My European Adventure

On our last day in Perissa, we decided to relax. A stroll through town and a walk along the beach was all we wanted to accomplish.  Building a home or a hotel? I love the white house with blue trim look. It brightens up the place.  The water was not too cold or too warm; it was the perfect temperature.  

It was very easy to take the bus from Perissa to Fira. Naturally, the bus was late. The ride into Fira allowed us to see other parts of the island. Then on the way back to Perissa, we went another route so we could see more of the island. I saw a few conical windmills which were too large to be involved in the windmill game.  Fira is much larger than Perissa. The beauty of the town is located on the cliffs that overlook the Aegean Sea. Here is where you can see many white and blue buildings with an occasional splash of orange or yellow structures. The rocky pathway that allows you spectacular views was slippery so I was glad to have my good ole Keen boots. Once again, my photos fail to express the true grandeur and beauty of the area.  All morning we watched the sky change colors. Luckily, our Bandon weather "reading" skills were still sharp. We walked into La Scala for lunch right before the downpour. It was my first time to try moussaka. I was hesitant to try it because I a...

Going to Perissa was like going home. Since it was not tourist season, mostly everything in Perissa was closed. The absence of tourists allowed us to enjoy the village as if we weren’t visitors. Even a local dog, Luna, adopted us. She followed us around and welcomed us even if we did not have treats to spare. Of course, it looked like she had her share of treats. She was very loving.  We stayed at the Irigeneia Hotel which was located about the same distance from the beach as our house. Even though it was called a hotel and had many rooms like a hotel, it really was the home of a very sweet couple and their three year old twins. I would say it was more like a bed and breakfast, except you weren’t staying in the main house.  Once you entered the “lobby”, you could feel the warmth of a home. It was very spacious with several sitting areas. It was decorated with pictures of people smiling in various places. I discovered later that a local photographer took these photos of Greek p...

Athens is a happening place! I was amazed by all that was happening every day. At first, I thought it was because we arrived on a Saturday. Nope! Every day and night is social time. People walking around  shopping, friends heading to rooftop restaurants for food and drinks, vendors selling fruit and vegetables, tourists looking at souvenirs, restauranteurs encouraging you to stop and eat at their place, musicians playing the accordion, entertainers singing Beatles’ tunes, a man doing acrobatic moves in a large metal circle, etc. Then you look up and there it is - the Acropolis.  The Acropolis, a mount that contains thousands of years of history. Structures that were erected so long ago and can be seen from the city center. I imagine the ancient times being very similar to what I am witnessing today. People in the streets, vendors, Greeks gathering to have discussions with friends, and so forth. The culture of Greece is here and now. The buildings may be crumbling, but in no wa...

We are enjoying the crêpes in France. Cécile and Simon made savory crêpes for us and they also took us to a Crêperie. Just in case you missed the news, I made crêpes all by myself!  There also is a crêpes place less than 5 minutes from our apartment. It is fascinating to watch them make the crêpes. They make it look so easy to evenly spread the batter with their special crêpe cooking tool. Flipping the large, thin crêpe without it breaking takes talent.   Crêpe, crêpe, crêpe! The word is just fun to say! Try it.  Savory crêpes are just as good as sweet ones.  I think I did a pretty good job making crêpes. I will definitely practice.  Can you see the difference?