From Tripoli to Kalamata

 (Usual waiver applies to grammar, typos, spelling as I'm posting via a small phone screen on the hoof 🤭, click on the pics to zoom in).

After finishing the terrific Menalon Trail we had May 4th,5th,6th in Tripoli - time to get the laundry done, a few holiday admin tasks and some R&R to give our calf muscles a well deserved break.  

We had a fantastic apartment with an equally fantastic shower - if you dropped the soap you had no problem picking it up😁. Some of the Greek bathrooms have the tiniest showers -  so tiny you're lucky if you can raise your elbows to wash your hair🙄.

Just outside our apartment was a church with a bell tower and it was actually quite pleasant to hear church bells ringing. On the last morning the bells had a special ring which we think meant the local market was on. 

The produce was beautiful and fresh - grapevine leaves to make dolmades, fresh fish, fresh herbs, artichokes, local honey and vinegars, old fashioned potatoes straight from the garden....not a pre-packaged plastic bag of potatoes in sight. 

Thursday 7th May we got the trusty KTLM bus to Kalamata. Fantastic comfy bus and great roads. We left the high altitude for the coast. As we came down into the valley you could see  the Kalamata olive orchards....as far as the eye could see. Surprisingly lush and green 👌

Kalamata has a population of 58,000 and felt like the big smoke after all the little mountain villages. It has H&M and Zara stores....so we certainly had left the quiet villages behind. There's an old town, new town and a port/marina. The old town has some fantastic street murals. 

The monuments and statuary to the history of the area is visible throughout the town.

Our first day proper in Kalamata was overcast so perfect for walking and exploring, not too hot.

 The old town has some wonderful old neo- classical architecture but much of it is in bad shape. You can tell it will be stunning once all restored.

It's a very walkable town and we walked back to the port/marina area where we decided to stay. We passed through the train park which was the original Kalamata stream train station and now serves as a green space for all the apartments close by. 

So glad we decided to stay at the Marina.

 It's only 20 mins walk from the old town but so restful and there's just something about being by the ocean.

The water is a gorgeous deep blue. The Port Authority is in a gorgeous old building on the quey with two Australian bottle brush trees out front 👌. 

There's still a working fishing fleet alongside the yachtie crowd and day cruisers.

When you're at the seaside it would be rude not to try the fresh seafood. We're working our way through the options. Shrimp, radichio Kalamata bruschetta 👌

Octopus on fava bean mash with lemon infused Kalamata olive oil.

Nothing fancy, just grilled anchovies and grilled octopus - sublime!

The marina and port cats are a bit of a sorry looking lot. They appear to work as a pack and for the first time ever I saw a bunch of cats working the marina tables as a team. I did spy some water bowls and cat kibble bowls further along the quey so some good person looks out for them. They have a high survival instinct - watched one hunt a skink sunning itself before it's demise.

I figured out why there were so many jet fighters buzzing about the mountains here. Kalamata has a Military international flight training center for advanced pilot training on M- 346 silver hawk  jets.  We saw them most days when we were high up in the mountain passes. Boy are they fast, loud and impressive. Germany and Croatia do their advanced pilot training here at allegedly €2.4m per pilot😯 as part of a NATO agreement (according to Google). Great income earner for Kalamata region. 

Three more days here in sunny Kalamata by the sea, can't complain 😁 😎.

Tripoli -Margarite Apartments

Kalamata - Ethereal Luxury Apartments