Sometimes it`s running in an other way as you think! We find out, Emiliano, the anciant cook of "Rudi's" in Parga now is in Ioannina in hotel Epirus Palace. We want to visit him and bike via Igoumenitsa to Ioannina. The curvy mountainstreet is partly new and is gives us a good driver feeling. Because of Whitsun there are not so many trucks.
In Ioannina we drive through. This town we know from our tour 1999.
HOTEL EPIRUS PALACE*****
Hotel is built ca. 6 km south from Ioannina between the mainroad
(E 951) in direktion of Arta. Yuo pass a decent entry, there you
see a big parking place. We park our motorcycles near the reception
where we find a shadow place.In the great receptionshall, where brown and gold harmonizes, dominate phantastic styled sittinggroups elements. The ambience reminds us to castle Schönbrunn . Reception is decent in background.
Defiant
of our dirty leatherclothes we are receipt very friendly. Ww ask
for Emiliano. Yes, he is working here, but not bevore 8 p.m. What
a pity! We let him greets on a Bikerwelt-Card and for coffee.
"At the bar by the swimming-pool", answers the receptionist.Naturly the eys from all staying (sun)bathing or relaxing hotelguests look at us, as we in full leather through tje park and then between the rows of couch and tables are going to the bar, where our wish is trusted immediatly for a cafe frappee.
We take a seat at the bar and look around. The name of hotel is sure: a palace. Brillant white is dominating at pool: the cord decoration over the antic looking big milkglass-chandeliers; the stores, what makes the difference to the pool.
Only one etage, but also white buildings reflect in the pool. The szenic reminds also to a castle in Vienna, but the coach is not pulled from only one horse as the time with old Franz-Joseph.
Painful we leave the luxury hotel, that we thought in Nizza or Monte Carlo, but not near a town in the middle of greece. We would be able to stay a couple of days!
From
fabulous hotel we bike in direction of Arta on a street, it seems
to be built for our cycles (or the cycles for such streets?).
In flat and freely curves thru the mountains of Mt. Tomaros, with
its green, mostly trees, a beneficial change for the eyes. A street
between shadowing trees, in greece a rarity!
Infront
of Arta the hills fall apart and the sun is shining full at our
helmets. Whitsunday in Greece (one week later as in Austria or
Germany). Police is on the streets, and is looking these who drive
suddenly not faster as 50 km/h in the little villages.
