Bridges and villages

July 11,2014

We bought a topographical map when we arrived in town to assist us in finding our way around the small villages in the area. Our first stops were the bridges of Kipi.

They are stone bridges surviving from the 18th century. Fun and very picturesque, our only wish was that the overcast skies would break up to allow us better photo opportunities.

As we searched for the third bridge, we found ourselves face to face with a mare and her foal, eating grass on the side of the road. The y each had bells around their necks which tinkled merrily as they ate. We jumped out of the car for some photos when suddenly we heard an angry whinney, furious snorting and quickly approaching hoof beats. The three of us turned as one, saw the black stallion....with flared nostrils and most of the whites of his eyes showing....galloping toward us and we RAN to the car!!!! Safely inside we all cracked up as he meandered past the car and began calmly eating grass. He decided we weren't a threat after that and allowed us to go about our picture taking.

The bridges were each unique and interesting to explore. One of the bridges had a river running under it (the others were dry river beds) and we took the opportunity to take off our shoes and splash around in the cool water.

After the bridges we went in search of a gorge overlook point that Lefteris had told us about. We got a little lost on the way and ended up at a beautiful area of the river where there was a natural spring and the water was a gorgeous clear turquoise blue. We were figuring out the map when a river rafting tour bus showed up. I asked the driver for directions to a gas station and he told me that if we waited 10 minutes we could follow him to the only nearby town with a gas station ( the ONLY town for mile and miles... at home we take things like that for granted, don't we?) he took us right to where we needed to be and we gassed up and headed for a picnic at the lookout.

The view from our lunch spot was amazing, however we had to set up our picnic with our car blocking our view of a man in his car... Oh no, wait.... A man and a woman.... Oh, now it's just the man.... Well, let's just say they were having a less than G rated experience....

We spent the rest of the afternoon visiting Papigo and Mikro Papigo, two quaint villages in the area. We enjoyed the beautiful vegetable gardens, well tended flowers and cute shops and restaurants. I couldn't resist ringing the town bell in Papigo. As with most small Greek villages everything is either up or down hill (so ultimately you will walk both). 

We found a spa resort in Mikro Papigo that has a great view over the villages so we sat and enjoyed a salad and tzatziki, and Carrie and I ordered a Frappe. Frappes are the coffee drink of Greece. It is whipped Nescafé over ice. I'm not a coffee drinker but I decided I needed to try this popular drink (mixed with water, over ice...duh...after I have worked so hard to avoid both!). It was just OK, but I survived the experience with no negative effects.

When we returned to our stone house, Panos ( another Panos, Lefteris' brother ) presented us with another pie from his mother, spinach this time). So kind of them but poor Annelle couldn't eat the 3 person portions they sent and because Carrie and I are GF  we only picked at the filling so that we could try these treats.

We went to sit on the patio and eat our dinner and make a few Skype/FaceTime calls. Lefteris was out there and we enjoyed an evening of conversation. At one point he went inside and returned with Raki for the four of us. Panos appeared just then and we insisted he join us for the fun. He returned with a shot for himself and we toasted "YAMMAS!!!" (Raki, like grappa, is made from the grape skins left from wine making)

When we were walking in the woods in Meteora, Carrie asked Panos about snakes. He said there is one poisonous snake,the viper, but only one person in the last 46 years had been bitten. "Unless you were very unlucky, you won't run in to one". Fast forward to our walk around the bridges and I spy a snake... When I described it to Lefteris he said "this is the only poisonous snake in Greece. Very dangerous. You were lucky" (because I described how I had leaned over close to get a good look and a picture). REALLY??? What are the odds??? Later in the evening Lefteris pulled up a picture on his phone of the poisonous snake.... Turns out it was not the one I saw ( so apparently the odds were slimmer than we originally thought).