I still have a few more thoughts about Santorini and of course our wine tour.

First is they have over 500 Greek Orthodox churches on this island. One that was close to us probably had enough room for maybe 8 people. Only one Catholic Church, but Dennis could not tell me where it was.

Their grape vines do not look like the ones you see in the states, Italy or France. They are low, and in a circle resembling a basket. The grapes are picked in August, and because it rains so little here, and they use no irrigation, they are watered by the heavy mist coming off the Aegean Sea at night. These vines here in Greece are the oldest in Europe, and they produce mainly dry white wines. After swirling the wine, you see “lines”on the glass or what we call “legs.” Here they refer to that as tears, because they fall down. They have a great dessert wine here called Vinsanto. I mentioned it yesterday as the wine they use for communion in the Orthodox Churches. To produce this wine, the growers put the grapes on their roofs to dry out, and make raisins. The wine is then made from those. I am not a big sweet wine person, however a girl does not turn down when given a couple of free samples at the various restaurants we had dinner.

Yesterday we relaxed by the pool we had outside our door. And then in the late afternoon we went back into town to explore some more, enjoy the coolness of the evening, and talk to more locals. Santorini has captured my heart.

Today we are taking a boat to Mykonos.

Yesterday was one of those days where at night you look at each other and say, “I can’t believe we did this.”

We are in Santorini, a most picturesque place. We are staying in the little village of Pyrgos. When we got here on Tuesday-basically a 30 minute plane ride from Athens-we went into the local village for a late lunch. We ended up staying quite a few hours talking with the locals. Always one of my most favorite things to do. I promised the guys at Kantouni that I would give them a raving review on Trip Advisor.

But, yesterday we went to 2 winery’s for touring and tastings, and at the 3rd one we did a cooking school. Dennis from Santorini Wine Tours was our guide. He was the best, informative, knew his wines, knew what to pair it with and loves his country.

The first one was Boutari opening in 1989. We sampled dry white wines and pairing them with local cheeses and sausages. Dennis had us sipping the wine with the food, without the food, swirling, swishing. But what I loved was he took his time with us so we could enjoy what we were doing.

Next up was Gavalas Winery. He took us into the old grape room where they use to stomp the grapes. The Gavalas family has been making wine for 3 centuries and as the matriarch use to say, “Wine equals life.” Again good wines and great pairings.

And now Aroma Avlis Food and Wine for our cooking class. We chopped, we stirred, we purée, we mixed with our hands, sautéed, you get the idea. We made, pork fillet in a Vinsanto sauce (their sweet wine. They use this particular wine for the communion wine in the Orthodox Church.) A Santorini salad, Yellow Split Peas-Fava and tomato fritters. When we finished learning and cooking we went up stairs to eat what we made. It was a lively bunch, full of conversations, and just getting to know one another. Bryant and Beth live 70 miles from us in Columbia, Andi and JC live in Northern California in the Bay Area, and were just married 5 weeks ago, and Rod and Carol live in 2 separate places, he works in Iraq and she lives in Minnesota. And Rod is a graduate of the U of A. We both agreed we support the PAC 12.

Such a great experience. And I got the recipes. Today will be a leisurely day.

Because she said yes, we got to attend an actual Greek wedding. Sofia’s wedding was rich in tradition and very beautiful.

Sofia was the first person we became friends with in Cardiff about 5 years ago. She managed La Cha Chas, a tapas bar we frequented. Through the years we have gotten to know one another and shared our stories.

Then she got engaged. So happy for the both of them. On a most gorgeous summer night they got married. We knew the bride and her parents arrived by the sound of the horn honking coming from the car. When she walked around the corner, Antoni presented the bridal bouquet to her. The placing of the wreaths on their heads, the intertwining of ribbon, and the walking around the altar were things we witnessed.

The reception was most festive. Food, wine, fireworks and of course the Greek dancing. Everyone looked so happy, especially the brides father.

Gods blessings on Sofia and Antoni. You both were radiant.

It all started with a yes. Being able to travel over here, and visiting the various countries is all because the big guy said yes when given the opportunity to work in Wales. And let’s really be honest, this journey began for me when I said yes to his proposal.

We toured Athens yesterday. A most picturesque city. Full of history. I learned a lot. About the battle between Athena and Dionysius, why the marathon is 26 Miles…..and I saw their tomb of the unknown soldier which is also guided by 2 soldiers.

But the highlight was Dinner in the Sky. You are strapped in chairs and taken up 160 feet, overlooking Athens for a 5 course dinner. It culminates with the sun setting. Magda was our chef and cheerleader. Taking our pictures, clapping to the music, and serving us our gourmet food. We basically was up there for about an hour and a half. It was truly an experience and quite the adventure.

Today is wedding day for our friend Sofia. Why we are here, and why we planned this vacation.

Again….2 broke kids…..

Easter Monday here in Europe is a big day for everyone. In the Old Town Square they had activities for the children along with an Easter egg hunt. On the stage were various performers of all ages singing. Everything and everyone quite festive.

A Trdelnik is a traditional Czech pastry. Filled with either chocolate or ice cream it is sugar richness. And messy. But oh so good. After rolling out the dough, they cut it into strips. They wrap the strips around long poles and roast them over an open flame, sprinkle with sugar and then fill them. Wherever these were sold, the lines were always long.

We spent our last day walking Wenceslas Square. The day was sunny, with a touch of crispness in the air. We had lunch in one of the outdoor cafes. There we sat and watched the people go by enjoying the sunshine. And we had another delicious Czech meal. The red cabbage melted in your mouth. It reminded me so much of my grandmothers. I told the waiter that and he was most appreciative.

I loved Prague. Again, the people wanted to know if we loved their city. And we assured them we did, and we would be back. As our plane took off over the nighttime lights, we looked at each other, smiled and said, “two broke kids.”

Do not be afraid, For He has Risen. Easter time in this city and it is bitterly cold. Was suppose to snow, but the clouds mixed with the sun prevented that from happening.

I started the day by attending Mass at The Church of the Infant Jesus. This most beautiful place holds the beloved statue of the Infant of Prague. I will not go into a religious lesson about this, but let’s just say He does wonders. I heard about this from my mother when I was little. We had a couple of these statues in our house. Always facing the front or back door. My grandmother donated one that was about 3 feet to my elementary school, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Tempe, AZ. He sat outside the principal office across the library. I often wonder if it is still there.It is believed that if He faces that way, you will never want for food or need. I chose to sit in a pew close to the Statue. It is a glorious sight to see. On a side note, because I like to observe the people around me, there was a lady wearing a full length mink coat and a pair of UGGS. She rocked it.

Afterwards we went back to the lovely man who weaves the scarfs. His name is Evxen. The big guy needed to buy one cause he lost his other one. He told us about a great Czech place for a late lunch, Lokal. It did not disappoint. We sat way below the restaurant in the cellar. The food was exactly like he said it would be, delicious. I cleaned my plates.

We then took a tour of the city in a classic car….convertible…..but wrapped up in a blanket. He took us down side streets, ally ways, places that we had not seen yet, but now were able to. We then walked to see the Astronomical Clock to see the figures move when the clock chimes on the hour. Alas, the place is being renovated, so all you get is a slide show of what it looks like. Apparently it is the 12 Apostles going by while the bell rings.

Easter Monday is huge here. Kids hunt for eggs in the square. Most of Europe has this day off. A time of celebration and family time. It will be something to see.

We had the whole city in front of us. Like I told the big guy, we have a blank canvas, we can color it any way we want to. And I do believe we have started a masterpiece.

Walked wherever we could. Went passed Lennon’s Wall. The only place where graffiti is legit. It started under the communist regime. Young people would write on this wall words or drawings of protest during the night, and in the daytime the authorities would paint over it. This went on for years, until the rulers just gave up. Called Lennon’s Wall, not because John ever visited the place, but because the kids would listen to the Beatles.

Sometimes taking a shortcut pays off. Saw a young man weaving and selling his wares. He did amazing work. He picked out a scarf for me, and of course I had to have it. He learned this trade from his mother.

Last night we had an authentic Czech dinner at a cafe called Mama Rose. A very small place, with a great atmosphere.They offered their aperitif of a local schnapps. She told us it would get our appetites going. All I can say is, if I ever get a cold or the Welsh crud, I am drinking that stuff. And because I have been taking it slow with the alcohol intake, I drank it very slow. We got the glasses, too.

I spent quite a lot of time in the church of St. Nicholas. He is the patron saint of Prague. Very ornate, lots of altars, and exquisite paintings. I always light candles when I visit a church, no matter where I am, but on this particular day, there were none. That is because the night before Easter everything is made new again. They bless the water, the light and new life begins.

Weather is suppose to be bad again today, but it won’t stop us.

I really never thought I would ever see this city. But, I am here for the Easter weekend.

Yesterday was our first full day. And, as usual we took the Hop on Hop off bus to get the feel of the city. A lot of history. Communism was always in the background of the things we heard. 80% of the population here is either Atheist, or have no religious affiliation. And the rest are Roman Catholic.

The Old Town Square was full of the Easter Marts. People showing the things they made, vendors cooking food and sharing their country with us. The sausages looked amazing, and being the last Friday in Lent, I could not even have one bite. I mean if you are going to blow it, don’t do it on Good Friday. But I am here for 2 more days.

Everyone we have come in contact with are so willing to give us tid bits of their city. One vendor even explained who the people were on the currency. And the driver who has been taking us where we need to be shared with us that his grandfather was a translator for the US troops who were there in WW2. He was chosen because he could speak 5 languages.

Last night was truly a picture. The sun set, the moon rose on 2 broke kids.

Decided to spend some of the day in Albufeira, a little village about 30 minutes outside of Faro. Right on the water.  The town square is full of shops and restaurants.  It was a sunny day. I guess I didn’t read the memo about the dress code.  I was wearing a t-shirt and skirt, and to say I was overdressed would be an understatement.  I saw various stages of undressed, that I probably shouldn’t have.  I guess people wanted to enjoy as much sun as they can get.  Went to a Portuguese Irish Pub to have some Sangria, and had a great conversation with a couple from Leeds.  They own their own business, and hadn’t taken a vacation in about 3 years.  They were going to be there for 2 weeks.  When we left, we gave the lady that manages the place money for their beers, with the message: “From the Americans, have a relaxing time.”

When we got back to the hotel we went down to the pool to spend some time in the sunshine….under an umbrella…..with sun screen.  It was a relaxing way to spend our last day in Portugal.

Came back to Cardiff where I already miss the sun.  I am here for a few more weeks, before I head home.  It was such a memorable birthday trip.  

One of the things I forgot to mention that I experienced in Fatima, was the candles and the fire. I received 2 candles, a nice lady next to me lit them off of hers.  I prayed for my family, my friends, those who are going through tough times, basically everyone.  Then I threw them in the fire.

For my birthday, we went to a restaurant that was recommended to us, Tia Alice.  And being a typical place on a Sunday, they close at 3:00.  We had a late lunch at 2:30. Which was fine because we did not get out of there until 4:00.  They served typical Portuguese food.  All in a clay pot.  They love there cod here.  I am not a big fan, but when their specialty dish is cod, shrimp, potatoes au gratin what is there to lose.  We ordered one for 2, and literally 6 people could have eaten that casserole.  And it did not disappoint!! 

We left Fatima and drove the 3 hours back to Faro.  The scenery reminded me a lot of the drive between Phoenix and San Diego.  A drive I have done hundreds and hundreds of times.  We are here for a couple of days.  A great day to relax.