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Monday, October 7th - Katerini to Thessaloniki - 12,849 km
It is a fairly pleasant day with a stiff breeze from the north again. After checking out and having breakfast in a nearby café, I leave Katerini and head for the Aegean about 6 km east of the city. I wait until after 9 am to let rush hour (half hour) die down before crossing the city. It is a flat plain between Katerini and the sea and a very straight road. It is relatively busy with non-existent shoulders so I move as fast and carefully as I can. I am happy I am doing this today instead of yesterday, as weekend traffic to and from the beach would have been heavier.
I don’t have too far to go to reach Thessaloniki, the capital of Macedonia and the second largest city in Greece – perhaps 80 km. I think about going south first, to visit the ruins of the ancient holy city of Dion. They are about 10 km south. Another 10 or 15 km would bring me to the Venetian fortress of Platamon at Platamonas, but neither are given more than passing mention in my Michelin Guide. The ruins at Don are not extensive and the fortress is not spectacular. Considering the headwind and that I would need to return the same way, adding up to 50 km to my day, I decide to head north immediately. There seems to be a lot to see in Thessaloniki if I get there early.
The beach at Paralia is nice, but not worth lingering long at. I follow it five kilometres until the road turns inland towards Pydna, a non-descript village that was the site of one the most significant battles in ancient time. It was at the Battle of Pydna where King Perseus of Macedon, the descendant of Alexander the Great, lost to the Romans in 167 BC, which virtually replaced Rome as the dominant power in Greece. There is not much to indicate its significance, however.
For ten kilometres starting near Pydna, the road rolls over a series of low hills, the outer edge of a range of mountains that stretches from the west down to the sea. After that it is flat again when it turns north-east to cross the delta of the Vardar River at the town of Axios. I am following a service road beside a freeway along this part, only riding on the shoulder of the expressway otherwise to cross the river. On the east side I reach the junction of Highway 1. It leads north to Skopje, the capital of the Yugoslav province of Macedonia, which only 29 days ago voted in a referendum to declare its independence from Yugoslavia. They plan to keep
the name Macedonia. The locals of the true Macedonia in Greece are incensed that their name is being stolen by an area that is not historically part of their region. They are demanding that Greece not recognize the new country until they relinquish the name. Just another friendly day in the Balkans!
The outlying suburbs of Thessaloniki start 12 km past the river. I make my way to the waterfront esplanade with its most photographed image of a row of development facing the harbour and the famous White Tower at the eastern end. I ride along the esplanade slowly dodging the pedestrians and taking in the city. There is no railing separating the esplanade from the water, which I find interesting.
I tour around the White Tower and then head into the city centre to look for a hotel. There are many because this is a business and travel hub, and being off-season there is plenty of choice. The first couple are reluctant to accommodate my bike and I won’t park it on the street as they suggest so I move on.
It is 5:30 now and cloud cover is moving in so it is growing darker. I am a bit tired from fighting the wind all day. The rush hour traffic is noisy and smelly and I anxious to end the cycling part of the day. I take a room that is a bit more expensive than what I think I could find, because I am now hungry too. After washing up, I head out and find a restaurant. When I have finished dinner, I stroll back to the waterfront about four blocks away, but the wind has come up again and it isn’t very comfortable so I go back to my hotel. In my room I pass the time by writing a letter to Mike Silk who should be arriving in Istanbul soon. I am not sure when but it could be this week or next. I tell him I have decided to visit Bulgaria first and I should arrive in Istanbul between seven and ten days from now. I wonder how we will be at traveling together again. I am more confident in my ability to travel alone, but I don’t want to. Still, if he won’t ride comfortably ‘with’ me I won’t be stressed about leaving him. I just hope I can find someone else to ride with if we split again.
PHOTO 1: Church of St George, Katerini
PHOTO 2: square in Thessaloniki
PHOTO 3: Rotunda of Galerius, near the White Tower
PHOTO 4: the White Tower
PHOTO 5: Thessaloniki waterfront
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