Round Two!

Grevena to Thessaloniki


Distance: 72 km
Time elapsed: 5 hs 21 min
Average speed: 11 km/ hr
Max speed: 59 km/ hr
Temp: 39 C
Weather: still hot, highway crosswinds

Escaped the flies!

Finally out of the mountains. I'm quite sure that jerk police officer was trying to kill us by forcing us to take this road. All those rumor about asshole Greek cops, yeah, he fit the bill.

Anyway, we got about 10 km uphill before sticking out thumbs and hitching a lift to town, Grevena, where we ate a picnic breakfast outside a Dia grocery store. Oddly enough a cop gave us the ride and he was super nice...

So we meandered through town asking people if it's illegal to bike on the highway. Everyone seemed to agree it's not, but that well yeah they might give us trouble. Well I am not about to spend another day winding up switchbacks so we biked up to the highway entrance and hitched a ride with a young couple with an empty van! Sweet victory. I guess there will be days when we simply have to give in to the convenience of motor power.

They dropped us near the turn for their village, 25km outside Thessaloniki. Coming in was pretty straightforward- over the steep bridges, past the stinky port, until eventually the road becomes narrow and peppered with traffic signals.

Down by the waterfront we could finally relax. Chris ate Pizza Hut next to the old Turkish prison tower. I was busy contacting our CS hostess, but in hindsight I should have eaten also because I got sick later on, probably from stressing my body out so much.


Turkish (built prison) at nightfall

We're staying with a Greek girl, Maria, along with 4 Polish girls and a French couple. I really like her because she's begun a career selling jewelry professionally on Etsy and is an advocate for the Greek anarchist movement. Maria is generously hosting us all at her house up in the old town, another city within the city with steep, winding alleys and Ottoman architecture.


Maria's porch-- so Ottoman!


The first night we all walked down to the tower/water front, where foreigners sell trinkets and bad artwork. There we circled-up and swapped logistics about each of our travel plans and our lives back home. Maria, Chris, and I went in search of food and found Cyprus-style sandwiches. I think my body went into food shock because by the time we got uphill and home I was doubled over in pain, then bedridden for 2 days solid.

Have I mentioned how great Maria is? Not only did she let me wither on her couch for 48 hours, occasionally rising to puke all over her bathroom, but she did it with a smile. ;) Chris has decided I'd better get better, because he doesn't want to go sell his artwork along the boardwalk alone (he sold 2 prints the first night!)


Chris selling art along the boardwalk

I'll get better soon-- sink or swim right?? I'll let you know how tomorrow turns out...