Category Archives: Europe

Greece 2021, Uncategorized

Nafplio – sweet, charming, LIVABLE

September 27, 2021 Aimee Couturier Leave a comment

A flight and two buses later – via nice navigation by my husband – we found ourselves back on the mainland in Nafplio, Greece. Nafplio is a town in the area of Argolis in the eastern Peloponnese. It is dubbed as one of the most romantic towns in Greece. But that is not why we came to this beautiful place.

John’s grandfather was born and raised here and John wanted to visit the place his grandfather called home. This is an amazing story of courage – the man left his family and all he knew – without knowing any English – to come to America in order to find work. He left this town in his 20s and moved to Chicago where he was given a job as a dishwasher. So Nafplio has a special place in John’s heart and we made it a priority to visit.

I’m so glad we did! For more reasons than one. To honor John’s grandfather and also because this place has such a wonderful, relaxing, happy vibe. It is my new favorite place in Greece! And, incidentally, we could both LIVE here!

As always, a small bit of information about Nafplio and then a link to find out more if interested. According to mythology, the town was founded by Nafplios, the son of the god Poseidon and the daughter of Danaus Anymone. The city was the first capital of the modern Greek state from 1823 – 1834. Then the capital was moved to Athens.

After leaving our luggage at our hotel, we went to explore. Have I said how incredible this place is?! The small alleys are filled with people and shops and tavernas but with so much charm and sweetness. This place is nothing at all like Naousa or Chania or Heraklion. It simply has a different vibe. Much more relaxed and slow and homey…

Lunch was in order and since the hotel-recommended restaurant was closed on Sunday we picked a random taverna on one of the many small, quaint alleyways close to our hotel in the Old Town. One thing a blogger should never do —— take a photo of the restaurant – you know, so you can write about it – and NOT be able to translate the Greek to English. Ug! Luckily my husband took note – Taverna Byzantino. John had a Greek cabbage salad called Politiki. We hadn’t seen this before and it was of so good. See John’s face below!

The first thing we wanted to do was head to Pronia – a small suburb of Nafplio. This, in particular, is where John’s grandfather called home. The area is just a short walk from Nafplio Old Town. The suburb sits in the shadow of the awe-inspiring Palamidi hill and fortress (more to come on this later) and is more of a traditional Greek area.

We did not see any tourists here. A few shops and cafes and a market or two but we were pretty much on our own. Could be that it was Sunday as well. We talked about John’s grandfather and wandered around and said a prayer. It was touching….I am hoping someone remembers me in such a way…

We headed back to the Old Town to check into our hotel – Amymone and Adiandi. It was so cute! Very cool art and decor! And right in the middle of the Old Town. It was perfect for our brief stay.

More exploring…and shopping of course! The shops here are filled with more than your traditional souvenirs. There is local arts and crafts and fashion and jewelry boutiques and pottery. The window shopping is really fun! So that’s what we did – until we didn’t 😊.

We finally stumbled upon a little art shop called ??? (if you’re still reading, I’ll add this later!) The sweet older Greek couple who owned the shop were just sitting outside chatting. There were some lovely pieces of painted wood in the window. Not really our style but John wanted to take a look. And I’m glad he did! Beautiful, different types of Greek art; some of which was painted by the shop owner himself. We got some nice pieces but I’m not saying more because some of you reading this will be getting them as gifts! We also really enjoyed speaking with the couple in John’s Greeklish. Hearing about where they came from and how they found Nafplio was nice. And seeing the pictures of their grandkids. And a Greek tradition we weren’t aware of. The shop had many dried pomegranates hanging from the wood beams on the ceiling. Per the owner, on the first day of the new year, it is a Greek tradition to smash a pomegranate in the home. If it opens and spreads the seeds it’s good luck.

We both felt better about finding some nice gifts for our loved ones. It was time for a cocktail overlooking the port and the stunning island – and fortress – of Bourtzi. The castle was built in 1471. Interestingly, to protect the castle from enemies, the Turks laid the surrounding sea with a large barricade of stones that made it impossible for large ships to approach the island and the fort. The island and the castle are simply stunning! This is one of the places I wanted to check out. You can visit the castle by boat. Unfortunately it was currently closed due to construction. While telling us this, the sweet young man from our hotel “deleted” it from the map.

The view was still wonderful but being veteran tourists we’d never have dinner right next to the port. But drinks at Psarosavounas Bounos would work – Ouzo for John and Tsipouro for me. Tsipouro is another traditional alcohol made in Greece. Very similar to Raki in that it’s made from grades, but Raki is specific to Crete. Strong and delicious – two of my favorite things!

We wanted to head back to Pronia for a more local experience for dinner and to also pay more homage to John’s grandfather. We went to O Pseiras Taverna. We had a wonderful meal served by a young man who was in Nafplio for the season and couldn’t wait to get back to Athens. Not too much for a young man to do in this town, I guess, but it was perfect for us. We simply ordered what he suggested and of course it was one of our top meals. Sitting on a small table on the sidewalk in the shadow of Palamidi hill, drinking local wine, eating delicious food with the one you love. What could be better?!

Greece 2021, Uncategorized

Hiking the Samaria Gorge

September 26, 2021 Aimee Couturier Leave a comment

Today was a very, very long day but also an incredible one! Knossos was John’s number one of the trip and this was mine – hiking the Samaria Gorge.

The Samaria Gorge is a national park of Greece and includes a trek of 16km (that’s 10 miles – I had to look it up) starting at an altitude of 1250m (400+ feet) and ending at the shores of the Libyan Sea. The gorges in Crete, including Samaria, were formed due to the movement of tectonic plates over thousands of years.

We started from our hotel at 5:30 am to travel to the tour meetup. We’d finally decided to do a tour after a lot of thought and back and forth on pros and cons. See, it’s pretty easy to drive – or get a bus – to the gorge entrance but since the hike ends on a beach that is only accessible by foot or boat, there’s not a great way to get back to a car or an accessible bus. Just for logistics alone we decided the organized tour was the best option. You’re not hiking with anyone; they just take care of the transportation.

The gorge starts off shaded, steep and full of switchbacks with rocks of all sizes and shapes to traverse. As you descend every view is more amazing than the next. But nothing we hadn’t seen before – just stunning mountains in the distance and a rocky trail ahead.

As you descend further however, you get into the gorge itself. THIS is not like anything you’ve seen before! Or – anything I’ve seen before! Massive boulders surround you as you navigate a dry river bed filled with smaller boulders and loose rocks. Our guide warned us not to yell or sing too loud as it could cause falling rocks!

The Samaria Gorge is absolutely stunning! But not in the stunning way of Elafonisi Beach. This is massive and harsh and a bit treacherous. Each view is more impressive than the next. I kept saying, “Oh my God”. The pictures simply do not do it justice but we did take a ton of them.

About halfway down you end up in the ancient village of Samaria. This village was finally abandoned, however, in 1962 – not that long ago. And the rangers who care for the park still stay in the restored houses in the village.

About two thirds of the way down you come upon the Gates. This is an area of the gorge that is 3m (9 feet) across at its narrowest and soars to a height of 300m (~1000 feet). You navigate over a wood bridge and hang onto a rope as the wind rushes at you through the mountains. Just spectacular!

When you finally get to the end of the Samaria national park you still have to walk another 3km (if you choose!) to get to the sea. You arrive at the tiny seaside village of Agia Roumeli. Now, instead of the Aegean Sea, you’re at the Libyan Sea. Completely on the other side of the island. Agia Roumeli definitely caters to the gorge walkers but is also considered a tourist destination.

We finished the trek in about 5 hours which I think is considered average. We took food and drink breaks and many, many photo breaks. It is a fairly easy trek. Just try to wear some boots with good tread as the rocks are loose and slippery.

What’s the first thing we did?!?! A local beer of course! Big for me and small for John. And a nice relaxing meal sitting seaside and watching the other hikers bobbing in the water.

It was a very long bus trip back. Logistically the tour was the right thing to do. But tip: do it from Chania, not Heraklion if possible. It’s a much more palatable bus ride.

Greece 2021, Uncategorized

The Palace of Knossos and a Humongous Gyro

September 26, 2021 Aimee Couturier Leave a comment

The day needed to start with bougatsa and coffee – like a local of course. And we needed to determine the best bougatsa in Chania. Either bougatsa Chania or Bougatsa lordanis. Apparently there is a war between the two oldest bougatsa cafes in Chania. We’d tried Bougatsa Chania jus two days ago as it was sublime! It would be tough to beat but someone has to try right? However, Bougatsa lordanis has two flavors – either the original which is Mizithra cheese fried in super thin phyllo dough, or sweet which is custard friend in super thin phyllo dough. Oh the tough decisions made on vacation!

The verdict is in – Bougatsa lordanis is awesome but just not as awesome as Bougatsa Chania. There you have it.

Today was a travel day so we made our way to the capital city of Crete – Heraklion. I’ll be honest, I did not want to spend any significant period of time in this city. I had not read great things about it – just another larger city without a lot of Greek charm. But I’ll be honest again and say that I didn’t plan very well and Heraklion was the best place to stay given the rest of the things we wanted to do.

Tip for everyone – get to know the buses when you travel. It’s such a local thing to do. And they are easy and cheap and on time. We’ve really had good luck with them.

We checked into our hotel in Heraklion – the DOM Boutique Hotel right in old town. We’d decided to spend a bit more money and go with a nicer place. It was nicer and the service was great BUT it was boring. Not a ton of charm to this place – unlike both Naousa and Chania.

Regardless right away we were off to the Palace of Knossos. This was John’s number one thing to do in Greece so we were very excited.

Knossos is a large archaeological site just outside of Heraklion. It has been called Europe’s oldest city. The Minoan civilization used this site and it’s palace for over 2000 years beginning in the Neolithic period ( the Stone Age) through 5 AD. The excavation of the site began in the late 1800s and reveals a fascinating ancient world that includes legends and myths including the myth of the labyrinth and the Minotaur.

John had booked a skip the line audio tour instead of an organized tour and it really did work out. Except for the fact that part of the palace was closed off to tourists due to COVID-19. Again, eff-you covid! But it was fascinating seeing the excavation, hear how the legends and myths came to be and see the intact ruins of the Minoan world. The audio tour – although confusing to follow due to the closures – was a good look into the daily life of these people. This, like the history of Chania, is best told by someone else. If you’re interested…

The Grand Staircase at the Palace of Knossos

After Knossos we needed to just wander around the old town of Heraklion. It was much less charming than Chania! Very focused on the tourists and tons of retail. Also a lot of tavernas which was nice. We picked a nice people-watching spot and enjoyed Cretan white wine and ouzo.

Contemplating life at a taverna in Heraklion

I still wasn’t satisfied with the gyro I’d had in Paros so we asked our sweet waitress for a recommendation. She recommended Hovoli which was just a short walk away. Two things…first I finally learned the difference between a gyro in a pita and souvlaki in a pita. It’s just the way the meat is cooked! In a gyro it’s shaved right from the chicken, pig, lamb, etc. In souvlaki it’s chunks of grilled meat stuffed into the pita. You learn something new and important every day! Second, this is my new favorite meal of the trip. I was served a humongous pita stuffed to the gills with meat, a little bit of tomato, yogurt sauce and piping hot French fries! Finally, a gyro I can brag about. It was soooo yummy.

Shaving the meat from the rotisserie – this is what makes it a gyro

We did not even scratch the surface of Heraklion unfortunately. I’m sure there is a ton to offer but priorities right??

Greece 2021, Uncategorized

The incredible city of Chania, Crete

September 23, 2021 Aimee Couturier Leave a comment

It is 4:22 in the morning in Chania, Crete and I am sitting on the roof in my Airbnb in the Old Town wrapped in a blanket while writing this blog. The nighttime lights of the city are my view but the city itself is asleep. I have the whole place to myself. Can’t sleep – needed to write.

We arrived in Chania very late via a ferry and a way-too-close-to-missing bus ride. Chania is a city in the northwest of Crete and the one that, per my research, is a good place to explore the island for a first-timer. There is a long, sometimes sordid history of the city. The influence of multiple cultures can be seen in the architecture here – Mycenaean, Roman, Turkish, Venetian. More to come here…

We’d booked a local guide for a 4-hour tour for a few reasons. First it is a way to get to know the city from the eyes of a local. Second you get to see parts of the city that you’d never see on your own. Third, you learn the history of the city that you cannot get from a guidebook. And fourth, you get to pick his brain on the right places to go – recommended tours, restaurants, the best place for a sunset view – you get the idea.

We met Antonis at the Municipal Market on the edge of the Old Town in Chania. This impressive market was completed in 1913 and was supposed to bring all of the needs of the people into one place – fishmongers, butchers, fruit and vegetable stalls. It has since turned a bit to tourism but this is still a place the locals go to buy their fresh food.

We stopped at a cheese stall where we tried a bunch of different Cretan and Greek cheeses as well as Cretan honey, olives, figs and the infamous Raki. The cheeses – the most unique one called Mizithra – is a soft white cheese that looks similar – but DOES NOT taste similar – to cottage cheese. The Greek people use this cheese in many dishes – from spaghetti to the Greek dish called Dakos that we’d had in Paros.

Raki is the traditional liquor of Crete. It is also called “Tsikoudhia” and it has Turkish roots. It is made of grapes boiled in a cauldron. It is clear and some say similar to Ouzo or Souma from Paros. It is consumed as a symbol of friendship on this island and it is considered rude to not be offered a glass when visiting a Cretan home. You can drink Raki straight or with honey, or with another fruit. The one we tried was with honey. Oh it was like a nectar! Very sweet and did not taste of alcohol at all. Even John liked it! We’d definitely have to try more of it.

Our next stop on the tour was to try another local traditional dish – bougatsa. Bougatsa is a traditional Greek pie filled with cheese or custard and then folded into super thin phyllo pastry. It is typically served for breakfast with coffee. We went to one of the oldest – and arguably the best – bougatsa cafes in the city – Bougatsa Chania. This was a dish that was on my list to try and it did not disappoint. Ours was filled with soft cheese and then sprinkled with sugar. A little savory and a little sweet if you will!

We made our way from the new part of the city into the Old Town – the most famous area of the city and a big draw of tourists. There is so much history seeped in this area of the country that I could not even begin to do it justice. So I’ll link to a place that can. We strolled through old gates into the Old Town where we saw the West Moat and the bastions that protected the city. We’d stop every few meters or so to hear more stories about the history of the area from Antonis.

Once inside the Old Town it is very touristy. However, the old Venetian architecture remains so it is also gorgeous. There are rows upon rows of alleyways were you can get lost, shop, have a coffee, watch the world go by, whatever you like. We wandered through some of the more touristic areas and then to some of the back alleys were locals actually live. We learned about famous churches, monasteries, wars, sieges, real estate, culture, coffee – you name it!

A lovely little alleyway in the Old Town

We finally made our way down to the famous Venetian port of Chania. This is definitely where all of the tourists are – but you can see why. The charm of this place is incredible! It is divided into the western basin and the eastern basin. The western basin is the source for all of the photos of the Chania port – lined with cafes and shops with very few boats. The eastern basin is where boats are docked and is also the location of the dockyards. Also called Arsinalia, these were used to repair ships and were built in the 16th century. They were originally open to the sea so that the boats could pull right in but have since been closed off to the water. These are stunning pieces of architecture that you have to see!

During our chats with Antonis he had mentioned a place that the locals know about and go to watch the sunset. Antonis called it the Squat. It is a squatted social center called Rosa Nera right in the heart of the old town. You have to walk up a set of “donkey steps” to get there. And it’s nothing fancy – just a big open area that sits high above the city. You can look down on the old Venetian port from here and see way out into the sea. We would definitely be back here for sunset!

We continued our walk and talk and ended up at the Chania municipal garden – an area of green very close to the Old Town. There is a super impressive Ficus tree here and also some Cretan goats. We sat and had a coffee at Kypos cafe. This cafe was built in 1890 and the Greek coffee is served in the traditional style – not in the cup but in the Greek briki. Once served the consumer pours from the briki into the cup. John loved this! We also tried a traditional dessert called Ekmek Kaitafi – a custard, cream and syrupy shredded pastry with “ice cream”. Yum!

Traditional Greek coffee served in a briki

We finished our tour with Antonis at a traditional souvlaki “window” called Oasis. There is no place to sit here and no other item on the menu. It is a gyro – or souvlaki – served with pork, tomatoes, onions and yogurt. Messy and simply delicious!

What a great tour with Antonis! We learned a TON and really enjoyed his company. As I get older I really do appreciate learning from locals. It is such an important part of our holiday!

John and I decided to stroll around the Old Town after our tour – maybe work off some of what we ate?!?? And I definitely wanted to check out the shops. It was leisurely but, man, there are a lot of tourists and it’s the end of September! We had some fun window shopping. This area of Crete is known for its olive oil, wine, Raki, knives, embroidered fabric and leather. Really only 2 of those things are easy to travel with! But it is fun to look and pick up gifts for us and family and friends. The jewelry is pretty great too. I may come home with something pretty…

We finally found a bench right on the port where we enjoyed the view and planned our stay. Once the sun got too hot on our backs we went for a local beer at Corner of Angels – a cafe recommended by Antonis. We got their house beer – I don’t even know what it is but it was delicious.

After a short rest at our Airbnb we made our way to the Squat for sunset. I brought my Souma and we picked up a local beer for John. It was stunning to watch the sun dip below the Venetian buildings on the opposite side of the port. We were gifted with some beautiful colors once the sun went down.

Off to another recommendation from Antonis – Ela Restaurant. The restaurant – as everything in Chania – has a long history. It was built in the Middle Ages by the Jews. It’s been used to make soap, as a school, as a wine store and as a restaurant. It was completely destroyed by fire in 1988. Since then it has been renovated and now serves Cretan traditional food. We both got dishes based on recommendations – bisteka (beef stuffed with feta) for me and sea bream (the whole fish!) for John. We enjoyed a really nice conversation and ended the day hand in hand back at our Airbnb.

Greece 2021, Uncategorized

Kokou – get on the horse!

September 20, 2021 Aimee Couturier Leave a comment

We woke before dawn to be at Kokou riding center for a sunrise horseback riding tour of the northeast coast of Paros. When John saw there was horseback riding in Paros he was all in. Lit up like a little boy 🙂

All of Naousa seemed to be asleep at this time of day – and rightly so – but Kokou was abuzz when we arrived. Ivan and Dani are the owners of the stables that have been in Naousa since 1990. They moved from Canada(!) to fulfill their dream. Now they own 28 horses and provide sunrise and sunset tours of the island.

After being fitted with helmets we were shown to our horses – Asteri for John and Irma for me. They were beautiful. We joined another French couple on the tour and were lead by 3 young women – Chloe from London, Emily from Manchester and Emma from Florence. Yes we went on a tour in Greece and our guides were mostly English!

We set out in the dark along a deserted road as the sun rose around us. It was lovely! At this point we were surrounded by land which as I’ve said before is very arid – so brown. And then of course the stark white of the houses that we passed. The views coupled with the sounds of roosters crowing, people chatting and the clomp clomp of the horses hooves was so peaceful.

We made our way to the coast, all the while chatting with our guides – interning for Ivan and Dani for 2 months at a time. Sweet girls seeing the world while they figured out what to do with their lives. To be so young with your whole life in front of you. I hope Gaby does something like this…

I digress. Part of the sunrise tour is riding the horses through the sea. Once on the beach Emma led the horses to the water. They were not afraid at all! And per our guides they really loved swimming! In order to get the horses moving the guides yelled “Alli” and splashed them. You could not be part of this and NOT have a grin slapped all over your face! Soaking wet, riding in the Aegean Sea on a horse, getting splashed by a feisty Italian and getting hit by a squirt gun by Ivan. I can’t make this shit up!

We made our way out of the water and toward the Filizi coast. I have researched this name and (I think) all permutations of it Filizi I can’t find anything on Google about this area of Paros. I’m going to proceed regardless. John and I had not been to this area of Paros – the northeast coast of the island. It is absolutely breathtaking! Instead of the bleaches and marinas we’d seen, this side had steep cliffs and waves crashing on the rocks jutting out from the sea. A harsher look on this side and oh so beautiful. The horses took it all in stride – no pun intended. We were literally on the edge of the cliff and – although we were hesitant – the horses were not.

One area I was able to find in my research that we passed was Ambelas beach which is a small, unorganized beach sitting between two tall cliffs. Gorgeous!

This was a ride I wished would not end. We walked for the most part but a few times the guides let us cantor with the horses. What fun! So much fun I’m sure I’ll feel it later 🙂

Back at the stables we said goodbye to Asteri and Irma and put yet another wonderful experience in our memory jar…

We really didn’t have anything else planned for the day so decided to get in the Little Spark and go explore. Paros is a relatively small island – 22 km north to south and 13 km east to west. It takes just an hour to drive around the island. So why not?

Our host as well as a friend had recommended stopping at the small southern port of Alyki. It is a cute fishing village with a population of just 280 (as of the 2011 census). There are multiple beaches here – as anywhere in Paros! – and you get a lovely view of Antiparos from the end of the port.

We had a nice Greek salad at a seaside cafe called Manolis Cafe but, honestly, this was not my favorite place. It was SO hot. And although the port was pretty, it didn’t seem to have the charm of Naousa. A lot of the shops and tavernas were closed – I’m not sure for the day or for the season. I’m sure I missed something but it just wasn’t my favorite.

Since it’s so small we decided to take the scenic route back to Naousa. Honestly the views here just cannot compare. It seemed like every time the Little Spark rounded another bend we said “ooohhhh”.

Dinner tonight was a direct recommendation from Ivan of Kokou. Called Christiana, it is part of a hotel and sits on a cliff outside Naousa. He said it’s the best mousaka on the island. We decided to try it for sunset even though it would mean John driving Little Spark in the dark.

First, the view from Christiana is incredible. It is in the little village of Ambelas – which we had ridden through this morning – on the northeast coast of Paros. It looks out onto a very tiny port and the island of Naxos which is a large island to the east of Paros.

We were shown to our table and greeted by a local who did not speak much English. No problem – we don’t speak any Greek! I ordered Souma – of course – and John got a white wine. The menu was extensive. All traditional dishes with fresh caught seafood from the brother of the owner. I went for the fresh mussels in olive oil with tomatoes and feta. John – he’d been looking forward to trying the pasticcio which is similar to lasagne or mousaka but without the tomatoes. Well, per our waitress the pasticcio did have tomatoes in it – as did the mousaka. So she recommended a similar dish cooked in lemon. John was disappointed but ordered that along with a split pea appetizer.

The language barrier is a hard thing 🙂 The waitress returned to tell us the “fava was finished”. We thought that meant his main dish could not be ordered. Hmmmm, there was a little bit of animosity on both of their parts as well as mine. A case of really not understanding each other! Unfortunately it affected our impression of Christiana. I say unfortunately because the food was beautiful. My mussels were so delicious and so fresh and so flavorful. And John’s dish was also very very good. We made the best of it and as said, the view was over the top. At the end of our meal the moon made a spectacular appearance just over the mountains. It was huge (maybe just in my mind). But again – I am not the same having seen the HUGE moon shine on the other side of the world…

I needed another glass of Souma and John was on the hunt for Greek pastry. We stopped at a local supermarket where John asked if they had Souma. They – of course – did but it was in a clear plastic (former?) water bottle with no label 🙂 As I said in a previous post, the Souma is made locally so there would be no label. Silly me!

We also managed to find a local bakery – Pastry Shop Antonis – with really really nice Greek desserts. Of course we bought a bunch of them for take away.

Souma, Greek dessert, our apartment’s veranda and me writing this blog – what a perfect way to spend our last night in Paros.

Pastry Shop Antonis and Souma in a plastic water bottle

Greece 2021, Uncategorized

Boating around Paros – when life gives you lemons…

September 19, 2021 Aimee Couturier Leave a comment

Sunrise in Paros – you have to see it right??? John and I woke early, made my coffee and quickly booked it down to the port of Naousa to catch the sunrise behind the port. The traditional whitewashed houses/hotels/shops sit in front of where the sun rises so it slowly makes itself shown behind the stark white of the architecture. We stood on the wall to the old fort and watched Mother Nature say hello to the day. Most of the town was asleep of course, so we got amazing photos and got to hear the sounds of the town waking up – the peace of a soft “kalimera” from a stranger walking by, the swish of a restauranteur sweeping their floors, the CRASH of workers recycling all of the bottles from the Saturday night party the night before! 🙂 It was a wonderful start to the day!

John and I were both very excited about the rest of our day – a full day sailing tour around the small Cyclades. This was literally one of the first tours I had booked when we decided to go to Greece. And coincidentally, Claire and Mike (love you guys!) had done the same tour which I found out just hours after I booked. And they had simply loved it! Great minds….

The best laid plans….or so they say. The company confirmed out trip just last night. We arrived at the port 15 minutes early but there was no sign of our boat or any tour. We texted, we called, we asked random strangers – no one could get ahold of the tour operator. Finally someone was able to get us the name of the boat – the Lady K. It was there – staring at us in the face – but no one was aboard. And apparently no one could get ahold of the captain. We waited – texting and calling – for a good 45 minutes before the tour operator finally got ahold of the captain who had an “urgent” issue to attend to and wouldn’t make it. Happily the service of the tour operator was exceptional. They were very attentive and refunded our money almost immediately. But I was so sad. That’s not true – John would say I was ANGRY! This was a tour that I was really, really looking forward to.

Thank God for my husband. We both immediately got on our phones to see if there were any other options. I mean, it’s COVID times and shoulder season right? I had no luck but John was able to get ahold of Pantasoulas Daily Cruises – an outfit that operated 6 hour cruises from the port of Naousa – which we were no longer close to! But Ilias Pantasoula – the tour operator himself – texted John back immediately. It was 10:30 am. He had a tour leaving at 10:30 am and they would wait for us. Seriously?!?!?! So cool!

John navigated the Little Spark like a race car driver back to Naousa and we arrived at 10:55 to the welcoming smiles of Ilias and his gorgeous younger sister Dimitra. There was another couple onboard from Poland – Joanna and “who”Cash – who also had no problem waiting on the crazy American couple who ran into bad luck. These four people had totally changed our day around!

Off we went! I honestly think the best way to see an island is from the water. The perspective you get is just so different. This case was no exception. Even leaving the port of Naousa was stunning. To see the white, white, white of the buildings contrasting with the deep blue of the sea was just incredible.

Our first stop was North Santa Maria beach – one of two Santa Maria beaches – this one much smaller, not organized and to the north. It is still on Paros. Ilias had flippers and masks for us and let us loose. We could snorkel or head to the beach or just hang out.

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m pretty scared (understatement) of open water. So it was a bit of an effort and a “you can do it” to myself to get me in. But I did! And it was lovely – but still frightening. After hyperventilating a bit into the snorkel, I made my way to the beach. Here the four of us took the gray rocks and clay, added water, and gave ourselves a mud bath. Supposed to be amazing for your skin. We literally had the entire beach to ourselves! The girls stood there to let it dry and just chatted. What a lovely couple they are. Part of the experience of traveling is getting to know folks from other parts of the world. And I really enjoyed getting to know Joanna.

When we all got back to the boat, Ilias and Dimitra had cheese pie – made by their mother(!) – waiting for us. Delicious! It was then that we got to learn about the Pantasoulas family. Ilias and Dimitra’s father is a fisherman and was the man who helped untie our boat when we arrived, Ilias’ mother made some of the food. How cool is it that a family is that close and keeps the family business alive and…still likes each other? 🙂

Our next snorkeling spot was called Gouva according go Ilias. Unfortunately, Google doesn’t know about Gouva but it was another very secluded area with a reef to snorkel to. Needless to say, I didn’t make it that far. But at least I got in and doggie-paddled around for a bit, right?!

That water – you could see clear to the bottom

This time when we returned to the boat there was homemade wine from Pantasoulas family vineyard. Are you kidding?! I am not – I couldn’t make this up! It was simply wonderful! This man and his sister were so sweet and seemed so proud of their family and their business. It was rare and beautiful to see. And the wine was pretty good too!

Next up was Platia ammos, yet another very secluded beach on the Southern side of the island. Google does know about this one. We saw just one house on the entire peninsula. Apparently it’s protected land and the house was built before the rule was in place. Per Ilias it is a very tough place to get to by road so most approach by water.

Are you wondering what food was awaiting us this time?! This time it was a full lunch spread – Greek salad, multiple kinds of seafood, pasta with fresh tomato sauce and shrimp, fresh bread, homemade tzaziki. And all of it prepared by both Ilias and Dimitra! In fact as we were snorkeling, Ilias was grilling the fish on the boat. His father had caught it, he had marinated it in olive oil and vinegar and left it in the sun to dry and then he’d grilled it. Simply awesome! And for John, Greek salad with no tomatoes 🙂

Our last stop was Agia Kali which is the island John and I were able to see from Kolimbithres beach yesterday. The one with the small traditional church on it. We stopped here and were able to snorkel and play in the water. We were also able to hop on the island and see the church which is open all year. It was simply lovely. This island was where the Russians set up their headquarters in 1770 when Naousa was a Russian naval base. Apparently now they celebrate a religious festival here as well as many weddings. I can see the appeal!

Again you’re wondering what treat awaited us back on the boat? This time it was dessert – halva – made by Ilias and Dimitra’s mom. Made with semolina, sugar, egg and cinnamon, it was Devine – not to sweet with a lovely texture.

And then we had to return to real life. If you call vacation in Paros real life! I honestly have no words for the trip we were on today. It was wonderful! From the sweet Polish couple to Ilias and Dimitra to the views to the food and drink – it could not have been better! It’s days like where I know – truly and deeply – how blessed I am…

John and I had been waiting and searching for the right place and time to get a traditional gyro. I remember my first 🙂 In Mykonos with a hot, fresh French fry right in the middle of it. Delicious! Tonight was our night. I researched it! We went to Allos in Naousa based on their stellar reviews and the drooling we’d done walking by for the last two nights. Luckily on Sunday we were able to snag a table. A carafe of house white – lovely – and two chicken gyros – awful! We couldn’t believe it but, as Americans do, we weren’t going to eat something that wasn’t what we wanted. I knew what I wanted and this was cold and the pita was bad. Just yuck… we paid and went onto another place with stellar reviews. Take two right?

Souvlaki Kargas finally did us right! Fresh, hot, filled with meat, chicken and tzatziki and tomato – it was delicious! And right in a corner in the buzzy town so very very good people watching!

What a seriously fantastic day! It’s the ones that aren’t what you’re prepared for that turn out to be so great. And for that I’ll go to sleep with gratitude and a silly grin on my face!

Greece 2021, Uncategorized

Welcome to Naousa, Paros

September 17, 2021 Aimee Couturier Leave a comment

The trip to Paros was…easy. On-time flights, no lost luggage, crankiness at a minimum…until we actually got to Paros. That’s when the adventure begins 🙂

We decided to rent a car – as everyone (including Google) told me to do – and the rental agent was waiting right outside the tiny Paros airport with a large sign “COUTURIER”. I love seeing my name on a sign in a foreign country. Is that weird? Purchased the medium insurance, checked out the baby white Spark and off we went. I rented a manual on purpose – cheaper and John and I are very used to driving one. Yeah – used to driving one in the USA! John called the clutch smooshy. Nothing we could do – we were off.

I got to check out the amazing, late-evening scenery as John navigated the roads in the little Spark that doesn’t seem to have much oomph to it! We arrived in Naousa – purported to be “one of the prettiest villages in the Cyclades” – in under 30 minutes and tried to find out apartment. According to Christos – our Airbnb host – there are no addresses on the island – so he gave us a google pin. Seems easy right? Let’s just say that sometimes google ain’t so great. John is great though! I think I made him turn the Spark around 3 times before we finally found the right street. And I say street – it’s really a 45-degree hill that’s not in the best of shape.

As an elderly Greek woman sneered/laughed(?) at us, John navigated the hill. He left a bit of rubber as we went and squealed those tires but we finally located Francesca who told us where the hell the apartment was. I’m not sure we would have made it without her. And she was very kind – “yes that hill is tough, but it’s all ok”.

She showed us to the lovely little apartment as Christos and his wife are off visiting Athens and couldn’t meet us. She also gifted us with a stream-of-consciousness on where to eat and go in Paros. I caught about every 3rd word…

This place is absolutely adorable! Thank you to Claire and Mike – our neighbors – for hooking us up! It is a tiny studio with a little kitchen area and a balcony that looks out onto the town of Naousa and the Aegean Sea beyond. This place will be perfect for us. And goodness knows we’ll get our workout going up and down that hill!

The stunning view from our apartment in Naousa

Who needs a shower? We were HUNGRY! Off we went to explore the town and get some yummy Greek food.

As anyone who knows me knows, I have been doing research on this place for months and have gotten restaurant recommendations from many. Even Francesca recommended To Takimi – that would make 4 recommendations for the restaurant. It became our destination…but not for long.

By this point the sun had set and we headed to the small, walkable main area of Naousa which is considered a fishing village and sits right on a lovely marina.

The lovely marina in Naousa – I cannot take credit for this photo!

Well this town was packed! I cannot even imagine it during high season! We couldn’t get a table at To Takimi so we wandered around trying to find a place. Let me just say – make reservations! I’d read that and actually tried but I’ll take it to heart next time. It was fun to walk around and see all of the traditional Greek architecture and the little tavernas filled to the brim with tourists. Small shops seemed to be open all night long and were also doing a very good business. You could get very lost in the sweet little alleyways – and we did.

After exhausting all of the recommendations I’d been given – they were all packed – we ended up at Calypso and had a pretty good meal. Mediterranean salad for John and grilled meatballs with yogurt sauce for me. And of course the local wine! There is a local winery in Paros that I’d been reading about – Moraitis Winery – and I had to give it a try. It was similar to the love of my life – Chardonnay – and was so yummy! And just what I needed after a long day of travel and the “hill adventure”. John tried a traditional Greek wine Biblia Chora. Mine was better!

We wandered the town for a bit longer and promised to come back when there were hopefully less tourists.

The bed was a very welcome sight upon our return to our apartment especially after navigating the hill. There was a local tour guide at the top of the hill who asked how it was. My response – because I was huffing and puffing – was “you can hear how it was”. His response, “you can smell how it was!” Made me giggle! But oh so true.

Greece 2021, Uncategorized

697 Days?!?! Here I (finally) go!

September 15, 2021 Aimee Couturier 2 Comments

It has been 697 days since I last wrote a blog post – thank you COVID-19. And even this one is premature as I am still sitting in the Charlotte airport waiting to board a flight to Munich and then to Athens. This is such a long time coming so fingers – and toes – crossed that we arrive and are let into the country.

We are scheduled to be in Greece for 14 glorious days – from Athens to Paros to Crete to Napflio and back to Athens to see John’s family. I am nervous and excited! And frankly very, very nervous to write again…and be vulnerable again. But from what I remember, I loved it so I’m hoping the love affair still exists two years later.

It’s been a rough year for everyone. John and I are blessed that our family is safe and healthy at this time. We have weathered the COVID storm and have come out on the other side. And in the interim, even given the significant stress on all of us, we have grown more resilient and more grateful for the incredible people in our lives. We have made – and lost – friends and strengthened the beautiful relationships that we are lucky to have in our lives.

A genius at work? Keyboard, coffee, wine in a plastic cup

And with that attitude I am beyond thrilled to be able to see the moon shine from the other side of the world. I will eat luscious foods without shame (I hope!), try new things with a big smile on my face and be happy to be uncomfortable in order to learn more about myself. Come with me! It will be amazing – I promise!

Belgium 2019

Last, Wonderful, Gorgeous Day in Belgium

October 31, 2019 Aimee Couturier Leave a comment

It was our last day in Belgium and it dawned VERY cold and foggy. We had wanted to get out into nature in the Ardennes as there are tons of hiking and biking trails. We’d learned of a hike – more of a walk really – from the tourist information shop when we arrived. It started right from our hotel so after a hearty breakfast of – yes, more bread – we were on our way.

A foggy and peaceful hike in the Ardennes

The views weren’t phenomenal because of the fog but what a lovely and peaceful walk. It started through the town of Dinant and past some wonderful old, well-kept houses, some of which were decorated for Halloween. Then we found ourselves in more of a forest surrounded on either side by trees. Eventually we made our way along some open fields and quite near to a motorway. We ended up right back at our sweet hotel where the sun was beginning to shine and the skies beginning to clear. It was a great way to begin our last day.

Here goes….I consider myself a pretty savvy traveler. I do a ton of research on places before we even book and then I do more research before we travel. To that end, I knew that while we were in Dinant I wanted to travel to the nearby town of Durbuy. Legend has it that Durbuy is the smallest town in the world – not true – but it was supposed to be lovely with cobblestone streets and stone houses and cafes and boutiques. Also, the town was hosting a light and sound show for Halloween and I thought it would be a great way to see the small town in a unique way. Well, come to find out, Durbuy is not so easy to get to from Dinant by train. In fact, the town that is 30 minutes away by car is over 4 hours away by train! In my defense, I had researched whether or not we needed a car and had convinced myself we did not. So…no Durbuy or Halloween show for me. Note to readers…do your research! I have learned my lesson on this one. I’m not going to say I wasn’t disappointed but – with John’s help – I’d make the best of it.

The sweet town of Durbuy – that we didn’t get to see…

Instead we decided to take a quick trip to the capital of the Wallonia region – Namur. This city had been on my list as a potential place to stay so it was intriguing. Also, it was a quick 30 minute train ride. We could literally go in for lunch! Which is kind of what we did.

It’s worth noting that the train ride from Dinant to Namur is lovely. The train winds down the Meuse river and you’ll see all of the cute little towns and larger cities along the way. On a beautiful sunny day, it was a nice way to spend 30 minutes.

Namur – well, I felt a bit like I was back in Antwerp but with a little bit more of a personality. This was definitely another big city. And tourism is big here. We made our way directly to the tourist information office as we really had no idea about the city. It is such a tourist destination – and a day trip really – that for 1 euro you can buy a city map that will walk you through the city’s famous sites. So we bought the map and began the walking tour.

I still don’t know much about Namur but I now know that if you want to shop – for clothing or shoes – go to this city! Almost immediately upon leaving the train station, on Rue de Fer, you’ll be hit with store upon store – from jewelry to lingerie to all types of shoes. Your mainstream European chain stores are also on this street – H&M, Zara, you get the gist.

Considering the way we pack for our European travels, we really couldn’t buy much but I did get some sweet boots! According to the French shop keeper, they were in the style of Louis Vuitton. I felt tres chic! And the sweet shop keeper’s son recommended a nice spot for lunch where we had a wonderful Croque Monsieur – my favorite….

We did end up walking around the city and it was nice – especially the river – but we weren’t too into it and headed back to Dinant after just a couple of hours.

Back in sleepy little Dinant we spent some time lounging and then headed our for our last beers – I mean meal of course! A little bar-hopping was in order on our last night. We started at Le Cafe Ardennais which is a cafe across from the train station and right on the river Muese. John and I both really knew which beer we wanted that night – for me Leffe Ruby and for John Cornet which is the beer we had in Ghent. So we walked up to the bar and John asked for a beer list. Well, the sulky bartender looked at him like he had three heads! And he waved his arms around like….there’s beer everywhere….ok then. No Cornet for John. He settled on the Leffe Blonde which was an easy choice because it was on tap. Note to readers here…in Belgium bartenders and waiters make a living wage. Meaning they do not rely on tips. This is both a good and bad thing right? 🙂

We wandered the town in search of more beer – I mean food of course! We finally settled on Le Saxophone. Sounds so touristy, right? And it really was touristy and right in the middle of the small town square. But it was also really nice. We had a waiter who spoke broken English but was able to describe the food and beer. I stuck with my Leffe Ruby but John went all in – trying 2 different beers! One was a Chimay Blonde and the other was a local Dinant beer called Le Croisette de Dinant.

It was a very nice way to end our wonderful trip to Belgium. If you’re still reading (please tell me who you are!!!) then I will write another post about an amateur’s guide to Belgian beer. Then, more on our next trip in the spring. Off to Bilbao spain. I’ll be starting my research now 🙂

Belgium 2019

The sweet town of Dinant settles the score

October 30, 2019 Aimee Couturier Leave a comment

We were happy to leave Antwerp and head southwest to the Wallonia region of Belgium. Wallonia is the French speaking area of Belgium and it couldn’t be more different from the Dutch area we were leaving. It is known for its medieval towns, Renaissance era architecture and, of course, more beer! It contains the Ardennes which is an area of forested mountains, rough terrain, unique rolling hills and ridges, rivers and caves.

I was so excited to see this area! I was ready for a radical change from the large city of Antwerp. I was ready for a quaint, gorgeous, sleepy little town with stunning scenery and friendly people.

We arrived on the train/bus to the stunning city of Dinant. There are no words to describe the look of this city as you arrive. But I’ll try. It is a medieval city, of course, and it sits on the banks of the Meuse river. Behind the river is an enormous cliff with a citadel on top and a gothic church in front. The view is incredible!

Sometimes while traveling you get lost. Some times are worse than others. This wasn’t too bad! We just needed to drop our luggage off at our hotel before exploring the city. Sounds pretty easy right? Got a little wet, got a little lost but finally made it to La Merveilleuse – our home for two nights. More on the hotel later….

We headed back out into the rain to find a place to eat – and drink! We crossed the famous Charles de Gaulle bridge to get to the center of Dinant. Yes this is the same man that the airport in Paris is named for. Charles de Gaulle is famous here because he fought for the French in Dinant in World War I. Also, the bridge is unique because it is lined with 28 colorful resin saxophones. Dinant is the home of Adolf Sax – the inventor of the Jazz instrument. The saxophones were erected on the bridge in 2010 in a tribute to the countries of the European Union. Each sax represents a country and each represents its country in a unique way.

Let’s just say, they’re awesome! So colorful and fun and serve as such a different entrance to the medieval city center!

Pizza – and beer – was our lunch of choice as it was Sunday and a sleepy town in the off season and there weren’t a ton of choices. Something to note… unlike other areas we’d been in Belgium, you cannot just assume that people speak English. To me this is great. More difficult, yes but also more authentic. You get by with a lot of smiling and pointing. As always, a smile goes a long, long way!

The town’s citadel was just 50 yards away – small town – so we hiked up the 408 stairs to get there. My heart and head were happy as the views of the town were phenomenal.

We wanted to learn about Dinant’s role in World War I as it didn’t make sense why anyone would want to attack this place. It wasn’t an important port, there weren’t a lot of people, it wasn’t a strategic location… so why? Apparently the town was attacked during the German invasion of Belgium. Another more brutal attack, however, came after that because the Germans believed the town was full of francs-tireurs (free shooters – terrorists to the Germans). It was never proved to be true… but 674 Belgian civilians were massacred as a result. Fascinating history and a very cool tour!

Time to head to our hotel. Again I was so excited about the place. Please, please don’t let me be disappointed again! This hotel was unique. It was voted as one of the most trendy hotels in Dinant but in a different way. It’s name, La Merveilleuse, comes from the name of the gigantic underground caves near to the hotel. At the end of the 19th century, the Dominican nuns built the convent which was now serving as our hotel.

It was built in a neo-Gothic style and served for 100 years as a convent. In 2008 the convent was transformed into the hotel that exists today. Per the website, “all interventions were done with the utmost respect towards history and the ‘soul of the place'”.

Not only is it a hotel but it is also a spa and contains one of the must-sees in Dinant, the Maison Leffe – a museum of Leffe beer. Leffe is one of the local beers in Dinant – it is literally everywhere in there city. In the hotel/museum you can get a brief history of the convent and beer and then go try one.

The hotel was super cool! Sparse with a large dining room right in the middle. When we arrived there were tons of people there – lots of families – enjoying food and beer on a rainy Sunday. It was nice to see. And I was so happy to see our room – warm with modern amenities in an historic setting. Basically a little bit of old and new that was so welcoming! Yes! My expectations were met!

And as part of the room John and I got a free Maison Leffe tour and beer tasting. We also got vouchers for 50 euros each to use at the local casino… more on that later😊

First things first… beer! We headed to the museum, embarrassingly not paying attention to anything, and made our way to the tasting room. All Leffe beers of course. I had the Ruby – flavored with red fruits and brewed with elderberry juice. Oh it was good!!!! My favorite Belgian beer! John had Winterbier – a typical Belgian red-brown beer. Mine was much yummier!

We had to take advantage of the casino vouchers the hotel gave us right? That’s just free play money. And we wanted to check out the casino that was on the outskirts of town anyway.

After a ton of security, we were let into the tiny casino with no windows. Is that a rule of casinos? You can’t have windows? So no one knows how much time was wasted there?! Anyway, gambling has never been my thing – or Johns’s – but when in Rome right? John wanted to play craps but how can you really play craps with no other players? So we headed to the slots. Slot machines have gotten much more complicated since I last played them. There isn’t even a lever to pull anymore. That was really the only part that was fun. So we sat and hit buttons for a while and my husband made 75+ euros! A hidden talent for slot machines? He said he kept hitting “max bet”. Whatever he did it worked! And it would pay for our French dinner and wine! Ooh we felt like we’d beaten the system!

The choices were limited on a Sunday night but we found Le Wiertz – a French family restaurant that seemed to be popular judging from the number of people there. The menu and the waiter were French but we got by and I got to finally try the traditional Belgian mussels. It was yet another to do on my list. Well this was the biggest bowl of mussels I’d ever seen. And they were very good. I just think I ordered wrong. I only got them in white wine sauce because I didn’t know what anything else was! John got a lovely veal stew and we had some decent wine as we were beered out by then.

Dinant, you totally made up for Antwerp!

Adventure Traveling WIFE!

Category Archives: Europe

Nafplio – sweet, charming, LIVABLE

Hiking the Samaria Gorge

The Palace of Knossos and a Humongous Gyro

The incredible city of Chania, Crete

Kokou – get on the horse!

Boating around Paros – when life gives you lemons…

Welcome to Naousa, Paros

697 Days?!?! Here I (finally) go!

Last, Wonderful, Gorgeous Day in Belgium

The sweet town of Dinant settles the score

Stories from a newly married, adventure seeking woman looking to see the world.