Horta =Wild Greens

Could this be a contributor to longevity ?

Wild Greens picked on the mountainside 

Vleeta or Amaranth another name for this wild green,

Is what you will find growing in the mountains in  the month of June

Wash thouroughly

Prepared by boiling 10-20 minutes till soft

Add Olive oil and Lemon

Or also can be used uncooked in a salad form.

Kali orexi Good Appetite

Medicinal Hot Springs of Therma and Lefkada

The hot springs on Icaria boast some  of the best hot springs in the world, with temperature ranging 34-59 degrees Celsius. The thermometalic springs gush from the sea and reach the surface  through fault structures. These springs are known for their healing properties. Treating over 20 ailments  of Various forms arthritis, gout, disorders of the endocrine glands, skin ailments ,such as  psoriasis, exzema, fatigue just to name a few.  

We were a bit skeptical, but willing to try. We went to Therma  found the bathes to be closed and would  not open till 6pm. 

We opted for Lefkada springs, it's a bit of a hike over rocky uneven stones. We found spring, by markers of stacked rocks. Alone we submerge ourselves into sometimes almost burning waters,  mixed with the cool waters of Aegean Sea.We were   there  about 30 minutes.  We really didn't feel anything till we climbed out. Our  legs felt like they were made of rubber. 

We were told by the islanders, after your bath, you must rest for at least 1 hour and do nothing that day. I  can see why I was as weak as a kitten. On the ride home I slept the entire way. 

My husband I now have a ritual, every other week we go to Therma, for a therapeutic  massage, followed by soak in Hot springs. 

Lefgada Hot Springs

Marianna Ikarian Fava Recipe

Soak fava beans in water night before
Add same amount water to beans
1 onion
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Cook till soft
In  food processor blend all together
Mix till creamy
Serve with slices of onion, Parsley, and
Lemon
Kali orexi means good appetite

Last days in Athens

We are enjoying our last days in Athens with the family, yesterday we had Sunday dinner with family

They prepared Rooster from Dmitras village farm with pasta and grated cheese from the village, we thought the Rooster was more tender than the chicken or maybe it was  because it just so fresh.  We took the electric train back to our friends Dmitras apt where  we we spent our last night in Athens.

To sum up our impression of Athens compared to 10 years ago, we expected to come to Greece and see it in a state of disrepair, with all the news about its economy, what we found surprised us, the city was the cleanest we have ever seen it, the squares are filled with people Shopping, drinking coffee, eating souvlaki and talking on their Iphones, the places we  did see homeless and poverty was around Monastiraki, about the same as we saw some10 years ago ,we did notice less immigrants from Albania I am not sure why. There is a lot of talk about what might happen if the deal with Europe Falls through, and there have been cuts to people's pension, and many have to wait to receive their retirement, but there seems to be equalizing as well, landlords cut their rents, for example the apartment we are staying in is $250.00 per month located in a upscale neighborhood, her  electric is $50.00 per month, stores have lowered there prices and tourism is booming here. The elders say they have work on their farms and vineyards, but they can't find any young people  who are willing to do this type of work. In turn the young say there is no opportunities in Greece and want to leave  to seek  a better life. 

There are those critics who say the economy is the Greeks own fault, and thats what's wrong with Greece. But I have found the Greeks have it right about many other things that matter more than money , there are the family dinners that last for hours, there is hardly any nursing homes as the Greeks take care of there own, you can see people running up and down the streets with plates of food for family or friends who can't cook their own food, then there is the (platias) or the squares  where every night a ritual occurs, every man, women, child, & teenagers and babies  gather to play, eat, drink coffee, socialize, laugh or just stroll along the platia, there is a real sense of community and family here, this happens every night and goes on till around midnight, it reminded me of my childhood days when after dinner the parents would sit on the steps, and the kids would play tag or catch fire flies till the street lights came on.  I hope this blog gives you a glimpse into the Greeks life and not just what the media chooses to show us.

Ikaria May 27 2015

We took Hellenic ferry from Pireas bay
Stopping in  Syros, Mykonos and finally arriving after 8 hours at midnight to Ikaria. We stayed in Maria Elenia  hotel in the port $35. €. It is 1 hour drive to Ikarian wine farm that we will be staying at.

Kalvarita

In 1943 the Germans arrived in this beautiful mountain Village called Kalvarita they ordered all the men and boys to one area, where they  were shot, They then gathered all the women and children and locked them in  their schoolhouse and set the building on fire,To this day they are not sure , but someone or something unlocked the bolted door, and those who survived the fire fled to the mountains, days later they returned to their village that had been burned to the ground. There they buried there Husbands, son's, and family, Only 13 survived, 1600 died

Delphi

Delphi is the center of the universe, it is said that if you have a question that  you could come here, ask the high priestess your question , she would inhale the vapors  escaping  from the ground and the answers would appear to her.