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  • Day 521

    Quad biking around Leros

    September 18, 2018 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Since we had a day to wait until our foresail was ready we hired a quad bike for a day and took a whistle stop drive around. We went first to the Castle near Plantanos passing a row of windmills that had been converted into holiday lets they looked lovely. The Castle was built by the Knights of St John on the site of older temples and had commanding views of all the island bays. Then down into Agia Marina for a coffee before visiting the British war cemetery. This is, per the museum curator at the Castle, where Ginger Baker’s (from the band Cream) Dad is buried. We then drove North to the airport and beyond to the boatyards at Partheni and to Blefouti where we tried to find the vineyards and failed probably for the best as John was driving and unless the wine is sweet I wouldn’t like it. My palette is not cultured yet. The airport is tiny with one runway that only takes prop planes and ends at the sea. We then headed to Gourna bay for lunch where I tried Mussels Saganaki, that means in a tomato garlic and feta sauce, very Greek and very nice John had Pork steak beautifully cooked and huge. We don’t understand why pork is so cheap when we haven’t seen a single pig. After lunch we decided to tackle one of the many peaks on the island and chose the one in the South West up from Xirocampos, it was a heck of a drive on a gravel road the engine on the bike it was only a 150 struggled on some of the inclines, but the views at the top were awesome, we even found a German looking bunker. The trip down was even slower than on the way up, and we were impressed with the local goats road sense, as we approached they got off the road and when we had passed got back on. We then went back up the island to Panteli for an ice cream 🍦 before popping in for some shopping before returning the bike. After we dropped off the bike we met Sandra and Dennis for a drink, this is a couple who lived in Beaucette for 4 years in early 2000. They have been sailing for 18 years on and off, stopping and working when necessary. We chatted about Guernsey 🇬🇬 and also their travels.Read more