Kalamata Day

 

Kalamata Day

 

A few days ago, Ann and I dragged ourselves away from the big beach, leaving for Kalamata in the early morning. Kalamata is the “queen city” of the prefecture of Messenia. It is a vibrant city with a pulse, where you can find just about anything--including things you don't need but might want.

Kalamata's cathedral

Our plans included a tour of the old city, a visit to the Victoria Karelias Costume Museum, a walk through the massive twice-weekly farmers market, and lunch at the marina with our friend Niko.

The Old City

The central point of the Old City is the 9th-century Church of the Apostles, which was restored after a devastating earthquake that struck Kalamata in 1986, destroying many buildings and taking many lives.

Tzimmy's best souvlaki

Ninth-century Church of Apostles

This is an area of significant seismic activity—a large fault runs through this part of the Peloponnese—and the residents are alert to the slightest tremor.

The Old City is the home to many small shops , cafes, and restaurants. You could walk through the narrow alleys for an entire day and be astonished by the range of offerings—nut shops, coffee shops, dried fruit dealers (famous for locally grown currants, apricots, and figs), discount clothing stores, hardware dealers, the list goes on.

Nuts for nuts

The Victoria Karelia Costume Museum

The museum is a gem of cultural preservation. Mrs. Karelia, the doyenne of the cigarette dynasty that bears her name, spent a lifetime collecting traditional costumes from all over the various regions of Greece: Macedonia, Thessaly, Epirus, Attica, the Peloponnese, the Ionian, Aegean, and Dodecanese islands.

The costumes—both ordinary peasant frocks and kilts and extraordinarily detailed wedding and celebratory costumes—are fascinating.

From Greece's Bavarian court

Macedonian wedding costume

Cretan warrior

Aegean island 

These pieces demonstrate an incredible workmanship and harken back to a time when people…had time. Stitched, filigreed, and woven, these outfits are works of art and part of the cultural legacy of many hundreds of years.

Women would fill chests with these woven items as part of a daughter's future wedding dowry.

The Laiki (Farmers Market)

The covered market extends for many blocks. Farmers come twice a week from all over the Peloponnese to sell their fruits, vegetables, processed delicacies (olives, honey, nuts), and handmade wares (baskets, weavings, and the like).

There are fish mongers, butchers, and florist booths. Much of the market is dedicated to organically grown produce and fruits.

Here are a few pictures that offer a small taste of this incredible display.

The pepper people

Zucchini flowers are battered and deep-fried

Lunch in the Marina

We met our friend Niko at a seaside restaurant called To Limeni, where we enjoyed plates of tapia (ground olive paste), calamari, codfish with garlic sauce, shrimp cooked in feta and tomato, and several side dishes.

We were Niko’s guests, spending several hours drinking and eating.

Appointing Our Spitaki

As we left town, bound for the Finikounda, we stopped at Ikea and then at Praktiker, the German version of an American Home Depot store, which has anything you would ever want for your house—from building supplies, to appliances, carpets, drapes, paint, and tools.

We eyed a few cabinets, refrigerators, washing machines, and solar water heaters for future purchase. The little Peugeot would barely accommodate two passengers and several bags of groceries—so the big items will have to wait for delivery next year.

 

Palaiolimnia

Halfway back to our home, we diverted to visit the Palioliminia waterfalls—actually a series of waterfalls that emerge from mountain springs and run clear, cold, and aquamarine. The place is filled with myth and lore dating back to antiquity. The fairies live in the hollows--so say the locals.

Then I suggested a “shortcut” through the hinterland of central Messenia, where we became totally lost. It is the best possible way to see new places--in the rural Greek countryside.