We emerged from our cabin as the ferry left Igoumenitsa, with the mainland looking decidedly murky. After breakfast we continued our planning and settled on the campsite that we would head to once we arrived in Patras.
We were somewhat surprised to see snow high up on the hills above Patras when we arrived. Greece has had a bad winter with, for them, a lot of snow but we didn't expect there to be any left in the Peloponnese. Although we were amongst the last off the ferry, the process was easy and we were soon heading south through the Patras suburbs. We found a smallish supermarket with a very helpful owner who spoke good English and we stocked up on the essentials - feta, olives, tomatoes, cucumber, ouzo, brandy, beer etc. The campsite, Camping Kourouta was only about 1hr 15mins away but when we got there it was decidedly shut, despite the ACSI guide entry saying that it was open from 1st January. We took another look at the guide and settled on Camping Aginara Beach in Glifa. It meant that we had to backtrack and travel for another 30 minutes but it turned out to be an inspired choice. The owner was very welcoming and told us that the restaurant was open from 18:00.
We chose a pitch with a view of the rough sea - we had noticed that after a very calm crossing, the sea got slightly rougher as we approached Patras. Apparently, there is a strong southerly wind that is bringing Saharan sand all over Greece. That explained the state of our windscreen! The same had happened in Italy before we arrived and we saw many cars plastered in dust as a result.
We went to the restaurant and discovered that this was the first night that they had opened this season. We were delighted - our first night in Greece for over two years, our 47th wedding anniversary and a home-cooked Greek meal, what could be better? And it certainly was good! The first option mentioned was Yigantes (giant white beans cooked in a tomato sauce), probably my favourite Greek dish and quite difficult to find in tavernas. I had to have that followed by a pork souvlaki and Jane had fried courgette balls followed by a pork steak. It was excellent and the Yigantes were the best that I have ever had. The house red wine was also very good. By the end of the meal we were 'yemista' (stuffed) but we had to have an ouzo each 'on the house'. Our hostess told us that she was going back to her house and that we could pay 'avrio' (Greek for tomorrow, or the day after, or the day after that etc.).
What a start to the Greek part of our trip! We went to sleep with the sound of the wind in the trees and the waves ponding the shore.
Photos: The sea at Glifa; The georgous Yigantes.
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