We upped anchor at about 0730, and motored the 6 miles across Thessaloniki Bay to Lampros xxx’s boatyard to be hauled out at 0900. Three hours later we’d been pulled out on a hydraulic sled and propped up (they were very slow!), in what is a very ‘rustic’ small boat yard, with 4 or 5 boats in good condition and probably a dozen boats that had been sitting in the yard for years. Lampros then invited us to his air-conditioned office for a coffee and ice cold water. While relaxing there he wondered if we might need anything doing on the boat. We asked if he could give us a price for fitting a solinoid to the gas supply to the cooker, and possibly adding an inspection hatch in the reserve fuel tank so that we can check for diesel bug.
On Saturday morning we picked up a hire car and Monday drove inland for a couple of nights in an air conditioned hotel at Kalabaka to the impressive Metorea rock formations. Apparently these began their life as sediments in a river delta 23 million years ago and following tectonic upheaval and natural erosion resulted in very impressive 300 metre pinnacles formed of conglomerate rock. Over more recent years, 25 monasteries were built at the top of these, and today just 6 remain and can be visited. Most we think had very strict dress codes of covered legs and arms for both men and women, however the one we visited, the monastery of The Holy Trinity were more relaxed, possibly because the monks were all locked away. There was also a nunnery perched on a mountain top.
For the remaining 2 nights in Thessaloniki we stayed in an apartment in the outskirts again with air-conditioning and visited the city by bus. 45 minute ride for 90 cents.
On Saturday morning we picked up a hire car and Monday drove inland for a couple of nights in an air conditioned hotel at Kalabaka to the impressive Metorea rock formations. Apparently these began their life as sediments in a river delta 23 million years ago and following tectonic upheaval and natural erosion resulted in very impressive 300 metre pinnacles formed of conglomerate rock. Over more recent years, 25 monasteries were built at the top of these, and today just 6 remain and can be visited. Most we think had very strict dress codes of covered legs and arms for both men and women, however the one we visited, the monastery of The Holy Trinity were more relaxed, possibly because the monks were all locked away. There was also a nunnery perched on a mountain top.
For the remaining 2 nights in Thessaloniki we stayed in an apartment in the outskirts again with air-conditioning and visited the city by bus. 45 minute ride for 90 cents.
So on Friday, dropped off the hire car, and flew back home for a couple of weeks before loading up Panda for a tour of Wales, and back in Greece at the end of August.
Hauling out
Thessalonica
Meteora
