1st June - Gulf of Patras

Summer has suddenly arrived and it is hot! There is the saga of a birthday card, tried to send it in good time about 10 days to a fortnight in advance. Stymied. No post boxes to be found, although I had at least had the foresight to get stamps on all my cards before leaving Preveza. Finally asked everyone in Kalamos Port in my best Greek, to be given conflicting replies. No we don't have one anymore, yes you have to go to that café, no you go to Pano's mini-market on the quay. Finally, at Pano's, we ascertain that we can post the card there, it will go today (Tuesday), but if not it will go to the mainland on Friday. When it gets to the UK is anyone's guess. J, let me know!!

We've been doing a little series of mini "round the islands" with Silent Wings. After Kalamos to Kastos, thence to One House Bay on Atoko, a tiny rugged outcrop with nothing but one house, one adjoining chapel and sheep or goat - bells in the distance. A quick peek at Cliff Bay on the same island and we parted company, they to Ithaca, we towards the mainland - here there be fish farms and one needs to start taking some care. We are in a very workaday town called Astakos (means lobsters, but not a single one to be found!), on the town quay. We have managed to fill up our tanks with water thanks to the "waterman" who takes charge of the hoses that water the roadside palm trees and looks after visiting boats, apparently for free. We have a taverna opposite - we are under no obligation here, but will probably eat there tonight nonetheless, he offers free wifi - shame it doesn't work even though the signal is good. Very Greek. Good fishmongers, bakers, butchers and fruiterers so we are well stocked in that department also. We have been finding all that easier than expected. Just wait until we get off the main tourist trail though…..

But not yet.

Sunday, 3rd June. Yes, yet.

We are heading south and into the Gulf of Patras and then Gulf of Corinth (not doing the Corinth Canal, we'll be coming back out to the islands). In Messalonghi, in the middle of salt lagoons that are wildlife havens for great egrets, avocets, black-winged stilts and big turtles. And I saw my first live turtle(hooray! so far only seen a dead one on a beach) as we made our way up the narrow dredged channel to Mess! It swam right beside the boat, then disappeared underneath to my horror - we were motoring and I envisaged shreds of turtle appearing behind us with mangled propeller - thankfully my imagination only. This place is famous for its role in Greece's fight for independence from Turkey in the 19th C. One of the key rebel leaders organised resistance here and Lord Byron came to pledge his help, only to die inadvertently and inconveniently of a virus. They appreciated his good intentions however, and his heart is buried beneath his statue (we haven't quite found it yet).

From Saturday until Tuesday, there is a festival here. Slightly confusing story, mixture of saints days and warring clans coming together to celebrate unity or independence, before breaking up and going back to killing each other again. Gypsies from all over congregate and parade through the streets on horseback and foot, playing music on a special drum and single pipe or horn. The noise is alternately mournful and thigh-slapping. The locals dress up in fine costumes, with lace and silver, leather pouches across their fronts containing daggers, and rather incongruously, giant black pom-poms on their shiny shoes! And this is just the menfolk! The parades start at 7pm, the celebrations go on all night, buses start running at 10pm and finish at 6am, to take people up into the mountains to a Monastery and back.

Our data sim card runs out tomorrow. One extra reason for this stop is it is a big place with mobile phone shops where we can re-charge our internet sim. We did not know before, but of course all the shops are shut tomorrow. So not only could we not get cards sent out early (see above), we cannot email birthday greetings on the day (tomorrow) - is that a good enough excuse J? Many happy returns for tomorrow anyway!! Enjoy.

Love to all.