Amsterdam (it's in Holland)

What the Paris airport lacks in charm and courtesy, the Amsterdam airport more than makes up for. Although Charles De Gaulle airport is geographically (not including any runways) larger than the City of Iona, it is dark and dirty and the people who are in the customer service areas, i.e. ticket counters, restaurants, information booths and retail shops were rude, non courteous, and arrogant. Everything and everywhere was dirty and very non traveler friendly. Now, I was too busy rushing through the Amsterdam airport, and working to spend the last of my euros, to take any pictures, but this airport was absolutely beautiful. It was light and clean, and just about as large as Charles De Gaulle. It was very traveler friendly and the customer service workers were friendly, happy, polite, and pleasant in every way. I met no one who did not smile and they all spoke excellent English. (so do the French, but they like to torture Americans by pretending they don't). The screening process was well organized and the security workers were happy and had a sense of humor, rare among TSA workers. I enjoyed everything except the full body scan and the personal pat down where the female security agent put her fingers inside the waistband of my jeans. But, this was standard treatment for all passengers so I didn't take it personally.

I wish I could have taken better pictures from the plane. This country is mostly water. Large lakes, rivers and canals, are everywhere. The canals were lined with what looked like house boats. At the airport chocolate was everywhere! If chocolate were a religion (I know some people think I believe it is) this would have been the Vatican. Chocolate chunks - white, milk and dark - plates with a cup of liquid chocolate and a variety of things to dip in it. If you order a cup of hot chocolate you have to choose from 15 flavors. They have flavored cups of chocolate you just eat with a spoon. I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. The strange look I got from the surrounding crowds when I yelped out loud assured me I was not. I bought tulip bulbs in Amsterdam, Holland! How cool is that? I would have, and wish I could have, bought souvenirs for everyone here. So many cool things, but alas, my bags were stuffed to the limit already and I don't know how I would have gotten them home. Once I passed the land of chocolate, went through the sparkling valley of souvenirs, and ascended the security mountains, (sounds like a game of candy land), I proceeded to my gate that I am quite sure was 5 miles away and boarded the biggest airplane I have ever seen. It was a Boeing 747 (hey, Nick, I'll bet you know what that is). It had a 2ND story! And with that my travels to distant lands were over. I can't say that I would care to visit anywhere else in Amsterdam. I've heard and read too much. But, the airport will forever leave me with a romantic and delightful image of tulips and wooden shoes and windmills.

After 9 1/2 hours on the flying cattle car I was met by my traveling buddy for a trip to Waffle House. I am looking forward to seeing my kids, Tater, Moose, Daisy, Carl, Sunny, Cap'n Steve, Simon, and the hens. Oh, of course, my human grand kids.....no, I didn't forget the human kids either. Come on, I bought you guys presents!

I'm back! (almost)

Turn out the lights, the party's over. All good things must come to an end. What a fabulous vacation, Jay made yet another friend. The lady we gave the pumpkin pie to at our Greek Dixie's Diner met him with a huge smile and big hug today when we went for lunch, Amazing considering she has always been kind, but never overly friendly. Now she acted like he was her long lost son. I guess she doesn't care who baked the pie, only who gave it to her. For such a crusty old dude, people seem to like him. The owners of the villa came to say goodbye and introduced us to their 10 year old son, He made us feel like celebrities. If anyone is ever planning to come to Greece, they must stay here. It was truly delightful. And, talk to me before you come because I have learned all the tricks. I wish I could bring all my kids here. There is nothing quite like the opportunity to experience a new culture.

So, two more nights with Jay and two more days with Sally and then I get to come home to my wonderful family who keeps me from getting lonely and who I can torture with over 500 pictures from this vacation. So, no excuses kids, you WILL be watching pictures, Love you all and see you soon,

Thanksgiving comes to Crete.

Today was pie day! First, I made the crust, from scratch. And lest anyone dare say, “Jane made pie crust from scratch? Ha!” here is photographic evidence as I carefully roll the dough with a glass because there is no rolling pin, nowhere,..,.,not here, not at the market, along with the absence of measuring cups or measuring spoons. I think I just became the queen of improvisation.

Next, you see the crusts artfully placed in the best substitute for a aluminum foil pie plate we could find.

Now you see them filled with the completed pumpkin pie filling (okay, it’s squash, but it tastes just like pumpkin, really). I even had to run to the market to get more sugar (okay, I walked because running would have made me appear weirder to the people here than I already am). Into the oven to bake and voila!

Thanksgiving comes to Platanias, Crete! The delicious smell of pumpkin pie baking is now wafting through the little streets.

We found a can of redi whip and sprayed it on my little masterpiece and, mmmmmmmm!!!! It was delicious!

The pumpkin quest.

We set out on our adventure to find a pumpkin. I was able to secure all the necessary ingredients for a traditional pumpkin pie…except the pumpkin. We asked at our usual Inka market and they did not understand what a pumpkin was. The one person who spoke the best English said, “I think we no have that.” So we headed out down the street to check other markets. Our favorite souvenir store didn’t have one.

This place didn’t have one, but they did have rotisserie chicken so in the spirit of “Up” we said , “squirrel” and took our chicken home for lunch.

After lunch and a nap we walked back up the street the other way to check out other markets. This time we stopped at our regular market and I had written, in Greek, the word for what Google translator told me was “pumpkin”. I showed it to the clerk and asked if they had one. She walked over and showed me a zucchini. Now, either Google lied or the clerk figured I wouldn’t know the difference. Either way, we still had no pumpkin. We walked a little farther and found the small market where we shop when the usual market it closed. Here we found a banana squash the size of a small child.

When I was a kid my mom would cook and bottle banana squash and make squash pies that tasted just like pumpkin pie, so I figured the squash would work. Jay hoisted the giant gourd onto the scales as I showed my paper to the nice older Greek gentleman and asked if he had pumpkins. In his very broken English he said “Nai” (which means yes in Greek) then proceeded to try to make me understand that what I had on the scales was not a kolokythi, and finally took my paper and wrote the word for what I was purchasing, pointed at my gourd and then pointed at the word like, “you stupid American, this in not a pumpkin” I smiled like I understood, thanked him and

Jay shouldered the squash to carry it home. I know everyone watching us walk home with our giant vegetable were wondering what the crazy Americans were going to do with the giant squash.

We cut it up, scraped out the seeds

and I cooked it and made my pumpkin aka squash puree. Tomorrow I will make pie crust from scratch and bake my pumpkin pies. I feel like such a pilgrim.

Yet another perfect day.

I hate to keep harping on it, but wow! Another perfect day in Crete! The nights are just cool enough for perfect sleeping. The days are bright and sunny but not too hot. The people are delightful and pleasant.

The girl at the pharmacy, which is our version of a corner drug store, asked why we were here in the off season. We do kind of stick out amongst the locals as the only tourists this time of year. We told her we didn’t like crowds of people and she laughed. She said, “You like it here and I like to be in America”.

The handsome young Greek man in the souvenir store asked us the same thing, “why are you here in the off season? Do you have relatives, or are you on holiday.” We told him we were on holiday and we just came now to avoid the crowds. He said, “oh, this is wise. Look outside! This is winter, but it’s not winter. (here he kissed his fingers and blew it into the air) This is Eutopia! It is sunny and warm and I swim in the ocean every day.” I told him it was pretty cold to swim. And with great drama and flair he said, “oh, no, it is not cold, it is perfect.” He was very happy that we were having a good time and he didn’t even mind that I paid him 25 euros in coins. Jay has been throwing them in a cup just like he does his change at home. The difference here, there is no paper bill less than 5 euro so all those coins were worth 1 and 2 euro. We had over 40 euro in Jay’s little change cup.

If I could just find a way to bring Moose, Daisy, Tater, the parakeets, the chickens, the grandkids, and oh ya, my kids, over here, I would stay here forever. This is my kind of lifestyle.

Καλή νύχτα

Well, Sally and I have torn through Greece like a Texas tornado. Jay has gained a reputation of honor and respect in our little village as the man with two women. When he walks down the street the old men in the coffee stadiums nod their heads in tribute. Now it's time to just relax, refresh and enjoy the beautiful weather. See you all in December!

The Acropolis

We reached the Acropolis very early in the morning and met Maria, who offered to give us a personalized tour. We both cringed at the 50 Euros a piece fee, but she assured us it would be worth it, and it definitely was! She pointed out the little details that we certainly would have missed and told us Greek legends and stories with great drama and enthusiasm. We saw Mars hill where the apostle Paul taught Christianity to the Athenians. We sat on the stone steps that he walked on.

There is no way I can even begin to express how exquisite and amazing this place was.

There was such a feeling of reverence and awe as we saw the amiphitheatre, gazed at the city of Athens from atop of the Acropolis and saw the Eastern sun shining off the small temple to the Virgin God Athena.

One of the statues on the large temple to Athena, the protector of the city, was used as the pattern for the statue of liberty.

We saw Dionysius' theatre and Maria told us tales of the God of wine and his lust for women.

The Acropolis museum had glass floors and under the floor you could witness an actual archeological dig in progress.

We ended the day with a plate of Moussaka, shopping for soveniers, and the infamous Gelato (mine didn't bother me a bit). It was truly an amazing day of seeing things that were over 3 thousand years old. It was a day to remember to be sure.

Two American fairies ride the ferry!

We finished our delicious rabbit dinner and cleaned up the leftovers, Then we headed out in the little blue deathtrap for the ferry in Souda harbor.

We watched excitedly as the huge ship came into the dock and laughed as the people came off like cattle at the auction. We started to wonder if our "berth" would be kind of like the cabins on the Hogwart's Express, just benches in a room where you could close the door.

We couldn't have been more wrong. We were thrilled when we saw the nice bunks and our own private bathroom.

Sally was a little worried about sinking, so she made sure she was prepared.

Then it was off through the public lounge area to the fabulous restaurant for a late night meal of veal and pasta (I guess the rabbit had worn off.)

Then off to bed where we let the gentle sway of the boat and the hum of the engine rock us to sleep.
Now, on the way back, we requested an outside berth because it would be daylight and we wanted to see outside. We laughed again because when we saw this room we realized the other room that had thrilled us so much was actually the slum section.

We enjoyed a pleasant ride home with a great view from the large window in the room.

The seas were a little stormy and rough, but we both slept most of the way home. Well, except the time poor Sally spent throwing up. We think she got food posioning from the Gelato we ate in Athens. Luckily by the time we reached port she was feeling much better and very hungry.

Has is really only been a week?

The main mission of this trip was to truly experience the local culture and see the things that the tourists in the resorts don’t. After today I can say, mission accomplished. After a 2nd visit to the gorgeous Dr. Vitt, Sally and I took off in our little blue death trap to the explore the opposite end of the island from where we were yesterday. It couldn’t have been any more different than what we saw yesterday. We started by heading up the hilly streets (if you can call them streets - they were more like tiled bike paths) of Platanias. We laughed our heads off as we found ourselves squeaking through alleys so narrow they made us grateful for our little clown car. We snaked our way back down to the main road and headed out to the end of the island.
We drove through small towns with narrow busy streets and into high, isolated mountain villages. We stopped into a church we found along the way, (oh wait - that’s Momma’s and Papa’s song) but we did find a church high in the mountains with an attached cemetery that kind of made me feel like we don’t treat our dead with near enough respect.

We took pictures from high up in the mountains of a war memorial. We walked with a Monk and he gave us a tour of a 16th century monastery.

We stopped in the middle of the highway to take pictures of goats standing in a tree and only got slightly lost once (except for the few minutes that we argued when Sally was sure we were going the wrong way down the mountain and I swore I recognized the village landmarks and she laughed and said they all looked the same).

To all my LDS friends, we even found a stake house.

When we got home Jay was roasting a rabbit on a spit. (It was not a cat, you people are sick). Tonight we are off to Athens on an overnight ferry to see the Acropolis. If only Judith Wagoner could see us now, her two OEA nerds tromping willy nilly around Greece!