A short travel blog of Greece: Pelion, Meteora, and Athens

[heidih]

Gorgeous setting in the plaza, and an astonishingly delicious looking breakfast spread. The cherry, orange, cinnamon combo intrigues. I have to see if the Persian markets have a thicker phyllo style dough. I've made my own once or twice but the kitchen is currently not my own so it would be a drama. Your vibrant green surroundings don't mesh with my obviously erroneous vision of a Mediterranean area. I supposedly have a Med climate and it is pretty brown now. Oh and love those communal fountains. Such a welcome travelog.

[shain]

32 minutes ago, Allura said:

You mentioned that there's not a lot of seafood in Israel, so you're indulging in Greece. I would have assumed it was available given Israel's location, so I'm guessing it's due to the impact of folks following Kosher law?

 

That's right. Those who observe kosher laws won't eat it, and for the same reasons it never was part of the cuisine, so even those that don't keep kosher are not necessarily used to it or look for quality produce, or for variety. With little demand, there's no mic of a supply chain. We get a few sizes of frozen shrimp, boiled mussles - frozen or canned, and calamari. Those too are available only in some markets.

That said, the frozen sea food is quite common in restaurants (mostly Asian and Italian ones)

It is possible to get live mussles and better shrimp at some very few places, but for a high price.

[shain]

15 minutes ago, heidih said:

The cherry, orange, cinnamon combo intrigues.

 

I'd suggest the flavors will work in all types of butter cookies and pie/tart crusts, with many fillings. There was also vanilla in there, I think.

 

17 minutes ago, heidih said:

Your vibrant green surroundings don't mesh with my obviously erroneous vision of a Mediterranean area. I supposedly have a Med climate and it is pretty brown now.

 

The area is mountainous, quite to the north of Greece, and rich with streams and springs. All those combined with the great care the locals take of their plants, results in lush vegetation. 

[ElsieD]

In the second food picture, are those small jars of honey?  If yes, did you have any?

[MokaPot]

4 hours ago, shain said:

 

@shain, the white-ish, round discs look like cheese. Is it cheese?

[shain]

1 hour ago, ElsieD said:

In the second food picture, are those small jars of honey?  If yes, did you have any?

 

Those are jars of jams and honey. The jam we tried (peach and orange), the honey I don't recall we had there.

 

We did have a few welcoming gifts in our room that I forgot to mention. Those were two tiny bottles of tsipouro and two small jars like in the picture of jam and honey. The tsipouro we finished during the vacation, and the jars we took back home, but haven't opened yet.

 

The hotel is called Kritsa, and while basic, it was charming and the food was great as you can tell.

[shain]

50 minutes ago, MokaPot said:

@shain, the white-ish, round discs look like cheese. Is it cheese?

 

Those are puffed rice cakes, not something I usually register as food

[heidih]

Meant to ask on the sweets on a spoon. how are they eaten? Almost lollipop style but not by tongue or? and with coffee?

[shain]

17 hours ago, heidih said:

Meant to ask on the sweets on a spoon. how are they eaten? Almost lollipop style but not by tongue or? and with coffee?

 

We mostly had them served over yogurt or as part of other dessert, often with coffee. They can also be eaten as is (especially those made of whole fruits) or on bread, oatmeal, etc. My understanding is that they are named so simply for being intended to be eaten with a spoon (as opposed to e.g. cakes eaten with a fork). 

[shain]

A few minutes of walk to the edge of Portaria gets you to the "centaur's path" - a short stream-side hike.

Lush greenery, clean water with many small falls, and lots of birds chirping around. It doesn't get much more tranquil than that. Pictures don't do it justice.

Right before the stream there's a small cafe or hotel with what must be the one of the worlds best-located patios.

 

 

           

 

 

And a couple of photos from within the town.

The jars are from a store that sells jams, honey, spices etc. The large jars with whole fruits are from plastic. It seemed a bit of a tourist trap, but still pretty.

 

 

Edited June 10, 2021 by shain (log)

[heidih]

Ha! Just as I read your line about chirping birds a flock of bushtits swooped past my open door chirping madly. So I got the sound effect  Truly gorgeous setting and the running water! I feel more tranquil already. It was a contentious morning.

Edited June 10, 2021 by heidih (log)

[TicTac]

The waterfall pics are absolutely magical.  I can only imagine the tranquility one would find in that setting.  Waterfalls have always been a favourite of ours.  On various trips we would track down a local secluded one, get a coffee (or some beverage), take our books and park ourselves right by (and sometimes in) the waterfall for hours at a time. 

 

Great shots.

 

 

[shain]

28 minutes ago, TicTac said:

The waterfall pics are absolutely magical.  I can only imagine the tranquility one would find in that setting.  Waterfalls have always been a favourite of ours.  On various trips we would track down a local secluded one, get a coffee (or some beverage), take our books and park ourselves right by (and sometimes in) the waterfall for hours at a time. 

 

Great shots.

 

 

 

Thanks! If you enjoy waterfalls than I'll have a few pictures for you soon

[Eatmywords]

Such pretty pics!  Agree w Heidih, not what you imagine when you think Greece (tho I imagine you'll be taking us there soon).  I don't get the plastic apples alongside the edibles but what does my taste know.  Where next?  

[heidih]

21 minutes ago, Eatmywords said:

Such pretty pics!  Agree w Heidih, not what you imagine when you think Greece (tho I imagine you'll be taking us there soon).  I don't get the plastic apples alongside the edibles but what does my taste know.  Where next?  

Oh my - I have so much anti plastic re ecology on my brain I thought it was the containers. 

[shain]

The town of Makrinitsa is a short drive away from Portaria. It is not accessible with cars, being built on a quite steep slope, and paved with narrow streets. The communities in this area seem to take great care in maintain the villages, both in terms of maintenance and cleanness, but also in preservation and holding to the quaint feel and authenticity of the places. Even while carting to tourists, and being full of restaurants and cafes. If anything, I found those to contribute to the feel of the place. Maybe expect for a few shops selling overpriced stale spices and fancy-looking pastas to tourists in the entry road.

Like most of the mountain villages of Pelion, Makrinitsa is centered around old plane trees. Here in is completely holed out, large enough that 3 adults can fit in. A small stream is running down along the curving road that leads to the section of village that is built down the slope, the rest being built upward.

The view in the last picture is of the city of Volos, which is located right at the "entry" to the peninsula of Pelion.

 

 

          

 

 

 

        

 

Edited June 11, 2021 by shain (log)

[blue_dolphin]

Thank you so much for sharing, @shain, I am enjoying this immensely!

[ElsieD]

Spectacular.  I am loving your posts and your pictures.  Two friends of mine used to go on yearly visits to Hydra and loved it.  Unfortunately for me, they never took pictures!

[TdeV]

Thank you, @shain, this is delightful!

[kayb]

On 6/8/2021 at 12:00 PM, shain said:

A stop mid way for coffee and leg-stretching at the small town of Skala. The dying sunlight, the quiet, and the somewhat rundown nature of the place gave it a beautifully melancholic vibe.

And while it was already quite chill, a cold coffee felt suiting. This was the happened to be the best frappe I had (and non we'll have later would have surpassed it).

We continued to arrive at our hotel in Portaria by night, and fall fast asleep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This joins my collection of "favorite beach photos purloined from eG members." @liamsaunt and @robirdstx are other frequent contributors, though they may not know it. Sometimes I open the folder and just browse through and look; it always makes me feel peaceful.

 

After this, I may have to start a folder of "favorite purloined mountain and village photos." The scenery is beautiful. I will go to Greece someday. I will, I will, I will.

 

The breakfast spread looked enticing, as well.

 

[rotuts]

fantastic pics 

 

of stunning places 

 

I wish I were in the second to the last pic

 

sitting there an ordering from their menu.

 

Id be having some nice , dry , non-oaky white wine

 

ice cold !

[rotuts]

@shain 

 

there are three pics of

 

tables w red tablecloths 

 

I assume its the same establishment.

 

did you stop there , see the menu ?

 

I decided Im moving there

 

and leasing one of those tables.

 

Im hopefully there is a local white 

 

dry , no oak ,  ' style of Chablis '

 

and no retsina !

 

Ill make arraingement w the

 

restaurant 

 

to have a few cases , cold , for me

 

on hand.

[heidih]

@rotuts - ice generally brands you as an American. Perhaps not in Greece. I've had ice withdrawal in parts of Europe.

[rotuts]

I like my whites very cold.

 

they warm up in my mouth !

 

and indeed,   I am an American.

 

 

[rotuts]

 

 

quant , local country 

 

cafe's and restaurants 

 

in out of the way FR

 

have ' buckets ' to keep your

 

Chablis cool.

 

what defines ' cool '

 

might be debatable.