June 1st to June 20th Saturday morning we thought we would wake up to Force 8 winds (Gale 35-40 knots), but they were only about 15-20 knots. So we cleaned the boat inside and out and the next day we left Kusadasi, Turkey at 7:15 a.m. arriving in Ayios Kirikos, Ikaria Greece. This is one island west of Samos. Its name comes from the mythological legend of Daedalus and Icarus who escaped from Crete by making wings from feathers and wax. Icarus flew too high and the sun melted the wax and he fell into the sea near Ikaria. I didn't use wings, but I did jump ship to look for the customs office to check in and to ask where we were allowed to put the boat. Rudy stayed on the boat. First, after walking up and down a couple of hills, I was told that this was not a port of entry and therefore we were only allowed to anchor outside the bay and out of the way of the ferries. I promised we would not get off the boat and we had a pleasant night anchored beside a cliff. About 3 a.m., we awoke to the sound of a ferry the size of a big cruise ship. It didn't stay long, but we were happy to not be in his way!!! The next day (June 3rd), we left for Ormos Ornos, Mikonos. We got there around 3 p.m. and rowed the dinghy to shore (I directed, Rudy rowed). We took a taxi to customs, but apparently we needed the Port Police. So we took another taxi and were told to come back the next day because the person in charge of customs had gone home. We didn't tell him we weren't going to be there the next day. Our third taxi and 12 Euros later brought us back to our boat! We left for Finikas, Syros (named after the Phoenicians the islands first inhabitants) knowing that was another Port of Entry. We walked a couple of miles to customs after taking a taxi to town. We found customs and they were friendly and then told us to go to the Harbor Police. When we showed them our Transit Log, they became angry and called several people on the phone. We sat there feeling like convicts for 45 minutes and not being told what was happening. I once asked if they were finished with us and I was told to sit down!! We think that the friendly customs person did something wrong, but we got no explanation. We then walked several blocks to the Port Police and were told he had gone home and to come back the next day!!! It is really difficult and frustrating to follow the Greek rules and that is why many just do not check in at all and /or do not stay in Greece for very long. Rudy went the next day while I did some chores on the boat. He came back to the boat with a tale of more run a rounds!!! The Harbor Police wanted to know why he was back again and the Port Police wanted to know why I didn't show up. Rudy didn't tell them it was because I wanted to strangle each and every one of them!!! Then he tried to get a taxi and no one was in the first taxi by the taxi stand. In the third taxi there was a driver, but he informed Rudy that he had to go to the first cab. He literally went around in circles for about 15 minutes, until the third taxi pulled in front of the first and then someone else was trying to get in it. Rudy was letting the person in the cab, when someone else intervened and told the driver that Rudy was next. I was happy not to go because to ever see me again, you would need to visit the Greek prisons!! On Thursday we left for Lavrio, which is on the tip of the mainland south east of Athens at the Olympic Marina. Since we had to pay ahead of time, we decided that four days would be enough to visit Athens and Delphi. The next day we took a two-hour bus ride to Athens for a total of 5 Euros. We got off in the middle of Athens instead of the bus terminal (our first mistake) because we needed to find the Athens National Bank to exchange our Greek money for Euros. After we got our Euros (115), we visited the Acropolis (12 Euros each). This is one of the most magnificence ruins we have seen. The massiveness of the columns and the buildings were the center of Greece culture at the time. We walked in awe for two and a half hours and then had a slushy for 4.50 euros each!! At that point we didn't care how much they charged, we were extremely hot and tired. We were thankful that it was smoggy (a big problem here!!) and the sun wasn't blazing!! We toured Athens in a taxi and then decided to see a movie. We saw Star Wars and then had dinner. It was still early and we thought the last bus left at midnite (our second mistake) so we decided to see Spiderman. When we came out of the movies, we got into a cab and went to a bus station. We tried to explain to the driver we wanted to go to the bus terminal, but it was lost in translation!! Besides being the slowest taxi driver in the world, we got caught in a traffic jam. So Rudy and I got out of the taxi (our third mistake) and walked. After walking around in circles and asking several people where the bus station was, we found out that we had just missed the last bus to Lavrio. We stopped a couple of taxis and finally got one to drive us to our boat for 40 Euro!!! We decided to leave a day early (no refund) and to visit Delphi later in the week. When we checked out and the Port Police literally read from his little rulebook. The next day (June 9th) we left for the Corinth Canal. We found a little quiet bay called Ormos Kalamaki to spend the night. The next morning at 5:30a.m, we motored over to the office of the Canal to pay our 182 Euros, 15% higher than in Oct. about $25 more!! We went through at full speed behind a tugboat. There was a huge cruise ship on the north side waiting to enter. The wind was blowing out of the north at about 25 knots, which it wasn't supposed to do. We hoped it would quiet down once we got close to land.it didn't!!! The waves were slamming against us as well as the winds (on our nose), which became a steady 30-35 knots gusting to 40 knots with some rain, but the rain didn't last. The approach to the entrance to the harbor called Galaxhi was a little tricky and not being able to see the landmarks thru the mist was a little unnerving!! However, as we neared the entrance and it was much calmer and we could see the landmarks without any problem. We however, had to med moor three times, anchor problems. Maybe someday we'll learn!! I would like to say that to me Med mooring is the thing I like the very least!!! However, it is probably very entertaining for the pepeople on land. Many times when you leave, your anchor catches on your neighbors and then you have to maneuver two or three boats to get unraveled. Other times a boat's anchor will drag, therefore dragging the boat next to him or a huge boat squeezing into a space half his size or having anchor problems. I think the Europeans invented this procedure for free entertainment for their citizens!!! We again walked around in circles looking for the Port Police and gave up and ate dinner. The next day we took two buses to get to Delphi and had a great time. It was by no means as massive as Athens, but the views were breathtaking to say the least!!! Rudy and I believed this was the most beautiful, peaceful, spectacular spot we have seen in Greece!!! After dinner that night, the Port Police showed up in his little shed next to our boat and asked for our papers. Now that was easy!!! The next morning we left for Trizonia. It was an uneventful day. YES!!!! We walked up the hill to eat at Lizzie's and had a great meal. The next morning at 6:30 am (this is the usual time to go.less winds and less waves), we left for mainland and a bay called Ormos Marathia. We even put up our sails for a while!!! As we passed thru the narrow part of the Gulf of Corinth, there were columns sticking out of the water. We realized, as we got closer that they were building a bridge in water over 200 feet deep! They did have the channels marked which made it easy for us to navigate. As we approached the construction, one ferry crossed behind us and three ferries crossed in front of us! It felt like we were going thru a maze. We arrived in the quiet harbor of Ormos Marathia and had our dinner on board again. It was very quiet and we were the only boat in this little bay. We did notice some tents on shore, but no one was around. On June 14th, we left for the island of Lefkas. We got to the new unfinished marina next to Water Music who we met briefly in Turkey at a picnic. We went into town to buy food, go on line and make phone calls. I tried to call my parents on the Cruise Ship they were on celebrating their 60th Anniversary, but at $9.50 a minute plus tax, I decided that the gifts I sent them on board would have to do!! We left the next morning and waited for the bridge to open at 7 am so we could travel to Parga. We got there around noon. It was a resort area with a sea of brightly colored sun umbrellas all in rows along the beach. We stayed on our boat relaxing and enjoying the scenery. On June 16th, we left Parga for Corfu and arrived about noon. We looked at a few areas before deciding on a quiet bay on the eastern side of CorfuTown where The Old Fortress towered above us!! As we rowed to shore, we passed Bonnie and David on Icarus another couple we met in Turkey. We walked around the Old Town and stopped every now and then to buy a cool drink or to purchase a sweet. (Rudy has a very large sweet tooth!!) After we became exhausted and over-heated, we went back to the boat and jumped in the water for a swim.even me!!! This was the first time I swam in the Med!!!! We later rowed to shore to have a quiet conversation with Bonnie and David and to enjoy a pleasant meal in the harbor. As we looked out across the water, we realized that the haze had hung in the sky all day and now at nightfall it gave the sky and water a mysterious glow. I rowed back to the boat and we both agreed I use more energy and use more water surface than Rudy!! The next day we decided to go to the Gouvion Marina since they have a good Chandlery, food store and LAUNDRY SERVICE!!! Since it is finally summer (90+ degrees and rising), we shouldn't need sweat shirts and long pants for a while. That will make less dirty laundry, I hope!! When I checked in today at the marina, the port police found many errors in the previous ports' paperwork and kept calling his fellow partners in crime.stupid. At least he didn't get annoyed with us!! I hope tomorrow, the customs people will feel the same way!! We did some grocery shopping and although, it was only a 5 minute walk, a got a taxi because I had many grocery bags. He charged 6Euros.I couldn't believe how he took advantage on me. The next day we took a bus to the next town to the customs office. When we got off the bus we learned that we had to wait 45 minutes for the next bus to take us to customs, so we took a cab and he charged us 7 Euros for a 10 minute walk. If only we had known!!! The customs and Port Police did argue who would keep the Transit Log, but we cleared out of Greece in about 3 minutes. We moved to a quiet harbor called Kalami. Icarus came the next night and we will both leave tomorrow morning (June 20th) for our 200-mile trip to Croatia. We will write again from there!!! REFLECTIONS ON GREECE: The scenery is very diverse with mostly rugged seacoasts with more greenery as you go west and north. The houses in the eastern part were all painted white with blue trim (Greek national colors) which made the towns look they were taken out of a storybook. They were painted that way to irritate the Italians when they occupied the Greek Islands during the war. Many of the streets are made of cobblestones, which give it a quaint feeling. The towns have many narrow alleyways filled with potted plants with many of the streets going up the hills where the houses are stacked one on top of each other. I feel that the Greek people are not nearly as friendly as the Turkish people and the authorities are for the most part, stand offish and rude. Every port had their own set of rules and it is most confusing to the cruisers and wasted a great deal of time!! Most every island caters to the landlubber tourists and all you see are hotels with beach umbrellas and lounges along the water. I can't wait to visit Croatia. We will join a 40+ boats gathering where all cruisers are welcomed with planned activities and warm wishes!!