FOLEGANDROS: Lunch with the Greeks at O’Cristo’s, Cyclades, Greece.
I MUCH PREFER THE SMALLER AND OFTEN UNKNOWN OR LESSER KNOWN islands of Greece having tromped through at least 20 different Greek Islands both large and miniscule. Of course, the first time I spent time in The Cyclades, I had to see Santorini, also called Thira. Santorini, the island of cliffs, black beaches and the caldera. Included with this is the steady daily flow of lit’rally thousands of tourists coming off their cruise ships for the allotted 5 hours to wander the alleys, buy a tee and a hat, perhaps get thieved on jewelry, wolf down a gyro washed over with a few lousy Alpha beers and make it back to the cattle cars to the serenity of the cruise ship with the other cheeseheads happlly crossing Santorini off their bucket lists. I filled my cup with the crowds on the first trip but then started exploring the smaller islands year after year for some 20+ years now.
Rocky cliffs Chora, Folegandros, Greece copyright rj lerich
Folegandros: I read the short chapters on Folegandros in all the major books, many of which feature my photos, and decided I’d better get there before the cheeseheads arrived. No reservations (nod to Bourdaine) with only a bit of knowledge in my skull, I departed Santorini on the smaller ferry arriving an hour later at the one main port in Folegandros to be greeted by “the bus”, one of only two buses that plied the dirt roads of the island dodging Greek farmers leading their donkeys loaded with the day’s produce pick. Sort of what I expected and definitely what I wanted. The ferry meeting bus had but one short route and that was up the hill to the chora, the capital, the main town overlooking the cliffs and featuring a number of guest houses. This adventure was made easier as the first guest house I inquired at the “room to let” sign, had rooms open and a Romanian gal that spoke an understandable version of English. Showed me a room with 3 beds, although I was solo, and all the necessaries including a second door with view shown above which also afforded a great cross ventilation. Just perfect at about $25 USA with the not often found hot water shower!
Cafe setting Chora, Folegandros, Greece copyright rj lerich
It was a Sunday and towns get very quiet in the Greek Island on Sundays regardless of my hunger. I wandered noticing almost all the tavernas were closed now at noon but not a place hidden away at the edge of a cathedral, under a drooping tree of some sort and with one table filled with Greeks! All men. Fishermen, I surmised. As usual with the dining habits of Greeks, the table was absolutely filled with appetizers:spanakopita, stuffed leaves, giant beans, meat-a-balls, cheese pies, chorta and tzatiki and taramasalata (fish roe). Now this did not include the main courses and the requisite horiatiki ( a goldarned ‘real’ Greek salad replete with a nice, big slab of Greek feta cheese, not those little crumbled bits served in America and elsewhere in the world).
Greek Salad in the Cyclades Islands, Greece copyright rj lerich
Sometimes with family of friends, I’ll eat like a Greek but this time I just wanted whatever kindly Mr. Cristo (”O’Cristo’s Taverna) or, should I say, Mrs. Cristo had just prepared that morning which happened to be moussaka. Tasty, filling, authentic moussaka. That, the required comes on every table want it or not crusty baked that morning Greek bread and a carafe of crasi, house wine, made by the farmer down the hill who probably also made the feta, a bottle of mineral water with gas, and I was all set to begin my Folegandros adventure as the Greek fishermen stuffed their Sunday faces, sipped their ouzo and laughed heartliy with and at one another.
Moussaka with house wine Chora, Folegandros, Greece copyright rj lerich
Writing and photos copyright rj lerich www.rjlerich.com
Bedford, NY April 26, 2016