Super Awesome Unknown Town (shh!)

Today was sort of a rest day. It wasn't planned but we were surprised to find ourselves in a town that caught our eyes on our way to Turkey last winter and wanted to stay the night.


Our bus passed right under the aquaduct around 2 am...

Kavala is not UNESCO, but definitely should be! There is an ancient castle overlooking a port and bay, with a giant stone aquaduct extending out from the side.

We woke this morning on the bright and sunny beach, as a Greek fisherman arrived and set up his poles next to us, eager to claim his catch. Chris slept awhile longer while I took a xhiro around the bay to the harbor on the far end, admiring the boats. My legs were confused by the lack of full pivotal motion. ;)


Kalimera on the beach!

Once geared-up we biked up around to the next cove, stopping at a lookout point to do stetches. We're really bad about stretching.


We're so limber! (Must be all that stretching...)

Around the corner the city appeared before us, and the entrance to a public beach with showers caught our eyes- ahh! Showers! Amazingly lucky; we parked off to the left where there were surprisingly few people, washed our dirty, stinky clothes in the public spiket, and jumped into the warm clear water. So warm! No wonder foreigners flock here (well not here, the north of Greece is pretty well ignored).

After we properly swam/ sun bathed/ and washed back up we went to the old town. The tightly compacted homes are clustered up steep narrow, alleys of cobblestone - so much like Gjiro, except with tiny cement homes instead of the lofty stone mansions.


Harbor lookout from castle walls

Inside the castle the view over the bay is gorgeous. We explored the remains and watched the sun set from atop the guard tower, then crossed to the other side wall and saw a full moon rise up from the ocean's horizon. To live here and have a balcony lookout would be amazing ...


Moonrise over the backside of Kavala

Strolling down through the old town alleys we found ourselves at a cafe called Playthings, where the young and hip sip hard drinks or Nescafes while playing all kinds of 'get together' games. You know like Taboo or Brain Twisters or whatever their Greek versions are. The interior decor vividly reflected the whole game theme by actually nailing gameboxes all over the walls; even the menu was a series of thick color coded cards to match up so that you can see the drinks lists and prices.


Hmm but which drink goes where?

We spent a few hours there talking with the staff, who had been kind enough to let us stash our bags in the cleaning closet while we went to the castle. They were all super nice, college-age, some hoping to study abroad. One ofthe guys turned to me and asked in all seriousness What do you think of when you hear Macedonia? And then (not liking my country description answer) proceeded to tell me hıs heartsob version of history and But WE had that name first! (insert pout). Neither Chris nor I had the heart to tell him we couldn't really care less and that really in the scale of world political issues this doesn't register for us.


Chris overlooking the port from the castletop

Time flew by! Before we knew it, it was after midnight and we had yet to go find a camp spot. We mirupafshimed the town and headed up around to the next cove, a quiet one with a harbor. We're set up underneath two pine trees in a quiet pocket park, though it's a very hot and humid night so sleep might still be a challenge.