February 15 - 24The days were as varied as the company we kept. The sights, seen throughout the past by as many eyes as there are stars in the sky, were new to us. The stories, vaguely familiar, courtesy of earlier school readers and teachers proclaiming which god did what, jumped out at us in the presence of the Parthenon and the ruins of Mycenae. How dare we admit to confusing Zeus and Apollo? Don’t even broach Jupiter. Wrong country! We lapped up the stories again, this time told passionately and beautifully (and logically) by Ron and Lynn, our hosts who have embraced Greece and its lessons, and who have drunk deeply from its store of resources and reverberations. The end-of-day conversations proved as rich as the chronicles collected through our daily journeys, often carrying on late into the night, in keeping with the setting that provides a natural atmosphere for deep thoughts and free expression. “What does religion mean to you?” “How do you understand “afterlife”? “What is the making of a friend?” Thoughts as old as time; easy discourse on the very earth evoking the memory of Socrates and Aristotle.
So, we have been to Greece. No, we have barely scratched the surface. Well no, we have only whet our appetites. We will be back. In the meantime, our readers are about to be treated to a series of dispatches rendered by each one of “The Company” in turn. Ed and Millie will introduce them in the order that they appear in this blog entry. We begin with Anita. This is because she is the first to respond to the proposal that each of us send a blog entry to the ednmillie collection, thus providing fresh air to the old place!
We are Anita (Neetah), Ken (Schwoata), Ron (Poichems), Lynn (Boubelina), Millie (Mildrova), Ed (Eidie) and Johanna (too young for sticky nicknames). More about the nicknames later….Anita Schmidt
In retrospect, visiting ancient Greece with old friends couldn’t have been a better fit. The Schmidts and the Hildebrands have vacationed together for as long as they have been friends. 34 years. Things have changed over the three decades more than we ever guessed they could, back in the days when we played beach volleyball ‘til the sun went down. Some years ago, Anita was diagnosed with ALS. A wheelchair is her new mobility. For all of us who know Anita, she is a sensation. Would that we all had such positive spirit, unflagging determination, regard for life and love of nature. After the rest of us had prattled on about our personal views of “religion”, Anita offered a simple and profound link to the obvious -– begin with the beauty of the world around us. Anita is a blend of Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty and Artemis, goddess of forests and hills, to whom the deer and cypress are sacred. Like Artemis, she has an association with the moon. Here is her story.Greece…in February 2008….with a little help from our friends:
by Anita
It isn’t that we haven’t traveled before, or even traveled to Greece for that matter, we just haven’t done so with one of us in a wheelchair. It’s so easy with a little help from our friends.
Departure: Friday, Feb. 15
After a leisurely Friday morning in February, we head to Detroit. Other than locked family bathrooms at Detroit Metro (apparently so since the opening of the airport as reported by one worker) all goes smoothly, a portend of things to come. The flight from Detroit to Amsterdam is on time and uneventful, allowing us to read through a good chunk of our books and get a decent snooze. Schiphol Airport is a wonderful surprise with splendid accessible washrooms but we don’t have time to linger, for we must catch our plane to Athens. Another pleasant break gets us booked into first class, reducing the transfer to one. A newbie airline attendant and her supervisor, with a sense of humour (now when does that happen) plus spectacular views of the Alps on a clear day get us to Athens in seemingly record time. Believe it or not, we have no problems with schedules or luggage or security and there we are zooming through and excited to be greeted by the group of 5 – Millie, Ed & Johanna, Ron & Lynn – in Athens.
Arrival: Saturday, Feb. 16
Hmmm, well perhaps the Parthenon was too breathtaking or there was a strike in Athens. Ken arranges for the van while I stay plopped in the middle of the aisle with our luggage so no one can miss me. Very polite people in Athens. The motley crew finally realizes that there is more than one greeting location and I hear Millie approaching before I see them. The adventure begins.
The rental Opel Vivaro Long does accommodate all 7 of us including our luggage and the chair. A small hitch – Ken will have to pretend we’re newlyweds and lift me over the threshold onto the middle seat. Good for me, not so good for him. But we’re loaded and off with Ken driving and Poychems navigating. At this point, we have not yet realized that Poychems, with his immense knowledge of the history and the gods of Greece has not a navigational bone in his body. It’s snowing – a rare occurrence in Greece. We’re toasty, bundled in our van with good friends, and after only a few segues we arrive in Tolo and get settled into Villa Katharina. Ooh, thank goodness for heaters and warm clothes. Ron, Lynn & Millie move mattresses and furniture until the rooms are “anitasized” and find great mirth in the narrow bed section left for Ken. Johanna carves out a space in the parlour while Ken & Eddie go exploring and find a restaurant with a blazing fireplace – ahhh, just what we need – retsina, tzatziki, lamb, friends and warmth.
Nafplio: Sunday Brings the Sun, Feb. 17
Today we orient ourselves. Ken goes for his first exploration walk on the beach while snow still lingers on the geraniums and covers the distant hills. We explore Tolo and figure out what services are available. We pick aromatic blossomed branches to decorate our parlour and remind us of warm weather. Millie is fast becoming an expert wheelchair pusher, mastering the one step with aplomb. Johanna introduces us to gummy bear type candies that have you chewing for days and Lynn ensures we don’t get schmucked by the cars.
We head into Nafplio, where Poychems introduces us to his favourite bar and bakery just down from the bus stop. I recall an earlier visit to this very bus stop with an image of Carolyn’s smiling face and her found luggage. To this day, I’m not sure Dave was quite as excited, since he’d had a taste of traveling unencumbered by suitcases.
We find out that most places have double doors that are quickly opened to allow wheelchair entry. We explore an old church along the way but do not tarry for this is a drafty, chilly spot. I imagine on hot days it is a welcome respite. We return to what becomes a haunt for us – the happy hour bar with the unknown name, the gray-moustached tender, the most enticing green walls and the view of the Palamidi atop the hill. Our visit to Palamidi this time around consists of an accidental wrong turn resulting in a drive up. A bit quicker than the stairs. We order Amstels and tzaziski, cappuccinos and rice pudding, while Poychems becomes the source of our laughter with his plate of eggs, French fries and hot dogs. You travel to Greece to eat hot dogs? I guess it’s close to hash browns and sausage. We return to Tolo, a 7 km drive that’s already beginning to feel familiar. As happens on several occasions, Ken is the driver to and Eddie the driver fro, for obvious reasons. Eddie draws our admiration with his expert backing into the narrow, gated, hilled driveway. We are home!
Tonight we grab a quick dinner of gyros and souvlaki at a casual spot sporting patio heater ambience – yes, that’s inside. Some of us stay up and chat. Some go to bed.
Mikenes: Monday, Feb. 18
Ken again explores the beach at sunrise while the rest of us linger in bed or figure out the routine of the morning. Ron & Lynn are early to bed and early to rise, so they’re the hot water “turner onners” and the first to shower. We learn that the Tiessens are structured in their schedules and that we can rely on them to ensure we get moving and have breakfast each morning, although it takes some time before we adopt their early to bed policy. The rest of us straggle around and soon we’ve all showered and breakfasted and off to Mykene we go. We spill out of the van and break into our lunch bags containing yummy spinach and cheese pies and fruit pastries purchased in our favourite Nafplio bakery. This becomes a favoured staple lunch. “Eddie, did you eat Johanna’s pies?”
The Lion’s Gate greets us at the top of a slippery slope. Well, if four people push and pull, the odds are that not everyone’s shoes will out from under them at the same time resulting in a wheelchair plummet. There’s a bit of huffing and puffing but the large group of students behind us lends an imaginary buffer and we’re up. I pick out a nice location where I am content to sun myself while the others head off for a guided tour with Poychems. I recall Heinrich Schlieman’s book and admire the labyrinth of partial walls while I wait, imagining what it must have been like to excavate this massive site. 
A new museum has been added since our last visit and a quick whirl through adds to our knowledge but we must hurry, for we wish to get into the mammoth beehive tomb before it closes. This is a part of the site we didn’t see last time and one can only marvel – how did they know to build this way and how were they able to move those stones into place? Johanna practices her ohms and hears things we pretend to hear as well, for we imagine ourselves not to be completely musically illiterate. Again, we are the sole occupants in this massive tomb but a tour bus is arriving and so we take our leave. Some folks are suffering from double vision, so it is high time to leave.We stop in the village on our way out and view the old hotel, which is still owned by the same family that hosted the Schliemans. Since we are in Greece and the sun is shining, we find a patio in the sun and enjoy a beverage and snack. It’s not yet officially happy hour so some of us have coffees – that’s the story and we’re sticking to it. It matters not a whit that they do not serve warm alcohol.
Lethargy starts to set in varying degrees – the Hildebrand’s late visit to the Parthenon on arrival day, the Schmidt’s day of traveling and the sunshine and food all encourage return to Villa Katharina. It blurs – are there naps before happy hour? For certainty, there is happy hour with the routine beer for Poychems joined by Eddie and wine from plastic bottles for the rest of us. Miraculously, some feta and olives and tzatziki appear and we enjoy the warmth of the living room, or Johanna’s bedroom, depending on the time of day with heaters blasting and doors closed. It’s difficult to remember if we venture forth for dinner or call it a night. Suffice to say, there are no infamous food pictures by Ken to record the event.
Magical Epidavros: Tuesday, Feb. 19
Ken starts his day with the fast-becoming traditional beach walk. This morning he meets Demetri and his dog, who agree to take him fishing as soon as his boat is fixed. This promise continues until the day we depart, with the main boat remaining crippled and Demetri planning to row himself in a little boat. Alas, no room for Ken. Demetri is enjoying one of his many Amstels this fine morning, which he hauls from a plastic bag containing 5 more. He is an immediate friend of Ken’s.
The sun is sufficiently warming, so we pry open the front door and find a spot in the sun for breakfast; it really is warmer outside. The snow has disappeared with just a bit still blanketing the tops of the hills. A breakfast of soft boiled eggs with the orangest yellows, yogurt, olives, tomatoes, fruit, toast and coffee magically appear, as they do each morning and we savour food, sun and the glorious Aegean sea.
We clamber back into the van. Is this the morning that Johanna gives Poychems the boot out of his navigation spot and Eddie announces to Ken that he will drive? When it happens is not important – it happens. I do know that everyone’s favourite spot is climbing over me into the middle seat. On rare occasions, some folks have the wherewithal to climb in first. I wait for no one and when Ken is ready to heave me in, I go, for I do not wish to be left behind.
With another stop at the bakery for more picnic pies – we’re getting quite fond of these pies - we’re off to Epidavros in Argolis. Now here lies the joy of Greece in February. Other than the odd security guard, there is no one in this magical, mythical place but us. We settle on a pile of rocks in the sun and daydream as Poychems tells us of the ancient Greeks arriving by water and entering where we sit to spend a night in the sleeping hall where gods advise them how to regain good health. Asklepios, the healer and son of Apollo, is reputed to have been born here. We are all feeling relaxed and lulled by the warmth and we contemplate whether we should leave me here for the night. It does not seem such a bad idea.
We meander through the labyrinth of tumbled rocks exploring the site of an old church and picking a path not too difficult for the chair. We arrive at the awesome site of the theatre built by Polykleitos in 4th century BC. The rock theatre is bordered by lush countryside typical of Greek theatres. We share the site with a group of Italian students who are taking turns reading a Greek play. Now, Schwoata & I have been to this site before and Poychems & Bouboulina many times, but we all agree that the Hildebrands’ singing makes this a reverent and uniquely touching experience. The performers in the three of them answer to the perfect acoustical setting and treat us to several songs, which have the Italian students shushing each other. “Heilich, Heilich” is my favourite, but only marginally over some folk tunes and Millie’s Italian opera. We munch on our pies and sip from the communal jug of wine with our multi-coloured straws, enjoying the solitude and the sun absorbing rocks of ancient times. We have a brief time after the students leave where we are the lone seven in the theatre – heavenly. (Eddie did you eat Johanna’s pies again or heavens, you didn’t take Poychem’s☺?) Too soon we are joined by intrusive tour groups, but not before we have our magical moments at the Epidavros theatre. A highlight indeed!
Back to Villa Katharina and happy hour and a dinner at another fireplaced restaurant which Millie and Lynn have found. We love fireplaces.
Nafplio Shopping: Wednesday, Feb. 20
And what does Ken do this morning on his beach walk – more sunrise pictures and some of the best boat pictures of the trip. I do know that he was joined by some of the other folk on some of these walks but who and when I do not know. And as each day becomes warmer, more of the crew get their daily exercise by long walks or runs, except perhaps for Johanna who is known to confess that she struggles to keep up with this vacation pace.
Today we explore Nafplio further, which means the boys walk the “Cornish of Nafplio” and amble around the perimeter of the fortress of Palamidi taking photos whilst the girls check out the shops. After we ladies form some lasting friendships with the shopkeepers of amber and scarves, we meet back in Syntagma square for the worst meal of the trip. We are enticed by a toothless, grumpy old man, against our better judgment, to eat at his establishment and we succumb, since really it is the sunniest spot. Food isn’t everything, right? Johanna wins since she scoots off to get a gyros, fries and a coke and is saved from “the sauce” which covers everything from the lamb to the artichokes. Ed feeds the gracious black kitty that regally awaits her dindin at his feet. She must know this is a good spot for leftovers.This evening happy hour melts into dinner and some folks head to the internet café and return with soup bones for tomorrow’s dinner while Johanna packs and Eddie scrutinizes the map for a more direct route to Athens airport.
Relaxing at the Villa & Goodbye Johanna…and then there were six. Thursday, Feb. 21
The Hildebrands depart for the airport whilst the four of us do some serious relaxing and housekeeping. It is now quite warm and Ken forgoes his walk in favour of a long breakfast on the sunny deck. He makes up for his laziness but taking a dip in the chilly Aegean. Some laundry is done and books are read. Poychems and Schwoata go for a long walk down the other end of the beach and find the ruins of Assini while Lynn chops the veggies for the soup. Smells divine.
And then there were six… who finish the day with more walking and some tasty soup. Is this the “What religion means to you” discussion night or does Ron give us the task for tomorrow night? We debate trite and not so trite issues and after midnight are treated to a most glorious full moon on the bay. Could one be happier?
Road Trip to Nea Epidavros: Friday, Feb. 22
Today is the day to explore the other side of the peninsula. We point our van in an easterly direction and our faces to the sun. Not far from our Tolo villa we happen upon a lovely fishing taverna and decide to return later. We continue our drive, with stops to admire centuries old, twisted olive trees with red poppies and yellow wildflowers dotting the hillside. We wind our way over the range of hills with breathtaking views below and stop at a small bakery for treats and freshly made coffee. Our trip ends on the opposite shore and it is now quite comfortable to stroll along the fishing village of Epidavros without parkas and splash about the bay collecting stones for Jana & Brad’s Greek wedding food station. We decide we’re hungry now, so leave the taverna for another day and choose to taste the sardines and various fish at a restaurant in Epidavros, being assured by some elderly souls from Athens that the food is good. On our return trip, we stop at an old Mycenean bridge where Eddie contemplates taking us up a mountain path. After some serious schtuckering he decides to back down – literally – off the edge of the path and into scratching bushes. No fear – it’s the side of the van that’s already scratched – perhaps previous renters traveled the same path. With some calm maneuvering, we’re sitting pretty atop the ancient bridge and can contentedly admire wildflowers and choose rocks.
A day of sunshine and spectacular views ends in another happy hour and this night’s discussion on what friendship means to us. An enlightening day, all in all.
We start the day at the market in Nafplio. Millie in her lime green and Lynn in her black cap and Ken in his shorts are minor characters beside the authentic Greek sellers of wares. Some have toothless wide smiles, others are hauntingly beautiful as in the little gypsy girl sent back by her mother for some coins after her picture was taken by Ken, whilst Eddie receives a gift of apples for the honour of a photo he takes. Gift and be gifted. We enjoy displays of wine and fruits and buy fresh oregano, some halvah and fresh spinach for Ken’s breakfast extravaganza.We continue to another site – a mini Epidavros and different in that it was hewn out of stone. The acoustics do not compare. Our next ancient site amongst the orange groves is left undiscovered for another day, since it is close to that magic hour of two when all of Greece shuts down. Not to be disappointed, we pick the most juicy, sweet oranges along the return path. Is stolen fruit sweeter?
We return to the fishing taverna discovery of yesterday for our Shirley Valentine table on the beach. This time we order octoputhi and saganaki. Location, location – the food is secondary to the unbeatable view and we find ourselves becoming silent as we gaze off into the distant horizon. We think we are going to be serenaded at length by 3 fellows, who promptly crawl into their car and disappear as soon as we’ve forked over some euros. Ah, not all is idyllic in Greece! After lunch we go for a walk up the hill and into a marbled churchyard. This happens to be a playground for the local urchins who use the benches for soccer posts. They enjoy some conversation with the talkative ones in our group and politely move their goals until we’ve had our fill of sitting. In fact they are not the least disturbed by our presence as they entertain us with bicycle tricks.
A short trip back and a birthday chocolate-banana crepe and Baileys is in early celebration of Millie’s upcoming birthday. We all choose to join in and satisfy our sweet tooth.
Return to Romania: Sunday, Feb. 24
Ah, a breakfast extravaganza fit for a Sunday! Lynn gets a break from breakfast duty while Ken serves up an egg frittata with feta, olives, tomato and oregano on a bed of fresh spinach with more of those divine oranges. The sun is seriously warm and we all hoist our pant legs up and bare our arms whilst sipping our morning coffee. Ed considers dipping his body into the Aegean but feels getting his ankles wet is sufficient.
Much too soon, it is time for Ed & Millie to leave and we drive them back to the airport. Another splendid holiday with our kindred friends…we are so lucky.
Off they go into the airport wrapped in their scarves while Ken and I try to find our way back to Avis car rental, narrowly escaping a cab imprint in the side of the Opel. Good thing it’s a Mercedes cab! We trade in our trusty bus for a speedy Volvo wagon which pleasures Ken all the way back to Tolo in record time.
Ron & Lynn have rested and walked and sat on the hillside and are ready for happy hour and left over soup.
And then there were four and the pace slows down: Monday, Feb. 25
Each day the temperature inches up a few degrees. Jackets are no longer required and in the sun it is too warm for sweaters. Tolo awakens this week! Road scrapers buzz up and down the beach, painters jazz up the storefronts and there is much sweeping and cleaning. Everyone readies for carnival.
I, on the contrary, am ready for a slower pace and so our next days involve a good chunk of lazy relaxing in the sun. We read, we snooze, we improvise shorts, we hang laundry.
We decide to visit Nafplio in the evening for a change. It is warm and magical as we saunter the streets before enjoying dinner at a restaurant that Poychems has noted with many exclamation marks on previous trips. We are not disappointed. The wine tastes of plum, the vegetable soup of ripe tomatoes, the warmed feta with tomato and salsa is to die for and the lamb chops superb. We are satiated and wish we would have brought the Hildebrands to this spot, for it is the best food we have tasted thus far.
A Meandering New Site: Tuesday, Feb. 26
Ah, today is the day of gods – Helios has heard us and sends sunnier and hotter. We head off to Napflio for some business and then venture to a new site. But alas, we have left the map with Poychems in the back seat. By the time it reaches Anita in the front, she is no better a navigator, and so we poke around some villages in our round about way to this site. We do eventually ask our way there and slowly wind up the hill. This site is not going to be accessible but I am quite happy to sit in the warmth and wait. Perhaps a little snooze is in order. The others poke around the mighty ruins and confess that it is a shirtless day – perhaps even a bit too hot in the sun. Lynn returns with no less than a dozen wildflowers for me to admire. We return to Villa Katrina to laze in the sun.
We decide we must have more of that great food and return to Nafplio in the afternoon. The shopkeepers greet us with smiles – we have become friends. The short black haired shoplady from the jewelry store is sporting a long, curly blond wig. Our little sweetheart, who has helped us with many purchases including helping Ken tie a scarf and Millie model a sweater, has polka dot tights and an Anne Shirley red wig. They also prepare for Carnival. And why are Greeks so good at celebrating Carnival. About.com says “they invented it. Most carnival-related events are connected with the ancient worship of the Greek god of wine and divine intoxication, Dionysus. The processions, costuming, and feasting all derive from ancient ceremonies honoring him and other Greek gods and goddesses, though some claim parts of it, including the carrying of models of ships in processions, date back to similar rites in Ancient Egypt.” Sounds like our kind of festival.
The owner of the amber store greets us with smiles and greek kisses with wishes for good health. We regret that we will not be here for the weekend festivities. The stone lion sports a jeweled mane and banners and masks appear everywhere. We enjoy a leisurely walk around the peninsula – a bit of a challenge for the wheelchair pusher but all things are possible and Ken enjoys skirting the edge of the walk to give me a thrill. The giant fat cactuses hang over the edge and the water is clear and still. We sit and watch the sun go down before our usual drink at the happy hour bar. We have become a fixture. We savour more good food - this time we find mousaka – the best ever and a surprise dessert of baklava – best ever again.
Monastery Day: Wednesday, Feb. 27
Today we seek a monastery that Ron remembers on a much earlier trip, perhaps one with Haunsie. We find a monastery and although it is not the one remembered, it leaves us with many wonderful memories. The almond tree in full blossom stands sentinel on the wildflower-covered hillside. There is a moment of disappointment when we find the main gate locked but we find a secondary gate that invites us in. A picnic table is provided and we unpack our pies and Amstel and munch in a most silent world. There is exploration of the monastery and its frescoes are hidden well. We watch the approach of a young lad presenting a bouquet of wild flowers. He surprises us by shyly, but with purpose, presents the bouquet to me, explaining he was picking flowers on the hill and saw us and wanted to bring me flowers. Then off he goes, scrambling up the rocky slope with his mother calling from atop. Another heartfelt moment that makes me think the gods are watching over us. The breeze gets cool on this hilltop and so we return to Tolo for our last evening.
Ken decides we should stay in town and so we stroll to the very end of Tolo, searching for the right spot. We have previously turned back, where the end of the village takes on a quieter, less commercialized look. Tonight, we continue and note the Nikolas bar – an authentic Greek spot with wooden tables and chairs on the sidewalk and several village men enjoying a coffee. It seems perfect. Nikolas, himself, serves us. He is a young Greek who is educated as an engineer but has returned to his grandfather’s village to run his bar and he regales us non-stop with information of this area. We discover that his sister owns the property next door, that Assini has many Albanians, that Demetrius has a wife and daughter and is harmless and that those at this end of the village next to the fishing harbour attempt to retain some “greekness”. We have discussed amongst ourselves that this village would not be nearly so quaint during prime vacation time with its Gorilla Bar on the beach and have lamented that some places are looking “westernized”. On Nikolas’s recommendation, we stop for dinner at the meat shop, where our lamb is freshly chopped and added to the homemade sausage on the makeshift grill in the open fireplace. A simple greek salad and french fried potatoes perfect the meal. We can now go home.
Going Home: Thursday, Feb. 28
A last morning walk on the beach, a last breakfast on the sunny deck, a last bask in the sun and we pack, clean and say good bye as we head to the Athens airport. Poychems and Lynn are off to new islands to explore and we settle in at the airport to await our early morning flight. Another stop in Amsterdam with a bit more time to explore and then a long flight home. I have discovered that I can manage 10 hours on the plane with no bathroom break, that our friendly wheelchair pusher in Detroit can close women’s washrooms to allow Ken to take me to the bathroom and that sometimes parts of wheelchairs go missing but luckily it is the end of the trip and people keep smiling.
We left two weeks ago in snow, arrived in Athens in snow and have returned to snow. Ahh, but the time in between was a magical time in the land of gods with the best of friends.
Ed: While Ed is an altogether calm and unruffled sort, he is ever on the move, the indefatigable traveler. If you even so much look up at his proposal to venture out, he’ll take that as a “yes”. This is why Ed has seen much of the world, and why we subsequently live in Romania. He is taking every opportunity to flit about Europe to discover even more….. In this way he is like Hermes, the Greek god of travel. Ed has wings on his shoes. He writes:
Because Anita and Millie have already detailed our comings and goings so thoroughly, I’ll be very brief. Just some random thoughts, memories:
The experience of standing exactly where Paul the Apostle preached on the Areopagus rock, with the Acropolis making a fitting background, as our present-day Athenian intellectual, Ron, helps to put more of the overwhelming past into perspective.
Paul's Rock:
The stunning and sophisticated architectural accomplishments of the ancients, the vastness of the stonework, the untold amounts of person-hours laboured, evidenced by what remains for us to decipher, as well as in some cases in fact, their meticulous accounting—written in stone—of building supplies and their costs, labour costs, consulting fees, etc. If you look closely, you can see the century-old tally marks carved into the stone.
Ron, did I get this right? “History should not be viewed as a chronological set of events, but rather, as a repeating cyclical pattern of forces and philosophies.”
Greek sunshine—although we caught only one lovely week of it:
As the blue water soothes the soul, so does the possibility of gardening year-round; indeed, the geraniums were in full bloom, purposefully ignoring the ill effects of the frost we experienced, an anomaly in this region.
Other observations:
Lots of stray dogs, just like in Romania. But unlike their Romanian counterparts, this was a handsome lot, most of them fitted with collars (evidence of spaying, neutering, census?). And not one of them had that Bucharest canine lope, the product of walking/running on your remaining two good legs. This attests to either the traffic smarts of these Greek dogs, or to the kindly consideration of Greek drivers although both Ron and Lynn are sure that on the whole, Greeks are lethal behind the wheel. One regal large mutt regularly accompanied us on our walks in Tolo. And didn’t that clutch of pups on the beach all look just like him!
We encountered a lovely 15-year-old young lady putting in a few part-time hours in her grandpa’s bottle store. Ken, observing the incredibly low price on the local wine sold in 1½ litre plastic bottles, and always seeking to improve his mind at the same time as engaging local lovelies in conversation, enquired as to the grape variety that produced this wine. The Greek proclivity for proffering an answer regardless of necessary missing knowledge prevailed. In perfect but halting English she explained that “In this country we have two kinds of grapes; they make red wine and white wine.” And so ended that evening’s very brief lecture on Helenic viticulture.
