Cruising the Peleponnese

For the last two weeks we have been cruising the Peloponnese, cresting the three capes that reach southwards towards Crete and we are now cruising through the Saronic gulf towards the Corinth canal.
We rounded the feared Cape Maleas (the most easterly of the three capes) in light winds and calm seas - a tribute to the weather forecasters. The cape is known as the Med's Cape Horn and we treated its rounding with immense respect.
We left Kalamata with a sense of real regret - our first impressions were not that favourable but the town, and especially its people have grown upon us and we left several new friends (locals and live-aboards) behind.
The weather has been cold for the time of year and winds as unpredictable as the sunshine, but things do seem to improving slowly. Greece continues to delight and confound - the wonderful friendliness of the people and the beauty of the landscapes contrasting with the collapsing infrastructure and widespread tax evasion. Even quays that charged fees a couple of years ago seem to have given up as if it is all too much trouble and the imposition of a new Greek cruising tax had been met with local indifference whilst north European sailors have struggled with dodgy IT systems to pay promptly and avoid the threatened fines. So far the Port Police have of course completely ignored our hard-won certificate of payment.
Now we are in Poros, the proximity of Athens, both in the increased number of charter and Greek boats denotes that we are back in "tourist Greece". We are currently on the town quay, providing part of the scenery for local and foreign tourists promenading in the sunshine.