By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea.....

There is no date or time here. Compared to the big cities of Thessaloniki and Athens, this area of Greece is at the opposite spectrum. The mornings are still with the sun reflecting off the sea. a light breeze blows off the water to keep things just coo0l enough. At this time of day, the sea looks like a hazy blue sky and the mountains on the other side of the water form the clouds. They blend in to one another with the only separation being the silver from the sun's reflection quaking off the water. In the distance, the sounds of birds singing and fussing, are loud enough to wake you. Just down below us is a fenced in pasture with a donkey that periodically lets out a deep loud brae, I've tried to interact with Eyore, but I don't think he speaks English. There is also a goat and about 15 chickens and roosters. They also don't hesitate to wake you in the morning. They don't really seem to have a purpose here, just grazing on the weeds and a little bit of green grass that is very sparse. There are several goats around the area. When they cry out, they sounds like a baby crying for its mother -- ma ma -- ma ma. One could write a children's farm animal book from here and be able to identify most of the animals. The most disturbing however, is the seagulls. They perch up high and they laugh out loud. You would think theywere looking down at you and actually joking amongst themselves at your benefit. The day after we arrived, Nikki and Yonnie, FL's cousin (3x removed), took us to Coroni, a small town at the tip of the peninsula. We sat first at an outdoor cafe. As in most places, there were umbrellas over rattan couches and chairs with a coffee table. We ordered the traditional frappe. Yonnie and Nikke live in Melborne Australia half the year, where their son lives, and then half a year here in a nearby village. Their daughter lives in Kalamata. When they speak English, it is with an Australian accent. "Mondaaai, Tuesdaaai, Wednesdaai....."After coffee, we ascended the cliffs near the water via winding steps. At the top there are the remains of an old castle fortress where on a clear day, you can see forever. The sea is everywhere. The area is now inhabited by and order of nuns. There are small chapels all around, some are old and some are newer. During WWII the Germans took over the area and used it as a camp for prisoners. The ground was dry and the grass completly burnt from the sun. But scattered throughout the dryness are bushes with glorious flowers. They seem to grow wild here We plucked some almonds and figs off of trees in the area. There are very nice vacation homes here, not an over abundance, but the people who live here permanently, appear to be old and worn out. It is a tired country. The tourist industry is Greece's main industry. So far, around the villages here there haven't been a lot of tourist. Very nice for us, but not so for the people here. I always knew that Greeks put a lot of importance in their food, but I have to say, there hasn't been a restaurant or cafe yet that we have been to where the food hasn't been delicious. The meat tastes more flavorful, the vegetables taste fresher and the bread and deserts, and the homemade wine.... am I making you hungry yet? I don't know what I am going to do when I get home. First of all I haven't cooked in about 20 days and secondly, going back to my home cooking will definitely be disappointing. Last night we dined on a patio overlooking the water and by the time we got our fresh grilled octopothi and kalamari, the full moon was rising. Maybe it is just the settings that make the food seem so good. The next day, we went to the beach. The beaches here are sandy with a lot of gravel. Before going further into the water, there is a bed of rocks that you have to pass over. Chris and Jonathan swam in the crystal clear blue water. I'm holding out for warmer weather. The temperature is about 80 to 85 degrees. When you are on the beach, the breeze from the water cools you down so much that, if you are not in the sun, it is almost chilly. You could walk for miles or stay in the sun and it isn't even hot. Sunscreen comes in very handy here. Along the main road that runs along the coast,there are several cafes that serve snacks and appetizers. If you eat there, you are allowed to use their umbrellas and lounge chairs. There is one really nice place directly down the hill from us. It is all Kivotos. It is a very modern bar/cafe with the rattan couches and chairs all facing the ocean. The music playing on the upper terrace, is tradition jazz or American elevator music, and down below as you descend the steps to the beach, there is a DJ playing hip electronic dance music. Every place seems to have a bar and refreshment stand. Once on the beach, at first I was restless. It was difficult to just sit and watch people and relax. Chris and Jonathan enjoyed the water and spent a good part of the day just floating. As the day progressed, the calming sea, a good book and the sun that wasn't too hot, took away any thoughts of moving my body to do anything. In the evening the water changes colors. It becomes darker shades of blue and the turquoise borders become more prominent. The distant mountain still maintain their haze but they appear more majestic at night. We were lucky enough to be able to experience a full moon while here. As it floated up from the horizon, the sky became dark blue and the contrasting moon was a yellow-orange color. It has now taken the place of the sun and the white caps of the sea appear every now and then to get a glimpse of the man in the moon. Shadows appear here and there, but for the most part, the sea is calm. The waves are lazy. They don't pound and pull away at the land. They seem to roll in and roll out. Which seems to set the pace for the rest of the environment here. Calm, lazy, hazy. Later today, we are venturing to Kokkino. FL's grandfather's "hordio" village. Christos and his twin brother are expecting us. I'm not eating too much today in case we have another meal prepared by Maria. Today -- Sunday we awoke to the sound of church bells throughout the area. The churches don't have priests on a regular basis. Tomorrow.... Nichole, Gus and children arrive!!! How great will that be to see them. I Can't wait.