Tag Archives: international travel

Gold, God…potatoes…in Quito, Ecuador

 

 

Iglesia de San Francisco. Quito, Ecuador
Iglesia de San Francisco. Quito, Ecuador

 

La Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús, Quito, Ecuador
La Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús, Quito, Ecuador

Since the start of history gold has been connected to the divine and the boundaries of people, state and heaven have intertwined in myriad and mysterious patterns.  In post conquest 16th century Quito (Ecuador), An A-list of priests, monks and nuns from four of the Church’s most influential religious orders provided the patronage for a celebrated era of artistic expression.

La Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús, Quito, Ecuador
La Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús, Quito, Ecuador

Sumptuous interior decorations, intricate carvings and golden altars express prominent Moorish geometrical figures, Italian Renaissance style and European baroque architecture. In the 1970s UNESCO dubbed it “Quito Baroque” in their 1978 designation of Quito as a World Heritage Site.

 

 

 

 

Just click the link to see many more photos and read the article…

To the glory of gold and God in Quito, Ecuador

 

The iconic soup of Ecuador: Locro de Papa
The iconic soup of Ecuador: Locro de Papa
One of 200 varieties potatoes in Ecuador
One of 200 varieties potatoes in Ecuador

At least 4,000 varieties of potatoes grow in the Andean Highlands that encompass territory stretching from northern Argentina through Ecuador. An important food staple for all pre-Columbian Andean cultures, the Incas created chunu – dehydrated potatoes that could be stored for up to a decade.

Read how a vegetable becomes a national icon and follow a simple recipe for an Ecuador national dish:

The iconic soup of Ecuador: Locro de Papa

 

rich soil in the crater of Pululahua Volcano just north of Quito
rich soil in the crater of Pululahua Volcano just north of Quito

 

You can read all my articles and subscribe to my Examiner columns at:

Hellenic News of America

Original World Insights

Culinary Travel Examiner

 International Dining Examiner

International Travel Examiner

Philadelphia Fine Dining Examiner

Food & Recipes Examiner

Suite 101

Where Asia and Europe flow together: Kavala, Greece

 

Kavala, Greece
Kavala, Greece
the Imaret (early 19th century) now boutique hotel.
the Imaret (early 19th century) now boutique hotel.

The twisting streets of Kavala’s old city reveals its recent past. The architecture is a mosaic of historical patterns befitting a port city serving empires. Known as Neapolis for its first thousand years, Kavala has born witness to dreamers and emperors since the 7th century B.C.  It’s easy to marvel at the 16th century engineering beauty of the Kamares aquaduct from the fortress.

 

The Kamares aquaduct (15th century)
The Kamares aquaduct (15th century)

Adding to the charm of the city are important and entertaining sites in the nearby countryside – the impressive remains of Philippi,  Lydia, the Krinides Therapeutic Clay Baths and vineyards on the mountain where Dionysus resided in the Pangaion Hills.

Ktima Biblia Chora vineyard on the slopes of Mt. Pangaion.
Ktima Biblia Chora vineyard on the slopes of Mt. Pangaion.

 

To get there, stay at, go to and dine please read…

Kavala: still fresh after 2,700 years

 

N 40° 55' dining room at the Lucy Hotel, Kavala
N 40° 55′ dining room at the Lucy Hotel, Kavala

 

You can read all my articles at:

Hellenic News of America

Original World Insights

Culinary Travel Examiner

 International Dining Examiner

International Travel Examiner

Philadelphia Fine Dining Examiner

Food & Recipes Examiner

Alonissos, Greece: Touch the Soul

 

robetiko musicians at To Kamaki
robetiko musicians at To Kamaki

 

Alonissos Island
Alonissos Island

“Alonissos is a close knit community,” British expats Dave Court and Gerry Ivison said. For me it’s the robetiko ballads that touch the soul of both Alonissos and Greece.

Not all Greek islands are similar. In this most northerly of the Sporades islands, the towering pine forests tumble down the rocky cliffs to the sea.

 

Tsoukali beach windmill
Tsoukali beach windmill

 

Palio Horio, Alonissos
Palio Horio, Alonissos

Secluded beaches, historic towns, lush pine forests, the land gives way to solitude as one drives north from the port capital of Patitiri to Gerka. Cafes, tavernas, museums, hotels, artists all make Alonissos home, and so did pirates.

At the Museum  of Alonissos
At the Museum of Alonissos

 

Read more in my Hellenic News of America column on this alluring central Aegean island…

Alonissos Island is a floating spoon sweet

 

Sunset on Alonissos
Sunset on Alonissos

You can read all my articles at:

Hellenic News of America

Original World Insights

Culinary Travel Examiner

 International Dining Examiner

International Travel Examiner

Philadelphia Fine Dining Examiner

Food & Recipes Examiner

Tsikali Taverna, Sifnos Island, Greece: Tradition

 

Flora and Nikos Kratzeskaros
Flora and Nikos Kratzeskaros

 

a community wood fired oven in Vathi, Sifnos, Greece
a community wood fired oven in Vathi, Sifnos, Greece

A community wood fired oven…producing cheese from goats and sheep from your farm…serving these dishes on the beach mere feet from the Aegean. Welcome to the 21st century Greek style.

ingredients for caper salad
ingredients for caper salad

The village of Vathi is a classic beauty. The winding road descends from the hills and one’s first glimpse is the gleaming white buildings clustered in a crescent on a white sand beach in front of the interminable clear aqua water of the Aegean. Read all about Nikos, Flora and Tsikali Taverna at…

Tradition is the norm at Tsikali Taverna on Sifnos Island

 

Vathi, Sifnos, Greece
Vathi, Sifnos, Greece

You can read all my articles at:

Hellenic News of America

Original World Travel

Culinary Travel Examiner

 International Dining Examiner

International Travel Examiner

Philadelphia Fine Dining Examiner

Food & Recipes Examiner

Mount Olympus is more than legend

Mt. Olympus & the village of Litohoro
Mt. Olympus & the village of Litohoro
Within the Mt. Olympus range
Within the Mt. Olympus range

Home to Zeus and his family of gods, declared the first Greek national park in 1938, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1981 and a European Union “Most Important Bird” area, the region includes 120 species of flowers, 1,700 species of plants with 23 exclusive to the Mount Olympus microclimate.

The Bath of Zeus
The Bath of Zeus

No wonder the gods wanted this prime real estate. At its base is Dion, the nearly three-millennium old holy city of ancient Macedonia dedicated to Olympian Zeus. Within the confines of the park is the 600-year-old Greek Orthodox Monastery of St. Dionysios of Olympus. And scattered throughout are sites steeped in legend and history.

Read what has attracted the multitudes for eons in my column for the Hellenic News of America

Restoration of Monastery of St. Dionysios of Olympus
Restoration of Monastery of St. Dionysios of Olympus

You can read all my articles at:

Hellenic News of America

Original World Travel

Culinary Travel Examiner

 International Dining Examiner

International Travel Examiner

Philadelphia Fine Dining Examiner

Food & Recipes Examiner

The Flegra Beach Boutique Apartments opens Asterias

 

Grilled squid at Asterias
Grilled squid at Asterias
Chef Kostas Tsoutsas & Yannis Laspas
Chef Kostas Tsoutsas & Yannis Laspas

The Asterias is the flagship restaurant of Yannis Laspas’ new Flegra Beach Boutique Apartments.  Like the airy decor of the dining room, Chef Kostas Tsoutas has a light modern touch with traditional Greek ingredients.

Asterias Greek seafood restaurant
Asterias Greek seafood restaurant

 

Flegra Beach Boutique Apartments
Flegra Beach Boutique Apartments

The waterfront Flegra Beach Boutique Apartments and Asterias are located in Pefkochori on the Kassandra peninsula with window walls looking onto the pine tree shaded beach and Aegean Sea.

You can read the review with many more photos…

Asterias: Greek seafood at the new Flegra Beach Hotel

 

 

You can read all my articles at:

Hellenic News of America

Original World Travel

Culinary Travel Examiner

 International Dining Examiner

International Travel Examiner

Philadelphia Fine Dining Examiner

Food & Recipes Examiner

The Farinola brothers: love for Mom and Greece

 

Mama Maria, Milos, Greece
Mama Maria, Milos, Greece

 

Giovanni and Stelios Farinola
Giovanni and Stelios Farinola

Giovanni and Stelios are no strangers to yachting. The Ferinola family owns Excellent Yachting, one of the Greek Aegean’s leading sales and charter companies.

 

Kilma, Milos, Greece
Kilma, Milos, Greece

No wonder countless legions throughout time have escaped to the serenity of the Greek islands.

Come read about my day sailing around Milos….

On board the Mama Maria, Milos, Greece

 

Milos, Greece
Milos, Greece

 

You can read all my articles at:

Hellenic News of America

Original World Travel

Culinary Travel Examiner

 International Dining Examiner

International Travel Examiner

Philadelphia Fine Dining Examiner

Food & Recipes Examiner

Aristotle, Monks and the Alexandros Palace Hotel

 

Mt. Athos at dawn
Mt. Athos at dawn
mosaic floor at the excavations Monastery of Zygos
mosaic floor at the excavations Monastery of Zygos

The evidence of Greece’s long and turbulent civilization lay scattered throughout the country.  It was as easy to stumble across remnants of an ancient site in the middle of a farm field as it was to visit the impressive ruins of the 10th century Monastery of Zygos

Ancient Stagira
Ancient Stagira
Alexandros Palace Hotel
Alexandros Palace Hotel

Between Mt. Athos and  Stagira the 250-room Alexandros Palace Hotel resort complex, a veritable village on a 90-acre hillside just outside Ouranoupolis, is an ideal location to explore this fabled peninsula.

My article details it all…

The many layers of Greece on Athos

 

You can read all my articles at:

Hellenic News of America

Original World Travel

Culinary Travel Examiner

 International Dining Examiner

International Travel Examiner

Philadelphia Fine Dining Examiner

Food & Recipes Examiner

Tweaking tradition on the Greek Islands

 

Theodora Tziamali & Chef George Katseas partners: Katogi Cafe
Theodora Tziamali & Chef George Katseas partners: Katogi Cafe

“We’re romantic,” says Chef George Katseas and that’s evident by both the decor and the manner in which George and partner Theodora Tziamali treat their customers like family.

Elia
Elia

“I want to marry the modern with tradition,” says Harris Boukas the young owner of Elia.

 

 

 

Nightlife on the Greek Island of Ios can certainly become lively during the summer season, but dining in the following seven tavernas and cafes put a smile on my face. Read more at…

Marrying trends with tradition in Ios dining 

Chora, Ios island
Chora, Ios island

 

Ionnis Trinas & his windmill, Sifnos island
Ionnis Trinas & his windmill, Sifnos island

Windmills tell stories of the drive for labor saving devices even in the pre-industrial age.

Harnessing the near steady breeze of both coast and hills was a technological breakthrough akin to present day electric wind generators.

Building a windmill was no easy task.

 

Windmill on the island of Alonissos
Windmill on the island of Alonissos

Mr. Ionnis Trinas has constructed what very well may be the first fully functioning windmill in the Greek islands for over a century. Read the rest at…

Savoring windmills in Greece

Ionnis Trinas Sifnos windmill
Ionnis Trinas Sifnos windmill

 

Mrs. Annezio Bouritis and her son Mixαlis Famelitis. Annezio Bakery
Mrs. Annezio Bouritis and her son Mixαlis Famelitis. Annezio Bakery

Mrs. Annezio Bouritis and her son Mixαlis Famelitis operate the traditional Annezio Bakery located in the port town of Merichas. Set in a typical white washed stone building with a view overlooking the harbor, the cars of customers are usually double parked on the narrow street.

cheese tarts
cheese tarts

Greeks positively revel in sharing their food, especially with visitors. Mrs. Bouritis and Mixalis were equally enthusiastic to share recipes for cheese tarts and pastel. Read more at…

      Kythnos recipes from Annezio Bakery in the Greek Cyclades

Kythnos island
Kythnos island

 

You can read all my articles at:

Hellenic News of America

Original World Travel

Culinary Travel Examiner

 International Dining Examiner

International Travel Examiner

Philadelphia Fine Dining Examiner

Food & Recipes Examiner

Greek Windmills: Sails in the Air

DSC06035

 

DSC06044These iconic circular stone structures dot the land – both islands and mainland – and their images adorn countless postcards. Their stark beauty as ruins of a bygone agricultural age and the bird-like sails of restored mills stiff in the wind, evoke the same timelessness as the Acropolis of Athens or sacred Mt. Athos.

Ios2

DSC06034Wind permitting, a mill could grind up to 150 pounds of grain per hour. The mill men needed to develop skills to read the weather and gauge the strength of winds.

Alonissos

On the island of Sifnos, in the Cyclades group, Mr. Ionnis Trinas has constructed what very well may be the first fully functioning mill in over a century.

See more photos and read about the windmill at..

Savoring windmills in Greece

 

DSC06029

 

You can read all my articles at:

Hellenic News of America

Original World Travel

Culinary Travel Examiner

 International Dining Examiner

International Travel Examiner

Philadelphia Fine Dining Examiner

Food & Recipes Examiner