Every part of this vacation has been wonderful, but the time in Greece was special beyond belief. We spent five nights in Kalamata, the capital of Messinia, located in the Pelopenesian Peninsula, in the southwest of Greece. The mountains, the coastlines, the beaches, the villages would all be stunning on their own, but to have a family waiting to welcome us with open arms and to literally stop their world to make sure we had everything we need was a treasure beyond measure.
Gloria’s mother’s first cousin’s son, daughter in law, and two children welcomed us wonderfully. We arrived in Kalamata on Tuesday night after flying from Budapest to Athens, picking up our rental car at the airport, and driving about three hours. Eighteen years ago the same trip took perhaps five hours; the road has been improved through the mountains that much! We found the beach in Kalamata and our hotel, Flisvos, with a balcony view of the beach. This is the view from our balcony, looking southeast. 
Perfect. We called the family to let them know we had arrived and made plans to see them the following morning, then strolled the beachfront for a meal. Though Gloria ordered cod (she thought) she received sardines; salty and not the way I’d want them. I had pork and a Greek salad, and was thrilled with my meal. The Greek wine makes everything go down better, though.
Next morning, we drove the fifteen miles northwest to the family home…the Kouretas family: Giorgi, Ianna, his wife, and their two children Theodorus and Christina who were both at work. Giorgi is on the family farm; his grandfather began it, very poor, and he and his father, now deceased have made it prosperous…he raises olives for Kalamata oil (best in the world!), figs, some vegetables, and two crops of potatoes each year, and also keeps animals for their needs. 
Pictured is the 200 year old house where his father was born…he’s been restoring it though he uses it for storage now.
After a wonderful reunion (it’s been 18 years since we were together!) and a good visit, we sat down to an amazing collection of dishes. Ianna had prepared chicken with macaroni and a special sauce; a huge platter of French fried potatoes, stuffed peppers and eggplants, a village salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and olives, bread, feta cheese made from sheep milk, and wine. Everything but the bread came from their farm, and all was delicious.
Unfortunately, Giorgi and I had a bit too much of the family wine; we both took naps. While we were sleeping, Gloria and Ianna walked up the road to visit Tula, her mother’s first cousin-in-law. Cousin Athenasios has been dead many years now, and Tula is quite old, but was happy to see Gloria again. This is the view I woke to from my nap, from the second story of their home...gorgeous!
When we all returned from our stupor, Giorgi drove us around the peninsula to Pilos…an amazing town with beautiful vistas of the Ionian Sea. 
It also has a Venetian fortress (I’m thinking 1300?) that makes one realize just how new America is. 
After walking around this area, he took us further south to Methoni, now a tourist village, but the home area of Gloria’s other grandmother (she’s related to Giorgi through her mother and his mother being cousins). It was both great to walk where her grandmother may have walked, but also to see another stunning Venetian fortress and to observe wonderful vistas.
Giorgi called Christina as she got off work (she works in accounting at a tourist hotel in Pilos) and she came and picked us up while he went home, and took us around the rest of the peninsula. We stopped to walk and enjoy one village, then drove through Koroni, which we visited with them the last trip, and which also has a Venetian fortress, and back to their house, and on back to the hotel…tired, but very happy.
Happily, Christina and Theodorus both have good jobs, rare for young Greek people, and both speak very good English. Giorgi has a bit of English, but as Gloria’s Greek improved with every day, mostly he spoke Greek…quickly! But amazingly, I’m beginning to understand and contribute to conversations. I’d love to have a month with them and see what my Greek was like.
Next day, on our own…we drove south of Kalamata on the east side of Messina Gulf over an amazing mountain road 
and landed in the beach village of Stoupa. Perfect! 
Several hours of beach, a large beer, a short walk, and back in the car to find the beach road back north….taking us down some goat path type roads that we were thankful no other cars were coming towards us. More beautiful vistas.
That evening we were picked up by the family and taken to Giorgi’s favorite fish restaurant just south of our hotel. We would never have found this place! He ordered: bread, salad, potatoes and for starters shrimp which he and I picked out; then octopus, then smelt or sardines that were fried and delicious. Gloria didn’t realize we’d also picked out a perhaps 6—7 pound grouper, which was roasted and brought to the table whole, but carved. 
We finished it off! And Giorgi insisted on paying for the meal, and everything while we were there. Hopefully they, or the children will come to America so we can return the favor…and I think we will be seeing the kids. Great kids, too.
Friday again, a day for us. We had seen a sign for a museum in Messini, the large town near them, so managed to find it, only to realize the 'museum' was an art gallery. Beautiful stuff and I got a few cards and a calendar there. Then we managed to find, due to one sign, ‘Ancient Messini’. Amazing! This ruin is about 2400 years old, and they are continuing to work, uncover and rebuild a town of that time that was both the capital of Messinia and housed around 30,000 people. After the Peloponesian Wars with Sparta, this became the new capital city in a defensible site at the foot of Mt Ithos. 
The book we bought is giving me so much information about the area that I never had. A gorgeous side trip, with a nice lunch after, with this view of the city ruins.
Down the hill, near the family village, and we found a private beach, which is to say, we had about ½ mile between us and anyone else. While Gloria napped, I spent hours walking up and down the beach and searching through the fantastic stones that have been worn smooth by ages…various types of marble, mostly. A perfect afternoon. 
Back to the hotel for dinner, then a bottle of wine in the room, and a long sleep.
Saturday, Theodorus and Christina picked us up around 10:30 and we drove south again, to a beach we hadn’t seen on our previous trip. 
We visited on our shaded beach chairs,
then drove north and back to the Kalamata beach for a light ‘meze’ that they ordered two platters of: much more food than we could eat, particularly knowing that Ianna was cooking for us that evening, and not too long after this meal. Oops. OPA!
We rejoined the family on Saturday night back at the house: Ianna’s sister Iphigenia was with them (on Thursday night too) and she’s delightful. The two had prepared many dishes for us: pork with tomatoes and onions, barbecued beef and sausage, potatoes in oil and rosemary, greens, feta cheese, salad, bread, plus thiplas, a great pastry Gloria’s grandmother used to make. And of course, the family wine!
After dinner I brought out the metaxa I’d brought along (Greek brandy) and my computer to show them family photos of Gloria’s dad’s 90th birthday (he visited them with us in 1996); then Theodorus brought out his bazookie and played us Greek folk music while we enjoyed brandy. 
Perfect evening, and perfect ending to our time with them! The Kouretsas family really treated us like royalty; we only hope we have a chance to show them the US in the same way. 
What a gift for Gloria (and for me!) to have this opportunity to get to know them, share heritage, and see their world. A wonderful experience! For Gloria, the chance to feel close to her roots and her family was priceless...
many thanks to the Kouretas family for their love and hospitality!
