Armchair travels to some Novel Destinations

We remain in 'detention' (as we call it) here - unable to leave Greece while awaiting those credit-card sized permanent residency permits, aka, our tickets to travel outside Greece.

Road trips will be what we do this spring in Greece

The latest update on our renewal status was that the review process has become 'more detailed and complicated after the system update'. . .hmmm. Does that sound ominous to anyone else but me?

Morning on Hydra Island 

We are both feeling the travel bug's itch though and with Greece having an estimated 160 to 227 (depending on the source) inhabited islands, we are going to make the most of as many of them as we can while living here.

This weekend we are returning to one we visited a decade ago; so long ago that most of the details of that trip have faded. I do remember the pounding rainstorm we had there - the one that kept ferries from coming to the island because the sea was so rough.  The Scout, on the other hand, remembers the wonderful walk we took when the rain let up a bit. Funny, how memories differ when looking back on trips.

Ferry arrives at Poros Island

I'll tell you more about this island next week but since the focus of today's post is armchair travel and novel destinations, I'll give you a teaser about the island:  John Fowles conceived the idea of his novel Magus while he lived on this island in the 1950's teaching English.  It took him 12 years to complete the book that has often been called the 'cult novel of the 20th Century."  Any guesses based on that clue as to where we are going?

We have had a few great 'novel' and 'not so novel' getaways in recent months so join us in some armchair travels:

Greece:  

Sailing to a Greek island

Yes, I know we live in Greece, but I love getting insights into this country's history through novels.  Patricia Wilson, a novelist living on Rhodes, took us back in time in her books, Villa of Secrets, set in Rhodes and her Island of Secrets, set in Crete. Both novels are based on actual events that took place during World War II and the tales were so interesting that we read the books back-to-back and had to impatiently wait for the arrival of her most recent book, Secrets of Santorini (which just came out).  You want a great get-away, I guarantee these books will take you there.

India:

The Taj Mahal Hotel - Mumbai, India

Sujata Massey's novel, The Widows of Malabar Hill, is a mystery book set in 1920's India. In it she introduces her character Perveen Mistry, Bombay's only female lawyer and a mystery sleuth as well.  I am delighted to see she is keeping this character around and has just had her next book in this series published. As a former newspaper reporter, I love seeing reporters-turn-writers. Massey was a reporter for the Baltimore Evening Sun before becoming a full-time novelist.

Not so Novel Destinations

Me at the real - not movie version - Bramasole

So many long years ago Frances Mayes with her Under the Tuscan Sun tales got me to thinking that 'one day' we just might have a similar adventure.  The book, now more than 20 years old, is still one of my favorites. I am re-reading it again this summer for a taste of Tuscany. . .and recommend it as a great armchair getaway. For those of you who've seen the movie, do read the book as she has practical things like mouth-watering recipes as well as inspirational tales of taking a leap into the unknown. It is particularly interesting to see where that leap took her: she and Ed sell Bramasole-labeled olive oil and wine, she just wrote another book about Italy, this one a travel guide, Meet Me in the Piazza and was interviewed at Bramasole on U.S. television's, CBS Sunday Morning.

When I finish with Frances I am moving on to Peter Mayle's A Year in Provence as he was another that helped formulate my daydreams. Mr. Mayle died last year and his last book, My 25 Years in Provence, Reflections on Then and Now will soon be on my bedside table.

Karen and Rich McCann at Petro's in Trahilio

And in today's mail I received Karen McCann's Dancing in the Fountain, How to Enjoy Living Abroad. I have a copy back in the State's --  she also provided a nudge back in 2012 when I read of the adventures she and her husband Rich had experienced when moving to Seville, Spain.  If you missed my last post, she and Rich were in The Mani with us for three days - days filled with tale telling and much laughter.  I am certain I will love the book all over again and you would as well.

That's all the armchair travel time I have for today -- time to start packing.  What books are you reading? Any recommendations?

Thanks for the time you've spent with us - hope to see you back next week when I'll be telling tales from 'that' island. . . have you guessed it yet?

Linking this week with:

Through My Lens
Our World Tuesday
Wordless Wednesday

Meeting Those Who Enjoy Living Abroad

'Do you know her? 'I think you two have a lot in common. You would enjoy meeting each other.' wrote the editor of an on-line magazine for whom I am writing an article on our expat life in Greece.

She was referring to Seville-based travel writer Karen McCann, who with her husband, Rich, decided to have a year's adventure abroad and now 14 years later still reside in Spain.

Karen and I explore the interior of a Mani Tower

I responded that indeed we do know each other; at least as people know each other in this blogosphere world in which we live, write and travel.  We might even know each other better than some of our IRL (in real life) family and friends know us.

In fact her 2012 book, Dancing in the Fountain, about their move to Seville was on my Pacific Northwest nightstand many years ago, along with Peter Mayle's A Year in Provence and Frances Mayes's Under the Tuscan Sun, tempting me with the idea of living somewhere in the Mediterranean 'someday'.  Back then the idea of living in Greece hadn't occurred to either of us.  

For several years  Karen and I have followed each other's adventures. As we got to 'know' each other through blog comments, we vowed that one day we would meet somewhere on this side 'of the pond'. Her blog is aptly titled, Enjoy Living Abroad.

Mediterranean Comfort Food Tour

Karen and Rich have embarked on a Mediterranean Comfort Food Tour, using public transportation to travel around the Mediterranean rim with stops in North Macedonia, Bosnia, Slovenia, Italy and France before they return to Seville in mid-August.

Karen definition of comfort food is straight from the dictionary:  

             food prepared in a traditional style having a usually nostalgic or sentimental appeal.

Ferry, bus, train and other public transportation is the McCann plan

'We are Coming to Greece'

A few weeks before their departure she wrote saying they were starting the tour in Crete and would be taking the ferry to Gythio, the port town on the 'other side' of the point on which we live in the Greek Peloponnese. Would we be free to join them for dinner?

I responded that their food tour really should include a stop in The Mani, 'our side' of the point and home to the world-famous Kalamata olive.  I mean how could one write about Greek food and not have an up-close and personal encounter with this luscious Greek ambassador?

She agreed. Arrangements were made and we were off last week to pick them up in Gythio for what would be a three-day visit. As we drove to Gythio we discussed all the things we had in common and knew we would hit it off. (We just didn't realize how well we would hit it off!)

What concerned us though was how we would show them all the culinary wonders of our area in such a short time. The Mani, stretching from the shores of the Messinian Bay to the top of the Taygetos Mountains, has such a variety of culinary delights.

Eating our Way Through The Mani

Limeni, The Mani, Peloponnese

LIMENI: We began eating about an hour after getting past the introductions. We wanted them to experience Limeni, a strikingly beautiful harbor about 40 minutes south of our home.  Two small enclaves of tourist accommodations hug the shore here. One called Limeni (for the 'harbor)) and one New Oitylo.  Oitylo, the original village sits high above the harbor on a bluff and is one of the oldest in the area. Homer wrote about it, to give you an idea of its age.

We chose a taverna at water's edge and ordered a 'small' mixed meat meze plate to share.  We were pacing ourselves, we agreed, after we'd outlined where we would like to take them during their stay.

KARDAMYLI: That evening we headed to Kardamyli, a village also dating back to Homer's time. (Agamemnon, king of Mycenae offered it to Achilles, for you history buffs). This ancient setting is home to some of the most modern Greek cuisine to be found. Tikla Restaurant and Wine Bar was our destination for 'nuevo Greek'. The newly-reopened restaurant  offered some new twists to old favorites: pumpkin risotto, pita wraps, and rooster with pasta were among the items we sampled.

Pumpkin risotto, pita wraps with Mani ham and chees and rooster were among our selections

TRAHILIO/TRACHILLA: By whatever name, the little village 'at the end of the road' was our destination the second evening together.  Akrogiali, the restaurant operated seasonally by Petro and his wife, had opened earlier last week for its summer run.  His tables, flanked by the sea on one side and the main road through town on the other, are usually packed in the summer.

The meze plate is complimentary with our wine

The setting, the hospitality and the food always combine to knock it out of the ballpark when dining here. We take all visitors here for a taste of 'real Greece'.

KASTANIA: Our 'real Greece' theme continued on Saturday when we headed up into the mountains for a visit to this village named for chestnuts. I've written before about their October Chestnut Festival.  We toured a renovated Mani Tower and a restored church here working up a thirst, which we quenched at the local taverna. . .we were the only customers.

Sipping and chatting in Kastania

While we were there 'the fruit lady' from whom we buy our fruit and veggies showed up in the village square.  We'd missed her in the morning in Stoupa, so we simply went out and made our purchases and then returned to the taverna to finish our beverages. 

Sipping and shopping in Kastania

KARYOVOUNI: Joanna's olive press restaurant, officially called Archova, after the village's original name, was our final stop on the culinary tour. It was a few miles down the narrow mountain road from Kastania. Sitting inside an old olive press, eating some of the best comfort food created in the Mani seemed the perfect way to end our time together. 

After several meze plates we shared appetizers

But a trip to our part of the Mani isn't complete without a stop at Gregg's Platea in the heart of Agios Nikolaos. Some here say Gregg, his mom Freda, and his wife Kathy ARE the heart of Agios Nikolaos.  Freda saved the morning by figuring out how to make us coffee and toast while in the midst of a Sirocco wind and sand storm and power outage!  A perfect send-off for our friends who enjoy living abroad!

Those who Enjoy Living Abroad

Thanks for being with us this week ~ check out Karen and Rich's travels on her blog and we'll see you back here next week. Safe travels to you!

Linking this week with:
Through My Lens
Our World Tuesday
Wordless Wednesday