I have recently noticed that I have been traveling around the world for over two years now, in the name of martial arts. In these two years, I have mostly reported on a wide variety of martial arts, and have written a lot of articles on it’s aspects.

But after about two years, it is time to summarize something. In the next few weeks, I would like to take you on my trip and bring to you the highlights of the last two years, that have been in secret.

Two weeks ago we were already at the first part of the trip. Western Europe, Germany and Austria.

On the roof of Germany • Finger Wrestling • Farewell • Couchsurfing with nudists • Historical European Martial Arts

Last week we continued the journey in South East Europe until the greek boarder.

Beauty of the adriatic coast • Meeting a combat sports legend • CoWorking Space in nowhere • National football game in Albania

In the third part of my journey, in the name of martial arts, I will travel with you exclusively on the Greek mainland. Greece is still one of my favorite countries. In this article, you will learn why.

Greece

Greek hospitality • the battlefield of the legendary 300 • Greek antique combat sports

From Saranda in Albania, I quickly escaped to the Eurozone, because my travel companion in Albania was a bit suspicious. More or lesse on the refugee route, only in the other direction.

By bus I went to Ioannina in the north-west of Greece. On the Albanian – Greek border, we were intensely examined by the border guards, including our luggage. Even the German federal police was there.

From Ioannina I went on to the next bus to Kalambaka. There you will find the Meteora monasteries. A total of 24 monasteries were built there on high sandstone rocks, which now almost hover in the height. These monasteries belong to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage. A visit to the monasteries, as well as the whole surrounding nature are really worth a recommendation.

In Kalambaka I tried again couchsurfing. Once again, a mid-forty-year-old guy invited me. In advance, I was somewhat suspicious, because of my experience in Linz. His name was Janis and he took me off the bus.

At first he made a good impression. We went to his little house and there I moved to my own room, which was already worth something. And to my suprise, there was also directly a really good Mousacca to eat. Goal!

Janis grew up in Kalambaka and knows every corner in the area. Around late afternoon we marched up the hills and he showed me the landscape and the monasteries. He knew exactly at what time to get where to have the best view of the rocks and the sunset.

We’ve even caught two turtles while fucking, this does not happen every day, and I have to say it sounds more like two stones clashing on each other.

After the hike and the breathtaking sunset, we went in a tavern, to provide us with beer and food for the evening, before it went on to his second home. There you got with each beer (2 € / 0,5l) or with each Ouzo something small to eat, best life!

In the tavern Live Greek music was played and people enjoyed life. No trace of crisis. Only when I saw that they smoke Marijuana leaves instead of the buds, I have thought, they must be poor.

The next day, the hangover had to be cured, which was a bit more extreme from the Ouzo the night before. My worries about couchsurfing were not confirmed here. Janis, is definitely a good guy.

The next day I went to Lamia early in the morning. There I wanted to train “Pankration” for two weeks.

In Lamia, I arrived at 9 am on a Monday morning. There I first looked for the “Myrmidones Pagration Academy”, where I had to wait another hour for Vagelis, the owner and chiefinstructor. It was quiet early in Greece.

But then everything went smoothly. Vagelis was somehow like the boss of Lamia, a small town in Central Greece. I was accomodated in a students shack for the next two weeks. However, I had the first make a basic cleaning, but everything was for free.

On the same day, the Pankration Training started. This type of combat sport has been part of the ancient Olympic Games and is older than 2,600 years. It is an ultimate fighting system, like today’s mixed martial arts, only without the whole spotlight.

Pankration was forbidden from a certain time on by the church, since the sport was very connected with the Greek mythology and the gods. When, in the 19th century, the modern Olympic games were called out, all disciplines of the ancient games were once again a practiced, except Pankration, since the Pope explicitly has forbidden it. And so Pankration lived in the underground until 1995, until the first association was founded in Lamia.

The goal at the moment is to make Pankration Olympic again and they’re on the right track, but that will probably take a little longer. Find out more about Pankration here …

Lamia is a small, beautiful city and I was really amazed how pretty the Greek girls are, all … but also all are divas. Furthermore, I liked the fact that druing the normal working hours the Coffee Shops in Lamia were always packed. Nobody has a job, but everyone enjoys life! So it must be!

Many people do not know Lamia is near the battlefiled where once the legendary 300 fought against the Persian army. An important place for every warrior who identifies with Europe and its (original) values.

Of course I went there with Vagelis. On the scooter without helmet at 120 km / h in the wrong direction. In one hand the mobile phone and the other hand the police were greeted. When I asked, if he could drive a little slower, Vagelis said to me, “Do you know the expression Y.O.L.O. (You only live once)? “I have to say, that has really calmed me down.

I stood at the grave of King Leonidas at the Thermopylaes, with the inscription (Wanderer, if you come to Sparta, then report that you have seen us lying here, just as the law says).

On the battlefield, I fought a little with Vagelis and tried a few techniques from the Pankration. If I was the Spartan or the Persian in that moment, I do not know.

For two weeks I was in Lamia and in the evening I never went. Of course, on the last evening, before I went to Athens, we met for a drink, which went much longer than I wanted. The words to the crisis were the following that evening: “We used to do this every night, nowadays only on the weekend”.

With a hangover the next morning we went by train to Athens. There I was invited again to a courchsurfing host. This time by a woman in the middle 30’s. There I was already a bit more relaxed. I had a living room couch, the apartment itself was very nice and central.

There is not much to say about Athens. Plenty of concrete. Plenty of sightseeing and plenty of Pita Gyros. There is also something to experience in Athens. If you want to know more, go here ...

After two nights in Athens, I went on to the Greek islands. First stop should be the party island Ios. Early in the morning I took the ferry from the port of Piraeus. There I saw a few refugees for the first time during the 2015 refugee crisis and on the way of the refugee route, maybe it were 10-15 people only. That is why I am still not sure about the whole thing in the media.

In the next article we will continue with the Greek islands. Island Hopping from Piraeus via Ios – Santorini – Rhodes to Fethiye in Turkey. Party, Parkour Challenge and a small garden hut full of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Champions.