphne's Club, some 50 km at most. So we were not in a hurry and left relatively late, after having eaten only a light breakfast of tea and croissants. The plan was to visit the archeolofical site, then go for lunch. That of course was without taking into account my mountain-addiction! Once on the slopes, I was incapable of coming back to the coast! But first things first.

The day was bright and clear and we enjoyed a nice drive along the old national road to Patras, a coastal road lined with beautiful old houses and bordering the sea.

Photos by Dimitris Liakopoulos

We found the site without too much difficulty (we only got lost once and were rescued by passing ... hunters...). The site itself was closed, which we had half expected, but of course that could not daunt us: we simply climbed the fence and in we were, admiring the ancient theatre and the stunning view of the Gulf of Corinth beneath us! See more here .

Photos by Dimitris Liakopoulos

Having feasted our eyes and senses on the beautiful site, I suggested continuing up the mountain. The views were great, the air was refreshing, there was exactly the right amount of cold (enough to keep us energised, not too much to make us suffer!), so on we went, up and up the mountain, passing semi-deserted village after village. 

Photos by Dimitris Liakopoulos

We were already quite hungry, but no taverna offered itself to us. So up and up we went, getting more and more hungry! We soon reached the point where hunger and tiredness got the better of our wits and we made the wrong decision: hitting the forest roads. Now, you do remember that my car is not a 4X4. It's a great car, but not one designed to travel on dirt roads, full of mud from the recent rains and remnants of snow from the recent snowing! Nevertheless, that's exactly were we went and this, I repeat, on an empty stomach! Moreover, it would soon be dark...

I cannot say that we were not warned, because we were. Another pair of hunters in a big Jeep looked at us disapprovingly and positively exorted us to turn back. Our car, they said, would not make it through the mud. But stubborness is a characteristic of the Greek psyche; we are prone to it more than to common sense. So on we went. And then... we had to stop! Stuck in mud, lots of mud!

Then followed the desperate effort to get ourselves unstuck before nightfall. Which failed. Miserably. We tried the flat pieces of wood (from a nearby construction site), then the snow chains on the tires (they refused to lock), all the time sliding on the liquid mud and getting ourselves utterly muddy, from head to foot. We consoled ourselves with the thought that mud-therapy is something people pay to received and we were getting it for free! Jokes apart it took us three solid hours to detach ourselves and my car from the mud and get back on a normal asphalt road. And what a relief that was!

Photos by Dimitris Liakopoulos

By the way, we got no lunch and only managed to get dinner at 11pm... A day of great excitement and hunger!

7. June 4th, 2010

The Greek Megastructure, the Medieval battle of Lepanto and Alpine bliss

On a cloudy June evening I set out to visit Nafpaktos, a small and picturesque port on the opposite side of the Gulf of Corinth, some 100 km or so from Daphne's Club.

My curiosity had been awoken by the story of famous Spanish writer's plight there. In 1570 Cervantes joined the Spanish Armada in Naples and took part in the Battle of Lepanto (a naval battle between an aliance of Christians against the Ottoman empire, which took place outside Nafpaktos), where he was seriously wounded (his left hand was crippled). A small "garden" with his statue commemorates the event.

A nice drive along the main highway linking Sykia to Rio (beautiful pink "pikrodafnes" in full bloom on either side, the sea on the right hand side and an atmospheric semi-cloudy sky towering semi-menacingly on top of us) from where we would cross over to mainland Greece, brought us to the famous "Gefyra", an elegant suspended bridge crossing the Gulf of Corinth, our very own Megastructure.

Click here to see the National Geographic's documentary on the Rio bridge on yourtube:

Part I , Part II , Part III , Part IV, Part V

As the sun set we parked our car in Nafpaktos and set out to discover it. It really is pretty! If you are visiting Daphne's Club I fervently suggest you spend an afternoon or evening here, strolling under the century-old plane trees on its two seafront promenades or drinking a coffee or a glass of wine in one of the nice coffee places that suround its Medieval stone port. The fortress high up on the mountain is the perfect backdrop for this romantic setting! 

After admiring Medieval Nafpaktos we moved up to the mountain behind it. The area is know as "Orini Nafpaktia", meaning the mountain hinterland of Nafpaktos. It was alpine bliss... Never, I mean never, have I seen such beautiful, unspoilt, lush forests in Greece... The whole area is well watered, by streams, rivers and lakes, which makes for an abondance of trees of various kinds. Not just the usual pines, not even just the equally usual fir trees (above a certain altitude), but all these, plus plane trees, plus cedars and who know what else (my knowledge of flora is pretty limited I admit), a real orgy of greenery! The scents and views were undescribable, plus the villages were all, and I mean all, unspoilt! Pretty, pretty, pretty!