In Jo's Words
16 July 2019
Jo
Omg, how best to describe a glorious time sailing the edges of Greece? We hopped on board the sleek and tidy boat Rialto and into a dream. Cheryl and Michael's hospitality was second to none, generous, warm and caring. I felt right at home and very welcomed.
Poros, our first stop was bustling and busy and my first introduction to stern tooooing!! My first introduction to "The walking of the plank", nerve wracking initially but finally mastered which made me feel like a well worn sailor. Only the occasional wobbles while crossing were seen when I wasn't holding someone's hand!!
And off we went, I cant remember all the names and the order of the astounding bays and towns we stayed at but I do remember my first of many, many swims in warm velvety, shiny turquoise water. My first was by a cliff in many many metres of water - more than a hundred apparently- eeeek!! It was like paradise, the freedom and the feeling oh so small in this very very large and generous bathtub. I tried to keep up to "five swims" a day but around the middle of our stay at the most relaxed point (I call it the dribbling stage), it was very hard to actually raise my head and contemplate even my naval let alone the onerous chore of putting my swimmers on and covering my modesty!!
We had lovely dinners and lunches in lone tavernas on the edges of small bays, with lots of Greek white or Rose to wash it all down. Many "Rialto" meals where I mastered the pouch bbq style taught by the delectable Cheryl. Meals cooked to perfection and again accompanied by fine Greek wine which I'm sure tasted better on hols but who cares! All accompanied by laughter and fun Rialto style. Dice where Davo kicked our arses, karaoke owned by Michael and and his side kick Dave! Banana scrabble where Cheryl wiped the table with us scaring David into not playing. Wonderful laughs and merry making kept us all holding our sides.
My favourite place was chapel cove where I could pretend I was on a movie set with a wonderful cast. We even contemplated more karaoke with our neighbours using their national songs, one from the sound of music and one with a repertoire from last night of the proms with waltzing Matilda in centre stage. Sorry Cheryl can't remember what the American national anthem is called but you certainly could of made it star spangled with your talents!
I loved the quiet of chapel cove and the walk to Kiparissi dodging the swarms of marauding cicadas, just like home! Watching boat telly and trying to workout how many types of fish swam past and what their day would bring them. Superb contemplation.
I could harp on for many more lines but all in all I want to be back-NOW. Thanks admiral and captain of the Rialto, a holiday never forgotten and always yearned for. Next year perhaps??