24 Oct   The Hidden Town  24 Oct
  Greece  
Hiking on the Mani peninsula   26 Oct  26 Oct 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A hillside of churches
25 Oct 2016
A hillside of churches    25 Oct 2016
  Kardamyli, Mystras, Greece   
 
 
 
 
 

The wind god was blasting Monemvasia this morning when we said goodbye; the sea frosted with whitecaps. It was time to head west, to check out the ruins at Mystras and then on to Kardamyli on the rugged west coast of the Mani peninsula.

Our first stop, Mystras, was about the halfway mark on today's drive. The fortress atop Mystras was built around 1249 and in subsequent years the hillside below developed into a walled city. Today Mystras consists of a lot of church ruins, a few in decent shape, plus the crumbling walls of the hilltop castle.

The best preserved/restored churches are near the lower entrance and are well worth visiting but at some point, say after three or four, I found it repetitive. I suppose an anthropologist or archeologist or historian would find it all fascinating but I can only take so many ruins in one day. So we hiked the cobblestone path up to the top of the hill to see what is left of the castle - not much, it turns out - and to view the surrounding countryside, the green hills and the brown above-treeline mountain peaks in the distance. Greece sure is good looking.

Not the best photographic conditions though, the mid-day sun is harsh, the shadows contrasty, but you can't carry golden-hour lighting conditions in your backpack. I took some bracketed shots but have to be home at my PC to process those.

Kardamyli map

From Mystras we drove south to get around the impressive Taygetos mountains, then north along the rugged coast to Kardamyli where we are spending a couple nights in a large comfortable apartment. The west coast of the Mani peninsula is beautiful indeed: a deep blue sea crashing against a dry mountainous landscape dotted with nice looking towns.

We stopped for lunch at a cafe somewhere between Kelefa and Platsa, I was desperate for a coffee, where we met a warm, friendly local woman who served us. She reinforced my thinking that the Greeks are the friendliest people.

 
 
 
 
Paul enjoying Monemvasia hotel view  
 
 
 
 
Paul enjoying Monemvasia hotel view  
 
 
 
 
Paul enjoying Monemvasia hotel view  
 
 
 
Hotel reception  
 
 
 
 
Hotel reception  
 
 
 
 
Hotel reception  
 
 
 
A church in Mystras  
 
 
 
 
A church in Mystras  
 
 
 
 
A church in Mystras  
 
 
 
A church in Mystras  
 
 
 
 
A church in Mystras  
 
 
 
 
A church in Mystras  
 
 
 
Mystras church   
 
 
 
 
Mystras church   
 
 
 
 
Mystras church   
 
 
 
A church  
 
 
 
 
A church  
 
 
 
 
A church  
 
 
 
A church   
 
 
 
 
A church   
 
 
 
 
A church   
 
 
 
A church   
 
 
 
 
A church   
 
 
 
 
A church   
 
 
 
A church in Mystras  
 
 
 
 
A church in Mystras  
 
 
 
 
A church in Mystras  
 
 
 
View from Mystras  
 
 
 
 
View from Mystras  
 
 
 
 
View from Mystras  
 
 
 
Walk to castle, Mystras  
 
 
 
 
Walk to castle, Mystras  
 
 
 
 
Walk to castle, Mystras  
 
 
 
View from castle  
 
 
 
 
View from castle  
 
 
 
 
View from castle  
 
 
 
West coast of the Mani peninsula, Greece  
 
 
 
 
West coast of the Mani peninsula, Greece  
 
 
 
 
West coast of the Mani peninsula, Greece  
 
 
 
Kardamyli  
 
 
 
 
Kardamyli  
 
 
 
 
Kardamyli  
 
 
 
Kardamyli sunset  
 
 
 
 
Kardamyli sunset  
 
 
 
 
Kardamyli sunset  
 
 
 
 24 Oct   The Hidden Town  24 Oct
  Greece  
Hiking on the Mani peninsula   26 Oct  26 Oct