 My grandparents' house in Lia, rebuilt in 2002 Life in LiaMy travel memoir details my life in Lia. And if you've ever been to Lia, you know that life there is a nonstop party. There is always a church service to attend, a lamb roasting on a spit somewhere, old guys drinking moonshine, gypsy grocers driving through, and Costa, the son of the owners of the kafenion, sitting near the pot-bellied stove doing his homework. Lia sits at the top of the Mourgana mountain range, right on the Greek side of the Greek-Albanian border. The mountains are filled with monasteries, wild boar, hunters, little old ladies in headscarves, and, occasionally, me, in platform shoes. The village is an hour and fifteen minute drive from Ioannina, the provincial capital of Epiros, which has a hopping lakefront, a Byzantine walled city complete with two mosques, one church and a synagogue, and lots of sweet shops and girls in tight pants. Coming from the West, Lia is a just over an hour's drive from Igoumenitsa, the port town where you catch the ferry to Corfu, Paxos, or Italy. As a village, we are nothing if not centrally located. There are 140 homes that pay water bills in Lia, but the population is in constant flux. In July and August, there are several hundred people in town; in February, there are about 30, the few, the proud, the die-hard Liotans--and their sheep. Lia is surrounded by undulating mountains, high-flying eagles and waterfalls that burst out of the mountainside whenever they feel like it. It is excessively beautiful. And if you should care to visit, we do have an inn (see link). |
More, More, More"Greek Revival" article about agritourism on Crete for "T"
I researched this piece by driving from one coast of the island to the other, stopping at agritourist resorts. Along the way I gorged myself on stuffed squash blossoms, developed a wild crush on a vintner twice my age, and discovered my new favorite beach. Athens Guide in Travel+Leisure
I ate, shopped, and slept all over the city to serve the greater good, discovering what was new and exciting in post-Olympic Athens. Mexican Vanilla article for Budget Travel
I visited the Veracruz region of Mexico to see vanilla pollination in action, and to attend the Spring Equinox festival at El Tajin; then I wrote about it all for Budget Travel. "Secret Islands of Greece" cover story for Travel+Leisure
I had a great time researching and writing this article about Spetses, Monemvassia, and Kythera for the July 2007 cover of Travel+Leisure. Each of the islands was so different--Spetses is very cosmopolitan, Monemvassia is a Byzantine fantasy and Kythera is laid-back and beachy. It's impossible to pick a favorite. Budget Travel article on Paros and Antiparos Hotels
Budget Travel features unique, affordable inns and hotels in fabulous vacation spots. I discovered eight on the islands of action-packed Parios and its tinier, more laid-back satellite, Antiparos.  Me at the celebration for my most concrete work in progress--the rebuilding of my family's house in Lia. A wooden cross, decorated with oranges and handkerchiefs filled with money for the workers, is traditionally placed on the roof of a house when it is finished. Travel+Leisure article on Muxes in Mexico
I really enjoy travel writing, even when it's not about Greece. This link will bring you to "Stepping Out" my article in the November issue of Travel+Leisure, which describes the "Muxe" tradition in Tehuantepec Mexico, where it's considered a blessing for every family to have one gay son. Parade Magazine article
The August 8th issue of Parade magazine included an article I wrote about rebuilding my grandparents's home in Lia. The photos show me engaging in my favorite hobby: sheep herding. Corfu Essay for Travel+Leisure
This link will bring you to "Siren Song", an article about the island of Corfu, which appeared in the August, 2004 issue of Travel+Leisure magazine as one of a series of essays about beloved Greek islands. Journal Entry in The American Scholar
"Lost and Found", one of the "Emails from Epiros" I sent to update friends on life in Lia was reprinted in the Spring issue of The American Scholar quarterly. You can read the article by clicking on the hot-pink title above. Check it out if you want a sneak preview of some of the violence and scandal that will spice up North of Ithaka. For more information on The American Scholar, visit http://www.pbk.org/pubs/amscholar.htm. Olympics, Athens 2004
The August, 2003 issue of Travel+Leisure magazine featured an article I wrote about the controversial preparations for the Athens, 2004 Olympics and how they have changed Athens as a city and a tourist destination. |
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