Thursday May 24, 2012 Journey through Mani.   After a hearty breakfast (See photos), Peggy, Brenda, Rose Mary and I went for a road trip through the Taeygetos Mountains – and I mean MOUNTAINS.  There were moments went we truly were eye level with the clouds.   Guy and Glenn stayed behind for some rest, relaxation, and visits in town.  So, this blog entry will mainly describe the women’s day in the mountains of Mani, which is the area in which Guy and Peggy live.  It has a history dating back thousands of years. It was inhabited during the classical Greek era.  History records Spartans influence on the area.  It’s many ruins and stone terraces give evidence of a highly populated and agricultural area of Greece.   (See photos) The Maniates were and continue to be a very independent people, who prize their history and cultural identity. 

There was a dual purpose of our lady’s day out.  Peggy wanted to show Rose Mary and me some of the main Mani villages and sites, and Brenda (who had been here before and is staying on with Glen for another week) wanted to be certain of locations and driving directions to favorite restaurants and historic sites.  Although the day was overcast and rainy, we were certain the sun would come out – which it eventually did (See photos).

Our first stop was in Neohori to visit 300 plus year old bee hives (no longer active) and to see the cave home of the ancient bee keepers.  From there we continued to Nomitasi to visit a 13^th century Orthodox chuch.  (See photos.)  Our next stop was Lagada to visit another beautiful church. (Photos again).  Then we went to Areapolis to visit the town for a mid-morning coffee break.  We discovered La Roca (See photos) a most welcoming café, with, according to Brenda – the best latte EVER!  LaRoca was also a internet hotspot (these have been few and far between), so we relaxed, uploaded, downloaded, talked and enjoyed a long break. (See photos)

The next stop was the Diros Caves, which are reputed to be among the most incredible caves in the world.  This is a well deserved reputation; there are miles and miles of caverns beneath the earth.  We were on a boat for six people (I was assigned the seat in the front of the boat!  Best seat of all – except when it looks like we are about to hit a stalagmite because the woman behind me couldn’t keep still – we had been given strict instructions to sit straight and do not move!)  The 30 plus minute ride on 1,8000 meters of underground river is simply indescribable.  (See photos which do not do the experience  justice or book a flight to Athens or Kalamata, take a bus to Stoupa and ask for directions.)  The boat ride was followed by about a 15 minute walk through another section of the caves. (Photos again.)    

Before leaving the cave area we viewed the statue dedicated to the Amazon women of the area, who using threshing scythes held off the Turks in the 18^th century and helped Mani maintain its independence.  (Still working on how I feel about that imagery.)

From there we went Vaphia to visit the tower village.   The towers were used to defend the area as well as for families to fight with each other. (The Manis had their Hatfields and McCoys – who now live peacefully).

From there we travelled to Porto Gaio.  This village got its name because quail migrated through the area and the villagers would put nets hundreds of feet into the air and capture the quail.  They then preserved them in oil and sold them throughout the area and exported them to France.  Eventually the quail supply was depleted and today Porto Gaio is a picturesque fishing village – with a great café.  Not surprisingly, the owner of the café, is a friend of Peggy’s.  Instead of coffee I ordered mountain tea (wild sage – see photos.) The high point of my day was the owner’s generosity.  As we were leaving she presented me with a bag of wild sage that had been collected from the mountain.  (See photos).

We returned to the Fisher’s home for a quick happy hour before dinner and then went into Stoupa for a bit of shopping and the last dinner in Greece for the traveling tourists from Delaware and Pennsylvania.  The sun, which has been in hiding much of the trip, gifted us with a rainbow on the way into town for dinner and a most memorable sunset.  We ended the evening with (once again) some great Greek food and wine and then went home for our last night in Neohori.