Mia, Piper, Lily, Pappou & Yiayia

Greece 2021

Greece | Sifnos | Kefallinia | Zakynos | Athens | Mani | Kalamata | Dhyrrachi | Messini | Athens2

Tuesday, July 28, 2021. From the Athens airport, Charlie and I walked accross the street, as always, to the Metro to Syntagma Square. We had to go up a long, fast escalator to the railway track. I was ahead dragging one suitcase. Charlie had the larger one. At the top of the stairs, Charlie's suitcase fell backwards. Charlie tried to grab it but fell backwards on the top of the moving elevator. A nice man helped Charlie get up and I grabbed the suitcase, which banged into my legs. Charlie's right arm and my shins were bleeding. We staggered to a bench and got out the first-air kit, a gift from Charlie's friend Tori that she had given him the day before. We mopped up all the blood, and got on the train. Charlie was calm, and his calm has always calmed me! We got a taxi from Syntagma Square to as close to the Adonis Hotel as the taxi driver could drive. It was burning hot, 103 degrees in Athens. I sat in the shade and had lemonade while Charlie walked to the hotel and signed us in. When he got back, we ordered tzadziki and lots of water, then walked up the hill to the hotel. Later, we took a taxi, instead of the usual Metro, to our wonderful Tsoutsouras cousins, Costas, Georgia, Panayioti and Vasiliki, and we were able to completely relax on their roof garden for dinner.

I met Panayioti and Vasiliki forty years ago when Charlie took me to Greece for the first time. Since then they have been our favorite cousins.

Charlie	Bette
Waiting for the Ferry to Sifnos

Sifnos! View from the Ferry

Sifnos

George (he told us to call him Aki) was waiting for us when we disembarked and took us to their "Acacia Lodgings." Aki gave Charlie one of his bathing suits and they went for a swim in the ocean. Later he took us to a neighboring town to get essential pharmacy stuff (which I had forgotten to pack). We had dinner at 11:45 p.m. in Aki's favorite Sifnos Araxoboli Restaurant by the water.

Wednesday, July 29^th

Our Sifnos Apartment

Outside our Apartment

Sifnos at Night from Our Apartment	Sifnos View from Our Apartment
Our Sifnos Street

Tnursday, July 30^th

Figs	Pomogranite

Grapes	Pomogranite Bush
&
&
Charlie, what are you thinking?

Friday, August 1

We drove down to Sifnos Beach, and relaxed in the sun! Walked in the water a few times, ate fresh cherries and drank sparkling water.
Sifnos Beach	Sifnos Beach
Sifnos Beach

Back to the Beach for a lovely afternoon!

Saturday, August 2
A Special Dinner!

Eleni	Nikos
The kindest, most thoughtful generous couple!

The most wonderful Greek meal!

Sunday, August 3, 2021

Mass at the Tiny Chapel on Sifnos Beach

We each lit one.

Charlie left to meet Mia, Lily, and Piper at the airport. He took a taxi because
103 degrees was too hot for foot and metro travel.

Just as I came down to the lobby, they appeared!
Like a tiny Miracle! Mia, Lily and Piper!

We walked up Voulos Street, and stopped for lemonade, non-alcoholic beer, snacks and my favorite afternoon treat, freddo cappuccino.
Later we strolled down the Plaka till we reached Pappou's choice for dinner, filafel, dolmardos, tomato cucumer salad, and fried eggplant. I took a taxi back to the Adonis, and they all walked back. My legs had had enough walking for one evening.

To Kefallinia

Monday, August 4, 2021

Charlie and I took a taxi to Hertz on Segrou Street to pick up our car, then picked up Mia, Lily and Piper at the Adonis.
On the way to the Piraes Port, Charlie risked his life to stop and run across a main highway to buy two watermelons from a man in a truck. The nice man helped Charlie carry the watermelons safely to our car.
Ferry Ticket to Kefallinia

Kefallinia August 4

A Watermelon Treat!

Kefallinia

Our Airbnb "Villa Acquia"!

After breakfast, we drove to Myrtos Beach. It's a very long walk and a difficult drive from the road down to the beach. The only two lounge chairs with umbrellas left on the beach were waiting for us! This beach is just as beautiful as when we were here with Deahn, Charlotte and Laura, when Charlotte was 12 and Laura was 8. Then, we were the only ones on the beach
	Myrtos Beach

We stopped at a perfect taverna, Vegera Taverna! A beautiful spot all by itself in the mountains. Only one other couple was there. The setting and decor were perfect, and the lunch was a real treat!

Our Last Evening in kefallinia

We drove down to the shore to spend the evening. Mia and the girls went to the shops. Charlie and I stopped for coffee, iced cappuccino and pastries.

We walked across the street to the Church just in time for Vespers. A 12-year-old boy was one of the chanters. He had the voice of an angel.

Zakynos

Monday, August 4, 2021

For breakfast, we had Charlie's scrambled eggs, great bread and jam, honey dew melon. coffee and tea. Then we packed up drove to Poros for the ferry back to thr port of Killini for the ferry to Zakynos.

On the Way

"Queen of Zakynos" Our Zakynos Home
A totally relaxing place!
Charlie took Mia and the girls on a sightseeing drive, which included a long walk and lunch. I stayed home to swim!
A sweet stop.
Dinner by the Beach
We relaxed and truly enjoyed out quiet stay at the "Queen of Zakynos."

Corinth

Monday, August 4, 2021

On the way back to Athens we stopped in Corinth.

We had just enough time before picking up John, Charles and Kate to drive and meet Panayioti and Vasiliki
at a village at the bottom of their summer home mountain.

We LOVE Panayioti & Vasiliki!

Back in Athens

Sunday, August 8, 2021

Charlie and I went to Mass in the Greek Orthodox Church right up the street from Hotel Adonis.

Finally! Mia, Lily & Piper with us in Greece!

A joyful time!
Pals forever!
Mia & John	Lily & Piper
Mia, Lily, Kate, Charles, Pappou, Bette and Piper at a lovely vegetarian restaurant.
Andrew & Molly!	Charles & Kate!
From the Adonis roof Restaurant
On the Plaka: John's feeling underdressed!
A wonderful surprise! Molly and Andrew, travelling with friends, joined us in Athens.
Lily, Kate, Molly, Bette & Mia	Andrew & Molly always bring smiles!
	Mia, the ideal traveling companion!
Piper, Lily, John, Charles & Kate -------->and Mia
This time in Greece with our family. A beautiful miracle!

To Mani

Wednesday, August 11, 2021

Mani

What makes Mani an unusual and beautiful part of Greece are the homes, the churches, and buildings, all made of small stones.
The stones on the bottom of this Church might have been part of the original church.
We couldn't leave Mani without a beach stop and a treat.

Kastro Mani Hotel, the only ultra modern structure we encountered in Mani.
Kastro Mani Hotel, beautifully furnished, a magnificant pool area.
We encountered very few guests during our stay.

In contrast to our hotel atmosphere, the town Festival was a delight!

Charlie & Bette to Kalamata

We always stay at a hotel on Kalamata Beach when we visit Charlie's mother's village, Dhyrrachi, because it's right at the bottom of the long drive to the top of the mountain. While here Charlie called a cousin, Maskoula. She invited us to meet her and her husband John for drinks in the garden of the Hotel Filoxenia where they were staying. It was just a short ride along the beach from our hotel. We spent a lovely memoraable evening with them.

Messini. A Beautiful Day at Analipsi Beach
with our Tsoutsouras cousins.

Nefely		Nefely & her Mother Demeter
Bette & Nefely
Costas, Vasiliki & Panayioti		Charlie, Demeter & George
Lunch at the Beach restaurant. A perfect Day! Nefely, Charlie, George, Demeter, Costas. Panayioti & Vasiliki

Dhyrrachi

We celebrated this August 15th in Charlie's Mother's Village.

Liturgy of The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the little mountain church near Dhyrrachi
With Family &Friends. (Charlie is in shorts and I'm in the same outfit every day because I did a bad job packing)
After Church Maskoula and John invited us to their Dhyrrachi Home.
Maskoula and John		John, Costas, Maskoula and Bette
A remnant of old Dhyrrachi

A Visit to the Original Dhyrrachi School

The Old School Desks
Teaching Math		Teaching Biology
Maskoula Teaching Greek History and Geography		Bette Teaching English
Maskkoula and Charlie in the library. Maskoula's husband John Kourafas is the author of Many of these books.

Family Dinner at the beautiful home of Panayiota and Theodore Kourafas

Every August 15th Children and Grandchildren come back to the Village to celebrate this great feast with a family dinner, to which we were invited. It was the highlight of our visit!
Panayiota and Costas		Panayiota and Theodore
A memorable August 15th! A memorable dinner with a beautiful family!

Athens. Our last Day
In the morning we went to the Athens Plaza Hotel for coffee and baklava.
In the afternoon, we visited the wonderful National Art Museum.

The Museum

"Nikephoros Lystras" (the woman's name)

"Kifissia" (a Greek village)

"Greeks Expressing Gratitude": Greek Indpendence Day, March 25th. Gratitude for the Greek people's successful struggle against the Ottoman Empire (1821-1830)

"Young Artist"

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Our Last Dinner in Greece
at OIWVOS, our favorite Plaka restaurant

Our waiter surprised us with two glasses of Ouzo.
Charlie, what are you thinking?
The next day as our plane was leaving Athens, Charlie looked at me and said, "This was a perfect trip!"

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Bette tsou@comcast.net

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