Our expedition today led us to the mythical island of Ithaki, steeped in ancient lore and natural beauty. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the island's rugged coastline, dotted with small coves and pristine beaches.
We learned about the history of Greece from our cultural specialists, Laura and Effie, who joined us on board today and who will remain on Sea Cloud for the rest of the voyage. They walked us through a Greek Orthodox church, explaining the iconography and ceremonies. They also transported us even further in time, through the Homeric legends. We imagined Ithaki as it was for Odysseus, his beloved home, the mythical place he tried to come back to in an odyssey of twenty years.
Navigating inland, we ventured into the heart of Ithaki where ancient olive groves and vineyards sprawled across the landscape. We were captivated by the island's rural charm as we sampled the regional cheese pie, Greek coffee, and walked the lazy streets of Stavros.
We also had some time to explore the town of Vathi. The clear azure waters shimmered under the Mediterranean sun and right before lunch we had an opportunity to jump in and swim from the ship. In the afternoon we enjoyed several presentations and saw, once more, the crew in the operation of setting and taking in the sails.
