Cruising through the Grand Canal of Venice

After our tour of Northern Italy, we rode the rail to Venice to board our cruise ship, Slendour of the Seas. To our amazement, we left Venice for our first day at sea by cruising right through the Grand Canal, past St. Mark's Square and the bustling sidewalks and canals of Venice.

Tour of Northern Italy

Summer in Northern Italy is in full swing! We arrived in Stresa, Italy, on Thursday for our two day whirlwind tour of the Lake Region. Too excited to sleep, we were all exhausted and jet lagged, but we managed a day of sightseeing in this popular lakeside resort area.

Our first impression was the sweet fragrance of millions of blooming flowers! Stronger than the orange blossoms on a hot day in central Florida, the sweetness hangs thick in the air. Over the lake and in the surrounding mountains, the days are hazy all summer until Autumn, they tell us. It is especially warm for the Italians, in the high eighties, and they say it's a bit unusual to be this warm until further into July. But it's perfect boating weather, and there are boats by the dozens on the Lake Maggiore in front of our Hotel.

Friday, we rode the rail through the mountains to Locarno, Switzerland, at the north end of Lake Maggiore, where we found every woman's dream -- high end shopping, alpine village charm, boutiques and outdoor cafes, gelato and the flea market. The highlight was our return by boat, three hours from Locarno back to Stresa with quick stops at many lakeside villages in both Switzerland and Italy.

Countdown 5 Days: Passport... check; Euros... check!

Checking things off our lists for packing is consuming all our time now, and it at least occupies the mind so any nervousness can't creep in! Do you think it's too late to start those Italian lessons? Okay, I've packed the Survival Phrases book... Buona sera, come sta? Packing is a science. It takes me all week; it takes Sharon an hour! But she's a travel agent, so she has more practice. So many regulations... regulation size, regulation weight, regulations for liquids, etc. So, we've checked our lists and we're packed & ready! See you again from Italy & Greece... Opa!

Countdown 7 Days: Our Pledge as Geotourists

Geo•tour•ism n: Tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place—its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents. -- National Geographic

We will be visiting places rich in history such as the Acropolis and Ancient Olympia, so we have vowed to be good geotourists. We will:

• do no harm to the places we visit


• learn about and observe local etiquette, including using at least a few courtesy words in the local language


• study the local heritage


• respect integrity of place and the character of the locale


• bring new knowledge home and tell stories that will send our friends to Greece to experience the same thing.

Countdown 8 Days: Yamas!

When you are at a tavern or a restaurant in Greece, you might be given an alcoholic drink or a sweet dessert that you didn't order. Just say Yamas (Cheers!) but don't feel obligated to consume it. People sometimes force themselves to drink the ouzo or eat the sweet because they feel like it might be rude not to do so, but it's really not expected.

Countdown 9 Days: Shake it off!

Since my first visit to Yellowstone Park a decade ago, I've been fascinated by geology, geothermal activity and volcanic activity in the region. Often our friends in Cooke City will tell us they had an earthquake in the range of 2-3 or sometimes higher. Since our cabin sits on granite at 8,600 feet, I worry a little about that.

Well, did you know Greece is smack-dab in the middle of a very active volcanic zone? It's where the Europe tectonic plate meets the Africa tectonic plate. There are several active volcanoes, and earthquakes are also very common. Check out My Earthquake Watch for the most updated info on earthquakes around the world!

So, there is a nervous feeling that there could be a natural disaster at any time. The feeling is probably not unlike how we feel here in Florida in hurricane season... on edge. This apparently prompted the Greeks' interest in a kind of religion involving oracles. They have a spiritual belief that in geologic events such as minor earthquakes lies a prediction of the future. Hmmm! Mr. Gore, I believe, would agree.

Be sure to zoom in on Greece on the Earthquake Watch below! (Click on the + to zoom in.)

Countdown 10 Days: The Evil Eye

Superstitions are a part of village life and religious life in the Greek isles. The blue eyed amulets worn by Greeks and visitors alike have a purpose: to ward off the evil eye! Read more to learn why garlic is necessary and spitting is acceptable!

Click the picture to shop at the evil eye store:

• Bread is considered a gift from God... it is never thrown away and must be consumed by some living creature.
  
• The Evil Eye is the most commonly discussed ancient superstition in the Greek Isles. Blue is the color that wards off the evil of the eye, but it is also commonly thought that blue- eyed people are exceptional givers of it! You may be thought to give the evil eye if you compliment someone (but are insincere) or if you stare at someone! Also, when you get a compliment, remember to say ‘Skorda (garlic)’ under your breath and spit three times on your own person! This is acceptable behavior!
  
• Garlic / "Skordo" --Greeks believe in its power to keep evil away, and that's why you will find beautiful braids of Garlic, or some huge, one-of-a-kind head of garlic dangling in the entrances of shops, restaurants and homes.


• Shoes: Overturned shoes (soles up) are considered very bad luck. Never let your shoes lay upside down. If you accidentally take them off and they land soles up, turn them over immediately and say ‘Skorda (garlic)’ and a spit or two won’t hurt either.
  
• Spitting: Greeks spit for a number of superstitious reasons. Take Greek fishermen for example... They will spit in their nets before lowering them into the sea so they ward off evil and get a good days’ catch.

Thank you to Susie Atsaides for her advice and studies... read more at Village Superstitions.

Countdown 11 Days: "Tea ee neh aff-toe?"

... means, "what's this?" According to Mike Barrett, author of GreekTravel.com:

"What usually happens when you walk into a restaurant is after finding a table (almost always outdoors between the months of May and October), you will be permitted or encouraged to go to the kitchen to see what they have to offer. There will be a large steam table full of pots with different dishes in them. Pick out what looks good and don't be afraid to ask your cook, waiter or host "Tea ee neh aff-toe ?"

Here are a few dishes from Mike that sound sooooo goood:

Dolmades (doh- mah -des): Grape-leaves stuffed with rice, onions and sometimes ground beef.
Mousaka (moo-sah- kah ): Baked like eggplant parm but not as much tomato sauce... eggplant, potatoes, onions, ground beef, oil, cinnamon, and a flour, milk and butter topping.
Pastitsio (pah- sti -tsyo): Like Lasagna but not as saucy.
Anginares (ang-ee- nar -es): Artichokes in lemon and egg sauce with potatoes.

Are you the HAMBURGER type? If so, ask for "Souvlaki," but first, click here.

Countdown 12 days: Our Minds Stray!

Sometimes it's tough being a dog or cat lover! The old heart strings pull when we hear this dog or that cat doesn't have a home. No matter what our emotions are on the subject, there's something all visitors to Athens should know: it has more than its share of strays!

Apparently, first-time visitors to Athens often complain about the same three things: the perceived number of stray dogs and cats, Greek taxi drivers, and the traffic. Nevertheless, the majority opinion is that Athens is a fantastic city! So, with a little background knowledge and mental preparedness, these negatives can be seen as characteristics that add to this city's uniqueness.

For more in depth reading on the matter, read STRAY DOGS.

Countdown 13 days: Music to our Ears

This post is in honor of Jennifer's new appointment as Drum Major... she will appreciate the fine musical direction of Greek Composer Mikis Theodorakis - Zorba (live, 2001 in Romania). However, it occurs to me that Jen may not have ever heard of Zorba the Greek or Zorba's Dance, the Syrtaki. So, I've posted a video here for her and anyone who enjoys the classic Greek music. It's time to learn those Syrtaki steps! Opa!