Doctors and Diversions

 

A day at our nearest city, Nafplio, always starts early.  The outing begins with a crossing on the 8am car ferry. An hour later, having driven past a few small villages and quite a few sign posts for ancient ruins we reach city limits,  the Army Base and big Chinese Emporium. 

 Naplio is our nearest city. A lovely town with lots of cafeterias either in the old town or on the waterfront. But we don't go there. We go to the 'old men's' cafenion on the roundabout. It has excellent coffee, raki and good Greek mezedes (snacks), different according to the season and religious calendar. There'll be fried kalamari and vegetable rissoles on the plate now. And it's where the local men congregate.  Not just men, but they are the majority.  K feels right at home. And I tag along as usual

These days out at Nafplio are very routine. The trips are always for matters of health. We work the diversions around the doctors.  

Entering the city

On top of the hill is the Fortress of Palamidi

The fortress is 'modern'. Built in 1711.  Accessed either by 999 steps or you drive up there in your car

Saturday and Wednesday there's a Farmers Market

We always arrange the visits to coincide with the market.  I buy cheap clothes, fruit and vegetables which look so fresh and wholesome and full of colour.  K investigates the fresh fish stalls.  The catch is scaled and gutted while you wait.

5 litre containers of local wine, olive oil, olives by the kilo, fresh eggs, dried beans and lentils bought by the kilo out of a large sack, bunches of oregano

K trying out our new shopping trolley

We used to have a squeaky old thing which was really a suitcase trolley.  Too embarassing and it kept on trundling crookedly into other people's legs.  

The new one is very chic

Time for a scan and the doctor's visit

All's well

Then my favourite part of the trip

Lidls!

And K's favourite part of the day

This is one of a chain of souvlaki shops called 'Trendy'

Some days it's full of 'good old boys' in their 'uniform' of greasy jeans and black tshirts, and often there's a table or 2 of Poros people.  It's a popular stop after a busy day.  

It may be Lent but almost everyone, including me, was eating pork in pita bread, tzatziki with a pile of fries.  K however chose from their big oven trays, stuffed tomato, no meat and a no-alcohol beer. Leftovers are put in a box and taken home. 

Besides our own shopping we often have jobs to do for other people.  Pick up a sack of dog food, get lost in the back streets trying to find a shop that sells electronic bits and pieces, wait for a rotisserie chicken for a neighbour who doesn't get out often, lettuce plants from the nursery or some obscure car part from one of the dealers, even maybe a huge sourdough loaf or a kilo of choc cookies from the bakery 'Flour and Sugar'.  That place always has a queue.  The smells are delectable.  

It's always a long day and I'm exhausted by the time we have returned to Galatas, sailed over on the car ferry to Poros, delivered everyone's bits and pieces and unloaded our own bags of goodies.