12th April, Katakolon, Greece

I have always enjoyed this lovely town, I used to call here frequently while on the Nieuw Amsterdam and the Oosterdam; it is a quaint and friendly place and the gateway port for Olympia.

The day, being Easter Sunday, had Olympia closed, (I still couldn’t understand why despite this, both taxis and buses were offering rides there;  entrepreneurial skill perhaps  🙄 ).

The morning arrival was on a beautiful, calm, sunny day and the pilot, an old acquaintance, Stephano, joined on what appears to be a pleasure boat.  The ancient stand-by tug was getting up steam as we approached.  Friso took her in and we had to be aware of building works, extending out from the breakwater, (they are lengthening it) and the shallows to the north, it’s a tight squeeze.

The approach

The approach

The turn into the harbour

The turn into the harbour

and the dock

and the dock

The pilot boat

The pilot boat

Approaching the harbour

Approaching the harbour

The tug, starting up :-)

The tug, starting up 🙂

Approaching the dock

Approaching the dock

In the berth, restaurants along the harbour-front

In the berth, the town and restaurants along the harbour-front

From the harbour-front

From the harbour-front

It was a day for a stroll along the street and browsing the shops.

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Family enjoying the sun

Family enjoying the sun

Wooden spoons in plentiful supply

Wooden spoons in plentiful supply

The local church, decorated for Easter

The local church, decorated for Easter

At the end of the town a small play area, where adults and children enjoyed themselves.

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Stephano, the pilot, owns a restaurant on the seafront, however, being Easter, it and others, were closed.  

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He also owns a hotel, on the cliff overlooking the town and he invited us all for a wonderful Mediterranean meal, complete with barbecued lamb, beef and pork.

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Stephano and I

Stephano and I

The view from the hotel verandah

The view from the hotel veranda

A lovely venue

A lovely venue

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 The ports seem to be rushing by, no sooner had we called here, than off towards Italy, Sicily to be precise and the port of Messina.

 

 

 

A medley of command, travel and family

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