Aventures Bicyclétales ...

country overview, map and followed itinerary, the journal with the best pictures,    [chap 2] the highlight, what I liked / didn't like, useful information.
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Country overview (as of April 2009)

• Capital city : Athens.
• Area : 131,957 km2 (= 0.2 x France).
• Population : ~ 11.1 million inhabitants (= 0.2 x France).
• Density : 84 inhabitants / km2. 

• Language : Greek.
• Religion : Greek orthodox (97%).
• Human Development Index (HDI) : 0.912, the 24th country out of 177. What is HDI ?

• Government : Parliamentary Republic.
• President : Karolos Papoulias (since February 2005).
• Prime minister : Kostas Karamanlis (since March 2004).

• Growth rate in 2007 : 3.5%.
• Currency : Euro.
• Main imports : vehicles, various equipment, medicines and consumer goods.
• Main exports : garment accessories, electric machines and tobacco.

Greece map and followed itinerary (in green)



The travel journal in Greece with the best pictures :

• from Alexandroupolis to Thessaloniki,
• Mt Olympus,
• Meteora monasteries,
• Ioannina and the road to Albania.

Thursday the 9th of April : 11.00 AM, I cross the Turk-Greek border at Ipsala/Kipoi. The Turks have set up a massive military camp just nearby, as if they still fear yet another Greek invasion. Greek soldiers are just a few, and stand at the other end of a 300m long bridge.

11.05 AM, I am through … this was easy, not even a stamp on my passport, and here I am in the European Union !



First thing I notice : the Latin alphabet largely used in Turkey has disappeared once more and instead I am reading signs written with the Greek alphabet. Welcome to the alpha, beta, delta, epsilon, theta, phi and omega world, a reminder of my algebra and electromagnetic studies …

Second thing I notice : many small chapels have been planted on the side of the road, and oddly, they look very similar to the spirit houses from Thailand, mixing belief and superstition together.



When I arrive in Alexandroupolis, I am finally told the meaning of those small chapels, which actually commemorate the souvenir of a person who died in a road accident right where the chapel stands ... how joyful ...


Friday the 10th of April : I am heading towards Thessaloniki this morning, where I should arrive in three days (350 km). The highway goes nicely on the flatland along the coast ... but the smaller roads venture more north in the mountains, and since I don’t feel comfortable on the highway, well, I’m going for the mountains! I don’t regret it : small picturesque villages, thick forest … and only one mini-chapel on the way (a sign the road is safe to ride for the cyclists).



Below : an impressive snake I came across in the forest … 10 cm longer than my bicycle actually !!



Below : a typical Greek Orthodox church above the village of Sapès.




Saturday the 11th of April : riding from Xanthi to somewhere more west, I pass by the fishermen town of Kavala, with several Roman ruins and an impressive fort overlooking the bay and the port (below).




Sunday the 12th of April : last night I slept in the middle of an olive tree plantation … great view, quiet place, sunset in the evening, sunrise in the morning … and all this for free. How could it get better than this ?



Below : on the way to Thessaloniki …



Below : the Amfipoli's lion … and on the right, a mini-chapels shop, selling also barbecues, tables, benches, pots and decorative swan !!



Getting close to Thessaloniki, I make a left to avoid the main highway for the last 20 km into town. My map shows a few hills on the way, and when I look up, I discover some pretty big mountains. It does not really matter, I still have plenty of time before nightfall … and here I go, up, up, up … 10%, 12%, 14% … and a long stretch at 16% which is quite a killer. It’s steep, it’s wild, but it’s possible !



I left from sea level and I climbed 580 meters in one go, then now comes a nice flat plateau … and a thrilling downhill with hairpins all the way to Thessaloniki. With the load, the bike is not too easy to ride, it lacks reactivity, but the balance is good and with some practice, it still can be really fun … as long as you don’t over-estimate its limited braking capability at high speeds. Something to bear in mind …


Monday the 13th and Tuesday the 14th of April : Thessaloniki and it's white tower (not quite white actually) under the rain ...



Thessaloniki is Greece's second-largest city. It was once the second city of Byzantium, and there are some very well-preserved Byzantine churches, as well as a scattering of Roman ruins (see below) ...



... and cats are blue !!



Thessaloniki is a vibrant city with many cultural activities (see above on the left about what’s happening) and where bars and cafés are open all night long. It’s also a rather sophisticated place in which a fellow traveler may not feel really at ease. Everything is outrageously expensive, and the dressing is important if you want to avoid the stares … and I must admit I am not a very fashionable traveler since I carry only a very few dressing options.


Wednesday the 15th of April : I leave Thessaloniki under a small rain this morning, and I go wide, very wide around the city to avoid the highways … 3h00 later, I am finally riding in the right direction, and now the sky is blue.

Below : the church from the small village of Foteina near Katerini.



Below on the right, one of the many tortoises « strolling » around ... 



4.00 PM, and here he is at last. He’s right there, still covered in snow at this time of the year … and with clouds covering his summit … he is the Mt Olympus !!



Mt Olympus is Greece's highest (2,917 m) and mightiest mountain. The ancients chose it as the residence of their Gods and assumed it to be the exact centre of the Earth.


Thursday the 16th of April : I camped last night right at the foot of Mt Olympus, and today I am cycling around its western side …



I was planning to reach Meteora this afternoon, but after taking too many shortcuts through the mountains (actually not exactly shorter), I called it a day earlier and camped in the middle of the forest …


Friday the 17th - Sunday the 19th of April : taking yet another « shortcut », I finally reach Meteora from the top of the background mountains. « Meteors » are here indeed, easily recognizable, and while going downhill, I discover monasteries one after the other on top of each of them. It’s quite an amazing sight really !!



Meteora is an extraordinary place. The massive columns of rock that dot the landscape were created by wave action millions of years ago … but Greek monks long believed they were sent from the sky (thus the name) for them to pray on it. Perched precariously atop these seemingly inaccessible outcrops are stunning monasteries dating back to the 14th century, and among which are Ag. Nikolaos, Ag. Stefanos, Ag. Triada, Grand Meteor, Roussanou and Varlaam (below).



This week-end is rather busy since Greeks celebrate Easter (the Orthodox Church usually holds Easter on a different date from the Roman Catholic Church) and many of them came to Meteora for this occasion …

Below : the Holy Spirit Church on Friday ...



Below : Varlaam monastery ...




Monday the 20th of April : it’s going to be quite a hilly day today, with a 1,700m pass to climb … starting from sea level.

And here I go, the slope is not too steep and it isn’t quite as hard as it sounds : 200m, 400m, 600m, 800m … 500m (I hate those downhill in the middle of a climb), 700m, 900m, 1100m, 1300m (sow is back !!), 1500m (the road is bordered with snowdrifts) and 1700m, it’s the summit ! It’s only 8 Celsius up here …





However the day is not over yet, and there is a second pass to climb at 1,000m before the final descent to Ioannina.


Tuesday the 21st of April : Ioannina is a medium-size town (the 7th largest in Greece) with about 100,000 inhabitants.

The old town dates back from Byzantine time and is located within the fortified walls …





... just by the Pamvotis lake.




Wednesday the 22nd of April : this morning I am heading towards mysterious Albania … et l'aventure continue ...

The highlight in Greece Greece is a very ancient civilization who has brought up to the world numerous talented philosophers and SOCRATES was certainly the most significant of all. Socrates believed the best way for people to live was to focus on self-development rather than the pursuit of material wealth, he taught relentlessly and tried to get the people to think by themselves. He was condemned to the death penalty for this, and he certainly deserves to be remembered for his contribution !

What I liked / didn't like in Greece

I liked	I did not like
the small roads in the mountains going up, and up, and up ... and DOWN !!	the drivers racing like maniacs on the road
Mount Olympus	the cost of living
wild flowers in the forests	grafitti in the cities
olives and feta cheese	garbage on the roadside
Greek fashion	-

Useful information about Greece :