Goodbye, for Now

Ralph and Anne (and Maria) have been our extended family in so many ways. God parents/sister, down the street neighbors, office mates, professional support and all manner of wonderful. Though we see them every summer, this one was a bit more emotional. 

Last year we were sad to see Ralph and Maria leave the UAE but were happy to have Anne "just down the road". Ralph would pop in and out also, making the whole experience more bearable. Now Anne too has decided to move on, leaving us to see them only in the summers... so summers it is! 

This summer we saw a fair bit of them (at least in the early part), enjoying our breakfasts at Varsos or seeing each other for dinners or coffee. We were also invited to Ralph's birthday where he proudly wore a t-shirt noting his newly approved Greek citizen status!  Way go to Ralph! The girls, as is customary, got lost in talks and giggles with Maria and barraged her with questions. She is quite the social magnet for our girls! 

Our final night before heading out for the Netherlands was the last time we would see them this year and so, of course, it was necessary to visit them, enjoy dinner and have one last hurrah, so to speak. A few days later all of them - Oddie and Penny included - were heading off to their new adventure in the US.  One day it'll happen, though... it's only a matter of time before we're all just "down the street" from each other again. Big hugs to all!

The Colombians Invade Paros

It's hard not to go "big" when the Colombian extended family arrives from all corners of the world. This time was no different, but it came with a slight twist... the choice of summer get away locations was the first time our girls got to choose the location they wanted to go. It started with a Google search of photos of Greece and, after some looking around, ended with a photo of Paroikia, Paros. Though our final destination was, in face, Dryos, it was close enough and filled with the wonderful of Cycladic lifestyle and the goodness of Mediterranean fare. The place we stayed, a family owned hotel and rooms, was supervised by a friendly man named Frangiskos. On two ocassions during our stay he was out at the back of the hotel overlooking the sea below, singing and playing a guitar with two others. The ladies of the party allowed themselves a chance to go and be absorbed by the Greek music and cool evening spirit. 

But while were there it was important to get around as well. Arguably the best day was our visit to Antiparos, a smaller island just seven minutes away by ferry boat (the 'pandofla' as they call the open boats you just drive right onto). Around Antiparos, on the very end of the westward side, we found our way to Agios Georgios, a delightful place with idyllic, calm waters. Perfect for a game of volleyball on the beach.   The town too was beautiful and, though smaller than Paroikia and Naousa (which we also visited one of the prior evenings) it could complete with the 'feel' of the Cyclades. 

Of course, another highlight, for which we have no photos, was the time spent on the deck of the six hour boat ride (leaving from Rafina and making it's way south eastward to Andros, Tinos, Mykonos before anchoring in Paros) looking - just looking - at the sea, the waves, for dolphins (sadly we saw none), the islands, anything and everything. What beauty the sea holds for us. 

Add to this a fair share of sunning, eating, walking around, shopping, etc., and we found something for pretty much everyone (except, on occasion, for TTMouz - who's thoughts were elsewhere to friends and workouts missed). 

We returned with a bit more 'red' to our tone, a bit more bulge to our bellies and a bit wider smile to our faces. Ready for the next stop of the holiday... Athens and Holland awaited!

The 'Brownies' in Athens

On July 3 the Brownies descended in Athens from all sorts of places. From Colombia. From Malaysia. From Holland. From Malaysia by way of Holland. All arriving within 24 hours. Once we finally got everyone on the ground it was Athens all the way!

Some of the visit, of course, was procedural in nature, with the customary cleaning of the apartment, organizing of the beds, shopping for this and that. Other parts of the visit were a bit more touristy, with the requisite visit to Monastiraki and Plaka being the highlight of the evening. Yet other parts of the trips were aimed at bringing people together. One evening, for example, we enjoyed the visit of their aunt Anna and her new partner Carlos. Another evening we celebrated (by extension) the second wedding of Taita and Abuelita who brought with them a piece of their wedding cake to share with the family and with Stefan and Vicky were, by virtue of their extended Brownie family status, celebrated with us!  

It was a great start to our family summer holidays and the beginning of a three week Brownie tour of Europe!  :-)

In the Olives

Everytime we're in Greece we try to make a point to visit some olive grove, if only for a quick photo opportunity. It's as if the photo opportunity allows us the opportunity to get out of a car (in this case) and roam within the trees that have such a story to tell. Their meandering trunks, the personality the all have and their quiet demeanor is perfect for a family visit to say hello!  In this case we were driving along the single lane road from Methoni to Pylos when we decided that this place - among so many - was perfect for our stop. The area is well knows for it's "Kalamata" olives and the experience was perfect!  Here are the girls enjoying the trees and doing the traditional "airplane" that our family is known for. :-)

Messinia Calling

On the west coast of Greece, on the far side of the Peloponnese, one will come upon a place named Messinia. This space, ever so green, hides little gems of Greek paradise within it's otherwise low-key personality. The town of Pylos, for example, gave us a perfect respite from the long drive from Athens as we made our way down the coast, a short way further, to Methoni. Then, just a short drive through the olive groves, Methoni beckoned, with its castle and sleepy personality. 

There we met a most wonderful woman, Alex, who is setting up to live in Methoni permanently. She is an international school teacher, recently retired, who welcomed us to her home for four days and three nights. As we got to know Alex we learned about her passion in art and community engagement, but we also had the chance to see the little hidden gems that this area hides. The Community Center with a painting opportunity for our girls; a boat ride across to the island of Sapienza for a hike across the ridge and a swim in nothing but transparent waters; a taverna visit and a chat with the local real estate agent. It was a time of discovery and a time to connect. And what a wonderful few days it was!  Thank you, Alex, for the hospitality and the friendship you offered us in welcoming us to your home. We look forward to many more such connections!