From "the bay" we headed further south down the western most ‘finger’ of the Peloponnese. Our first stop was the Voidokoilia beach. Probably the best beach we’ve seen on our trip so far, but unfortunately camping was not allowed (it’s a National Park) so we had to move on after having a quick swim.
As we were getting out of Voidokoilia, driving on an unpaved road, we came across some grapefruit trees.
It’s been a while since we stayed in a town so when we reached Pylos we decided to stop there for a night. It’s a very picturesque place, not too busy this time of the year and with plenty of parking spaces suitable for overnight camping. We spent the evening loitering around the main square, which was filled with small bars and caffes. After consuming just the right amount of beer to make one very hungry we went out for a meal. The taverna of choice was called “Kokos”. An unpretentious looking venue filled with locals, which is always a good sign. We ordered a grilled Octopus for a starter, greek salad, lamb chops, chips and some little, fried fish things. As the massive portions, backed up by a loaf of bread, started rolling in, it became clear that we ordered way too much. Feeling guilty we made sure everything gets eaten. After the free watermelon desert was gone, with half a loaf of bread covertly squezzed into a pocket of my cargo shorts, we stumbled back to the van – mission accomplished.
Next day I didn’t eat breakfast, or lunch.
After Pylos we drove further south, down a very steep road to Tsapi. On the way back (most of it in the first gear) we had to stop half way up to cool down the van and enjoyed some beautiful views.