Yassas from Kriti

Though back in Naples now, we are still dreaming of beautiful, pristine, and authentic Crete. Our recent trip exceeded our expectations for a relaxing and picturesque beach vacation. Access to the beaches in our area is very limited and those that can be reached are not really worth reaching for either the pollution or the crowds. It’s quite the contrary in Crete, where each beach you visited seemed more stunning than the previous one, and there was always an empty space for three more beachgoers. We had hoped to do more hiking on this trip, with Crete home to the longest gorge in Europe, but the soaring temperatures made this risky with a baby. We’ll just have to go back when Luke is older and can carry his own pack!

We flew into Chania, the eponymous capital city of the western province. We spent the first few days exploring the beaches of the Akrotiri Peninsula. We visited both Marathi and Kalathas beaches twice and made a drive-by visit to Stavos beach where the movie Zorba the Greek was filmed. All the beaches have nice tavernnas right there waterside for great fresh fish, Greek salads and strong, iced café frappes.

Every meal was delicious and we were glad to sample more authentic versions of favorite Greek dishes like cured olives, moussaka, lamb gyros, homemade feta, and the delicious fresh yogurt and honey. Our best meal was probably at a little tavernna in a home near the base. We stopped for dinner and the grandmother was sitting on the porch with a British expatriate who has lived in the area for 16 years. She translated for us and essentially helped us be adopted into the family for the night, sampling everything they ate in addition to the items we had ordered. The spread included fresh grilled lamb chops, dakos (crispbread topped with a cooked tomato, fresh cheese, and herbs), stuffed zucchini blossoms, stuffed grape leaves, fried potatoes, green beans stewed with tomatoes and onions, and a white bean soup flavored with rosemary and tomatoes. The grandmother even shared her special tiny olives cured in lemon and salt. Though we clearly didn’t speak Greek, the grandmother spoke kindly to us all evening and kept trying to get Luke to sit on her lap and eat at their table. It was like Sunday dinner at Grandma’s, Greek style. This dinner illustrates what we found to generally be true of the Cretan people; they are warm and accommodating and proud to use all the natural products they grow on whatever little parcel of earth they may tend. Eating local is simply a way of life there and makes dining a real joy when you know the people who grew and prepared the food.

From the northern coast, we took a couple hours’ drive to the southern coast city of Paleochora. Everyone said it would be beautiful and all were vindicated when we arrived on a balmy Saturday afternoon to find the bluest seas I’ve ever seen encircled by stunning rocky coastline. The town in situated on a small promontory, so one side boasts a sand beach and the other the stone beach. We found a very nice hotel, aptly named Hotel on the Rocks, with a gorgeous patio overlooking the water and good views right from our own balcony. We took in the sun, swam, and did a little hiking from here, always returning to the harbor side to enjoy the waterfront restaurants and walks in the evenings.

On the drive back north, we made a day-long detour to Elafonisi Beach, lured by photos we had seen of perfect white and pink sand beaches and constant recommendations by everyone we asked. Though there were more people there than we would have expected, nothing could detract from the remarkable beauty of the place. Perfect aquamarine lagoons of bathtub warm water, peculiar blushes of coral-pink sand, and the feeling that this could easily be the edge of the world.


Despite being on vacation, Luke managed the tough job of cutting two molars on the trip. He slept a little more than usual, but that’s not a bad thing for the parents trying to have a vacation, too. He liked the water and even adjusted to the grainy sand that found its way into every nook and cranny. He may be a waterdog like his daddy yet! He loved it when we encountered goats along the roads and even got to visit with some up close and personal. Crete’s got something for everyone, even the little ones.

We finished up our trip with visits to a couple monasteries, enjoying the quiet scenery and striking architecture. The monks we encountered seemed happy and glad to be there. That’s how we, too, felt for our nine days in Crete. A lovely island with gracious people and a simple, peaceful life. What more could you ask for?

Luke's Big Wheel

Ben brought home a great surprise for Luke this week: his first Big Wheel tricycle. He was so excited when he saw the picture on the box and even "helped" Ben assemble it for the big test drive. Our friend Laure came to visit yesterday and took these photos of him and even some of Luke and me. Relatives beware: come September, Luke will be using this to ride circles around us all!

Nostra Vacanza: Tuscany and Umbria

Tom and Susan were able to make another visit to Italy during the last two weeks. We joined them for the second week after business meetings wrapped up, starting at their hotel in the old spa town of Fiuggi Terme, just southeast of Rome. They treated us to a nice lunch and afternoon in the Turkish baths and lovely pool. After this refreshment, the five of us headed on to Tuscany. Ben and I wanted to revisit Pienza in May to see it green, lush, and quite literally, “under the Tuscan sun.” The fields and meadows were bursting with wildflowers, and there was even a brand new calf at the farm – only one day old when we arrived on the 23rd, Susan’s birthday.

Casa Frati was a great place to stay once again, with our hostess Monica as kind and helpful as ever. We definitely recommend her family farm for any Tuscan farm vacations anyone may want to take. There are plenty of picturesque lanes to walk around. Ben flushed a large male pheasant in one of the grain fields on the property. Trying for a photo op, but the camera wasn’t quite ready and he settled for a last minute shot as the bird flew away.

We had a great time wandering around the little cobblestone streets of Pienza, stopping in a nice little leather shop, perusing the street art and piazzas, and dining at La Buca delle Fate for lunch. We ate there last time and were anxious to go again. Pienza was like a different town with the start of the summer tourist season already in full swing. In November, it was practically a ghost town, save for a few locals. This time we ran into several Americans, even some from our own naval command here in Naples. The world is definitely shrinking! We spent our last day at Casa Frati just taking walks in the countryside and relaxing with our books by the pool. It was too cool to go for a dip, but the scenery was unbeatable.

Leaving Pienza, we stopped in Montepulciano to see this famous medieval hill town synonymous with fine Italian red wines. We just walked around a bit then had lunch on a nice terrace overlooking the valleys below. Very nice and relaxing; perfect warm weather for a day of sightseeing and then driving on to our next destination of Umbertide, Umbria.

We crossed into Umbria from Tuscany and almost immediately saw a change in the topography: suddenly it looked like we were in the Blue Ridge Mountains, climbing higher and higher on very curvy roads. The route finally straightened out a bit as we neared Casale degli Olmi, our agriturismo in Umbertide. The restored farmhouse was beautiful and very well appointed. We had a nice view of Umbertide just in the distance and a nice pool and grounds. Though still pretty cool, Tom, Ben, and resident waterdog, Luke, all took a dip. Luke was very brave, managing to go down all the steps and tiptoe around in the shallow end. He really surprises us with how well he has taken to the water, not minding getting his face wet or being splashed. Guess he gets it from his daddy!

Using Umbertide as a home base, we made day trips to the medieval town of Montone, the pilgrimage sites of Assisi, and Perugia. Montone was very small and quiet, making for a great afternoon stroll with stops for gelato and a nice dinner outdoors at what might have been the only hotel-ristorante in town. Assisi was much bigger and more touristy than I expected, but still a lovely hill town studded with first-rate classical and religious art, architecture, and iconography. We all make the pilgrimage to the Basilica of St. Francis, walking through both the upper and lower churches and circumnavigating the subterranean tomb. It was a great experience seeing the beauty of the church and the piety of the believers who came through the space, including many of the friars and the sisters of St. Clare. Tom and Susan kept Luke so Ben and I could go through together and then we stayed with him (they got him to sleep!) while they toured the church. We capped off the afternoon with drinks and gelato in the piazza. Luke had an entire gelato to himself, along with all the sticky evidence to prove it. Nothing should part a hot toddler from his gelato!

We spent the next day in Perugia, and again Tom and Susan treated us to a babysitting break. Ben and I were able to go to the National Gallery of Umbria while they walked around the city and did some people watching from a street side café. The art collection featured painting and sculpture from the province, all organized in chronological order. This progression was very helpful as we watched the development of the religious art from period to period, beginning with pieces contemporary with St. Francis (mid 1200s) and moving up the 1700s. The majority of works were religious paintings, many made as altar pieces or as special commissions for churches and basilicas in the area. After reconnecting with Tom, Susan, and Luke, we did some shopping and stopped for prosecco before getting caught in a good rainstorm. We ended our trip to Perugia taking shelter in the street fair booths from the international sister cities markets; Perugia is sister city to Aix en Provence, Seattle, Grand Rapids, Potsdam, and others.

For our last day in Umbria, we stopped for a visit and lunch in Todi as we drove Tom and Susan back to Rome. Todi was yet another quaint medieval hilltop city, the steep stone streets and breathtaking views from nearly any direction into the valley. From there you could really appreciate Umbria’s claim as the Green Heart of Italy. Rolling hills look like mosaics of greens and earthtones, all under the soft focus of haze in settling in the valleys below. We stopped in a gallery that turned out to be the work of an expatriated Wisconsin native who has lived and worked in Todi for the past 30 years. Her restaurant recommendation resulted in one of the best meals we’ve had in Italy. The classic Umbrian specialties are simple but incredibly delicious. We sampled truffled filet of beef, grilled local trout, lentil and garbanzo soups, fresh boar sausages, and handmade red past with artichokes. The afternoon was cool and the smell of a wood fire on the dining terrace set the perfect mood for a long and wonderful lunch, our last meal all together before going our separate ways in Rome. We were sad for our trip to end, but we made plenty of good memories to last us until the next one.