Monday, October 26, 2015

Greece ~ Trahila, That Treasure at the End of the Road

Often times while discussing . . . okay. . . make that gushing over, our Greek Stone House on the Hill with friends in the United States they ask,

“Well, aside from the house, what is it you like about Greece? Why Greece?”

“Many things,” we say, ticking off our rather grandiose and tourist brochure sounding list: the country’s beauty, the people, the food, the culture, the history. . .it is the same things other travelers or ex pats are likely to say about the country.

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The Stone House on the Hill and our neighboring mountain behind us
The one thing we usually don’t try to explain -- because you simply have to be there to understand this -- is the thrill of discovery and the diversity of experiences that seems to be waiting just around the corner. Not earth-shattering discoveries and experiences, mind you, but the kind that lodge in your memory banks and tug at your heartstrings; those experiences that make it difficult to leave and and prompt a yearning for a quick return. 

Such is the case with Trahila, a tiny village near us, quite literally at the end of the road, tucked between that green hill and mountain pictured above.

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Just around the corner from our house on the road to Trahila

The narrow ribbon of road that links ‘our’ villages, Agios Nikolaos, and Agios Dimitrios, forks at the base of the hill. Going to your left will take you up the hill, past our house, to another village named Platsa, but taking a right turn will take you along a coastal route that brings the area’s rugged beauty right up to the edge of the road, that leads to Trahila.

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Trahila, The Mani, Greek Peloponnese

After a few kilometers of breathtaking scenery the road narrows a bit more and winds through the village before coming to an end just beyond the village proper.

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Trahilo village on a summer afternoon

Our first visit here was in the early spring when window shutters were closed on the stately stone buildings. It was so deserted it felt spooky. By early summer though the place had come to life: the town’s two tavernas were open and seasonal residents were back! The tavernas are the only commercial businesses in town. The village, with a year-round population of a couple of dozen people, doesn’t have a store of any sort.

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By the sea, the salt-producing sea in Trahilo

Here the only other commercial enterprise (aside from the few fishing boats) is the gathering and selling of sea salt by some of the local women. This path pictured above leads to tidal pools where the salt crystals form.

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Petro's Place or Akrogiali Restaurant in Trahilo - at the end of the road

Our friends and neighbors were raving about Petro’s, one of the two tavernas in Trahila. After our first visit to his eatery, its formal name, Akrogiali, we understood the place’s popularity.  His wife prepares the food in a small kitchen to the side of the restaurant’s indoor seating area; he’s the tour guide proudly raising the lids on various pots and pans to let you see and smell their contents.

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The fruit and vegetable vendor roams the streets of the The Mani

We take the tour and then settle in at one of the half dozen tables that overlook the sea. Like many Greek waterfront village restaurants, the road bisects the business. Thankfully there isn’t much traffic aside from a local or two and the roaming fruit vendors. Those roaming vendors make it easy to purchase produce while waiting for your meal to be served.

PicMonkey Collage
Our favorite meal at Petro's in Trahilo

Petro routinely brings a plate of treats to munch while sipping our wine and waiting for the souvlaki we’d order there to finish grilling.  Although we had to take some of it home, we couldn’t resist his offer of dessert (both the pre- and post-entre plates were gratis). Dinner: 10 euros plus tip.

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Trahilo, at the end of the Road

The taverna will be open until November 10th, overlapping the start of olive harvest by about a week as is the way with many restaurants in this area where the countryside is carpeted with olive groves.  Families must focus on harvest and oil production so their restaurants close for the season. I've already marked the 2016 reopening date on my calendar (March 20th if you are in the area)~

Map picture

The Bing map above shows our area of Greece with the larger Ag. Nikolaos near the top and Trahila on the bay just above the measurement line.

Thanks for your time today – hope you enjoyed this trip to the end of the road. We've now been at our Greek home for several weeks and will be here for the remainder of the fall. With most of our big projects completed around the house, we are setting out to explore and I will give you a glimpse into the ex pat life we are living - but I have a few more cruise tales that I'll be telling as well. As always our thanks for stopping by! And today if you have a bit of time, hit one of the links below and take a look at the destinations and daily life of some fine bloggers from around the world.

Linking up this week:
Travel Photo Thursday – Budget Traveler’s Sandbox 
Our World Tuesday
Travel Inspiration – Reflections En Route
Mosaic Monday – Lavender Cottage Gardening
Mersad's Through My Lens
Photo Friday - Pierced Wonderings
Wordless Wednesday

24 comments:

  1. Amazing views at the end of the road.

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  2. Hello neighboors! I see that you are fully enjoying your sojourn in Mani and I'm so glad about that! Wish I could join you!
    Greetings
    Olympia

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    1. Loving our time here Olympia!!! Wish we were closer and could have a visit!

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  3. I thoroughly enjoyed my little visit!

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    1. So glad you did! Come back again and we'll set out on some new adventures! Hugs, J.

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  4. I so "get" your statement about the "...thrill of discovery and the diversity of experiences that seems to be waiting just around the corner." It's hard to describe the happiness of rounding a corner and seeing what is commonplace to the people who live there with a newcomer's wondering eyes! What is commonplace to the locals stands out as wondrous for us travelers and expats to appreciate wholeheartedly!

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    1. Anita, I am so enjoying reading about your adventures as well as you navigate uncharted territory. Look forward to reading more from someone who writes and 'gets' what we are saying as you experience much the same!!

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  5. I do so love coming to your blog to read and see more about your life in Greece. I love reading books written by people who have done just that. So more please! Will you write a book? I hope so.
    Enjoy your place in the sun in Greece and thank you so much for stopping by my blog this week and sharing your thoughts with me. It seems my post struck a cord with many.

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    1. Jill, thank you for such a nice comment. I sometimes wonder if anyone is finding these tales from Greece of interest - I certainly never get comments from family and friends back home in the states as they seem to believe we are living on the moon - so it is nice to if even for a moment, think someone finds it interesting enough that they would suggest I write a book. Thank you! Jackie

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  6. Oh how I would enjoy the fine Greek food while watching the bay. Nice life. Must feel good to be settled in and getting ready for more explorations.

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    1. Gaelyn, there is a stark beauty here - much like that of Arizona. I think you'd love this area. The more we discover the more we are enamored with the place! Thanks for stopping by!

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  7. I love these photos of Trahila. I want to go to the end of the road now.

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  8. I understand perfectly why you chose Greece even though I've never been there. Reading your stories and seeing your pictures are quite convincing. Looks like you found a real gem in Trahilo ---- Petro's looks like a place I would enjoy very much!

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  9. Cathy I know you and Mr. TWS would love Petro's place - not to mention the area surrounding it.

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  10. I love living your life in Greece with you as you discover all the wonderful things "in the neighborhood." Can't wait to see more posts; keep them coming!

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  11. Non-earth-shattering delights are my favorite too. :-) They mean so much and bring light to each and every day. Beautiful. :-)

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  12. Hi Jackie. I'm not sure if it would be the water views or the magnificent food that I would have my eyes glued to. Trahila looks amazing! Good luck with your olive harvest. PS. I also love the fact that you can buy your veggies while waiting for dinner to be served! Thanks so much for linking up this week. #TPThursday

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  13. Every time you write about Greece, I hang on to your every word. I have only been once, but that was enough to fall in love. Trahilo looks like a dream, and I'd love to look under those lids to see what's cooking!

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  14. Ah, Trahilo looks so relaxing. I can see why it calls to you. Are many of the seasonal residents also expats like yourself? Also, I find that sign to not feed the cats to be interesting. It would have never occurred to me to feed them, but your past posts have said that "your" cats are well taken care of when you're gone.

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  15. I love these small villages dotted around Greece but I do have to admit that I haven't visited anything as remote as Trahilo where there are only but a few residents. I can't imagine how spooky it must've been like to visit it during the early Spring.

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  16. What wonderful adventures you get up to in Greece. Wonderful views.

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  17. What a beautiful place! Had to laugh at the Do Not Feed the Cats sign...

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