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June 28, 2010
Rabbit stew and homemade wine: A warm welcome in the Greek Isles
If you’ve read most of my previous Journal entries, you know that my favorite way to explore a new destination in on my own two feet. I enjoy being active, so I’ll often set off with a map of the area and a general sense of where I want to go, but I rely on the rhythms of local life—a bustling open-air market, lively music spilling out of a cozy café—to guide me. To me, there’s simply no better way to experience another culture.
That’s why I’ve never been a big fan of cruising: the idea of a being on a hulking ocean liner for days on end, deprived of the ability to sneak off and explore on my own, isn’t at all appealing. However, as I learned during my last trip to Greece, cruising can be incredibly rewarding: It all depends on the size of your ship—and the people with whom you’re sharing your discoveries.
On this particular journey, Alan and I were joined by two couples, dear friends of ours who enjoy traveling as much as we do. Since we’d chosen to sail aboard a small ship, the atmosphere was cozy and intimate. And since the Greek Isles are grouped so closely together, we went ashore every day—in fact, several times a day—to learn as much as we could about life in the Aegean. We strolled along twisting cobblestone lanes in Chora, a hillside village on Folegandros … danced in tavernas lined up along the sandy shores of Mykonos … and marveled at the ancient ruins scattered across Delos.
One day, after swimming in the Aegean’s warm, intensely turquoise waters, the six of us decided to venture to another nearby island. Still in our bathing suits, we boarded the ship’s Zodiac (a small, inflatable motorboat) and quickly reached the shore. Upon arrival, we were met with an unusual sight: a large, plastic tent festooned with a half-dozen or so rabbit carcasses. Turns out this humble abode, which sat right in the middle of an unbelievably scenic shoreline, was the temporary home of a group of Greek men in their 40s, who came annually to the island for a week to hunt, drink, and spend time together.
Shortly after we’d landed, Alan decided to explore the island with the other two men in our group, leaving me and my friends, Diane and Ailish, to our own devices. It didn’t take long for the Greek men to notice us, and when they did, they beckoned us over to their tent with warm smiles on their faces. Inviting us to sit down at their table, one of the men poured us glasses of homemade wine while another peeled and chopped red onions to make a hearty rabbit stew. Though their English was as limited as our Greek, we could tell how much this annual getaway meant to them; their sense of freedom and exhilaration was almost palpable. So there we sat, on a wooden bench in our bathing suits, drinking wine (and later, when Alan, Lloyd, and Bob returned, the local equivalent of ouzo), and celebrating the beauty and vitality of the Greek Isles.
In your own travels, have you enjoyed similarly unexpected—and unforgettable—encounters with wonderfully hospitable local residents? If so, I hope you’ll share your thoughts with me—and other travelers—by posting your comments below this Journal entry. (You can also email me at harriet@oattravel.com.)
In the coming weeks, we’ll be featuring China, Japan, and Central America (specifically, Costa Rica and The Route of the Maya). If you’ve explored these destinations with OAT, I’d love to hear about your experiences—and see your photos! Email me at
harriet@oattravel.com
Harriet Lewis