Thessaloniki to Pythio 6.29.2007

|

A few hours longer and notification we are at the stop.

Too small to be Istanbul,
a map identifies that we are at a boarder town in Greece named Pythio.
IMG_4499
Map of the Hellenic Republic (Macedonia, Thrace)

IMG_4502

Off the train, look left and right, no one else disembarks.
A small dog is the only living soul around.

IMG_4505     IMG_4504     IMG_4503

IMG_4506     IMG_4500     IMG_4510     IMG_4501

“Squatter” style Eastern toilets are among available amenities.
No paper, by the way. That’s why you pack your own if you think you’ll need it.

IMG_4507     IMG_4508     IMG_4509

 The waiting room is deserted, but is home to a table flavored from all around the world
singing songs of idle time in this twilight zone called Pythio.

     IMG_4511

IMG_4521     IMG_4523

IMG_4512     IMG_4513     IMG_4514

“This Has Potential” upside-down? Someone’s idea of a joke…?

IMG_4498     IMG_4524

This dog is not dead.

A short nap is interrupted by sudden bustle and noise –

the room fills youthful international travelers,

Americans, Canadians, Turks…

The bar next door opens up,

we acquire some pints and become friendly with a pair of Brits

curious of where we got the beers.

IMG_4517
A ticketing agent says the Istanbul train is arriving
so the party heads out to the platform.
A train arrives and leaves, with no notification.
Too late, we find out it was headed to Istanbul.
The next train for our tickets is in 12 hours, 2am.

Not enough Turkish Lira to buy a different type of ticket and many misunderstandings,
the Brits and all the others leave, heading back into Greece.
The station is a ghost town once again.
 
Stranded, we converse with a local with transportation.
We develop a hap-hazard conversation with a German ex-patriot,
Theo, who also speaks Greek… but no English..and no Spanish.
How communication occurred, no one can say.
In the end, Theo offers hospitality at his home in the tiny nearby town of Petrades.
IMG_4525     IMG_4526     IMG_4527

Our knight and his chariot.

IMG_4535

Greek and Turkish relations in recent history have been very strained,
hence this beautiful boarder is laced with explosive mines.

IMG_4528     IMG_4534     IMG_4529

IMG_4530     IMG_4531

IMG_4536

IMG_4532

IMG_4537     IMG_4539     IMG_4538

A Greek Orthodox devotional shrine passed on the road.
Our guide stops to make an offering.

IMG_4540  IMG_4541  IMG_4542

IMG_4543     IMG_4544

IMG_4545

IMG_4559     IMG_4546     IMG_4547

IMG_4548     IMG_4549     IMG_4550

After a joltingly wild ride, we arrive at 
Theo’s home in Petrades.

IMG_4551     IMG_4552     IMG_4553

IMG_4554     IMG_4555

IMG_4558

 IMG_4557     IMG_4556

IMG_4562     IMG_4561

IMG_4563     IMG_4575     IMG_4564     IMG_4566

IMG_4567    IMG_4565     IMG_4568

IMG_4569     IMG_4570

IMG_4571

IMG_4573     IMG_4572

IMG_4574

IMG_4577     IMG_4560

Cranes nesting above a nearby rooftop.

IMG_4576

IMG_4581     IMG_4578     IMG_4582

IMG_4580

IMG_4584

IMG_4583     IMG_4579

IMG_4585     IMG_4586

IMG_4587

IMG_4588     IMG_4590

Feeling fine after a shower and some relaxation in the country.

IMG_4591     IMG_4592     IMG_4593

IMG_4594

IMG_4595

IMG_4596

IMG_4597

A tour of the town and mini mart, we are introduced to the town’s inhabitants.

IMG_4598     IMG_4600

IMG_4601

After dark as we walk, we pass the centerpiece of Petrades,

the Kirchturm von Petrades with clocktower.

IMG_4605     IMG_4602     IMG_4603

Having a drink and getting some info before heading back to the house.

IMG_4604     IMG_4606

Impromptu party for us!

IMG_4607     IMG_4608     IMG_4609

Amstel beer and strange conversation soon attract many of Theo’s “nephews.”
The young, hip Greeks and Germans who speak English
all come to Theo’s home to meet the the strange Americans.

IMG_4610     IMG_4611

IMG_4615     IMG_4618     IMG_4616

 Bob Marley t-shirt in Greece! One love!

IMG_4619     IMG_4620

A proverb that was shared:

Only the mountains

Cannot be together

That when Muhammad

Does not come to the mountain…

IMG_4621

IMG_4624     IMG_4622     IMG_4623

Excellent people, they provided friendship, fun, great intelligent conversation,

suggestions for authors to read and films to watch,

and even a wild car ride through the dark, narrow roads

bumping tasty electronica beats en route to an ATM in town

and the cash needed to purchase new tickets to Istanbul that night.

IMG_4625

 Nearing our 2am departure time,

we all caravan back down to the train station at Pythio.

IMG_4627     IMG_4628

IMG_4633     IMG_4631     IMG_4632

IMG_4630

Gold shoes! Fastest man in the world!

IMG_4634     IMG_4629     IMG_4640

IMG_4638     IMG_4639

IMG_4635     IMG_4636

IMG_4654     IMG_4656     IMG_4655     IMG_4641

IMG_4642     IMG_4643

IMG_4646     IMG_4648

Our new friends speak with the ticketing agents to ensure we won’t miss the next train.

On the platform, purchased earlier in the day just before missing our last train,
we split a pistola of Ouzo among the group.

IMG_4644     IMG_4645

The guys were quite impressed when we showed them

our “They Were Tasty” drawing on the waiting room table,

so, to fill time until the train arrived,

Uncle Theo gets a Bic ink “tattoo.”

IMG_4647     IMG_4649

IMG_4652     IMG_4650     IMG_4657

IMG_4660     IMG_4658

IMG_4661

The ticketing agent even came out to our platform party

to see a masterpiece made in ballpoint pen.

IMG_4662     IMG_4664     IMG_4663

IMG_4665     IMG_4666

IMG_4626

No more photos!
2am! When the train arrives, it’s difficult to leave
without promising to return sometime soon,
and we wonder if someone kept the waiting room table as a memento of us.
Super cool crowd! Thanks again for the hospitality Petrades!
A private sleeper car awaits weary bodies.
Bunked down, the rocking of the train is its own lullaby.

IMG_4670

|

Virtual Cocktail Bar

Friend. Follow. Like. Love.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.