Homeward Bound: The Final Leg

Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Fortunately, we did not have to awaken at the crack of dawn, but could enjoy the castle grounds and hospitality until around 10 o'clock, after the elegant breakfast.

The Countess summoned a large taxi for us and our fearless fivesome piled in for the drive to the main Dusseldorf airport where Carol and I were scheduled for a one o'clock Air Berlin flight to JFK, New York.  Aron and family were continuing on in the taxi to Cologne to visit friends before flying to JFK the following day.  We drove on the famed speed limitless autobahn passing most vehicles but giving way to a few high speed roadsters who would have been airborne had they wings. 

We crossed the Rhine river, but it was not the picturesque image I've held in my mind after growing up with a painting in my parents' house of the Rheinstein Castle on the forested hillside overlooking the Rhine.  (Note to self:  Take the river cruise down the Rhine....)
The flight was uneventful but takes the prize for having the most crying and fussy babies and children that I've ever experienced.  One little fellow around age 3 or so, who happened to be seated directly behind me, had a total meltdown.  He kicked furiously at my seat back and, oddly enough, his mother and sole companion, wasn't admonishing him or apologizing to me. Her tone to him was soft and low.  I turned around once to look at her and she did offer apology.  She looked tired.... Carol and I looked at each other and had an epiphany: this was no typical tantrum and the mother knew she was powerless to calm the child. He was refusing to be belted into his seat when our captain so instructed us.  Flight attendants came 'round at first with gentle, but authoritative direction, but then watchful silence and finally relenting to allow the mother to hold the child in her lap for the landing.  He mostly quieted then. We were totally overcome with empathy and sympathy for this mom who, for whatever reasons, was traveling alone with a child likely labeled with a diagnosis.  Upon landing, I reached to touch her arm and said simply, "Good luck to you..."  A knowing glance passed between us....
The JFK experience was in a word, terrible! ...passing through customs was no problem, but after that terrible signage, confusing directions, tram to this terminal, no...that terminal....walk this long corridor, now walk outside across lanes of traffic (?) and finally to the correct Delta domestic commuter terminal.  It was worse than any teeming bus station. The posted gate for our departing flight had been changed, the flight departure delayed for several announced reasons, some of which contradicted previous announcements.  We worried that we would miss our connecting flight in Detroit that would bring us home to Nashville.   We started bonding and commiserating with others on our flight, including a Nashville business man also making the transfer in Detroit as we were.  Sarcasm and gallows humor sustained us.  A young boy with limited English (age 10 or 12) traveling with his non-English speaking mother in head scarf, relied on us to help him know when to board.  At our reassigned gate they loaded 2 or 3 flights scheduled to depart after ours, so it was very confusing and it was getting into evening of what had been a very long day.  Finally, we boarded and then spent another hour waiting our turn to take off!  Please, please, please, Delta.  Hold that plane for us in Detroit!  Luckily, they did and we finally boarded what would be the last plane of our final leg of this most extraordinary adventure/vacation! 
Carol's husband Jody met us at BNA after midnight.  We had been up now 24 hours. It was good to be home.  For the entire trip, I had been suppressing concerns about my missing kitty, Spook.  So, before I could collapse into bed, I was compelled to go out and walk the grounds at 1am, calling for him.  No luck. Start the search tomorrow. Welcome back to reality.....

Postscript: Homage to Feral Cats and Critters

 

Throughout our travels we encountered and photographed feral cats, so this entry is especially aimed at the cat lovers among us.  We also captured images of other animals along the way, principally geese and goats in Crete. Enjoy!

Ephesian cat who looks very much like my Angel.

Another one in Ephesus, Turkey

Same 'gata' on the move.

The ruins at Ephesus make very appealing perches for cats.

 

Two more Ephesians on the move.

 

A dog at Ephesus scratching fleas. How'd that get in here?

 

The rest of these cats we encountered in Crete, not surprisingly around the open air cafes that are so prevalent.



I remember this snoozing calico at the monastery near Preveli.

 

This poor tabby was skinny and obviously hungry.  We found him prowling the grounds of a public toilet in rural Crete near an archeological site. Get this fella to a café!

 

This winery cat is obviously not feral.  He was quite well fed and relaxed!

 

 

This gaggle of geese in 'downtown' Plakias were rather aggressive.  We were careful not to antagonize them.  Geese can damage a body!

 

Found these unidentified fowl along a stream near Preveli.

 Can anyone identify the species?

 

On the opposite side of the stream....more geese.

 

Wild goats thrive on the rocky landscape of Crete.  This group we found on our last day in Crete. 

So there you have it! Gato, geese and goats....and one dog!

##







Postscript: A Feast for the Senses

[I asked Carol to write about the sensory delights of our trip since she is a foodie, an herbalist, and keenly knowledgeable about flowering plants and trees.  We were fortunate to have her with us for these and many other reasons.  The following is part one of her submission. Hoping to get part two....] 

Everywhere on our trip there were beautiful sights, from the broad vistas to the smallest details, and much of that has been described.  But, of course, there were also the sounds, and the smells, and the tastes.  We have not written as much of the tastes of our trip.  This post will remedy that.

This is where we dined in Positano!

The way we ate – al fresco.  Whenever there was an opportunity, we ate outdoors.  In Rome it was sitting at tables pulled out every morning and balanced on cobbled streets.  There, the smell of delicious food would mix with exhaust from motor bikes, and the sounds of chatter and laughter blended with the mechanics of the city at work and play. On the Amalfi Coast, we sat under an arbor of bougainvillea on a porch perched over the cliffs, smelling the sweet scents of the flowers, and the salt air.  In Crete it was easy to find a covered porch with a view, a terrace, or a spot on the street.  Food just tastes better when consumed outdoors.

We also tried to make dining choices that focused on local food culture as much as possible.  Even as the world shrinks and international cuisines are available everywhere, differences in culinary culture still make travel exciting and full of variety.  In Rome that meant dining late with antipasto, good wine, and simple Roman food. 






There were plenty of pasta and pizza choices, of course, but all were plainer and simpler than versions from other parts of Italy, or the more Americanized dishes we know at home.  It also meant leisurely breakfasts with fresh breads and pastries, wonderful cheeses and meats, hard-boiled eggs, fruit and juice. 
  The coffee – delicious, though not provided in the quantities to which most Americans are accustomed.  No vente coffees here, no “bottomless cup” refills.  Ordering an Americano coffee yields a civilized 6 oz cup of individually produced espresso, diluted with water but still with its wonderful crema.  Ordering “filter coffee” when it was available, did not generally yield as good a cup of coffee.  When it comes to coffee, I appreciate quality.  However, I have to admit that I have a fondness for quantity, too.  One of the treats on the cruise ship was the full pot of good coffee that was delivered to the cabin every morning.  Royal Caribbean understands American tastes!

Our time in Crete provided wonderful culinary experiences.  I can say with some authority that Crete has not recently jumped on the local food movement.  It appears that it has been a way of life forever.  What we ate was also what we saw growing and being produced all over the island.  This was true of crops, herbs, and animals.

First and foremost – the olives and olive oil. The landscape was covered with olive trees of all sizes and ages.  There were planted orchards, but also just trees growing everywhere on mountain slopes, in valleys, in town and in the country.  Olive trees provide a distinctive sage green color to the dry and craggy landscape of Crete.  Regularly along the roads there were stands set up to sell olive oil, honey, and raki.  Every meal began with fresh bread served with olive oil, and ended with a cruet of raki and tiny shot glasses.  Ledges along the hills were often filled with rows of beehives for the bees that are critical to pollinating crops and to producing sweetly scented honey.

The wine – from Crete.  Every restaurant serves “barrel wine”.  Served by the glass, or from a half or full liter pitcher, they may well be served right from the barrel because they are so local – no need to bottle.   The same is true for the raki, distilled from the grape stems and hulls left over from wine production.  Unlike the strong raki, Cretan wines tend to be light, good for a hot climate.

The cheese – feta, feta, feta, with a healthy dose of mizithra.  Fresh soft cheeses from ewes and goats.  Sheep and goats were a part of the landscape in Crete, and donate to the food scene.  Generous helpings of cheese are a part of Greek and Cretan salads, beautifully baked casseroles of local eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, and other produce.   The yogurt was another gift.  Fresh, tart, unadulterated.  It is the main ingredient in Tazatziki, the dip made with garlic and cucumber.

We ate lots of cucumber and fresh flavorful tomatoes.  They frequently came in salads that also included olives, capers, artichoke, boiled potatoes, and purple onions.

Every menu included “stuffed wine leaves”, fresh local fish on the grill, spinach pies (which make a great breakfast), as well as moussaka and a variety of grilled and stewed fish or meats: lamb, goat, rabbit, and pork.  One real treat for me was stuffed zucchini flowers.  Yum!  Zucchini flowers are picked in the early morning, before they fully open.  Herbs and rice are tucked inside and the neat little pockets are fried and served with sour cream.

Much of what we ate on Crete could be characterized as “home cooking” – fresh ingredients, honestly prepared.  Not fussy or showy, just delicious.  A key to this food is the seasonings and herbs that are used.  That brings us to the flora of the Mediterranean.  I’ll tell you about that part of the feast next.

##

Out of Crete and Into a German Castle with Count!

Tuesday, July 16, 2013 (part two):
The second half of this travel day begins with the arrival at Chania Airport.

Aron had booked for all of us flights on Ryan Air, an Irish cheap fare airline.  He's flown Ryan Air many times.  You can't beat the airfare prices, but you pay for everything else!  We showed up with our boarding passes on Aron's laptap.  Every other airline in the world (that we knew of) recognizes and accepts these e-tickets, but not Ryan, at least not without charging some outrageous amount!  So....we discovered this fubar after waiting in line at the ticket counter to check luggage and get our seating group (no assigned seats).  Rather than pay the E-ticket extra cost, Aron and Carol dashed off looking for someplace in the airport where they could print out the boarding passes.  On the third try, they finally encountered a helpful soul who took pity and agreed to print from Aron's thumb drive.  In the meantime, I took a place at the end of the queue hoping they would return with paper tickets before I got to the counter.  They managed to...barely.  The next anticipated fee would be for overweight luggage and it was significant.  Finally, we board the plane and managed to get seating in the same row!  This airline is so cost conscious (I would say miserly or cheap) that the seat backs don't have pockets and the instruction card is printed on the seat back.  They also don't provide barf bags, which created an embarrassing, not to mention messy, situation for a few passengers 10 or so rows ahead of us!  Helpful hint:  If you fly Ryan Air, take your own barf bag!  Take two or three for the folks on either side of you!
The plane left on time and we were on our way to the smaller regional airport Weeze-Niederrhein (NRN) not far from Dusseldorf.  That was quite a transition from the arid terrain of Crete to the green fields and trees of Germany.  Aron had booked a night for us at Schlossruine Hertefeld, a partially rebuilt 14th century castle that had been in the same family for 23 generations!  I suggest you check out the website for further details on the history/reconstruction/event services:



www.hertefeld.com 



The owner/proprietor had told Aron he would have us picked up at the Weeze (pronounced Vee-Zee) airport and to call upon arrival.  The owner himself came and loaded up our luggage for the five minute drive to the castle/inn.  What a pleasant, jovial, unassuming gentleman this was!  Astonished to read in the brochure that this everyman is, with his wife, Count and Countess zu Eulenburg und Hertefeld!  When I stated the obvious, the count grinned and noted that his father is Prince zu Eulenburg u.H. and, when he passes, the title is inherited.  Whoa!  I made sure I got my photo made standing with Count-soon-to-be-Prince zu Eulenburg u. H.!

Mind boggling!  Only once in the succession did the castle inheritance go to a daughter, who married a Prussian soldier named Eulenberg.  WWII laid waste to the brick structure in April 1945. It was not Allied bombs that did the damage, but rather German troops "in the confusions of the world war," as politely stated in the brochure!

If you ever travel near Dusseldorf close to the western border with Holland, do yourself a favor and visit overnight or longer to experience the "very personal atmosphere" as advertised!  What a treat our too short stay here was!  We were treated royally.

In the evening, the Count and Countess served us fruit, local wine, crackers and the most delicious cheese from Switzerland (as noted by the Swiss born Countess).  It was a fairytale experience complete with breakfast on white linen cloth using the castle's signature bone china.

 A first class experience all the way!  Carol and I gushed enthusiastically our appreciation in the castle/inn's guest book.  Was it silly of me to close my sentiments with, "Y'all come see us?"  :)  I wasn't just saying it....I would love to see these charming folks again. I confess, Germany has never been at the top of my list of places I want to see.  This one night has certainly reoriented my thinking.  I shall return..."mit gusto!"

 

 

##

Over the Mountains and Through the Winery

Tuesday, July 16, 2013 (Part one):
This was our departure day from Crete and our idyllic mountainside retreat.  We packed and left hoping to include one or two more tourist stops on our way to the airport at Chania on the north side of the island.  We drove west along the southern coast to catch the main highway going north over the mountains.

As usual, Carol was in the navigator's seat and I was in the back seat next to Sofie with my camera in hand.  For several days I had been trying to capture the image of a Cretan wild goat, known as agrimi or kri-kri.  We saw them frequently during our stay, but we were on the move and I couldn't get the shot.  I was determined this would be the day.  Success!  Aron slowed the car and I was able to snap a few decent shots of goats balanced on large rocks. 

Our first destination was Frangokastella, a fortress constructed in the late 14th century by the Sfakians, descendants of an ancient tribe from northwest Greece who invaded Crete around 1100 BC. The fortress changed hands over the centuries from the Venetian and Turkish invaders and finally to the Cretans who eventually overthrew the Turks and won their independence.  At one point, there was a massacre of 600 Cretan fighters and the beheading of their leader at the hands of the Turks.  The fort was built next to a popular beach, although probably not so popular back in the day....The construction was pretty typical for medieval times when bow and arrow was the first line of defense.

Inside the heavy walls of this mostly ruined structure, there was a wooden platform or stage erected, so we imagined it could be a great venue for concerts and plays now. The one remaining corner tower had been renovated to serve a three story gallery with displays of handcrafted lace, paintings, and photography. 

We took lunch at the nearby seaside café and then continued our trek along the shoreline until we intersected with the northbound route that went up, up, up in a series of zigs and zags to an incredible height.

The mountains in this range include several higher than Clingman's Dome in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The scenery was spectacular, but I'm afraid does not translate well to snapshot photography.  We were at such elevation that the horizon separating sea and sky practically disappeared.  Finally, we began our descent and when we saw a sign pointing to a winery, we wisely chose to stop and check it out. 

What a find this was! The Dourakis Winery was charming and quaint and I was in heaven shooting the flora and fauna as well as the architectural and wine making features including an old wine press, and casks and bottles of wine.  The vintner/owner was Adonis! (No, really! That is his name.) He poured samples of the various white and red vintages and we were all very favorably impressed.

They are a small vineyard and don't export to the US, unfortunately.  We were hoping to buy a mixed case to ship back to Tennessee, but alas we were low on Euros and Adonis said they couldn't process credit cards.  It's probably for the best.  Shipping with tariffs and such would probably cost more than the wine. I offered cash US dollars, but he declined.  What a disappointment. So, collectively we did buy 3 bottles to bring back in our luggage at least.  Greek wine....Dourakis Winery.  Remember that name.  It is good stuff!
##