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Bratin,Macedonia – Agios Panteleimonas, Macedonia, Greece

When we were in college, and took our whirlwind backpacking/Eurail trip through Europe, we stopped in Greece. Diana has always loved Greek myths, and Aristotle and Archimedes and company were always taking center stage in my studies. And Greece is supposed to be amazing – so it seemed like an obvious choice.

If I remember correctly, we took a ferry from Brindisi, Italy, to the island of Corfu. We were excited for beaches, Greek food and history. What we found was garbage, flies, and an uninspired menu, that was, as we recall, the same every place we went. It was as if the government had regulated what restaurants could serve. Pretty sure we ditched out of there as quickly as possible. 

Diana says we went to Athens next. She says we went to see the Parthenon, and it was just kind of moldering away. The rest of the city? Dusty and dirty. 

I have no recollection of any of this. 

Not that it didn’t happen; Diana has, by far, the better memory – particularly for names and words. The only thing I remember better is faces. But that’s another topic. The point is, I don’t remember Athens; I guess I just blocked it out.

And then I was here in Greece again about eight years ago for a conference at one of those super-fancy all-inclusive resorts. My friend Allen and I stayed in an Airbnb type situation right outside the walls. 

Inside was amazing. You might as well have been in Nice or Monaco or something. Everything was perfect. Manicured lawns and flowers and beautiful people everywhere.

The outside was a mess. The streets were falling apart. The buildings were half-built or in complete disrepair, or both. It was dusty and dirty – like Diana says that Athens was 35 years ago . . . And the restaurants still all seemed to have the same menu. It wasn’t terrible. And the people we met seemed friendly. But it wasn’t a place that I was eager to get back to afterwards. 

It just feels like maybe Greece’s best days were 2,500 years ago now. 

All that has been re-confirmed today – our first day biking in the land of Zeus and Athena and Olympus. The roads were empty. Like, really, no one around. The gas stations seem to be shut down. No stores or amenities to speak of. And it just feels like no one lives here …

It’s weird, because it sure seems like people used to live here. All the abandoned gas stations would seem to indicate that, once-upon-a-time, there must have been people. Old, dilipated signs and houses and buildings. 

Even the campground we’re in. It obviously used to be a going concern. About twenty sites, each with electricity and water. A bathhouse. Old lights – the lights still work even. 

A picnic shelter with an old barbecue grill. The water still works, too. Even the electricity – I just flipped a few breakers and we’re good to go. 

At first I was kind of worried that someone might boot us out of here. But, then I realized: there’s no one around to care. 

Of course, that’s not completely true. A goat/sheep herder (shepherd) wandered through the campground a while ago. Peter. Doesn’t speak a word of English – but we managed to communicate pretty well. I figure he is used to talking to dumb animals; he seems to know how to get his point across . . .

Peter has a brother who lives in Toronto. Peter himself has never visited though. He has bad knees – with a meniscus tear on the left side. (Meniscus must be a Greek word – or have Greek roots – because he said something that sounded a lot like meniscus as he pointed at his bum joint and groaned.) He also has a bad back. He said something about gout. On this point, Diana confirms that he might have gouty arthritis. 

Peter has about 50 goats and 20 or so sheep – some with big, cool horns – evocative of the Rocky Mountains . . . He also has, I think, five big dogs. Apparently the enforcers in the crew, though they look pretty mellow . . . 

Oh, and more valuable non-verbal communication . . . 

We were wondering if the water was good to drink. Peter answered that question by drinking it himself. 

But, back to our main point. Campgrounds and towns that have a lot going on don’t generally have sheep and goats wandering through them. Just more evidence of Greece’s malaise . . .

I guess Greece is doing a little better than it was a while back – when they were in tons of debt and the rest of the world had to tell them to take austerity measures or face the humiliation of being kicked out of the E.U. But Greece is still losing people. They have a low birth-rate – with more deaths than births every year. And they have a ton of people emigrating. 

I guess over the past five years they’ve lost about 500,000 people – or about 5% of their whole 10 million population. No wonder things feel empty . . .

While I was talking to Peter, Diana was, of course, out swimming in Limni Vegoritida – the lake that we overlook in the campground. While this body of water may have been nice to swim in during ancient times, it is apparent that farming and waste runoff have fouled the waters now. I was going to go, but I just couldn’t stomach the green-ishness of the lake – not the pretty mountain green of Patagonia either. And then it just looked like it was shimmering with the growth of algae-like substances. I don’t love swimming enough to overcome the willies I was feeling looking at all this . . .

Ended up taking a Polish bath – spraying myself with water from the spigot that Peter drank out of – instead . . .

And the lake is another example . . . There was a sign for the beach. But when we went down to the water there was no sign of a beach, except for a few confusing cabana umbrellas – inexplicably standing guard. Nothing was mowed. Looked like things hadn’t been maintained in years. 

Maybe we’re seeing the results of the austerity measures . . .

Now, it’s not that things are bad for us. We are very much enjoying Greece and our own private campsite. It was fun to see and chat with Peter – even with a bit of a language barrier. It was fun to see the goats and sheep. Diana even enjoyed the swimming. And we had an excellent Greek dinner at the restaurant that overlooks our site – complete with a nice, fresh menu and even a Radler beer. 

It’s just that we were the only people here . . . 

I’m just trying to paint a picture – and it turns out that the picture is a bit lacking in people, and it’s a bit shabby here and there . . . But, I guess I should clarify that is actually nicer than it was 35 years ago. No real garbage around. Nicer restaurant experience. The roads were in good condition. It’s just that it does feel a bit lonely . . .

Now, one more story related to days gone by. At the border crossing today we met Daniel, an older Belgian gentleman who now lives in southern Italy. Daniel is walking the Via Egnatia, or the Roman Road. The Romans built this road in the second century BC – connecting Rome with the city of Byzantine – which later became Constantinople, and is now Istanbul. 

Daniel showed us that we are, essentially, biking a section of the Roman Road right now, because the road starts in Albania and continues through Macedonia and into Thessaloniki – where we’re heading. Pretty cool.

And I need to add another little note on Daniel. We failed to ask how old he was, but he had to be at least 70 – maybe 75. We did ask about camping. He doesn’t carry a tent; he just sleeps in his hammock. Oh, and this morning, before arriving at the border, he walked the same twelve miles that we biked. I guess he started a bit earlier, but still . . .  

Let’s just say that we were pretty impressed. 

Two last notes . . . 

Once again Diana’s Chinese came in handy. We met Yvonne and Chia-Shi (sp?), a Taiwanese couple that is bike touring through the area. They were heading the opposite way we were. When they told us they were from Taiwan I asked if they spoke Mandarin and then volunteered that Diana does too. Because if I don’t do this Diana won’t volunteer it – and we all miss out on some good communication. As soon as I said this they all started chattering away. Pretty fun.

We agreed these are the first Asian bike tourists we’ve seen. We’ve seen plenty of Asian – and, especially, Chinese – tourists. But they are, inevitably, traveling by tour bus. So it was pretty fun to run into these folks. 

And then, bears and wild boars. Greece seems pretty focused on the fact that we might see a bear. I think we saw about six signs telling us to be cautious.

Interestingly, half of them show a boar chasing a bear.

Pretty sure they were just being inclusive, that is: “You Might See Either One” – but, who knows? Maybe in Greece the boars are so bad-ass they chase the bears around . . .

The border crossing? Simple Simon. We are old pros now. And, besides, these European border crossings all seem to be pretty routine. No questions. Just push us through. And they even stamped our passports today. Diana asked the Macedonians to it – and who can say no to Diana. And I guess the Greeks stamp when you come from a non-EU country, which North Macedonia is. 

Our twenty-second country of the trip . . .

Two days to Thessaloniki, and then we take a ferry to Ishmir and Turkey. Expecting it to be hot, but also pretty interesting . . .

Thoughts welcome . . .