Ah Naxos!

What can I say about this, the biggest of the Cycladic Greek island chain? As my ferry was pulling into port and I saw the main town of Churo hugging the side of the hills with The Temple of Apollo standing watch over it's inhabitants, I fell in love.  It's a walking town!

This island has tall mountains and beautiful beaches.  They get snow and ice in the winter and warm northern breezes in the summer to keep the temperatures moderate.  You can still find many of the old ways still in existence, especially in the small villages, though the young are fast taking over with cafes and bars and shops of all kind.

Since arriving on Saturday, I have stayed at the small, very friendly and extremely reasonable Hotel Poseidon just a few steps from the beautiful St. Georges beach.  I have my own little balcony where I can watch the world walk by.  It even comes with a clothesline so I can hang out hand washings - a much needed necessity when access to washers and dryers are few-and-far-between.  Breakfast is included daily as well as transport to and from the port the days of arrival and departure.  How much you might ask as does one pay for such a place?  €25 per night!

The food is traditional, plentiful and good.  A huge pita stuffed with gyros (here you have a choice of pork or chicken) with a good dollop of tazaki sauce, fresh tomatoes, red onions, and french fries, yep french fries, make a great lunch.  Add a soft drink or even a local beer and the cost is between €2-4.

Dinner of yummy, fried fresh calamari, Greek salad and fries (Naxos is famous for it's potatoes) plus a glass of wine is €8.50.

Naxos is also the home of one of largest pure white marble quarries.  This is easily seen in the statues that adorn the island and the steps you climb and the walkways you stroll along (which are very slippery when wet)  They also are home of large emery mines.  I really couldn't figure out what they were talking about until it hit me and realized it was a mineral I had never considered mined - think emery boards to file your fingernails!

   

I attended a bouzouki and guitar concert of Greek folk music in the lower-level of a 16th century Venetian castle Monday evening. The musicians were outstanding and played for over 3 hours.  Local dancers performed - whirling and kicking in this tiny space - and unlimited glasses of the local wines and ouzo were served.  Unfortunately the lower-levels of castles are dark!  

I met two wonderful women that night who were from Ashland, OR.  They not only encouraged me to take the day-long island bus tour the next day, but also told me all about a wonderful program called Village to Village which they have in Ashland.  It's is a community program that allows seniors to remain in their homes, eliminating the need for moving into long-term care facilities.  I've done just a bit of Internet snooping but it sounds perfect. There are many such communities springing up all over the US. This is something I will certainly look into when I return.  

The island tour was so entertaining and educational.  Our guide, Reena, spoke 6 languages, and would answer questions in one-to-another in quick order!  We traveled far, far up and over the mountains (7,000 ft) and stopped at a pottery, a distillery, a olive oil press, several beaches and photo ops through-out the day, while learning about the history of the people that occupy these small mountain villages, some no larger than 50 inhabitants.  And when it does snow, everything stops as the road is much too winding and weaving to try and travel on.  These are worse than any North Carolina mountain road I was ever on!  Here are just a few a the many photos I shot that day....

The Ya Ya's chatting and I am sure, laughing at the foreign tourists!

Glass jars storing a rather wonderful citrone-based liquor.

A local gentleman with his 'working' donkey that was hauling bricks up the steep village streets.

The magnificent view of the sea and a few of the smaller, nearby islands.

Tasting all the delicious products made by the olive grove owner - a young woman!!  I want to pack everything I could in my suitcase (not!) or send packages home as gifts (also not - they don't ship!)

A fabulous spice shop that also sold whips made from bull penis skins.....hmmmm.

And what moved me the most was a statue of Kronos.  It was lying in an old marble quarry.  It is 1000's of years old and they do not know why it was never raised or moved to it's planned location.  So he lies in state on a mountain top which you must climb 56 steps to reach.  He has been open to the elements of wind, rain, snow and ice for all these years, yet he still exudes such dignity.  You wonder about the artisans who carved him and how sad they must have been when he did not rise to his full glory.

I learned yesterday afternoon that my new passport is ready for pickup  - YEAH.  So this is my last day on Naxos.  I will be sorry to leave, but happy to once again have a 'real' US passport in my possession.  I ferry to Athens in the morning ( a 7 hour ride) and will spend the night once again at the Athenstyle Hostel.  I know, I said never again, but it's cheap and really close to the Embassy.  I can only pick up my passport between 12 Noon and 1:00 PM so will do that on Friday.  And then.....

I felt it time for some Italian history so I have booked the ferry to Venice, Italy!!  It departs the port at 12 Midnight on Friday and I arrive in Venice at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday.  I have booked a great little BnB just outside the island city of Venice and will bus in and back for €1.20 each way.  

My plan is to 'get lost' for a few days wandering the winding narrow streets, crossing the bridges, mingling with the tourists in St. Marks Square, sipping a glass or two of good red wine,  maybe a boat ride to Murano to see the glassblowers....the options abound.

Unti next time....

SANTORINI - The land of Shirley Valentine

From Athens I took the dreaded metro at 6 a.m. to catch the Blue Star Ferry from Piraeus to Santorini. It's a 9 hours ride and I must admit, though dreading it, it was really lovely!  The boat/ship is very up-to-date and has all the amenities you could want.  I took over a lovely, big couch, pulled out my Cubs blanket and blow-up pillow and went to sleep for a few hours.  Upon awaking, I ate my lunch (which I had purchased on shore after hearing how high the food prices were on the boat) and played on my computer and read for the next 6-7 hours, arriving on Santorini at 3:30 p.m. 

Though my promised ride from the port to the hotel did not show up and I had to take a cab, the Rodakas Hotel manager, George, was terribly apologetic and upgraded my room for free! A very nice bonus.  

The hotel was located in Akrotiri - the far south-end of the island of Santorini.  The room and the pool area were, as you can see, very nice. 

Santorini is the Greek island that Shirley Valentine ran away to.  For those who don't know my friend Shirley, ignore all references or rent the movie on Nexflix - best 'chic flix' ever!  I am sorry to say I didn't meet a Costas, but I did meet Mark & Steve at check-in, a great couple from Seattle, who I hung out with for a couple of days.  Not quite the results I was looking for - but lots of fun just the same.

Santorini is known for their picturesque blue-domed roofs (the churches) and there are many dotting the landscape wherever you go.  

The largest village on the island is Fira.  This is where the cruise ships unload their hoards and where the young folks all go to party and dance until the wee hours.  The narrow streets are lined with expensive shops with handsome Greek men standing in the doorway inviting you to come in and spend your $$. The view from the top (Gold Street) is spectacular.  

The much smaller village of Akrotiri where I stayed has several really nice restaurants that were in walking distance of the hotel.  It is also is where the Prehistoric Ruins of a pre-Minoan culture, what the majority of archaeologists consider the lost city of Atlantis, are located.  The 'dig' is huge and so interesting.They have only dug down 2 levels at the most and believe their are 4.  The city was lost to earthquakes and mud slides but show a very advance society living there 10,000+ years before Christ.  

Walkable also was the beaches of Black (big black stones, no sand  - Ouch!) White Beach (missed that one) and Red Beach - the most popular one on the island - but a what a climb up and over just to get there!  I loved this little guy playing the violin at the the top of the climb before the decent to the beach.

And of course, Santorini is known world-wide for it 's sunsets and that is how I will bid you adieu until next time.......when I head to the island of Naxos for 4 days.

GREECE

The first stop on my RTW trip has always been Greece.  Why?  Because I fell in love with the movie Shirley Valentine and have always told myself that when I could, I was going to see that part of the world - and here I am!

I must say that my arrival on Saturday was not an auspicious start to my travels.  I was robbed of all of my identification by a gang of 3 on the metra train riding from the airport to downtown Athens.  They surrounded me, and while they were jabbering in my face, one reached into my bag and stole my document wallet and also grabbed my jewelry bag.  So the first thing I did, even before checking into my lodging, was find the local police station to report my loss - a total waste of my time.  

To say that the police system in Greece is antiquated is an understatement -  they didn't have a computer to enter my report and there was no wireless so I could bring up photos of my lost documents for them.  By now I have been awake for 24 hours and am stressed to the limit.  I started crying and the young man taking the information could not have cared less.  He dialed a phone number, handed me the phone and said 'Here - talk!'  ....and I was chatting with the Duty Officer at the American Embassy - praise the Lord!

He apologized for rushing me, but it was a weekend and I was the 8th American he had talked to that day who had been targeted and robbed at the same station on the metra.  I was told to come into the Embassy on Monday morning to begin the process of getting a temporary and then a permanent replacement passport - oh happy day - and this will only cost me $147!

Oh well, nothing to do but return to the Athenstyle Hostel (my first, and perhaps my last time in a dorm-style room in a youth hostel).  Not that it wasn't a memorable experience.  It was very loud- thank goodness I had invested in really good earplugs - as there were 5 young ladies sharing my room, besides myself.  Over the 4 days I was there, I had roommates from India, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Korea, Brazil, Bali, Germany and Portugal. They would come in for a night or two and then were gone. The mixture of languages and hand-signals used to understand each other was really hysterical, but it all seemed to work.  It was the first time I had slept on a top-bunk in a 1000 years and as you might imagine, the mattresses were not Sealy Posture-Pedics!  I have decided that from this point forward I will use AirBnB and enjoy a private room all to myself for the same amount of money!

Did I let the loss of my stuff and little sleep get me down?  No way!  I had made an acquaintance before I left Chicago who very generously offered to be my private tour guide and show we around Athens - and that's exacting what he did for two full days! OMG - I'm sunburned and have very store feet - but boy have I had a great time. 

Here the very, very old (10,000 BC) is still standing right next to a brand new high rise apartment.  To wake each morning an have a of the Acropolis and Parthenon is just mind-blowing!  As you can see, the never-ending task of keeping these ancient monuments upright is a on-going process - therefore the many large cranes and scaffolding.  

Then there are the churches - which are everywhere!  

And did I mention the food!  On Sunday we took a tram along the coast to have lunch at a taverna that was near the water's edge.  The fresh calamari, fried sardines, eggplant spread, fresh bread, white wine, and a Gruyere cheese from Naxos that made your taste buds sing...I had a very happy tummy.

And least I forget the fabulous art works in the museums ....

And then there was fabric stores everywhere and even a very weird fashion statement I still have figured out what they were saying....

The final picture is a colorful bar filled with all the different bands and kinds of ouzo!

What was really disappointing was the graffiti.  It covers everything, and I mean everything, including some of the oldest monuments, and no one seems to care or want to do anything about it.  Now I was used to seeing graffiti in Chicago, but this is overwhelming and really a shame to see it adorning ages-old marble statues and walls.  

Monday I spent the morning at the Embassy and now have in my possession a usable, temporary passport.  I will return in 7-10 days to pick up my permanent one.  So what's a girl to do to kill time while waiting - hop the Blue Star Ferry to Santorini and several of the other outlying islands.  I am actually writing this blog while sailing the Aegean Sea in a very large car ferry with 1000's of other travelers.  

It's a 9-hour ride to Santorini (home of those picturesque white houses built into the rocks with bright blue tile roofs, turquoise seas and world-famous sunsets over the caldera.)  I will be staying for 3 nights in Thira, the main village, in my own room (whoop!) where I hope to do my first load of laundry and sleep without a tipsy roomie banging in the door at 4 a.m. with a case of the giggles. Tonight I will take myself to a sea-side taverna for dinner and a glass of wine and be one very happy traveler.  

Until next time.....

Packing....

So everyone has asked "what are you taking in your 2 tiny bags?" So I thought I would take a picture for 'show 'n tell' and  tell you what I'm taking.

Looking at the rows starting from left to right and working from bottom to top ...

Row 1 - 2 green oblong bags contain undies and socks and scarves, etc. Larger black rectangle contains all of my clothes! T-shirts, pants, tights, skirt, dress, sweater, fleece. Small black square is electronic equipment - cords, plugs, earphones, etc. Black bag just above is makeup for purse.

Row 2 - Journal that was a gift from my son and his beautiful wife. Mini atlas 

 and  guide book. Sandals, Bernie Mec dress shoes, and the black bag is my toiletries (my traveling bathroom/medicine cabinet )

Row 3 - Little black square bag is 'stuff'. Like duct tape, batteries, portable clothes line.  Little red bag is my jewelry. Bigger red bag is a Bagalino cross-body purse for everyday use . 1 pair of flip flops to use as house slippers and in strange bathrooms.  And my iPad in its Zagg keyboard case - my link to the outside world.

Row 4 - Little blue case has blow-up pillow, eye mask and ear plugs for use on the plane. Little green bag is just some extra stuff and will probably be combined into another bag.

And that everything!  I'm wearing my tennis shoes and all of this will go into my 19" roller carry-on suitcase and smallish backpack. Traveling long means traveling lite!  And remember - there are stores everywhere - so if I don't have it or need to replace it - not a problem!

FAREWELL CHICAGO - HELLO WORLD!!

I thought this date (Friday, May 1st) would ever come.  I've thought, and dreamed and planned for so long that now that it's just 4 days away, I'm so excited I can hardly sleep!  

My big 'estate sale,' conducted by the team of Babe & Snooks, went extremely well and put enough money in my 'travel kitty' to spend a few more days on-the-road.  My storage locker is stuffed with too much stuff that I felt I just couldn't sell, but will give me some things to come home to when and if I return.

Seeing  my apartment totally empty was weird.  It again looks just as it did when I moved in 2 1/2 years ago.  It was also really weird to realize at that moment I was homeless - literally - for the next 10 days.  But that's when it's wonderful to have friends.  My good friend Ana, who runs a big non-profit out in LaSalle and lives on a much bigger farm in Morris, also has a fabulous condo in the West Loop as her 'city home.'  She very graciously offered me it's use until I fly away, and I very graciously said YES!!! 

I am having so much fun wandering around exploring this part of downtown.  It's the area where Oprah built Harpo- her TV studios.  This area was originallly the  meat packing district, but with Oprah  came restaurants, shops and the developement of deserted warehouses into luxurious condos.  Now Goggle has taken up residence in one of the old buildings and the CTA has even built a Orange Line stop just to service this growing part of town.  

I spent my last Sunday (yesterday) with one of my favorite Meet-Up groups, The Windy City Walkers.  They wander through a different area of the city and nearby burbs each weekend with a knowledgeable guide sharing the history of the area.  This Sunday was the infamous Gold Coast - the Near North area of Chicago that was home (and still is) of the city's most wealthy citizens.  The weather was perfect, the lake a beautiful sky-blue and the stately old masions still stand proud.  

For the rest of my time in Chicago I am being treated by friends to lunch and dinner every single day and night until I depart.  I will literally waddle my way to O'Hare on Friday afternoon to catch my flight to Athens.  

So this is my official farewell to Chicago.  The next time I write to you will be from Greece!!!  I have made quite a few contacts there already who are helping me with my 'what-to-see-and-do' itinerary.  I'm staying the first 3 nights in a hostel which has a roof-top bar that overlooks the Acropolis!   Wonder what the kids this think of this gray-haired traveler in the midst?  I can't wait to find out.

Until next time......here's one last look at the skyline of what I think is the best and most beautiful city in these United States!

ALL GREAT ADVENTURES FIRST START WITH A MESS!

As my May 1st fly-way date fast approaches, so does the time I have left to de-clutter, decide what I want to have the movers put in storage on April 11th and what will be sold at my 'estate sale' on April 18th.

I'm looking at this as a great opportunity to purge myself of stuff and things that I really don't need to fill my life or my next home.  Everything from clothes that don't fit; to pieces of pottery that I wonder why I bought; or that really weird painting that I never really liked but still hung on my wall, it's time to sell, donate or dump!

As you can see by the photos, right now I am living in a total mess.
                             

 
Thank God for good friends-with-cars!  Yesterday morning Sandy took me, my boy's antique highchair and my set of red & green holiday china to FedEx to be shipped to their new home in southern CA.  In the afternoon, Mary Libby provided transportation to Lowes and Home Depot where I purchased a large supply of bubble wrap, tape, and tall wardrobe boxes.  I was so lucky to have a friend who just relocated and offered me as many of her moving boxes, of all sizes, that I wanted.

As to the 'stuff' - I have pretty much separated what goes and what stays.  Going through my basement storage unit was a hoot.  There were bags and boxes of things I hadn't seen or even remembered I owned since they were stored there when I moved to Chicago 2 1/2 years ago!  

Of course, I'm always amazed that my collection, or fabric stash is always so much larger than what I think it is.  I took the time to go through every single piece, 'rolling' instead of folding the most-loved pieces back into their storage boxes.  I actually winnowed 3 full sacks to give to my favorite charity, Envision, but I still have 8 boxes of fabric and at least 2 more of patterns and notions.

The good news is that my apartment has been rented!  The very first couple that walked through (when it still looked lovely and neat) took it on the spot.  Not that renting it was my responsibility as my lease is up April 30th, but it was nice to hear from the landlord that they fell in love with it because of how I had it decorated.  I made sure they told the new renters know that many of the 'lovely things' they like would be for sale on the 18th!

So today - more packing.  A quick trip to Andersonville to get my glasses adjusted and look for a good pair of sneakers.  Europe is known for it's cobblestoned streets and though I love my super lightweight Sketchers, I learned while walking the lumpy, bumpy streets of Ajijic, MX that they weren't sturdy enough support my ankles, plus I could feel every lump & rough stone through the soles.  So something a little more like a hiking or trekking shoe instead of a city sneaker is on my list to find today.  

Next week I'm off to SoCal to be grandma to the most perfect/beautiful granddaughter in the whole, wide world while her mommy and daddy travel for their jobs.  A little southern California sun and surf, giggles, trips to the park and bedtime stories will be a nice break from 'the mess' that is my life right now.

Until next time......