Day 124-126 Mamma Mia! its Skopelos!

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After our island hopping, we arrived back to the mainland at Rafina, just north of Athens and drove firstly to Marathon and then on to Volos.
In the tradition of checking out film locations we decided to make a quick divert to the island of Skopelos, one of the Sporades islands made famous by the filming of Mamma Mia. We left the Bongo in a campsite (there are no campsites on the island and car ferries are few) and headed off on the hydrofoil, which was fast but scary especially when it went round tight corners. We were met at the port by a lovely Greek lady called Evelina, who offered us a room in her house. I was suspicious but had no need to be, the room was lovely and the house right in the centre of the old town.
I think I may be able to help the Greeks with there financial problems. STOP GIVING STUFF AWAY! We have been given water regularly, (we might have bought a coke) When we have bought a morning coffee, we received cake ( we might have bought a croissant), before we perhaps ordered a dessert a plate of fresh fruit arrives. Tonight at a greek tavern, before we had chance to leave a 2nd carafe of wine arrives. Needless to say we staggered back to our rooms.
The following day we headed off for our own Mamma Mia tour on the bus. Although there were a few organised trips the islanders seem to play down their movie connection, but it was fun to hear our landlady’s account of her experience during the filming, the film crew apparently took over the whole of Skopelos town. We caught the bus to the north of the island, a very scenic coastal tour primarily to see the church used in the film, Agios Ioannis. It would have been a very long walk from the bus but we met 2 sisters from Seattle who also wanted to make the pilgrimage, so we shared the taxi with them. The chapel lived up to its expectations... and was well worth the trip, and no I didn’t sing on they way up!.On our return to Skopelos town we stopped at one of the beautiful beaches, they all look just as the movie showed them... amazing. All too quick the following day we had to catch the catamaran back to Volos and the Bongo, ready to embark on our journey to the very East of Europe.

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Photos

Back to Rafina and Mainland
we were even allowed on the ships bridge.

Inside chapel
Inside the Chapel in reality there is only enough room probably for Pierce Brosnan, Meryl Streep and 2 others!