Flying Dolphins and Fishing Towns

Early this morning we boarded the Flying Dolphin to the island of Aegina. The Flying Dolphin is a hydroplaning hovercraft that essentially zips (zips is a technical term) above the water at a much faster speed than a regular ferry. If Jimmy were writing this blog, you'd get fascinating details about how compressed air is released to propel the craft above the water. But since I'm writing this blog, I'll tell you that it was the coolest watercraft I have ever been on and I want one!

We arrived in the seaside town of Aegina to the smells of the morning. Freshly baked bread mixed in with the salty air to welcome us to the island. As we wandered through the side streets, we came across a fish market. My greetings in Greek must be much better than I thought because every fisherman was quiet certain that I understood him as they jovially tried to convince me that their fresh catch was the best catch of the day. Big fish with weepy eyes and tubs full of tentacles abounded!

I felt compelled to buy a jaunty little fishing cap which I wore shamelessly around town as if it had always been a part of my wardrobe. The noise, the colors, the authentic feel of a typical fishing town morning made the fish market my favorite place of the day. But the ruins weren't getting any younger and Apollo's temple was waiting for us so we left the fish market and the main town to head out towards the cliffs of ancient Kolonas.

At this point, a weary traveler might get a bit cynical and begin to think that one pile of rubble looked a lot like the other piles. But I am not that traveler and this was not an ordinary pile of ruins. This was an active archaeological dig where treasures were still being revealed from the grimy grip of the earth. There was a moment of transcendence... for 5,000 years humans had been looking over these cliffs and watching the waves roll in below them. It was a bit philosophical for a Tuesday but we're in Greece where philosophy is a way of life. After exploring the dig, the ruins, and the museum where they clean up their finds, we ventured back to the port for a seaside lunch of freshly caught fish and creatures with tentacles.

Another fascinating fact about Aegina is that it is home to the world's best pistachios. Apparently there is something in the clay soil that enriches the flavor. Yes, Mom, I bought you some! I had never seen a pistachio tree before and was impressed that they are actually quite pretty.

As our day came to a close, we caught the Flying Dolphin back to Pireaus, the port in Athens. We've mastered the subways, waterways, and tomorrow we will try to master the highway as we drive off to visit Cape Sounion to pay our respects to Poseidon.

Until then... with love from the dolphin riders,

Ricki & Jimmy

---

---