As the sun was rising we sailed into the island’s major harbor, Vathi. We were all eager to go ashore to explore the island of Odysseus and experience his homecoming after 20 years of being away. Gray skies loomed overhead and Poseidon almost kept us away but our tenders got us ashore safely and we boarded our coaches to drive around the island.
Homer’s description of what he knew as Ithaca appeared before our eyes. We passed the sandy beach where Odysseus woke up at last at home. We drove up Mount Neritas and passed the area where his swineherd Evmeos took him in until it was time for him to be reunited with his son Telemachus. We saw the little island “Asteris,” where Penelope’s suitors were planning to ambush Telemachus on his return to Ithaca from Pilos and Sparta, but failed to do so because Athena warned him and he landed secretly on the south end of the island.
The landscape of Ithaca is unique. A windy road full of surprises took us up a village called Anogi where we visited a 15th century Orthodox church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. We found the keys to the church at the next-door coffee shop, and we all went in to marvel at the frescoes, where the life of the Virgin Mary and Christ were depicted on the walls.
Our drive took us through the heart of the island, where on terraced rocky terrain people for centuries struggled to survive in the interior, safe from pirate and barbaric attacks. Our final stop was at Stavros village where according to some scholars the palaces of the island kingdom must have been located. A replica of the imaginary complex now stands in the town square. At the local pastry shop we all had rovani and baklava.
We returned to the port of Vathi, spent some time shopping at the local art shop, and retuned to the Sea Cloud for lunch. Later in the afternoon we hoisted the sails and continued our sailing adventure eating apple strudel and ice cream on our way to the next port, Sarande in Albania.
