laconia nuptials: Sparta (tough reputation to live up to)

Sparti (as the locals call it) is situated in the Evrotas (the famous river from anitquity... full of gypsy camps in the dried summer riverbed) Valley underneath the Taigetos mountain range (pictured at right). Kinda looks like Pasadena, no? It's a really small town and the historical Sparta actually lies right outside modern Sparta (evidenced in photo). You could probably walk around the whole city in a couple hours, but I highly recommend stopping for some greek coffee (and cheese toast! mmm) at one of the kafenia (cafes) in the kendro (city center), located between Paleologou & Lykourgou streets. It's a great place to

sit, relax and people watch. My family's favorite kafenio is called Brazilia (hmmm?) and everytime we go to Sparti for business we stop in for a coffee.

You of course don't have to get the thick sludgy greek coffee (pictured to the left). In the summer most people enjoy a cool, refreshing frappe (the forefather of the frappuchino!) I like ordering mine half sweet with milk (frappe, metreo me yala).