Here There and Everywhere

Viking Sea: Katakolon – Low Expectations, High Return

We know from all our previous travels that this is a good day to have a down day. When you tour every day, details begin to blur, and enthusiasm wanes. We’ve lived amidst ancient ruins in Tunis, and Jordan, and while we love them, we don’t want to be trapped in groups of 40, unable to set our own pace.

We opt not to take a tour, and have a leisurely breakfast in Mamsen’s discussing what, if anything, to do.

For many hours, we are the only ship in port, and then the Aida Bella also berths. They have their sound system on continuously, October-Fest sort of lively German song fill the air. It is hilarious, and we are really glad not to be on that ship.

We think the design on her bow is hilarious.

There is a little town where we are docked, and we are eager for a walk.

There are a lot of shops, most of which we are immune to because we shopped in Corfu. Then we find the Katakolon Museum of Ancient Greek Technology. This museum is small, but packed with very cool things. It has just opened, we are the only visitors, and the young woman at the desk shows us how a lot of the beautifully hand-build models demonstrate the old discoveries and how they were applied. I took this one blurry photo before AdventureMan pointed out the sign that said “No photos.”

The creator of this museum in a man we would love to meet. We are nerds. We recognize and love talking with other nerds. This man happens to be an engineering nerd who wants the world to understand natural principles and how they have been discovered and applied to make our lives easier. He built the models, he created all the visual explanations.

The high point is a poster showing how each discovery and application is still used in the creation of modern cars.

That poster was outside, and it was allowed to photograph it.

We walked back toward the ship, found a coffee shop alongside the port and settled in over Greek coffees to watch passers-by.

Nearby was a woman with some earrings I loved, in the “long life” pattern. She gave me a good price. I told her they were for my daughter-in-law, and she drew back, astounded, and told me she didn’t speak English well, so she must have mis-understood me, they must be for my daughter. I explained “no, I really love my daughter-in-law as if she were my own daughter and she gave me another pair of earrings for my mother, and lowered the price. (!) She told me it is the end of the season, these are the last cruise ships, and people are selling off their wares. It was such an unexpected blessing to meet her and talk with her.

Late in the day, we leave Katakolon. The ship got under way so quietly, I didn’t even realize we were moving.

November 18, 2016 - Posted by intlxpatr | Adventure, Arts & Handicrafts, Beauty, Cross Cultural, Cultural, ExPat Life, Travel | Greece, Katakolon, Museum of Ancient Greek Technology