Sunday 19th May 2024 – Nea Kavali, Greece

 

We awoke to find that we had no mains electricity in the van and had to make our tea using the gas kettle. I checked the van cut-out and the campsite socket and came to the conclusion that it must be our mains lead. Almost all Greek campsites use 2-pin sockets, so our mains lead has an extra converter attached for the 2-pin. I found a helpful German motorhomer and swapped his adapter for mine and proved that the fault was in my connecter. The 2-pin plug was moulded onto the cable and I couldn’t get into the CEE socket. We needed to get the lead repaired or replaced. At home it would be a simple case of ordering one online for next day delivery but that isn’t possible in Greece. Jane found a motorhome dealer in Thessaloniki that also provided overnight parking. We had planned to go in that direction in a couple of days but changed the plan and decided to go tomorrow.
Photos: Nea Karvali church and the war memorial; It was great to see a proper carpenters shop in the village and the wagon was obviously a recent project.

Saturday 18th May 2024 – Nea Kavali, Greece

 

We really enjoyed Kavala when we came many years ago and wanted to take some time exploring the working city and port, which is really Greek and not too touristy.
Buses run every 30 minutes during the weekdays and the stop is only a short walk from the campsite into the village. However, on Saturdays the service is only hourly so we had a little wait before the bus came. It took us right into the centre by the port, which was very convenient and we set off for our first objective, the tourist information office. They were running a reduced service but we were able to obtain a map of the city centre with places of interest marked.
Retracing our steps and picking up a delicious ice cream on the way, we walked to the archaeological museum which was next to the very active outdoor market. Another splendid museum with finds from Dikili Tash and Ancient Neapolis (modern Kavala).
We spent the afternoon wandering through the streets of Kavala and up through Panagia (the old town) to the castle. There is not a lot to see in the castle but there are lovely views from it, especially from the tower. Another must for any visit to Kavala is the aqueduct ‘Kamares’. Supported on arches, it towers majestically over the city although it is often hidden from view. Although it is said to date from 1550, it was almost certainly Roman in origin and was restored in 1550.
Photos: Kavala is a proper fishing port and the fishermen were all on their boats having returned from sea and done their washing!; Some welding was necessary on this one; A beautifully decorated 6^th century pot made in the island of Thassos just off the coast at Kavala; Funerary monument depicting a family – Roman era 2^nd century AD; The aqueduct rising to 25 metres over the city; The view from the castle tower.

Friday 17th May 2024 – Nea Karvali, Greece

 

A day of relaxation.
Photos: Our pitch at Camping Alexandros.