Venice. Nice place, glad I have already seen it, because I did not make it
this time. Vicki and Deb did, but life got in the way for me to visit. Sick
cat, 94 year old mother, flooded mother basement, etc. etc. kept me from the
trip. Vicki and I were to travel on after Venice when Deb came home to work.
But on top of everything else Vicki, was invited to ride with the support crew
on the Cross Egypt Challenge in mid-November. That would make a longer stretch
than she wanted to stay away, so she came back home and we are getting set for a
“do over” at the end of September.
GREECE
I set here on my balcony looking out over the Aegean sea drinking coffee as
the sun creeps up over the mountains of the island of Paros, turning clouds pink
and slowing chasing away the shadows of darkness. It was a journey getting here,
but I think I like it. We used just about every means of transport to get here;
rental car to the airport, airplane to Athens, public bus to Pireaus, taxi to
the hotel, and boat to the island. The flight was uneventful. The one hour bus
ride was enlighting. As you know, Greece has had a few economic hard times and
the bus showed it. It was clean but the brakes squealed in hopes of repair and
the suspension rattled and shuttered and hit bottom with every pothole or pebble
on the road.
We spent a pleasant day in Pireaus at the hotel Lilia. This was a small
back alley locals hotel until the owner discovered and uses the internet. It is
a small clean value hotel and the tourist like us seem to be the main business
now. Everyone was pleasant and sincerely wanted to help.
The taxi to the ferry at 6:30 would have been routine except for the 60
year old female, New Jersey educated taxi driver. She turned it into a culture
adventure comparing Greece to the U.S. and telling us how it is still hard to
make ends meet here and she has three jobs to get by. She told us of losing
official papers in New Jersey and it taking two hours to replace and losing
similar papers here took her four months. Vicki had said yesterday that this
placed reminded her of Ecuador and the drivers stories just re-enforced those
thoughts.
The ferry. This is a large passenger and vehicle ferry. There are three
level of tickets, economy, air-seats, and business lounge. I went cheap.
Boarding was easy with escalators up to the passenger decks.Then the challenge began. I have seen refuge boats with less people. They
were everywhere. In the halls, on the decks, in all the lounges and restaurants.
Not in every square foot but most of them. So, this called for a onboard upgrade
for me as the only seats we could find were on the fantail in 20 knot winds. The
line to reception was long, with mostly Asians. I stood in line for 45 minutes
to get to the front of the line. Most of the people were in line to buy WiFi
access and some were buying cabins. I gladly paid the 25 euro for the upgrade.
Business class is just a large lounge at forward part of the boat. Comfortable
and quiet. We were seated in the lounge about 20 minutes before sea spray
started coming across the bow. I am sure the fantail seats were getting
uncomfortable by now. Four and half hours later we disembarked and left most of
the passengers as they were on their way to Santorini, a tourist mecca.
Now, off to discover the island. Check back in a few days for a update.
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| granny has all the nav stuff |
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| $6 for two |
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| 70 cents for two |
Alexandro Apartments and rental car.
I put a lot of time into shopping for a place to stay on the internet
before arriving on Paros. The top contender was the Alexandro Apartments and we
exchanged emails but I did not reserve a room. Nor did I reserve a car. I got a
few prices and decided to wing it.
The ferry drops you right “downtown” Parikia. This is a village, so
downtown is not much. A beach road lined with small hotels and restaurants and a
main circle with a windmill and maybe ten blocks up the hill and maybe a mile
wide. We walked to the first rental car/hotel/boat ride/etc. office right on
the circle. Within 5 minutes Nick the Greek Boyatsiz had us checked out on the
car from gears to gas tank and we were on our way. In Naoussa we quickly found
the Alexandros apartments and the owner Litsa. We discussed our emails and she
showed the apartments we had discussed, but none where exactly what we wanted.
Litsa asked what we were looking for and I said living/kitchen area and a
separate bedroom. She said “come on” and took us to exactly what we are looking
for. Even more if you count the whole extra suite that is downstairs from the
main area.
We have stayed in lots of places throughout the world but Litsa is the
friendliest owner ever. From giving us her personal cellphone number and saying
“call anytime, 24 hours” to delivering sweet roles or chicken or salad greens,
but more importantly treating you like you are a true friend. Always glad to
see you, always having time just to visit. And then there is Pueblo her
beautiful German Shepard who, when you scratch his back, his back leg starts
flying. Her staff, Mary and Betty, are just helpful.
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| our views |
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| Litza The best pictures are here http://alexandros-paros.com/gallery.php |
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| fresh fish? |
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| the beaches are not crowded this time of year |
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| One of the local moonshine drinks distilled like grappa, rika and many other grape leftovers is Zuma. It will definitely zuma you. Night two I had two and had to walk away. It is the cheapest drink on the menu as it is home distilled. |
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| The weather has been beautiful but winds have been blasting at over 20 mph the whole time. That is about a 200 foot ferry. |
The Politics of it All
One
reason we leave the U.S. this time of year is to avoid all the election ads and
phone calls. Unfortunately it is getting hard to do. We have a phone service
that forwards our messages to our email as a text message and a copy of the
audio message. It does not always get it right, but close. I swore at it one
time just to see what it would translate and it sent “this message could not be
translated” but the actual phone call came as attachment. The robo calls are
getting a little more sophisticated now days and some are sneaking
through.
"Hi my name is Gisele daddy-daddy(?) yo
and I'm the care giver for my three year old son Bruno. He suffers from down
syndrome-a(?) type of severe childhood-up(?) the love seat. The doctors have
been able to successfully treated in other states using medical marijuana.
Please help kids like but I'll have all the options they need for a better
healthier life. When you get your absentee ballot. Don't forget to mail that
back and please four(?) yes on amendment two. Paid political advertising paid
for by people United for medical marijuana twenty North Orange Avenue suite
sixteen hundred on the Florida three two eight oh one."
I am all for joint smoking but these
guys seem to be getting through the phone maze more than anyone
else.
"Good morning this is County
Commissioner Ken walsh(?) calling about green-life-and-ellis(?). This morning we
held a live telephone town hall meeting to discuss the green light plan. The
comprehensive plan to plan for our county and what the new and enhanced transit
service woman for the community and you personally. I'm sorry that we missed
you. If you receive this message before ten thirty am. Still have a chance to
join the call by dialing toll free 8772298493 and entering the code one nine
eight seven eight. For more information call 7273468448 or visit
www.greenlightfromls.com. Thanks and have a good day."
I am all for more transportation but I
did not bother to call back.
I have not
seen a airplane in the air the time we have been on the island. This afternoon
some fighters came from the SE headed towards Athens and a couple came over headed
from Athens to the SE. About 30 minutes later while we are setting having an
sunset drink, we see contrails coming from the SE headed towards Athens. Four
airplanes in formations of 2. At the same time five airplanes came from the
direction of Athens head SE. Four airplanes in formations of 2 and one solo.
They were large aircraft. I am thinking tankers. What is SE from here....Syria
and Iraq. Can’t even hide from it here.
On a
positive note, Litza must have known that the “Princess” felt a pea under her
mattress and when we got home today, there was a new mattress on the
bed
Checking out the island.
Ok,
first day we drove all the way around the island. Took us a couple of hours and
I am sure you can do it in less than sixty minutes. That done, one day we drove
it again. There are lots of little coves to explore and discover the small
villages in each, but no, I head off up the middle of the island over the
mountain. I really need to think of renting 4 wheelers. Any right turn has got
me stuck before and close many a time. Not this time....yet. The main road over
is a mix of gravel, dirt and what appears to be left over concerte or concerte just poured on the road with no forms. It was a fun adventure. Locals, Al and
Arty, (more about them later) say when they have their one day of snow a year,
the locals drive up on the mountain to sled with cardboard and trash can lids.
Just like the rest of the world.
After picking our way over the hills and through the dales we came to the
south end of the island and drove into the village of Aliki for lunch. A nice
little restaurant on the water and I parked the car across from the restaurant
on the narrow street and asked the owner if it would be ok. He said probably not
when the bus comes but leave it until the bus comes. Well the bus came and
could not make the turn so I ran over and moved about 50 yards down the road.
All was well and now it was time for a beer and lunch. The owner and his cousin,
overly friendly like all Greeks, gave us suggestions of what to have. I chose
“red mullet” and off we went to pick them out in the kitchen. I fact they were
not mullet, not nearly boney enough, but small red snapper. I had ordered them
cooked on the BBQ but Mikos said the small fish are better fried and I agreed
with him. “I will cook them myself” he says and batters and throws them in the
oil. The whole time telling me about how he runs his restaurant. “I am honest, I
tell the people the truth.” And in fact he does. His menu listed the fish as
“frozen” or “fresh”. He says “I have a big menu, but that does not mean I have
everything. If it is not available fresh, I don’t have it.” He told me how he
worked at sea, including time on a Cubans yacht out of Miami and that his
brother is in Orlando but can not come to visit because he has 5 granddaughters
that he can't bear to leave for even a week. We had a great day and a great lunch.
We
stopped in Parika on the way back to visit a church that is really old and it is
built on a temple that was even really really old. We are talking about
thousands, and thousand, and thousands of years. Not like that stuff in America that in comparison was built yesterday.
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| We parked outside of Lefkes and walked in but could not find our way through the maze of small sidewalks/street. This kind gentleman indicated with sign language just walk straight ahead and open any gates. |
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| pigeon and chickens for dinner |
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| Movie star. Nope....just another cat lover. |
Normally I would through some of these pictures in a slide show so the scroll challenged would not have such a hard time but google is not speaking greek to me.
Saturday
Night Special
On this
island is Al and Arty. We have only met on the internet via the Modern Vespa
forum, but we have a lot in common. He was a Army helicopter pilot as was I. He
rides Vespa’s as do I. Arty is retired from AA (not the drinking one) as I am
now via corporate marriage. They live here full time. They came to visit about
nine years ago and never really left. We had had a pleasant lunch earlier in the
week in town, but they said we had to meet them a Anna and Giorgo’s for the best
lamb on the island. I do not know if it is the best lamb on the island but it is
the best lamb we have had on the island. Al and Arty are friends of the owners
which made the whole evening that much more enjoyable as Giorgo made faces as Al
butchered the Greek language, but charged on to the end. We talked of scooters,
traveling, mutual friends in the scooter world and the challenges of living even
in a civilized country not your own.
μεγάλο κόκκινο gr
Every day since we arrived on the island of Paros, he has been sitting
down there calling to me. With my morning coffee on the balcony, he would be
there. When we walked to town he would be there. He had lots of cousins around
but they were all invisible to me. Just him. In his red shining armor he would
pull at my attention. After a week of looking at him I succumbed to the call.
I walked down the hill and said “I need to rent that one for a day”. “Yes
mister, but this one is very expensive. His cousins are much cheaper”. “I don’t
care what the cost, I want that one”, I said. Thus, μεγάλο κόκκινο gr and I became friends for 24
hours. They shined him up and checked his tires then I mounted up and off we
roared out of town and over the hills. After a good warm up, we returned to the
hotel Alexandros and prepared to cross the island to have lunch with Arty and
Al. It was only one hour but I paced around the apartment until it was a
reasonable departure time to but us on International Blvd at 1:30 and the house
that Fargola built. μεγάλο
κόκκινο gr proved a fine ride and took me with Vicki on
the back over the hills, to the beach, around the bend to International Blvd. He
had a long leisurely visit but after 4 pm it was time to ride. We thanked our
hosts, saddled up and hit the road. We arrived home just before
sunset.
On Wednesday, I was up early and off with μεγάλο κόκκινο
gr to watch the sun come up. Our intent was to have coffee in
Marpissa but we were there at 7:30 and café’s did not open until 8, so we hit
the highway. Just outside Marpisa we came to Vpia. It was open and serving
coffee and fresh “pies” or stuffed pastries. I had coffee with the owner Spiro outside and we discussed what most people talk about, the economy. He gave me a small history lesson about the island be he admitted, not being from here, he did not know a lot. It is and has
been very bad in Greece for some time, but despite that Spiro and his wife, Marix the baker, moved
from Athens to Paros and opened this shop this year. His theory is that things
are starting to get a little better, more people are taking vacations and on
vacation you are willing to spend a little more and it is that little that he
hopes will keep him in business. Form there I just rode following the highway
but a lot of goat trails and met some great people. By noon it was all over.
μεγάλο κόκκινο
gr was back at home and Vicki and I were on foot once again.
I
am depressed.
Cats
You like cats, this is the place. They are everywhere. They are not
aggressive and reportedly they are fixed on a regular basis. Cats are good luck
you know.
I have mentioned that there are lots of Chinese traveling now because of a week long holiday period in their home country. We thought this couple were on a honeymoon but in fact have been married for over four years, but every vacation is a honeymoon and she drags this dress on everyone of them.
Goodbye Paros
I am setting on my balcony drinking coffee looking over the Aegean Sea watching the sun come and the moon go down. We left Paros yesterday. We hated to go but it was time to relocate. The 20 gusting 30 knot winds aimed directly at our balcony were taking there toll. For two day after I told Litza we were leaving when she saw me she would say, “Ken, you pay me for 10 days and stay for 2 or 3 days for free. You only need to be on Naxos a day or two. You tell Vicki you want to stay here for free.” I told her if she could convince Vicki, I would be glad to stay. Normally I would be suspicious I had paid to much when someone wants me to stay for “free”, but the apartment had been a great deal, so I knew that was not it. I saw what other people were paying. So we did the bag drag to the ferry again, but this time we were smart. The first seats we came to we sat. Luckily there were two seats at a table in the café and seated there was a couple from Santarini. He was a retired ships engineer and lived in Tampa for a year working on a boat, see he and I chatted away. Mean while Vicki got to share the screams of a small child behind here. (By the way. Some Chinese from Shanghai said that Santarini was “to crowded”. When people from one of the most crowded cities in the world says it is “crowded”, I ain’t going.)
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| last supper under the full moon |
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| Litza's son, 中國客人, Litza's mother, Litza and Pueblo |
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| Betty and Mary. Always with a smile and always running to help you. |
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| cuing to disembark |
aa
