PREFACE TO ALL 5 (really 4½) WEEKS OF OUR GREEK ADVENTURE

Just back from our last trip to the Cradle of Civilization – GREECE. As with every trip we take, I have documented our adventure with words and provided pictures we took along the way. And as I put my feelings into words, I don’t hold back on how I perceive a place or situation. So, if you want a glowing description of everything there is to see, eat, and experience in Greece, stop now, and find yourself a glossy brochure. Because even as I reviewed what I wrote before presenting it to you, I didn’t rewrite or change my very personal thoughts about what I was feeling or thinking at the time about any given aspect of our holiday. So, please know this is not just a glowing report of our travels. It’s what I experienced – wonderful, not so wonderful, or indifferent.

Plus, if you have ever read anything I have previously written, you know I tend to be verbose. So, come along for the ride if you want. But consider yourself warned. I tend to get caught up on a subject and assume you too would enjoy the history behind “whatever” as much as I do. So, feel free to skip ahead and just look at the pictures. But remember, context will always give you a more rounded picture of what we enjoyed or failed to appreciate along the way.

Now, if you have read up to this point, know that this post is only for week 2 of our trip. There will be 4 more opportunities to become bored stiff to follow. And all will contain this same preface. So, having read this explanation once, and you care to read more about Greece, you can skip to the meat of each post by jumping directly to Greece 2023 – Week 1, 3, 4, and 5. 

So, without further ado, I hope you enjoy reading about our time in Greece. But remember, this is just one person’s view of a country. And that person, who once was an intrepid traveler, is now a 79-year-old woman whose nerves of steel have diminished to nerves so cowardly as to be non-existent! But one who still loves to travel. Go figure! And as always, wishes you peace and love.

Sunday, September 17, 2023 – Anavalos Hotel, Day 2 (think private home with 8 guest bedrooms) – Kiveri

Woke up feeling much better and having slept very well, much refreshed. Still a bit of sore throat, but not as painful as yesterday. Still a bit tired too, so taking it a little easy today. And why not? We’re in paradise. A great bed, air conditioning, a fabulous view of the water, someone else to make our breakfast, and plans for later to take a drive, swim in the pool, and generally enjoy our holiday.

I can’t in all conscience call this a vacation. Sometimes I do refer to our trips as vacations, but being retired, it feels like we are on vacation every day. Whether we are at home or away in our trailer or overseas trying to acclimate ourselves to a new culture. Always hoping not to offend anyone in the process.

It is hard sometimes to know how to address someone, to tip them for services, or if in doing so, making them uncomfortable. My greatest fear is that it would be like someone tipping Andy and me after a JazzVox concert at our home. (Of course, no one has ever tried. More the pity! Just kidding.) But I’m sure you have found yourself in the same situation. You don’t want to offend either by doing something or not doing something. But that, in and of itself, is part of the whole travel experience. Learning about other cultures and seeing how other people live. And meeting people who are also new to the area. I’ve actually discussed politics with 3 people from other countries already. And have learned that regardless of where you are from, the political situation in your country isn’t any better than ours. It’s a mess everywhere. Now that should scare the pickles out of you because it sure did me. I was so hoping to hear that Australia’s (for example) government was doing well. Nope. Their political situation is as crazy as ours. But enough about politics and back to Greece.

After a leisurely start to the day and our bellies full of pastry, cheese, yogurt with fruit, veggie omelet, fresh orange juice, and fabulous coffee, it was time for me to write a bit and Andy to find a shady spot to read.

Then it was on to today’s adventure. But first, how am I feeling? Well, it’s Sunday so none of the apothecary shops are open, or I would have already taken a Covid test. Just to make sure that I’m not a living time bomb. I don’t have any of the usual symptoms of Covid, but more like the common cold. I don’t feel bad enough to even stay in the hotel and rest. But tomorrow, there will be a test happening just to make certain.

I feel no worry about being contagious to anyone except Andy, because all interactions with others are outside. All the restaurants, our breakfasts here at our hotel, our conversations with fellow travelers, etc. are in the open air.

Today’s afternoon adventure took us to the top of a hill and the ancient city of Nafplio. Nafplio is one of the most beautiful towns in the Argolis area (in eastern Peloponnese) as well as one of the most romantic cities in Greece. Nafplio was the first capital of the newly born Greek state between 1823 and 1834.
According to mythology, the town was founded by Nafplios, the son of the God Poseidon and the daughter of Danaus (Danaida) Anymone. The town’s history traces back to the prehistoric era when soldiers from this area participated in the Argonautic expedition and the Trojan War. The town declined during the Roman era but flourished again during Byzantine times. Frankish, Venetian, and Turkish conquerors left their mark in the town and strongly influenced its culture, architecture, and traditions during the centuries. Ancient walls, medieval castles, monuments, statues, Ottoman fountains, and Venetian or neoclassical buildings are everywhere to be seen. But our destination for the day is the Palamidi Fortress.

The Palamidi Castle/Fortress is located on the hill Palamidi of Nafplion at a height of 216 meters and at a strategic point for the control of the Argolic Gulf. It is the best-preserved and considered one of the most beautiful castles in Greece, being an achievement of fortification architecture.

An ancient fortress and an ancient lady

Quite a nice view all things considered.

Palamidi dominates the city of Nafplio, in the sense that it almost floats on a steep hill (216 m) over Nafplio. Between 1711 and 1714 the Venetians built the castle (an amazingly short time), and this is in fact the final fortress of importance the Venetians built outside their own country. It’s also considered one of the most impressive. Yet, in 1715, one year after completion, the Turks defeated the castle.

Nafplio is one of the first places in Greece that won independence. November 29th, 1822, a group of Greek rebels overpowered the Turks in Palamidi, and the next day the town could celebrate its freedom.

From 1840 and for nearly a hundred years, Palamidi was used as a prison, and in conjunction with this the stairs up to the castle were built. It is often said that there are 999 steps, but it’s actually “only” 857. (Andy actually counted them. Not!) 

Palamidi is very well preserved, and it’s evocative and beautiful to walk on the worn stones, between the massive walls and buildings. Among the parts of the fortress to visit are a very small door to visit a small jail cell which of course Andy popped in to see, the Ag. Andreas Church, and the eight bastions within the sturdy castle walls.

While I didn’t walk to all 8 bastions because the walkways were unlevel rocks and up and down hills, Andy saw most of the fortress. And to say the vistas were amazing is to put it mildly. But after about 90 minutes, it was time to get back in our car and seek out some lunch. So, back to the fish restaurant we had eaten at the day before to share fried anchovies, taramasalata, and a Greek salad. Then it was back in our Audi and up and out of town. And as it turned out, easier said than done!

Most of the vehicles we encounter are small cars or motorbikes. But as we were going up an especially steep hill towards the main road, around the corner came an American sized truck. And where usually this would not be a problem if you met a car, the truck did not have the turning capacity required to make the turn, so he just stopped to let us go through. Well, on that steep hill and with a manual transmission with no hill-hold we were stuck. Andy tried and tried, but to no avail. Finally, the nice owner/waiter from a close by restaurant came over and offered to help us crazy Americans. So, Andy gets out, he gets in, and he couldn’t make it work either. So, not just us. He finally just backed into a side street and made a run for it up the hill. Then he parked the car for us, told me he loved me (twice), and Andy took over from there. But you should have seen this nice Greek man’s face when he couldn’t get us up the hill at first either. I could almost read his mind. “This piece of _ _ _ _ Audi is worthless.” At least that’s what I surmised he was thinking, because that’s sure as hell what I was thinking too!

Another instance of “I (we) get by with a little help from my (our) friends.” New friends they might be, but friends none-the-less.

Since we were now safely parked next to a grocery store and had just eaten a big meal at 3:30, we decided not to go out for another meal that night. But rather, just purchase a bit of cheese and salami to eat with our leftover bread from “lunch” if we got hungry later that night. Which of course we did. Then it was read outside for a while in the cool of the evening and then to bed with our air conditioner happily keeping us cool all night. Another memorable day in Greece.

Monday, September 18, 2023

After going to bed at a reasonable hour, we were both surprised that we had slept until 9:30. Then down to breakfast and then back to our room to decide on today’s plan of action.

After a bit of research, we decided to go visit Epidauras Theater. This ancient theater was constructed at the end of the 4th century BC. Praised for its symmetry and beauty, the theater has a maximum capacity of 13,000 to 14,000 spectators. The theatre hosted music, singing, and dramatic games that were included in the worship of Asclepius.

Asclepius was a hero and God of medicine in ancient Greek religion and mythology. He was supposedly the son of Apollo* and Coronis**. Asclepius basically represented the healing aspect of the medical arts. Therefore, the theater was also used to heal patients, since the citizens of this area held the belief that the observation of dramatic shows had positive effects on mental and physical health.

Today, the monument attracts a large number of Greek and foreign visitors and is used for the performance of ancient drama plays.The first modern performance conducted at the theatre was played in 1938. Performances stopped due to World War II. Theatrical performances began again in 1954 as a theatrical festival. In 1955 they were established as an annual event for the presentation of ancient drama. The Epidaurus Festival continues today during the summer months.

*Apollo is one of the Olympian deities in classical Greek and Roman religion and Greek and Roman mythology. Apollo was known to be the God of archery, music, dance, truth, prophecy, healing and diseases, the Sun and light, poetry, and more. One of the most important and complex of the Greek Gods, he was the son of Zeus and Leto, and the twin brother of Artemis, goddess of the hunt. He was considered to be the most beautiful god and was represented as the ideal of the kouros (ephebe, or a beardless, athletic youth).

**In Greek mythology, Coronis was a princess and Apollo’s lover. By Apollo she became pregnant and the mother of Asclepius. While she was still pregnant, she was suspected of cheating on Apollo with a mortal man and was subsequently killed by a God for her betrayal. After failing to heal her, Apollo rescued their unborn child (Asclepius) by caesarean section. After her death, Coronis was turned into a constellation.

After finding a place to park, we paid our admission and walked up to the theater. Huge, and it is said that you can hear performers speak without voice magnification from the last row of the theater. The acoustics are purported to be just that good. And it had been a lovely ride to the theater. Mountainous roads but good, scattered villages, and very little traffic.

After viewing the theater and having a bit of ice cream, we decided to extend our adventure and head out to Methana.

The peninsula of Methana with its two steep volcanic slopes is a volcano that emerged from the sea. And is famous for its stunning volcanic landscape with dense vegetation, coastal villages, and diverse flora and fauna. The establishment of the spa complex in 1870 made it a popular spa town attracting mainly senior citizens from many European countries.

Well, these senior citizens couldn’t visit this area today because the road was closed. No explanation and even Google Maps didn’t know about the closure. So, it was back to our hotel for me to write and Andy to take a dip in the pool.

But even if we couldn’t get to this area, we had a great ride through the mountains and saw many lovely sights. And great vistas from along the road. So, not a total loss.

Tried to stop at our local apothecary, but by the time we got back to Kiveri at before 4:00 pm, the bloody pharmacy was already closed. So, yet again, no Covid test kit.  Back to our room terribly unhappy with myself for leaving home without a kit. It will never happen again. Even if I am only going into Stanwood for groceries! To be continued after dinner.

One thing I have learned, the hard way, is that food portions are huge here. And once again, thinking I was just ordering three appetizers, I couldn’t clean my plate. So, for example, when I ordered meatballs for 3.50 euros, I got 8 2-inch meatballs with tomato sauce on the side. And fried eggplant, several pieces. And the tzatziki would have been enough for 4 people. And then there’s the bread that comes with every meal. It’s thickly cut, coarse textured, and slightly yellow. And delicious.

Andy ordered just a portion of moussaka, not a full meal, and still it was too much food for the two of us. And we hadn’t had lunch so by 6:00 pm we were hungry. Just an example of the generous spirit of this country.

Then back to our room. Andy for a swim, me to write a bit, and then a couple of chapters in our books. Then shut the large patio door, lower the metal blinds, and turn on the air. What a way to live.

Tuesday, September 18, 2023 – Bay View Guest House, Kalamata

Well, last night was not the best night’s sleep I have ever had. I kept coughing all night. I’m sure it must have nearly driven Andy crazy. But what can you do when your body is rebelling. For sure, before we do anything else today, I am going to find a Covid kit. But as sure as I am that I can find one with directions in English, Andy is just as skeptical. But I must try. Because I simply want to know. What I have feels just like a head cold, but if I have Covid I want to take every precaution with people around me.

Today we move to a new guest house, and I don’t want to assume that I am OK. While at Anavalos, we were never in a room with anyone. Like I said earlier, every encounter is outside. But that may not be the case at our next abode.

So, after extending a fond farewell to the owner Yacek, we were on our way. First stop – the local apothecary for test kits and more masks. Then on the road to Kalamata.

Over hill and dale and 3 toll booths later, we were in the small city of Kalamata. Then follow the directions given to us by the owner of Bay View Guest House, and up we climbed once again towards our destination.

Now, I believe I have already mentioned that our Audi is not the most pleasant of vehicles to drive. Oh, it’s OK unless you want to go uphill. Then you better put your foot to the gas pedal and pray that there are no oncoming vehicles because stopping on a steep hill is tantamount to disaster. We made it with only one wrong turn, but it was not easy even with Google maps (our new best friend by the way). Because we are at the top of the hill. Nothing behind us but one other villa and then a cliff. But OMG the view and accommodations are incredible.

The owner’s mother Olga greeted us. She and her husband had lived in the US for 17 years and she was thrilled to have Americans as guests. And the apartment was amazing. The only thing that caught me a bit by surprise was that I would have to cook our breakfast the next morning. But everything I could possibly want was either in the fridge or on the counter. Ham, cheese, eggs fresh from their own chickens, fresh fruit, yogurt, orange juice, you name it. I must say, instead of being upset, I was thrilled.

Breakfast on our deck. Check out the amazing view.

Being away from a kitchen too long often gives me hives. So, being able to cook our breakfast was a treat. And we were told not to do the dishes. They would be happy to do them for us. I tried to put a stop to that right there and then. I told Olga doing the breakfast cleanup was Andy’s job. (Actually, I do the breakfast dishes at home while Andy makes the bed and takes care of all things cat.) But I didn’t want these good people to have to clean up any mess that I made. But I got over it and left the dishes like a good little guest. (I could get used to this!)

But of course, now I am going to have to buy an apron. (Like I need one more apron!) But desperate times require desperate measures. And cooking without an apron just feels sick and wrong.

For dinner we took the advice of our hostess and went down to the marina area for dinner. Took a couple three wrong turns to find and place. But it was well worth the effort.

Andy had a dish he really wants me to repeat at home. It was a long thin slice of bread spread with taramasalata, grilled squid, and a small amount of brown gravy. I had battered cod with mashed potatoes, mashed beets, and probably cooked beet greens. Couldn’t tell for sure, but they were stringy but very flavorful. And of course, toasted bread drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with dried herbs. A very fine dinner. Then back up the bloody hill to our room in the sky.

Oh, and BTW, I took the Covid test, and it was negative. Of course, I am thrilled, but I’m still not feeling as well as I would like.

And just in case you ever need to take a Covid test while in a foreign country, and the directions look like Greek to you (and in this case they were), go online and search under the manufacturers name and Covid then type in “English instructions” and all will be revealed. (And Andy of course had been right. Nary an English word to be seen on the test kit instructions.)

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Slept long and hard. I was only up three times during the night with coughing attacks, but the rest of the night I slept like the dead.

Woke up to sunny skies (no duh), had a cup of coffee, took my shower, made breakfast, cleaned up the kitchen, and then sat down to bring this travel report up to date. Now it’s time to decide what grand adventure to go on today. To be continued……

This afternoon we decided to take a scenic drive along the coast and up into the mountains to visit the tiny coastal village of Kardamyli. But just as we were leaving our room, the alarm system went off. We went back in our room, checked everything we could to try and make things right. Tried calling the owner (Nadia) and her mother (Olga) who lives on site but could not get through to either party.

Andy headed out to find Olga, and discovered it wasn’t our room that was causing the alarm. It was from one of the other rooms. And all they were doing was trying to leave their room and step onto their patio. At least it wasn’t us causing the trouble. At least this time! But back to our afternoon adventure. It appears it was just coincidental that as we were leaving our room, the alarm problem started. (Sure it was!)

At first glance Kardamyli is a sleepy fishing village. It lies about one hour south of Kalamata. The drive itself is beautiful, but at times it is hair raising to say the least. I don’t believe there was one single kilometer of flat the whole way.

Kardamyli has a long and varied history. First mentioned in Homer’s epic poem the Iliad, written about 1200bc, the village was offered to Achilles by Agamemnon to tempt him back to the siege of Troy. At that time, Kardamyli was the main port of the ancient Greek city-state of Sparta.

Many of the buildings in Old Kardamyli or “upper village” were built in the Venetian style. You can also see tower houses built by the Niklian clans. At the back of the old town are the tombs of the twin gods Castor and Pollux. Pausanias wrote that from the seashore here the Nereids came out to admire the sons of Achilles. In more modern times it was the jumping off point for the declaration of Greek independence from the Turks, when Kolokotroni and other captains from the Mani marched towards Kalamata on March 23, 1821. At one time, it was also known as a base for foreign pirates.

The village centers around the high street with upmarket boutiques, cafes, and bars. The older buildings in the main town tend to be around 300 years old and are built from local stone. There are no large-scale tourist developments, hotels, or guest houses. But what has been changed or updated blends in well with the local architecture.

After viewing the town, we had a wonderful dinner at a restaurant right on the water. After then it was back to our guest house, a bit of hand clothes washing for me, writing, and then back to help Miss Marple solve another mystery. Another great day in Greece if only my cough would go away! Luckily Andy is just fine. Because there isn’t any amount of money to get me behind the wheel of our rental car. Even though I learned to drive on a stick shift, on these roads that’s all you do. Shift, shift, and then shift again. Poor Andy. Every time anything gets dicey, I yelp. I don’t mean to, but it just comes out. Maybe I should be drinking more martinis before we get in the car. Who am I kidding. I haven’t had even one martini since we left home. I learned long ago that martinis made in a foreign country are basically terrible. So, why bother. Better to have the local beer. Which BTW, I am enjoying very much.

Well, enough for now. I am going to bed. But first one more comment. As we look down on the water, there are 4 large vessels just hanging out in the bay. We can’t figure out how or where they are going to unload their cargo. And have seen no sign of smaller boats coming to them to offload whatever product they are carrying. Or give them produce to take some other place. Very strange to say the least.  We just hope we can figure it out before we leave. Tomorrow an olive oil and wine tasting tour.

Thursday, September 21, 2023

Set the alarm for 7:30 am. Wanted to have plenty of time to cook breakfast and get on the road by 9:00. Since everywhere we go is new to us, and even using Google maps, finding any new destination involves a great deal of luck. Because as you are maneuvering on steep, narrow streets, it’s very difficult to read signs and follow the little blue dot on your phone. Just trying to keep the car from stalling as you are going uphill takes all your concentration. And sure, as the navigator I should be of wonderful assistance. Not happening. First of all, the sun is always in a position to obscure the phone’s screen. Matters not at all where we are going. The sun is always on the screen. Then there is the matter of my old eyes. I need reading glasses and driving glasses. So, with two pairs of glasses on my lap, every other second switching back and forth, I am totally useless as a navigator. Really Andy should be navigating. But I am not getting behind the wheel of this car unless someone is holding a gun to my head or Andy is sitting in the passenger’s seat and I am driving him to a hospital.

Twenty years ago, it would have been a different story. But as much as I want to fight the idea, some things are getting just a bit beyond me. And luckily for everyone, I seem to know my limitations. And one of my limitations appears to be my desire to drive in a foreign country! But on to why we were out and about, to begin with.

Before leaving home, I had booked us for a Kalamata Olive Oil & Wine Tour with Traditional Lunch. For this event, we were to meet our guide at the castle in the small hill town of Androusa about 30 minutes’ drive from Kalamata. So, to make sure we arrived in time, we left an hour before we were to meet our guide. And sure enough, Google maps had no more idea of where the castle was in this town than we did. Luckily Androusa is not a large town. It’s actually a small village. So, with Andy’s keen sense of direction, we found the castle in time to not feel foolish.

Our guide was a lovely young woman (Dimitra) who has made it her life’s work to produce good quality olive oil and work as an olive oil sommelier. (An olive oil sommelier is someone who is trained to identify the different types of olive oils and their flavor profiles.)

Olive oil production has been in her family for generations. So, when she decided to make it her career too (and also her passion I might add) she went to college to study olive oil processing in the same manner as others study oenology. Oenology, derived from the Greek oînos (wine) and lógos (science), refers to the science dedicated to the study and knowledge of wines. It also studies the cultivation of the vines, the production of the wine, its ageing and packaging, its tasting, its consumption, and its marketing.

Us at the castle among the olive trees for our education about all things relevant to olive trees, growing olives, and turning them into something edible.

As we were going through our tour at the castle, there were pieces of paper with questions on them for us to answer (a treasure hunt, kinda sorta) hidden in used olive oil bottles. At one point Andy was given an olive wreath to wear on his head for answering a question correctly. Hard to see on this picture, but trust me, it was there. And as you can almost see from the picture, we were up on a hill. And of course, we were. We were at a castle after all!

Still at the castle. Up against the wall peasants. And look happy while doing so! (Which of course we were!)

After our visit to the castle our next stop was Psaroulis Winery. This winery produces wines of superior quality from its own vineyards which are in the Vasilada (village) of Messinia. It is a family-owned and operated business started by the father of the current winemaker. His nephew, who speaks very good English came down from Athens to talk to us about the production of the wine and to lead us through the wine tasting. Even though I don’t drink wine any longer, I did have to take a taste or two. And what I tasted was wonderful. Especially the merlot. (Sorry Jim!)

After our wine tasting we went back into Androusa for the olive oil tasting and traditional lunch. And boy was that fun. I learned I have rather plebian tastes when it comes to olive oil. And that I should be using various grades of olive oil for different dishes. After all, said the owner of the olive oil processing establishment, “you wouldn’t use the same wine for every dish you prepared, now would you.” And of course, she was right.

Of the two types of olives grown in this region, I was only familiar with kalamata olives and kalamata olive oil. The other olives grown in this area are the Koroneiki olives. Much smaller than the kalamata and still green when they are ready to be harvested. Kalamata olives are either dark maroon or almost black when they are ready to be stripped by hand from the branches of the kalamata olive tree.

And then it was time for lunch. And I must say, some of the dishes were OK, but none were anything I would serve to a guest. I actually felt a bit snarky at this point, because I had just been given a mini lecture on my plebian use and knowledge of olive oil, when I truly believe I could have made any of the dishes served 100% better! But being the diplomatic person you all know me to be (wink wink), I kept my big mouth shut!

After the tasting and lunch, we bid adieu to Anna and headed back to our guest house. But first a bit of provisioning at a local grocery store.

I didn’t want to go out for dinner when I had a perfectly good kitchen at my disposal. So, with some leftover Greek salad, I figured a simple fried hamburger patty would make a swell dinner.

Now, I don’t remember ever having beef ground right in front of me. When we first approached the butcher, he had a full cow carcass in front of him hanging on a hook. When I asked for ground meat, he ground us a half kilo of meat while we did our other shopping. (I should have watched the whole process, but I just couldn’t. Not while he had to take a chunk off the carcass to fulfill my request. Just too much reality for this gal.) Have yet to cook the meat but expect it to be very good. Fresh (ya think), if nothing else.

Well, that’s it for now. Think I’ll have a nice cold beer before I start dinner.

Cooking dinner was fun. Ground beef patties with just salt and pepper and Greek salad. But before I do my late-night reading in my jammies and turn out my reading lamp, I thought I might provide you with a bit of history about olive trees.

According to abea.gr “Symbol of peace, wisdom, fertility, prosperity, luck, victory. No fruit bearing tree in our land has been praised, painted, sung, as much as the olive tree. This tree, that loves the sea and the Mediterranean sun, grows even on arid and rocky soils, and survives under drought conditions and strong winds. It has accompanied the inhabitants of this land in times of both prosperity and deprivation and has left its imprint on every aspect of the cultural tradition of the Mediterranean people. In the Greek tradition, when a child is born, an olive tree is planted. The olive tree and the child will grow up together and when the child is 6 years old, the olive tree will bear its first fruit. It will grow with the family, survive through decades, and will still be there for all the coming generations to always remind us of the continuity and the evolution of life. The life expectancy of an olive tree is 300 to 600 years, yet there are olive trees more than 1,000 years old.

The history of the olive tree began around 7.000 years ago in the Mediterranean region and more precisely in the Eastern Mediterranean. It is speculated that it first appeared in Syria, as indicated by various depictions on vessels and by the multitude of myths of the people around the Mediterranean. It was Greece however, through Phoenician merchants, who brought it in the European Mediterranean area – Italy, France, Spain, Portugal – from where it spread to America and Australia.”

Friday, September 22, 2023 – Filoxenia Hotel, Monemvasia

Woke to the sound of the donkey braying and there he or she was. Our first glimpse of this handsome beast. (We had heard it braying several times before but had yet to see it.) Then when we looked outside our side window, there was a small herd of sheep coming down the hillside being “guided” by a small dog. We really are in rural Greece. Then it was packing our bags and saying good-bye to this lovely apartment. After breakfast that is. Then down the long and winding hill back towards Kalamata and a right turn towards the large city of Sparti.

Now to say this was a nice ride is like saying ice cream is an OK treat. Today’s drive to our new destination was probably the most beautiful drive we had taken in Greece so far. Greece is mainly one big mountain range. OK, there are a few flat areas, but we sure haven’t seen many of them since we arrived. But today it was saying goodbye to one large bay, go up and over the top of the world (Taygetus Mountains), and back down to the sea. This took us about 4 hours to complete a drive of about 100k. So, very slow, but with breathtaking vistas everywhere we looked. Sheer walls, deep valleys, narrow roads, you name it. Just a magnificent way to see what is undoubtedly one of the most exciting parts of visiting Greece.

We reached our hotel without any trouble. (Always a good thing!) Hard to get lost when your hotel is on the main road of a tiny village. And the view from our room of Monemvasia (the rock) is perfect.

A quick note about the name of our hotel – Filoxenia. According to therealgreek.com, “Filoxenia has deep roots in ancient Greece, where ‘xenia’ was used to describe the virtue of showing generosity and courtesy to strangers and creating a true relationship between guest and host.

In ancient times Greece’s composition was very different to today; It was composed of numerous regions and islands, each one with different dialects and customs.

Trade was what made people from all these different regions come in contact, so ‘filoxenia’ was not just about hospitality, but mainly it was like an unspoken cultural law that preserved order amongst all these people who were simultaneously locals and strangers. Everyone could find themselves in the position of the host or the guest and even more, it was thought that any stranger might be a god under disguise, ‘testing’ the locals.

Strangers, ‘xeni’, were protected by Zeus – he was named ‘Zeus Xenios’ because of that – and they were very welcome because they also brought a lot of information about the rest of the world with them.

Thoukidides writes that Pericles mentioned how Athenians kept their city ‘open’ to all, they never turned away strangers and took pride in showing them the Athenian culture and civilization.

There were moral ‘laws’ to filoxenia: all visitors were to be shown the same hospitality and treated with the same respect, regardless of their social, economic or political status. They could never draw arms to fight each other, and that obligation concerned their offspring as well!

There were also physical obligations: they had to offer guests meals, baths and sleeping quarters. They had to offer them well wishes and gifts upon their departure- ‘Xenia gifts’.

All this meant they became bonded in friendship for life, a friendship inherited by the next generations.

Today, you can see that the Greeks have these moral and physical ‘obligations’ embedded in their culture, if not their DNA! If a visitor asks a local for simple info, it is very possible that the local might appoint himself as their tour guide, taking them around town, explaining history and mythology and treating them to a Greek coffee or ‘must-try’ local treats on the way. In the islands, it is impossible for locals to see someone walking/looking around without asking them if they’d like a treat or offering them any kind of produce they have just picked.

The Greeks are proud of their homeland and love all that it has to offer, and they really want ‘xeni’ to experience that as well.”

We actually witnessed and felt “xeni”. Everyone we encountered went out of their way to be helpful and gracious. But back to our hotel.

The Filoxenia Hotel is in the town of Monemvasia. The older part of the town and municipality is located on an island (the rock) accessed only by a causeway/tombolo (historically a drawbridge) or by boat. Its area consists mostly of a large plateau (on the other side of the rock from the town and our hotel) about 330 feet above sea level and then up to an area 980 feet wide and just over a half a mile long.

Founded in the sixth century, Monemvasia is one of the oldest continually inhabited fortified towns in Europe. The town is the site of a once-powerful medievalstorical fortress and was at one point one of the most important commercial centers in the Eastern Mediterranean. The town’s walls and many Byzantine churches remain as testaments to the town’s history. 

So, tomorrow we are visiting this amazing historical treasure. But for now, it’s beer time and then the team laundress (me) must work her magic. There is simply nothing as exciting as washing underwear in a sink the size of a medium sized mixing bowl. But there is a nice drying rack right outside our deck door, so why not take advantage of it? Then a bit of relaxation because it is very hot outside with very little breeze. Then off to dinner.

Now I know there are those for whom Greek food is the be all and end all. Not me. Granted, the pastries are amazing. But one cannot live by sugar alone. When it comes to some of the meat dishes, there simply is not enough flavor for me. For example, last evening all I wanted was a simple gyro. And the meat came nicely tucked in a pita with red onion, cucumber, and tzatziki. But there was no flavor to the meat. I couldn’t even tell if the meat was beef, pork, or chicken. The tzatziki was great, but one does not live by tzatziki alone either. And some of the other traditional Greek dishes also leave much to be desired. For example – Strapatsada. Strapatsada is basically scrambled eggs with tomato sauce and feta cheese mixed in. If you are lucky, there is a bit of onion and oregano thrown in for good measure. But this is not a dish I am going to hurry home and try to duplicate. However, what I am going to try and prepare at home is Portokalopita (Traditional Greek Orange Cake with Syrup). But enough about food. It’s time for bed. Tomorrow is another day.

Saturday, September 23, 2023

After a night of shifting back and forth to keep the small top sheet and slippery bed spread equally divided over our sweaty bodies, we woke refreshed. How that could be is beyond me, but nevertheless, awake we were, and ready for another exciting day. First stop – the breakfast buffet at our hotel.

I’m not going to bore you with all the dishes that were available at this buffet. Just imagine anything and everything you could want for breakfast, and you would know exactly what was being offered. One example: for the egg portion alone. There were hard boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, and omelets. Take your choice or have all three. Amazing. After breakfast we went back to our room to get ready for today’s adventure.

First stop – the ticket office for the bus that would drive us to the other side of the rock. 1 euro each, each way. Worth every cent of the cost. And yes, euros come in cents. Coins come in 2-euro, 1-euro, and .50, .20, .10, and .05 cents. Very civilized. None of this penny stuff. And none of the ridiculous $9.99 either! People in Greece are obviously smarter than Americans because they have figured out that 9.95 euros is really 10 euros. It’s refreshing, I tell you! And simply displays good common sense.

Then hop on the small bus, drive over the cause way, and up and around the base of the rock. Then get off the bus and walk into a very bustling small village full of shops selling everything from wine to refrigerator magnets. And every type of restaurant, café, coffee bar, ice cream shop, fresh juice establishment, etc. that anyone’s taste buds could desire. And nice galleries selling quite unique and interesting items.

  Beautiful wooden bowls made out of olive tree wood.

A wall hanging for our bedroom painted on olive tree wood.

The handmade box our wall hanging came in. The proprietor of the gallery where we bought both the wall hanging and the bowls told us the most enjoyment he experienced from running this gallery was making the boxes for the various items being sent all over the world. The only problem with the box, was trying to get it open. It took a chisel and hammer to get anywhere near the contents. Luckily, we had brought the bowls home in our luggage, or we would have had two such boxes to open!

Then, because it was very hot and humid, we decided climbing up to the Acropolis was completely out of the question. But walking around this lovely fortress town was most enjoyable. The next few pictures show a bit of the beauty.

So, after a strawberry smoothie for me and a fresh lemonade for Andy, it was a leisurely walk back through the village and back to the mainland and the quiet and cool luxury of our room. But before that, a lovely beer to quench our thirst.

Back in our room it was writing for me and reading for Andy. I completely get the concept of siesta time. It gets incredibly hot and humid between 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm. And for those of us from an area of the world that doesn’t suffer high humidity it is especially uncomfortable. So, retreating to our room becomes a pleasure not a punishment.

But after it got a bit cooler, it was off to dinner for us. And tonight, I craved Italian food. So, we found an Italian restaurant and we shared a wonderful caprese salad, then I had pasta with mushrooms and truffle oil and Andy had risotto. All 3 dishes were delicious. Then we took a stroll over the causeway to look back at the lights in the town. Last stop – ice cream. Great finish to a grand day.