April 3

Yesterday we woke up early and took cabs to the bus stop where we took a bus to the port of Patra. From there we took a ferry over to Kefalonia. It was cool and grey with a light mist in the air. It was uncanny how much it felt like we were in Puget Sound heading to Orcas or some other island! The exceptions were the color of the water - A deep, deep turquoise (probably not really evan a turquoise anymore :) - and the mountains are a mixture of rock, cliff, scraggly trees and then some forest. 

We pulled into the port town of Sami on the the northwest side of the Island - in sight of the fabled Island of Ithaka. Christian (Charles' friend) and I saw secluded beaches on Ithaka no more than 50 meters wide only accessible by boat - the plan: get some kayaks and spend our break cruising around Kefalonia and Ithaka from beach to beach and camping out. From Sami we took the bus to Argostoli - a beautiful drive up over the pass (there is actually a 5,500 ft. mountain in the middle of the Island!!). We saw herds of goats, flocks of sheep and even a small wind farm high up on the ridge! We dropped into Argostoli and winded our way around the bay to our apartments.

I live in Napier with four other students and our wonderful "guide" Constantina. Somehow I ended up with a studio apartment to myself! It overlooks Napier Gardens - the main park in town and is just two blocks from the Platia - the central square! The apartment area is beautiful. Our landlady is a slight elderly lady full of life and energy. The complex has a tiny courtyard in the middle where we can hang laundry and share meals and the entire area is made of white marble floors with large wooden doors and shutters with oversized wrought iron fixtures and potted plants at every turn. 

After dropping our stuff off at the apartment Joe and I headed to the beach. It was cold and sprinkling rain but we could not stand being on a Mediterranean Island and not going in the water. We stuck out like sore thumbs as we headed to the water in board shorts and chacos but it was a refreshing swim with not a soul in sight.

(I can't figure out how to make the picture right side up.  oh well)