Final Greek post

We're back in Austin and missing ouzo, olive oil, yogurt & feta! It was an incredible 31 days!  We highly recommend going. Greece has so much to see & do, yet very relaxing. & low stress. Most of the country is not highly populated, so you're always seeing big expanses of open land covered with olive trees. And, then, the incredible turquise ocean is never far off.

For the record: we walked 88 miles, took 209,000 steps, climbed 403 flights of stairs, drove 3,000 kilometers, drank 3 liters of ouzo, ate 12 Kilos of feta and lots of lamb & goat AND only gained a combined 4 pounds!

Our itinerary is available to anyone who's interested in going. We highly recommend it!

Gia sas!

Our last meal in Athens

May 5-6, Santorini/Athens

We had a great, although at times harrowing, drive on the north side of Santorini far from the tourist hordes & the Asian brides. It was a different world! The driving is difficult because there are VERY few road signs. The Santorinians keep saying "There's only one road"--which is true until you get to a fork or cutoff to a smaller road! We survived & managed to get to our destinations, but shrieking was involved--in Greek, of course. We tried to swim in the Aegen, but managed only to wade--it is gorgeous, crystal clear & ice cold! We had a great dinner at a restaurant owned by a Frenchman who, 25 years ago, fell in love with Santorini & a girl who lived there from Cyprus. Very nice guy. We learned that S. is only 'open' from April to October. Then it's too cold and wet (and very slippery) & everything shuts down & many of the workers go home. Our car rental guy (who came to Austin for Formula 1) lives in Athens the rest of the year. I guess they make a lot of money from the tourists, hordes & brides.

We caught our flight to Athens at 2:30 & found out that the Metro wasn't running from the airport. It was either a $75 cab ride or riding the bus.  Everyone else, including our flight crew, seemed to be riding the bus, so we did too! An hour & a half later the cab ride was looking good! We made it to our hotel & couldn't believe how Athens looked--much less traffic (it wasn't Easter weekend) & tons of street side cafe tables (the temp is in the 80's rather than the low 60's. Tonight we walked to our restaurant & everyone was out walking & eating. So vibrant & fun!

We've packed our bags & are ready for our 7:30am wake up call we'll be back in Austin tomorrow, Thursday , at 10:30pm. Looking forward to seeing everyone. It's been a fantastic, interesting, relaxing & fun trip. We love Greece and can't wait to tell you why!  See you soon. . .

F

May 3-4, Santorini

we got up in the wee hours on May 3 to drive 2 hours from Hania to Iraklion & catch a 9:30am ferry from Crete to Santorini.  We were sad to leave Crete. We had a great time there. Learned a lot about the Mineon culture, ate fabulous food & met some friendly, interesting Greeks. It was a huge ferry to Santorini & a nice smooth ride. As we began to see islands in the distance, we could see white on top of some islands. At first we thought it was snow, but as we got closer we realized it was clusters of tiny white houses clinging to the top & sides of the island!  We, unfortunately, arrived not only with a lot of people on our ferry, but also along with a cruise liner that disgorged hordes--and we mean hordes--of tourists. We're staying in Oia (pronounced Ia) on the farthest tip of the island. You'd think there would be fewer of the cruise hordes, but No!  This is where they all want to come because it's the most iconic town of Santorini. The tiny, twisty lanes of the town were so packed you had to just become part of the camera-clicking river of tourists. It was not a good way to arrive! We were feeling that we'd made a mistake in coming to such a touristy place. But, thank Zeus, they all leave around 6pm. Our hotel is one of the clinging-to-the-side of the island places. Everything is painted white-just like all the images you've seen. The ocean is beautiful & the view is spectacular.  Another interesting thing is that there are hundreds of Asian tourists like we've never seen anywhere else in Greece. Many come to get married here & it's quite a production. Some, we think, are on their honeymoons & renacting wedding pictures with long white dresses & tuxedos. Very odd to see when everyone else is in bathing suits & touristy shorts. The 2nd day was much better. The morning was beautiful. It's finally in the mid 70's, sunny & no wind. We walked around Oia & there was almost no one around! Without the hordes, it's easy to appreciate the beauty of the stark white villages & the vibrant sea. Still, this island makes all its money on tourism & there

Views from our hotel patio

are endless shops--some nice, but the majority not. Today we've rented a car to explore the non-tourist side of the island. There are supposed to be some beautiful beaches & we've vowed to swim in the Aegan, even if it's cold! We'll provide documentation! More to follow . . .

Observations on Greece, May 2

- everyone talks about the 'Crisis', but we don't see that's it's affecting anyone. Locals are out everywhere--eating, drinking, shopping. We've heard that taxes keep going up & that there's no business. Tourism seems good & all of our hotels have been full.
-  No woman under 88 years of age has gray hair. Every other color, but not gray.
-  Greek people all seem to be extroverts! Lots of fun, big (& loud) talkers & friendly.
-  everyone wears blue jeans & looks exactly like anyone in the US wearing jeans. Jeans are the new equalizers. The exception are the Northern European men who all wear Capri pants.
-  Everyone has an iPhone & stands around looking down. Hundreds of years from now, anthologists will wonder what caused the human neck to elongate & curve down.
-  there are very few Americans--lots of Brits, French, Germans & Dutch. They can fly to Greece for about $150 round trip
-  Greeks adore cats. They are everywhere including a small museum we visited where a mama cat & her babies were in a box right by the entrance inside the museum! Plus side: we have seen no rats!
-  dogs are popular, too. Especially in small villages where they like to sleep in the middle of the only narrow road through town.
-  goats & sheep are everywhere in the countryside. It's great to wake up to sheep bells ringing. . . Or come around a country road to find a sheep herder taking his flock across the road to another pasture.
-  the food is as good as everyone says. Very simple, lots of delicious olive oil.

We love this country!

April 29-30, May 1. Hania

The 29th we sadly left Eleonas in Zaros. See Vassilis & Manoles below. We really enjoyed Eleonas & this central/south central part of Crete. We drove north to Heraklion, the biggest city & stopped to see the Knossos ruins. (We took pictures this time!)This palace was occupied by the Minoans & was by far the biggest compound we've seen. It had more than 1,000 rooms occupied by King Minos & believed to be the basis of the myth of the labyrinth of the Minotaur. We went to the museum first which was fantastic with hundreds of artifacts found during the excavations. Gorgeous jewelry, sophicated design & decorations on their pottery--just amazing when you realize that it's 4000 years old. Then we drove 2 hours on the one & only highway on Crete. At one point, we turned a curve & came across a huge boulder that had apparently fallen into the road earlier. Most of the time the road skirts the coast & the fabulous turquoise water. Our hotel is so great, right on the beach & owned by a VERY outgoing Nikos, who loves LA! It's a very fun, hip minimalistic design with bright colors. It's very popular with young families--so far we've counted 16 little ones! It's located 15 minutes from the #2 city in Crete, Hania--a picturesque old Venetian (& later Turkish) town built around a harbor. In the Old Town it's a maze of narrow, twisty lanes with lots of restaurants, shops & hotels. Last night we went back in to Hania to hear traditional Greek music at a small restaurant venue. It was packed when we arrived at 9:45 & , as the manager explained, we're having a small difficulty--the musicians hadn't arrived!  We had to wait outside for someone to leave & guard our position in the line from crafty locals who weaseled their way in leveraging their mastery of the language & giving the manager big pats on the back! We finally got a place to sit, ordered not great food & listened to a 4 piece band--drum, guitar, 2 manliness-type instruments. It sounded very middle eastern. We left a midnight & it was still going strong! It's been very breezy/windy the last 2 days & the ocean is still a little cold. Today We went to a small town, Vamos, for a walk thru the countryside finishing up for lunch at a local taverna: excellent grilled sardines and beans with artichokes. Today is May 1 which is celebrated as the beginning of spring. People hang bouquets of flowers over their front doors. Apparently they celebrate too-- the taverna was packed with people. Fortunately we got there before the onslaught! A Greek family was there before us with piles of plates & wine & were

Vassilis & Manoles

At Knossos Palace (the paint is new) everything else 4000 years old

View from our balcony

A country lane in Vamos built around 1700 during Ottoman occupation

still eating & chatting it up when we left. It's been great being on the beach. We're hoping for a wind-free day tomorrow. We're down to our last 7 days!!! Can't believe it! More to follow. . .

April 27-28 still in Zaros

After breakfast, we decided to take a hike around a nearby lake, but it was farther than we wanted to hike, so decided to drive to lake & hike around the lake. We somehow ended up on a small road that went from asphalt, to gravel, to dirt. It might possibly have been the original Minoan trail to the lake! We finally made it to the lake, but since it had taken so long, we had no time to hike! So ,on to a real road & the Enthnology Museum in Vori-- a small, but comprehensive museum showing farm implements, cooking utensils, clothing & jewelry from the Minoan age (2000 BC) to the 1900's. Everything presented in a very basic & unpretentious manner. Then, we walked over to Alekos Taverna for a delightful Cretan lunch with Alekos & wife. We got back to out hotel just in time for a cooking class with the owner's mother. We now know how to make dolmas, stuffed vegetables & vegetable soup! Got back to our cottage & later took a short hike up to a monastery where a very old nun gave us homemade cookies. The next day we headed out to The Phaestos Palace ruins inhabited in 2000BC

Lunch at Taverna Alekos

Cooking class with Mama Cula

Agia Paulos, Old Roman shrine converted to a Christian church in 400AD

by the Minoans. It's located on a hill with a beautiful view of the valley & coast below. We have to admit that we kind of reached the tipping point on ruins--we forgot to take even one photo! But imagine a bunch of beautiful old rocks! We went on to nearby Agia Triada, also from the Minoan period, that is thought to be the villa of some very wealthy person. Again beautiful old rocks in a great location! Took a long drive, by Crete standards, through a beautiful valley & hills on back roads that led back to our hotel. Had a lively game of table tennis before dinner. Tomorrow we leave Zaros for the coast & will be on the beach. More to follow. . .

April 25-26 Zaros, Crete

We flew in to Crete at 5pm. It was very windy but, fortunately, no bumps during the 40 minute flight. We picked up our rental car & started our 1 hour drive to Zaros, a small village in the central part of Crete. First impression: Crete is not a sleepy little island! Heraklion, where the airport is located, is a major town with a major national road & very major traffic! Ana's illusions were shattered! After the Peloponese, this was little LA! Fortunately, as we got farther from Heraklion, we were driving through quiet little villages, olive trees & goats. Hurray--back to the Greece we love! We're staying at a wonderful small Eco-resort made up of small stone cottages overlooking a beautiful valley. There are hiking paths everywhere & lots of people from all over Europe, many with families. At first we were worried that we'd we in the middle of nowhere--but it's just perfect. Quiet, hiking, swimming pool, ping pong, archery & cooking classes--which we are taking tomorrow. The story behind
the hotel is interesting--2 brothers born & raised in Zaros, decided to start the hotel instead of leaving in search of a job. This is a big problem in Greece--as kids get more educated, there are no jobs to keep them in their villages--so they leave for Athens or Europe. So, Manolos & his brother have developed a whole industry & jobs. They've done a great job & they are so nice!

There are lots of short drives to archeological ruins & beautiful beaches--and lots of tiny tavernas with yummy food.  The food at our hotel is excellent & we've had not only raki, but also rakimelo (raki with honey & cinnamon). Yummy! I think we can do the same with mezcal! We plan to combine beach, ruins & walking and, of course,eating. We'll be here 4 days &, then, move to a more western part of the island near Hania, where we'll be on the beach.

We made it to the beach today on the southwest coast. Bill continued to work on his tan. He is now brown as a berry. Unfortunately, the variety is the albino berry. Greetings to all. More to follow. . .

 View from our cottage. The neat rows are olive trees.

View from Komos beach on the southern shore. Notice: there is still snow on the biggest mountains. BTW, the water in rivers is crystal clear. There are public fountains everywhere that you can drink from!