Crossing the Adriatic sea and arriving in Greece was a change for good. I love Italy but this time I was not lucky: rainy days and empty hostels spoiled my week there. At the same time, I could not meet the kind of people that you would like to keep in touch with later and that makes up a big part of my adventures.
Even before boarding the ferry, the situation changed when I met a couple of bikers who were also going to Greece. Steven is a German guy from Konstanz who was travelling to Methoni (Southern Pelopponese) to swap houses with his uncle, which basically means that he spends the summer down there in some sort of extended vacation and his uncle, who is in his 80s, retreats to Germany where he does not have to suffer the Mediterranean summer. The other biker was Michalis, a Greek guy who had done a one-week tour of Italy and was returning to his home in Larissa.

We had some interesting conversations and I was invited by Steven to spend a couple of days in Methoni. My original intention was disembarking in Igoumenitsa and crossing just northern Greece towards Thessaloniki and Turkey but... what the hell. Plans are made to be torn to pieces and the ticket to Patra costed the same since the ferry just sails on to the Pelopponese and they charge for the night spent onboard, no matter where you stop. Therefore, Steven and I got off in Patra and he drove straight south to Methoni, while I had to stop for one day because the BMW dealer in Lecce could not replace my nearly dead spark plugs and the only dealer in the whole peninsula is located there. That said, Patra is not an interesting city, just a typical port town, and I left the next morning.

On the way to Methoni, when I was about to take a driving break, I saw signs for the ruins to Ancient Olympia. I knew it was a 20km detour and was not sure if I should visit the ruins or not... however, timing was perfect and I finally ended up walking around the site where the original Olympic games were celebrated. They lasted for about a thousand years and the Olympic flame is still lighted there, in the remains of the ancient stadium.

Two hours after that, I finally arrived at Steven's uncle's house in Methoni. His uncle Wilfried and aunt Isolde do not speak English so I had to practice my German for two very intensive days... I think I spoke more German in that house than during one whole year in Switzerland. Anyways, this is my friend Steven and our two motorbikes parked at the entrance to this traditional Greek-style house.

Days in Methoni were very calm since the tourist high season had not yet started and I could enjoy the nice weather in a sequence of walks in town or by the beach, drinking beer at the seaside terraces or enjoying excellent Greek food. The town has a famous castle that protects a very picturesque bay, full of small boats used for fishing by the locals.

Since there was not much to do in Methoni in early May, I spent some time taking pictures in the garden and caught a couple of wasps that were also killing time in their own way. I do not know how romantic wasps are but I have to admit that doing it on top of a ripe lemon is a proof of good taste.

In any case, I left Methoni after a good couple of days spent there and wanted to stay in Nafplio next. I heard only good things from that town, first capital of the Hellenic Republic in the 19th century, and the distance I would need to cover was reasonable. The drive was very nice, especially the last part from Argos to Nafplio bay. Those mountains are smooth, not steep like the Alps, and the road goes high on them without very sharp turns. This means it is possible to drive quite fast while still safe and the views are magnificent. Nafplio itself was OK, a pretty town with many pedestrian roads but it was crowded with tourists... besides, the only hostel was closed for renovation and I did not like the perspective of staying alone in a dingy overpriced hotel room. So I just had lunch there, took a walk in the old town and drove on to Athens, where there is plenty of hostel choice.

My tiny Odyssey in the Pelopponese was over and so is this post. I am not the kind of traveller that just visits big cities but, from time to time, city action is great. That is what I was dying for... would I find it in Athens or Thessaloniki?