All posts by Aimee Couturier

MOOSE in Denali

2 bucket list items checked today! Denali National Park and seeing – not 1, but 2 – moose!

Denali National Park has been on my bucket list for only a few years now – since I started learning more about the national parks and all of the goodness in them.

Denali National Park is 6 million(!) acres of wilderness. It’s location gives it a uniqueness compared to other national parks. Although that might have more to do with me being there in the wintertime. To me it represents a happy, peaceful, still place – the forest is covered with pristine blankets of snow as far as the eye can see. It is also the home of North America’s highest peak – Denali (formerly Mt. McKinley) – which means “Great One” and stands at a whopping 20,310 feet.

We took North Alaska Tour Company’s Denali Winter Drive Adventure as driving to and through the park is pretty treacherous this time of year. If you don’t have the proper vehicle you may run into problems.

Us and 6 new friends started off from Fairbanks and headed the 80 miles towards the park. We made a couple of pit stops – the towns of Nenana and Healy.

Nenana is a rural community that sits right on the banks of the Tanana River. It feels like you’ve stepped back in time a bit when entering this city. Of course a few bars and lodges for travelers but also just 1 general store for the tiny 300+ residents. This town is well known in this region, however, for the Nenana Ice Classic. Sounds impressive doesn’t it?

The Nenana Ice Classic started in 1917 when railroad engineers decided to place a bet on when the ice in the Tanana River would break. Well, 106 years later the tradition still exists. A “tripod” is erected every year and placed 300 feet from the shore of the river. The tripod is connected to a clock which marks the exact moment the ice of the river breaks. It’s a big event! In 2014 – 9 years ago – the jackpot was over $350,000! Part of the money goes to the individual(s) that guess the correct, date, hour and minute and part goes charities around the region.

We loaded up on provisions and headed toward Healy – considered the gateway to Denali.

Along the way the mountains become more “in your face” – craggy, dense, huge, close. It was a beautiful drive. And all along the way, Mike, our guide, gave us tidbits of Alaskan history and his own experience with this area and the reasons he loves Alaska.

Finally we arrived to the national park. In winter very little of the park road – there’s only one – is plowed. Visitors can only go a few miles in until spring. And unfortunately for us since the weather was so cloudy we couldn’t see the “Great One” – Denali. It was sitting elusively in the distance behind the clouds. The darned clouds on this trip are messing with me! But I appreciated the grandeur and beauty of this place regardless.

Welcome to Denali

We had a little lunch and watched a little movie about the history of people, plant life and wildlife located there. Then a few of us donned snowshoes – you didn’t need them – and set off on a boreal forest walk.

We’d been in a boreal forest already but this was completely different. Many more spruce and pine trees; very few birch trees. And of course the pristine whiteness of a winter with very limited human contact.

Pristine, gorgeous….Denali is back there – I swear
Magical

We saw a lot of tracks – red squirrel, snowshoe hare and of course – moose! But so many moose tracks and so little moose. Regardless it was a lovely little walk. We got back to the van and all of us got in when Mike said, “nope, we’re going back out – moose sighting”. Needless to say we all quickly got out of that van and got back on the trail. We finally found the two moose just hanging out about 20-25 feet from the trail. They were both just laying there chilling, eating some vegetation, not paying any attention to us. It was incredible!

Moose – no antlers!

Again, showing my ignorance here but I didn’t realize that moose lose their antlers…on a yearly basis. There was a lot I learned about moose. I was expecting those huge, super-impressive antlers. But right now they’re simply not there. See this super cool short video of a moose losing it’s antlers. The moose were so fun to see! It made up for NOT seeing Denali in all it’s glory.

There are two moose – can you see them?

On the way out of the park we stopped to see the Denali Sled Dogs. Denali is the only national park with a kennel of sled dogs and they serve as the rangers in the park. There are no vehicles allowed on the trails in Denali so the dogs help with the trails, with rescues, with carrying supplies…they serve as a mode of transportation and are extremely important to the upkeep of the park.

Most of them were sleeping but oh so cute. We got to pet the ones that were interested. Topo, with his ice blue eyes, melted my heart.

Topo getting a scratch

The road back to Fairbanks was uneventful and quick. On the way I made a reservation to another ethnic restaurant here – this time Greek. My husband, being Greek, knows what he likes when it comes to Greek food so the bar was high.

Bobby’s Restaurant (right?!?! Bobby’s???) was incredible. It’s my new favorite in Fairbanks. The atmosphere was fun and festive, the service spot on and the food, DAMN….Traditional Greek food that is hard to find elsewhere – Greed salad, Moussaka, Gyro, Baklava. Oh so good! And everyone in there treated you like family.

Moussaka from Bobby’s

Of course, in our quest to see the Northern Lights, we loaded up the car at 9 and this time sat in the parking lot of Creamer’s Field searching for the lights for hours. A couple of times we thought we might be seeing them but on reflection I really don’t think so. Darned clouds!!!! We’ll keep looking….

Hiking? Falling! Laughing 😆

With no adventurous excursions planned, today was a day to explore Fairbanks a bit. The scenery here is just so raw and amazing that of course we wanted to hike it. There aren’t a ton of winter trails within 30 miles or so of here. But with the help of Pike’s reception and AllTrails we were able to find some.

We first headed back toward University of Alaska Fairbanks – locally called UAF. Based on the recommendation of a gentlemen at our front desk we could head to the Georgeson Botanical Garden and get on a couple of trails from there. Obviously not a ton to see right now from a plants and flowers perspective but it was just acres of open, white, snowy fields. Beautiful…and still…and peaceful. Well, we did manage to find the trails but as we do, decided to take the road less traveled.

The map looked to show another trail a bit north of where we were so we decided to just walk across the snowy field to get there. No problem, right? Well, WRONG! But oh so fun! We didn’t get more than a couple of feet when we started to sink into 2-foot deep snow with every step we took! It was absolutely hysterical. See a couple of funny photos below. I could not stop laughing as John decided it was more efficient to crawl rather than walk. And at one point rolling down the hill was the preferred choice of travel. I was sweating and giggling and falling on my butt in the beautiful snow. What simple silly fun!

Stuck in the snow at UAF
Jeez this is hard!
Crawling may be the right decision

We did manage to get back on trail and though it was less fun it was certainly a lot easier to manage. We decided to try the other hiking area recommended to us by the man at reception – Creamer’s Field.

Creamer’s Field – Migratory Waterfowl Refuge – is a 2200-acre bird sanctuary right in the middle of Fairbanks. It consists of wetlands and forest and fields and was originally opened as a dairy farm. It also boasts miles of trails through this beautiful area – on the wetlands as well as through the boreal forest. The boreal forest is simply stunning. White, flaky birch trees surrounded and covered in pristine snow. Areas where the weight of the snow has caused the trees to form beautiful arches to walk through as if you’re on a red carpet. And oh so still and quiet. Although we didn’t see any moose or other wildlife it was a really nice – almost meditative – way to enjoy the morning.

Snowy birch trees forming a natural arch
The edge of the boreal forest near Creamer’s Field
Beauty, stillness, peace

We’d been reading about the Cookie Jar restaurant – and getting recommendations to go there – since we arrived in Fairbanks. A sweet, diner-like restaurant with yummy sandwiches and friendly service, it didn’t disappoint. And neither did the Oatmeal Coconut Chocolate Chip cookie. I’d go back for the cookies alone! And the cinnamon rolls looked delicious!

Bakery case at the Cookie Jar

We’d been planning on dinner at The Jazz Bistro since we arrived but were waiting to go on a weekend so that we could hear live music. This is a restaurant featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives back in 2021 but we were there for the excellent Cuban food and music we’d read about.

We were taken care of by Rico the head chef and Leonora. It’s a sparsely decorated restaurant but the charm of the people and the incredible food were what mattered. Both Rico and Leonora took the time to chat with us – about where we’re from, the economy, food, drinks. And again, the food was incredible! John copied me and we both got the Salmon Cuban Style. Amazing!

Cuban salmon at The Jazz Bistro

As it was, we were way too early for the live music. It started at 10. Apparently the restaurant turns into a PARTY once the music starts – lots and lots of salsa. So fun. But alas too late for these old folks.

What a nice experience all the way around!

Dog sledding – finally! Northern lights – not yet…

The day started out as a bit of a downer but quickly got turned around. I’d been wanting to go see the ice sculptures from the World Ice Art Championships which had just completed on 3/17. The park was to remain open with the sculptures on display through the end of the month – tomorrow. Well, we got there and, first, they didn’t open until noon. I know what you’re thinking, “Google could have told you that!”. But even though we knew that we thought we’d go anyway as it was in a park and can they really keep you out of a public park? So, yes, we got there and, second, all of the ice was melting and just looked….sad. Like the sculpture of the man and woman dancing. She no longer had a face – melted off 🙁 And the sculpture of a plane…or was it a shark…hard to tell.

Off to the next fun place – the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum. We’d heard about this place from multiple locals who said it was a must see. Again….closed. This time until the weekend!

Ok, time to put the big girl panties on and deal. What could we do? We’d also heard about the Museum of the North on the University of Alaska campus. Score! Finally – they were open. Well, here’s where our luck started to change. What a super cool museum! The first thing you see as you enter the museum if the skeleton of a Bowhead Whale suspended from the ceiling. Absolutely incredible and massive at 43 feet long. A Bowhead Whale is local to Arctic and subarctic waters and uses it’s humongous triangular skull to break through ice.

The skeleton of the Bowhead whale – wicked!

The rest of the museum was just as cool. Tons of information about Alaska and it’s culture – including whaling, the eskimos, the Aurora Borealis, the Gold Rush and the freakishly beautiful animals found only in this area – both pre-historic and modern. And the view of the Alaska Range from this high point in the city was spectacular!

John with Otto – the 1000+ pound brown bear

Off to lunch at a local coffee shop that I’d read about called the Little Owl Cafe. As I posted yesterday, I was disappointed in Fairbanks and frankly, some of the food options. Well this sweet cafe started to change my mind. Adorable and kitschy with friendly staff and unique food and treats, it’s a place I’d recommend anyone to try. Take a book and relax in it’s cool, hipster atmosphere.

Back to the hotel to gear up for something that’s been on my bucket list for many, many years – dog sledding!

We were greeted by our driver, Jake, from 1st Alaska Tours. Another burly, articulate guy but not nearly as engaging as Tony was yesterday. We picked up another couple and off we went towards the Murphy Dome – one of the best places to see the northern lights due to it’s location on the top of a mountain.

We arrived to the sound of many happy dogs barking in the background. We met two of the mushers and one of their dogs – a gorgeous husky mix named Betty. No time was wasted as they took us from the yurt to meet the dogs.

There were about 20 of them – all Siberian Husky mixes – hanging out in the huge field on top of this snow-covered mountain. They each have their own “house” with their name on it. We were given free reign to go meet and greet any dog we wanted. They were so sweet! All of them were friendly and very excited to see the people and even more excited to realize they were going to pull a sled soon.

So many kisses!

Per our guides, all of their dogs are Siberian Husky but mixed with other breeds to give them the best mushing dogs – hounds, shepherds. I thought it was interesting that they weren’t 100% husky and it was fascinating to learn why.

After a short amount of time visiting, our sled was ready to go. 12 dogs, 4 tourists and a musher. Sounds like the start of a joke doesn’t it? We were covered in a blanket and before I realized it we were off!

The dogs are ready!

Boy do those dogs love to run and pull! We traversed 6 miles of mostly open, snow-covered, well-maintained trails that the dogs really seemed to know. We stopped a couple of times to give them a break and take some pictures. It was adorable watching them roll around in the snow during the breaks. And learning about the dogs was fascinating – how and when they begin training, how long they run, what the positions are, which dogs had raced, why they were placed where they were, etc. Two of the dogs had actually competed in the Iditarod – arguably the most famous dog sled race in the world.

Cute little sled
Happy dogs – check out the snow on their faces after rolling in it!

It was another wonderful tour – beautiful views along with sweet happy dogs – what more could you ask for?!

The tour ended with some more learning about Alaska and dog mushing along with some nice warm drinks in a yurt at the top of the mountain. Then back into the van with Jake who was clearly in a better mood and had many recommendations for us – including a place to seek out the aurora tonight. More to come on that!

Off to dinner at another local restaurant. The lady on our tour put it very succinctly, “this is not a foodie town” 🙂 Well, I think that’s true but we did manage to find a GREAT restaurant…again. Maybe we’re becoming less picky 🙂 John had done some research and found a Moldovan restaurant called Soba. I am showing my complete ignorance here but I wasn’t aware of a country called Moldova let alone the cuisine associated with it. I’ll bet my beautiful friend Sophie knows all about the country as it’s just across the Black Sea from George. South of Ukraine.

Moldovian food at Soba

Well the food was delicious. And the decor was also delicious. It’s one of the Fairbanks restaurants that gets typical 5-star reviews and we could definitely see why.

We’d decided during the dog sledding tour that, although the chances of seeing the northern lights was Average, we’d give it a try. Become our own aurora chasers. We got into our jammies and loaded up the car with provisions – for John downloaded episodes of 1899 and for me, downloaded episodes of Wellmania. Damn, I love me some Celeste Barber!

Beautiful sunset over the Love Alaska sign

Based on Jake’s recommendation, we headed about 20 miles north to North Pole to a road called Nordale road. There are multiple turnouts on that road that – if they’re out – have a great view of northern lights. Well, we were unlucky. We managed to consult multiple Aurora tracker apps and watch a few of our episodes but the excitement of the night was John helping some friends whose car got stuck in the snow. We gave up at about 12:45 am and headed home with a little less hope. We’ll keep trying!

Permanent Smiles on the Snow-Machine Tour

I’m so happy I get to put my “Adventure Traveling Wife” persona back on! It has been way too long – over 18 months – but life happens and I’m grateful to be where I am —- Fairbanks, Alaska!

On our way!

Back in 2021 – smack dab in the middle of the pandemic – our “epic” trip to the Finnish Lapland was cancelled due to Covid. I swear it would have been epic too – I’m not just making it bigger than it was because we couldn’t go. Ok, maybe I am, but it was complete with igloo stays, a visit to Santa’s home town, dog sledding and northern lights sightings every single night (SURE…) But, like others, the trip was cancelled. So now that we live so much further from Europe we decided to try going the opposite direction. And here we are in Fairbanks, Alaska – a place documented to have the best chances of seeing the aurora borealis in the world because of it’s unique position in the aurora oval. Aurora viewing is also allegedly enhanced right around the spring equinox which was just last week. Seeing the northern lights has been a bucket list item for me for years. But as psyched as I am to hopefully see them, I’m keeping my expectations LOW.

We arrived late last night to our hotel – Pike’s Waterfront Lodge. To be honest, I really wanted to try to rent another igloo hotel here but wasn’t able to do so and some of the fancier hotels were exorbitantly expensive. And this one just got so many favorable reviews that I couldn’t ignore it. I’m very glad that I didn’t! From the moment you see the hotel – and it’s huge arched sign – it’s simply over the top fun. You cannot help but smile. In fact I believe I saw a sign in the lobby boasting the most fun hotel in all of Alaska. Like I said, over the top. A stuffed bear – of course – neon lights, tiffany ceiling lamps every 10 feet, lots of wood and heads of wildlife everywhere you look. And to top it all off, a Siberian Husky behind the reception desk! We checked in and got on the list to be called if the northern lights were spotted in the area. To be honest this was another selling point of this sweet hotel.

Alas, no northern lights call so we got a good nights sleep and woke excited about our snow-machining trip. I’d booked ages ago and didn’t really know what to expect but all expectations were significantly exceeded. We went on the Fairbanks Snowmobile Adventure from North Pole with Alaska Wildlife Guide LLC. Yes we traveled to North Pole, Alaska for this trip. More to come on North Pole. We were met by our guide, Tony, a burly, articulate man whose snow-machining season was to come to an end in just 2 days.

I talk – and write – so much about connection and the people that make travel so wonderful and memorable. Well, Tony was no exception. He treated us like old friends. We stood around for a good 20 minutes talking about what got him to snow-machining in North Pole. He set out early in life to tackle “dangerous” jobs – including logging and commercial fishing. Now, I’ve never seen Deadliest Catch but the stories he told could have easily been highlighted on the show. Unfortunately a lot of loss of friends in that line of work. He also told us an incredible (in a bad way) story of how when he was 20 he went into “one of the most dangerous bars in America”, where he was “shanghaied”. I did not have a clue what that was. You may not either – google it! It literally means to “force (someone) to join a ship lacking a full crew by drugging them or using other underhanded means”. This happened to him and he woke up on a ship in the Bering Sea without remembering how he got there. A testament to his character, he stayed and did the work; even as his mom worried and wanted to buy him a ticket home.

The stories were amazing and enlightening and sad as well. But it was super cool getting to know him!

Getting an adjustment
Kitted out and ready to go Sunshine!

Then we were off! A brief intro to the snow-machine and we hit the trail. Well, first a road. What a fantastic experience! The trip lasted about an hour and we traveled through some trees and trails and some wide open spaces. We eventually ended up on the Chena Lake. Tony asked if we’d like to go out into the middle of it. “Is it dangerous” I asked. Nope – there are 3 feet of ice on that lake at this time of year. It’s where the ice fishermen go and you could see their huts. John and I said at the same time, “Let’s go for it”.

That’s the aurora oval behind us!
Sweet picture of my sweet man!

It was exhilarating and fast and so awesome. I smiled the whole damn time! And Tony was amazing the whole damn time. He’d stop us to take our pictures. He even laid down in the snow to get some that you see on this post. Thumbs up and high fives; we still felt like old friends.

I highly, highly recommend doing this tour with Tony – he made it GREAT!

We’d been in Fairbanks for 12 hours and had already realized how expensive it was to get transportation so after renting a car back and the airport we headed to downtown Fairbanks for some lunch and a look around.

We’d heard from both our drivers that there was a great Thai restaurant downtown so – contrary to me wanting “Alaskan” fare – off we went. The Thai House – and the food was incredible. Definitely worth a stop.

So regarding downtown Fairbanks….My mom has said many times that if you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say anything at all. So should I stop here? Perhaps so but I’m not going to on account of I want to remember and also tell you readers (all 10 of you!) so you’re aware. It just seems a bit rundown and depressed. It was a bit of a downer to even walk around.

We did stop at the Morrison Cultural and Visitors Center and that was pretty cool. A nice young man helped us with our many questions – best spots to drive to see the northern lights, where I can get a reindeer sausage, where to see the wicked ice sculptures, traditional “Alaskan” dessert (P.S. there isn’t one). And we wandered through the museum and learned about Fairbanks history.

We hit the Antler’s Arch on our way back to the car to check it off the list. As I said, disappointing. But I will do my research and make my way back there with more information in my back pocket. Hopefully that will change my mind.

Antler’s Arch
Owning Fairbanks!

We finished the day with a nap and a trip to the daily ice cream social in the Pike’s lounge. It’s 30 degrees – why not have ice cream right?! Then off to the Pump House for dinner – yep we had dessert before dinner – as all should. I have been wanting to try “local” Alaskan meat – specifically reindeer – since I’d learned we would be coming here. The Pump House was our spot to do so.

The decor of the Pump House was representative of the 1890’s Gold Rush area. Very ornate and over the top. Carved furniture and fringe lamps. And – they had both reindeer and elk on their menu. John and I split reindeer medallions and they were – delicious! I was expecting gamey and similar to venison but was pleasantly surprised. Another positive.

Reindeer medallions

So the chance to the the aurora tonight is Low. And, unfortunately, the change is Below Average for the next 3 nights. But although I’m keeping expectations Low I’m keeping hopes Above Average 🙂

The Love Alaska sign seen across the river

Gratitude for the ultimate end to a trip

We had just one last dinner to enjoy before returning home. Like the previous night I won’t be able to properly express how special it was.

A quick stroll through Athens

We were graciously invited to George and Margaret Stathopoulos’ house in Athens. George and John’s father met in college and have remained friends since then. John knew George from growing up but not well. But that didn’t matter. We were again welcomed with open arms – even me who didn’t know them at all.

We arrived to their flat and immediately sat down at a table on their patio with a stunning view of the Olympic stadium lit up in the distance. We were offered wine and from that point it was on! We seemed to immediately click with this lovely and gracious couple and we found ourselves with so much to talk about. So many family stories and talks of travel and books and the seriously amazing life George has had! George is an attorney by trade but stopped practicing about 10 years ago. Now he fulfills his passion by promoting Greek artists across the globe. His stories include meeting celebrities and writing a book. Just incredible! We got to hear a lot about George’s life and even got a sneak peak at the book he just finished working on. I’m really hoping he’ll send us a copy as it won’t be for sale.

Over a homemade meal of Greek meatballs and salads and spinach pie we learned about their history and their family and their dreams. And we got a tour of the very impressive artwork displayed in their home. They even offered to host us again in their home in Athens or in one of their homes on the island – Kea.

The incredible George and Margaret Stathopoulos

I have found the last two nights with family and friends to be transformative. And that is, after all, why we travel right? To meet people and share experiences and create memories. I again felt so much gratitude for the opportunities given to me and for the people I’ve been so fortunate to meet.

I have a favorite quote that is very applicable to this last post of the trip to Greece. “We travel, some of us forever, to seek other states, other lives, other souls.” The quote is by Anais Nin and sums up my feeling as I return home.

Nafplio and a VERY special day in Athens with family

We didn’t have much time left to explore beautiful Nafplio so we were up early to try to catch the sunrise and see more of the city.

We definitely wanted to climb the steps to the Palamidi Castle. The Palamidi fortress and castle sit atop a 216m-high hill (over 700 feet) right outside the city of Nafplio. You can see the fortress from everywhere you look within the city. It is so impressive. It was constructed during the Venetian occupation in 1714 and took only three years to build. It has eight bastions to ensure that if one was breached the others could still be defended. They are on top of each other.

Going to this castle was a must-do, partly for the views of Nafplio and the rest of the Argolic Gulf.

View of the Bourtzi castle from Nafplio

On the way we just wanted to see what else we saw on the way there. We tried unsuccessfully to get to the only beach right in Nafplio because the walking path was closed due to the danger of falling rocks. And John wouldn’t let us pass because he didn’t want to “bail you out of a Greek jail”.

Bourtzi and the Argolic Gulf

The next attraction we came upon was the Akronauplía Castle. So many castles; so little time, am I right?! This is the oldest of the three castles in Nafplio (the third is Bourtzi). The lower section of the walls date back to the Bronze Age (3300 BC – 1200 BC) and until the arrival of the Venetians the whole town lived here.

It was so early that we had the whole area to ourselves and it was a cool, crisp, beautiful morning to see the views around the city. We joked around as I rang a (very) loud bell on the clock and did a “morning dance” on an high ancient rock wall jutting out over the sea.

Post “morning dance”

We made our way back down the hill to get to the steps of Palamidi. Per my research there are 999 steps to reach the castle. Up we went. And the higher we went the better the views got. Again we had the area pretty much to ourselves. This really isn’t too tough of a walk. The steps are a normal height and it look us around 15 minutes to get up even with a couple of breaks. And the view from the top – and even on the way to the top – is totally worth it. See below!

View from the Palamidi castle
John happens to be a little afraid of heights!
Accosted by a mama and her kitten at the bottom of Palamidi hill

We had a leisurely breakfast at our hotel (because it was free 😆). This was the first breakfast we’d had in Greece. Oh – besides bougatsa. And we enjoyed every moment of it and got to try a few new foods – cheeses and fruits and breads and meat. It was an indulgent way to end our time in Napflio.

The rest of the day was truly special in a way that I won’t be able to adequately express in words. But of course I’ll try.

John has family in Athens and he’d worked to get in touch with “aunt” Mary. We were scheduled to take a taxi to her house from the bus station and spend the day with her – eventually meeting some other family members for dinner.

Mary lives near the Kolonaki area of Athens and has been there for 36 years. She lives in a truly amazing apartment filled with family heirlooms and photos in a busy and walkable area of Athens. She welcomed us with open arms! John hadn’t visited her since he came to Athens on a AHEPA (American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association) trip when he was 16! That was over 40 years ago! So it was a long time coming.

We were lucky in that her daughter Constance was at the apartment with her daughter Alexia. Connie had just arrived from Vienna and was picking up her daughter from Mary’s house. When John was here last Connie was just a baby. She and her daughter are lovely! It was great to sit at Mary’s kitchen table, have a cheese sandwich and talk about life with Mary and Connie – everything from where they’ve lived and traveled to family memories to politics to racism – including how much John looks like his dad! This is a family that is so close and loves and respects each other so much – it was special to be part of it.

We got in the car to go to Mary’s athletic club called Vouliagmeni – a private club in the seaside resort of Vouliagmeni where she goes to swim and socialize. We were to meet other members of John’s family and, unfortunately, I won’t get the relationships correct – but they are all cousins – I do know that! We met Thanassis and his wife Marykeri, Dimitris and his wife Emelia and their son Marcos. We sat at a lovely table overlooking the sea and sharing more stories of the Cacheris family. One story that we need to make sure we share with John’s dad is the time he traveled to Athens when he was a young man in the military. Apparently rock and roll was just getting big at that time and he tried teaching the cousins the rock and roll dancing!

Dinner with the “cousins”

I have felt such feelings of pride and gratitude during these days in Greece! What a way to culminate them!

Nafplio – sweet, charming, LIVABLE

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!

Politiki salad

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.

Palamidi fortress from town

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 😊.

A night on the town
Cute husband

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!

Ouzo and Tsipouro

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?!

Hiking the Samaria Gorge

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 entrance to Samaria Gorge
Let’s do this!

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.

For real?!
Fresh at the start

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!

On the river

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.

Sittin on a boulder

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.

Entrance to Samaria 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!

John passing through the Gates

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.

Dusty, dirty sneakers

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.

The Palace of Knossos and a Humongous Gyro

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
Knossos
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
Now that’s a gyro!

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

Elafonisi Beach – totally worth it in shoulder season

This post is going to be short because what is there to say when you spend the entire day relaxing on one of the world’s most beautiful beaches?! I know, I know – someone has to do it!

As per usual we wanted to see the sunrise over Chania so we headed down early to the old Venetian port. We were able to walk partway to the lighthouse where we watched the sun make its appearance behind a bunch of kinda nasty looking clouds. I think it made it even prettier, however, as at one point it looked like fire over the mountain. And in another view the sun’s rays were literally like the sunshine you drew as a child.

Sunrise over the Venetian port – the rays like you used to draw as a child
The sun looking like a fire through the clouds

Another great way to start the day but the weather was looking a little iffy. We had already purchased bus tickets to take us to Elafonisi beach and since it is shoulder season there is only one bus there and one bus back to and from Chania. So we were a bit panicked that we’d get there and spend the day huddled under an umbrella while the skies opened up around us. But we chanced it! And I’m so glad we did.

The weather started to clear as we were on the picturesque but sometimes scary (Big bus! Cliffs!) ride. But by the time we got there there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Me = blessed.

There are no good words to describe how beautiful this beach is! Elafonisi beach is the beach one often sees in photos of Crete and is considered one of the most beautiful in the world. It is called the pink beach because of the pink coral sand seen at the water’s edge. It is unique because of the pink hues of the sand and the light turquoise clear water that is so shallow that you can simply walk to Elafonisi island.

Crystal clear turquoise water at Elafonisi

In my research I’d learned not to expect to see the pink sand as the tides and weather can affect whether or not you can see it. But there it was! Stunning! To best see the pink sand, I stood at the waters edge and waited for the clear turquoise water to turn the sand. It was then that the pink coral shells would appear turning that area of the sand a beautiful baby pink. See the pictures below. I think I captured it a little bit.

Can’t see the pink here — wait for it…
Now you can definitely see the pink! Again no filters

What do you do when you’re in paradise? Grab a sandwich, grab a beer, go for walks, plan your next days in Crete, read, sleep.

More pink!

Note that I think part of the reason we enjoyed the beach so much is because it’s shoulder season. I simply cannot imagine high season here. Based on articles I’ve read, I’m not even sure we would have come during July or August. But as always, things have a way of working themselves out!

Proof that we were there

It was a long day of relaxing….I know I can hear the little violins playing now…but we needed an easy night. And we needed to buy some jewelry! We got a bit lost but eventually found Ouranos jewelry where we’d found a ring that I loved the previous day. I needed my own souvenir right? It’s a spinner ring! I’ve seen these before in pictures and I just love it. The brand is K.And. Super cool and it will bring back great memories of Crete!

My K.And crown ring

We are definitely on Greek time. We did not even sit down for dinner until 10 pm. We stumbled upon a place due to being famished and indifferent. The tavern is called Avli twn thaumatwn and it was really really good! I tried another local dish that I just learned about called Apaki. A delicious Cretan smoked pork. This one was served with local honey sauce. Yum! Second favorite meal!

Alvi twn thaumatwn – I dare you to pronounce that!