The Green Eyed Venuist: Old Town, Gelato and Petros

Back to Greece.

By now, remembering what I did each day on each island has become a task. So instead of going day by day, I'm going to post experience by experience. It'll be easier for me and better for you, I promise.

This is Old Town Mykonos, during the day time, right on the edge of the island near the port. Think of it as the downtown area of Mykonos.

If you look closely at this pic, you can see a small crowd of people peering into the water.

I zoomed in a little to see what they were gawking at. Turns out there was a huge pelican in the water. I wasn't sure if it was hurt or resting but I didn't want to get into the crowd because I don't like it when people touch me so I observed from afar.

I went on about my business, taking pics and people watching.

Sidenote, these pictures are gorgeous and are currently making me jealous of my one-month-ago self.....I can't believe I was so blessed as to have the chance to go halfway around the world and set sight on such marvelous evidence of God's creation.

In Greece there were lots of gelato stands...everywhere...and that made me very happy. Another sidenote: every time I'm traveling home from an international trip, I purchase a 16 pack of Kinder Bueno candy bars at the duty free shops in the airport. I can't find them in Houston without going out of my way so for some reason its easier for me to get them in bulk at the airport...(definitely not easier and definitely the devil). These delicious little wafers, covered in chocolate and stuff with this incredible hazelnut flavored cream, don't last more than 3 days or so in my presence (this sidenote will be important in just a sec, you'll see).

It was really hot outside so we dipped into this small shop that served coffee, lattes, etc and they had like 30+ different flavors of gelato! It was like the Baskin Robbins of Mykonos. Look at how pretty! Each flavor had small bits of fruit, candy or cookie, to correspond, right on top for decoration. There were swirls...billowing mounds...paradise.

Then, like a beacon from heaven above, there it was...I saw it....with my own green eyes....the Kinder Bueno flavored gelato. I swear after I saw that, I could have died a happy woman. It was hazelnut flavored gelato with bits of the candy bar mixed in! My mouth is watering describing it. I pointed, like a child and said "that one, in a cone". I could hardly wait for her to scoop it out. She handed it to me and I swear I heard angels singing in the background. I went out and found a Santorini blue bench at the edge of the water, sat on it and swung my legs...

Look at that pic below....isn't that scene exactly what you think heaven would be like? I think my nail polish really brings it all together, don't you? This was about the most blissful moment of that whole day.

I finished my gelato, decided against getting seconds despite the fat kid inside of me pleading for more, then noticed a crowd began to form in the middle of the square...Elizabeth and I are kinda nosy so we went over to see what the fuss was about. That's when we met Petros. Well...not the original Petros but, new Petros.

Story is, in 1954 a wounded pelican was found off the coast of Mykonos shore by a local fisherman. The fisherman nursed him back to health and the pelican became the island's mascot. People began to call him Petros as a joke. The word petro in Greek means rock or stone but metaphorically, Old and Grumpy. ha...lol. Unfortunately, original Petros was killed by a car in 1986. The people were so distraught by the death of Petros, the whole island became despressed and Jackie O had to donate another pelican to the island, Irene, to cheer them up. Then the Hamburg zoo donated another Petros. There's also a third pelican named Nikolas. So really...I don't know if this is Petros or not...its not like he was wearing a name tag but just go with it.

Like I said, there was a huge crowd surrounding the pelican. It was kinda funny b/c he seemed completely unphased. People were getting really close to him, trying to pet him, etc. He cleaned himself, took a few sips of water and then walked right into town like he owned the joint. That made me think he was Petros (remember that means old and grumpy? That moniker actually fits very well. He's like 95 years old and clearly has no time for the foolishness)

You can see how big Petros is compared to these kids....but he never seemed bothered and he never acknowledged any of the people that were chasing him around. Petros was totally chill and clearly didn't give an eff. My guess is, he's been there so long and is used to having people all in his face.