Island of Samothrace Greece

18th August Samothrace Greece (prn. Samothraakee with emphasis on the 'aa')
Didn't expect to be on a Greek Island when we left Gallipoli yesterday morning. It just worked out so well for us. After the night camped on the edge of the Dardanelles lulled to sleep by the deep throbs of the ships engines as they passed by, we had spent the morning at Anzac Cove and the various memorials and cemeteries in the area. There are so many more of them than when we last visited, the museum has also been built which is interesting. It was a bit disappointing though to see the maintenance of the Allied ones were a bit slack. The Turkish ones were well watered, grass was cut, flowers and shrubs were all healthy. The flowers in the Allied cemeteries and monuments were half dead, the grass was brown, not a pretty sight. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission maintain the Allied ones, Perhaps a letter to them wouldn't go astray.
The town of Gallipoli itself came as a surprise: we went in to try and find an internet place to post my blog and was surprised. It has a beautiful little harbour around which the town is centred. Unfortunately the internet was having a melt down so still no postings. The main road to the memorials bypass it now which is a shame.
We crossed the border in the early afternoon and made our way to Alexandropoulis where we were gong to spend the night then find out about taking the ferry to Samothrace for a couple of days. Turned out there was a sailing in 2 hours time, we could take the van but couldn't get back until Tuesday as all the Europeans were heading home now and bookings were full before that. Fantastic!
So here we are, listening to the waves break on the shore, on an island that has been on my wish list to visit for a long time. Something about Greece, I have been here eight times but still feel an affinity for it and the Greeks. They seem to enjoy life and get the most out of it. The art of conversation is not lost on them. When we came off the boat at 10 the tavernas were all chocker with people. By the time we had set ourselves up at the camp site and had a bite to eat it was midnight but even then there was no let up in the groups enjoying the balmy night. It's a bit quiet this morning though.
Samothrace is not popular with other Europeans,mainly as there are not many beaches to laze on. But it is a ruggedly beautiful island with some of the most evocative ruins in all of Greece. We are going to enjoy our four nights here.
PS: Were disappointed at the supermarket to find no retsina on the shelves. It appears they have refined their white wines a lot and retsina is perhaps not part of the scheme now. Such memories of filling Fanta bottles from giant casks in some small village taverna and having your oesophagus call “help!” because of the harshness. Perhaps it's a good thing we can't get it.