We left the Arsenis this morning at around 9am, to make our trek along the Pelagonian margin to the North.It was a day of heated discussion overall... the first stop of the day was at some sheared orthogneisses, dated at 700Ma by Anders et al. (2006), including Dimitri Kostopoulos. Migmatites can be found just round the corner, but these, although on the road, are in an inconvenient place for the bus to stop.
Anyway, the next stop was at a highly sheared outcrop, probably of orthogneiss, very close to a large fault myself and Dina mapped in the summer. The material had plenty of amphibolite, which the germans claimed was orthogneiss affected and completed replaced by fluid flow. Dubious is not the word for my feelings on this matter. After that, however, the germans (who have done some geochemical work in the area) insisted that pretty much every outcrop we saw on the way, and up, Vourinos was sheared orthogneiss.
Sheared the rocks are, but at the third stop the rocks contained significant amounts of graphite (and elsewhere a coal layer has been found) and sandstone pebbles (not to be confused with hydrothermal quartz). Not to mention the fact that the area is kilometers thick, and I can't see a way of the whole place being sheared to the extent that it looks like a sedimentary rock. Meh - maybe I'm wrong, who knows?
Up Vourinos, everyone was fascinated by the view out over the range, and the 'wormy' landscape below caused by incision of streams into landslide material
(studied by Thomas Reinsch in 2007).
We had our evening talks (Annie, Yilderim, Alastair and Zvi) in Lakis restaurant in Paliouria (the petrol station one). Afterwards, we had a fantastic meal, followed by traditional bazouki music (with some Pontik rhythms) and dancing. Dragan and Alastair were particular favourites for the dancing - they should both have won awards! Of course, Dragan's photo-taking - especially of Dina and Emily - was a little disturbing, but we'll let him off! I also failed to find Kosta and family, and met Georgios (who looks very well now, and misses us all, especially Annalisa).
The convoy left for Chromion and Aiani quite late, but we were all in high spirits. So much, in fact, that Dina and Annie took my rucksack with them to the Chromion Museum of the Macedonian Struggle (whilst I was meant to go to Aiani). So distracted by this was I, that I left my other bag on the bus. And so, immediately after arriving at our hotel Kosta (Kidonaki) took me back to the museum. We arrived back late, and I collapsed, falling into a deep sleep.
No comments:
Post a Comment