THE ECCENTRIC ENGLISHMAN ABROAD

WHY WE ARE HERE

Welcome to this corner of the Peloponnese, a small village nestled on the slopes of the Taygetos Mountains. The area is steeped in history, culture and ancient mysticism, as well as being a beautiful place to live. A few kilometres down the road, we have the ruins of Ancient Pellanas, the birthplace of Beautiful Helen of Troy. Further down the valley is the relaxed town of Sparti, built upon the site of Ancient Sparta. The area is steeped in history, much of which is relatively unknown outside the area, so we hope to broadcast this to the outside world.

Taygetos is a stunning area, and the pine clad forests hugging the slopes are a site of scientific interest, due to the unique ecosystems and rich variety of wildlife. Botanists could quite easily spend a lifetime documenting the abundance of wildflowers, and the herbs, olive oil and honey rank alongside the best in the world. Butterflies are everpresent, and the warm climate makes living here an absolute joy, the birds providing a beautiful dawn chorus.

THE WEBSITE

We have fallen in love with the area and want to try and share this with the world. There is so much in the area that is relatively unknown to the rest of the world, yet it is a fascinating and magical place. From the World Heritage Site of Byzantine Mystras, to the pleasant port of Gythio, there is something to please everybody.

Everybody has heard of the 300 Spartans and beautiful Helen of Troy but there is so much more to the place than that. The website is an ongoing labor of love, so please be patient and we will add content to it as often as we can. Denny has been busy with the camera and we will extend the galleries as often as possible.

If you have any enquiries, please contact us. I also make a living as a freelance writer, so please feel free to visit my site at www.amethyst-web.net, if you are interested in my services.

Thank you for visiting,

Martyn Shuttleworth and Denny Stayt