A fishing adventure on the Mediterranean with Captain Antonio. Amaze, Amaze, Amaze!!

Captain Antonio took a group of seven us out on the Mediterranean to observe traditional fishing methods, to swim in the sea, and then eat his catch of the day!
Heading out of the Agios Nikolas harbor on a beautiful day. We have been blessed with terrific weather.
Captain Antonio pulling in the nets. He would announce what type fish it was including calamari! It was a good haul.
Next up was the shrimp pot! They were so small that he flash fried them with the shells on.
The scenery was stunning.
The water was once again “refreshing” but each of our four swimming stops was like swimming inside a gemstone.
Cleaning the fish on the deck.
Our meal of fresh fish, fried potatoes, and Greek salad. It was the freshest most delicious meal we’ve had yet!
Our friends on the boat were five women originally from the UK, three of which live here now!
I have a new friend. If you are ever in the Mani Peninsula I highly recommend this trip.

WhatsApp +30 698 684 7465

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On our last night in Agios Nikolas we had dinner at a restaurant our new expat friends recommended. Voulimeneas was perfect for our last night in this town we hope to return to someday. We have found dining in Greece to be so affordable. About half the price of the US even considering the exchange rate. On to our last stop in the Peloponnese.

Sometimes it’s not a dreamy setting that awes you. Sometimes it is the theatre that nature itself creates. Today was one of those days.

Ed and I rented e-bikes from Mani Bikes and rode both north and south from our accommodations in Agios Nikolas. The scenery is stunning. The pictures cannot capture the beauty of the water along the rocky coastline.

We stopped for a leisurely lunch in Stoupa, the village above Agios Nikola. It has a crescent shaped beach that was jammed with sun beds and umbrellas. It was nice but we are glad we chose our quiet little seaside community.

Making our way to the Mani Peninsula with a climb to Mystra.

Saying goodbye to Dimitsana. Our hotel was charming. Let this serve as acknowledgment of its name, as I can’t begin to spell it or pronounce it myself.
We spied Mystra as we approached.
The Destops Palace from above.
The climb to the castle was intense, but Team Tortoise prevailed! Ed is improving every day🫶🏼
The view looking down on the ruins of the city that the castle protected. As with many historic sites in Greece, this settlement changed hands numerous times. It is best described on the UNESCO site:
Archaeological Site of Mystras
Mystras, the ‘wonder of the Morea’, was built as an amphitheatre around the fortress erected in 1249 by the prince of Achaia, William of Villehardouin. Reconquered by the Byzantines, then occupied by the Turks and the Venetians, the city was abandoned in 1832, leaving only the breathtaking medieval ruins, standing in a beautiful landscape.
The Holy Church of Hagia Sophia with its beautiful frescoes and remarkable mosaic tile medallion.
Our first glimpse of the Mediterranean Coast on the Mani Peninsula .
I chose the seaside village of Agios Nikolas for our stay on the Mani coast based on information gleaned from Facebook and Trip Advisor. The advice of others did not lead us in the wrong direction. The village runs along the waterfront and is lined with tavernas and restaurants with outdoor seating. The harbor is full of traditional Greek fishing boats. We are ready to take it all in over the next few days.

The Arcadia Region of the Peloponnese

Yesterday, October 2, we spent the day exploring the Arcadia region of the Peloponnese. It is a remote, mountainous region in the center of the peninsula. The Louisios River runs through it and has created an impressive gorge.

A more modern chapel marks the beginning of the trek to the monastery.
We hiked down (and up) to the monastery.

Moni Prodromou (St. John the Baptist Monastery), built into the cliffs of the Louisios Gorge. It was remarkable.

Slacks were prohibited for females, but not to worry… Skirts were provided to slip over our pants.
The setting is pristine. It is easy to understand how the chose this site for the monastery, but it is difficult to imagine the labor that was required to construct it.
The monastery cats seemed to enjoy the view too.
We rewarded ourselves with a late lunch in the village of Elliniko. Taverna Georeantis was a lovely family run taverna serving only food that is fresh and available from local producers.
We head to the coast of the Mani Peninsula today. We are thankful our Greek travel agent recommended staying in the stone village of Dimitsana. It is a throwback to earlier days without the throngs of tourists we have experienced in other once quaint villages of Europe.

On to the Peloponnese Peninsula

Caterina, our Greek travel agent of Aegean Thesaurus travel, arranged for a rental car to be waiting for us upon disembarking.

First stop was the town of Nemea where we happened upon a street market. Nemea is known for its excellent wines. Sadly, the town seemed in decline with many abandoned shops. When we asked a local she to told us it was due to climate change affecting the vineyards and the young people leaving for a more vibrant economy. We hear this story in many of the rural towns we have visited, both in Europe and the United States.
We had lunch at Sosas, a highly recommended restaurant in Nemea. This was their Grape salad, which we are still talking about!
A delicious Osso Bucco with local beef and house made ravioli. 😋
We then drove through the mountainous region of the central Peloponnese to the historic stone village of Dimitsana. The scenery was incredible. We arrived at our hotel built into the mountainside. Our room is charming and the town is so picturesque. There are vistas around every bend in this quaint village.

We enjoyed a hearty meal of spicy feta dip and bean soup to warm us and the chilly evening. The temperature dropped to 49* that night!

“Evening in Ephesus” Destination Discovery Event. 

On select itineraries that call on Kuşadası (the gateway to Ephesus), Windstar Cruises takes all guests off the ship after hours—once the park has closed to the general public—for an exclusive, complimentary 5-course white-glove dinner and live classical concert right among the illuminated 2,000-year-old ruins. It was incredible! Forgive me for posting all these pictures. This blog serves as a memory book for me and this was an evening that I want to remember every joyous moment.

Arriving along the Harbor Road of Ephesus.
In front of the Celsus Library. Do you think I was a bit excited!?!
Amongst the ancient structures.
Pinch me🫶🏼
Dinner with our new fun friends from Chesapeake, VA.
Our dining table. Note the 5 piece orchestra set up on the upper stairs of the library.
Back at the ship but still aglow after an incredible evening.

Ephesus, just incredible

On Tuesday I joined a tour of Ephesus and the Terrace Houses offered by Windstar. Ed chose to stay back in order to conserve energy for the evening event. He is still recovering from a recent surgery and though much improved, he is not back to full steam yet.

Ephesus is simply amazing. I am not going to try to recant its history. There is so much information readily available that there is no need for that. What amazed me most was the fact that the entire ancient city was left in ruins and buried after a series of earthquakes. It was not until the mid 1800s that excavation of the BCE site began. The site is vast and to date only 20% of the ancient city has been excavated.

The small amphitheater
The concentration of artifacts is astounding.
The Goddess Nike. Note the swish in her skirt. It was the inspiration for the iconic symbol of the brand.
An alter for sacrifice within one of the terrace houses.
The frescos on the walls and the intricate mosaic floors were indicative of the wealth of the terrace home occupants.
Ancient latrines! The terrace homes had private ones!
The Celsus Library.
Named for Governor Celsus, a wealthy Jewish man. Note the discrete menorah carved into its steps.
And the discrete Christian symbolism found in various places throughout the site.
The amphitheater that sat 24,000 people! They still have concerts here but only classical ones. The rock concerts were banned after one made the ancient stones tumble because of the vibrations!

It was a fascinating tour but it was very crowded. The throngs of people made me anticipate the evening event even more!

The fabulous island of Samos.

An early start in the village of Pythagoreio.
The cats remain forever hopeful as the fishing boats arrive from their morning venture.
A striking monument honoring Pythogorea, born on the island of Samos.
We had a spectacular day celebrating my birthday with Dimitris, our private guide for a day of wine tasting and touring Samos. This was arranged through Samos Outdoors. I highly recommend this group. Goirgos, the owner was so easy to communicate with, and Dimiitis was so knowledgeable and passionate about his island.
Domain Vikakis was the first winery of Damos. The building that houses the tasting area was where the family was lived and where the wine was made.
I have a new birthday buddy. We shared the tasting with a lovely Swedish family celebrating the father’s 70th birthday. What a delightful coincidence! Yamas🤗
The next tasting was at the year old organic winery of Kostaki. It is an organic winery stated by a young couple. They met at Oenologist school, he is German and she was born on Samos. They have nursed her father’s vineyards into a lovely winery overlooking the sea.





He demonstrated the removing of the lees with the methodé traditionnelle table side.















Samos is a gorgeous island, much more lush and mountainous than the other islands we have visited.  










We enjoyed a fabulous lunch of small plates and further wine education at Orizontas, overlooking the mountains and the sea.










Ceviche





Eggplant stuffed with local cheese.





Greek cheese with phyllo and local honey.





Marinated Calamari.





A perfect day🥰





We returned to our cabin to a fun birthday surprise!





Last night was the dockside barbecue.  Such a fun festive event.





We ended the evening with a fun birthday serenade 🤗. What a way to celebrate!

	


	





	

		
		
A rainy day in Naxos
	


	
	
	

		

We had our first foul weather during our port of call in Naxos.  Unfortunately, we did not get to explore the village as we had planned but we traversed the picturesque lanes in between squalls.















Even the cats tried to find refuge from the rain.





A description of the Portal from AI:
“Begun around 530 BC by the Naxian tyrant Lygdamis, the sanctuary was intended to be the grandest and most magnificent temple in all of ancient Greece. [1, 2]
The Abandonment: Construction halted permanently in 524 BC when Lygdamis was overthrown, leaving the complex unfinished.”  Tyrants don’t deserve to be memorialized!















After a warm shower and a cuddly nap we were treated to dinner in the specialty restaurant “Candles”.  It is normally a candlelit dinner outside on the upper deck but the winds were about 30 knots.  We were happy to retreat inside.  A lemon drop martini seemed appropriate to celebrate this dream come true trip.