Goat farm

One thing I like to do is go to places that my friends have not seen. Looking at the map I could see an interesting inland track which snaked into the interior of the island, I don’t like paths, they are often rocky and I get worried I might hurt myself again, but a track is usually quite well made up and safer. This time I started off the road to Vathy, where I broke my leg. As I was going to walk a long way along aforementioned track, and uphill from Apollonia to it, I elected to catch the bus from Kamares. Of course over here, everything is running on Greek time. So if it’s says 9:40 you can arrive late and probably not miss the bus. So while we were waiting some tourists were looking at each other, where is the bus? Hardened visitors like myself, know too well, that you have to be patient and wait. One thing I have been doing is going to a bakery in Apollonia which I know makes lovely pies. Her chicken one is so tasty. I try and speak Greek to order what I want, and it’s appreciated. I got to know her well on this trip, so I often told her where I was going and she replied with encouragement “Bravo!” After eating my sustenance I marched off up the hill. I soon found the track turning off, I had noticed there was a archaeological museum on route, but it was closed the day I did this walk. The track was quite safe, wide enough for a car, with amazing views as I carried on, uphill. 

I met two other groups of walkers on route, even though I lost my mobile signal, I have a phone that has emergency satellite coverage, so I felt reassured. Along the way, there were several churches, probably only used on their name day for the Panagia. I went to several of these on Serifos. Each were accessible via a footpath, I decided to just enjoy the view of them from my track. I saw a few more flowers on route, and dried up ones too.

I carried on until the end of the track, where there was a huge goat farm. The goats were free but there was a fence around the farm. Often you can see goats in the mountains with their legs tied together so they can’t run or go far very fast, which is illegal, but it’s still undertaken. There was a horse for company too.

I carried on a little further through the farm, after saying hello to the farmer, who kindly replied. If you meet someone here, an appropriate greeting will usually get you a reply, it’s nice to say the right one, for the time of the day of course. Beyond the farm was a view of another church and the sea.

On the way back it was mostly downhill except a bit where it went uphill before I rejoined the road. I then  walked past an old Tower, not much left of it, rocks get reused over here. It’s called Tower of Kadhe.

I walked back to Apollonia via a footpath, which was quite safe, asked at a garage if they had ice cream in Greek, I got a reply sorry no in English! Back in Apollonia I had a top up baguette as I was hungry and then caught my bus back to Kamares.