The year was 2000. I was working my first travel agent job, at Travelfest. I worked for Rose Pace and Damir Bogdanic. I loved that job and stayed with travel for 10 years.
My manager, Zel Heaney and Damir pulled me into the office one day (Oh shit! What have I done now?) and said “We need someone to escort a group on a cruise and we know how you love history. ” They offered me a free trip to the AMAZING city of Athens, the Greek Isles of Mykonos, Santorini and Patmos and ending up in Rome. Do ya think I said “Yes”??
For me it was the trip of a lifetime. A dream come true. I had reamed about that part of the world. I had been to some Roman ruins in Switzerland on a prior trip butt NOTHING the Athens or Rome.
So, before the trip there was a meet and greet with many of the people going on the cruise. Many of them would take me aside and say “I don’t want to be at a table with Celeste Beard, don’t seat us with her.”
I had no idea who Celeste Beard was so I called Zel and she told me that she was in the “NEWS” for “possibly’ murdering her husband…haha…no, REALLY!. Zel also said she didn’t think she was gonna show on the cruise, which she didn’t and, eventually, she went to jail. Still there, I hear.
It was interesting, traveling all that way by myself, with a group of strangers. I made 2 great friends, Stephanie Dupree (Routh) and Todd Routh and we are still great friends today. We just clicked as they say.
I will write about the whole trip but right now I just wanna tell the story of the island of Patmos and the Cave of St. John the Hermit. He wrote the Book of Revelations in this cave.
I was not credit card savvy when I went on that trip and I had pretty well run out of cash by the end of the trip. People paid $75 dollars to go to the cave on an air conditioned tour bus.
I was feeling a bit sorry for myself but I decided just to get lunch in the harbor and just enjoy being there. I went into a fish market/cafe and had pan friend squid in olive oil and parsley. (It was still called Calamari) It was fantastic. I had never had a flat, whole squid before, just Calamari, breaded and fried. This was delicious!
While I was sitting there, outside in the sun, I noticed a black bus, like our yellow school busses, pull up. I asked my waiter if that bus went up to “The cave”. He said it did. “How much”…”80 cents”…”Seriously? 80 cents?” I still had THAT much cash.
That bus went along the coast, stopping at 3 little fishing villages, before going up the mountain. No air conditioning, just hang yer head out the window! At the 3rd village 3 Greek Orthodox Priests, with black robes tall black “stove-pipe” hats, each had a rope and were ringing the traditional 3 bells in the church facade. It was really thrilling to see.
The cave is situated right beneath a big castle. It is actually the monastery of St. John. When I got to the cave the bus full of tourists was just leaving. I went inside and was alone except for the old woman attendant. I had the place to myself. Just me, my hostess and the ghost of ol’ Saint John! The ceiling is cracked into thirds, by the finger of God, so we’re told.
Needless to say, when I went back outside there was no bus waiting for me.The view of the town, the harbor and the sea was just beautiful. There was a clearly marked trail leading down the hill and the ship wouldn’t sail for another hour and a half so I thought I’d just hoof it on down the mountain.
On my way down I found a young Greek couple, dating I think. He was playing a guitar, playing blues so I told him that I was a musician from Austin, Texas. He lit up….”Do you know Stevie Ray Vaughan?” meaning was I familiar with him. “Of course. I knew Stevie”….Man, he just wigged, right there. He was beside himself. That was the coolest and most enjoyable moment. He made my day and I made his.
See what happens if you just travel and let it happen? Tours are expensive, the cave was packed, shoulder to shoulder for those 40 people on the tour and they didn’t see the priests ring the church bells OR meet the world’s biggest Stevie Ray Vaughan fan…..and the Calamari!!
My Entertaining Life-Steve Carter 