Elies Hotel, then Spirit of Life Center
Thursday Aug 30
HE SAID
Last day! Already hate to be leaving. But remember that was our feeling every place we stayed in Greece last year! You get to know the folks, so open and friendly, and just start to cut through the surface of what’s available to do and enjoy.
In the open air lounge next to the dining area under the olives. Anne’s chatting up the couple from London who are moving into our room 18. Thei 4th annual visit to Elies! London-Kalamata and Paris-Kalamata flights both packed & doing a bang up business!
Almost flat calm out for our morning swim today. Clear as a bell. Depth very deceptive, it’s so clear! Hundreds of 🐠 ! Water’s fairly salty so you float high and easily! Makes swimming around a dream.
Late lunch, final beach time then we hooked arise with Antonis to Spirit of Life in Ag.Nikalaos, about 7 miles further south down the winding cliff road. He village is high up in the mountains to our left just past Kardamyli. As he said, this Mani part of Greece is the most beautiful in all of Greece. It’s high very rugged mountains are offset by the deep aqua blue of the Ionian. Wild feeling!
By 7 we had settled in our new place and walked up the steep hill to the SOL Center to meet all the others for our first vegetarian meal, followed by our first Yon practice with Biff.
Our walk back down was in complete dark with a million stars above. Nothing like finding all the constellations in Greece that the ancient Greeks named and made famous!
SHE SAID
I love the early (by Greek standards) mornings here. Dawn with its pale colors goes on and on. It is so lovely to linger here on out balcony in the cool air watching the aqua hued ocean (none of Homer’s wine dark sea here), & listening to the waves, the roosters crowing, and the dogs starting to bark.
And then BAM, the sun gets over the tops of the tall mountains, and the sea transforms to a dark blue just beyond the silver green olive trees and the darker green evergreens. The terrace is instantly hot, and we are seeking corners of shade before Bill goes down for our breakfast tray.