By the Sea, By the Sea, By the Beautiful Sea* (Greece 2019-01)

Stomio, Greece, with Gulf of Corinth in background. Kodak Ektar 100 film, Yashica Electro 35CC camera 

Dear Readers, winter has descended on much of North America. Ice storms covered the eastern states with perfect timing for the Thanksgiving Holiday. People are thinking of Christmas (and another storm). While the snow is swirling and wind is howling, thoughts wander to summer. What could be more summer-like than a vacation by the sea? What could be better than the sea in Greece? This will be the first of a series of posts about my August 2019 sojourn to the 'Med.

Beware: "pretty" pictures follow (I warned you all some time ago that I might start posting more pretty snapshots. But do not despair, grunge and urban decay will be following).

Vouliagmanis west of Loutraki, Greece. Kodak Ektar 100 film, Yashica Electro 35CC camera

Fresh octopus and lemon juice - what could be better (maybe a Greek coffee?)

The Limni Vouliagmani (Λίμνη Βουλιαγμένη Λουτρακίου (Κορινθίας) is called a lake but is really a sea-water bay west of the city of Loutraki on the Perachora peninsula. The bay is almost completely enclosed by limestone cliffs and has a narrow opening facing the Gulf of Corinth. The bay has become a popular destination for Athenians, who come here to swim, water-ski, and eat at seaside tavernas.

If you drive around the head of the Gulf of Corinth and continue along the south shore, you reach the little town of Nerantza. Here the beach is mostly cobble, but there is sand offshore. Time to sit and have a Greek coffee - and read a law book(?).

Lunch at Kogia Restaurant, right at the beach. Yes, the ingredients are locally-sourced. Yes, the chef prepares and grills or roasts everything to order. Yes, it is delicious. No, there is no vile corn syrup or other crap in the food. Why do so many American restaurants serve such offal while the most modest Greek restaurant will prepare a delicious and healthy meal from scratch for you?

Stomio, Greece

Mixed salad (not refrigerated, made fresh), Stomio, Greece

A few kilometers further west along the south shore of the Gulf of Corinth is Stomio. Purely by chance, I stopped at a small taverna after a few hours of exploring and had another superb meal.

This is the Gulf of Corinth from the Monastery of Panagias Korifis, situated on a spectacular cliff overlooking the coastal plain and the town of Xilokastro. The light color water contains silt from stream runoff. So much rain fell during the winter of 2018-2019, streams overflowed and farmers experienced local flooding. The sea inshore was more turbid this summer than usual.

This ends our short overview of summer at the sea. More Greek articles will follow.

* Paraphrased from the musical "For me and my Gal"

BY THE BEAUTIFUL SEA (Harold Atteridge / Harry Carroll) (1914) Spike Jones & his City Slickers (vocal: The Salt Water Tuffies) - 1947 Joe and Jane were always together. Said Joe to Jane, "I love summer weather, So let's go to that beautiful sea, Follow along, Say you're with me!" Anything that Joe would suggest to her Jane would always think it was best for her. So he'd get his Ford, Holler: "ALL ABOARD! Gosh, I want to be: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea! You and me, you and me, oh how happy we'll be! When each wave comes a-rolling in We will duck or swim, And we'll float and fool around the water. Over and under, and then up for air, Pa is rich, Ma is rich, so now what do we care? I love to be beside your side, beside the sea, Beside the seaside, by the beautiful sea!