The bus no longer inches its way along the waterfront. During our early years here, watching its slow creep between buildings and tables was a great source of entertainment.
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| Those were the days - back in 2016 |
For years, almost as regular as clockwork, the long-distance bus from Kalamata made two stops in the village, one at each end of the harbor three times a day. Its trip between the two gave many a visitor a start as they looked over their shoulders and realized they were seated just inches away from the behemoth bus.
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| The bus no longer runs this route through the village |
A waterfront rehabilitation and resurfacing project marked the end of the bus run through town. After the work finished this year, the harborside eateries expanded their street seating areas, and the bus remains relegated to the main highway, with a single stop now at the south end of the village.
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| Pleasure craft fill the harbor in summer |
The harbor along which the bus once traveled is this time of year filled with pleasure craft. We've noted that during the last few summers our small fleet of traditional wooden kaiki, fishing boats, have been relegated to a small section of the harbor to make space for the influx of recreational boats.
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| Remodeling the old souvlaki place for a new eatery opening soon |
While the excitement caused by the passing bus is gone, harborside dining and sipping has flourished. There's still a nice mix of old traditional Greek tavernas with modern day entertainment hotspots. New places have opened; old places have modernized. This time of year, expanded roadside seating areas, leave just enough room for delivery vans and emergency vehicle access.
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| Sunday night in the village |
Three retail stores -- two selling clothing and a local products gift shop -- are now operating seasonally on the harbor road. A decade ago, there were no such stores here.
It is a new day in the village.
Agios Nikolaos, is a fishing village in the heart of the southwestern Peloponnese olive growing country. It is where we make our expat home. It is still a charmer, but it's definitely a new day in the village as it is far more upscale than it was when we arrived a decade ago.
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| A new day means a new road in the village |
The harbor road itself is a reflection of the change. The once cracked, patched-up ankle-breaker asphalt surface has been replaced with a smart cobblestone design complete with streetlights and garbage/recycle cans installed at regular intervals. We didn't have such refuse collection before as several locals pointed out, there was no one to empty them when they were full.
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| New streetlights and garbage cans line the harbor front |
I am delighted to report that we even have a person who collects the garbage from those cans now!
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| Souvenirs from the villages |
Similar improvement projects have taken place in our neighboring villages, Stoupa and Kardamyli giving each a much-needed boost.
And in recent years the village shops have begun stocking logo tourist items. A decade ago, souvenirs were somewhat scarce in these parts. Now they even carry the village name!
It is a new day in the neighborhood.
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| Just down the street from us - a new home in the grove |
There's been a construction boom in recent years in our slice of the Messinian Mani. Olive groves once created a silvery green carpet below and above our hillside location. Now it is more a colorful patchwork quilt of red-clay roof tiles, gray- and brown- stone homes, and several swimming pools of a brilliant blue accent color.
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| 3.5 million euro village home is on the market |
The housing market is flourishing and homes for sale can now carry hefty price tags, some reaching into the millions of euros. One recently renovated home in the heart of Agios Nikolaos is on the market for 3.5 million euro, (that's just over $4 million in US dollars).
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| Another home just down the road from us |
There are eight new homes within a few minutes' walk of our Stone House on the Hill. I've often described our neighborhood as a little United Nations with the fabulous mix of nationalities represented by the homeowners. It appears that great mix will continue with the new residents joining our 'hood.
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| Gigantic power poles installed on our road |
With the new home construction comes the need for improved infrastructure. For the last several weeks, the power company has been installing new mega-sized power poles and lines along our road to increase capacity. (And, yes, that has meant power cuts to get the work done.)
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| New road and parking lot surface at Pantazi Beach |
The road and parking areas near a number of beaches in the area have been resurfaced this summer. Word on the street is that our Pantazi Beach parking lot - once a dirt surfaced, potholed place, will be striped and trees will be planted along the riverbank that it abuts.
It is a new day in the Mani.
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| Agios Nikolaos harbor from To Limeni Restaurant |
Tourism isn't new to our area, but it is expanding. Europeans have been coming here for decades - they understood and were caught in Mani Magic long ago. Rick Steves, the US travel guru, has led sold-out group tours to the area for years. The Liokareas family, just to our south, produces an award-winning olive oil. They have recently begun hosting Olive Harvest tours to the area, that include hands-on olive picking and celebrating at an oil pressing party.
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| Sunset jazz at the Patrick Leigh Fermor house |
The Kardamyli Jazz Festival, was a fledgling event when we arrived. A decade later it has expanded from its 10-day spring celebration to include an additional fall festival of music as well. The West Mani Summer Music Festival fills July and August with musical events at locales throughout our area.
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| West Mani Sports Festival - photo credit: Bert Robertson |
The Taygetos Challenge, marking its 14th year, continues to offer its hundreds of participants a number of racing options including a 40-kilometer race with a 2,500-meter vertical ascent up the side of a mountain. This last weekend another sporting event marked its debut, the West Mani Sports Festival, drawing hundreds of participants to swimming and running events.
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| Our Mayor in Dubai at the Arabian Travel Market |
This year our West Dimos Mani (our municipality) has been a prominent participant in a tourism event aimed at the Chinese market as well as having been a presence at a Travel Market International Tourism Fair in Dubai.
It is a new day and a most exciting time in our slice of Greece. Those of you who haven't yet visited the area should definitely give a trip here some consideration. Those who've been here should return - what was good when you were here has gotten even better!
That's it from a sunny, warm Greece. Thanks for the time you spent with us and hope you'll be back for another serving of our slice of Greece! Safe travels to you and yours~
