Monday, 27th May Pylos, Home of Ancient Greek myths, 16th C Forts and recent Wars

Mind the Gap

Kiparissia done and dusted, we are in the Peloponnese town of Pylos, famed for several things. To get here you sail past the island of Sfaktiria that forms a protective side of what is effectively an enormous bay (Navarino Bay) - offshore rocks provide gaps through which the adventurous can sail and the pounding of waves has formed the shape of an arch through one of the rocks. The Bay is the site of many battles ancient and more modern, notably the battle of Navarino in 1827 involving the Turks, Greeks, British, French, Russians and Egyptians. The battle started accidently really, but paved the way towards Greek independence. There are memorials to all nations involved dotted around the bay.

We are in a tatty bit of the harbour used as a boatyard, but probably the most secure - the town is charming. There are also tatty live-aboard / deserted boats (pictured) and a fair few of those, like us, on passage. We walked up on our first morning here to the Neokastro, a 16th C fortified Turkish citadel overlooking the town and the entrance to the bay through the gaps in the rocks. A fantastic vantage point with stunning views.

We were particularly keen to go and see Nestor's Palace (Mycenean, c 2000 BC) about 10 miles north of here. King Nestor joined Agammemnon and Menelaus in their siege on Troy way back when, and Telemachus came here looking for answers to the whereabouts of Odysseus, his father, who he had carelessly managed to lose.

So to one of my favourite topics - Greek buses. Well, not the buses themselves - they are admirably modern, clean and an example to other countries. Rather Greek bus timetables, or lack of them and the lack of knowledge relating to them exhibited by those involved in their running. We finally ascertained there was a bus at 08.45 and 11.15. Good. How about return buses? She shrugs. Think hard! Well, maybe 12.30. OK, we'll just go. She knows we want to go to Nestor's Palace. Bus arrives. On time! Bus driver knows we want to go to Nestor's Palace. And lets us off at the right place, in the middle of an olive grove. It is now 09.25. He insists on telling us there is a return bus at 09.45. We are puzzled. 12.30? No you want 09.45. We shrug in turn. And turn towards the entrance to Nestor's Palace. All in ominously quiet. We come across a sign (also pictured) that proudly declares that the site was closed in December 2012 for the foreseeable future, for renovation works. Everyone knew we were going to the Palace. No-one told us it was closed - but at least the bus driver told us about the 09.45 bus.

Back to Pylos and take another bus to Kalamata, home of olives and also where there is apparently a good marina. A recce. Good thing too, we won't go out of our way to go there by boat. Big sprawling town, the only noteworthy thing about the bus journey was the unscheduled stop on the way home. The driver stopped to let an elderly man out. And then waited. And then elderly man got back on. He needed find a bush and the driver sympathised. Sweet!

Back to boat to find a fishing boat wanted to be craned in where we were moored. We moved back a bit, Free Spirit came alongside us and they expertly swung this boat in a tiny gap just missing our forestay and rigging. Then an opportunistic sailor seeing the crane there, asked for his little sailing boat to be launched also, straight over the top of the fishing boat - with him on board.

Health and Safety rules not OK - how refreshing.