Day 47 – Samothraki to Loutros – 66km 237m

Flamin’ go!

Pretty much every kilometre we did today was voluntary, starting with a little tour of Samothraki island. Last night, over coffee, our garilous host Yorgos had informed us that the road doesn’t go all the way around the island. He had a wicked smile and a great sense of humour but he wasn’t joking this time. So this morning we had to do a half tour of the island and return on the same road.

There was the benefit of an excellent bakery en route to provide breakfast, the bakers’ smile as broad as her produce was good.

The laggard clouds of the storm reminded us who is boss by giving us a final sprinkling, driving us into a deserted taverna stop in the closed season – “Hello? Hello? Coffee? Ah yes, two coffees please” –  before they finally departed for the day.

We had our supermarket lunch on the ferry back, and arrived at 2pm into Alexandroupoli.

Our accommodation was only 10km up the road from the port so we took a detour. The river that forms the border with Turkey breaks into a delta that is a Greek national park: flat, watery, no traffic, and full of wildlife. Perfect detour territory.

The gravel roads in the park were quite corrugated, meaning a bumpy cycle. But it was worth it when Andy spotted flocks of flamingos! Or more properly, I’ve since learnt, a flamboyance of flamingos. Not something I’d thought we might see on this trip.

I was also lucky not to run over a tortoise on the tracks, nearly mistaking it for a rock.

Out in the middle of the wetland, navigation became difficult when tracks we saw on the map didn’t materialise. In foggy weather this place would be a total labyrinth. But eventually we found our way out.

There are a few “lasts” that are happening to me now. That was my last ferry ride, after so many across the Rhine, also over to the Netherlands, and in Croatia. This is also my last Saturday of the ride, and tomorrow it’ll be my last country.

I’ve done my last mountain border pass after Switzerland, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Greece. Nine mountain border passes! And that’s not even counting the mountain passes that were not international borders. I tell you, I absolutely toiled for every single vertical metre!

I’m happy with all of this though, I’ve done what I needed to do and it’s been beautiful.

We spent the evening in the Taverna next to the hotel. Like last night it was prime people watching territory. In a small Greek village the taverna is the pub, restaurant, cafe, takeaway, and general community hub. There is no menu, you just say yes to what is available, and it’s always tasty. We ate like kings again: fresh, local produce cooked simply.

Onwards tomorrow to Turkey!