Morning in Assos unsurprisingly in beautiful sunlight. I’ve only got a few more nights in the Mediterranean and I’m not looking forward to remembering what it’s like in London.
We got up and struck out on foot to Assos Castle. It’s a good long walk up the hill to this old Venetian fortress, once again located extremely strategically in terms of defence, but badly in terms of water supply. It didn’t last long as defence. For a while it was used as a prison, then a few farmers lived there and now it’s just empty but for idiots like Lou and I, marching up the hill with our banana pastries as the sun rises over the native firs and the black pin trees.
It’s been Lou’s birthday. We have done our usual wandering. Fiscardo proved to be a disappointment. It’ll be lovely in the evening with the lights and all the restaurants open, but in the bright of the day you can see the cynicism. You are there to spend money. That’s it. This island survives on tourism, and tourists are all channeled up to Fiscardo where everything is laid out just as we are supposed to like it. If you zoom out you could be anywhere made for tourists. The flag just happens to be Greek here. Local meat dishes and the spaghetti staples: Napolitana, Carbonara and Bolognese. So far, so faceless, so familiar. We have seen it in too many countries to want to spend time in it here so we up sticks and drive to a beach where you have to lie on uncomfortable rocks under olive trees. We both momentarily doze off in strangely contorted positions until heatstroke pushes us into the water. Small and active loaches try to pull the scabs from my feet. We are happy.
Sami in the evening is more of a port town again – it puts me in mind if Patras, where I tried to hitchhike to get out. I was happy there for one evening though, for a meal. We are sleeping nearby in Green Bay Hotel, and we don’t have to check out tomorrow morning for a change. This’ll be the launch point for the rest of our exploration of the island.
Our room is comparatively disappointing but it’s cooler than we have been and comfy. Just no Fantastic View… We are lounging in the early evening and despite all the running around I can barely keep my eyes open. It’s a gorgeous island this. Absolutely stunning.
AlBarclay 