This morning we took the road less traveled and went to Kalamata on the old road over Taygetus Mountain.  It was a pretty wild ride but well worth the adventure.  We drove into the clouds on the curviest road I have ever seen.  In a way, it reminded me of driving through the Smoky Mountains National Park except the road was much more narrow.  Take a look at our GPS map and the direction of travel.

In several locations the rocks actually hung out over the road and sometime there was a tunnel through the rocks.  Notice how narrow the road is too!  And did I mention the route was only 38 miles but the GPS indicated it would take 2 hours to drive, and it did.

Going up the mountain it was quite foggy so the views were not as visible as we would have preferred but we did find a few places were you could see the mountains and the clouds.

As soon as we topped the mountain the mist and fog lifted and we could see the villages in the valley below.  Remember we are at the top of the mountain and at this point above the clouds.

The fall colors are just starting to change here.  It is still very warm during the day but a light jacket is needed in the late afternoon and early morning.

As we came down the mountain, Kalamata and the sea came into view.  I also saw this beautiful house, the prettiest place I have seen in all of Greece so far.

I had read that people come to Kalamata to take a vacation away from their vacation.  It certainly has beautiful beaches.  William and I stopped for lunch before coming to our “home” for the next few days.

But over five years ago I saw on a Pacific Yurt Facebook post that there was a Yurt here and that is the reason William and I were on our way to Kalamata.  I knew that it would be more than the view of the sea from the yurt and the yurt itself that would make the stay so unique for us and I was right.  It was Diane, the owner who makes this place so special.  She is originally from England and one of the most interesting people I have met.  She walks to the beat of her own drummer!  She is delightful and fun to talk with.  She is resourceful and runs this place by herself the last seven years since she lost her husband.  Below you can see me and Diane in her Tree House, the latest addition to her property.   
 
Diane and her late husband moved here from France.  They put their house on the market and while it was on the market they lived in this Mongolian Yurt.  When they moved to Greece they shipped it with them and it is where Diane lives now.

William and I will be staying in Diane’s Pacific Yurt.  It is a 24 footer, the same as Sky Ridge Yurt’s Nantahala and Tsali, only with the shorter walls.  Diane’s yurt has full insulation and screen windows with awnings.  What we like about the yurt is that this is the first night in a long time where we will hear nature the same as we do at home in our yurt.  

It is a beautiful place and William and I are so comfortable here.  We don’t plan on going anywhere for the next few days.  It is nice to be able to relax at a place that feels so much like home.  

This is our view of the sea from the Yurt.

And our view in the other direction from the sea.
This may not be heaven to others but it sure is for us