Skopelos 16 - Crystal Blue

On the way up and down, and in usual fashion (you know me well), I ran, jumped, and climbed as much as I could...There were quite a few 100 ft. drops, so I tried to keep it to a minimum, but what can ya do? I enjoyed it all so very much.

Skopelos 15 - Castle In The Sky

Agio Ioannis was one of the most beautiful sites we've ever experienced. The chapel is set on top of the strangest and most awesome cliff sitting out alone in crystal blue water. From the top (about 200 feet) you could see every rock on the sea floor (even the little guys!). The best pictures are next...(Mom was so happy to be here....can't ya tell?) >>>

Skopelos 14 - Family Dinner

We had lunch each day at Alexandra's. In Greece, lunch is the big meal of the day as many people take 3 or 4 hours off from work much like siesta in Spain. On this day we were with everyone, and Alexandra's daughter Mania cooked an amazing meal for us, with the help of her daughters, Alexandra and Evagelia (while the youngest , Vasiliki, slept). Britta's parents were even in from Germany for the wedding and we were lucky enough to speak some German with them while we hung out! German is much easier than Greek...

Skopelos 13 - Feline Frenzy

There are wild cats and dogs EVERYWHERE on Skopelos. I guess for the summer season they are all having babies too, because every one was either pregnant or had about 1508598702095702917 babies with them...did I mention they are all very, very friendly?

Skopelos 12 - Wild Fruit Jam

Wild Fruit Grows all over Skopelos Island. We passed countless plum, peach, apricot and lemon trees, along with what felt like millions of olive trees. Not only do most houses have a farm of olive trees or at least a few in their yard, but they grow wild everywhere...literally. With the fruit from my cousin Mania's backyard, Alexandra made us homemade jam for breakfast (we ate it with local greek sheep's milk and goat milk yogurts, mmm).







Skopelos Apricot and Plum Jam

Apricots, Plums, depitted.
Sugar, a bit of water.
Simmer, stir, cool

Skopelos 11 - Billy Goating In Greece

We took a mountain road (instead of the highway) all the way over the mountains to the other side of the island to see Agios Ionnas (where Mama Mia was filmed). We were lucky enough to pass a shepherd and a herd of mountain goats that seemed to never end. My guess is somewhere close to 200 of them passed us by as we sat in the car and watched the whole thing. Very cool experience.

Skopelos 10 - Traditional Things

Traditional Skopelos wedding dress - 24 individual handmade pieces and 63 meters (nearly 70 yards) of fabric.


Traditional Skopelos men's outfit




Traditional painted ceramic plates - these were used as dishes but also presented as special gifts and used on holidays. Every home in Skopelos has a few that have been passed down through the generations.

Skopelos 9 - Skopelos Homes

Homes in greece are passed down from generation to generation, and people live with their parents in their old age. Yia-yia (grandma) lives with her grown children and helps with the cooking and taking care of her grandchildren. This house was Vasili's parents' (and the view from the balcony). It seems to be that property passes down through the sons, although the daughter-in-laws carry on the family knowledge they learn while living with their mother-in-laws.



There is marble everywhere in greece, sidewalks, curbs, staircases, and home floors. These tiles are all from different rooms in Alexandra's house (and there were even more!).

Skopelos 8 - Skopelos Streets and Alleys

Skopelos 7 - Mountain Tea

Anywhere you go in Greece you can get local mountain tea. It changes depending on the season and local herbs, and the name changes depending on the nearest mountain. In Skopelos I picked wild sage, mint, dill, rosemary, oregano and olive leaves all in my cousin Filipo's backyard.

Skopelos 6 - Halva

This moist cake is very different from the sesame Halva made in the Middle East, it tastes more like the Prasad from India that my mom used to make when we were little. You can add nuts or dried fruit to it, we had it with golden raisins and the whole thing nearly melts in your mouth. Plus it has a super easy to remember recipe: 1, 2, 3, 4 (ena, thio, tria, tessera)!

(less than) 1 cup of olive oil
2 cups of semolina
3 cups of sugar
4 cups of water

Boil the water and sugar
Cook the flour and oil together in a saucepan until golden
Add the water mixture to the flour mixture slowly, stirring as it soaks up
Leave it in a bowl to cool, and once it's ready flip it over and voila!

Skopelos 5 - Food, Music and Family

Alexandra's son Filipo got married the day before we arrived! He and his wife Britta invited us over for coffee to their beautiful cottage in the hills. While looking at all of their wild herbs, fruit trees and gardens and the patio where we sat to have tea in the afternoon sun, my dad said he could understand why all of the Skopelos Greeks from Florida retired back to the island (he had a glimmer in his eye that hinted he might have something in mind for himself!).



We also visited Mania's house (Alexandra's daughter, and our cousin). Her dog just had puppies and they were the cutest little fur balls rolling around on the driveway.




Alexandra was so excited to hear me play guitar for the family. I don't know any Greek music yet (although I am learning to play Bazuki), but I played a Portuguese song I wrote a couple of years ago and this style was very new to them. She especially enjoyed it and even danced what I can loosely call a Greek samba ha ha!