25th February

At some time during the 1970s the nearby village of Neravrovisi was completely abandoned; only the church remained in occasional use.  When, some several years ago, I first strolled up to it the place had an eerie feel about it.  None of the houses had been locked; several had their doors and windows flapping; here and there pictures and mirrors hung on walls and some cupboards yet had contents; one drawer I came across was half open, exposing letters and photographs. A date stamp on a letter was evidence that the village had been occupied as late as the early 70s.
Since my first visit many of the buildings have deteriorated but a few have been renovated and restored for use as weekend homes.  The location is idyllic, high on a hill overlooking the whole of the Messinian Gulf.

View of one ruin from the doorway of another.

Shuttered window

Nature reclaiming her own.

24th April

An excellent drying day!

22nd February

A misty start to a fine day; mist in the valley between the house and Mystraki.

The day, the first fine one for a while, was too good to waste.  I drove with Lisi to the 'Touristico' Hotel, which is above the snow line,  in the Taygetos mountains, on the highest point of the road between Kalamata and Sparta, where we dined on their delicious goat and tomato stew.

21st February

Olive trees against a stormy sky.