Traveling Home

September 23 and 24:  Our first travel day took us from London to Keflavik, Iceland.  We took a cab from the Mentone Hotel to Paddington Station.  Then we took the express train from Paddington to Heathrow, Terminal 2.  Lastly we flew from London to Iceland via IcelandAir a little over 3 hours.   I watched X-Men, Apocalypse.   

After we retrived our luggage and called the B&B, we walked to the oceanfront toward town and returned to the B&B's recommended restaurant.  It was a fast food joint serving pizzas, burgers and the like.  We each had bbq chicken salad.  We walked nearly 6 miles.

Our second day took us from Keflavik to Portland.  Our flight as scheduled for 5:15 pm but the weather was dreadful, so no walking after breakfast.  We watched the last movie I rented and installed on my IPad - Guardians of the Galaxy.  After the movie, we transferred to airport and spent the afternoon in the business class lounge.  I snagged a lounge chair and finishing most of the latest Daniel Silva novel - The Balck Widow. 

Our 8-hour flight to Portland left just a few minutes late.  We sat in seat 3D and 3F.  I watched several movies - Run All Night, Fracture and Street Kings.  I finished up with one episode of the modern Sherlock.  

We arrived at Portland near on time, ran the custom's gauntlet with little hassle and waited for our luggage.  We retrieved everything and Andrew picked us up in the Prius.  We walked through the door to greet Sophie at around 7:30 pm.  All was well.

London, the last day

September 22: Today started slow even though we gained two hours due the time zone change.  We had breakfast in the hotel after packing or rearranging clothes in our suitcases. We each have a suitcase of mostly dirty clothes that is now set aside and will not be opened until after getting home.

We did other internet things, like checking our bank accounts and checking in for our flight to Iceland.  We also bought theatre tickets for tonight to see The Entertainer with Kennth Branagh.  And we looked up the Blue Lagoon to see when it opens.  It's website suggested we book a spot, so we tried that.  But, it is fully booked on Saturday so our plan to enjoy a soak has been derailed. 

After the Internet work, we walked to the British Museum to see the rest of the famous marble carvings of the Parthenon, known as the Elgin Marbles.  It was interesting to see how they displayed their pieces in comparison to those in the Acropolis Museum in Athens.  I was able to find Panel V that is intact except for the head of Athena, which was found sometime later in the rubble and consequently is still in Athens.  The Acropolis Museum has the head mounted with a plaster cast of the remaining Panel V and a note that the rest of the panel is at the British Museum.  The British go to considerable effort to justify their ownership of the Parthenon sculptures, mostly on the grounds that the marble was deteriorating badly and they had permission from the Ottoman rulers in charge at the time. 

We hung around for a free tour in the Enlightment Room.  The guide explained how the room began as a library housing collections of Hans Sloan and King George III.  It has evolved into a summary of the vast contents of the museum, arranged in categories.  It is a way to sample the museum's collection quickly.  The categories include natural history, paleontology and archaeology, arts and culture, religion and rituals, letters and books.   

We had a break at the museum cafe and walked back to hotel for a siesta.

We left the hotel around 4:30 to walk toward the Garrick Theatre and for a place to have dinner.  We arrived in the West End and retrieved our tickets for the evening performance of The Entertainer, starring Kenneth Branagh.  We ate an early dinner at Farm Stand, a light cafeteria-style eatery (on the corner of Long Acre and Drury Lane).  We each had poached salmon with 2 sides for a fixed price.

We had time to kill before the theatre so we ambled down to the Embankment (riverside).  The tide was high, lapping up on the walls and boat accesses.  We walked through the Whitehall Gardens and arrived to the theatre in time to claim our seats.  My was a wheelchair accessible seat and two guys from the stage crew had to reset the a trio of seats and the back wall.  Our seats were in the middle of the fifth row in the Dress Circle.  Strangely, this was basically street level.  The stage is about 30 or more feet lower down.  As we waited for the opening, we noticed a couple of actors who came in and sat two rows in front of us.  After doing a little Internet research we determined they were Nicholas Farrell and Stella Gonet.  Nicholas Farrell had done some Shakespeare with Kenneth Branagh.

The Entertainer was written by John Osborne.  It takes place in England around 1956 and centers around a family comprised of a former music hall, dance man grandfather, current tap dancer/host son (Branagh), wife, daughter and two sons (though only one appears in the play).  There was a love/hate relationship among the family members with the music hall business was in serious decline.  It appeared that the entire economy of Britian at the time was depressed.  While Branagh did an admirable job acting, singing and dancing, the plot was a bit disappointing.  Our reaction after the close was why would anyone care what happens to the characters.  We rode the Underground back to our hotel.

Athens to London

September 21:  Today, we are in travel-mode - lots of queues and standing around in airports, underground stations, subway cars and luggage return.

We left our hotel around 7:30 am, traveled via subway from central city to Airport, had breakfast  after arriving at the airport, checked bags and passed through Passport Control and Security with little to no waiting. The flight to London was over 3 hours long with a slight delay.  We had a long wait at Passport  control, and consequently no waiting for our luggage. We bought express train service to Paddington Station, which took only 20 minutes, and then rode the underground from Paddington to Kings Cross.  We walked about 1/4 mile to the Mentone.

We checked in, got a smallish room and retrieved our stored luggage.  We went to dinner at Carlucci's, an Italian restaurant inside St Pancras Station, within sight of the Eurostar trains.  We have eaten here on several prior visits to London.  It was light, delicious and just right after a day of waiting.  We enjoy a bottle of the white wine special.  We both had a smoked salmon fettuccine, preceeded by fried ravolis and salad caprese.  We had an apricot tart for dessert. 

We returned the hotel and watch an episode of DCI Banks.  London felt clean and fresh after Athens.

Athens Day 3

September 20:  Today was a pretty relaxed last day with major sites under our belts.  Varis and I escorted Karen to the subway station to assist her in buying a ticket and catching the correct train to the airport.  She was on her way to San Francisco via Montreal.  We learned how to buy a ticket to the airport and Karen squeezed into a packed subway car.

Varis and I then went for coffee and raisin cake, his new favorite breakfast treat.  We returned to the hotel and joined up with Betsy, Jan and Ron to decide on a plan for the day.  After some discussion, Jan, Ron and Varis decided to catch the hop-on, hop-off bus to Piraeus (the port area) to visit the Maritime Museum.  Betsy and I walked with them over to the Acropolis Museum (the stop for this particular bus), and we made plans to meet up for lunch when they returned.  Varis and I could send messages to each other so we would know when they were returning to the city.

Betsy and I first walked up Philopappos Hill just SW of the Acropolis, with 360 degree views.  We could see Piraeus and its ports, the Acropolis from a new angle, and the rest of the city.  The buildings were gleaming white from a distance (up close most are dingy and dilapidated) and there were a number of tree-covered parks.  The city is surrounded by a ring of low, brown mountains like the filling of a pie crust.  Philopappos HIll has a few caves in its side, included one associated with Socrates.  

We then wandered around the central city, passing through and by the Ancient Agora (the original city center and where democracy took form as citizens met to talk about issues).  We walked through the flea market area, the central market with lots of butchers and un-refrigerated meat, fish, fresh produce, nuts and olives, and huge arrays of spices.  We stumbled upon a side street strung with multiple, varied lampshades - quirky.  At the end of the street was a over-the-top decorated coffee shop where we stopped for iced tea and a yoghurt/ fruit bowl.  We wandered back through Plaka to the area of the Acropolis Museum, our planned meeting point for Jan, Ron and Varis.  

We had a 15-minute wait (the bus was behind schedule), and all went to a nearby restaurant for lunch.  It advertised itself as recommended by Rick Steves, Lonely Planet, etc.  Our lunches and dinners follow a consistent pattern - first, we order several bottles of water which are consumed almost immediately, we then order a couple more, followed by drinks  (beer and wine), and then a basket of bread, and finally we order salads and entrees.   Depending on the restaurant, we may get olives, spreads, butter with the bread.  We have tried most all of the famous Greek dishes.  After eating, we always have to request the bill and I do the math to allot the total to the various people/couples.  Then, we can pay with separate credit cards (using the handheld machine and we all, except Varis, must sign the invoice kept by the restaurant); Varis has a card that accepts a PIN and does not require a signature).   This particular restaurant served us free watermelon after our entrees, a nice ending to a tasty meal.

After lunch, we walked back to the Parliament Building area to catch the bus again to go back to the hotel (for Varis, Betsy and I) or to the Archeological Museum (Ron and Jan).  We relaxed the rest of the afternoon, watching Saving Mr. Banks (about the making of the Disney movie of Mary Poppins) on our computer.  We regrouped about 7 pm for dinner at Alexander the Great, the taverna close to the hotel where we had eaten on Saturday.  The food was still good and the service attentive.  This time they gave us plates of thick Greek yogurt with sweetened carrot shreds as dessert.  

Back at the hotel we checked in with British Airways for our flight tomorrow and said goodbye to the other 3 who are taking a ferry to Santorini early in the morning.

Athens Day 2

September 19:  Our second full day in Athens began for me with coffee and treats at a bakery with Varis; Betsy went with Jan and Ron for more substantial fare at a different bakery (a 'mega bakery').  We convened and walked to the Acropolis parking area in order to board a bus that would take us to Piraeus, the port city that serves Athens.  On our way, we stopped for a look at the historical Keramikos Cemetery, an ancient city burial ground, which is fenced off and undergoing active excavation.  Comment - it must be hard to build new buildings here because there are ancient foundations underlying the entire city.  The new Acropolis Museum solved this by building on concrete pillars and installing see-through floors that look down to Roman-era city ruins.

Once at the Acropolis, we waited for the bus and then enjoyed a slow ride out to Piraeus, passing a number of Olympic venues (stadiums).  I finally looked up when the Olympics were last held here - 2004.  Our plan was to visit the Maritime Museum in Piraeus when someone asked if it was open, given that it was Monday.  Oops, we didn't know.  I looked it up using my phone and sure enough it is closed on Mondays.

Karen, Betsy and I rode the bus back to Athens, passing by the big ferry port and a couple of smaller marinas and bays full of yachts.  Jan, Ron and Varis transferred to another bus for a ride along the coast, east of Piraeus.  Piraeus is the 3rd largest city in Greece and is densely packed with 3 and 4 story buildings.

We, returnees got off at the Acropolis Museum stop and wandered through the Plaka area of small shops and quintessential Greek eateries (sidewalk tables under umbrellas or large trees/vines).  We stopped in at an art shop owned and/or operated by a Greek cultural organization that only sold products made in Greece.   They carried art created by students of a local school and by professionals.  There were a variety of interesting items.  Betsy bought a Greek pitcher (Myceian era-style) and I picked out an original watercolor of two columns (reminiscent of the Temple of Zeus, but also will serve as a reminder of our Italian bike riding trip in June).

We continued our walk toward another bus stop, stopping for refreshing fruit smoothies at a cafe across from Sindagma Square (which I referred to as "Freedom Square" in an earlier post).  We then caught the bus for a short ride north to the Archaeological Museum.  We spent a good 2+ hours wandering around their massive collection of historical Greek artifacts from various excavations, both on land and from the sea.  There were lots of marble statues, pot shards (including some interesting pottery pieces described as frying pans),  bronze weapons, sculptures, and tools, gold ornaments, and the like.  The collections were organized in chronological order starting at Paleolithiic  to Neolithic to Mezolithic to Myceian to Greek to Roman eras (I probably forgot a few eras), ranging from 30,000 B.C. - 400 A.D.  I took a few pictures of items along with their explanatory notes, which when I do a photo book, I will arrange together.  

To rest our feet before heading to the hotel, we had an ice cream break in the basement cafe.  It was set along a court yard and garden containing a few whimsical modern sculptures that evoked earlier art.

We walked back the hotel and met up with the rest of the group to walk to dinner in the Plaka area.  It was Karen's last night in Athens so she picked the restaurant - we went back to the restaurant we had lunch in the day before.  This time, we ate on the rooftop terrace under the edge of  the Acropolis and a small piece of the Temple of Athena, which was nicely lit.  We watched the sun go down and the nearly full moon rise, and enjoyed the views over the city.  We all ate "lamb in clay pot" (oven baked lamb shanks with potatoes and other vegetables).  The setting and the meal were about perfect.    We walked downhill and back to the hotel past the Roman Agora.

Athens Day 1

September 18:  Today, Sunday, we had a full day of typical sightseeing visits of the most famous sites of Athens.  Varis and I started early with a quick trip to a coffee shop. 

We met up with Betsy, Jan, Karen, and Ron for a brisk walk to the Acropolis, via Arios Pagos, a hill top overlooking the city just below the Acropolis.  We walked south from our hotel passing a number of churches (with recorded cantors blaring out) , a vast amount of graffiti, and shuttered doors covering shop fronts.  We passed to one side of the ancient Agora (marketplace), which contained the Temple of Hephaestus and Attaulus Museum. We then ascended on paths through rocky ground and slick stones to the top of Arios Pagos with amazing views over the sprawling city, the Acropolis, and Lycabettus Hill.  Photography was in order.  We arrived at the Acropolis entrance with lots of others who were doing the same thing - so much for avoiding the crowds and the heat.  Although Athens is surrounded by low mountains and there are several substantial hills within the city limits, the Acropolis rock stands head and shoulders above everything else.   

We purchased 20 euro tickets and proceeded uphill on sometimes very polished (and slippery) marble paths and steps.  The first stop was a view down to the Herod Atticus Odeum (theatre) just on the southwest side.  We continued up and entered the Acropolis proper through a partially intact gate.  The ground leveled off with views of the Parthenon and the Temple of Athena, the two major buildings on the site.  The Parthenon is under constant restoration and has scaffolding on one end and a crane inside.  The basic external frame still stands and it is bigger and more impressive than expected.  We strolled past, talking lots of photos, to the opposite end of the 'plateau' to an overlook toward the northeast.  I waited for Betsy to catch up and we walked back to the temple which is to the right  (or north) of the Parthenon.  We met up with others and proceeded slowly back to the gate and down a separate route to the exit.  The day was already getting hot.

We then walked to Parliment Square via the freedom park to catch the parade/changing of the guards.  On Sundays only, at 11:00 am, the guard change involves a small band and 200 guards that march along the street.  The Greek style of marching involves a kick and high step with the right foot, ending with a sharp smack when that foot hits the ground.  Each guard is decked out in a colorful, traditional  uniform  - a short white pleated skirt, a white blouse with long loose sleeves, a red tunic, white leggings, and black tassels on the toe of each shoe.  They also wear a fez-like hat or red beret.  There were so many sightseers there, we didn't see much of the 'silly' ceremony but did enjoy the music and the marching in and out on the street.  

Since we were right at the National Garden, we walked through it on the way to the Plaka neighborhood to have lunch.  We also passed the Panathinaiko Stadium (an enormous u-shaped stadium used in the ancient Olympics and restored for use in the modern Olympics), the Olympic swimming venue and the Temple of Zeus (with its few tall standing columns and a single shattered one laying on the ground).

We had a fun lunch with friendly wait staff and great food at a charming restaurant that was over 100 years old and visited by celebrities in the past.  We sat outside under an umbrella at the intersection of two narrow streets that are now for pedestrians only (and an occasional motor scooter).

After lunch we walked over to the relatively new Acropolis Museum set below  the southeast corner of the mound.  We toured all three floors of statues, etc.  recovered for around or in the Acropolis.  The top floor of the museum is exactly the length and width of the Parthenon with small plain columns.  The friezes and pediments are reproduced in plaster along with a few of the original carved stones - those not taken by the English (Elgin Marbles in the British Museum), the French (statues in the Louvre) and the Turks.  It is only by looking at these parts and by using detailed sketches drawn by early admirers that they know what the some of the scenes actually were.  There are still some large sections that remain unknown.  The Parthenon has been blighted by earthquakes, fires, explosions, and savaging humans, so it's surprising how much remain.

We rode the tourist bus back to the hotel to rest and cool off (a shower for Phil) before going for a light dinner at the same bakery/cafe where some of us had eaten the night before.  In addition to a splendid array of baked goods, cookies, and pastries, they offer sandwiches, salads, and hot entrees - a one-stop shop.

Corfu to Athens

September 17:  We vacated the boat early and caught taxis to the airport at 8:30.  We left behind (donated) a little food, especially bags of granola and milk.  I gave our leftover ouzo to Johnny, the base manager, since he so helpful and friendly.

We ran the gauntlet at the airport and had an quick flight to Athens.  Our luggage arrived and we transferred to our hotel for the next 4 nights using the subway.  We had to transfer to a second subway line for 3 stops, and walked to our hotel which was about 3 blocks away.  MotionX-GPS worked well.

Immediately after checking in, we went for lunch to Alexander the Great, as recommended by the hotel front desk.

We then checked out "hop-on, hop-off" buses, as a way of getting a sense of the city.  After studying the advertisements, we picked the Blue Bus, because we buy a 3-day pass and access all of the routes they offered.  We waited for the bus to arrive (it comes every 30 minutes) and rode the entire circuit of the "Athens Line."  We saw all of the major tourist sites from the upper deck of the bus, with skimpy commentary through the bus' audio system (with earbuds).  It was a useful thing to do, because we determined what to do the following day.

Dinner was at a local bakery that served other things besides a vast array of cookies, cakes, sweets, and breads.  Betsy opted out of dinner, though I brought a smoothie from the bakery back to her.

Sailing Day 12, 13 and 14

September 14, 15 and 16:  On Wednesday, we got up early and left Levkas in time to catch the 8 am swing bridge opening.  Ron was somewhat concerned about negotiating the passage, but it went smoothly.  We motored north a few hours on glossy seas to the little island of Antipaxos to swim in Emerald Bay, along with lots of others.  We enjoyed a swim and snorkel, seeing a few fish, sea urchins, and underwater rock formations.  Our final destination was Mongonisi, where we put down two anchors and ran a stern line to a rock on the shore.  We had dinner onboard.  Phil helped Jan prepare an Indian vegetarian dish called dalbaht - one big pot of spiced lentils plus a big pot of spiced jasmine rice with cashews and dried fruit. It was sophisticated cooking for a small galley.  Betsy made tsassiki - chopped cucumbers, garlic, and thick Greek yogurt, which was a nice accompaniment.

On Thursday, we watched the sun come out over the mainland.  Then we motored from Mongonisi across to Mourtis, on the mainland.  We landed at the pier on the north side of the village.   We put out an anchor and had a lazy line, with 2 stern lines.  Prior to leaving Mongonisi, we 'dinghied' to shore for a walk across the causeway to the south end of the island of Paxos and up on the jagged limestone cliffs.  The rock formations were amazing, layered and holely.  There were also some interesting plants growing among the rock.  After our walk we paused for coffee and pastries at a beach side cafe, enjoying the calm, quiet morning.

After arriving in Mourtis, we had a lazy afternoon, hanging out in the shade of our boat to avoid the hot sun.   About 4 pm, Betsy and I walked over to a beach via the "Path of Love" for a swim in the ocean.  We came back to the boat to cleanup in time for happy hour.  The group walked into town for dinner and had an engaging waiter who asked numerous political questions.  Guess what he wanted to know.  Upon questions from us, we learned he was born in the US and lived there until he was 10 years old.  He also said that about 50% of the people he talked with  who were from the US supported Trump.  He theorized it was driven by capitalist thinking - people who can afford sailing vacations  

Today (Friday), we had our usual breakfast on board and then motored quickly over to the Blue Lagoon, a small bay with patches of white sand underwater that give it a turquoise color. Everyone snorkeled for a while, checking out the rocky shoreline and the little beach.  It turned out the most interesting fish were hanging out by our boat.  We then motored 22 nautical miles west and north back to Corfu and the Moorings Base, arriving about 2:30.  We vacate the boat early on Saturday, so we needed to refuel the boat and complete the boat debriefing Friday afternoon.  The quay was crowded with all the other boats on the same schedule.  Once we were docked, the Moorings team checked on any problems that needed fixing and we started packing and cleaning.  About 6 pm, Betsy went ashore to take a nice long shower at the marina wash house.  It felt good to get all the salt washed off.  

About 7, the group walked in to the village of Govina for dinner at Zorbas, as recommended by one of the Moorings guys.  Although the restaurant was tainted with cigarette smoke and mosquitos and a single guy was serving as waiter and bus boy for all the tables, the food was good and generous.  We shared a big house salad with boiled eggs, croutons, carrots, and the rest of the usual stuff.  Then we had 3 appetizers - fried eggplant slices, grilled feta with tomato sauce, and baked saganaki cheese -  a sort of Greek tapas.  

Sailing Day 10 and 11

September 12 and 13:  We left Sivota just after Betsy spotted a pod of bottled nose dolphins swimming and leaping in the outer harbor.  The morning began with the guys taking a leisurely trip to the bakery for coffee and pastries.  We spent some time slowly motoring out of the harbor and watching the dolphins feeding - they rose showing their dorsal fins, but occasionally one would jump out of the water or flap with its tail.  We were joined by (or we joined) many other boats who were doing the same thing.  

Captain Ron is heading the boat north so we return to Corfu on schedule Friday evening.  As a result, we had a rather short cruise planned to a bay on the north side of Meganisi.  On the way, we diverted over to a sea cave.  Several of our passengers chose to swim over and into the cave.  Then we went on around to the east side of Meganisi. The sea  was too calm for sailing, so we motored all the way.  We drew into a quiet harbor with only a few houses inland and wonderfully clear water.  We had visited the cove a few days earlier on a walk from the village of Vathi and thought it looked appealing.  We laid down the anchor off shore and tied onto  a big rock onshore for double security.  The rock was set at the water's edge just below a large property in the process of being developed.   When we had walked by previously, it seemed to be inactive but today there was a small construction crew at work.

Everyone swam in the clear water spotting fishes and then we had dinner onboard.  Phil helped Jan prepare a big pot of chicken chunks with jasmine rice, flavored with cumin, raisins, tumeric, and celery seed.  It was accompanied by fresh tomatoes with feta cheese.  The moon rose over the boat as we ate, casting a beautiful glow on the bay. 

The next day we left our nice, quiet bay and motored back to Levkas Marina in order to position ourselves to transit the swing bridge and to refill our fresh water tanks.  Our route took us around Meganisi, just north of Skorpios (Onassis' island) and along the eastern shore of Levkas, past the villages of Nidri and Nikiana.  We traveled most of the canal separating Levkas and the mainland.  About midafternoon, we pulled into the marina which was a homecoming of sorts - we stayed here 3 nights waiting out last week's storm.

Betsy, Jan, Ron and I walked from the harbor, along the canal to the swing bridge, and around the lagoon to the windsurfing/kiteboarding beach.  The beach was not sand, but rather pepper corn sized rocks that were very unstable for walking.  We "postholed" about a half of mile to a swimming area/beach front resort.  I went swimming and we all enjoyed a drink.  We walked back to the marina, completing over 6 miles.

That evening, we returned to Ey Zyn, a restaurant we enjoyed on our first visit to Levkas.  The food was again excellent.  We retired early so that we could have an early start in the morning and pass the swing bridge at the 8 o'clock-opening.   

Sailing Day 9

September 11:  It is the 15-year anniversary of 9/11, though there has been no mentioned of it here.  We sailed from Vahti, Ithaca to Sivota on the southern end of the island of Levkas, a distance of about 20 nautical miles.  We motored to the 'inland sea' and played around with the sails.  Ron wanted to try out reefing the sails - there are three positions for reefing, and we tried each one.  There are 3 specific lines attached to the mainsail, each one simultaneously holds the main sail down and pulls the trailing edge tight.  The winds were quite light (6 knots or less) and with reefed sails we barely moved, but it was good experience.  

We fully raised the main sail, pulled out the jib, and sailed 'a beat' for a while, then turned toward our ultimate destination on a 'broad reach.'  We achieved speeds of about 3 knots, with the sails barely remaining filled.  But with the engine off, it is very peaceful even if we are not moving fast.

We motored into a hidden bay, which turned out to be very popular - Sivota on the southeast side of Lefkas.  The rounded end of the harbor is ringed with concrete quays and we parked in the '6-o'clock' position in front of the Ivironi taverna.  It took two tries to get the anchor in the right place and to hold in the mud,  with help from other boat owners.  The mooring was pleasant, with showers nearby (for 2 euros apiece) and a great covered portico in the taverna 20 feet from the boat for drinking.  Betsy and I swam at the beach a little ways down the quay, took showers and relaxed with drinks on the portico.  We had dinner at Stavros fish restaurant, around the quay at the 10-o'clock position.  We had a table at the edge of the second level with a great view over the harbor.  After a generous salad, Phil had a grilled whole red snapper and Betsy tried grilled calamari stuffed with tomatoes and feta.  Both entries were good.

We came back to the boat for a quiet, calm and restful night. 

Sailing Day 8

September 10:  Today, the weather was fine and the winds calm.  We motored the whole way to the island of Ithaca and its pretty  port of Vathi.  Strangely we went from Vathi to Vathi.  "Vathi" in Greek means "deep," presumably a characteristic of the natural harbors.  In any case the distance was about 22 nautical miles.  We left around 9 am, stopped for lunch and a swim a little after noon, drifting, and arrived in the harbor around 3 pm.  Our speed averaged 6.7 knots.

We were cruising through the Thalassa Sea, which is a wide basin fringed by islands.  The islands remind us of the San Juans,  with fewer trees.  They are surprisingly bumpy with mountains rising one to two thousand feet above the sea, and harbors tucked into deep bays.  They were formed from volcanos and limestone uplifts, The soil is thin and stony yet the isles still look very green.  The uplands are covered with shrubby flora called maquis and often prickly.  Where people have built villas, they have planted cypresses and eucalyptus trees and olive groves.  The tides in the Meditterrean are insignificant but the islands have bathtub lines of bare rocks where waves have scrubbed off the vegetation and soil.

In deep water, the sea is an amazing shade of dark cobalt blue.  In shallower or sandy areas, it is a paler turquoise shimmering with white highlights in the sun.   It is salty enough that even Phil can float easily and just cool enough to be refreshing.  Massive cloud formations hung over the mountain tops.  The forecast said lightning was possible midday but we saw no sign of it.

  

At Vathi, we checked out a north side mooring area, but it was full.  We went over to the main town quay and was able to "Med moor" to it.  This type of mooring is very similar to using a lazy line on the bow with two stern lines, except in place of the lazy line, we use the boat's anchor to secure the bow, dropping it about 3 boat lengths from the sea wall, then backing up to the wall.  This type of mooring as well as that using a lazy line puts the boat close enough to the pier that we can use the gang plank to disembark and embark off the stern.  No ferrying with the dinghy is necessary.

After securing the boat, Betsy, Jan, Ron, Varis and I hiked uphill to a couple of churches and great views back over the town and the harbor. We walked about 3.5 miles with 600 feet of elevation gain.  It was hot and this was far enough.

The island of Ithaca is the legendary home of Odysseus, who was the leader of the island-state of Ithaca in around 1500 BC.  Homer also lived on the island around 800 BC and is presumed to have written about Odysseus' role in the Trojan war in the Iliad and his great journey home in the Odyssey.  Others in our party took a taxi to an archeological site on the northern part of Ithaca that is claimed as Odysseus' Palace.  Although there is scant archeological evidence to match the different sites described in the Odyssey, sailors can still recognize the winds and currents described by Homer. 

We had happy hour and then dinner on board.  Betsy, Jan and I collaborated on sausage, onion and potato sauté with sides of sauerkraut, green pepper, and carrot sticks.  We had to cook the sauté in two batches to have enough to have enough for 8 people.  It was hot in the galley, so we ate on the outdoor lounge/cockpit deck, where it was much cooler.  

After dinner we strolled through town after viewing a 'super yacht'  just down the quay from the Debs II.  After researching on the Internet the name of the ship, I discovered that it is a 55 meter long yacht that is available for rent - for only $187,000 per week.  Check it out; it is called the Shooting Star-London.  It has 6 state rooms with "lots of volume."  In town, we bought gelatos and a Christmas souvenir ornament for the year, a miniature Greek sailing boat.

Sailing Day 6 and 7

September 8 and 9:  Thursday, the foul weather began around 3:30 am with heavy rain.  The wind was not as bad as the previous day, but the reports around the Ionian Sea was that everyone was staying put for the day.  There were reports of 6 foot swells, waves crashing over 5-foot sea walls, and marinas that were full of other ships.  So, we stayed in Port Levkas, too.  After taking a shower in the marina bathhouse,  Phil slipped on the wet plank while getting back on board the boat, sprained a toe, and dropped one of his crocs into the water.  We watched the croc get blown across the harbor but Jan and Phil were able to retrieve it with a boat hook when it got close to the quay edge.  

The group ran errands in the morning and Phil brought back some dinner plate-sized fresh donuts to share.  After a light lunch that include fresh watermelon, most of the group watched a movie on Phil's iPad - Men Who Stare at Goats, with George Clooney, Jeff Bridges and Ewan McGregor.  It was a dark comedy and we had a few good laughs, though the screen is a little small for 5 people.

The rains let up by late afternoon which allowed us to go to dinner and stroll the town a bit before retiring for the day.  We anticipated a busy start the next day since we had to leave Levkas.  Charter boats are supposed to return to their home ports by Friday evening so the boats can be turned over to the next party on Saturday.  The Moorings base at Levkas would not have room for us (we'll get to do this drill next week).
   Today, Friday, we got up early, completed the prep on the boat, including topping off the water tanks, emptying the garbage, tossing the dinghy overboard, and draining the storm water out of the main sail bag.  We departed efficiently and motored southward toward the Island of Meganisi.  The weather was wonderful with a few clouds and lots of sun.

We shut off the motor and sailed for about 2 hours in the area immediately north of the Island Meganisi.  The winds were variable from about 8 knots up to 16 knots with boat speeds of 4 to 8 knots.  The crew was more skilled and efficient in raising and lowering the sails today.  We stopped sailing and drifted during lunch outside of the harbor entry for where we were staying overnight.  We swung around Skorpios, an island formerly owned by Aristotle Onassis, now owned by some one else.  We saw the home he built for Jackie, from a distance because large signs said that "approaching, anchoring or mooring is prohibited."  We cruised by, got a photo, and quickly motored away.  We easily continued into the harbor of Vathi, which is a very nice village and the marina (Odyseas Marina) is well-equipped.  We squeezed in between two boats in a space a bit too narrow for our wide boat, though we pushed in.  The mooring uses a "lazy line" on the bow and 2 stern lines; the boat is backed in.   

Betsy and I went swimming, then walked with Jan and Ron around the harbor to the next bay to the northeast.  We returned for a dinner at a quayside restaurant, outside noted for fresh fish.  We worked on this blog to a blaring sound track of golden oldies from the marina taverna - earplugs will be needed for a while tonight.

Sailing Day 4 and 5

September 6 and 7:  A crashing thunderstorm started in the middle of the night, followed by torrents of rain that lasted well into the day.  Everyone chose to hang out inside the cabin - reading, snacking, and chatting.  Betsy started advance work on a Nicoise salad by boiling potatoes and eggs.  At some point, Phil pulled out his iPad to run the movie Minions for the group.  It's a "prequel" to Despicable Me, creating a backstory for the silly critters, working on the premise that they need to serve the most evil boss they can find.  Although presumably a kids' movie, the jokes and 1970s music connected with our gang, creating a new clutch of Minions fans.

When the wind and rain subsided mid-afternoon, we escaped outside to stroll around town. We visited a grocery store and a bakery (for a small town, there are a lot of bakeries), but most of the shops seemed to be closed already (Tuesday early-closing?).  

Betsy and Jan as a team finished preparing the Nicoise salad, which was accompanied by fresh bread and olive oil.  We began dinner with an Ouzo tasting, the licorice tasting wine (apertif).  Phil had brought back a small bottle of locally produced Ouzo and a bigger bottle of mass-produced ouzo, which was claimed as the best available, and we tried both.  There was no consensus on which was better - a 50-50 split on preferences.  Later that evening we had baklava for dessert, another local specialty.

Wednesday started with an ominous red-orange sun, but the wind had dropped.  Because further foul weather was predicted, we chose to remain at Lefkas for another day.  Phil and Ron visited a telecom store to get their devices working again - fortunately the fixes were simple and quick.  We then stopped at a bakery and a coffee shop to get breakfast treats that we carried back to the boat.  The rest of the morning was spent on boat chores, like refilling the water tanks and getting minor repairs done.  Betsy assembled a Greek salad for lunch which we had with raisin bread.

Because the day continued dry and calm, we joined Ron and Jan for a walk. Phil led us through town and uphill to a monastery with terrific views east over Lefkas and the marina, north over the lagoon, and west to a beach. Curiously, the monastery had a little zoo with exotic birds (including various chickens, a turkey, and a peacock), some sort of deer, and a few squirrels (one with gorgeous red and gold coloring). We walked back downhill, past some attractive villas, to the stoney beach.

A handful of guys were preparing to launch their kite boards, so we watched while they inflated the leading edge of the kite, donned the waist band that anchors the harness, then picked up and tested the rigging controls and kite.   They carried their boards down to the surf, set the kite at the right angle, and fell back into the surf before setting their feet on the board.  Once set, they adjusted the kite and took off across the water.  Kite boarding looks fast and fun, once mastered.  There were also the remnants of several historic windmills on the beach whose purpose was unknown.

The buildings around Lefkas are 3 or 4 story structures, with pastel-colored stucco on the exterior and concrete blocks and concrete framing on the inside. They are not very old, but we spotted at least one ancient Greek Orthodox church with lots of gilt inside.  The pedestrian plaza has many souvenir shops, cafes, and restaurants as befitting a vacation destination, and the quayside is lined with fish restaurants. The buildings-In the main part of town have wrought iron balconies on the upper floors, reminding cz of New Orleans.  Stray cats and dogs wander all around. The cats beg for food at the eateries? I do not know how the dogs get by ( although some have collars and presumably owners) . On the outskirts of town we saw some pathetic looking sheep and a few goats patrolling a junk yard. Vegetation includes fragrant shrubs, palm trees, and long needled pine trees.

The marina where the Debs II is moored is enormous, modern, and well-equipped.  We have access to toilets and showers, a swimming pool, garbage bins, a grocer and a chandler, as well as repair services.  The first night was covered under our Moorings lease but the other 2 nights cost 73 euros each, based on the length of the boat.  Because of the weather, the marina is packed. We can see hundreds of masts from our prime spot near the footpath to town.

After our 7-mile walk, we arrived back at the boat in time for a dip in the swimming pool, happy 15-minutes, and dinner at the Lighthouse Restaurant, with a jolly owner who recited the whole menu to us.  We strolled a little in town.  Phil bought a sporty new bathing suit for 15 euros.  

We retired early after ensuring that the boat was battened down.  Around 3:00 am, another round of storms hit with high winds and lots of rain that lasted all morning.  We think the storms had been predicted, but were expected earlier.

Sailing Day 2 and 3

September 4 and 5:  Today (Sunday),on our first full day of cruising, we went from Petriti to Longos, Paxos, motoring the whole way.  Paxos is the first island south of Corfu.  We departed around 11 am and arrived at Longos by 2:30 or so.  We dropped anchor and then dragged a line from the stern to loop around a rock near the shore.  Everyone went swimming.  Betsy and I swam over to the town pier and walked along the harbor front, with pastel-colored stucco bars, cafes and tavernas (full restaurants).  We determined that there were space to back the boat up to the town breakwater/dock and encouraged the captain to relocate.  Betsy and I watched from shore as Ron and the crew moved over.  Obviously we could not help with the move.  It took three tries to get the anchor at the right place and to get backed to the dock.  I went swimming again and rinsed off at the back of the boat.  Varis and I bought some water from the only town market.  We are drinking lots of bottled water.  

By the end of the afternoon, the pier was fully lined with yachts and there were a few boats anchored in the bay.  There were also vacationing Greeks on the island who had taken a ferry from the mainland.  We had dinner at the recommended cute 'taverna' on the waterfront along with the many other sailing groups.  We strolled briefly around town and retired to the boat for the evening.   

On Monday (Labor Day), we traveled from Longos to Levkas Town, located on the island of Levkas.  Our strategy was to travel far south to a safe port because a strong storm was forecast to arrive sometime Monday night or Tuesday.  We motored most of the 40 nautical miles but did a 'test' sail a couple of miles outside of the swing bridge/canal that separates the mainland from Levkas Island.  It was a good refresher for raising and lowering the sails and for tacking.  We were killing a little time because the swing bridge opens every hour, on the hour except for 1:00 and 3:00 pm and we knew we would not make the 2 o'clock opening.  So, we had to wait for the 4 o'clock opening.  We joined the 15 other boats milling about in gusty winds just north of the swing bridge. We ultimately dropped the anchor and sat still for 40 minutes.  Just before 4:00 pm, we weighed anchor, and followed the other boats through the passage.  The Debs II was the last boat through; immediately the swing bridge closed and the automobile backups cleared in about 10 minutes.  We puttered down the canal to the marina, were directed to our 'parking' place along the pier, and moored the boat, using a lazy line on the bow and two stern lines.  I was instructed on the proper rope technique on the cleat - OXO.  We shouldn't use a locking loop.

The Levkas Marina is Moorings' other base in Greece.  After securing the boat and having a meeting to talk about how things were progressing, we took a dip in the marina's swimming pool and cleaned up for dinner.  We had a nice dinner at a recommended restaurant on the water opposite of our berth (Burano).  I had sausage slovaki and Betsy had chicken slovaki (chicken bits on a skewer).  The latest weather forecast was for lots of rain and strong wind overnight, and for possibly several more days.  Mooring's sent me a message which I received on my phone.  My SIM card worked for the first time since Corfu.  I was able to hotspot my iPad and computer so I received e-mail, paid a bill and checked on some other things.

We retired and indeed a thunderstorm struck at 4:00 am.  The rain followed. 

Sailing Day 1

September 3:  A busy day getting possession of the sailing yacht - Debs II.  Each person had a role.  Betsy was part of the shopping team and spent a couple hours at the store finding the items on the grocery list.  The team filled 5 carts (check-out and bundling took an hour itself).  Betsy charged a portion of the food purchase at 117 euros.  First thing, after breakfast, we carried all our luggage to reception for the taxi pickup.  Varis went with the luggage to the Moorings Marina Base and sat with it for rest of the morning.  Betsy walked to the store (AB Supermarket).  I joined Ron to sweep the villa, walked to the marina base and received the boat technical briefing.  The briefing took about an hour and half and covered the operation of the various systems on the ship - electrical, toilets (head), engine, instruments, radios, sails, dinghy and motor, windlass (anchor), and others.  

The next task was to inventory the ship's furnishings, dishes, and safety items.  We selected berths (Betsy and I got the aft, port cabin).  We then waited for the grocery delivery which finally occurred at 2:45 pm.  We quickly schelped and stowed the groceries.  We got quickly underway and motored about 12 nautical miles (nm) south to the little village of Petrita.  We anchored in the bay - it took 2 tries to get the right amount of anchor chain out and set securely.  

We had a quick swim and after two shuttles trips in the dinghy had dinner at the Limecello Taverna which was right on the waterfront with its own dock.  We both had fish - red mullet for Betsy and grilled swordfish for me.  It was well after dark when we putted back to the yacht, with Jan holding out a flashlight for guidance, enjoying the yacht lights around us and the stars up above.  After getting back we arranged our clothes in our little cabin - a bit tight but everything got stowed.

Corfu Day 1 and 2

September 1 and 2: We have had an interesting time in Corfu, mostly centered around checking out the upcoming sailing trip, provisioning the yacht and organizing the various folks.   Yesterday, we received the 'area briefing' - a review of possible destinations in the area to moor/anchor in, tips on running the boat and hazards in the water to watch out for and avoid.  We also checked out grocery stores for breadth of available items and delivery.  We were able to go for a swim in the ocean and then the pool by late afternoon.

Today, we all got together and over about 3 hours developed a plan of attack for boarding the boat, buying food and supplies, and assigning tasks for tomorrow.  We now have a good plan with lots of contingencies and some flexibilities.  My primary role is to assist Ron with the boat briefing, when we get tutored on the operation of all systems, etc. and then to inventory critical gear and equipment items on the boat.  Betsy is part of the shopping team.  We all hope to join up by early afternoon to stow the food and gear (luggage).   The plan is to embark for a short sail to a destination on the southern part of Corfu Island.

After the planning session, Varis, Karen, Jan, Ron, Betsy and I rode the bus to Corfu Town, for sightseeing.  It is a UNESCO heritage site, has an Old Fort, New Fort and various other sites, and with 2 cruise ships in port, it was loaded with tourists and associated tourist shops.  After a cafe lunch with generous Greek salads, we walked around the Old Town and  the  Esplanade overlooking the harbor.  We had a need for some spices and found a wonderful spice shop.  We bought those that we needed for the few dinners we plan to cook on board.  Most evenings we will probably find a taverna or fish restaurant to eat at.  By that point in the afternoon, we were hot and ready to get back to our hotel and the pool.  Dinner was at another fish restaurant in the village of Govina.