Santorini: Part III - Snapshots from a Greek Isle

Pandolis the chef and our host,
Christopher

Pandelis invited Beth, Rob, Christopher, Emma, Petros and Maria (Christopher's brother and sister-in-law) over for Sunday dinner where the main entree was to include the squid that Christopher, Beth, and Rob caught earlier that week. When they arrived they settled at the dinner table and were soon joined by an additional couple, Jani and Annie.  



Christopher and his brother, Petros,
with a salad and a calamari dish

In addition to being a math teacher, Pandelis is an excellent painter and chef.  On his own, he prepared a feast that included herbed broccoli soup, bean with grated carrot salad, aubergine salad, green salad, and the dish extrodinaire - calamari with red peppers.  

The meal finished with baklava sweets and tea.  All was accompanied by delicious Santorini white wine.

Oddly enough, six of the nine were teachers which helped to find common ground for discussion in addition to talking about everyone's love of travel.  The afternoon passed quickly and soon it was time to take their leave.  




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Making the ascent.

Overheard the evening after climbing 370 m (1210 ft) through beautiful terrain complete with spectacular vistas to the summit of Pyrgos the highest part of Santorini.

Mountain peak view.

"You're a physicist Christopher.  When is a good idea to culminate a nature hike with an area of uncontrolled, carcinogenic radiation?" 

Christopher forms a knowing smile.



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Stray dogs and cats were ubiquitous throughout Eastern Europe and Greece and Santorini was no exception except to say that the animals there seemed to be healthier and better fed.  



Rob with BooBoo and B.B.

Christopher and Emma had two dogs of their own, who both had free run of the area.  The smaller one of them, BooBoo, was extremely friendly and followed them everywhere. One day as Beth and Rob set off on the 1 km walk to Oia, Christopher advised, "BooBoo will likely follow you to town."  



As they walked through town stopping for a cappuccino and spanikopita accompanied by BooBoo they were soon joined by a medium brown dog, whom they nicknamed "BB". This first stood for "Brown bastard" but soon, won over by his personality, they changed his formal name to "Brown Baby".  



Beth and Rob were amazed by the way the two dogs ran through town as if they owned it.  They easily walked along cliffside walls, narrow stone walls, sought out the rare fresh water puddles, and looked for food dishes set out by soft-hearted citizens.  



When Rob and Beth decided to stop for dinner, they took advantage of a time when Booboo and BB were distracted to go sneak into a restaurant.  However as they opened the restaurant door a German-Shepherd type dog quickly ran between their legs and entered.  Feeling responsible for this mistake, they tried to herd the dog back outside although they didn't meet with any success.  

Oia

A few moments later when the owner came of the kitchen and saw what they were doing, he assured them it was no problem - the dog was welcome to stay.  The grateful stray curled up and fell asleep under their table.  Rob, recognizing the "open door" policy for dogs after confirming with the owner, opened the door and called in BooBoo.  Both dogs slept under tables for the duration of the lunch much to the amusement of the other two patrons.




 dogs slept under tables for the duration of the lunch much to the amusement of the other two patrons.




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A sample road Rob and
Beth travelled.




Passenger 1: SLOOOW DOWNNN!! YOU’RE LOSING MY TRUST!!


Passenger 2: I am only in third gear! I have cars on my ass and I am trying to stay with the traffic speed.


Passenger 1: Just slow down please. The sign said THIRTY. You're not driving thirty,  and I don't like these cliffs!


Passenger 2: **Huff** I’m not even close to the cliffs."




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Earlier this year on St. Patrick’s day it required the prying of alcohol throughout the afternoon to get Rob and his neighbours in Windsor to swim in the 7°C pool water in the heat of the record warm temperature of 27°C. But this was Greece, the first of December, and Rob was not to be denied on what may be the last day of swimming of the year.

Rob swims at  the
summer nudist beach



“May I borrow your snorkelling gear, Christopher?”, asked Rob.

“Would you like my harpoon also?”, replied Christopher.  Rob thought that he might have been teasing him.  He wasn’t. Christopher looked at him with a smile as he knew the beaches were bare and the tourists that worshiped the sun had long since vanished.

Beth tanning with David Bowie



“Will the beaches be warm enough?”,  asked Beth, who would relegate herself only to sun bathing in the warm 18°C afternoon heat.



“The black sand will make you feel warm.”, Christopher informed her.

Santorini: Part II - Snapshots from a Greek Isle

Looking into Oia

Santorini lies directly on a fault between two plates in the Earth’s crust. From this the island was born from hyper-geologic activity. Over the next two weeks both Beth and Rob drove to the four corners of this island to witness firsthand the evidence of its primordial origins.

Basalt beaches.

In the north they sunned themselves in the heat on black basalt beaches that stretch for kilometers.

Looking up at Fira’s Old Port on the western side of the island they could see the volcanic caldera consisting of coloured layers of basalt lava flows covered by a thick raisin bread-like layer of conglomerate rock formed of volcanic ash.

The climb to ancient Thiera

Ancient Thiera

On the southern shores they visited ‘Red Beach’- shores formed of brick-coloured volcanic rock and walked through the destroyed ancient city of Akrotiri, buried under ash and rock.

Beth climbing the cliff stairs.

Red Beach

In the east, on the low lying plains they drank from wineries that, as tradition dictates, coax their vines into a bird’s nest arrangement. This protects the flowers and grapes growing in the middle of the twisted formation from damage when the island’s frequent winds pelt the vines with light pumice glass rock.

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While travelling in their newly rented car around the island:

Passenger Two: Where are we? Find Apta on the map... we just entered that village.

Passenger One: Uh, I think Apta means "Slow". It was on the yield sign over the word slow.

Passenger Two: Oh.

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Cliffs of Fira

Vineyard bird nest vines in the sunset.

 A trip to Santorini would not be complete without watching the sunset, reputedly one of the most beautiful in the world. On their third night on the island Rob and Beth made arrangements with the three Canadians they met on the ferry to meet in Oia for sunset and dinner. Together they navigated through the narrow, cobbled streets to a vantage point that allowed for a view of the sun setting behind the volcanic island in the sea, a spectacular view of the caldera, and two different views of Oia.

Sunset view from a ferry.

As the sun set below the horizon, they marvelled at how the changing colours of the sun's rays were reflected on the white canvases of Santorini's buildings.

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On Saturday morning Rob and Beth woke uncharacteristically early as Christopher had arranged to meet Pandelis, Christopher's math teacher friend, for mushroom collecting. Pandelis had only a short time to show the Canadians the field and point out the difference between the edible mushrooms and the inedible. However, both Pandelis and Christopher were emphatic that there were no poisonous mushrooms on Santorini so there was no need to worry.

"The white mushrooms with white gills and the veil on the stem are not good. Don't pick them. Look here. This mushroom is the good one, but a little dark. It's better if you find them when the gills are still pinkish."

Beth:Champion Mushroom Collector

Although Pandelis had to leave early to tutor a student, Christopher, Beth, and Rob spent a few tranquil hours scouring the countryside for mushrooms.  Christopher was prepared to traipse the abandoned and fallow fields in boots suited to walk through thorny ground plants and the decorating remains of donkey and goat droppings. At times Rob, who generally has a stomach for the vulgar, was slightly repulsed at digging up fresh mushrooms protruding from the earth in a mass of petrified scat. When all parties had enough for a few meals they headed home. Beth had championed the greatest find with three large pinkish beauties.

After that introduction, whenever Beth and Rob passed a non-manicured field they would stop to collect mushrooms and enjoyed many meals featuring this local delicacy.

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"Elizabeth, Robert, would you like to attend a movie with us on Saturday night?"

That was music to their ears, as anyone who knows them,

knows they enjoy going to the movies.

"Is it in English?", Beth hesitated.

"Of course", confirmed Christopher, “with Greek Subtitles”.

Maria  from Boutari Winery

As it turns out, Christopher was president of the Santorini movie club. This organization selected, arranged for, and organized a movie night every Saturday throughout the off season at Boutari, one of the local wineries. This place, which screened films for tourists to learn about wine in the summer, provided the perfect location for screening.

When they arrived, Beth and Rob wished a Kali spera to Marie who was working at the winery and who they recognized from their earlier wine-tasting visit.

As they arrived just in time for the start of the movie, everyone found a seat and settled in for the show. At intermission, which was necessary to change the reels, people mulled about drinking wine and chatting.

Christopher and Emma rockin' it
old school.

After the feature film ‘Shame’ was finished, it was agreed that they would go out for a drink. Beth and Rob followed Christopher, Emma, Christopher’s brother Peter, and Peter’s wife Maria through the winding roads to a tavern that played traditional Greek music on Saturday nights.

Although the place quickly filled with cigarette smoke, the company, and the ensuing food, wine, and music were excellent.

When Rob and Beth waved at and chatted with a patron at another table that they recognized, Christopher quizzed, "Making friends?"

Unbelievably it was after 3:00 am before they all climbed into the cars and wound their way home through the dark night. Alas, there would be no mushroom picking the next morning.

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"Rob, look at this one. They're only asking 150,000 Euros. However, I think it may need some fixing up.", called out Beth while studying a website of properties for sale in Santorini.

Santorini: Part 1 - Snapshots from a Greek Isle

Fellow Canadians Laurie,
Jane, and Kylie

When Beth and Rob selected a place to stay in Santorini they went against their rule of procuring the least expensive accommodation available (that was still suitable) and chose one that (a) was located near Oia, the village that is boasted about online as the village to visit and (b) had a hot tub! Who could resist?

Off the bow of the Anek Superfast ferry

They arrived at the port in Crete ready to board the ferry to Santorini but were informed that the ferry was three hours late. They settled in the port cafe for the wait and soon were joined by three other Canucks and one Texan. They passed the time enjoying a couple pints of Greek beer and sharing traveling stories.  Coincidentally, Rob and the Texan found out that they had similar experiences with ‘Francesco the Scammer’ while staying in Athens.

A ferry leaving port.

Rob and Beth always on the look out for environmental cues like the absence of pedestrians milling around the port determined that the time for boarding the ferry was upon them so they quickly headed over to the ferry while their new friends stopped to buy some snacks. Mere minutes after Rob and Beth boarded they felt the engines grind the ferry out of port. They ran back toward the entrance just in time to see their fellow Canadians running on board. Apparently they had to lower the gangway again to allow them to board as they were a wee bit late. Ah, the perils of travelling!

As a result of the late departure the Anek ferry did not arrive at Fira, the capital of Santorini, until after 1:00 am - long after the last bus. Fortunately Christopher, Rob and Beth's host, was waiting for them at portside.

"Are you Elizabeth?", he inquired.

With gratitude they loaded their baggage, waved goodbye to their Canadian friends, and climbed into the car.

The cliffs at Oia

As Christopher carefully drove the 25 minute trip on the 18 km winding cliff-side roads to their residence he pointed out the different villages along the way. He also shared that he was a retired physics teacher and that his wife, Emma, is a teacher at one of the two high schools on the island.

Rob's morning walk in the back yard
with the family pets.

Upon arrival at the apartment complex, Christopher showed them their apartment which had a traditional Santorini open-concept design complete with a bedroom loft. In addition to being upgraded to a larger apartment suited for four, the place was beautiful, immaculate, and stocked with added luxuries for 

sustainable living. Both guests felt immediately comfortable and at home.

"It's late. In the morning come see me. We’ll have coffee and I'll highlight some places to visit and give you some maps."

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/663411

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The next evening Rob returned from a conversation with Christopher and announced, "Christopher's invited me to go calamari fishing on the pier. We're leaving in 10 minutes."

Beth questioned whether she was invited as well, but not wanting to miss an opportunity she frantically ran around changing into warmer clothes and packing her backpack. Her contribution, she surmised, was to bring the evening’s treats which included: fresh baked bread, cheeses, tzaziki, and a 200 mL bottle of Ouzo to share.

Beside Beth sits Christopher, Dimitri,
Joy and her Athens' friend

Once outside Christopher warmly welcomed her but indicated that he regrettably did not have a line and lure ready for her. She assured him that that was fine and that she was just happy to come along. For the first part of the evening she found herself passing the Ouzo among the three of them, but, as it was a small bottle, this didn't last long.

Beth's day-two catch

As she had nothing else to do, Beth wandered along the pier and came across three people finishing dinner. She recognized the woman from earlier in the day and stopped to say hello. Joy, as it turns out, was from Vancouver but had been living in 

Rob can't wait to eat
his calamari

Santorini for twenty years. She and Dimitri owned the restaurant "Sunset", and although it was now closed for the season, they were eating at one of their pier side restaurant tables with a friend visiting from Athens. They invited Beth to join them and they sat and conversed for the rest of the evening. The hours passed quickly when Christopher, who was the only one to catch a calamari on that night, came by and announced it was time to go.

The next evening the three met as prearranged at 7:00 pm for a second evening of fishing. As they climbed in the car Christopher announced that he had a lure for Beth and a "Family-sized bottle of Ouzo."

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Christopher ponders.

"Christopher, I know we only booked this apartment for three days, but is it available for two weeks?", asked Rob.

“Of course, Robert.”

Crete: A thanksgiving weekend with Antonia

Crete's Patchwork Agricultural landscape

Antonio, Rob and Beth’s pension host, attributes her success to the years she grew up being cared for by and then ultimately caring for her grandmother. Antonia’s Grandmother used the knowledge of wild, native plants and animals to supplement their diet while living an impoverished life in Crete's countryside. Antonia actively pursued this knowledge at age eleven and says it kept her and her grandmother healthy in the years that her grandmother was losing her eyesight. Today, Antonia lives and works near Heraklion, the Capital of Crete, at a technical college of plant horticultural studies teaching techniques to classes of students that will one day continue Crete’s rich agricultural heritage.

Gated Shoreline Community Near Gazi

“I love plants. It is very important to know about plants and keep this knowledge. All over olives and grapes. It is like a beautiful carpet.”, says Antonia as she drives Rob and Beth through the green and yellow quilted countryside - a route she has chosen for the benefit of her Canadian companions. “It is everywhere. So many Olives.”

Antonia Drives

On the roads Antonia, unlike many drivers in Greece, patiently drives through the steps of Idi mountain. After ensuring that her passengers are comfortable and safe, she frequently pulled over to give Rob excellent vantage points to photograph.

“Be very careful. It is dangerous.”, she warns while watching Rob streak across the bend in the highway to step up to the precipice of a cliff that opened to reveal the landscape riddled with olive groves and vineyards.

En route Antonia shared some of her knowledge of olive cultivation, propagation methods, harvesting, and the processing of olives. “Here”, she points, “They are for the oil. They are smaller and not for eating. They produce many olives for the oil."

Archeological remains of Crete’s Minoan inhabitants, the oldest known civilization in the world, shows that they contained olive presses going back for at least four millennia. From the days of the ancient Greeks and Romans, to the olive oil consumers of today, Crete remains a major exporter of high quality olive oil. Seventy percent of their exports are sent to the Italian olive oil industry, bottled and labeled as its own, and sold at inflated prices worldwide. Only in Greece can the title ‘Olive Oil from Crete’ be readily found.

Steps of the Idi Mountains

When the place is right Antonia parked, released the hatch of her vehicle, donned a pair stylish rubber boots, and handed Rob and Beth each a plastic bag and kitchen knife. Together the three trod up the side of an olive grove in search of wild greens. Twice a week Antonia practices this ritual of harvesting wild greens which she does to provide essential vitamins and phytonutrients to promote good health and vitality for her and her husband, Vasilis.

“This one here, it is very important. Look at the red in it.”, Antonia directed while she demonstrated the proper trimming and cleaning method. To the average Canadian the greens looked like weeds in a meadow, one looking very similar to the next. However Antonia has studied and researched these plants and can identify them all.

Beth Selects  Some Greens

“Is this one?” asks Rob trying to find the same weed.

“Yes. Bravo, Robert my heart! It is a different kind but it is still good.”

“How about this one, Antonia?” queried Rob on a different variety.

“No Robert, my heart. It is poison! Leave it.”

The care that Antonia takes with the plants is obvious. At times if she pulled up too much root she carefully removed some and replanted it for a time when someone again would harvest the fields.

Beth and Her Wild Garlic

Pointing to some wild garlic Antonia watched as Elizabeth found and picked the same. “Is this your first time?”

“Yes”, Beth replies and hopes that she too would receive a "Bravo."

Moving up the slopes of an abandoned olive grove, Antonia directed Beth and Rob to pick the olives that were ripening on a 120 year-old tree for home preparation. She also demonstrated how to differentiate between the sweet olives and the ones that were bitterly repulsive and how to propagate clones.

Choosing the Sweeter Olives

“Is it OK to be taking olives from here? Does somebody own these trees?” Beth inquired.

“Yes. It is uncared for and left.”, Antonia confirmed.

With their bags full of greens they got back in the car and were once again on their way. The scenery during the ride to the traditional town of Pentamodi was equally as stunning as the ride to the field. The car slipped through the streets with sections so narrow that Antonia needed to stop and wait while oncoming traffic completed its passing.

En Route to Pentamodi 

The town was quiet and would have appeared abandoned except for the occasional resident that smiled and watched as Antonia drove to her favourite café. The café was a single room establishment filled with wooden tables and chairs with walls lined with pictures and artifacts that were distinctly Cretan.

“Only these two are grown around here”, informed the barman as Rob examined the poster displaying different kinds of olives.

He served them each a cup of Greek coffee - a thick black concoction containing silty coffee grounds that sediment on the bottom when served. The barman handed a double to both Beth and Rob, while Antonia received a single. “You two are much bigger”, he explained.

Raki and Sweet Yogurt Dessert

Afterward Antonia asked the barman to bring out a Greek specialty - sweet yogurt covered in sour berry preserves served with a small glass flask filled with a clear liquid. “Raki”, said the barman. “It is made from of the remains of grape pressings and is stronger then wine.”

Rob and Beth eagerly devoured all the goodness while Antonia watched them with delight. Afterward Rob, wishing to return his gratitude by paying the balance, was rejected firmly by both the barman and Antonia who were apparently in agreement that their guests from Canada should not be billed. “When I come to Canada, you can buy.”, he elaborated.

When they returned to their apartment in Gazi, they found Vasilis waiting for them and ready to work. He and Rob stayed outside to clean and trim the greens although Vasilis, being much more efficient with the process, did the majority of the work. Beth tried to help Antonia in the kitchen by setting the table while she was educated on the art of Cretan cooking.

Vasilis Tends the Grill

Antonia juggled setting the grill with fresh seabream, preparing the eggplant dish which she says is her son Manolis' favourite, and boiling the greens which Rob and Valilis brought in when cleaned. Vasilis, skilled in the kitchen like Antonia, had developed his craft over the 30 years he worked the as chef aboard Greece’s ferrys. He tended to the sous-chef duties of grilling, peeling and squeezing lemons, preparing garnishes, and serving the fish.

Applying the Homemade Vinegar

Antonia's kitchen contained a myriad of hand-collected spice, teas from dried herbs, local fruits bottled in syrup, bottles filled with dried peelings, home-brewed vinegars, and personally inspected and cold-pressed olive oils -many of which were used in the preparation of our dinner. Antonia explained how fruit flies were a critical part of making the cidar vinegar as she drizzled small amounts on the eggplant that she was preparing.

Antonia's Sardines

Once ready, both Beth and Rob were in disbelief as to the amount of cooking their hosts completed and served for their dinner - heaping plates of greens, home-prepared anchovies and olives, stewed fava (English fava) beans, zucchini fritters, Greek cheeses, and a plate of seabream for each of them. Most dishes were served with generous portions of high quality olive oil  which Antonia explained have been pressed from olives at a much colder temperature under her inspection to ensure all the essential nutrients were maintained. Vasilis poured the home-brewed wine and together the four ate to their fill.

The Grand Feast

At the end of the meal, the two stuffed Canadians were treated to Antonia’s desserts which were baked using olive oil instead of milk fat, and dishes of preserved bergamot in honey. This time Vasilis poured Raki, and together, not as Canadian tourists and Greek hosts but more as friends, they discussed of travel experiences and their shared love of food, gardening, science, and teaching.