Tales of Food & Drink digested from 55 years of International Travel

by David Russell

My travels for Business or on vacation with my wife, were always rich in surprising experiences. To share them, look for A La Carte weekly. The series will taste 42 countries, each with its own unique tale of food,beverages, places and people. Know that wherever we are, there’s always a setting at the table just for you.

Chapter 3 - Greece

The first thing we noted as special about Athens was our hotel room at the Electra Palace on Nikodimou Street. At least our balcony was. Straight ahead at eye level, stood the white marble Acropolis for our viewing pleasure, morning, noon and lighted night. This hotel and room had been especially chosen by a friend travel agent, who contacted an Athens associate to be certain we got this exact room. Dependable Travel Agent friends are indispensable friends to have.

Not only did we have a world famous landmark to appreciate, but the hotel was blocks from the Plaka, the heart of Athens restaurant row. Plus, it came with the additional bonus of a heated roof-top swimming pool with a bar, where the bartender served Ouzo to your taste. Mine, after a fair amount of experimenting, was 1 part Sweet to 2 parts dry, add a lemon peel and ice. What a combo, the Acropolis and a perfect Ouzo.

Add this to your Sundowners List. In Venice it’s the Daniella. In Athens, the roof bar of the Electra Palace. Bring your swim suit.

Our first visit to the hustle bustle of the tourist-packed Plaka provided no end of beckoning restaurant choices. Since we had nibbled and noshed all day, we wanted to just taste, just sample. That didn’t happen.

Gerofinikas on Rue Pindarou was our undoing. We thought only an appetizer and a glass of wine. That was the plan. But, then some Fresh Fruit got in the way, courtesy of the house and that, of course, required a second glass of wine. As we nibbled and sipped, aromas from platter after platter tempted us coming from the trays waiters carted to where hunger pangs were screaming for help.

Meanwhile, there was this other tumult going on, with waiters deliberately smashing dishes while a band in full swing played on. It was such a fun environment, we, too, joined the moment. A Swordfish appeared. Had we ordered that? Then Veal cooked in a paper bag. That, too? Help!! No more. We got out while we could still walk.

Our timing was good. Back at the hotel we met our pre-booked guide with car, who delivered us to the Dorothy Staton Theatre where a modern Greek Dance Company performed a mythology story line.

In the morning, awakened by 6 am church bells, we saw the sun casting soft morning light on the Acropolis; a glorious photo op. Racing the rising sun, some worthy shots were managed, many including nearby buildings still in shadows.

Our day, begun so early, was a full one; watching the traditional changing of the Parliament Guard, visiting the National Museum and a lunch time stroll in a local market snacking Humus, Olives on from-the-oven Pitas.

In the afternoon, along with a group of wheel chaired disabled British visitors who were being helped up the Acropolis stone steps by their accompanying support group, we all reached the Acropolis level to be in awe of the centuries old architectural marvel. It was inspirational seeing the groups challenging spirit and hearing their travel stories. Each year, the group took a trip to a foreign destination chosen by ballot.

Our final Athens day was completed in style. A swim and an Ouzo followed by dinner at tried and lovingly tested Gerofinikas. This time, prepared for the tumult, we shared all, starting with a meat and dripping cheese Moussaka appetizer, about a thousand calories worth. The entrée was our newly discovered Veal in a bag served with a humongous salad. All the while dishes crashed, waiters loudly voiced folk songs trying to outdo the band and adding to the din, diners created their own mayhem.

Dessert was a honey-drenched Greek pastry requiring knife, fork and spoon. With it came Demitasse cups of dark, biting Turkish Coffee. Laughingly I realized, this once, the Greeks and Turks were compatible.

Next day we began a pre-booked 4-day mainland tour guided by 89-Year old Francisca Rome, a former Louvre guide, who had resettled in Greece where age was not a retirement requisite.

Our itinerary brought us to a view of the mammoth two-faced gorge that sided the Corinth Canal. Seen from where we were high above, the ships below seemed bathtub boats. Though we wanted to travel the old Corinth underground waterway it was closed needing repairs, so we moved on to Mycenae to view the ruins at Acropolis, resembling the Great Wall of China, but they were not as well preserved.

Next day, one stop was the ancient theatre at Epidanus, where live performances were still staged, then to Nafplion for a band concert.

Olympia was the key visit of the trip. We covered it all, its athletic field and its museum filled with amazing displays such as an anatomically perfectly sculptured mini horse and a startling marble head of Apollo. On the walls hung paintings of the imagined battle of Satyrus and the Peasants and that between The Hermes of Praxiteles and the Archaic.

Francisca was unbelievable, I can still hear her when we were standing in front of the statue of Zeus abducting Ganymede (abt. 480 B.C.). The hall had a booming echo and was completely filled with too many noisy groups. In mid-sentence, rising to her full five feet, with stentorian tone, she turned and loudly in Greek pronounced something. Then, repeated it in French. Then, in English “Quiet. Quiet. You sound like a band of Banshee’s”. Utter surprise, then silence. Rome turned back to us and picked up where she had left off, not missing a beat, continuing her erudite explanation of what and how things were in the era of Zeus. Fiery Francisca, we loved her dearly. Especially, for her suggestion to gather all the museum pamphlets and folders we could collect. She was right, they still serve as terrific reminders in pictures and words of where we’d been and what we’ve seen. In Senior moments, they can be a life-saver.

The original Olympic grounds and stadium filled our afternoon. If so inclined, you could run the oval as Greeks, and later, their Roman conquerors did for 2,000 years. Then, for a 1000 years, no one did; there being no games. In the late 1880’s German Archeologists rediscovered the grounds and their original purpose, leading to in 1896 fielding the first modern day Olympics. The ones noted next were Hitler’s 1936 games. In the U.S., we refer to them as the “Jesse Owens games”.

The old city of Delphi, next stop on our itinerary, featured a spectacular museum of treasures. Unlike any other Greek museum, the Delphi deliberately separated the three major periods of Greek and Roman statuary art; the Archaic, the Hellenistic and the Classical.

Our final day brought us up into the mountains to another centuries old city, Skft, from where we had an unobstructed view of Mr. Parnassus, 25 miles off. Skft’s most important structures were the reconstructed “Treasury” Building, the road of the Pythia and an amphitheatre which remains an acoustic wonder. Words spoken at normal level from the performing circle could still be clearly heard in the last row of the balcony.

An inconspicuous road stop lunch was followed by a conspicuous stop, a tire blow-out, which ended our tour as we “limped” back into Athens and said our farewells to Mme. Rome and the group.

That night, our last dinner in the Plaka, was at Taverna Kal Kerinos where its lively Greek Folk dancing crowd attracted us. Unfortunately, fun was not how I would describe our rush you in - rush you out, meal.

Beginning the next morning we were on our own, with plane and hotel reservations booked so we could island hop. But, first we had to overnight near the airfield in Limnos, where we found all the buses and taxis on strike. Hello Hertz.

After seeing a bit of Limnos’ lesser sight-seeing wonders, we picked “7 Seas” for dinner. Red Snapper caught that afternoon was on our plate that night, after a starter Greek Salad plus our appetizers, Fried Shrimp for Claryce and yum! Calamari for me. Then, we shared the Snapper. A bottle of Mythos Beer proved a perfect taste fit, as if ordained.

However the night proved to be a sleep challenge. Vespas buzzed till 3 am, church bells rang loudly every hour and our room resembling a Turkish bath causing us to keep our windows open wide, welcoming in all that night music. Sleep was more off than on.

Next morning our first Olympia Air twin prop flight was a 50-minute hop over a choppy, wind-blown sea, to Santorini. Unfortunately, on landing we met another transport strike. (Bless Greek Transport Unions) The only thing moving was the airport bus which dropped us at their one in town terminal. From there, we hand lugged our bags (pre Back Packs) a number of blocks, then up three long flights from the low to high street, to our hotel, the 5-Star Atlantis (ATAATIE in Greek). Traveling off-season reduced their ***** high season rates to affordable.

My notes say we saw more jewelry shops on Santorini than Fifth Avenue and Rodeo Drive combined. Easy to understand; giant cruise liners flooded the island with anxious bargain hunters. 3 cruise ships entered the harbor while I was making these notes.

On Santorini, we were again bank cursed. The previous night the island’s electricity went out, continuing into the day so no bank could do business. But we got lucky with dinner. Restaurant Camille Stefani took cards and absolutely filled our bill, beginning with a tangy Smoked Trout appetizer, then a finger licking Roasted Chicken served with a tray of 9 small dishes, each with a different sweet or sour sauce taste.

Picking from Santorini’s six grapes choices, ours was Asyrtiko, thought the top Greek White. Drinkable, yet, for us, a bit tart.

And, though Stefani accepted our credit card, they refused to advance anything beyond the total of the bill, plus tip.

Know this, on Santorini, night life begins about 7 with Rock ‘n’ Roll blaring from every club, beer joint and an endless stream of non-stop parties. It remains a constant until ...? We were never awake to know, thanks to double paned window glass and air-conditioning.

The same choppy sea we saw on the fly in continued, limiting tour boat availability so we couldn’t explore the nearby islands. Instead, we bussed to Santorini’s high point to snap the mandatory pictures of the Blue and White painted buildings and the sea crowded with bouncing cruise ships.

For dinner that night we returned to Camille Stephani (find a good place, stay with it and we knew they took cards) We were glad we did. They prepared a wonderful meal for us, beginning with the house special, Shrimp Stephanie, right off the grill. Then, a bubbling Vegetarian Mousakka in the pan direct from the stove. This chef believed in serving food hotter than hot. But the cool down wait was salivating. A lot of quick tastes to see when it was safe to eat without tongue burn. Everything to that point was so good, our eyes were bigger than our stomachs, because we added an unnecessary Mutton and Mushroom dish, which we just picked at, totally unfair to the chef. Definitely, we had absolutely not a single thought about dessert.

We had, however shared a bottle of Nykteri, a quite dry wine, more to our taste than last night’s Asyrtiku. But for us, not yet up to California or Europe’s finest. Note for the future: When on Santorini, BYOB(s).

Surprise! Next morning when paying our Hotel bill, not only did the Atlantis accept Traveler’s Checks, but cashed two additional ones. Pockets laden with Drachma we headed for our morning flight to Crete.

The night before Greece had changed its clocks, everywhere except at Olympia Air. The flight info Olympia personnel had was all yesterdays. Lots of shouting and screaming from standby passengers trying to exit the island. With only 3 flights a week, leaving was a challenge. Fortunately, we had booked ahead and confirmed. Goodbye Santorini.

Our rental at Crete’s Kriti Airport was a large Opel, because we planned a long drive, crisscrossing the island. But first, from the airport we headed for the heralded Museum of Anthropology, walking its two floors of exhibits from 5000 B.C. to the Pre-Castle period, admiring exceptional frescos, pottery and metal artifacts. Many seemed almost Mayan. Did Mayans have common African ancestry before crossing to South America?

As we left the museum, a double-scoop ice cream cone tided us during our drive to Knosis and the 1-1/2 hour city tour. Then it was on to the Minos Beach Hotel on spectacular Agios Nikolas harbor, where our small bungalow on the Mirabella inlet gave us “divs” on a good swim in their heated, salt water, Olympic sized pool. Dinner, however, is not for discussion; my note says it was dreadful, as was a night spent with blood sucking mosquitoes, an organized army of them.

I wished we were more rested, because we had a full day’s drive ahead, across the top of the island and down the other side to the former capital city of Chania. On the map it looked like a normal 4 lane highway. Wrong. The front and the back ends were 4-lane, but in between, oh my!. The front 4-lane became 2 lanes, which became a one lane dirt road, which gave way to us literally driving through someone’s rutted front yard avoiding strutting chickens. Continuing at 5 mph, the rut became again one lane, then 2 lanes, then back to 4-lanes. Unbelievable!

When we reached the sea at Rethimnon, we had 65 remaining miles before we finally pulled into Chania, a city with Greek Heritage but also dotted with Turkish minarets and showing a strong Italian architectural influence. Luck smiled on us with a room at the Doma, an old world hotel fronting the Aegean, with a history and story of its own. As part of its history Doma served as both the English embassy before World War II and the German embassy while they occupied Crete. At war’s end, it was returned to the English, who eventually returned it to the original owner family who had held it previously for 3 centuries.

I have neither mentioned food nor wine deliberately. Don’t ask.

However, out of sheer desperation, C & I did have a reasonable bite at the strangest of restaurant picks, a disco fronted by a grill grilling giant Shrimp. When we finished, the wine glass was still full, Ugh! But the beer mug had been drained.

That night Claryce turned in early. So I got talking with the woman owner of the house, Hania, then in her 70’s. Hania had been a 20-year old working in the kitchen during the German occupation. Sensing interest, she invited me into her apartment where she told me her tale. Though there was always a threat to her personally as a young lady, and to the family, they all came through the occupation with only a few minor difficult moments. Her great grandfather, the original owner, lived in the house with his family of 14. In his later years, with his children gone, great grandfather converted it into a hotel, managed by Hania’s mother and father during both English and German occupations. For the past 20 years, Hania had run it herself.

Hania, with a new ear, opened a “saved” bottle of French Cognac and we sipped late into the night as she talked on, stopping once to bring from the kitchen slices of a meat that looked and tasted like a good Kosher Salami. It was obvious Hania was lonely for an ear with only 2 rooms rented, so in exchange for that wonderful cognac, my ear was available.

I was so glad our next day flight was not till afternoon, because that day I was definitely not moving swiftly. When I explained how kind I had been to an old woman who wanted to talk, my wife was understanding and I like to hope almost sympathetic, because, believe me, sympathy was not only needed, but required.

On the picturesque island of Mykonis, our next host was Pelican Pete who filled the role of the island’s mascot. The flight was without incident, though I did think the twin engines a wee bit loud.

Mykonis was a cluster of white harbor houses, white fishing boats, and on the island itself, more white, the all white Sainte-Marvri Church, and lines of White Windmills. Even Pelican Pete was white.

A long pier on the near side of the harbor was where the tour liners tied and passengers disembarked; the liners moved with seeming regularity; one always coming in with another going out.

Again, our luck held, landing us a second floor room with a view of the full harbor from a sun-protected balcony - porch. At night, the reflected waterfront lights were a picture worth taking.

All Mykonis North – South Streets led to and away from the harbor, each an architectural delight, with handsome wooden banister stair-cases and dark wood balconies over-flowing abundantly with multi-colored flowers.

Small trees and plants lined the house fronts. Each house seeming a second or third home for the rich and famous since the island was a favored cosmopolitan resort for intellectuals and artists the world over. In season, luxury yachts vied with local fishermen for docking space.

But, our theme is food and drink. A picture of a vendor leading a mule loaded with fresh Vegetables and Fruits in baskets hanging from the saddle, reminded me to get back on subject.

After a day of walking the winding streets, we returned to our porch for a sun-downer, enjoying the ballet of liners moving in and out of the harbor. After cocktails, we headed for Antonini’s, highly recommended for its home cooked seafood. What a great recommend. For appetizers C had her shrimp favorite and I (surprise!), Calamari. The entree, was a shared boned white fish with a crisp green Salad. And yes, they stocked Nykteri. And yes, we did partake and enjoy.

Next morning on a whim, after a filling Eggs and … breakfast, I visited the bank and lo! succeeded in cashing Traveler’s checks at a reasonable exchange rate. (Pre-ATM) With a settled sea and cash in hand, we took a tour boat to the Sacred island of Delos to walk among the centuries old “holy” antiquities including the Lion Way, the Sanctuaries and Temples. Delos is thought the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis and there were temples celebrating them. On the island some monuments date to when Delos was regarded as a sanctuary on a par with Olympia and Delphi. Unfortunately, its highly touted museum was closed …. “because”.?.

Our hotel desk person had kept touting the hotel restaurant. Since we’d hoofed enough that day, we tried it, sharing an interesting Chopped Mutton Salad and a Mushroom Omelet, plus a two-spoon Carmel Custard. Since that was an early night for us, because we wanted to get some morning shopping done before our 1 PM flight, Claryce sipped a Diet Coke and I, a new beer for me, a Pilsner named Zeos. Just one. How I had missed Zeos till then was hard to understand, because it was a good find.

When we landed in Athens, the International Departure Lounge was a mob scene; people inch-by-inch inching to Passport Control’s single door; a pickpocket’s utopia.

Finally through, we bused to our Dbrovnick flight to identify our bags before being permitted to board. But, no sooner were we on board, then we were directed to bus back to the terminal. The flight had been cancelled. Rescheduled, we were now to depart at 13:45P, replacing our original 9:20A flight. Lunch at the terminal bar was an open-faced Ham and Cheese with Pickle sandwich, which we aided with a tolerable glass of white wine, all for a magnanimous $1.50 U.S.

Back at the gate, Claryce and I were again reassigned, this time to a non-stop flight to of all places, Belgrade, where we would have to transfer again, not only our plane, but our airline. All for what originally had been a 50-minute short hop to Dubrovnik. Take-off set for 14:35P, got us off finally at 15:30P, seven hours later than our original departure time. Next week, as we head for Yugoslavia, we continue this flight, which I assure you gets curiouser and curiouser.

Starting September 28 – Read Chapter #4 – Yugoslavia. There’s a seat at the table waiting just for you. ® & © - David Russell, May 2008.

Previous Chapters:

Intro and Preface – http://hubpages.com/hub/ALACARTE

Chapter 1 – France - http://hubpages.com/hub/A-La-Carte-Chapter-1-France

Chapter 2 – Italy - http://hubpages.com/hub/A-La-Carte-a-serialized-weekly-Travel-Culinerary-experience-CHAPTER-2-ITALY