Foto: The beautiful caves of Alistrati (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Greece - We continue to Alistrati. In the center, we park our Land Rover in front of a little eatery. The owner immediately comes to meet us. He has worked in Germany for 30 years and wants to know everything about our trip. He translates our travel program for the other guests on the terrace, mainly older men from the village. Meanwhile, his wife puts a delicious lunch on the table. When he hears we still want to visit the caves of Alistrati, he quickly gives us two discount coupons. When leaving, he wishes us a prosperous journey. The Alistrati caves are one of the largest underground cave systems in Europe. At the entrance, it is not immediately clear where to buy tickets. There is no one but staff. We are referred to the ticket office. The next tour starts in forty minutes. We are not allowed to enter independently. There is nothing else to do but wait. When it is almost time, we hear the sound of motorcycles. They first went to Thessaloniki in the morning to the KTM dealer. They needed materials for their motorcycles. Quickly, they throw some stuff into the Land Rover, buy a ticket, and are on time for the tour. There are no other tourists. The girl giving the tour feels somewhat uncomfortable. She hardly speaks English. She is relieved when we read the provided English explanation ourselves. The caves consist of stalactites and stalagmites. A particularly beautiful combination. Dripstone formations hang everywhere. One is more beautiful than the other. There is also remarkable coral rock. It is good that we made time for these beautiful caves. From Alistrati, we continue to the overnight stop in Xanthi.
Delphi
Greece - The Temple of Apollo is just outside of Delphi. Yesterday, I already walked past the entrance. Although it’s a short distance, we’re picked up by bus. Outside the hotel, I meet Jorgos, the new driver. It still feels a bit strange to step into his ...
Surprisingly trendy Xanthi
Greece - From Alistrati we continue to the overnight stop in Xanthi. The hotel is located in the city center. Here too, the Land Rover does not fit under the entrance to the parking lot. We are allowed to park right in front of the hotel. On the central square, ...
The Acropolis
Greece - Today, we leave early with a large bottle of water and a bulky Weekend Telegraaf newspaper on our way to the Acropolis. We’re still unsure what we’ll have for breakfast, but luckily the small corner shop is open. Problem solved. At the Acropolis, ...
The Games of Olympia
Greece - At the entrance to Olympia, I meet Saskia. She is guiding our travel group through the old city today. Saskia used to be a tour guide but met a Greek man. She has now lived in Greece for 23 years. In Olympia, the ancient sanctuary of the god Zeus, games ...
The island of Santorini
Greece - On the way to Santorini, the wind is directly against the ship. It gets so cold that I get up. At quarter to five, almost two hours later, the ship arrives in Santorini. It seems as if the entire population is on the shore with signs reading “rooms.” ...
The monasteries of Meteora
Greece - The landscape becomes more rugged as we approach Meteora. Steep rock points protrude in the landscape. In the 14th century, hermits lived in these hard-to-reach places. Later, monks built monasteries on the rock points. Many monasteries were destroyed ...