It was a long, winding and somewhat terrifying journey, the roads were by far the worst we had driven so far. It was a lovely region of jam and apples and wild horses and goats. The roads hugged the mountains and scraggly forest surrounded us. We often had the road to ourselves, and we saw wild dogs all too often. It was an interesting, wild and beautiful landscape.
We crested the last hill and on the downward drive this greeted us. It made the hairpin corners, ridiculously steep roads and the streets so narrow they should have been one way seem all worth it.
The gorgeous town we decided to stay in was not overflowing with tourists but still a bustling town (by which I mean one street with tavernas, bars and hotels on either side) and the shopkeepers English in the tiny general store was nil. However they were lovely and determined to help. Each time we went we were told 'bye bye!' With the only English they seemed to know, and waving goodbye with both hands at the same time, I phenomenon which seemed to only occur in small towns in Greece and which I found lovely.
The town I believe was called Horaftio but I kept forgetting it so I shortened it to Horatio and it sort of stuck.
There didn't seem to be a campsite and the hotels were affordable (the same price as camping in Italy disgustingly) however each hotel we went to was full. Feeling depressed and thinking perhaps staying in the town was not meant to be, we tried the last place we could find. They too were full, but he determinedly told us that he would find us a place. He then proceeded to ring every place he knew of until he found one free for us that he then directed us to, hidden away where we would never find, up the road in the midst of an olive grove and with a tiny kitchen, it was far better than anything we could have found ourselves.
The little balcony
This, as well as Nafplio were without a doubt my favourite places in Greece, and indeed Europe so far. It was in Nafplio also that we accidentaly came on a religious holiday and every hotel we could find was full, we were almost giving up when the last hotel we tried told us he too, would find us a room. He then determinedly led us through the little streets knocking on little tucked away hotel and hostel doors trying to find us a place until he was successful, he had zero English and was very brisk, but had the time to stop and help us out even though he didn't have to. It was this that stood out to me in Greece and I found was very unlike Italy, were no one had the time to be friendly it seemed.
Our lovely fresh fare, with mushrooms that we could actually cook on an actual stove!! So exciting. We also bought homemade apricot jam with handwritten labels at the little store. Hands down the best jam I've ever had in my life.
We decided we had to try ouzo. It was interesting, yummy but very strong. Also very cheap! The shocking thing was how we found by watching people in restaurants they would drink giant bottles of the stuff! And it's 40% too, nothing to scoff at!
We has lunch at a gorgeous little restaurant right on the sea front. The Europeans seem to have a strange obsession with these umbrellas, but then in 40+ heat I suppose I don't blame them.
This beautiful sunrise greeted us as we left the beautiful village.
It was a stunning end to Greece.
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