Month: May 2025

We had a smooth trip home with an easy transfer in Amsterdam. It takes a couple of days to regroup but we’re getting settled and adapting to the Eastern Standard Time Zone.

Larry is feeling lots better and is checking in with his doctor today. We are grateful for the kind care he received in Lyon.

Thank you for following along.  Sending our best wishes to you!

Love,
Sharon and Larry

All is well in Lyon but we had another travel wrinkle. A couple of days ago, Larry had a complication from a surgery he had two months ago. We became concerned that he had an infection so when we contacted a physician, they suggested that we go to an emergency room for a test to determine the best course of action. We left during a thunderstorm and took an Uber to a hospital not far away.

They were very efficient at getting all of the information…name, address, symptoms, blood pressure, etc. There were a few people in the waiting room ahead of us, ambulances came and went…it was an interesting observing activity in a French hospital emergency area.

Larry’s name was called and he went back with a nurse but I was not allowed to go with him. He texted me updates…they did blood tests, urine samples, and more. After about 3 hours, I got a text saying that they wanted to admit him to the hospital for the night to give him an IV antibiotic and a follow-up treatment, We hadn’t imagined that he would be there so long and we hadn’t prepared for that – both of our phones were low on battery.

We decided that I would Uber back to the apartment while I had enough battery left on my phone to get a ride. Larry was able to come to the waiting area to get his jacket and to say goodbye. It felt strange going back to the apartment without Larry – I had a bite to eat and went to sleep. About 1:30 a.m. I woke to a tapping sound – at first I dismissed it and tried to go back to sleep but it persisted. Suddenly, it dawned on me that it might be Larry. I jumped out of bed and ran to the door…it WAS Larry. They released him from the hospital – in the middle of the night – but it was a huge relief.

Now, he has many stories to tell of his night in a French hospital. His got written copies of his test results which indicate that he had an infection. A kind pharmacist helped interpret the results and explained the instructions for the antibiotics he needed to take. It is fortunate that Larry speaks French and that he was able to communicate effectively with the staff at the hospital. We are grateful to the kind staff members who helped him – he is feeling much better.

The hospital didn’t collect any fees and said that they would mail a bill to our home address.

We have been able to get out and about. Today we took the funicular up the hill to the Basilica of Notre Dame of Fourvière.

The interior is beautiful as well.

We have one more day be for we fly home via Amsterdam on Friday. We’ve had  good weather for most of our time here. We are grateful that all of our travel kerfuffles have been resolved!

 

Markets in France are fun to explore and, happily, Lyon has a wonderful Sunday market that runs along the river. One section is arts and crafts and the other is produce, meats, plants, olives, cheeses and more.

We got a late start, got side-tracked by a couple of very chatty older women selling nice linoleum cut prints, and by the time we got to the produce, the market was closing down.  We scrambled through and picked out enough produce to make a simple dinner in the tiny kitchen…potatoes, scallions, zucchini, cherry tomatoes and strawberries for dessert.

We added a couple of roasted chicken legs, and sausages to make a very nice meal.

It rained a bit late in the afternoon but we went for an after-dinner walk around the Old Town. The city was quiet after bustling crowds for most of the weekend.

And a view of the quiet streets on a Sunday evening.

It’s Monday morning now and we’re heading out for more adventure. We still have a few more days here before our departure on Friday.

We left our hotel in Athens early Friday morning to go to the Athens Airport for our EasyJet flight to Lyon.  The flight was delayed so by the time we arrived at our apartment in Lyon, we were exhausted. We were met by Laura, the apartment owner who gave us a brief overview. We’re staying in Lyon’s Old Town on the 4th Floor of a building with a dingy, dark stairway and a tiny elevator. The space is quirky and it’s taken us a day to adapt to its oddities…one big plus is the large windows with view of the river.

This is a view of the dining area:

The first thing we did after we arrived in Lyon was head to a nearby pub for a burger and fries. The staff members at Bis Cafe were fun, welcoming and the food prepared with care.

When we land in a new place we head for the grocery store to stock up on breakfast supplies, coffee and snacks. Casino is the local grocery store…usually very small with just a few aisles. The produce is picture perfect (and more expensive compared to Greece.)

The apartment does have a washing machine but it takes a lot of patience to get it started as each model is different-Larry figures it out every time! Late this afternoon after successfully operating the machine and then drying some clothes at the laundromat, we stopped for a local aperitif – Kir made with white wine and crème de cassis.

It’s cooler here compared to Greece. The apartment has old-style registers that only come on after the room cools to 20 C. The evenings can be chilly, the ceilings high, so it takes awhile for the apartment to warm up. We add an extra layer to stay warm.

Tomorrow is the Sunday Market along the river. We’re anxious to check out local produce, cheeses, and crafts. Today we’re resting up from yesterday’s travel day and happy to be in France!🇫🇷

We just looked out the window and discovered a view of the Cathedral (Basilica of Fourviere) above the city. We plan to take funicular there one day this week.

We’ve found some great restaurants in Athens and most very reasonably-priced. One exception was the Busy Bee Cafe with very delicious coffee and pastries, but  at a premium price for Greece.

To get a view of the Parthenon, we walked part of the way up Lycabettus Hill – which was quite a climb uphill on a very warm day. There is a funicular that would take us to the top quickly but at 40 Euro round trip the price was too steep. A view of the ocean in the distance shows us why this was a good strategic location.

it seems every city has graffiti and Athens is no exception. We were puzzled by this one, which seems to be in German. We asked a passing local about it, but she was as mystified as we were. She decried the proliferation of graffiti in her beautiful city.

We have been pleasantly surprised by how much we’ve enjoyed wandering around Athens this trip. Tomorrow (Friday) we fly from Athens to Lyon, France. With adventures ahead, Larry has been reviewing his French so we’ll be ready!

We left Sami Monday morning for the 45 minute drive to the Argostoli Airport. The  Greek sunshine is excellent for flowers –  especially roses. We will miss the scent of these glorious flowers in gardens around town – often we saw roses mixed with lilies, geraniums or other flowers.

We will also miss the sunsets – each evening a different hue of pink, yellow, or blue.

Cats! There are many cats in Kefalonia – some are sleek and some are scruffy but the locals seem to make sure that they are well-fed. They mysteriously appear under any table at a seafood restaurant.

On the way out of town we passed the Odysseus Theme Park – how did we miss this attraction?!

We got a very good deal on our rental car from Rent Car Kefalonia but there is an extra charge if it’s dusty when it’s returned. We made a quick stop for gas and a car wash.

We returned the car in plenty of time to make our flight to Athens. A two-hour flight delay and a 50-minute Metro ride into the city, made for a late arrival to our hotel. We are staying in a quieter neighborhood near a couple of museums that we are interested in seeing. The museums were closed today but we will still have time to visit them before we leave on Friday.

We’ve made a smooth transition from the laid back islands to the bustling city. All is well!

 

We have had a wonderful time visiting some of main towns and villages on the island of Kefalonia over the past couple of weeks. We are happy with our decision to spend more time here rather than in some of the larger cities on the mainland. Yesterday we went to the small archeology museum in Sami. There are excellent displays of jewelry, pottery, grave goods, mosaics, and other artifacts found nearby.

From a video at the museum, we learned about the Acropolis on the hill above Sami. One guide to Kefalonia describes it this way:  “The ruins of the Ancient Acropolis of Sami can be found in Lapitha Mountain, over the port town of Sami. It can be reached by a series of scenic trails, which also connects a number of neighboring Roman remains.” The trails are extensive and a sign posted on a tree at the beginning of the trail suggested that for more extensive hikes, a guide is recommended to avoid getting lost, or having problems wild dogs or snakes. However, we’ve been on the island for two weeks, and have yet to encounter a wild dog or a snake, so the risk seems low. We plunged ahead and were rewarded with beautiful scenery in every direction.

Initially, the path was rocky and dense with vegetation but as up got closer to the top, it opened into a field of wildflowers.

There are abundant wildflowers, many bees,  and Larry found patches of parsley and other herbs.

Fortunately, a paved road goes up the mountain providing access to the extensive trails at the top. It was a good Sunday afternoon adventure.

Tomorrow we leave the island on a short Aegean Airlines flight to Athens. We are already thinking of a plan to return to Kefalonia one day soon.

 

 

 

The earthquake on Larry’s birthday was quite something…the  apartment manager in Lixouri told us that it happens quite a lot! For us, it was a unique experience and one that we won’t soon forget. But, we have moved on and are now in Sami for our last stay in Kefalonia (though it’s sometimes spelled Cephalonia.) The drive from Lixouri to Sami was about one hour with beautiful vistas and wildflowers along the way.

Sami is our favorite town so far with tavernas along the seashore and tables decorated with fresh oregano, birds of paradise and roses (in the background below.)

There are lovely places to relax along the water…after a long walk we sat and watched the ferries arrive and depart. At this self service cafe, we order our drinks at the bar and carry them to our table. This pink aperitivo is Sprite with grenadine syrup…a no-alcohol substitute for Campari and soda.

We think that the ferry below is arriving from Ithaca – an island we want to visit, though it may not happen this trip.

Searching for a recommended restaurant, we found this folk art garden in a field along the way.

Everyone tells us that we are traveling in Kefalonia at the perfect time…excellent cool and sunny weather, few crowds, lower prices and locals happy to have us here. We’ll be here one more day before we leave this relaxed town to travel to the bustling city, Athens.

May 1 is a significant holiday in Greece AND, it’s Larry’s Birthday. This morning we were awakened by a jolt…a 3.2 magnitude earthquake in the Ionian Sea about 7 km north of us. Later, we felt a 2.9 magnitude aftershock. We’re calling it a BirthQuake in honor of Larry’s special day. This area is known for earthquakes – there was a major one here in 1953 that destroyed the town. Now, buildings here must be constructed with special reinforcements and no taller than two stories. The power stayed on but the water was off for a while. For now, all is well.

The city is quiet because of the holiday and we will leave here later this morning to drive to our next stop, Sami.

Yesterday we set out to visit some wineries on the Kefalonian Wine Road. Kefalonia is known for its Robola white wine. We grabbed some spinach pastries, fruit, and cookies and we were on our way. In spite of the hours posted on the sign outside the winery, it was closed.  With no one around, we took advantage of the shady picnic area behind the winery for a nice picnic lunch.

Our next stop was the to a nearby Kipouria Monastery – also closed – but located on a hillside with a spectacular view of the Ionian Sea.

There are sometimes surprises along the way! Goats on the road…

Back in town, we went for a walk along the sea and visited a peaceful cemetery. There was an attendant at the entrance selling wreaths, candles, and flowers.

We spent 4 nights in Lixouri – our time in Kefalonia is leisurely. Today we will drive to Sami to spend 4 nights, then Monday (May 5), we will fly back to Athens for 4 nights. From there, we will fly to Lyon, France for one week before returning home. Hoping all is well with you wherever you are!