Gavdos Goat Dinner

The only way to get to the actual southernmost point of Europe is to either hike around 3 miles or hire a boat to take you to a nearby beach to shorten the hike. When you get to the actual end point there is a Jolly Green Giant sized chair to take a break on. I hiked the 3+ miles to sit on the chair and extended the walk with a nice loop up over a plateau to Kastri then down a canyon back to where I’m staying at Korfos beach. As usual I finished the walk with a swim in sea. It was perfectly flat calm yesterday but now some small swells are coming in with modest waves. The wind has changed direction.

I didn’t hardly see anyone on the hike but I did meet a group of six women who appeared to be around my age. However, I’d been in the sun for awhile at this point. They were taking a break in a nice shady spot with a table and bench. They asked if I wanted to sit down with them. I had sense enough to stop.

They were all fit and healthy looking. One in particular, with short cropped hair, appeared to be a leader or guide. All are from Germany except for one who is French Swiss. They asked where I was from and how I wound up on Gavdos. I told them my story in a way that got them laughing. I also told them that I thought Gavdos had a good vibe. The leader looking lady acknowledged what I said in a way that made me think they might be on a spiritual yet not religious sort of journey. New age perhaps? I kind of know the type. Anyway, after chatting a bit they got up and continued on. Of course I was going the other direction and didn’t ask where they were staying or anything like that. Regardless, it was nice to run into them and perhaps I’ll run into them again.

The heat, the swim, and the sun had me napping by late afternoon but I rallied and the drove a short distance to another beach village to get something to eat. I ordered goat in red sauce with potatoes and could picture it in my mind. I wanted to try something authentic and local. Well, a more accurate description would have been goat meat scraps on the bone cooked in a thick oil with some kind of red tomato sauce in the mix. The potatoes were french fries. The taste, although foreign, was not bad but it was work digging out pieces of actual meat while avoiding fat, bone, sinew, and what appeared to be a tiny piece of fur. The bread served with the meal was stale. Oh well, I made the most of it but thought the 9 euro’s I paid was a bit high.

Eating abroad can sometimes be an adventure. I enjoy a nice fine meal like anyone but tend to eat pretty plain, simple, and relatively healthy while at home. Sometimes when I travel and I’m not sure what to order I ask for what dishes are the most popular. Usually two or three suggestions are made and I choose from those. A few years ago while traveling Mongolia, with 3 other people, we simply ordered the same thing our Mongolian driver ordered. The meat in Mongolia was wild and gamy but really good. Anyway, back to Greece.

All in all I’m not a big foodie so I generally discover a couple of popular regional dishes and stick to those. If I’m having dinner with a group of people I’ll be far more adventurous. In Greece I’m a big fan of Mousakka. It’s similar to lasagna but made with potato, instead of pasta, and layered with eggplant and minced meat. Can’t go wrong with that. I’ve had several thus far and they have all been good. An important thing to keep in mind while traveling Greece is that the salads can be enormous. I always order a half when ordering salad and it’s usually still huge.

Naturally Greece is a good place for fish but I haven’t had good luck with fish as of yet. What’s up with all the bones? I really don’t like bony fish. I guess I just haven’t figured out the seafood yet. I’m not a big seafood guy anyway.

As far as Lily goes I have not yet met her. This small island is starting to feel big for some reason.