Who is to blame for the Greek situation?

Here are a couple of interesting articles about what is going on in Greece and the financial crisis. 

New York Times article Ending Greece's Bleeding by Paul Krugman
Foreigner Affairs  Magazine Article PAIN IN THE Athens by Mark Blyth

What's up with Greece & what does it mean to travelers?

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Geia sou (Hello in Greek)!

As you have probably seen in the news, Sunday the Greeks voted NOT to accept the conditions of the bailout by the euro-zone.  This does not necessarily mean that Greece will leave the euro-zone or change their currency.   Even if Greece does exit the euro-zone, I think the worst case scenario for travelers this fall would be the need to bring cash, since euros, US dollars and British pounds would be in high demand if Greece went back to the drachma (the Greek currency before the euro).  Right now there is a restriction of €60 per day Greeks can withdraw from ATMs, but NO limits have been imposed on foreign debit card transactions. So travelers have full access to withdraw cash from ATMs.  However in central Athens expect long lines to withdraw cash.  According to Reuters banks in Greece will remain closed until Thursday.

Throughout the six years of Greece’s economic crisis, I have led more than a dozen trips and have found the islands to be relatively unaffected…life on the islands is a zone of its own.  Most grow their own food and many have an economy based on tourism.  Some of the more remote islands may be more difficult to get to and from, should ferry services be reduced.  So if you are on a schedule you may want to keep to the islands with frequent daily ferry service and an airport with a few flights per day.

I always recommend purchasing travel insurance that includes trip delay and emergency medical evacuation when traveling, especially if traveling to the smaller Greek islands, which do not have hospitals.  Check with your travel insurance provider what is covered and not covered before purchasing.

By fall things are anticipated to be normalized no matter the decisions and outcomes.  We all know the media tends to blow things out of portion, therefore I always find it best to check with my Greek colleagues and friends to hear their firsthand accounts.  So we are a GO for all WanderWoman trips.  I will keep you posted as I learn more.  And of course, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about our upcoming trips.

Here are links to recent articles about the situation in Greece and the referendum: 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/29/opinion/paul-krugman-greece-over-the-brink.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33399718?SThisFB&fb_ref=Default

LIVE, LAUGH & TRAVEL!

Erja Lipponen, Owner/Founder
Eurynome Journeys LLC
WanderWoman® Tours & Retreats
go at wanderwomantours.com
WANDERWOMAN.COM

Travel to Egypt November 2016!

Egypt: 

Treasures Past and Present

14 nights/ 15 days fully escorted women’s small group tour

We are going back to Egypt November 2016!
If you would like to join us- email me
Come visit Egypt on a small group women-only trip. Tour sacred sites and temples, cruise the Nile River upon which Cleopatra sailed, explore ancient mysteries and the lives of ancient Egyptian queens (and pharaohs too). Meet local women and learn about life in modern Egypt.

Click here to view itienrary.

Looking for deals on Travel to Russia!

With the devaluation of the ruble, low airfares, and tourism to Russia down, this is a good time to find deals on travel Russia.   Let us know if you are interested in visiting Russia this Summer...

White Nights, Royal Palaces, Art Treasures & Caviar!
Moscow, Medieval Towns of Russia's Golden Ring, and St Petersburg: Proposed date: July 10-20
Tour Russia in grand style! Explore Russia's rich art, history, and culture. Discover the epic role of women in creating the grandeur of the Russian Empire.  We begin in our journey in Moscow the capital of Russia. Tour the Kremlin, Red Square, and St Basils Cathedral.  Next to the Golden Ring of Russia to explore beautiful countryside villages and towns, dating back to medieval times, with magnificent onion domed monasteries and charming wooden churches. Travel by train to St Petersburg. Visit the opulent summer palaces of Russian royalty. Enjoy a special, privately guided, pre-opening hours tour of the amazing Hermitage Museum, which was founded by Catherine the Great.

If you are interested in visiting Russia this summer, please email me at go@wanderwomantours.com.

Women's travel to Turkey

Turkish Treasures and the Turquoise Coast (aka the Turkish Riviera)

September 10-21, 2015

Join our WanderWoman® small group women-only tour to Turkey.  Visit Istanbul, Ephesus, and cruise the Turkish Riviera on a luxury Gulet.  Stay 2 nights at a boutique hotel in the old city of Istanbul, 2 nights in an ottoman-style hotel in a village near Ephesus, and seven nights aboard a luxury gulet cruising the turquoise waters of the Turkish Riviera and explore traditional villages, archaeological sites, and the natural beauty of Turkey.

Tour is limited to approximately 9 travelers.  The gulet has 5 double-bedded rooms available for single occupancy and two twin-bedded rooms for double occupancy.

Early booking price $3599.00 plus flight to Istanbul. NEW PRICE!
Single Supplement: $899.00

For more information email go@ wanderwomantours.com

Tour itinerary: 

Istanbul

Day 1 Arrival at Istanbul Atatürk Airport (IST) and transfer to our hotel, a boutique property in the old town.  This vibrant city, which straddles Europe and Asia, has been known as Byzantium and Constantinople and has been the key city of both the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires.  Our hotel is within walking distance to restaurants, shops ad points of interest.  After a chance to rest, we will gather for a welcome dinner of local specialties. (D)

Day 2 Today you will explore Istanbul’s rich history and fascinating sights on a full day walking tour with our local guide visiting the famed Blue Mosque, and Hagia Sofia which was built as a church and then converted into a mosque and now is a UNESCO world heritage site.  We’ll tour Topkapi Palace, built in between 1466 and 1478 by the sultan Mehmet II.  The palace was the political center of the Ottoman Empire between the 15th and 19th centuries.  Today it houses magnificent treasures from the Ottoman period. (B, L, D)

Istanbul-Izmir-Sirince-Ephesus

Day 3 In the morning there will be time to meander about the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market, and if time permits we’ll peek into the quaint little Rüstem Paşa Mosque tucked away behind the market with our guide.  Enjoy a different perspective of this historic city on a small boat cruise on the Bosphorus. Stop for lunch and in the afternoon we’ll fly to Izmir and transfer to our Ottoman-style hotel near the ancient site of Ephesus.  Enjoy a group dinner at a local restaurant. (B, L, D)

Day 4 Today you will discover the spectacular monuments of the archaeological site of Ephesus.  Perhaps best know in antiquity for it’s Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, first built in the 6th century BCE to venerate the virgin goddess.  It was rebuilt in the 2nd century BCE.  Unfortunately today only the foundation and a few fragmented columns remain.   The library of Celsus, erected in 117 A.D., was and is one of the most beautiful architectural structures at Ephesus.  It was a monumental tomb for Gaius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus, the governor of the province of Asia, by his son. On top of the grave of Celsus stood a statue of Athena the goddess of wisdom.  This spectacular library was third is richness of ancient times after the libraries of Alexandra and Pergamum. The Great Theater built in the Hellenistic period with a capacity of 25,000, where St Paul preached can still be seen as one enters the site from the south entrance.  Farther down the street is are of ruins of a brothel and public lavatories as well as numerous temples and public buildings.  (B, L)

Marmaris-Gulet-Marmaris

Day 5 After breakfast we’ll have time to shop for local handcrafts, before boarding our minibus for the road trip to Marmaris (approx. 4 hours), the yachting center of Turkey, on the scenic coast of the Aegean Sea. En route we’ll stop in a village for a traditional Turkish lunch. Upon arrival in Marmaris, we’ll be welcomed to our gulet by our guide Anne, who lives in Turkey, but is originally from the UK.  She will introduce us to the Captain and crew of a cook and sailor (all males). After settling into our cabins we will visit the local Hamam (Turkish Bath) for a massage. There will be some free time in Marmaris port before dinner onboard our gulet. (B, L, D)

Day 6  In the morning we’ll start with a lovely traditional Turkish breakfast of local cheese, eggs, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, jams, bread and lashings of hot Turkish tea, there’s coffee too. Once our port formalities are completed we shall take a short cruise to the aptly named Paradise Island where we’ll hike for a couple of hours to the impressive Nimara cave, a goddess worshipping site from 20,000 BC. When we return to the boat you’ll have your first opportunity to swim before our first delicious lunch onboard. We’ll then cruise from the calm Aegean Sea for a couple of hours before dropping anchor in a small tranquil bay, plenty of time for swimming and relaxation before afternoon tea and dinner.  (B, L, AT, D)

Day 7 A wonderful day packed full of natural beauty, ancient sites and interesting people. We’ll take a riverboat and take a meandering cruise through the reed beds passing Lycian tombs carved high into the cliff face before stopping at the ancient city of Kaunos, which dates back to the 10th century B.C.E.  A short hike of approximately 1 hour will take us through the ancient ruins and onto a small village where we will visit a nomad family and eat freshly prepared gozleme, a traditional pancake. We’ll find ourselves back on the riverboat after an hour’s walk back through Kaunos. (B, L, AT, D)

Day 8 Plenty of time for relaxation as we take a long early morning cruise into the Mediterranean Sea to the area famed for the Gocek Islands. There will be an opportunity to swim around the ruins of “Cleopatra’s Bath,” which legend says was built for the Egyptian queen by her lover Mark Anthony.  Overnight on anchor in a bay. (B,L,AT,D)

Day 9 This morning we will cruise into Fethiye. We’ll be taken by a/c coach the short journey to Kayakoy which was abandoned in 1923 after the Greco-Turkish war. We will be able to wander around this interesting village with its ruined houses, churches and schools and take lunch in a delightful restaurant. We’ll return to Fethiye late afternoon where you’ll have free time to explore before dinner on board. (B ,L, AT, D)

Day 10 A leisurely morning for reading, swimming, conversation and contemplation. Today we will enjoy a fun hands-on cooking class/ demonstration with the guidance of a villager.  Using the freshest of local produce and spices we’ll discover the secrets creating the wonderful flavors of Turkish food. (B, L, AT, D)

Day 11 After breakfast we’ll cruise back into the Aegean with plenty of time to swim before we return to Marmaris port at teatime. Enjoy a special farewell dinner on board with local wine.  Overnight in port.  (B, L, AT, D)

Day 12 After breakfast transfer to Dalaman Airport (DLM) for flight to Istanbul in time for international flight leaving at 1 pm or later from IST.

Optional Additional nights in Istanbul

If you would like to arrive a day or two early or stay extra nights in Istanbul, we can arrange additional nights at our hotel in Istanbul and transfers to and from the airport. Rates available upon request.

WHAT TO EXPECT                                                                                                                       Archaeology, Culture, History, Hiking, Swimming, and Relaxing. This small group tour for women is limited to approximately 9 participants allowing you to experience Turkey through local culture, small traditional-style family-owned hotels, and wonderful local restaurants. We will spend fours nights is smaller hotels with local character and seven nights on a traditional gulet.  Gulets are similar to schooners with cabins  that are larger than on a typical sailing yacht.  As with all of our WanderWoman® tours, the pace of the itinerary is leisurely with ample time to relax or to explore the uniqueness of each destination. Our travel groups are NOT motorcoach tours and require walking to fully participate. The hiking tours are leisurely ranging from 2 to 6 hours on uneven terrain and climbing stairs. The hikes are easy to moderate in difficulty.  This is an active trip, and thus is NOT suitable for those with limited mobility. A knowledgeable WanderWoman® group escort will accompany the tour group to attend to details to ensure you a stress-free vacation.

NOTE: Eurynome Journeys, LLC reserves the right to change the itinerary and make substitutions at anytime to ensure the safety and comfort of the group or as deemed necessary by the tour director and/or Captain. Although the tour has been carefully planned, local circumstances may require changes to the itinerary.  All group meals and group activities are smoke-free

Best Travel Websites for Women:

Found best Cuban Sandwich in FL

Whether you're looking for solo travel advice, ideas for a girlfriends' getaway or where to get the ultimate Cuban sandwich, here are the best travel sites for women:

Wavejourney.com

WAVEJourney.com is a women’s travel e-zine that provides valuable firsthand recommendations to a worldwide audience.  For great travel ideas follow co-founders Vivienne Chapleo & Jill Hoelting on their adventures around the world via their newsletter.

Journeywoman.com

Journeywoman is the ultimate online travel resource for women. You'll find advise from a world-wide readership of 70,000 women- on topic ranging form what to wear to where and when to go, safety tips, restaurants, etc.  Editor Evelyn Hannon shares her travels and her finds with a monthly newsletter.  The Journeywoman site also includes  an international directory of women to help each other with travel.

Transitionsabroad.com Transitions Abroad in an online magazine offering alternatives to conventional tourism.  The site includes advice on working abroad, learning languages, study abroad, volunteer travel, and more.  They have an entire section dedicated to women's travel and listings of women-only tours.

Womentravel.info Women Travel the World is a site based in New Zealand, that covers the globe for women travelers.  Rosemary Neave, the face behind the website, lists women-friendly accommodations, tours,  travel resources, and even gives away free post cards and luggage tags! 

If you have a favorite travel resource for women, please share it with us!

And for the best Cuban sandwich visit Sandy's Cafe in Key West FL!

Live, Laugh & Travel!

Erja

Traditional Greek Recipes from the island of Lesvos

Last October on our Greek Muse Tour we spent a lovely afternoon with Helen, at her outdoor kitchen in the harbor town of Molyvos.  During this fun hands-on cooking class, Helen shared with us the secrets of traditional Greek cooking.  After all was prepared, we feasted on an amazing meal complete with local wine!
Below are recipes for some of the dishes we learned to make. καλή όρεξη (good appetite in Greek)!
We'll be going back to visit Helen this fall, so if you'd like to learn Greek cooking hands-on, please join us!

Lamb of Lesvos

2 legs of lamb  [in our case they weren’t fresh; 20 days after the kill to ensure that they were soft]. 

Marinade for 24 hours in red wine (reserve marinade).

Place ingredients in a pressure cooker:

Lamb and onions

1/2 cup olive oil

1 onion chopped and sautée

Next add 1 cinnamon stick

Once onion is translucent add leg of Lamb

Add 1 onion studded with about 20 whole cloves

About 1 tsp. of cumin, paprika & chilli powder

2 bay leaves

Add marinate

500 gr tomato sauce

1 tbsp. tomato paste

3 tbsp. fig syrup (or sugar)

Add enough boiling water to cover

Add 1 cup washed rice

Stuffed Peppers

Cook on stovetop in a pressure cooker for 45 minutes or with normal boiling cook 2 hours.

Peppers stuffed with Feta cheese

Small sweet red and yellow peppers

Cut off the tops (keep for later) 

and remove seeds

Stuffing:
Feta mashed with a fork mixing in

One tsp of oregano, thyme sage, and mint

Finally chopped tomato

Finally chopped onion

¼ cup olive oil

Stuff peppers, place in a glass baking dish, and bake ¾ hour at 350-374 F

 

Stuffed Eggplant Lesbian Style

Cut off the tops and bottoms

Peel down 2 sides

3 or 4  cuts down each unpeeled sides so as to create squares at the top of long pieces but make sure to leave the last couple of centimeters of the narrowest end in tact/uncut.

Filling Eggplant with stuffing mixture

[Looking at from the bottom]

Stuffing:

Finely chopped red onions

Finely chopped tomato

Finely chopped zucchini

Parsley, garlic, cinnamon, paprika, cumin, mint

Add stuffing into the cuts and bake covered with water until cooked

Add olive oil towards the end

Stuffed onions- “savanya”

Peel and cut ½ way thru lengthwise

Boil until tender

Onion layers stuffed and ready to cook

Cool while preparing stuffing,

½ beef and  ½ pork 300 gr

Add mint, cumin, salt, and parsley

1/4 cup Raki - you may need to go the Greece for this one!

¼ cup uncooked rice

Once cooled remove hearts and chop up into the stuffing mixture

Before rolling meat into the onion layers, remove film from in between the  layers

With cut at bottom, place in saucepan

Add 1 cup of beef stock

Olive oil

Make sure they’re covered with liquid; add plate to keep them down; add saucepan lid

Boil for ½ hour

Reminder: January 15 is Greek Dinner Around the World Day!  

So, try one or two of these delicious dishes.  I recommend the Savanya (or stuffed onions) . And for a tasty Greek wine try Domaine Gerovassiliou 2012 White Wine from Epanomi, Greece.  καλή όρεξη!