Finally we are back on our feet. "It's supposed to take 20 minutes." Gerd already looks sceptical, doesn't really want to believe me. Really, don't do your own research, but know better right away!
We drive to the last passable tip of the Mani, park there in an overgrown car park, are briefly attacked by aggressive geese and quickly get on our way. As soon as the sun shines, it is hot. If clouds come in front of the sun, an icy wind sweeps over the Mani. So we hike, constantly putting on and taking off our jackets, scarves and caps.
Cape Tenaro, also called Cape Matapan, is the southern tip of the Greek peninsula of Mani in the Peloponnese. This remote place is said to be the southernmost point of mainland Europe. The inhabitants of Tarifa in southern Spain claim the same about their little spot on earth. It doesn't really matter, but since we are now in Greece, the Mani wins for us today.
The hike to the lighthouse at Cape Tenaro takes an hour (why is he always right?) and leads through stony terrain. We pass a rocky bay, ruins from Hellenistic times and an abandoned church that once housed the death oracle of the god Poseidon. Is this Poseidon also responsible for the wind? If so, he is very active today.
The Capo Tenaro lighthouse was built in 1883 and renovated in 2008. Nearby is the Calypso Low, the lowest point in the Mediterranean, and the region is an important resting place for migratory birds on their way to and from Africa. The Calypso Low is exciting, but not visible to us. And the migratory birds are not here either, are they still sitting in Tunisia waiting for better weather in Central Europe?
The area around the cape was of great importance in ancient times, especially for the Spartans (Spartacuses?), who built several temples here. In Greek mythology, a nearby cave is considered the entrance to Hades, the underworld. The temple of Poseidon above this cave was converted into a Christian church in Byzantine times. But we only read that, we neither visit the cave nor find the temple.
Our hike ends much later than planned ("I knew it!") back at our Felixos. But we can't get away anyway, there's a coach parked right across the car park. Even on the way there, I had doubts whether we could get through the narrow streets with our van. When I see the big bus, I have to laugh about my worries. If it gets here, we'll be able to make it with our slim model.
So we wait, I tie the flowers I picked on the hike into a pretty bouquet, and eventually we make it from this car park through the narrow streets of the southern tip of the Mani.
Merci for "travelling with us
We are thinking about taking another break from travelling in the summer and visiting our families in Germany and Switzerland. One of the ideas is to organise a Lecture about our long journey to the Persian Gulf to prepare. If you would like to, what would interest you the most? We will also tell stories here that don't find a place here on the blog. We're thinking of the Bern and Berlin area - simply because we have family there. But other places are also conceivable. Feel free to write to us.
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