Zum Abschied es griechisches Fescht!

 

Nach über 3 Mönet Griecheland, beziehigswys Peloponnes, sött das dr letscht Blogitrag us Griecheland wärde. Nomau hei mir e sehr schöni Gschicht vore härzliche Begägnig mit euch zum Teile.

After more than 3 months in Greece, or properly speaking on Peloponnese, this should be the last report from Greece. Another time we have a heart warming story of Greece hospitality to share with you.

Die schöni Stimmig und dä Sunneuntergang hei mir imene Naturpark näbe Astros gnosse.

This incredible sunset and the colors greeted us in a natural park close to Astros.

Mir si när wyter greist ganz i Oste vom Peloponnes, id Nechi vo Kranidi. Mir hei dert e coole Stellplatz gha amene Strand vor ere grosse Ruine vom ehemalige Hotel Saladi. Ds Hotel isch einisch sehr erfolgrich gsi, aber sit dä 80er-Jahre ische verlasse und am Zerfall überlah. Grund: d Nudiste Kultur vom Hotel und am Agrenzende Strand hei nid is Schema vor Chiuche passt und die hei Druck gmacht dass z Hotel gschlosse wird. Mir hei d Müglichkeit di 8 Stöck vom Hotel z entdecke, no genau 3 ganzi Fänsterschibe stöh, Badwanne hets o fasch keni meh.

We travelled on to the very eastern part of Peloponnes, close to Kranidi. We parked in a nice spot on a wonderful beach in front of a lost place which used to be the glorious hotel Saladi. The hotel once was very successful, but since the 80s its abandoned and breaking away. The reason was that the hotel was frequently visited by nudists and the local church didn’t like that very much so they forced the hotel to close down. We are able to explore all 8 levels of the hotel. In total there are only 3 intact window-glasses left over, bathtubs are almost all gone as well.

Vor Saladi Beach us bsueche mir ufeme Spaziergang d Franchthi-Höhli. Hüt isches meh e Durchgang wüul e Teil vor Höhli igstürzt isch. Berüehmt isch d Höhli wüul mä hie i Usgrabige vili Hiwise uf mönschlichi Siedlige het gfunde, bis zu 28 000 Jahr vor Christus.

On a walk from Saladi Beach we visited the Franchthi-Cave close by. Today its rather a tunnel and not a cave because parts of the former cave crashed down. The cave is famous because of archeological findings indicating that people lived here for a long time already, the eldest findings being dated back to 28 000 years before christ.

Ar Saladi Beach isch jede Tag dr glich Schäfer verbicho mit sire beidruckende Herde Geisse. Stolz si si de aube aui zämä übere Kiesel-Strand gloffe und hei mit ihrne Chlaue ufem Stei zimlech Lärm gmacht.

Once daily a shepherd passed by with his impressive flock of goats. They walked on the pebble beach and proudly made quite the sound with their claws on the stones.

So und itz isch Zyt für e Abe wo üs no lang in Erinnerig wird blibe. Mir si zämä mit dr Lisa und am David am Strand ghocket, hei dr Sunneuntergang am Lagerfüür gnosse und e Chürbissuppe fürs Znacht ufem Chocher gha. Mir hei üs aui ufene ruehige Abe igstellt gha, im Tagebuech hani scho e Strich untere hütig Tag zoge gha. Da heimer aber nid mit drü Griechische Seniore grächnet wo dr Samschtigabe hei wöuä fiire...

And now we turn to an evening we won’t fast forget about. Together with Lisa and David we were sitting on the beach, enjoying the sunset and the fire, cooking a pumpkin-soup for dinner. We all expected a calm evening, in my diary I already finished the day with a line below, ready for the next entry. But like already before, Greek people would manage to surprise us once again – this time three elderly people in the mood to celebrate Saturday evening.

Plötzlich fahrt e wy-rote Hyundai vor und hautet, dr Fahrer laht d Schibe abe und seit „Jassoos – we are friends don’t worry“. Mir hei ir Dunkuheit no kes Gsicht zum Maa wo seit „We saw your fire from our home and thought we’d pay you a visit”. Wo är und sini zwöi begleitende Dame, aui so zwüsche 60 und 70 Jahr aut usstige seit är no «We brought wood for your fire, some food, wine and music”. Mir guet erzogene Schwizer biete dene eutere Lüt mau üsi Stüehl zum Sitze ah. Sie lähne ab und mache sich direkt ad Arbeit. S wird säuber kochets Ässä verteilt, Wy usgschänkt, meh Holz ufs Füür biege und vor auem dr Lutsprächer uspackt. Direkt us dr Originalverpackig, ufem Original-Styropor ufe Sand gstellt.

Suddenly a red Hyundai stopped in front of our campfire, the driver lowered his window and said “Jassooos – we are friends, don’t worry”. Because of the dark we did not yet see the face of the man telling us “We saw your fire from our home and thought we’d pay you a visit”. He and his two lady friends, all aged 60 to 70 got out of the car and they said “We brought wood for your fire, some food, wine and music”. As is custom in Switzerland we offered the elderly our chairs. The declined and started setting up the party. They served homecooked food, poured wine, put more wood on our fire and most importantly unpacked a big loud speaker, directly from its original package, on the original piece of styropor to protect it from the sand beneath. 

Sobaud sie erfahre hei vo wo mir chöme hei sie es schwizerisches und o es thailändisches Lied wöuä ghöre. Aber gli hei sie de griechischi Musig uspackt. Und o sofort derzue afa Tanze. Agsteckt vor Freud si mir gli aui zämä ums Füür am Tanze gsi.

After learning where we come from they wanted to listen to both a swiss and a thai song before changing to Greek music. As soon as the Greek songs were playing the ladies started to dance. Caught by their joy and open-minded spirit we soon all danced together around the fire.

O “Tsipouro” (griechische Branntwy) het dr guet Maa derbi gha. Zersch heter mau e Schluck is Füür gheit, s het e riiesigi Stichflamme gä. När heter das super-starke Getränk usgschänkt u so isch dr Abe wyter gange. Sie hei mindischtens so viu Interesse a üs gha wie mir a ihne, d Fanny, die einti Dame het immer wieder Fotos und Videos gmacht.

Irgendwenn hei sie no Orange und Oliveöl ufe Tisch gstellt und hei ihre Lutsprächer ume ipackt und sie mit ihrem Outo ume dervo gfahre – mitem Kofferruum offe. Mir hei de dr Kofferruum bim Arolle no zue tah und sie froh gsi dass die heiter atrunkene Mönsche nüm wyt müesse fahre dürnes zum Glück usgstorbnigs Dörfli.

Our friend also brought «Tsipouro” (Greek spirit). First he poured a good part into the fire, causing a huge flash flame. Then he poured us some of the very strong drink and the evening went on. Their interest in us was at least as big as ours in them. Fanny, one of the ladies often took pictures and videos to keep us in memory.

Before leaving they put oranges and olive oil on our table and put their loud speaker back into the car and starting driving with their trunk wide open. Upon driving away we closed their trunk and were quite glad that those lightly drunk people didn’t have to drive far and that the town was practically abandoned.

Mir si de no chli wyter zoge uf d Halbinsel «Methana», wo Heimat isch vomene Vulkan wo zletscht vor über 2000 Jahr usbroche isch. Mir hei e wunderschöne Stellplatz gfunde imene Wald wo usgseht het wie im Graubünde.

We drove on to the half island “Methana”, home to a volcano which last erupted more than 2000 years ago. We found a beautiful camp in a forest which reminded us of Graubünden. 

Mir hei de no aui zämä ä Wanderig zum Vulkan gmacht.

We all hiked to the volanco together.

Vo Methana us hei mir üs de entschlosse aus letschte grosse Stopp nomau in Arkoudi verbi z luege. Arkoudi isch üse erscht Stopp in Griecheland. Ufem Wäg dert häre hei mir üs no z Theater vo Epidauros «agluegt». Wäge Lockdown isch immer no aues zue und so hei mir vo hinterem Zuun zwüsche dä Büsch probiert e Blick uf das riiesige 2000-jährige Theater z ergattere.

We decided to drive from Methana to Arkoudi, which was our first stop in Greece. On the way there tried to get a view of the theatre of Epidauros. Due to lockdown touristic sights are still closed, but we managed to get a glimps of the huge 2000 year old theatre through the fence and between the bushes.

O bim aute Mykene hei mir düre Zuun gluegt.

Also in Ancient Mykene we stood on a fence and tried to get an impression of the ruins.

Mittlerwile si ganz viu Böim in voller Blüete, unter anderem Aprikose und viu wo mir nid chöi zueordne.

Meanwhile spring is in full bloom, apricot and many trees we can’t name.

We mir hätte chönne völlig frei reise, wäre mir nid 3 Mönet ufem Peloponnes blibe. We mir zrugg luege hätte mir aber enorm viu verpasst. D Grieche si so ungloublich nätti Lüt, aber mä lehrt sä meischtens ersch kenne weme es paar Tag am gliche Ort isch. Wenn sie denn verbi chöme und Orange derbi hei, de bechunnt mä garantiert Orange gschänkt. U we sie nüt derbi hei gö si mängisch hei u chöme äxtra nomau mitere Fläsche Wy oder Oliveöl. Die Härzlichkeit isch für üs total überraschend, vor auem zu Pandemie-Zyte. Irgendwenn wärde mir ume cho und no die zahlriche Taverne entdecke wo bi üsem Ufenthalt leider hei müesse zue blibe.

If all borders would have been open and we would have been free to choose our route as we liked we would not have stayed on Peloponnes during 3 months. But looking back we would have missed quite a lot. Greek people are incredibly generous and warm, but often you only get to meet them when staying in the same place for some days. When they then pass by with some oranges on them, they just give away one huge bag of oranges. And if they have nothing on them they sometimes go home and come again with a bottle of wine or olive oil. For us this heart-warming way of looking after each other was new and a nice surprise, especially during the pandemic. One day we will return and discover the numerous tavernas which were unfortunately all closed down.