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European Summer
  • GoJenCalCarr
  • GoJenCalCarr

European Summer

It’s that time again, we are heading off for another adventure! This trip will include many new experiences and countries! Come along with us. Läs mer
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  • Resans start
    2 maj 2024
    GoJenCalCarrEuropean SummerResenär
    3 bags each for 3 months- oh my.
    Ready for Uber!Last sunset at home.

    Departure Day

    2 maj 2024, Förenta staterna ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    After months of planning we are ready to leave for a summer in Europe. We will explore and soak up places on our bucket list (Greece, Spain and Scotland) and try the new experience of sailing across the Atlantic on the Queen Mary 2 (we’ve never cruised before).
    Because so many friends and family members are not on Facebook we are going to try to use this tool as a way to share stories and pictures about our travels. . Hopefully it is easy for you to use. If it becomes painful for us or friends, we will discontinue and switch back to Facebook and Email. :-)    Läs mer

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    2The Azaleas were so vibrant and the mixture of colors against the greenery was gorgeous!These Peonies were the size of dinner plates, so beautiful!1Paul apparently took candid photos for a few years, behind the scenes shots.One of the candid shots he captured.Not one of Paul's but exhibited along with other famous shots of the Beatles.The other exhibit we visited was of a famous series of wood block prints of Edo (early Tokyo).1Pizza at Dellarocco's, a place we discovered when visiting Brooklyn in 2016.Glimpse of the Brooklyn Bridge

    A day in Brooklyn

    4–6 maj 2024, Förenta staterna ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    We spent the day exploring and enjoying a bit of Brooklyn. We walked through some beautiful tree line streets with rows of Brownstone Houses, spent some time enjoying spring flowers at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens and we visited a couple of special exhibits at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. We ended our day with delicious pizza and a fun movie (The Fall Guy). A great first day of our summer adventures. Tomorrow afternoon we board the Queen Mary 2 !Läs mer

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    4Statue of Liberty in the distance, and a ferry (maybe Statten Island Ferry?).1Grand Lobby

    Queen Mary 2 - Atlantic Crossing

    5 maj 2024, Förenta staterna ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

    Today we boarded the Queen Mary 2 for a 9 day Atlantic crossing to Hamburg, Germany. The QM2 is a true ocean liner that had its maiden voyage 20 years ago. Unfortunately it is a rainy, grey, and cold day.
    Boarding was easy and we found our cabin without too much effort. It’s cozy but comfortable, lots of storage space to unpack into and we’ve got a balcony which will be great when we get to some nicer weather (crossing our fingers for that). In the meantime it’s nice to be able to see out from our room.
    We enjoyed watching the ship depart from NY, had a nice steak dinner, then watched the days movie (Marlowe). We’ve never done any sort of cruise so this is a new experience in many ways.    Läs mer

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    We bundled up on our second day and did some laps around the ship-3 laps equals just over a mile.
    Got excited to see a little blue in the sky so popped out to take a pic before breakfast.Coming out of the fog...see the big bank behind Calvin.Cold and grey...with a little smoke and fog in the mix.Not sculpture but instead the "Commodore Cufflinks" - spare propeller blades.They change the big flower arrangement every day, all are beautiful!We've gotten "dressed" for dinner twice. Not as fancy as many on the ship but for us its fancy.Fun selfie in the lift. Our room is in the 4th floor, we try to take the stairs,but not in heels!Main dining room -Britannia.Hydrotherapy Spa. Great place to start our day.Was very happy to come out of spa to find sunshine, still cold & water was rough, but sun was nice!Pretty reflections on the deck.Another beautiful flower arrangement.Cal had schnitzel for dinner last night. I think they are catering to all the Germans on board.A fish and chip lunch from the pup on board.Lamb shank for one dinner.Smoked trout appetizer- very tasty.Last night's sunset. We were at a comedy show so missed the start of it but still caught this bit.Not sure this is completely accurate but it gives you a sense...

    Mid-trip Update from the Queen Mary 2

    7 maj 2024, North Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    We are half-way through our voyage and we are enjoying the overall experience on the ship. There are a lot of activities throughout the day - lectures, performances, art classes, and many special interest groups (eg bridge, table tennis). We’ve enjoyed two of the lecturers and have attended several of their sessions. We’ve also enjoyed a few performances - Irish folk group, royal Shakespeare play, and last night a comedian. If you are not up for any activities there are lots of little nooks and crannies on the ship where you can sit in a comfy chair and read, or watch people or the ocean.
    They have a great hydrotherapy center on the ship which we are enjoying a little each day - hot pools, saunas, steam rooms.
    We’ve explored the various dining options and have found the food to be good, but not great (with the exception of the steakhouse which was very good). Lots of options in styles/types of food and dining experiences, which are nice.
    We’ve had nice conversations with several different couples. Fun to hear about their Queen Mary and other travel experiences, for example some we’ve met are taking the ship to Hamburg and turning around and going back to NY a day later - we’ve met a mixture of Brits, Americans, Germans and spattering of other nationalities. Everyone we’ve met is friendly and interesting in some way (last night we met a couple traveling with their dog to Jersey UK for the summer - Queen Mary has a small number of special kennels).
    The only downside to our trip has been the weather. We’ve had cold/grey and sometimes wet weather, with only glimpses of blue skies. Yesterday the seas were rough and you could really feel it on the ship (but luckily no issues with seasickness). We’ve still tried to get out for a walk on the deck at least once a day, even if we are all bundled up in our layers. The captain’s announcement today included a forecast for warmer temps as we get closer to South Hampton (a stop before we head to Hamburg). So hopefully we will be able to be outside a bit more starting tomorrow.
    Below are a few observations if you want to read a bit more :-)
    Hope you are enjoying this travel journal format.

    Some observations-
    *You do feel the movement of the ship as you walk around..I sometimes feel drunk as I’m not able to walk a straight line. :-)
    *The ship creaks and cracks and that initially unnerved me but now I’m used to it.
    *The ship has a good amount of staff, most friendly and helpful, some a bit reserved and even at times annoyed when asked for something. While there are a lot of them they still seem short staffed.
    *The staff are aggressive in pushing you to use hand sanitizer and in the buffet style restaurant you don’t get to serve yourself but have to point to what you want and staff puts it on your plate. This is great for slowing spread of germs but also means a demand on staff during peak meal times.
    *Clocks have changed an hour ahead almost every day at noon so the time change for us is very gradual…hopefully reducing or eliminating any jet lag.    Läs mer

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    View from our cabin. It was the first morning we woke to sun :-)
    We've enjoyed 2 lecture series. -1 on geo history of London & 1 on pop cultural eg Bealtles locationEach evening we return to our room to find a schedule for the next days events.Might be hard to read the small print but this is a typical daily schedule.Shakespeare group performing a unique play using bits and pieces of other plays.One of the speakers was actress Anne Reid, most recently in Last Tango in Halifax & 6th Commandment.One hallway is filled with tables of games and jigsaw puzzles.We had a nice cocktail on Friday and toasted friend Leon M for his birthday.We did not participate in the gala nights but enjoyed seeing others dressed up for them.When walking laps on the deck you see lots of folks enjoying the sunny side-and no one on other sideWe climbed up to the highest decks and looked around. Beautiful views of the ship.First sighting of another boat on the water as we got closer to land.The kennel area is on the top deck. About a dozen dogs there, all types of sizes and breeds.We had a delicious dinner last night in the special Asian style restaurant.Last night we had our first nice sunset and were lucky to have a fellow passenger take our picture.

    A bit more from the Queen Mary.

    11 maj 2024, English Channel ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Attached are a few more photos and descriptions from our time on the ship. Today, we had a day in port in Southampton (will post about that shortly) and tonight we leave for Hamburg, Germany (some passengers disembarked in Southampton, some are continuing on like us, plus more/replacements boarded for the short sailing to Hamburg). Tomorrow is our last full day on the ship.

    I thought it would be good to share some info about the QM2:

    *has a capacity of 2695 passengers
    *sails with 1,253 officers and crew
    *travels at a max speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) Service speed 26 knots
    *Is the only ocean liner in service in the world
    *Has regular service between Southampton, England, and New York City, United States, and an annual world cruise.
    *Owned by parent company Carnival but distinguishes itself as a British built and service based line.
    *Facilities include fifteen restaurants and bars, five swimming pools, a casino, a ballroom, a theatre, and the first planetarium at sea.    Läs mer

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    The English garden was small but beautiful.
    A cannon from the time of Henry the VIII.These little figurines added whimsy.Tudor house, over 800 years old.Cute figurines on the stairway of a local homeDelicious fish and chips (supposedly best in town).

    A day out in Southampton UK

    12 maj 2024, England ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    We decided to get off the ship in Southampton for a few hours. We checked out a historic Tudor home/museum/garden, walked thru the old village a bit, popped into a bookstore (because we can’t resist one) and we had a great fish and chip lunch. And we got in a nice walk on a very beautiful day.Läs mer

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    The Rathaus (Town Hall). Built in 1897 it is still the seat of government in Hamburg.The fountain was built as a reminder of the cholera epidemic of 1892- over 8k residents died.We took a historic walking tour which was great, this is our guide Savvy.Love seeing the diff variations of delivery vehicles around the world.Lots of school children out in groups, this was the youngest (cutest).Area where a major fire started in 1842 destroying a lot of the city-See diff in buildings.We were taking in the view when we saw a dog in the apartment above us also looking at the view.The impressive Elbphilharmonie (Elphi) Hamburg concert hall towers above the Elbe and HafenCity.Great shot of the Elphi. It looks like it was taken from across the harbor.We saw this cute little street side garden set up with kids toys.Across from the little garden was a bench with a couple of plastic toy phones attached to it - fun!Interesting to see a Tesla taxi plugged in. This is the only Tesla taxi we saw.Funny to see Queen Mary 2 mentioned in digital signage as we walked thru Hamburg.We had a great lunch-Cal had his favorite Fish and Chips. I tried Hamburg specialty= fish sandwich.This church was rebuilt in 1874, was the tallest building in the world from 1874-76. Bombed in WWII

    A nice day exploring Hamburg Germany

    14 maj 2024, Tyskland ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    This morning we disembarked from the QM2 in Hamburg Germany. We are only here for a day/night, but still trying to explore a little before we fly down to Corfu Greece tomorrow. We had a great walking tour and walked around a little on our own. It was a gorgeous day - sunny and warm (the locals were saying how great/unique it was). The Rathhaus (town hall) is beautiful and impressive, the new concert hall (the “Elphi”) is very unique and amazing in its shape and size. If we come to Hamberg again we’d love to try to see a performance in one of its venues.
    There is water all around and thru the city and we learned during our tour that Hamberg has more bridges in it than Amsterdam, Venice and London combined. It’s an interesting city and well worth visiting.
    *Note: the great photos of the Elphi are ones I borrowed from the web. Due to some construction we weren’t able to get to a place with a clear view.    Läs mer

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    First we checked out the view from the top and then we visited the WWII Museum.
    View of "Elphi" concert hall from the church spire.View of Rathaus from top of spire.Drawing of church before WWII bombing.Photo of streets around church after WWII bombing destroyed the city.Great to see the description of what happened and why.Our walking tour guide suggested we check out a unique lift in this building, a paternoster lift.1Paternoster lift is a passenger elevator which consists of a chain of open compartments.You have to jump on and off quickly! There are only 300 of these types of lifts in the world.

    A bit more on Hamberg

    14 maj 2024, Tyskland ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We had a couple of hours before we had to go to the airport so we decided to go back to two places our walking tour guide pointed out as deserving a visit. First, St Nicholai Church, whose spire was used by the RAF as a key landmark during WWII during operation Gomorrah in 1943. Over 35,000 Germans (many women and children) were killed during this operation. The museum was small but powerful. The church is now a memorial to those who died.
    Second stop was to see a very unique lift (elevator)…one that keeps moving, has no doors, you push no buttons - a paternoster lift. Still in use by offices in the building. Very cool to experience.    Läs mer

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    We took a walk the first evening we arrived and were treated to some pretty views of the city.
    Our 1st nights dinner at a Taverna near our hotel. Appetizer of eggplant & cheese, mussels in wine.The city is a melting pot of cultures/ethnicities.Roman Catholic Church, originally built in the 15th century.Next week is their equivalent of 4th of July so flags are starting to be put up in public areas.All around the city you see plants in bloom...I especially love the jacaranda trees.We decided to try the Greek tradition of a glass of Ouzo as a pre-dinner drink (digestivo).View of the Ionian Sea from the top of the Old Fort.View of Corfu Town from the Old Fort.Old palace that is now several museums.Our guide standing on the Durrells Villa gate trying to get the gardener's attention.Front door to Durrell's house (in tv show). Their actual house was smaller and down the road.Durrell house from the TV show.The kitchen of Durrell house which has only one area that looks like what we saw in the tv show.Living room ofvtge Durrelll house, brighter/lighter now but still looks the same.A recreation of market square as seen in the show. It looks authentic but is new & used for events.Sven's house in the tv show. Needs a little TLC.This is in a park named for the Durrells, honoring them & what they did for Corfu. Bringing tourism.

    Corfu Town and a visit to the Durrells

    15 maj 2024, Grekland ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    We’ve enjoyed the last few days exploring Corfu Town (largest/main city on Corfu island). It’s a beautiful town that reminds us a little of Italy. The old town is filled with little narrow streets and a nice mixture of locals and tourists. Buildings must meet a special criteria for color (limited pallet to choose from) and historic features (eg shutters that must be green). So it is very quaint and beautiful to see as you walk the cobblestone streets.
    One of the things that inspired this trip was the tv show The Durrells of Corfu which came out in 2015. We loved what we saw of the scenery and the way of life. So when we started planning our first trip to Greece, Corfu was at the top of our list of places to visit. Because of the show we decided to do a Durrells tour which would take us to places on the island that were where the Durrell family actually lived or where the tv show was filmed. We were lucky to have a guide that had worked on the set of the TV show (as a costume designer) and knew the locations well and many behind the scenes stories, Our guide had hutzpah and was able to get a Gardner at the main Durrell filming location to let us into the grounds. Then the owner of the house (villa) came out, remembered our guide and invited us into the house for a tour! It was amazing to see inside the house, much of which has been changed as it is now a high end vacation rental (20k will get you a week for 10 people). The only thing that looked familiar was the kitchen. The owner was super friendly and happy to show us around and tell a few stories (her family had owned the house for 6 generations and she worked with the producers on setting the show at the house). We also saw other key locations from the tv show- Sven’s house, the market square, the cafe where many scenes occurred. It was a fun experience.    Läs mer

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    Cal, me & Yorgos in his outdoor kitchen.
    Yorgos likes this lady so always buys from her. She was sweet, insisting we try some of her items.The tomatoes were so big and ripe, seems so early but Yorgos says they have them most of the year.Strawberries were very good, although I think the ones from our local stand at home are a bit betterSmoked tuna and several other types of fish for sale.The cheese shop was great. We tasted amazing feta and fresh yogurt.Our class and Yorgos.Our Greek Salad (without olives as myself and the other women are not fans). He served Cal some.Outdoor wood fired oven. They cook as much as they can in that oven.Pork knuckle just out of the oven.Yorgos helper Lola, grated cheese on the pork and put it back in the oven. It added a nice element.Sweet sayings on our napkins.Cal about to dig in.Not fancy but oh so delicious!The old ruins where a community olive press used to be. The wheel remains.300+ year old olive tree.The area where Yorgos lives made us think of the hill towns in Tuscany.Al fresco dining on Yorgos' patio.

    Cooking in Corfu

    17 maj 2024, Grekland ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    We took a cooking class on our first full day in Corfu/Greece. It was a great introduction to Greek food and culture. The teacher (Yorgos aka George) took us to the local veggie/fish market, a cheese shop and bakery to get ingredients for our meal and then he took us to his home for the class. It was a Cal, me and two others and we made a pork knuckle (cooked low and slow in an outdoor wood fired oven), roasted potatoes and veggies, Greek salad and Tzatziki. Everything was yummy and while some recipes were similar to what I’d make at home there were a few unique twists based on Greek cooking style/techniques that made them different and new to us. .
    I was blown away by the amount of fruits and veggies (all grown on Corfu), especially the tomatoes as it seems very early to me to see such big/ripe ones this early in CA. We did not buy fish for the class but Cal and I will go back to the market to get some to take to our vacation rental to cook ourselves in a couple of days.
    While at George’s home he took us into his olive orchard (300 year old trees) and showed us the old olive press his great grandparents used.    Läs mer

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    1When the taverna owner learned it was our 1st day in town she brought us Baklava and Icecream.
    Our Durrells guide took us to a cafe with delicious treats.We had our first taste of Greek coffee and loved it. Strong & sweet!1Soumada is a Greek traditional drink made from orgeat syrup, made from almonds. Yum!These treats are loukoumades (donut balls with fillings) - Similar to beignets.They have savory and sweet options. We had a couple of each. I loved the savory!1Cal and our guide Alice enjoying the sweet ones - honey and feta.1We have had some great salads- tasty and fresh greens, tomatoes and figs.Our guide turned us on to this amazing pudding - from local dairy, made daily.Our guide turned us on to this spice shop. Bringing home several bags of special Greek mixtures.1Can't get enough of Greek bc salads and yummy feta.A traditional Greek meal, grilled sardines and mousaka (after a Greek salad).We had a great meal at a fish restaurant- one course was octopus and fava bean purée, so good!!At a Durrell site we saw a tree filled with what looked like blackberries- they were mulberries!1Our guide was very excited to find the tree with fruit and she picked a cup full!Corfu is known for its Limoncello digestivo liquor. Slightly different than Italy's.

    Delicious Food in Cortu Town

    18 maj 2024, Grekland ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    We’ve really been enjoying all the different types of food in Corfu. Some things we are familiar with but they taste better here (like Moussaka), some things have a unique Greek twist (Greek coffee), and many things are new to us (Greek donuts). Luckily we are walking a ton so hoping we are burning off what we eat. We’ve also been sharing meals vs getting our own, which we learned is the Greek way. Greeks are like the Spaniards in that they don’t eat dinner until 9:30/10 pm, or even 11. Last night (a Sunday) at 10 pm families with young children were just sitting down to dinner at restaurants we passed walking back to our hotel. Restaurants here stay open until midnight- luckily for us they open early for us tourists so we can eat earlier.
    We don’t have any one favorite dish, but we’ve loved a few more than others- a super tender grilled octopus with fava bean purée. And a shrimp tartare that was amazingly good. The fish that’s served is super fresh and you can taste that in the meals. The feta is made locally and is really good, I’m making myself hungry so will stop here. See pictures and captions for more. Hope you enjoy.    Läs mer

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    This is the town of Kassiopi. What was once mainly a fishing village now more a tourist beach town.
    There are olive trees everywhere, many are 100's of years old. They use nets to harvest them.A little fishy by still happening.Church tower and bells, Greek style. A kitty was happy to welcome Calvin.We visited Old Perithia, oldest village on Corfu.Old Perithia is also on the Corfu Trail so we saw many walkers in town having a lunch break.The town was abandoned in the 60's but has come back to life a bit as a tourist destination.Many of the old buildings are still standing, in some form. This is the old school house.Some of the old buildings...1View from our apartment balcony. And a beautiful Sunset. We can see Corfu Town across the water.1The village of Paleokastritsa. With gorgeous beaches on many sides of town.There is a gorgeous monastery at the top of the hill- Paleokastritsa.Monastery is from the 1300's, still in use and has a collection of Byzantine antiques in the museum.There are beautiful gardens in and around the monastery. Loved this succulent and flower.Most of our dinners are casual, but we treated ourselves to one special meal at the Whitehouse.This little guy was hoping we'd drop something from our dinner. Cats are everywhere in Corfu.Some of the roads go thru small villages...feels like the road is on the front doorstep of homes.These are mussel beds. We've had them a few times and they are delish!

    Exploring the Island of Corfu

    22 maj 2024, Grekland ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    We’ve had a great time exploring the island of Corfu. We are now staying in a vacation rental in a small town (once a fishing village) called Nissaki. It’s relaxed and easy going here. We have our own pool and are a short walk to a nice taverna, a grocery store and a bakery/coffee place. We are taking the approach of relaxing one day and then going on a road/exploration the next. There many cute coastal villages that remind us of the coastal villages in CA and Oregon. We also went to an old village (oldest on Corfu)- old Perithia. A town that was abandoned in the 60’s when the inhabitants moved closer to the coast. But the architecture and environment are great representation of old villages on the island.

    The beaches here are mostly pebbly, which initially we did not like but then found it was better than getting all sandy :-).

    The towns we drive thru are quaint and are like many Tuscan/Italian towns we’ve visited - not surprising as Corfu was ruled by the Venetians for 4 centuries.

    The people are friendly and easy going. Food is delicious, with lots of seafood and traditional dishes. Most of the other tourists we see are British and the rest are from other European countries (we hear German, Swedish, Spanish and more). We are here for 5 more days then we head to the hustle and bustle of Athens.    Läs mer

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    This beach was small but had rocky cliffs around it with loungers. Our 1st pebbly beach!
    The beach in Kassiopi. Our loungers on the rocks are not easy to see but they are there.We decided to try a sandy beach the next time. Agios Georgios is in the bay in the distance.The one sandy beach we visited, Agios Georgios.We were not alone...These aren't the best loungers we've had, but not bad.Barbati beach has the best amenities thus far and it's close to our rental. Nice cushions & beach!An example of a pebbly (rocky) beach...Oh and Barbati also has great service with tasty drinks delivered!Calvin enjoying the water.Canal d'Amour is carved by the waves into a couple of channels with a tunnel between them.The legend is that if you swim through the tunnel between channels you'll find the love of your lifeAnother example of Mother Nature and the waves at work.So inviting but the water was murky because of a rain storm the previous night.Acharavi Beach was in front of the cafe we had lunch at. It was so pretty we decided to take a walkToday we heard the water tossing the pebbles (rocks) around.

    Beach Time on Corfu

    22 maj 2024, Grekland ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Many people come to Corfu just to relax at the beach. The beaches are a bit different in that most are pebbled vs sandy, and many have “organized” areas with lounge chairs and umbrellas available for a fee (8-15e depending on how nice a lounger and how nice a beach). We initially were turned off by the pebbly beach, but then after spending some time on a sandy beach we decided it was nice NOT to have to deal with sand. The water is pleasant, not warm but not too cool- instead very refreshing! It’s been in the mid 70’s most days. The water is clear so you see small fish around you, and in some areas people snorkel or scuba.
    We’ve tried to blend sightseeing with beach time. Most “organized” beach areas have changing areas so if it’s nice enough we change into our suits and find a comfy lounger to claim as our own for an hour or two. Photos are a sample of what we experienced on our beach outings. Heaven!    Läs mer

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    I've not edited this pic- the water is THAT color because of the color of the sand.
    The town of Gaios on the island of Paxos (pop 2500).Loved this building.Many fishing boats (big and small) amount the yachts and sailboats moored along the harbor area.We walked the narrow streets of Paxos and came upon this beautiful building.We both loved the shape and resilience of this olive tree.Greek Orthodox Church from the 1600's.Another building I liked along the harbor side.First time we've seen white bougainvillea (lots of pink and purple but 1st time for white).The boat we traveled on, about 2.5 hours from Corfu Town.Statue of a ship captain who skippered a fire ship during the Greek revolution in 1798.This is a beach area on Anti Paxo (smaller island near Paxos).The boat going into the "blue" cave is a sister vessel to ours - we go in a few minutes later.Our ship inside one of the blue caves. There are many along this area.Lots of private vessels around the blue caves, a few had kayaks to go into the caves.The cliffs are sandstone and occasionally there are slides, this was a big one.On the way back the two boats tried to stay next to each other so a DJ could play music for both.View of Corfu Town as we returned to port.4

    A day trip to Paxos

    28 maj 2024, Grekland ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    We took a boat trip to the islands of Paxos and AntiPaxos (part a group of islands called Paxi).

    In Greek mythology, Poseidon created the Paxos island by striking Corfu with his trident, so that he and wife Amphitrite could have some peace and quiet.

    It was a full day on a full boat. We were lucky with beautiful weather and while large groups of people on a boat are not normally our scene, we enjoyed the day and overall we had a nice time. It’s a beautiful area of the Ionian Sea, with gorgeous turquoise water along the shores and amazing “blue” caves Koo, some big enough for large boats to enter them.

    In addition to seeing the blue caves we visited the town of Gaios, the main town of Paxos. It’s a picturesque village, mainly focused on tourism but we enjoyed walking the small streets (after we had a delicious piece of Spanakopita at a local bakery).    Läs mer

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    Cheese pie is a typical late morning breakfast (philo dough and a local cheese).
    Cheese pies.Local cheeses, salami and a meat akin to prosciutto). Unique, mild in flavors and delish!The meat market is used by both restaurants and home cooks. They prefer to get their meat fresh.Next stop the meat market. They use every part of the animals.Next stop, the fish market.Lots of calamari.Last market to visit is the fresh fruit and vegetable market. The Greeks like fresh ingredients!A Greek coffee is always served with some sort of sweet. This came before lunch!Our 12 course lunch was amazing and we enjoyed the others on our tour.The pasta we liked and some tomato croquettes.1Pickled fish we enjoyed (anchovies I think). Similar to herring but lighter on the pickling.1They give you smaller plates which helps you keep your portions small.The last stop- famous donut place.Donuts coming out of the fryer. Look more like our donut holes- served with honey or other sauces.

    Food of Athens

    1 juni 2024, Grekland ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    One thing we like to do in a new city/country is to take a food tour. We learn a lot about the food but also a lot about the culture and history. And after the tours we find ourselves being more adventurous when we eat out on our own.
    Our food tour in Athens was a lot of fun, educational, delicious and filling. And even though we’ve been in Greece for a couple of weeks we still were introduced to several new foods/dishes. The first couple of stops were light bites but then when we stopped for lunch we had 12 different courses to try. All delicious, but our favorite items were pickled fish, calamari, a pasta with sun dried tomatoes and a pork dish that I don’t remember the name of! We were so stuffed and then our guide surprised us with two more stops. One for a gyro sandwich and one for a special donut. We found room for the donut but gave our gyros to a family we saw in a park by our hotel (appeared to be homeless/begging).
    Needless to say Athens has some amazing food. Luckily the culture expects you to share plates (which we like to do) and we walked so much that we hope we reduced the expansion of our waistlines.    Läs mer

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    At the Acropolis, in front of Parthenon Temple.
    The Erechtheion, an ancient temple from 421 BC. Housed special statue of Athena.These were originally on the Erechtheion temple (reproductions are now outside on the temple).1As I mentioned there were a ton of people at the site.Theatre of Herodes Atticus built in 161 AD, seats 5000 and still used for performances today.1Temple of Hephaestus, one of the best-preserved temples of Greek antiquity (over 2000 years old).These are Ionic column relics on display in the archeological museum.Clay figures of angels in the entrance hall to the Archaeological Museum.The museum was designed to mimic the architecture of the Parthenon.Almost every block you walk down in the historic center has a beautiful building on it.The street art (both formal and adhoc) is amazing. Every surface is covered with some sort of image.Loved the juxtaposition of the gorgeous picture above to the graffiti below.Every now and then you come across a dilapidated building like this one. Too expensive to repair.2Sunset colors on Acropolis Hill (view from the roof of our hotel).1Sunset over the sprawling city of Athens. 6m people live in the city.

    Exploring historic and modern Athens

    2 juni 2024, Grekland ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Athens is a big change from our time on Corfu. It is a vibrant city with historic sites intermingled with modern buildings and amazing street art. It also has many more tourists (including many Americans which we only saw a few of on Corfu).
    We spent some time on our own exploring, we took a food tour (see other post) and we had an organized tour with a group joining us on the island of Syros (other clients of our financial planner). We covered a lot of ground, but there is a ton of things to do and see in the city. The cafe scene is amazing (all sorts of interesting bars and cafes), tons of great food options (both high-end and inexpensive) and lots of shopping opportunities.
    Even with the heat and the crowds, we both really enjoyed visiting the historic sites, including the Acropolis, Parthenon, Theatre of Herodes Atticus, Theatre of Dionysus and more. And the Acropolis Museum was very impressive- in the design and the items on display. We were only in the museum for an hour or so but I could see spending double that amount of time if we had it.
    I’ve attempted to describe the items/places in the photos but may not have it 100% or as complete as I’d like (due to space limitations).
    Now we are off to the beautiful island of Syros for a week.    Läs mer

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    We loved swimming in the sea but the pool was also really nice!
    Our first morning at the villa...loved waking up to the view and the beauty of the area!There are three little inlets off this bay so it's known as three lagoons.Thought this image from Google maps would show the geography a little better.The colors of this rock and its reflections change throughout the day based on the sun's location.Evenings are just as beautiful as mornings.That's me down there on a paddleboard (the white dot on the left).This seagull decided to visit the pool while I was sitting nearby (having morning coffee).View of BluEros patio from the pool.11Last night was "Greek night" at the villa. Everyone was required to wear white and to dance!The group all in white and ready for Greek night!George has a great staff at the villa! They've taken such good care of us!Katarina and Calvin at the patio bar. She makes a mean mojito (and gives great Thai massages).A great crew- Katarina, Zeo, Taki and Harrah!A group picture on one of our outings around the island.Christos & Zeo are hard to see but they are in the outdoor kitchen making our fabulous bbq dinner.One of many delicious meals we had at the vila.And after our Greek bbq it was time for some Greek dancing!

    A bit of heaven on the island of Syros

    4 juni 2024, Grekland ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    We’ve had a great time the last week at BluEros, a beautiful villa on the island of Syros. Our host is our fabulous financial advisor George Papadoyannis (from Ameriprise). George and his brother own this beautiful villa and George and a great crew hosts groups of his clients every summer (it’s also available as a vacation rental). There are 17 of us in this group, three families with great kids (older teens), a couple of sisters and Cal & me. The villa has plenty of room for us all, allowing us to spend time relaxing on our own or hanging out with others. Everyone is super nice and friendly and since they are also George’s clients they are from CA so we can all reconnect there.
    The lagoon in front of the property is a great place to go for a swim or take out a standup paddle board. But the pool is closer and is also very nice. In addition to being a great host at the villa, George has taken us on some excursions around the island. Our stay with George on Syros has been a nice treat and we feel very fortunate to have him as our financial advisor and friend,    Läs mer

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    In the village of Kini in front of a statue of a mermaid holding a fisherman.
    Statue honors fisherman who've died at sea.With our gracious and fun host, George Papadayonnis.Beautiful beach in Poseidonia.The first windmills of Greece were built in the 12th century.This is not original, but good example.Path up the hill to the Catholic Church. Syros population is half catholic, half Greek Orthodox.Cal with a monastery in the background.The main town of Syros is Ermoupoli. Main industries are ship building, gov admin and tourism.Greek Orthodox Church with beautiful lion statue in front of it.Greek Orthodox Church (blue dome) in the background as seen from patio cafe on the coast.1Statue of Nike holding a wreath of victory and a large sword, known as National Resistance Monument.Sunset over the harbor in Ermoupoli.We had a great dinner at a family run taverna on a hill above Ermoupoli.Lighting is odd, but great shot of our group at dinner. Delicious lamb, pork, all slow roasted.Wood fired oven used at the taverna.While walking around the Orthodox Church we heard a ceremony with chanting.

    The island of Syros

    4 juni 2024, Grekland ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    We have spent the last few days on the island of Syros, a Greek island in the Cyclades, in the Aegean Sea. It is 78 nautical miles south-east of Athens. The name (Cyclades) refers to the archipelago of 220 islands forming a circle around the sacred island of Delos.
    It is a big contrast to Corfu as it does not have the greenery/trees, but it is beautiful in its own way. And its main town (Ermoupoli) is quaint with fun small streets to explore. All the streets are paved with local marble and most are pedestrian only (although scooters sometimes motor by). The harbor is lined with gorgeous boats- sail boats and yachts. We are staying in a private villa (see other post on that topic) and enjoying peaceful and relaxing days.    Läs mer

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    The windmills were used to ground agriculture products that were important trade items for the area.
    Mykonos was a short ferry ride from Syros.Our great host and guide, George Papadoyannis.The windmills are no longer operational, but they continue to be a symbol of Mykonos.Our group!This port area of Mykonos is referred to as "little Venice."George treated us to lunch at a great gyros shop - Jimmy's.The small port neighborhood of Mykonos is full of beautiful buildings and quaint little "streets."Mykonos is definitely more high fashion than the other places we visited in Greece.After exploring the port area we planned to relax and swim, but the weather was not great.So instead of swimming we had some tasty cocktails and people watched.After our time in town and at the beach, George treated us to some amazing Greek baked goods.1The best baklava!!This is halva - made from sesame seeds, honey, flour, & rose water.George and brother Christo at a villa we stopped at on Mykonos (managed by Christo).

    A day trip to Mykonos

    6 juni 2024, Grekland ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    We took a short ferry ride to Mykonos. It is an island with a quaint old port town, traditional white Greek style buildings with blue shutters, and everywhere you look there are beautiful views of blue blue water.
    George was a great guide and treated us to some delicious treats (gyros and Greek baked goods from the best bakery). Unfortunately, it was overcast and windy on the day we visited, which meant it was not as pretty but it did mean it was cooler than it normally is. There were several cruise ships in port so the port area was pretty full of people. We still found small “streets” to explore that were empty, quiet, and picturesque.
    While I’m glad we visited, I’m very glad we made it a day trip vs spending more time there (the cruise crowds and party atmosphere is not our jam).    Läs mer

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    1The terrain where Meteora is located is very unique and beautiful.
    First monestary we saw ... Holy Monastery of RoussanouHoly Monastery of Roussano. Damaged in WWII, repaired and now used by nuns.This is one if the first monasteries built and is the most popular to visit. Varlaam Monastery.There is a long staircase to access this monestary.Our guide Georgia showed us how they used a pulley system to bring in supplies and the monks.Monks and supplies were brought in by nets.Current pulley system for bringing in supplies and building materials.They now have a funicular like system for bringing in vip visitors and the monks.Cal learning about a semantron, wooden plank knocked to call monks to prayer.1Varlaam Monastery courtyard.This is a monastery we visited that has nuns. In this pic you can see the ladder used in the past.Monastery of Great Meteoron2Agios Stephanos monastery dates back to the early 12th century.While there is now a bridge they only had ladders in the past.1Monastery of the Holy Trinity1This pic gives you a sense for the terrain...2 monasteries in the background.Kitty that came out of nowhere to beg for a bite of our lunch.1

    A visit to Meteora Monestaries

    10 juni 2024, Grekland ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    We are now on the more educational/historical phase of our time in Greece. We are spending the next 5 days visiting historic sites on mainland Greece. First stop Meteora, a Unesco World Heritage site with 6 Greek Orthodox monasteries perched on top of unique mountain outcroppings. The name Meteora means suspended on the air - between heaven and earth.
    Initially the monks that came to the area stayed in caves where they felt close to god and could focus on their faith. Then two of the monks decided to build monasteries (in the 14th century). It’s unfathomable to consider how difficult it was to build these structures (initially 24 in total) in this remote area and in extremely difficult conditions.
    Today, two are inhabited by 50 nuns and 4 by 17 monks. We visited two of the sites with a great guide, Georgia.    Läs mer

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    Cal and I in front of theater at Delphi. Constructed in 4th century BC, it sat 5000 people.
    The Athenian Treasury, built in 510 BC to house treasures donated to Apollo.The temple and sanctuary at large were dedicated to one of the major Greek deities, Apollo.1Cal checking out the marvel of the polygonal retaining walls that withstand earthquakes.Ruins of the temple of Apollo.Cal and our guide Penelope, in front of the theater.This bronze charioteer is considered one of the finest surviving sculptures of classical Greece.Our guide explaining more about the charioteer, how it would have looked when originally created."Twins of Argos," also known as "Kleobis and Biton," two figures of Greek legend (from 580 BC).Naxos Sphinx which used to sit in the temple of Apollo.Flags hanging outside the Delphi archeological site.In the evening we visited a village near Delphi that is a popular ski town- Arachova.Corinthian Gulf (off Ionian Sea) can be seen from the modern town of Delphi.Ceviche of a local fish and shrimp - delish!Dolmathakia (dolmas with ground beef inside) in lemon sauce.Moussaka.

    The “navel” of the world - Delphi

    11 juni 2024, Grekland ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    We continue to visit historical sites in Greece. Yesterday we visited Delphi. Ancient Greeks believed that Delphi was the “Navel of the Earth,” a place seen as a spiritual focal point for all Greeks starting in the 8th century BC; it included many sanctuaries and the most prestigious oracle in all of ancient Greece. This is where Pythia, the high priestess, uttered the divine advice of god Apollo to mortals who travelled from across the world to seek a prophecy. Apart from Greeks, the Oracle was visited also by foreign leaders and dignitaries who were anxious to know the will of Apollo on important state affairs.
    The Delphi site was raided, abandoned for centuries and eventually buried with dirt and a village. In 1893 there was an earthquake and the village was damaged and then relocated, leaving archaeologists free to dig in the area (known to have been an important historic site).
    In addition to the site, there is a great museum. We had a knowledgeable guide (Penelope) who educated us on many aspects of the history and the ruins.
    It was a hot day but not as hot as forecasted. After our educational/historical experience we checked out a local village that felt more alpine ski town than what we think of as Greek and then we had a delicious dinner.    Läs mer

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    2Entrance tunnel to the stadium used by Olympic athletes.
    Cal at the starting line-40000 male spectators stood and watched the events (even in the hot summer)Ruins of the "gymnasium" where the athletes would train and attend classes.Nike, a symbol of victory. This statue was installed outside the temple of Zeus in 420 BC.Hermes and Infant Dionysus, from 4th century BC. Lost/buried after an earthquake and found in 1875.We had a delicious dinner overlooking the agricultural areas around Olympia (eg citrus trees)Chicken, ham, cheese with herbs in a lemon sauce. Very tasty!The roof of the tholos tomb is a round beehive cone shape. Black marks are from ceremonial fires.The tholos tomb is a round, beehive shaped structure famously built by the late Bronze Age MyceneansLion Gate is the modern name for the entrance of the Bronze Age citadel (1250 BC).1This is the only monument of Bronze Age Greece to bear an iconographic motif and survived in place.Archeological site at Mycenae. This area was likely used as storage of goods.The beautiful coastal city of Nafplio. It was once ruled by Venetians so has an Italian feel.Our last nice dinner before leaving Greece, seaside seafood taverna.1Crawfish and pasta - very good! Red sauce is light and pasta is al dente.Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is the best preserved theatre in Greece (340 BC)- originally sat 14k.Calvin and our guide Elias in front of a column in ancient Corinth.3Temple of Apollo in ancient Corinth.Corinth canal. Essential to the merchants of ancient Greece. Still used today by smaller ships.

    A Few More Ancient Greek Historic Sites

    12 juni 2024, Grekland ⋅ ☀️ 36 °C

    After Delphi we traveled to Olympia to see the ruins and learn more about the site of the first Olympic Games. Very interesting history- games were only played by Greek men, who competed naked, and competed as individuals vs as a part of a team. While in the Olympic Area for the games the athletes also attended classes as it was thought a healthy strong mind was as important as a strong body.
    Then we traveled on to the archeological site of Mycenae, once a major center of Greek civilization (15th to 12th century BC). The period of Greek history from about 1600 BC to about 1100 BC is called Mycenaean in reference to Mycenae). It was very hot (105) so we were only able to see some of the sites at this stop.
    Next we visited archeological sites of Epidaurus and Ancient Corinth. Epidaurus is best known for its healing sanctuary and the Sanctuary of Asclepius (from The 6th century BC). . It was the most celebrated healing centre of the Classical world, the place where ill people went in the hope of being cured. Ancient Corinth was one of the largest and most important cities of Greece, with a population of 90,000 in 400 BC. The Romans demolished Corinth in 146 BC, built a new city in its place in 44 BC, and later made it the provincial capital of Greece.
    There are a ton of details about each place, but these are the highlights. It was a great way to end our time in Greece. Now on to Spain, first stop Seville!    Läs mer

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    Looks like a guard tower but it's actually a chapel. Covered in the special local Triana tiles.
    I love these glassed-in balconies. They are all over the city, some more elaborate than others.Walking around the city you see many religious images in ceramic.Because of the summer heat there are sun shades strung up around the city.All over the city you hear the sound of wild parrots.Plaza de Espana was built as a part of an exposition to highlight Spain in 1928.More of Plaza de Espana2The architecture in the city is amazing, there are several rounded corner buildings like this one.It is clear that this town is a place to enjoy flamenco!1Modern wooden structure built on the site of an old market. Great juxtaposition to the cityscape.1You can walk on a boardwalk above the structure- giving great views of the city.Random church that caught my eye on one of our walks.Random statue we passed - thought it was comical, especially with pigeon on his head.2Cal in front of statue of Cervantes (author of Don Quixote).In the palace of Alcazar. The style reminded me of Indian palaces we visited.1The detail in the rooms in Alcazar were amazing.A pretty area of the gardens of Alcazar.The tile designs vary from room to room and are each gorgeous. Wish I had a wall to cover with them.1

    A city full of Ambience- Seville

    15 juni 2024, Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    James Michener described Seville by saying “Seville doesn’t have ambience it IS ambience,” and we wholeheartedly agree with that assessment. Seville is such a beautiful city. It is really hard to capture its beauty and feel in photos but I’ve tired.
    The city was initially a big trading/shipping town. It was conquered by the Roman’s in the 2nd century BC, then the Silingi Vandals in the 5th century BC, then in 711 it fell to the Muslims. I say all this so that you have a sense for what influenced the culture and architecture of the city. The Spanish people are friendly and engaging, although we are finding many have limited English. We’ve been lucky with the weather, a bit hot but with a nice breeze and today we even had some sprinkles.
    We’ve been checking out the major sites, exploring the many neighborhoods and eating some great food (will do a special post on the food in a day or two).    Läs mer

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