As we traveled along east from Olympia, it started to downpour. It was as if Zeus decided it was time to make himself known. There were loud crashes of thunder and the rain pelted the bus almost the entire two hours it took to get to our destination of Napflio.
Upon arriving to this beautiful seaside town, that we were told is a vacation spot for most Athenians, once again the sky miraculously opened up and the sun began to shine down and clear out all the rain. This was the most developed town we’d been in since the city of Athens and it was a mecca of shops and cafes and plazas filled with locals and visitors alike. But what caught our eyes were the two hills above with castles on top. The Greeks seem to interchange castle and fortress, so I don’t think any nobility lived there, but they were both great feats of construction. I have no idea how they were able to drag all of the required stone up such a huge height.
The first hill we climbed started with quaint winding steps up from the plazas below. Serpentining amongst houses with orange trees and vines that snaked along the walls. We got to the top quickly to find a fortress that had been converted into a hostel. From there we looked over to our left to see the Fortress of Palamidi towering over the town with a 1000 step staircase winding to the top. To climb it seemed crazy to me, but my best friend who is always up for a challenge said she was committed and the pull of her excitement egged me on to make the attempt.
It was a true test of my will as my calves and quads were screaming and my lungs were tightening with each ascending step. But I kept a good pace behind her and was so excited to see that I could do it, just taking each step one at a time. It’s always harder if you stop, though I did twice to catch my breath and to take a 180 degree video of the sea and the town below. The height was dizzying and I couldn’t look down often.
Finally, I made it to the top and only 5 minutes after my best friend who sprints up mountains like a goat. I was so pleased with myself and vowed to start regularly hill walking when I returned to California.
From the top, the views are stunning. Looking out to the sea, the azure waters sparkled with the sun and peering down the hill were the orange rooftops peppering the landscape with the port as their border. Have you ever had that feeling of accomplishment when you climb the mountain, face burning as you blush with the heat of blood rushing to your cheeks and your chest heaving? I swear I lost a few pounds on the climb and my muscles were shaking with exertion. I felt 20 again and so alive.
After taking pictures, we needed to get back down to our meeting spot on time, so we quickly made our descent and the views down were equally as brilliant. It was steep and we needed to hold onto the low walls so as not to trip and fly off the edges that had so little protection to prevent any fall. Of course we made it down much quicker than up and what a beautiful day, experience, challenge that makes life feel so worthwhile. I’ll never forget this climb and the after affects that kicked in so much serotonin in my brain.
After our descent, my bestie ran off to the ocean for a quick dip and I decided to grab a blood orange pellegrino and some salty chips as my body was craving the salt and sugar. I leisurely wandered the town until it was time to head back to our tour bus and back to our hotel. An amazing day!!!
