Githio and beautiful beaches

We left lovely Nafplio the next day and headed to Githio where we were going to camp. The campsite was situated in a well kept olive grove which should have been beautiful but was somewhat unpleasant I think mainly due to the people who frequented it and our lack of food. We sucked it up and spent the night but left the next day for the Diros caves which were fantastic.

I wish my camera did it justice but it doesn't. 

First we we're put into little row boats with the Greek ferryman standing behind us, using one oar to push off the walls and keep him on path, he must have had to be incredibly skilfully as there were eght of us packed into the tiny boat. As we launched off into the black water I realised where their artificial lights shone the water was in fact beautifully crustal clear. The cave was very cold and seemed to gave no end, so far they have explored 14 km of it (of which we get to see 2 I believe) and they still haven't reached the end. Legend says that it reaches all the way to ancient Sparta. Then again, legend also says the water is home to giant eels but happily we saw none of these.

The cave has the most hippopotamus bones ever found for prehistoric Europe, and also has traces of human interaction from the Neolithic area. Unfortunately my knowledge of the cave ends there as the tour was entirely in Greek. There was something incredibly eerie about sailing deeper into these dark caves. Stalagmites and stalactites shining out at you from the gloom and almost brushing you at times. The errie boom of the oar hitting against the cave sides, and the silent guide, who would every once in a while solemnly intone something in a Greek. 

Occasionally weird echoes would bounce around from some other tour boat, far enough away that they sounded like unintelligible shrieks like damned souls. It felt entirely like we were souls making our way across the river Styx, ferried by Charon to get to the underworld. It was the best 12 euro I've ever spent and would do it again in a heartbeat, even if I was sure I was going to fall in and die the whole time. 

Walking back out into the sunshine we were greeted by the most beautiful site.

 

A perfectly clear and beautiful bay.

Although it was gorgeous it had barely hit ten yet and the guide books told us how busy it would get with tourists later in the day so we made our way to a beach and tiny town that lonely planet spoke well of. It was the best beach and little town so far and we spent the afternoon swimming and sunbathing and (unfortunately) getting a little burnt. 

We then headed to kardimili which proved to be a very cute town with cheap accommodation and a beautiful Main Street. The view from our room: 

we ended up with a gorgeous little apartment with a balcony.