TravelnWrite

WAWeekend: Walla Walla’s Original Wine Road

2013-06-15T10:48:00.000-07:00

Washington State is crisscrossed with ‘wine roads'. Fanning out from Woodinville in the Seattle suburbs to all points north, south, east and west; they even lace the San Juan Islands in the Puget Sound.

The original wine route, as we call it, takes you directly to Walla Walla (wah-lah wah-lah) in south central Washington. It remains the ‘granddaddy of wine growing areas’ and that fact alone is reason enough to add it to your travel bucket list.

If wine isn’t your thing, here are a few other reasons to add this vibrant college town near the Oregon/Washington border to your travel destinations:

1. Walking through History. Founded in 1862, the town celebrated its first 150 years in 2012. History is so treasured here, that you’ll notice it the minute you stroll along its tree-lined downtown sidewalks. Walla Walla has been named one of 12 Distinctive Destinations by the National Trust For Historic Preservation. Speaking of trees, it’s also been honored many times as a “Tree City U.S.A.”

Take a tour using the free Walla Walla Heritage maps. They include a Downtown Historic Trail Guide, Fort Walla Walla and other sites in the area including Boyer and Pioneer Park historic homes (some of which are pictured below).

(The photo in the lower left corner is of a mid-century art-deco service station that’s been turned into a nifty restaurant.)

Those of you who’ve read about the U.S. explorers, Lewis and Clark, might already know that their expedition first passed through Walla Walla County in 1805. Marcus and Narcissa Whitman were missionaries who came to the area to minister to the Indians. To learn more, make it a point to visit the Fort Walla Walla Museum.

2. Celebrate Agriculture. You can get a taste of the area at Walla Walla’ Farmer’s Market, held downtown on Saturdays and Sundays from May to October, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. While most of the area’s acreage is wheat fields and vineyards, there’s plenty of truck garden and fruit to be found. . .don’t forget to buy a few pounds of those famous 'Walla Walla Sweets' (onions).

3. Stay a few days. There are many hotels, motels and Bed and Breakfasts from which to choose in Walla Walla but our favorite stay is at the grand old Marcus Whitman Hotel, right in the heart of the downtown. Simply park your car in the hotel’s lot and set out on foot – you’ll find dozens of retail shops and restaurants nearby.

We were in Walla Walla celebrating our anniversary last year so we upgraded ourselves to a suite in the old tower, (pictured above). It really didn’t cost that much more than the standard room. The rooms in the old tower have been modernized with all the comforts of the new wing, but the old mid century ambiance remains:

From our suite, we had a magnificent view of the fields that carpet the nearby hillsides.

If You Go:

It is just over a four hour drive from the Seattle; over Snoqualmie Pass and then through some of Central Washington’s wine country. Alaska/Horizon airlines has flights from SeaTac Airport.
For more information: Click on Tourism Walla Walla.

Crete: Sunday Morning at - not 'in' - Church

2013-06-12T20:29:00.000-07:00

On a Sunday morning in Elounda, on Crete’s northeastern shore we were reminded that sometimes the message can be as powerful outside the church as inside . . .

The small Church of Agios Loukas (Saint Luke) hadn’t changed since we last visited three years ago. From Elounda, we’d crossed a narrow causeway to Kolokytha Peninsula, where it sits on a knoll overlooking the turquoise waters of Mirabella Bay.

On this morning, as had been the case on our previous visit, we were alone – our arrival announced only by the birds whom we’d disturbed.

The bell rested in its tower, ready to call the faithful.

The intricately carved and polished wooden doors were locked, but it really didn’t matter . . .

. . .because sometimes you don’t need to be in a church . . .

Thanks for spending a moment or two with us in Greece. Hope to see you back here soon! It's Travel Photo Thursday. Head over to Budget Travelers Sandbox and do a bit more armchair traveling.

Travel Tuesday: Scottsdale’s “Club Grub”

2013-06-11T06:55:00.001-07:00

Whew! We just crossed the finish line after a nine day eat-a-thon in Scottsdale, Arizona. Let me tell you. . .

There is just something about the food in Arizona's 'Valley of the Sun' that makes us throw our Diet2Go out the window. And this trip,contributing to the culinary temptations that snugged up our clothes, is what we’ve dubbed, “Club Grub”.

Not “Pub Grub” – “Club Grub.” I am talking a whole new food source: eateries tucked away in golf courses; some in clubhouses and others in freestanding restaurants.

We don’t even play golf – but we spent a lot of time ‘at the course’ this trip! Note: these aren’t the members-only places - all three of our recommendations below are open to the public!

The Grill at the TPC Scottsdale

While munching lunch at The Grill, we had this view over the 18th hole of the Stadium Course at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Hotel.

Tucked away in a corner of the clubhouse, this place has more than 50 craft beers, cocktails, a gastro-pub style menu, patio (with fire pits – not needed this time of year) and a Happy Hour.

The Grill is located at 17020 N. Hayden Road.

Troon North

Our Seattle/Scottsdale friends, Mike and Joanne, told us to try Happy Hour at the Troon North Golf Club and for that we owe them big time!

We had some of the best- tasting and best-priced margaritas in this restaurant (also tucked away in a beautiful clubhouse), that we’ve had anywhere in Scottsdale. The HH price $4.50 (as compared to the Happy Hour $10 margarita at the nearby Four Seasons).

Troon North also offers full menu options but there were so many temptations on the Happy Hour list we never got beyond it.

The photo below is of Dynamite Flatbread, $6, a mouthwatering chicken, cheese combo on focaccia bread, just one of the HH offerings.

Troon North is located at 10320 E. Dynamite Blvd., Scottsdale.

Tonto Bar and Grill at Rancho Manana

The interior of this restaurant has such a wonderful Spanish/Old West feel to it, that it is difficult to choose between sitting inside or on the patio. Both provide beautiful views of this Cave Creek golf course.

The menu also has so many choices that it should be difficult to choose between them but I have become so enamored with their Southwestern Cobb Salad that I always order it. (Going there for lunch means I will take enough home for dinner as well. As you can see from the photo below. . .it is rather large).

This place, like we've noticed at other restaurants, offer a choice of protein toppings for the salad. Mine was chicken and The Scout chose roast pork from the half dozen choices; price depends on the protein chosen.

Tonto Bar and Grill is located at the golf course at 5736 E. Rancho Manana Blvd., Cave Creek.

If you go: A good source of Arizona golf course information is: www.arizonagolf.com

Your turn! Do you have any “Club Grub” recommendations for the Phoenix/Scottsdale area? How about any for golf clubs near where you live or in places you’ve visited? Tell us about them!

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WAWeekend: Heavenly!

2013-06-08T08:11:00.000-07:00

While airplanes aren’t my favorite mode of transportation, I have to admit that they provide a ‘heavenly’ view of the world. . .especially when flying over Washington State.

Just last week en route to Arizona we passed one of our state's ‘purple mountain majesties’ as the song says. . .this one, Mt. Rainier:

And within minutes of passing that state icon we were reminded of the size and beauty of the winding Columbia River and the song we sang as children, “roll on Columbia, roll on. . . “:

Do you have a favorite 'heavenly' view?

Found! The best pizza in Napoli. . .

2013-06-05T21:16:00.000-07:00

Napoli, (aka Naples on this side of ‘The Pond’) is the birthplace of pizza.

For that reason, we told ourselves prior to last fall’s cruise, that we would eat pizza there during our few hours in this ‘love-it or hate-it’ Italian town on Italy’s western coast. (The photo above of Mt. Vesuvius was taken during our Celebrity Silhouette’s early morning approach to the harbor.)

We’d braved the morning’s rain and set out, umbrellas unfurled, to explore the dizzying, congested streets, and by noon had worked up a pizza-sized appetite. We were far off the main road on one of our direction-less wanders off-the-beaten-tourist-path, when we happened upon this place:

It was one of a trillion or so similar Pizzaria’s that line the sidewalks of this ages-old city. What made this place stand out for us, was the crush of customers inside. Tiny tables within elbow’s reach of each other were filled. We were tucked into one of the last remaining in a snug corner of Ristorante e Pizzeria da Attilio* .

While most dishes were prepared in an industrial looking kitchen in the back, the pizzas were prepared by a culinary artist (as I prefer to think of him) just inside the front door.

And since every artist needs an admirer or two, I headed to his gallery to watch him prepare our pizza.

Dough was stretched, toppings in place and he turned the creation over to his assistant whose job it was to cook our pizza in his incredibly hot oven. And within minutes. . .

. . . Mama Mia! Our pizza was served; the best pizza we have ever eaten, perhaps the ‘best in Napoli’! Or was it?

That afternoon, back at the ship and resting up from that pizza, we headed to the pool and hot tub.

That’s where we struck up a conversation with a couple who told us they had just eaten ‘the best pizza in Napoli’ for lunch and described a place no where near where we had eaten. They said they knew they had eaten ‘the best pizza in Napoli” because that is what travel guru Rick Steves had said of the pizzeria located on one of his guidebook’s ‘on-the-beaten-tourist-path walks’. . .

Hmmm. . .I wonder who did eat 'the best' pizza in Napoli that day?

Are you one who ‘goes by the guidebook’? If so, what guidebooks do you use? Or do you allow yourself the opportunity to make discoveries on your own?

That’s it for this week’s Travel Photo Thursday – head over to Budget Travelers Sandbox for more photos today and stop by here this weekend when we will have more tales and tips for you.

*If you get to Napoli, try Da Attilio Pizzeria, Via Pignasecca, 17, http://pizzeriaattilio.jimdo.com - we think you’ll like it!

WAWeekend: Getting High at Lake Chelan

2013-06-02T08:30:00.000-07:00

It’s called “The Butte”. No fancy names. Not a lot of tourist-hype. Looking somewhat like a resting elephant, its highest point rises 3,835 feet (1,168 meters) to the south of the town of Chelan and Lake
Chelan.

The Scout, born and raised in this Eastern Washington town, has ‘been there, done that’ when it comes to The Butte. Maybe that is why, despite several visits a year there over the course of three decades, we’d never taken the time to explore it until a couple years ago.

The Chelan Butte Unit, as it is called in Washington State’s Department of Fish and Wildlife covers some 9,097 acres, stretching from Lake Chelan to the Columbia River. It’s home to wildlife (including big horn sheep) to wildflowers (some more than 5-feet tall as I illustrate above), with a few snakes and other critters thrown as well.

The 4.5 mile distance from town to the summit is paved for the first 1.2 miles. It becomes a narrow, dirt road which is rutted and rocky – and muddy in inclement weather, and many leave their vehicles at lower elevations. Even in good weather an SUV would be better than a conventional car, although our Camry made the drive, albeit very slowly.

Currently it’s a favorite among hikers who want to explore the trails that lead to old abandoned mines, bikers and in winter, snowshoe enthusiasts. There’s also a hang gliding group or two that use its upper peak for projecting themselves out over the Columbia River Gorge.

We had the place to ourselves the day we drove to the end of the road; the communication towers on the uppermost ridge. Parking there is off-road; no formal lots. Then it was time to enjoy the views:

To the south – the Columbia River Gorge, in both the photo above and below.

And to the north over the 55-mile long, glacier fed lake to the North Cascades Mountain range in the distance.

We told ourselves we won’t wait another decade or so to make a return visit to “The Butte”.

For You History Buffs:

The 1938 fire lookout tower that was once atop The Butte was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990 and in 1996 moved to the Columbia Breaks Fire Interpretive Center, just down the road in Entiat.

And did you know there was a Gold Rush on Chelan Butte in 1907? Take a look at this link – it’s mighty interesting!

If You Go:
Follow Highway 97A and at Millard Street in Chelan (between milepost 232 and 233) turn south.
Note: Parking at The Butte now requires a Washington State Discover Pass ($10 a day/or $30 annually).
For more information visit: www.discoverpass.wa.gov
See you back here soon – we hope! Sign up to receive our posts in your inbox at www.TravelnWrite.com

Finding Fokianos, Greece

2013-05-29T21:09:00.000-07:00

“You might be disappointed in my village – it is very small,” George cautioned about visiting the small Peloponnesian town high in the hills above his Hotel Byzantinon where he’d been born and raised; a place he still visits regularly to tend to his family home and vineyard.

“You should go to Fokianos. Drive straight through my village. . .follow the road for another 12 kilometers.”

With so much beautiful coastline, we pondered how we would know the picturesque beach George had proclaimed a ‘not-to-be-missed’ destination.

Up into the hills we went on the narrow little road (pictured above ) that pinched together at sharp curves, then stretched into gentle loops, and finally lead us straight through a little village that we hoped was George’s (the signs, you recall, were all in Greek).

Some kilometers beyond the village, as we rounded a curve, and just as George had promised, we saw Fokianos:

Our paved road gave way to gravel on its winding descent through ages old olive groves to the white-crescent beach.

On this April morning the normally busy beach was empty but for a half dozen fishermen.

Their muted conversation, mixed with the water’s rhythmic gentle lapping, and an occasional bird call was all that broke the silence.

George had told us that in summer the bay is often filled with yachts of the rich and famous, but on this morning, fishing boats at anchor were the only vessels in sight.

Two tavernas stood side-by-side on this otherwise unpopulated bit of paradise. Only one of the two on this ‘pre-season’ morning showed signs of activity. It was there we sought lunch.

“We’ve got a single portion of fish,” said the owner (who had grown up with George in the small hilltop village). It was the same dish he and a friend were sharing at a nearby table. We ordered cheese as well – the owner provided bread and olives. The dish, an octopus stew, served warm as is the style of Greek cooking, was perhaps the most authentic Greek meal we ate during our travels.

And we certainly had a table with a view from which to eat our feast. By now awnings are stretched over those skeletal frames, tables beneath probably filled with holiday makers, but on that day, the beach and the view was ours alone.

That’s it for this week’s Travel Photo Thursday. Don’t forget to stop by Budget Travelers Sandbox for other destinations.

If you Go:

Driving in the Peloponnese:
We picked up our rental car at the Avis office in Naplion. There were no requirements for an international drivers license. US license, passport and credit card (‘non-chip’ worked just fine) were all that was required.

Rental Cost: about $22US a day.
Regular unleaded gas: $9US a gallon (we were pleased this little guy got such good mileage!)

Greeks drive on the right-side of the road, like in the United States. They also recognize the need to drive slowly on their hairpin curves. The roads lacing the Peloponnese are in many places narrow ‘back roads’ twirling around curves and climbing high into the mountains (not for those with a fear of heights or amaxophobia, fear of riding in a car).

Fokianos: is about 33 kilometers (20.5 miles) south of the town of Leonido. Drive toward Plaka. After about 17 km of climbing, the road flattens and you reach a junction (where the road sign is in Greek). Go left (toward Pigadi and Fokianos). It will be an approximate 15 km more before you reach the dirt road to the beach. Note: the beach is about 25 km from the nearest gas station.

Greece: Coffee and Computer Culture

2013-05-27T09:22:00.000-07:00

Po Po Po!!!* There’s been a cultural revolution (the good kind) taking place in Greece the last few years and so focused has mainstream media been on the country’s economic crisis, they’ve failed to tell us about it.

Perhaps coffee and computers are so common-place in newsrooms that reporters didn’t recognize it, however, the change has been dramatic in areas we recently revisited.

So let us -- who hail from Seattle (The Land of Starbucks) and Microsoft (Bill Gates and Gang) – tell you:

Greeks are wired (the state of being resulting from ingestion of large amounts of caffeine) and at the same time unwired (by Wi-Fi.)

Based on our previous trip’s experiences, we arrived with our pound of coffee and filters, prepared to use the hot pots provided in our rooms to ‘brew’ our java. Being of the Starbucks habit, we weren’t fond their mild, instant Nescafe – served everywhere as coffee three years ago. (Okay, it is still popular and used in drinks such as chilled Frappe's.)

Lattes and cappuccinos had been rather exotic and hard to find. That's all changed as coffee shops now line the streets. In Iraklion, Crete, for example, (above) we found so many chic, upbeat coffee shops (including Starbucks) that was hard to choose between them.

The same was true in city after city we visited. On a Sunday at the Ministry Music Bar in Sparti, the heart of the Peloponnese, tables were packed long into the night with caffeine-consuming patrons – all of whom seemed to be checking their computers and mobile devices because. . .

Wi-Fi has come to Greece. Signals sometimes can’t compete with centuries old stone walls of which many structures are made, but generally it is available everywhere. Our jewelry-making friend George Chalkoutsis, living in the tiny hamlet of Kastri on Crete’s southern coast exemplifies the change. At the time we met, he didn't have a computer because. . .

Three years ago there was no computer access in Kastri. We traveled up a looping road to a village perched high on a hill above and then sought out its sole internet café to check our emails.

I expressed surprise during this visit to see that George had a laptop in his studio. “But, of course,” he replied. “Computers have come. I am on Facebook – and Skype. Are you on Skype? We could chat after you get home.”

Po Po Po! I had to admit we don’t yet have Skype – nor the skills to use it if we did.
~~~~~
*Po Po Po! The phrase is a popular one in Greek. It is a multi-purpose sort of exclamation covering surprise, wariness, disapproval or approval – depending on the tone, the accompanying look and the situation in which it is used.

Hope to see you back again later this week when we take you to one of Greece’s most beautiful beaches. To receive our posts in your inbox, just sign up on our home page, www.TravelnWrite.com

George’s Story: Our time at Byzantinon

2013-05-22T20:16:00.000-07:00

This is the story of George Kritsidimas, his family and their Hotel Byzantinon. The story is set amid an olive and orange grove overlooking the Myrtoan Sea, at the foot of the eastern Parnon Mountains in Greece’s Peloponnese.

Getting to know the family while staying at their hotel is one of those experiences – the kind so rich, that trying to wrap it up in words is difficult.

Perhaps, it is because it is the story that happens when places become people.

The Scout found Hotel Byzantinon, located in the small village called Poulithro, while web surfing prior to our trip to Greece. We knew nothing of the area; hotel reviews were positive. It was one of the few places we booked ahead of time.

Little did we know then, what a goldmine of accommodation and experiences he’d found for us. Our studio was spacious and luxurious.

The bed’s comfort and sheet quality appeared to rival that of a Marriott hotel, we remarked to each other, as we settled in. (Sometimes Greek mattresses can be firm-to-rock hard)

For that matter, pretty much everything in the unit was something of “Marriott quality”. The studio’s size, in fact, much larger than those of Marriott Vacation Clubs in which we’ve stayed.

After so much Marriott talk, we were a bit surprised when we set out to explore the common areas of the hotel and found this - part of a framed display -- on a stairwell:

That would be Bill Marriott, CEO of Marriott Corporation on the left and George next to him in the middle. That medal he’s holding in this photo is the one he’s wearing in the opening photo.

It wasn’t until later in the day, when George returned from tending his vineyard high in the hills beyond the hotel, that we learned about the Marriott connection.

Turns out that in 2003 George was one of 12 out of Marriott’s some 4,000 employees world-wide to receive the corporation’s Award of Excellence.

He was the only employee so named outside the United States that year. The photo display highlights other moments that he and his wife shared during a whirlwind award trip to the ceremonies which were held in Washington DC.

You see, George, age 67, opened his Hotel Byzantinon after retiring from the Marriott Corporation. He’d ended a 30-plus-year career as the doorman at Athen’s Ledra Marriott Hotel. If you stayed there or even walked past it during his tenure, you might recognize the uniformed George in the photo below:

Memories and stories. George has many from his years meeting and greeting travelers from all stations in life.

Our incessant questions finally prompted him one morning to dig out a memory box filled with photos, the medal, and additional award certificates he’d received for outstanding service over the years. George took us on a trip down memory lane with him -- a most special moment in our Greek travels.

Bill Marriott would continue to be proud of this Marriott-ambassador (pictured here with his son, Christos). George speaks highly of the corporation and warmly about the Marriott family.

Because in George’s heart, there is nothing more important than family. Maybe that’s why he made us feel so much a part of his.

That’s it for now.You'll hear more about George in future posts and I’ve got a ‘honey’ of a tale about his son, Christos – so hope to see you back here soon! It is Travel Photo Thursday so head over to Nancie’s Budget Travelers Sandbox for more armchair travel. Then check out Friday Daydreamin' at R We There Yet Mom?

Click the link for more information on Hotel Byzantinon. And, for those curious ones out there: we paid 60-euro a night, about $75US. Our rate included (a fabulous!) daily breakfast.

Travel Technology: 'Lloyd the Droid' does Europe

2013-05-21T16:40:00.001-07:00

Let me be quite upfront about this post: it doesn’t have tips for great apps nor for enhancing photos.

This is a reality travel post written by traveling ‘techno-dino’s’ for “techno-dino’s” (those who are several leap-years behind current technology). If you are teetering on the edge, not sure whether to ‘take the plunge” or if you took the plunge and find yourself in a whole new world, this post’s for you.

It is about that colorful little guy above, “Lloyd the Droid”, the newest addition to our travel team ~ the smart phone we acquired 10 days before setting off for Greece. We finally gave in to society’s pressures and friends’encouragements (not to mention the lure of all those apps that would enhance our travels and even better, save us money).

Shortly after bringing this ‘being’ home (smart phones didn’t get that name out of thin air, they aren’t phones, they are little brains packaged into small metal and glass casing)– I named our Droid, Lloyd.

Our little gifted one has so many talents (sorry about the bragging, but you know how it is. . .) include an ability to talk: he calls out “Droid!” in a croak much like a frog to alert me to a new FB post (sometimes I think he just likes to hear himself talk). Lloyd corrects me when I tried writing with him (sometimes choosing words that aren’t correct, but he never gives up) and the little fellow even responds to our voice commands to write text messages, find a web site or make calls for us!

And then came our trip to Greece and Amsterdam. . .

1. First thing our service provider advised, cautioned, warned and admonished us to do was to turn off half of Lloyd’s features as we boarded the plane – all mobile data was shut off to assure we wouldn’t have those astronomical charges based on international roaming.

So, we had no phone nor text ability until our return, but we had Lloyd!

The only time we could have used a phone was at the Amsterdam airport to connect with our waiting driver and that resulted in some Keystone Cop type antics before linking up. When we finally met up, he suggested we get a phone to use while traveling. Sigh.

(We had purchased an add-on package that allowed us to make calls at some still-ridiculously-high cost in case of emergency – thankfully, we didn’t need to activate that plan nor did finding the driver constitute an emergency.)

2. Lloyd is equipped with GPS – but that also proved to irrelevant as we found ourselves in the midst of the Peloponnese and Crete, on narrow, looping roads that took us into, up, down, and around mountainous areas – places way beyond GPS connections.We used a paper map – in Greek/English (so that we could ‘read’ the road signs).

A fellow traveler in the Peloponnese from North Carolina rented a car equipped with GPS. She reported that it kept calling out, “Turn left ahead” as soon as they left the major freeway. (It wasn’t just Lloyd).

3. Lloyd was a great backup for internet access. We checked emails, Facebook and used other social media and the few travel applications we had loaded. (Lloyd did take photos – although limited in style and technique –and it was simple loading those to FB and/or Twitter. If I could do it, any techno-dino could!)

By taking our Netbook (which I used for writing and posting) and Lloyd on which Joel could check the internet – we cut our computer time in half, giving us more time for travel. Sharing the Netbook always required one of us to be in the ‘waiting’ mode.

Note to you writers out there: Lloyd is great for consuming information – he will never replace the computer keyboard for producing written communication or the camera for photos.

4. Finding those great deals : we did book a room using Lloyd during our trip. For these two old techno dino’s with fat fingers, it was a laborious and irritating process – we hope our skills improve over time, because. . .
There are hotel and other travel deals being offered to ‘mobile app’ users – savings of up to 10% in some cases and in others, offering ridiculously cheap last minute hotel rates. (Expedia and Hotel Tonight, among them).
As for Lloyd. . .he’s part of the family now. We won't be leaving home without him.

Are you a techno-dino who took the plunge? What were your experiences?

TravelnWrite’s Sunday Snippets and Snapshots

2013-05-19T09:48:00.002-07:00

With oh-so-many things to tell you about Greece and other delightful destinations, we are starting a series of Snippets and Snapshots.

We begin with something fishy about feet in Crete:

It seemed the craze in Crete -- from its large city Heraklion to its tiny southwest coast village of Agios Roumeli – is the fish pedicure. I’d read articles about this type of beauty treatment (one, a 2008 article in the Seattle Times, reporting Washington State had deemed them both unsanitary and illegal) but until visiting Crete, we’d never seen such a salon.

While our sandal-calloused feet would have been a tasty treat for them, we couldn’t quite bring ourselves to stick our travel-tired tootsies in a tank with these tiny (toothless?) technicians.

Would you have tried it? Or have you tried it?

WA Weekend: Wenatchee's Summer Sips and Savories

2013-05-18T06:40:00.002-07:00

We’re taking a quick detour from Greece to tell you about a couple great reasons to put Wenatchee, Washington on your summer travel list. First there’s:

Ohme Wine and Food Gala, July 13th, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.

We attended this event last summer which is set in the midst of Ohme Gardens, a lush treed oasis high overlooking Wenatchee, offering stunning views of the Columbia River Valley as well. We are still talking about what a fantastic time we had there!

This year,12 Wenatchee Wine Country wineries will provide the sips to go with savories from 12 of the top chefs in North Central Washington, using locally farmed food. We can assure you, they start planning the pairings weeks in advance to give you the most amazing array of tastes.

Live musicians provided the background music as we strolled through the terraced gardens sipping and sampling. They’ll be doing it again this year.

Note: while it is an extremely popular, well-attended event, you don’t find yourself tooth-to-jowl with fellow attendees as can happen at similar events near Seattle.

Attendees will experience the pairings of: Viscontis and Jones of WA Winery; Cured and Malaga Springs Winery; Tastebuds and Horan Estates Winery; Ivy Wild and (Beaumont Cellars; Smokeblossom and Martin-Scott Winery; Shaktis and Crayelle Cellars; Windmill and Stemilt Creek Winery; Iwa Sushi and Voila Vineyards; Cashmere Cider Mill and Baroness Cellars; Inna’s Cuisine and Saint Laurent Winery; The Eatery and Esther Bricques Winery; Chateau Grill and Chateau Faire le Pont Winery; and Cave B and their Tendrils Restaurant.

Ticket info: The gala is a benefit for Ohme Gardens so the price is: $60 per ticket if purchased by June 30; $70 July 1-12. Tickets can be purchased at www.wenatcheewines.com, Ohme Gardens, or the participating wineries.

The New Pybus Public Market has opened –

After more than a year of dreaming, planning and construction,Pybus Public Market, the second-largest, covered year-round market in the State, opened its doors last weekend in a remodeled 1940’s building in the heart of Wenatchee. Food vendors aplenty are filling its stalls, check the link below for details.

Soon it will be sporting a bright neon red sign similar to Seattle’s Pike Place Market, the largest covered year-round market.

The Wenatchee Valley Farmers Market, located in the west parking lot of Pybus Market, also opened last weekend.

(They do have wine tasting at this market – a ton of fun.)

Pybus Market will be open seven days a week starting at 7:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. on Sunday. Tenant hours will vary. A list of tenants and their business hours is available at www.pybusmarket.org. Grand opening: Saturday, June 22, 1 p.m.

Getting to Pybus Public Market, 3 North Worthen):

Wenatchee is about 150 miles from Seattle by car. Flights from Seattle on Alaska/Horizon air.

(Easiest tip: It is walking distance to the Columbia River bridge, pictured to the left.)

Wenatchee Ave traveling South: Take a left at 2nd Street down to Columbia. Turn right and follow Columbia south to Orondo. Turn left at Orondo and cross the railroad tracks. The entrance to the market is straight ahead.

Wenatchee Ave traveling North: Take a right (east) on Orondo Avenue and cross the railroad tracks following it right down to the market.

Happy Travels! We’ll have some more Greek tales for you on Sunday’s Snippets and Snapshots.
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That Easter in Greece ~

2013-05-15T21:20:00.000-07:00

We may never experience another Easter like the one in Greece. . .

Greek Orthodox Easter is considered more important there than Christmas. We were fortunate this year to be in Crete and experience first-hand Easter Sunday, May 5th.

As with any holiday, decorations and preparations were the prelude to the event. This Easter wreath decorated a restaurant entry in Chora Sfakia, the small harbor town on Crete’s southwestern coast where we spent part of Easter Week.

Holy Thursday – Megali Pempti

In the early evening, as we walked past our favorite bakery, run by our friend Niki and her husband, in Chora Sfakia, she invited us in to see the production of Kalitsounia, the special cheese pies made for Easter.

Her mom, pictured with her above, was taking the lead on the baking. Her sister, on the right, was also called into duty.

We were honored by getting to sample some from the first batch out of the oven.

(I must tell you – this was one of the highlights of the trip!)

Holy Friday – Megali Parskievi

In the early afternoon, not long after we disembarked the ferry that - in 30 minutes - had taken us further west along the coast to the small village of Loutro ; the place we would celebrate Easter, we couldn't help but notice that ‘Judas’ had been strung up on the beach awaiting his Saturday night fate.

As we sipped a libation late Friday night at one of the waterfront cafes, the sound of chanting alerted us to an approaching processional.

Led by the priest, along Loutro’s ‘main street’, (a sidewalk bisecting the waterfront businesses and cafes), a flower covered Kouvouklion, representing Christ’s tomb, was carried to the ferry landing where additional prayers were said before it was carried back to the church.

Among the Easter traditions. . .

Easter eggs are dyed a deep rich red, signifying the blood of Christ, most are plain but this basket’s eggs had religious images on them).
They weren’t made of chocolate nor were they hidden as part of a children’s game – they were eaten as part of the traditional Easter feasts on Saturday night and Sunday.

Holy Saturday – Megali Savato

The traditional Easter feast features roast lamb. And by late afternoon Saturday the air was thick throughout the village with the smell of wild thyme and oregano-scented roasting meat being prepared for the late night feasting that would take place at every restaurant. (The front skewer is filled with pork, peppers and onions.)

Judas was hanging not far from the church, where the Saturday‘midnight’ (actual time 9:15 p.m.) service was held.

At the conclusion of the service, the bell clanged repeatedly as its rope was pulled, announcing the Priest’s proclamation: “CHRISTOS ANESTI!” (Christ is Risen!).

Then, in a scene much like a New Year’s Eve, the jubilant people filling the church and its courtyard began hugging and kissing, fireworks echoed across the bay, and candles were lit for the processional to the beach.

And then Judas burned.

Flames shot high in the sky and the crowd fell back as embers, like fireworks began falling.

We stood spellbound watching until the flames died and it was time to feast.

You might think this Easter story ended there. Ah, but, not so fast. . .

En route home, we spent a day and a half in Athens. Last Friday morning during a short walk near our hotel we happened upon a picturesque old church.

Entering, we found ourselves with three priests and another gentleman, (a church deacon or senior warden type, perhaps.)

It quickly became apparent that he had been asked to take the priests’ photo. Even more quickly, it became apparent that he wasn’t quite sure how to use the digital camera he’d been handed.

So, I did what any shutter bug would do: I offered to take the photos.

By then, their camera battery needed to be changed and while we waited, the younger of the three clergy, who spoke perfect English, explained to us that the week following Easter was still considered Easter Week – the Easter service was performed each day from Easter Sunday until the following Saturday.

He told us about the church and its history – its murals dating back to 1100. Then ‘the photo shoot’ began; I took group shots and individual shots. I took a quick one with my camera as well:

“Thank you,” the young priest said as we finished. Then, as we were leaving, he called out,

“God Bless You! Christ has Risen!”

Yes, as I said, we may never experience an Easter like that one in Greece. . .

This is our contribution to Budget Traveler’s Sandbox, Travel Photo Thursday. Head over there for more photos and come back to TravelnWrite for a few more Greek tales. . .

Travel Tip Tuesday: Packing, Pickpockets, Part 2

2013-05-14T05:36:00.000-07:00

Prior to our Greece trip I wrote about packing and pick pocket prevention. Several of you responded with comments that bear repeating:

An anonymous reader suggested: “Instead of the plastic hangers, you might want to check out "flocked" slim hangers. Available at all kinds of stores like Target, Bed, Bath and Beyond, etc.
What I like about them is: much thinner than plastic so they fit better in a suitcase, nothing slips off of them, and best of all the hanger top swivels so you can hang them over doors or on bi-fold closet door hinges.”

I couldn't find any prior to our trip so took the plastic hangers and clothes pins - and used them many times. But will find some prior to our next trip.

From South Korea, Nancie McKinnon who writes Budget Travelers Sandbox added:
“I throw a door stopper in my bag. If I end up somewhere where I think security is not that great, I can pop it under the door. I also carry a small foot brush. It's especially great when you are walking around in sandals, and cleaning up after a long hard day of sightseeing.”

Canadian blogger friend, Leigh at Hike Bike Travel where I first read about Clever Travel Companion security pocket tee shirts, wrote that she has worn them and predicted we would like them.

We did wear ours - several times in Greece - and called them 'the Piraeus shirts' a reference to The Scout's previous pickpocket incident on the Metro from there. The front-and-center zippered pockets comfortably held a passport, money and credit cards. The downside of the shirts was they are made of a blend of material which makes them stretchy and the sizes run small. That combination made it feel like wearing a body girdle (a hot one at that). I would recommend ordering a size larger than you usually wear - but for peace of mind, they were fabulous!

Karen McCann, (a native Californian who moved with her husband to Seville, Spain ‘for a year’ in 2004 and still lives there) writes the blog Enjoy Living Abroad, and recently wrote a post on travel security tips that was so informative I told her I was going to direct you all to it. Believe me it is full of good tips; check it out by clicking on: Enjoy Living Abroad

And if you’ve got a tip or two for saving money, packing and/or keeping yourself and your belongings safe, please add them in the comment section below on the home page or for you subscribers send us an email: travelnwrite@msn.com

I’ll make sure they get shared with everyone in future posts. If you missed that first post, you can click here to read it.

Umbrellas unfurled ~ An Amsterdam Weekend!

2013-05-11T09:03:00.000-07:00

The good news is that I still fit the long pants I wore to Europe a month ago and can even wear my silk long johns (I thought for weeks I had needlessly packed) under them.*

The bad news is that I am wearing long johns after a month of romping through Greece in shorts and tee-shirts.

But we’ve left that 80-degree Mediterranean sunshine behind us, packed away the shorts, and have dug to the bottom of the suitcases for warm clothes, unfurled those Seattle umbrellas and set out to make the most of our weekend in Amsterdam.

Today’s temperature is about 55-degrees, a cold wind blowing and rain often. Somewhat unseasonably cool, we were told by one local this morning. Certainly cold to those of us who last weekend were taking afternoon siestas to avoid the heat of the day – today’s siesta is to warm up and dry out before setting out again.

The good news about their colder weather is that it delayed the tulip season so we’ve managed to see some of the famed-blossoms along our morning’s route which took us to the flower market and then into the street markets of the Jordaan district.

We booked our stay here using Hotwire (the web booking line that tells you the class of the hotel and its location but not the name until after you book). We are in the NH City Center Hotel - a spacious ground floor room, ceilings that are nearly 20-feet high, a view of one of the city’s many canals and two bathrooms, as in two toilets; one in a room with a tub and sink and one n a smaller room with a sink.

I have to tell you it was difficult leaving Athens yesterday and had we not booked a non-changeable reservation here, we’d have been tempted to stay there longer. Wednesday it had been difficult to leave Crete. Greece has won our hearts – again! Although, I must admit, Amsterdam is charming in its own wet, gray way (flowers, cats, good food and wine). And it helps prepare us for our return home on Monday.

*The asterisk in the opening sentence means the Diet To Go, got up and went while in Greece. Far too many potatoes and fresh bread temptations to pass up while there.

Traveling ‘n Writing at TravelnWrite

2013-05-10T03:02:00.001-07:00

Sometimes there is a time to travel and sometimes a time to write.

In the case of the last week, travel has won out. I’ve plenty of travel tales to tell and a few tips that you might find useful – but they will have to wait. . . for this is the time to travel ~ there’s a lot of magic out there just waiting to be enjoyed. . .hope you find some where ever you are in the world.

Here’s some of the magical places we’ve found:

Travel a different road this weekend. . .you never know what beauty might be just around the corner!

In Loutro ~ Come Saturday Morning

2013-05-04T05:18:00.002-07:00

I write this Saturday afternoon on my deck looking out on Loutro – so small its main ‘street’ is a sidewalk that bisects restaurants and gift stores that line its crescent-shaped shore.

Being back here is such a treat that I can’t help but wonder if we didn’t unintentionally save the best for last on this sojourn of ours through Greece.

I’ve allowed myself plenty of idle day-dreaming time on this picture-perfect afternoon during which I’ve pondered the speed with which our time here has passed. The trip that, in its planning stages, seemed to offer endless days has come to a place of being able to count our remaining days in Greece on one hand. (I can assure you that the only thing getting each of us on that plane next Friday – is the commitment we’ve made to each other to return again.)

The surrounding countryside is harsh, home to goats and sheep that graze on its acres of wild thyme. Hiking trails cross it, looping past remains of structures dating back to the time of Venetian and Turkish occupation and providing water views so stunning that you must pause to absorb them. On our last Saturday in Greece as we followed one of those trails, I couldn’t help but think of this song from the 70’s by a group called The Sandpipers. . .

“Come Saturday morning, I am going away with my friend. . .

We’ll Saturday-spend till the end of the day. . .

just I and my friend.

We’ll travel for miles in our Saturday smiles . . .

and then we’ll move on. . .

But we will remember, long after Saturday’s gone.”

Happy Easter to all of our friends in Greece. And happy Saturday to you all. Hope you will also have a Saturday that you remember long after it is gone.

Hora Sfakia ~ On the Libyan Sea

2013-05-01T23:55:00.001-07:00

I write today from Hora Sfakia a small harbor town in southwestern Crete overlooking the Libyan Sea. Here we are further south than Africa’s Tangiers, Algiers or Tunis.

Our Greek travel itinerary was designed to include a return to this remote little spot – our third time here -- where even after a three year absence we remember waiters, store owners and others we came to know during earlier visits. Much to our surprise, we too, have been remembered!

We are staying in the same hotel, Stavris, as we’ve stayed in previous visits. It is a laid back place with basic rooms that are a favorite with the many hikers, backpackers and others who flock to this area for the hiking opportunities in the Samaria Gorge – the largest, longest, deepest gorge in Europe with walls 1,500 feet high in places. (We didn’t pack the boots or we would have also hiked the gorge this trip.)

So we’ve done some ‘urban’ hiking in this tiny town of 302 residents, but as you can tell by the photo above the in town views are pretty spectacular. Only a handful of cars squeeze through the narrow streets so the only sounds we hear are children playing, and goat and sheep bells and their bleating songs from the hillsides.

And speaking of views, this is the view from our room:

During the time of Turkish and Venetian rule, this town, being an important maritime center, was the nucleus of the Cretan struggle for independence.

And Hora Sfakia played a major role in WWII because it was the place from where more than 11,000 Allied troops were evacuated by ships in the middle of the night over a four-night period the end of May following the Battle of Crete. This memorial commemorates that evacuation.

Further up the hill a memorial brings yet another war time remembrance. The clear portion at the base of this memorial houses human skulls; those of local residents who gave their lives during the war. . .

The plaque next to it reads:

Our journey continues through Crete as we move further west this coming weekend. Hope you’ll continue traveling with us. Today is Travel Photo Thursday so head over to Budget Travelers Sandbox for more travel tales and photos.

Perfecting the Art of Slow Travel in Crete

2013-04-30T06:47:00.002-07:00

We’ve traveled from the northeastern shore of Crete to its southwestern coast.

We are now in Chora Sfakia (Hora Sfakion) where we will stay until catching the ferry on Friday to Loutro, the small town just down the coast accessible by boat or on foot. We’ve opted for the boat.

We spent last night in the beautiful coastal town of Plakias, about an hour from here. Some of you saw the photo I took at sunset on FB and for those who didn’t; that is another view of it above. (Thanks to those who commented and ‘liked’ the FB photo!)

We could have stayed in Plakias longer – a lifetime perhaps -- but this morning meant it was time to head west because we had reservations for tonight in Sfakia. So we hit the winding, road up over the mountains; roads by their very nature that make for ‘slow travel’ (that new popular approach to tourism) – you simply can’t drive fast or you’ll kill yourself on a curve. But then you hit a straight stretch and are reminded again of the wonders of slow travel, as we were this morning:

You can guess who has the right-of-way here, can’t you?

Notice there isn’t a human in sight? They simply herded themselves and as they passed our car, then crossed the road behind us to continue on their journey.

So we are now settled in at anther of our old favorites. We’ve got a killer view of the Libyan Sea and the coastline. . .and a deck from which to enjoy it. The cost is 37-euros a night (because we have a small refrigerator as well – it would have been 32 without that luxury). Our hotel – as it did the last two times we’ve stayed here – claims to have wi-fi ‘in the rooms’. Still not sure what rooms those are as we’ve never managed to have them. As time permits we’ll head to the lobby for internet. . . for now we’ll enjoy the view (and chill the wine!)

Chasing Windmills ~ Travels in Crete

2013-04-27T06:07:00.000-07:00

“It is not what we have, but what we enjoy

that constitutes our abundance.”

~Epicurus, born 341 BCE (80 years after Plato)

Our Grecian travels moved from the Peloponnese to Crete this week and we found ourselves back in Elounda, on Crete’s northeastern shore.

It hadn’t been our plan, but then when you travel without a plan, anything is possible. So here we are again in Corelli Studios – our third visit to these well-placed vacation studios.

And when you travel with a flex schedule (and in off-season) you can pretty much pick the number of nights you stay after you arrive. We’d decided to stay two nights, but our host, Gianni, told us we should stay three. So we did. But with a view deck like this for 40-euros a night, it didn’t take much convincing. We have a peek-a-boo view of the island of Spinalonga, the long-ago leper colony made famous in English writer Victoria Hislop’s novel, The Island.

What we are finding most difficult on this trip is deciding when to leave a place. We’ve found several spots where we would be most happy to settle in for several months – not just days; Elounda is high among them.
But we’ve reached the point in the travels where we do have a sort of timetable.

We will be returning to Maria’s pension in Loutro for Easter (next weekend) and with our old friends at Stavros’s Hotel in Chora Sfakia for three nights before that. We want to visit Georgios (my bead making friend on Crete’s south coast) and must try out a small place called Plakia. . .all of which means, we must leave this wonderful spot tomorrow. . .

I had wondered during our 24-hour air travel day – somewhat briefly, but still had pondered -- whether this desire of mine to come to Greece for a birthday present might prove to be a disappointment. Could I have let my fondness for this country grow in the memories of previous trips? Was I still seeking those Greek windmills from Walt Disney’s Moonspinners – a movie dating back to my childhood?

Doubts disappeared days ago. . .I can assure you this is proving to be the best gift imaginable!

Springtime in Greece is even more spectacular than was autumn. The warmth of this Mediterranean sun is surpassed only by the warmth of the people we’ve met along the way.

And you know what? I am finding those Hayley Mills/Eli Wallach movie windmills everywhere we go. . . this one is just across the street!

A Greek ‘ferry’ tale

2013-04-24T06:48:00.000-07:00

We’d debated up until the last minute, the best way to get to and from Crete now that our time exploring the Peloponnese has come to an end.

Should we fly? Should we island-hop? Should we take the overnight ferry?

Finally we opted to book a cabin on the overnight ferry to Iraklian (Heraklion), Crete from Piraeus, the city that serves as Athen’s port.

[Traveler’s tip: by booking the overnight, you save the cost of a hotel room and if you book round-trip tickets you also get a discount. It is a long haul between the two ports – we left at 9 pm and arrived at 6 am]

Because when I’ve told some of you that we prefer to travel by ferry in Greece and your response has been of skepticism; a wrinkled nose at the thought of some basic, run-down boat, I thought today I’d take you on a tour of our Anek ferry:

This is the hallway and entry to the ship’s casual dining (self-service - buffet style) restaurant.

Joel is walking past one of the casual coffee shop/bars on board

Need a dress? Or a shirt? Flip flops or a hat? A leather bag? Hat? Just head to the shop on board. Much like those on a cruise ship, just a bit smaller.

Safety? Plenty of tenders (life boats) both the kind pictured above and also the inflatable type.

We also had a swimming pool, hot tub and kiddie’s pool (all empty – but then it was an overnight trip.)

We took an escalator up two flights to reception, where a steward met us and led us to our cabin – we took an elevator up two floors to reach it.

Towels were plush, sheets of heavy thread count (and ironed) and the beds were some of the most comfortable we’ve slept in since our journey began.

The bathroom, like those on a cruise ship was functional – and spotless.

But then you don’t have a lot of time to spend primping in it – they announced our arrival at 6:05 and by 7 a.m. we were off the ship (along with all the other passengers – many who had chosen to sit in seats.)

Our room with a view – looking out on Piraeus before we set sail.

Part 2 of our adventure now gets underway in Crete. Hope you’ll come along. And this is our contribution to Travel Photo Thursday, an event hosted by Budget Travelers Sandbox.

“Jackie O., Billie Bo” and Maria

2013-04-22T07:24:00.001-07:00

Sometimes the people you meet when you travel warm your heart – sometimes they not only warm it, they expand it as well.

Such was Maria, owner of the wonderful hotel, Les Sirenes, attached to her equally wonderful seafront restaurant, Harilaos (pictured below).

We’d not planned to stay at Maria’s when we stopped for a quick look around the town of Kardamyli. We were considering her restaurant as a place we would likely return for dinner one night during our time in the area.

“Where you from?” she asked as we entered the restaurant and she approached me.

Seattle, we responded as Maria, by then, had reached me; cupped my chin with her hand and patted both cheeks – then wrapped me up in a hug.

We decided to look at a room. . .and not long after, decided to stay as long as we could.

While showing us the room, Maria asked our names.
“Jackie,” I said.
“Jackie O!” she proclaimed, “just like Onassis.”

Joel was a more difficult one for her, so The Scout explained “like the singer Billie Joel”. Ahh, but Maria version was 'Billie Bo'.

“Jackie O. and Billie Bo,” she named us on the spot and that is what we were called during the three delightful nights we spent at her place.

When Joel asked if she needed a credit card she wrapped her arms around him in a big bear hug and kissed first his left, then his right cheek.

Maria is simply like that, we quickly learned. She greeted us each day with hugs and kisses. As we finished dinner each evening, she walked us to the door and hugged and planted a goodnight kiss on each of our cheeks.
She was at church when we left Sunday morning to continue our explorations in the Peloponnese. It was good we didn’t see her to say goodbye. I know I would have cried.

And we’ve learned that in Greece if you don’t say goodbye, it means you will return one day.

In Maria's case, I certainly hope so!

Kalimera from Kardamyli

2013-04-20T00:00:00.001-07:00

Good Morning from Kardamyli, the town which is our home away from home for the next few days.

The photo below is of our deck and a portion of the view we have from it. That’s the top of a fig tree you see and a small lemon tree grows below it at water’s edge.

We are in a small studio with kitchenette and more cooking tools and flatware than I’ll ever use. (Cutting fresh cheeses, slicing vine-ripened tomatoes and fresh bread from the bakery doesn’t require much more than a knife and plate.) The cost is 40-euro a night, about $52 US.

Our ‘home’ as we call it, is just ‘around the bend’, (the point you see in the photo below), from Patrick Leigh Fermor’s former home. He’s the writer of many books about his travels through Europe, and this part of Greece, The Mani. ~ He loved this place in the Peloponnese so much that he and his wife lived the last half of their lives here.

Another writer, David Mason, wrote a memoir about his time also living here, for a time a neighbor of Fermor’s. His book, “News from the Village” is a must read for lovers of this area. I wrote him before our trip and asked for any recommendations he might have for us in this town that is said to be one of the seven cities offered to Achilles by Agamemnon.

He responded to my questions and I’ve quoted several times since our arrival the sentence with which he closed his email to me: “In honest truth, no matter where you go, you will not go wrong. Beauty is everywhere.”

Peloponnese: “So. . .where do you think we are?”

2013-04-18T05:31:00.001-07:00

“So, where do you think we are?” I asked The Scout.
“I guess we are where ever we are!” he responded.

That Winnie-the-Pooh-like conversation is how we’ve sounded since leaving George and Vasiliki’s place and setting out to explore the Peloponnese without set destinations or reservations.

We began by heading high up into the mountains following a route that took us south along the eastern coast of the eastern finger of the Peloponnese. We wound our way across, up and down the high plains, dotted with small villages.

It didn’t take long to realize that many of the villages don’t have signs to tell us their names and when one of the few road signs came along it was written in Greek
.

“That goes left, I think we need to go right,” The Scout, and The Driver would say. Or, “There’s the sea. That’s the way we want to go.”

On that first day we went south then crossed ‘the finger’ and went north, looping our way into the ‘middle finger’ or The Mani – the place we planned to spend most of our time.

And ultimately we found a town large enough to buy a map written in Greek so that we could match the letters on the map to what we saw on the signs. It worked perfectly! We know what this sign is pointed to now.

We’ve been heading north up the western coast of The Mani for the last two days. Often not passing another car for significant periods of time. The art of slow travel, you might say as we’ve stopped to admire the views along the way.

We decided to stop at the small fishing village suggested to us by Jeff Siger, our writer friend from Mykonos. We planned to have coffee there and continue north. . .

Not so fast . . .instead we rented a room above the cafe – it cost us only 30 euros. And we’ve both agreed this may well be one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever visited. One night wasn’t enough, and we will definitely be returning to this place. I'll tell you more about it soon.

That’s it for this update from Greece. And I think it is Travel Photo Thursday so head over to Budget Travelers Sandbox for more photos. And if you are thinking we should have had GPS, forget that idea. The area is so remote there is nothing to connect to (we tried it using our Lloyd, the Droid.) As wi-fi connection allows I will keep you posted about our whereabouts. . .

In Pan’s Playground

2013-04-15T21:40:00.000-07:00

Pan, that wily god of wild shepherds and flocks, nature and mountain wilds is said to have lived in the Parnonas Mountains; the range that frames our little beachfront town of Poulithra.

He’s the fellow with the hindquarters and legs of a goat who romped with the Nymphs. And his playground high above us called out yesterday. . .we ventured into Pan’s Land.

We climbed up into the clouds on winding, twisty roads that cling to the hillsides – dizzying heights, I assure you. The good thing is that all drivers take the corners with great respect for the sure death that would await if they were traveling too fast.

Pan's pathway led us to a picturesque mountain village, Kosmas. A place where the small stone buildings on the town square house small inns, cafes and gift shops – and those we visited were heated by fireplace or wood stoves (and all were in use – we were at a mountain top).

We then stopped at Monastery Panagias Elonis, which hangs off a sheer cliff a few miles outside Kosmas. It is said to have been built in the 14th Century by Kosmas residents after they saw an image of the Virgin Mary on the hillside.

The stairway leading to the monastery was solid and wide but when you looked over the edge. . .yikes! That ribbon below - far below! -- is the road we would descend down after leaving this religious site. I can now understand why at least half of Pan had goat legs.

Thanks for coming along on our Greek adventure. Our internet connection has been a bit spotty and as we go further south I suspect it may get even more unpredictable. . .I’ll be back when I can ( I have loads of tales to tell you!)