The Temple of Poseidon and Cape Sounio

Ron saved the best of all for last. We are spending the final weekend of our Big Fat Greek Anniversary at Grecotel Cape Sunio. Here is what Fodor’s travel guide has written about it below.


“One of the most luxurious hotels in Greece, this showpiece – looking a bit like a Greek temple left over from a spectacular Cecil B. DeMille movie set – perches amid the verdant pine forest of Sounion National Park. Accommodations here . . . are built as in amphitheater seating, to embrace the coast and maximize sea vistas. Floor to ceiling sliding glass doors open onto walk-on terraces, facing towards the Temple of Poseidon.”

                      The central building of the Grecotel Cape Sounio

The hotel features a great ambience to enjoy the Grecian evenings out of doors

                                                    Our bungalow

Aerial view of private hotel beach

Views from our bungalow

We arrived late Friday afternoon at our hotel (early evening) and got settled right away. We were very pleased with the excellent view of the sea and the temple from our room. We were looking forward enjoying the resort amenities and the natural surroundings. First things first . . . we were hungry. The hotel has an asian inspired restaurant and we jumped at the chance to enjoy a different cuisine. The restaurant was beautiful and quite exotic –but in a Greek sort of way – very little of the décor seemed asian inspired. The menu selections promoted what seemed like typical asian food in the U.S. The typical seemed exotic for Greece. There aren’t many restaurants that serve anything but Greek food. We have come across an occasional Italian restaurant, but no others. The food was delicious and beautifully presented – not an ordinary “Chinese food” experience. The salad we ordered as a starter was made of seaweed and cucumber. The seaweed was delicious! Neither of us had ever eaten that until now. We both ordered a dessert as we had eaten very lightly all day and our waitress said the dessert portion was small. We almost always share a dessert so this was a caloric extravagance for us.

Following dinner we retired to the hotel’s open air lobby where live music was being played. We enjoyed visiting and relaxing for a while before it was time to turn in. Upon arrival in our room we discovered a thoughtful surprise left by the hotel’s management and concierge. It was an entire chocolate mousse cake with a card of congratulations on our anniversary. It looked delicious and we had just finished a dessert each! What a dilemma . . . we rationalized that it was after all our BIG FAT Greek anniversary and so we indulged in a quarter of the cake. It was smooth and delightful as only chocolate can be. The berries and sauce it was glazed with added a wonderful accent to the chocolate. We were able to put the remainder of it in the small refrigerator in our room and we plan eat every bit of it before we go!

By the time we leave the plate will be empty!

The next surprise came when we got in bed. The bed – instead of being a king size bed – was two twins pushed together. They were made up with separate linens as two individual twins. Ron was very selective in the hotels he had picked – shopping around specifically to find among other things a King size bed – as my trip to Europe last year taught me not to expect them. In each hotel we were promised queens or kings in advance - but upon arrival we found the promises had been lost in translation.  The beds in each hotel we had been in were basically twins – that were retrofitted in some way to be king size. In Athens at the AVA hotel – they had a pillow top over the twins and used King linens. In Hydra – they were joined together – but we had separate twin linens. In Nafplio the beds were motorized so you could sit up in bed, or raise the feet or head individually. There were twin mattresses held together with an exterior frame – but the beds moved independently. Still . . we had king size linens. Here we were in bed and we realize – that our beds are not joined – and that our linens are separate. As it was late – we decided to tough it out and inquire in the a.m. Ron went to the front desk and inquired if they could resolve our twin bed problems. They told him that many tourists – especially the Germans prefer separate beds – so that was the standard, if you wanted it differently you had to request it. I guess Ron’s initially inquiries at the time of booking weren’t request enough – and the fact that we were celebrating our anniversary didn’t provide a clue to the hotel staff either. Oh well – they have assured us it will be fixed tonight. Good thing we have that big fat mousse cake waiting – that makes up for a lot.

One of the things we have missed is – a gym! This hotel has a lovely octagonal shaped gym with floor to ceiling glass windows that look out over the bay. We spent an hour working out and then spent the rest of the afternoon at the beach and then to the pool. We just relaxed and enjoyed the water and the sun. The breeze blew constantly and so we were always comfortable. Our hotel has spectacular views of the Temple of Poseidon. This promontory of the temple is a wonderful place to view the sun setting. Ron had planned that we would share this sunset. In the early evening we headed to the ancient ruins – just a couple minutes drive from our hotel. We explored the ruins and settled in to watch the sunset. I have not spent so much time viewing sunsets in my entire life. What a nice way to welcome in the evening. This description of the Temple of Poseidon is borrowed directly from Fodor’s again.

“In antiquity, the view from the cliff was matched emotion for emotion by the sight of the cape (called the “sacred headland” by Homer) and the mighty temple when viewed from the sea – a sight that brought joy to sailors, knowing upon spotting the massive temple that they were close to home.”

The Temple of Poseidon - hiked to in my Greek-Germanic sandals

We had another romantic dinner right at the water’s edge. The temple was lit up in the distance and the lapping of waves was occasionally heard when the yachts in the cape were in motion. We tried octopus for the first time – it was served in our salad. Our entrée was brought to us rare and was cooked in front of us.

Today . . . we have pressed the rewind button and plan to repeat yesterday - exercise, beach, fine dining. Early bed – our flight leaves Athens for Paris at 7am.

Ancient Ruins

Down the cliff from the far side of the Palimidi Fortress lies Karathona Beach. This was where we went on Thursday to soak up the sun and relax near the water. This was a much bigger beach than Arvanitia was. There were lots of services at this beach also. All the chairs and umbrellas are lined up in rows just as the tables at Greek restaurants are lined up facing the pedestrians. It was a very relaxing way to spend the day.


Late afternoon we headed to Mycenae (my-SEE-neh). The drive there was an adventure on Greek roads that are poorly marked. It took a little over a half an hour to arrive at the ancient capital city of the Mycenaean people. As we travelled we slowly ascended to finally arrive at the remains of a fortress city atop a hill. The views of the surrounding area offer a rewarding combination of mountains and valleys planted with rows of olive and orange trees and interspersed occasionally with giant cypress trees. The Mycenaean civilization ruled between 1600 and 1200 B.C. They used this hilltop vantage point to control much of what passed between Athens and Nafplia. The tour of the ancient site begins by passing through Lion Gate and climbing to the top of yet another Acropolis. But first, the Lion Gate . . . an entrance that immediately speaks to you through the ages as you recognize that it serves to guard something within its walls. Two lions cut in stone greet you. Their heads are missing – but you imagine that they may have been made out of gold and facing you as they roar. The size of the stones making up the wall and gate are bigger than any I have ever seen. The lintel below the lions weighs 18 tons – the sheer size of the stones awakens amazement as I think of the power of this mighty civilization. Once I pass through the gate my imagination has to travel back in time to reconstruct what’s missing from this city. I find that difficult to do – I wish there was a three dimensional model to help my imagination along. Ron was able to get a mental picture of the site and helped me through it by pointing out what was obvious to him. After visiting the ruins we examined the treasures in the archaeological museum located on the site.

LION GATE

Views from the Acropolis (on top/high place=Acro, polis=city think Minneapolis, metropolis etc.)

                                              View of Olive Grove

                             I'm always amazed when flowers bloom inside a rock

We next went to the Treasure of Atreus (also known as The Tomb of Agamemnon - though not necessarily so). This was a massive beehive like burial tomb made in the 13th century B.C.. This is what massive means to me: 47 feet in diameter, 42 feet tall. 33 rings of 5 ton stones, the lintel over the doorway weights 12 tons (The largest Egyptian pyramid stones weighed 30 tons). You didn’t much of an imagination for this tomb because it wasn’t ruins . . . it was three dimensional. As I walked inside I imagined a dead queen being carried in on her funeral bed and disappearing into the opening. Then once inside I could envision all of her treasures surrounding her. The acoustics inside this enormous beehive were the most remarkable I have ever heard. I stomped my sandaled foot in the center and heard the sound amplified and boomerang back.

                                                                         Inside the Tomb
Visiting these archaeological sites in the early evening was an ideal time . . . .much like when we visited The Theatre of Epidavros – provided the chance to visit the sites in cooler temperatures and allowed us to see them without throngs of other visitors.

Friday morning we checked out of our hotel and stopped at a couple of shoe stores on the way out of Nafplia. I had a bought a pair of Grecian sandals in Hydra – but only found one pair that I liked – so they were designated for Lauren (we share a shoe size). I had been looking ever since leaving Hydra for a pair for myself without success and had been wishing that I had bought two pair of the same sandals (It wouldn’t be the first time Lauren and I had the same shoes). We went to the main shopping district for locals and I struck gold finding the perfect pair of sandals. At 39 euros they were a bargain in comparison to what I paid for Lauren’s on the island of Hydra. That’s what I get for buying sandals on an island. Still . . . Lauren’s were made in Greece . . . mine were made in Germany.

After a successful shopping excursion (defined by me as “I bought something I liked” and by Ron as “It didn’t take very long) we headed to Corinth to explore the Ancient ruins there. It took considerable effort to find our way. The signs in Greece are as you can guess . . .in Greek.  As such we cannot cipher them in a moving vehicle. The GPS wasn’t much help – but Ron was an expert driver and we found our way eventually. We arrived mid-day when the sun was at its hottest, this necessitated our visit be quick, plus we wanted to arrive at our new destination before rush hour in Athens. We saw the Temple of Apollo and the surrounding Agora. We saw the Bema where Paul the Apostle stood as he was judged by the local magistrate. The museum was also interesting. I especially liked the study of male genitalia .  They were lined up in an enclosed case featured alongside displays of ears, feet, legs, arms etc. Ron thought it looked like an anatomy lab. I thought it was more like an art studio. (now why didn't I take a picture?) As I write this he  reminds me that the lineup of body parts included female breasts. I guess we both saw what we saw. There were also many other treasures – some large scale statues, frescoes, floor mosaics etc. Talk about a study in antiquity – material that could keep you exploring this civilization for years to come.

                                       The Temple of Apollo

We headed to Athens via a national highway. This was a nice six lane highway – three to four lanes each direction. There aren’t many of these in Greece and we paid a toll every so many miles – about 3 euro. From Athens we headed to the coast and travelled down to Sounio. The views of the Saronic Gulf were stunning. We pulled over to look off the steep cliffs below to the waters. Lots of beautiful coves where the dark blue water turned turquoise as it became shallow. I imagine how interesting of a view this must be for an artist and can see an impressionistic painting coming to life. All along the rocks are sunbathers and in the protected coves are swimmers. I asked Ron “Are they naked?” One look through the binoculars and he responded “naked as jaybirds”. I imagine that painting now with little people painted into the rocks. The artist has painted them in such a way that everyone viewing the painting will ask “are they really naked?”

Along the coastal highway we see much of beauty – but also much that takes away from the beauty of Greece. Trash along the roadside and graffiti on things manmade and on natural objects abound. My mind flashes back to the cactus on the hillside of the Palimidi and am reminded that even the cactus leaves have letters carved in them. It is as if it is a contagion – we haven’t travelled to a single area in Greece untouched by this blight. Sounio is at the very tip of the peninsula. We are greeted at the guarded gate of the resort. Our name is checked against a list of people with reservations. I am pleased as I realize this means that the beauty of Sounio will not be spoiled by Grafitti. We will spend our last couple of days here. Tonight is the first of three at the Grecotel Cape Suonio.

                   The beauty of a cove marred by Grafitti

Typical view of a tagged building from the roadside

Nafplia and surroundings

Last night we dined at the restaurant in our Hotel. Our reservation was for 8:30p. The restaurant didn’t open until 8pm. Greeks eat late. They also eat more cheese per capita than any other country in the world. That is mostly feta – but a close second would be goat cheese. Vegetables as a side dish are not part of the Greek cuisine. They mostly eat lettuce and herbs with their dinner. At some restaurants you can find them but they are boiled – over-boiled really. This means that you get the fiber – but not the vitamins when you eat them. I was really hoping tonight to score some steamed vegetables by special request to the chef. We were seated at a corner table on the balcony overlooking the Argolic Gulf. The best table in the house we were told and we could readily see that it was. The most beautiful view of any dining experience Ron or I had ever had began the most romantic dining experience we had ever had. The view encompassed the orange tiled rooftops of Nafplia, the sea , the Bourtzi castle on the islet of the sea and a mountainous backdrop. Each one by itself was scenic – but together? Wow! Not only was our visual sense touched – but the sounds of piano music floated out across the balcony from the interior of the restaurant. We began our meal with selections provided by the Chef.; asparagus soup and homemade breads with a goat cheese/tomato spread. As the courses progressed the sun set. The most beautiful sunset we have ever seen. As the sun was setting over the mountains there were clouds over the mountain. As the sun set over the mountain the clouds were infused with red, yellow and orange hues. The colors were also reflected in the water. As a background to all of this visual Our salads were served and we delighted in the flavors. Ron’s vinaigrette tasted like the best olive oil ever. We don’t like to eat olive oil straight – and so we inquired what kind it was. It was mixed with a grape juice – extracted by the chef called moustos. The ratio was about 1/3 juice to 2/3 extra virgin olive oil. He said it wasn’t the olive oil but the moustos that gave the flavor without the strong vinegar accent we are used to in a salad dressing. My salad was unique in that the lettuce was called lambs lettuce. The tiny leaves were joined together like petals on a flower. For the main course I had lamb. It was crusted in millet and served with a mashed eggplant – and at my request vegetables – the same ones that were identified on Ron’s menu selection of beef fillet. Ron and I will usually eat a cup or more of vegetables at dinner – we chuckled at the vegetables as they came out. You’ll see what I mean in the picture below.

The mashed eggplant was served in a hard bread bowl.  There were 1 1/2 asparagus stalks and 2 baby carrots.

Our hotel is situated inside the ruins of an ancient fortress Akronafplia (means the end of Nafplia), built originally in the 3rd century B.C. . It was re-fortified throughout the ages to protect the city of Nafplia from invasion by sea. Most of the ruins we now see were built in the 15th century by the Venetians during their second occupation. We explored the ruins of this fortress today and enjoyed the views. We also discovered another plant that we were surprised to find in Greece – the cactus. The steep cliffs jutting out of the ocean are full of them and they are in full bloom. I would imagine the cactus alone would be a deterrent for the invading armies to come ashore via the cliffs.

Lots of things are blooming in Greece

The Venetians felt that they needed more fortification (as this was during their 2nd occupation they knew by experience that others wanted this region as they had already lost Nafplia to the Ottomans). Consequently they built another fortress on a higher promontory. Building commenced in 1699 and took a few years to complete. This fortress was called Palamidi. To access this fortress - you begin at the base of Akronafplia and climb 1,000 steps (650 feet) to the entrance. You can also access It via a road – but since I had recently climbed down and up the Grand Canyon I thought this would be easy by comparison. This was an impressive fortress or castle. Ron thinks it rivals Edinburgh or Stirling castles in Scotland. As you climb you can’t see much of your destination, but once you have made you 990th step you are immediately impressed with the size and detail of this castle and how much of it remains. We began exploring an area – going low and high– into the dungeons and the sanctuary and then finally to the top to look out where we discovered another area or bastion of the fortress. We were drawn to explore that area and then amazed that another one existed – eight in all. If the castle wasn’t fascinating enough – the views of the city and the gulf were worth the climb. What a lovely place on the earth to be.

Ron is headed to the Dungeon.

Views of the City and the sea from Palimida follow

We spent a couple of hours wandering around – appreciating the natural beauty of the land before we descended the 1,000 steps. From that point we were just minutes away from our next activity . . . an afternoon at the beach.

Arvanitia beach is a public beach – but for hotel guests an area is managed which includes a restaurant, changing area, showers, chairs, umbrellas etc. We spent the afternoon here. We enjoyed the sunshine and the breeze against the backdrop of water while we read up on the history of Nafplia and its surroundings. The beach was rocky –covered with smooth round rocks, ouch and hot! No sand on this beach. We went to an area where you didn’t have to walk across the beach to get into the water. There were ladders off the rocks that you could use to drop down into the water. That’s where we went. The water was instantly deep enough to swim in. The water continually lapped the rocks and you felt constant motion – but no body surfing waves for Ron to catch. We enjoyed swimming in the gulf – the water refreshed us.

Arvanitia Beach

We spent the early evening at the National Gallery of Art here in Nafplia. Their collection is small –but well presented. It is stored in a neoclassical mansion not far from the town square. They have an exhibit that showcases art surrounding the 1812 Greek War of Independence. We were learned about the Greek identity and how art helped the Greeks return to that identity after so many years of occupation.

Dinner tonight meant that we explored the world of seafood in Greece. We had held out long enough and our food choices were become incredibly repetitive – we needed a new lifeline. We had looked forward to eating seafood in Greece – but so far had not had the courage to try it. This is because the seafood was listed as “fish”. Whenever we saw listings it was of such items as squid, octopus, mussels, cuttlefish, sardines etc. Those are not the kinds of fish we have a desire to eat. We have occasionally seen a red snapper option. We chose a restaurant on the main boardwalk to dine in. They offered red snapper and took you to an area of ice drawers where you chose you fish. They then weighed it and you paid for it by weight. My fish weighed 350 grams and cost about 18 euros for the fish only. It was just a small serving by American standards – but just about right if you didn’t want to take any home with you. I ordered it grilled. Ron ordered pasta with tomato sauce and fresh shrimp. We ordered a plate of vegetables – but wanted them steamed instead of boiled. They did not know what that was – so I requested instead that they boil only for a little bit of time. The vegetables which came doused in olive oil (yikes- loosen your belt again!) were broccoli, cauliflower, beets, zucchini and dandelion leaves. That was a first. Interesting flavor – taste ok – but we left most of it along with the zucchini. The fish and shrimp were served with heads on (we were prepared for this from my European experience last summer) and were both fresh and worthy of enjoyment. We felt like we had succeeded again at procuring a decent meal.  We don't record many of the restaurant names - I probably should however I can't pronounce them or write them.  The Greeks don't even use the same alphabet that we do.

We decided not to have dessert at this restaurant as the chairs were uncomfortable – straight back and strung with rope. We had planned to spend the rest of the evening blogging and playing Rummikub, whilst people watching on the town square. The vast majority of restaurants have outside seating (like Paris and many other cities in Europe) and when you order something the table is yours for the evening. We needed a table with comfortable lounge chairs and so decided to have dessert somewhere else. The evening weather is almost non -existent – in other words – it is perfect! It is a lovely pleasure for the Greeks to sit outside all evening drinking, eating, chatting and playing board games. (Ron finds it odd that there are no tv’s with sports in the background) Tonight we wanted to be Greek. We ordered a sweet crepe, a bottle of water and now the table is ours for the night.

The Pelloponese

We took a boat to Ermioni. It was a short ride – maybe 20 minutes. A word about the boats. We have been using the transport company Hellenic Seaways. You ride in the enclosed area of the boat and have an assigned seat much like you would an airplane seat. I could see this as a nice way to visit many islands at once as an alternative to a cruise vacation. It’s quite simple – no fuss, no security checks- no arrival one hour before etc. Just show up at the appointed time –carry your bags on, drop them in the designated area and take your seat. The prices seem fairly reasonable. It cost 25 euro per person from Athens to Hydra and about 15 euro to get from Hydra to Ermioni.

Upon arrival in our port we walked about a block (100 meters) to the car rental. The rest of the trip we will be in our own car so that we can move efficiently and visit places we choose. We rented a Hyundai matrix – a little vehicle –but just right for the two of us and for the price of fuel we would put into it. It was around 16 euros – I guess that is per liter. I don’t really know – I wasn’t thinking about it. Total cost to fill the tank was 90 euros. The exchange rate right now is about $1.18. Europe is on sale! We had a map and a Greek GPS. I had hoped it would allow me to change the language to English but it was not so simple. I went through the menus and struggled to figure it out – until I made the connection that impostazion might mean “imposter”. Isn’t that what we are . . . . sort of ….imposters ….in Greece. Sure enough – that was where the language menu was. We changed it to English and felt a little reassured that we could navigate this area together.

The country side was hilly, rocky and dry. It reminded us of part of the drive between Wyoming and Salt Lake City. There were a number of valleys that are mostly filled with olive groves and goat herds. We are guessing that is why most of the cities of Greece are located on the water. The terrain and lack of water sources make it more challenging to support daily life. The roads are narrow. The major highway we were on was only one lane each way. The drivers don’t necessarily stick to their side of the road. As you wind around you have to be cautious that the oncoming vehicle isn’t sharing the lane with you. There were shrines all along the side of the road. Little temples, the size of a mailbox dotted the landscape. Some were ornate and some simple but they all had icons stored in them. There seemed to be a preponderance of them in the parts of the road that had hairpin turns. I wonder if they are the Greek equivalent of the white MADD crosses we see on the side of the road.

Our first stop was Epidavros. This is a world heritage site. It is the best preserved of the 132 ancient Greek theatres in Greece. It seats 15,000 people and is still in use today. The acoustics were reputed to be superb – a feat of remarkable engineering. There is a marble circle in the middle of the orchestra – this opens into a hollow space underground and projects your voice up to the seats. Summer festivals showcase Greek tragedies and comedies there. The season doesn’t begin until mid June – so we had to create our own theatric experience. Ron read a love poem to me as I was up in the highest seating area. Then we exchanged places and I read a few lines from Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. It was remarkable to hear the projection of the voices. After our own Greek comedy we headed to visit other ruins on the site.

We then turned our GPS and Hyundai Matrix in the direction of Nafplio. This is our home base for the next 4 days. We are staying at the Nafplio Palace Hotel. This from the hotel book . . .“ Nafplia Palace, located on a promontory high above the Argolic Gulf, is built on the site of a political prison, which in turn was built within a Bronze Age Acropolis.” It is set in a natural landscape and seems to rise out of the sea. We have a lovely little suite with our own very large and very private balcony that overlooks the sea. This is quite peaceful and we plan to mix relaxation with exploration. Today is a beach day –we are going to take in the enjoyment of the sun and the sea.

Views from our Balcony

A Grecian Sunset

The Island of Hydra didn’t disappoint.

This trip to Greece was mostly about exploring the mainland. We did however want to visit one Greek Island so we could see what all the fuss was regarding the Greek Isles. We chose an island called Hydra (ee-druh) that took only about an hour and a half to get to by boat. Hydra is one of the Saronic islands. It’s main industry is tourism and fishing. There are a lot of artists who live on the island. It is also known for its nightlife. We arrived early Sunday morning and spent a day and a half there. Since it was so close to the mainland, I was a little leery that it would be a faux Greek Island – kind of one just done up to make the tourists happy. This was not so . . . it was charming and quaint and totally authentic. We really loved the peacefulness that reigned on the island. The beauty of the water, the landscape, the architecture – they all pleased the eye. Every view was a Kodak moment and I found myself taking pictures from all angles. Motorized vehicles are not allowed on the island and this contributed to its peacefulness and charm. The primary mode of transport was by foot. If you needed to transport something heavy – then handcart or donkey was the way to go. When our luggage was being taken up the pathway to our hotel – the pathway was too narrow for the handcart. After much wiggling – our porter accepted the comments of a passerby who suggested that as the hotel was only around the corner that he just pick up the bags and carry them the rest of the way. We assumed that is what was said in Greek anyway –because that is exactly what he did.

We had quite a lazy day (in fact . . so far we have had a nap every day that we have been in Greece). Wes spent most of the day exploring the island on foot. As we began up the stone walkway we went down pathways that led to other pathways – narrow twists and turns – each one revealing another cottage or villa. I spied bougainvillea in full bloom, geraniums, an occasional restaurant tucked in a turn and cats sunning on a porch or wiggling through a wrought iron gate. I felt delight in every door and window painted in a striking color to offset the white plaster or stone walls. Most of the day was overcast so there was not glare and the colors all seemed to be soothing and yet vibrant at the same time. Occasionally I would see a door that had weathered and was badly in need of a coat of paint. I caught myself imagining what color I would choose to create the same sense of belonging evoked by the neighboring cottages. Somewhere along the way we came across another traveler on the road. At first we thought she was following us . . . then it became evident she was leading us and follow her we did. Now this was not the kind of guide I would typically choose as it was a dog. This dog actually saw us on a pathway in the village and literally ran uphill to greet us. I am not an animal lover and am quite fearful of animals that I do not know. True to the experience we had in Athens, this dog, other than running up to greet us was not threatening or aggressive in any way. It switched between following us and leading us along the path. As we left the village we took a path that led us out in the countryside. There we came across decaying buildings, donkeys, a flock of birds, wild flowers, shrines, and beautiful landscape. This dog remained as our companion for a couple of hours. We walked to a beach on the far side of the island. Our return trip was via a path that followed the water all the way. As we traveled on this path I became quite comfortable with this dog – at one point discerning that she was thirsty and offering her water out of a bottle I had found discarded on the path (It appears the Greeks don’t have a “Don’t mess with Greece” litter campaign as we do in Texas. We have noticed a lot of refuse on the roadside and other areas ). He finally left us when a group of Greek children engaged him in play. This was good because we were going to stop along the path at a restaurant on the sea and weren’t quite sure what we would do with him at that point – though we guessed he would be allowed into the restaurant without so much as a glance. They might even bring him a setup of napkin and silverware.

Our requirement for our evening meal in Hydra was that we not eat Greek. We were well overdue for a change of diet. This is hard to do in Greece. So far – 98% or more of all restaurants serve the traditional Greek food. You don’t have a choice of Mexican, Italian, Asian etc.. just Greek. Most of the places we have been serve only traditional Greek food. We have found that we only like the grilled meats such as kabob and souvlaki, the salads and bread. Much of their dishes are overcooked and we have not enjoyed them. Vegetables are rarely listed on the menu and when they are they are served boiled. Fruits are readily available – but are seen as a dessert or served with yogurt. We have not tried any fish yet . . . haven’t seen any that wasn’t cooked in a traditional Greek way or that was priced at less than 80 euros per serving! They don’t really tell you what kind of fish they are serving either – it’s just listed on the menu as “fish”. All the places we are visiting in Greece are close to the water – but fish as we know it seem hard to come by.

We ate at Castello on the beach. It was a lovely restaurant – all outdoors overlooking the Aegean Sea. For our main course we ordered pasta and a poultry dish. The pasta dish was tagliatelle with saffron and something called bortaga. We inquired about bortaga and learned that it was fish eggs. While this wasn’t particularly appealing – the idea of pasta was. We decided to go for it. (My research shows Bortaga is “salted and air dried whole fish roes”. It travels well and is a delicious addition when shaved on risottos or pasta dishes). The poultry dish was an herb baked rooster. It was served with orzo pasta and was quite flavorful. We were expecting a rooster looking shape on the plate – but 3 little circles looking more like tenderloins wrapped in bacon were presented. The meal was acceptable in that it wasn’t traditional Greek food – but it wasn’t fabulous. The view was superior to the food by far.

We spent the rest of our time in Hydra exploring the shops. Lots of lovely things to be seen with entrepreneur’s everywhere. It seems every Greek is a salesman. As soon as you walk in a shop they are generally at your side offering assistance. They could also be described as pushy salesman. This was more so in Athens than in Hydra – but still more than we are used to. We did enjoy conversation with a couple of shopkeepers. The conversation went from comparing healthcare systems, to the benefits of socialism, to the Greek perceptions of George Bush and Barack Obama. Very interesting to hear the Greek perspective.

We spent the night at a lovely little hotel with beautiful views of the town. The next day we left Hydra on a boat back to the mainland. Our destination is to the Pelloponese area of Greece.