Last night my co-guide, Chris, and I went to dinner at Lion's Taverna, situated right on the beach a short walk away from our hotel. The waiter Peter greeted us warmly (Chris is a regular face around here), then invited us back into the kitchen to view the day's offerings. He pulled open tray after steaming tray of moussaka, chicken stuffed with spinach and feta, steamed local greens, mushrooms with seafood, swordfish steaks, and other goodies. We pointed to our preferences, then returned to our table to listen to the surf, watch the numerous cats patrolling the board walk, and enjoy a real Greek salad (a slab of fresh feta atop cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and olives). The rest of our food followed in the usual leisurely manner and we ate serenaded by a gentleman playing what we guessed was traditional Greek music on what we guessed was a lute. The meal culminated with a small plate of fruit, most likely from the owner's farm, and the requisite shots of raki, the local liquor. It's made with the grape skins left over from making wine, and each taverna makes their own. Apparently they all taste a little bit different; perhaps by the end of this trip my palate will have developed enough to tell.
This is my life right now and it's pretty incredible. The journey to Greece started Wednesday at Dulles Airport in Washington D.C. when Carl dropped me off at the curb, and culminated 28 hours later in a rental car with Chris driving across the island of Crete from Heraklion to Matala. It was dark when we arrived so the next morning I awoke to the full effect of the small resort town, with its short stretch of shops, tavernas, cafes and restaurants, the crescent beach and crystal clear water, and the iconic rock formations that frame the bay, great layers of rock angling into the ocean with a whole network of caves carved into them. This town has been a hippie hang out since the sixties and that vibe is still going strong. A lot of places have live music, and its usually Bob Marley covers.
Amazingly enough I am here to work. It's been good to have a few days to get my bearings, work on my tan, and learn the words for "thank you" and "good day" before being responsible for other people. This will be Chris' 11th time doing this trip so he's got everything very much under control (which is reassuring for me), especially since we only have 5 people on this time around. It's the perfect way to get my feet wet and see what this is really all about. Today is the first day of the trip - Chris is in Heraklion now picking up folks from the airport, then we'll spend the afternoon outfitting people with paddling gear and perhaps even get on the water. This evening I get to do my first massages since leaving Oregon. Hopefully massage, like paddling, comes back as quickly as falling off a bicycle.
This is my life right now and it's pretty incredible. The journey to Greece started Wednesday at Dulles Airport in Washington D.C. when Carl dropped me off at the curb, and culminated 28 hours later in a rental car with Chris driving across the island of Crete from Heraklion to Matala. It was dark when we arrived so the next morning I awoke to the full effect of the small resort town, with its short stretch of shops, tavernas, cafes and restaurants, the crescent beach and crystal clear water, and the iconic rock formations that frame the bay, great layers of rock angling into the ocean with a whole network of caves carved into them. This town has been a hippie hang out since the sixties and that vibe is still going strong. A lot of places have live music, and its usually Bob Marley covers.
Amazingly enough I am here to work. It's been good to have a few days to get my bearings, work on my tan, and learn the words for "thank you" and "good day" before being responsible for other people. This will be Chris' 11th time doing this trip so he's got everything very much under control (which is reassuring for me), especially since we only have 5 people on this time around. It's the perfect way to get my feet wet and see what this is really all about. Today is the first day of the trip - Chris is in Heraklion now picking up folks from the airport, then we'll spend the afternoon outfitting people with paddling gear and perhaps even get on the water. This evening I get to do my first massages since leaving Oregon. Hopefully massage, like paddling, comes back as quickly as falling off a bicycle.
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