The last Assos blog for a while...

We have had a real eventful week since last weeks blog, taking Dawn and Graham around all the sites in the area. Last Friday we had a ride around the Amvraticus Gulf under the Preveza tunnel and around to Vonitsa, and then onto Amofilichia before returning via Arta home. It's a super ride out and managed to catch the market open in Amofilichia. Sandra bought a carrier bag load of oranges but really only wanted 6, I think the man thought we actually needed 6 kilos anyway that was what we got so most of them have been juiced for fresh orange juice.

The next day we had a ride across the mountains via Souli (which is the place the Greeks resisted the Ottoman Sultans forces and never succumbed to Turkish rule) over to the coast and our favourite place Parga. We then took them to our our specialist fish restaurant only to find out when the menu's were being read that they didn't really like fish!! Hmmmm. Sandra's face was a picture of dejection when she realised. Anyway, we managed to get some other bits and pieces to eat arranged and they did try some of our fish which was at least making the effort, I'm sure they enjoyed it in the end, well at least Dawn said they had.

On Monday we decided to have a tour of Lefkas island and also to catch a ferry from Nidri to the beautiful Island of Meganissi. The ferry across to Spilia Bay under the village of Spartachori only costs a couple of Euros each way and en route you pass close to Scorpios, the island which is owned by the Onassis family and I understand it is currently up for sale so if anyone has a few million Euros laying around it may be a good investment for the future, alternatively if it's just laying around you can give it to me to keep warm for you! We had a brilliant day and came home to eggs and chips LOVELY!!

Went to Ioaninna Yesterday and had a walk through the old town with Graham looking in all the shops looking for a goat bell with the right tone, testing the ring ability of every one he past, he finally found the right one (sound wise) and I asked the shop girl how much, she said thirteen euros and Graham asked me to offer her ten which she refused so we didn't get that one either. After a quick coffee/toilet stop we caught the bus across to the Island in the lake (Nissaki) were Ali Pasha spent his last days before dying of mortal wounds inflicted during the invasion of Ioannina by the Turkish Sultans forces after Ali Pasha who was original on the Sultans side was viewed as a threat. Nissaki is a marvellous place to visit and not at all expensive as it tends to be only on the Greek tourist route. Graham got his bell here for 5 Euro's so now he can plague the hell out of people at home as well!!

Today we have visited the Wetlands just down the road from us in the shallows of the Amvraticus gulf there is wildlife in abundance here including pelicans, egrets and flamingos although we never saw a flamingo today.

Oh well this will be the last blog wrote from Assos until September as we are returning to the UK next week but with luck I'll let the people (especially the Greek contingent) know what's happening with us there.

Pictures from top to bottom:

1. Cows all over the road on the mountain pass near Souli.

2. The view from the end of the pass overlooking Paramythia.

3. Graham in Parga Castle looking down over the little church Island in the bay.

4. Graham and Dawn in Assos's very own museum.

5. Taken in the streets of Spatachori, and fullfilling Grahams life long quest to look for Honda 90's or similar heaps.

6. Graham being Graham!