Then it was crunch time. Were we to carry on over the mountains while there was
still time? Or carry on exploring here?
Sarah was already heading back to the car to get her book. I thought it expedient
to follow and determined to return another day, alone.
We were accompanied by many different butterflies through the mountains,
and while quenching our thirst at one
of the springs (finest water I have ever
drunk) we watched two Golden Eaglesone adult, one juvenile, soaring and
diving. Later some short toed eagles appeared. We were very late back that day.
juvenile Golden Eagle
Two days later I was back at the monastery
at Vaidenitsa, having settled Sarah
on one of Thanasi’s
sunbeds with
her book. There was
not a soul around, but
the signs of abandoned
cultivation were everywhere, not least the
magnificent walnut trees.
What a magical place to live. I
passed the damp stick, popular
this time with a White Admiral and
then a Purple Hairstreak.
Purple Hairstreak
Purple Hairstreak
23 INSIDE the MANI