Since I had only seen my brother once in eight years, and wanting to get away to sunny skies after a long and miserable winter, I made my way over to Greece on May 31.
My brother, Julian, and his girlfriend, Julia, have lived in the village of Agios Germanos for the last eight years, after moving to the area from London, England. The village is located in the northern reaches of Greece, in the town of Prespes, Florina. It is directly on the border to Macedonia, and Albania can also be seen with the naked eye from their doorstep.
Here are a few shots of their village..
The front of my brother's house..
And the back...Lake Prespes can be seen in the background..
The beauty of this region is beyond stunning! Surrounded mostly by mountains, the word breathtaking doesn't really do it justice.
The first ten days of the trip saw us do many day trips throughout the area. All three of us are avid birders, and Prespes is a birders paradise. It is reknowned for the pelicans that flock to the area, and it was quite a sight to see them circling in the winds above you.
Other noteworthy sightings were Cuckoos, Bee Eaters, Egrets, Buzzards (hawks), and of course, the Golden Eagle.
Here is a spot my brother and I spent a day birdwatching in - it was less than a ten minute drive from their house..
A Carp fishing boat - many of the Greeks fish (net) them..
On another hike in their town, we came across a herd of these - water buffalo. They have been brought in to keep the water reeds under control. (Luckily a shepherd was close by with his dogs, just in case any of the bulls decided to charge us)
Wild poppies are everywhere in Greece, and really made for some stunning photography subjects..
Lizards are also extremely common..
A day trip into Kastoria, which is an hours drive from Agios Germanos. My first official pint of Mythos in Greece..
Did another day trip into Bitola, which is one of the main cities located just within the border of Macedonia. Although the country of Macedonia is quite poor, and many of the areas are rather bleak looking, Bitola was a thriving and exciting place. People out shopping, drinking, and perusing the open-air markets. Macedonia is also extremely inexpensive. A four course meal with drinks, for three people, cost the equivalent of $16.
A few shots of the city..
A shot of the border crossing. (I realized after taking this, that it probably wasn't a good idea to be waving a camera around at the border....especially since Macedonia and Greece truly hate each other!)
Day 10 saw Julian and myself head out on a little trip for some brotherly bonding - six days on the island of Corfu. After six + hours in two buses across the mountains of south-western Greece, we finally reached the ferry..
A 2 hour boat ride, and we reached our destination. Here is a view of Corfu Town (located on the east side of the island) that you see just before docking..
Spent one night in Corfu Town, then rose early to catch the bus for a 22km trip to our destination - Paleokastritsa. This is known as one of the most beautiful areas in all of Europe, and is on the west side of the island on the Agean sea.
We booked a studio apartment for the five days. At $15 each per night, you certainly couldn't go wrong! (Our room is the one with the towels hanging on the line..)
The area is divided into five or six "lagoons", all with their own beach. The water was the crystal-clear I had ever seen, and you could see down 30 metres! Here is the view from just outside our studio..
Our favourite beach of the lot..
Some other shots..
A couple of the boats in the small harbour..
On the second last day, we decided to go on a little day excursion. For the equivalent of $30 each, you got to go on a glass-bottomed boat for an hour boat ride, at which point they drop you off at Paradise Beach. (This place was beautiful - and is only accessible by boat.) They roast up chickens on spits right on the beach, and that is what you have for lunch, as well as salad, fruit, and bread. Booze is also free. You then lay on the beach and swim, and they take you back on the boat four hours later. A great deal for sure...
On the way to Paradise Beach..
Feeding the fish from the boat..
Our tour guide..and the boat we took..
Arriving at Paradise Beach..
Ok, I used a little bit of tanning oil on the trip..
Enjoying a drink during our last dinner in Corfu before heading back to the mainland..
The last week of the trip was mainly full of relaxation. Well, other than the mountain climb I did! Julia and I decided to tackle one of the mountains that is located just behind their house. It is 2100 metres above sea level, and my brother's house is 1000 metres. So, yep, we were climbing over a kilometre high!!
The rock peak in the middle was our destination - we had already been hiking 1.5 hours to reach this spot..
And success!!! It wasn't easy, and I certainly struggled at times. But the thrill of reaching the peak was undescribable! 3 hours and 45 minutes to get to the top - let's just say that I was sweating up a storm! Another cool thing was that a Golden Eagle flew directly overhead within five minutes of reaching the peak..
You can just make out my brother's village in the centre of this shot - that is where we began our ascent..
The cool thing was that the top of the peak marked the boundary between Greece and Macedonia. Here is a view of looking down into the valley of Macedonia..
Taking a rest on one of the lower ridges - the peak we climbed is in the background. The marker I am leaning against is the border between the two countries..
Beginning our decent back to the village..
It took us three hours to get back down. Some sections were quite steep, so the best way to save your knees (and stop you from falling) was to weave a zig-zag pattern along the way.
So, all in all, 7 hours of hiking to tackle the mountain! And it was worth every minute! Here, Julia and I celebrate after returning back home - the mountain peak we climbed can be seen in the background..
And here we enjoy a cold drink and chicken on the BBQ after a long day of exercise...this was my last night before flying back home.
Due to the healthy eating lifestyle that both my brother and his girlfriend follow, and the increased exercise that I did, I ended up losing 7lbs of weight and 1.5 inches off my belly. I was happy with that..lol If only all holidays were the same!
I will definitely be back...
Hope you all enjoyed!
Good Fishing,
Justin
after a couple pints though the edge comes off and it goes down...well... a little better.