Journey to Ithaca

Homer ended the Odyssey in Ithaca. We also had a long journey to travel a relatively short distance.

We enjoyed our short time in Kefalonia or Cephalonia. There doesn't seem to be much consistency in the way Greeks spell their cities and roads in English. I can't blame them. It's also nice of them to try. We ate a lovely fish dinner on the water.

We ate breakfast near our hotel also on the water. I drank my new favorite drink: cappuccino freddo.

We then took a taxi back to the airport, boarded a bus for about an hour. We waited about 40 minutes while the boat took half our group to Ithaca. Then we rode the boat for 20 minutes.

We drove another 20-30 minutes to the home where the retreat is held.

The home is owned by a Swiss woman who apparently made a lot of money in banking. She built it as a place to hold yoga retreats and small retreat gatherings. The rumor is that this is the last year this retreat will be held as she is planning to remodel her home to attract a more upscale clientele. It is hard to imagine what she is going to do as the place already looks like the set of a Lululemon photo shoot.

we can eat outside or inside

we practice yoga here. Ionian sea behind trees. Cicadas in trees.

view from my room

Other part of the view

stairway to second floor. House seems to have been built in concrete then stained white.

one of the doors to the Ionian sea.

library -- faces outside deck which also has a view

after walking out the door, you walk to this beach.

hang out here with rented umbrella and lounge chair and very few other people

predictable greek man wearing thong while everyone snickers at him. ok maybe just the Americans and British are laughing.. I can't tell.

Thong man's dog.

Today was a bit overcast in the morning.  Because of the cooler weather I could take a walk around the property. I saw a few ruins.. maybe ruins? They looked like structures that had once been homes but had now fallen apart. There were in tact homes as well. Some plain some fancier but no mansions around here yet.

I suspect this place has been here a while

Our schedule is a morning meditation from 745-815, Yoga at 830. Breakfast at 10 the break until lunch at 2. Yoga again at 630 and dinner at 830PM. Our teacher has asked that we are silent until the end of the morning yoga class. During the breaks, we read, go to the beach, go on walks, hang out. Lots of retreating.