Samos for Youngsters: Potami valley and waterfalls

Something to be found on the island of Samos for those who are young and like adventure?
Of course, take a ride with a moutain bike up to Ambelos mountains! Or, if you like wind and water, go for surfing near Kokkari or on Kedros beach on the north coast. Or explore the inner beauty of Samos on dusty roads with a jeep. Or visit the caves with special guided tours.

One other thing, where you can take your parents along and leave them behind after a while for sure: the Potami valley and Potami waterfalls west of Karlóvasi!

First you will pass by an ancient byzantine chapel and then you walk along the brook in a shady forest inside the valley, cross several times the water on small bridges or pieces of wood. Then you will end up in front of a small basin. And from there on you need to wade and swim in the cool water through a gorge to see the first Potami waterfall. No other way to see it!
Send your parents up the wooden stairs leading to a plateau with a taverna!

It takes some courage to follow the brook upstream or downstream and climp up or down the three waterfalls. At two waterfalls, the second and third, you will find a rope that makes this a lot easier. And of course, after the second waterfall, it takes time to walk in the bed of the Potami brook and cross quite a few cascades until you will arrive at the third waterfall!

As far as I remember, there are only two places, where you need to swim for a couple of meters, because the water is deep. Most of the time you just wade in the water. Take care of the many rocks! Maybe it is a good idea to bring some water resistant sandals along for better walking in the bed of the brook.

Here are some photos of the Potami valley and the waterfalls. The canyons look different, depending on the time of day you go there. Best time is around noon, when the sun shines down straight and you get the best light there.
Of course, depth of brook, water temperature and amount of water coming down the waterfalls will vary with the seasons!
If the water in the brook is turbid already down in the valley before the first waterfall, you know that for sure you can expect many many tourist climbing the cascades of the Potami brook!
(click on the photos to see larger size image!)

Harvest 2007 has begun !

Since two weeks the harvest of grapes on Samos is proceeding. Everywhere in the vineyards you can see samians and albanians (cheap labour!) collecting the ripe grapes. On the roads there are many cars packed with grapes in plastic containers heading for the wine factories in Karlovassi and Samos-Town. This photo is from the area near Platanos.

Summer on Samos

Since July, when I (Peter) came to Samos in Greece, the temperatures on the island have always been above 30 degree centrigrade. Most of the time between 33 and 38 degrees, but we had several heat waves too with temperatures up to 44 degrees!

So, sometimes, I feel the need to look for cool places! Then I leave the pretty hot place Pythagorio, formely known as Tigani (the pan) and take a ride somewhere to the coutryside.

I like the tall & shady trees in the taverna Kutsi (south side of Samos) or in the taverna Aidonia (valley of the nightingales).

Or I take a ride along the north coast of Samos on my motor scooter, ending, e.g., in the harbour of Karlovassi, where I watch the ferries arriving and leaving and where most of the time a nice cool breeze is blowing.