Images from Pelion
Images from Pelion
Written by Wednesday, 14 April 2010 00:00
Choosing a place for our summer holidays is quite a task. Firstly it has to be photographically interesting, to say but the least, which includes (but is not limited to) landscapes and wildlife. Secondly it must be within a reasonable distance from the sea. Thirdly appropriate accommodation and good food are a must. Finally, internet connection is highly desired. We do not ask for a lot, do we?
During the last couple of years our good friend Spyros Kakouris kept proposing a visit to Mt. Pelion. Spyros's family come from this part of Greece so he knows the area well; his enthusiastic descriptions were more than convincing so in the end we abandoned our plans to spend some time on one of the beautiful Greek islands and arranged a trip around the villages of Pelion. We loaded the car with all the photographic gear we could possibly need including a load of battery chargers, a tripod, batteries of all kinds, four cameras, twelve lenses, two flash units, an underwater camera and a laptop. Our clothing included our photo jackets, photo trousers with loads of pockets, sport shoes, climbing boots etc. This would be a photo-orientated holiday.
A good number of Greek myths evolve around Mount Pelion - and the reason is obvious. Beautiful forests of beech, oak, maple and chestnut trees run down the slopes of the mountain all the way to the coastline. There is water everywhere; the sound of small streams and waterfalls is the perfect complement to the chirrup of birds and the gentle rustle of leaves. The colour of the landscapes is breathtaking, particularly during dusk and dawn: rich reds and coppers mixing with dark greens, pure whites and deep blues. It comes as no surprise that Pelion was thought to be a fit residence for gods, semi-gods and heros. Nowadays the villages of the mountain attract tourists throughout the year.
We decided to stay in Aghios Ioannis at the east side of the mountain for three days and then join Master Spyros in Ano Lehonia, at the west side of the mountain. On our way there we made a short deviation to pass through Thermopylae to take some shots of the monuments commemorating the famous battle and managed to reach Pelion around 5 pm. The sun was already low by then, thus enhancing the colours of the landscape. Our first stop was at Portaria where we took some shots of the Pagasetic gulf and the village itself.
Our second stop was at Hania which is very close to the peak of Mt. Pelion. The view from that point was magnificent; the temperature was extremely pleasant due to the dense vegetation and running water (something unusual in Greece during the hot summer months).
Shortly after sunset we arrived at Aghios Ioannis, a small, picturesque village by the sea, very popular as a tourist destination (that is always a downside to us). George had a plan in his mind: first shoot then look for a room. It was quite difficult to detach his eye from the viewfinder until the case was put to him in terms he can understand: it was dangerous to leave the cameras and lenses in the car overnight. This appeared to have an immediate effect so we got the cameras and lenses a room. Thankfully there was space for us too (only to clean the lenses and download the photos of course) ...
Next day we got ourselves a map and started planning the trip. There is a lot to see in the area so we had to be careful with our selection and timing. Tsagarada and Mylopotamos were amongst our first destinations. We thought we would be able to visit more places during the course of the day but we were so taken by the beautiful landscape that we had to stop quite often to admire the view and take some shots. During this particular day we only managed to drive 20 Km in 8 hours and returned to the hotel at night with 500 shots.
Next morning Captain Spyros and his family joined us around noon in Aghios Ioannis and we drove back together to his headquarters at Ano Lehonia, where we were welcomed by his mother and sister. Very rarely have we felt so at ease so quickly - thanks Mom!
General Spyros decided that Fakistra bay would be our next destination. This is an isolated bay, accessible via a path descending a very steep slope which is a problem when carrying more than 8 Kg of photo equipment. Spyros was adamant we should see it so we decided to give it a try. To our surprise, the path had been recently paved, which made our life a lot easier – although it was still a demanding course for all of us who have not been trained by the Special Forces.
Next day the Great Guru (Spyros, for those who do not catch up easily) decided we were to visit the western side of Pelion. Amongst the places to see were the famous Pinakates and Mileai. Before you take a look at the photos let’s just say that if you want to admire the classic Pelian architecture Pinakates is the place to visit. The village is simply fantastic. Everything seems to be in harmony with nature, attractively silent and almost appearing to be emerging from the mountain itself, becoming one with the rocks and the trees.
Chief Spyros's job was a tough one: he had to plan a day for friends and family as well as accommodate our photographic interests. He announced that the programme for the following day was to visit a trout fishery on the mountain, located in Paliokastro, half way between Aghios Vlassis and Ano Lehonia. This was one of these not-to-miss places if you are in the vicinity. The restaurant is in the middle of the forest surrounded by running water. The air was sweet smelling, cool and fresh, the scenery beautiful and the food excellent. Leonidas, the owner, was very friendly and arranged a short tour of the fishery for us. "Pestrofes" produces about 20 tons of trout annually which equates to about 60.000 trouts. Some of them are served in the restaurant (Marina who tasted it said it was delicious) while the rest are sold in the local market to make room for the next broods. The fishery uses a continuous flow system of filtration which, apart from being very effective, allows the trouts to be kept in smaller quarters.
Last day of our stay there and Sahib Spyros had planned a family lunch in Hania, although not the part that we had seen on our way to Aghios Ioannis. All the elements were there, hundreds of photos again .. and one word about the food: you have got to try it one day, you just owe it to yourself.
Eight days and six thousand photos later we were on our way back home. Pelion is definitely one of the places we plan to re-visit in the near future. Images came and went so fast that we feel we have missed a lot of it, that “thing” that makes this mountain so special. No wonder a large part of Greek Mythology evolved around this mountain: Mt Pelion is definitely blessed by the Gods. This was an introductory visit - getting to know the field so to speak. In our next visit we plan to let Field Marshall Spyros rest a bit and spend more time walking the trails and paths of the mountain searching for its uniqueness.
Many thanks to chief Spyros for the invitation, for showing us round and making it such a fun holiday: we will never forget *that* kokoretsi and the after dinner games where the women's team kept winning hands down!! Special thanks to “mom”, Mrs. Angeliki Kakouri for making our short stay there an unforgettable experience. We are hoping to take advantage of her hospitality again soon.
Technical details
Cameras: Nikon D300, Nikon D2x, Nikon D700 and Nikon D3x.
Lenses: Sigma 12-24mm, Nikkor 10.5mm fisheye f/2.8, Sigma 15mm fisheye f/2.8, Sigma 20mm f/1.8, Sigma 28mm f/1.8, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8, Tamron 90mm f/2.8 macro, Tamron 180mm f/3.5 macro, Nikkor 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR, Nikkor 70-300mm f/2.8 VR, Nikkor 80-400mm VR and Nikkor 300mm f/2.8.
Photos by the authors.
Related photoalbums: Pelion, the Home of the Centaurs
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