Galaxidi

 Saturday, August 22, 2026

Breakfast was going to be at 9:00, then 9:30, and for some of us, even later.  I was up early and Jan was right behind me.  She went for a walk and I did some blogging and strolled into the garden where breakfast was being served around 9:30.  Art and Jan already had their coffee and there was a basket with breads, and plate with sweet breads (not the meat kind) and a three-tiered serving piece with cookie looking goodies.  A lovely continental breakfast and although there was no decaf, there were several teas from which to choose.

Silly us!  Here comes a serving tray loaded with six more items and a question as to whether anyone wants eggs and bacon!!  Who in the world could eat all this food!!! The rest of our group arrives and they think we are all sharing whats on our tray.  Mais non!  They get their own!!  Tomorrow I'll know not to sample everything and be more selective!

Our cooking event isn't until 1:30, so there is time to go shopping.  We completely missed the museum shop at Delphi and several of us really want a remembrance from their.  We've gotten directions to the local shops from the front desk and directions to an artisan place from both Dave and Harlan, Kathy's AI.  It's a good bit of hoofing (The day winds up being 6,100 steps) and I don't find anything I need, although Kathy gets a door knocker.  They seem to be one of the themes of the trip!  Ginger is collecting photos and I suggest that she make a puzzle.

                                                                        The town square

                                                                  And we missed it!  Drat!

                                               That's our restaurant, all the way to the right.

                                                                    Restored captain's house

We run into Dave at the Maritime Museum, which is quite small but nice if you're into sailing ships and assorted maritime objects.  It's not really a surprise, since he tracks Patty on his phone. 

From there we check out two churches.  The first, smaller one, has a volunteer, Leo, who is beyond pleased to be able to tell us about the church and especially about the sundial. which is not what you are thinking!  There is a small hole in the roof and the sun casts a beam onto the floor.  He puts a small ball down to mark the spot and when we look again a bit later, it has moved, as you would expect!  There is also a calendar on the floor with tiny holes for each day of the year.  Leo asks if we take our school kids to planetariums.  Yes.  He says this is like an upside down planetarium.  Instead of looking up, here you look down!

We would also like to see the larger church almost next door and he has to come with us to unlock it! WE are awed and amazed by the altar piece which is huge and hand-carved wood.  It took five artisans eight years to do it and the level of craftsmanship and detail in mins-boggling!  Although there is a "no cameras" sign, he allows us to take a few and he takes some which he send to Patty.  Each panel is a separate piece of wood and tells a separate story.  In the John the Baptist and Salome panel you can see the blood flowing freely at first and breaking up into individual droplets! And parts of the panel are actually fully three-dimensional!

The purpose was to give you an idea of how huge the altar piece, since we weren't supposed to photograph.

But after we had chatted he allowed a few!

See how far the ligh has traveled!

He tells us that St. Nicholas plays a large part in the church since he is the patron saint of mariners.  He says the saint is the reason they have the church.

As we're leaving he asks Patty and me to come back inside the first church to see how far the sun has advanced while we've been next door! Now we have to hustle to get to the Ganimede Hotel for our lesson in making spanakopita!  We meet up with the rest of the group and have time for a refreshing drink of ginger ale, which is a lovely shade of orange! (?)

It turns out that we are actually going to be making the pie, not just observing!  We all don our aprons and learn first how to make the dough.  While it is resting, we chop the greens for the filling.  We've got leeks, spinach, dill, and spring onions and everyone has a knife and chopping board.  We put everything into two huge bowls and add feta, four eggs (they are such a glorious orange color) and salt.  It all gets mixed together and then it is time to pull the dough to make the phyllo layers.  Everyone has a round board and a stick (a dowel about 3/4 - 1 inch in diameter) and first we watch the demonstration and then we big turning our lump of dough into a thin, thin layer. When we've got one that's good, it goes into a rectanglular pan that has been greased with olive oil.  Then there's a second layer and then a large amount of the chopped greens. Then two more layers that are topped with olive oil.  The edges are crimped together and brush with oil and sesame seeds go on top.  We've made enough layers for two pies and some left over that our co-instructor, our instructor's daughter, will make into a cheese pie.

Before we begin everyone has an ice cream and a glass of ginger ale which is orange and has an orange slice in it!  Very refreshing!

The restaurant has been in business for sixty years but the current owners have only had it for the past twenty or so.  Their breakfast has won the prize for the best Greek breakfast in town and everything is fresh from the market right outside and home made.

There are pictures and certificates and recipes and then we adjourn to the adjacent outdoor area (with a covering that can be opened) to enjoy another glass of ginger ale and chat while our pies bake.  We think we are just getting Greek salad and pie when we gather around the dining table, but we are so wrong!  There are also stuffed onions, stuffed eggplant, cheese pie, and a glorious salad!  And a Greek sauvignon blanc.  And Greek yogurt with a topping for dessert.  Mine has red berries but there is also carrot and something else! 

We sit at the table for quite a while before we are willing to leave! And we've got a doggie bag once again because - food!!  We straggle back to our hotel and there is some vague rumbling about going swimming but I just want to see my room!  Maybe I'll blog or maybe I'll just take a little nap!  Or maybe both.  One thing is certain, no one is going to want dinner after the breakfast and lunch that we've had! We leave tomorrow for Meteora, where the monasteries are.

                                                               Unique bathroom arrangement

Oh - happy news!  The ring that David got for Patty for their 42nd anniversary a few days ago has been found!  She noticed it missing while we were shopping, which left an awful lot of territory to search, but one of the servers at our hotel found it in the garden where we had breakfast!

Ten a.m. departure, so we'll have to have breakfast earlier tomorrow!  But it sure was luxurious to sleep in today, for those who are able to do that sort of thing!!  Now I've got to crash!