Fiscardo (Kefalonia) to Stivos (Levkas)

Yesterday we were in a lovely little town at the northern tip of Kefalonia.  Many of the towns on Kephalonia were destroyed in an earthquake in 1953, and the result is a beautiful island with lackluster towns.   Fiscardo and another town, Assos, were largely untouched by the earthquake.  The towns west of Athens are more reminiscent of Italy than of those that one thinks of as Greek (those white houses with blue doors).  The colors are muted: sage, tan, soft blue, terra cotta, and sand.  The cafes surround the waterfront, and thankfully they are quiet, unlike so many other ports, especially in more heavily touristed areas.

Only 50-75 people live in Fiscardo year round.  Only the elderly and a few families with children stay here through the winter.  The population explodes in the summer with dozens of cafes, shops, and markets to support the tourists who mostly arrive by boat.  There is one baker in town. She and her husband are open from April through November, then spend their winter months further north in a larger town.  Code picked up some chocolate croissants and a chocolate chip brioche.  The man loves chocolate on pastry/breads.  Me? Not so much.  I could stare at a chocolate covered pastry or brownies all day long and not be particularly tempted.  It was a nice, creamy brioche, though, I have to say. 

Last night Code and I ate at a Thai restaurant.  It is the most non-european restaurant food we have had since leaving the states.  It was such a great treat! 

Today were in a small and pretty windy little harbor called Stivos, or something like that.  It is also a hub for charter boats.  We have spent the better part of the afternoon watching Sunsail, IslandSail, etc charter  boats arrive in port and med-moor (back up to the dock, stern-to…not easy) in 20 knot winds (of course, blowing from the side).  I am proud to say that Code and I are pretty good at the med-mooring, and best of all, we have a feel for what the other is doing (I man the anchor, Code manages steering).  It takes a two person team of coordinated maneuvers – you have to ‘feel’ what the other is doing.  Of course, it is great entertainment to watch others do it.  There are moments when I think captains are going to drop everything and start a fist-fight, right there in the water, when two boats are jockeying for the same spot.  Other times, we’ll hear the screaming and shouts from observers ashore advising or warning of a looming collision.  Worse, is when you hear a couple screaming at each other, bad communication, inexperience, and just the comfort that couples have in letting it all hang loose with I-told-you-so’s, let-me’s, and you-should-haves.  Fortunately, we are past all that (not having had been above it!). 

They are coming in one after another. Code likes to go help out.  I think it is because he can share what he knows, but also keep in practice on someone elses boat.  Plus, there is usually an offer of good conversation or a beer at the end.