Life in Milos - Finding Our Groove

We have settled nicely into a wonderful groove on the island. If we'd had more time, we could have become even more comfortable, but you can only do so much in three days. We are enjoying ourselves immensely, and were sad to leave.

The section that we are in is called Pollonia, and it is quieter than the main port of Adamos, though clearly you can see that they are gearing up for the tourist rush. Not a bad way to be, actually. You work like a dog for three months dealing with all sorts of tourists, and then you get 8 months off to vacation and travel. How can you beat that? It sure beats working like a dog in America 60 hours a week for a company that will fire you in a heartbeat if it can save money outsourcing your job to another country. There is something to be said about the European way of protecting worker's rights. I know the old argument about the liberal approach to industry lessens a country's competitiveness in the global marketplace, but that argument doesn't hold true for countries like Germany, or even to some degree France, whose economies are competitive with America but also protect the worker. AND, even if those European countries are not the supreme economies of the world, think of how much more the people there enjoy life and get to spend time with their families. The reality is, the state of the American family is eroding, but I'll leave it at that.

Anyway, life sure is good over here in the islands, though if I had to make one adjustment to the whole lifestyle, it would be the presence of waves that we could surf. If there were waves and I could teach the kids to surf, then life would be perfect. The search continues. I'm confident that we'll find our perfect family vacation spot.

Over here on Milos, there are no waves, but lots of other good things. The calm waters are better for the kids to swim in, even though it has been unseasonably cool. As I mentioned, we don't mind, and if it were 100+ degrees, I'd be miserable. The mornings are especially nice, with a cool breeze and quiet streets. I usually get up first and walk into town to the bakery, where they have all sorts of breakfast pastries and fresh bread. The woman who runs it is super friendly, and works from the early morning until the evening because she's the only game in town.

We usually go with the spinach pies and the bacon/cheese pies, with fresh croissants and bread. Throw in some OJ, coffee, and a chocolate croissant, et voila, the perfect Euro breakfast. The only thing we've been having a hard time tracking down is fresh fruit, which is a staple in our home.

After breakfast, the kids hit the beach and play in the sand while R and I read or I try to write. A&N can play in the water for hours, especially if there is sea life to investigate. There are cool tide pools right in our front yard, so they enjoy that. At some point, we pile into the car and search for a beach. Again, we can spend hours on the beach, swimming and exploring the coastline. After several hours, we're hungry, so we head into town and find a restaurant and have our big Greek meal, which has thus far always included Greek salad and Tzatziki, which is this killer garlic and cucumber yogurt dip that you toss down with crusty bread. We've been trying to eat as much of the local cuisine as possible, and there is a definitely a Middle-Eastern influence. They have these chick-pea balls that are basically falafels, and many of the dips remind me of Persian food, not to mention the kabobs. Great stuff.

After supper, we head back to our cottage and then spend the evening hours on the beach, going for a walk, or if we're brave enough, swimming. Then it's time for bed. You can't beat it, unless, of course, there were waves and we could surf. We have been sleeping like rocks, and we feel amazing rested. Plus, we've been eating fairly healthy, not to heavy, and definitely less in terms of quantity. The biggest thing is no snacking, which when you get down to it, adds a huge number of calories to your diet.

One last note, I've been drinking instant coffee, which what they offer you in your cottage, which is not something I normally do at home, but I have to confess, it ain't half bad. Granted, it's instant espresso, but it's fairly good. Better than the brewed stuff they offer you in the reception, which I couldn't drink. Those crazy cats at Nestles have gotten it right. I've become a believer.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to RIC for the pics.