Going Greek At Tarpon Springs

Getting out of the car, we immediately caught the wonderful briny smell of the sea combined with the heady aroma of seafood cooking in spices. We passed young men greeting each other in the streets in an unknown language. Older men sat at tables playing cards, eating amazing smelling food, and shouting in Greek. Restaurants had pictures of foreign-looking, mouthwatering dishes trying to entice the hungry traveler inside. Souvenir shops beckoned as well with olive oil bath products, sponges of every sort, fragrant spices and teas.

Everything about the place gave you a sense that you were somewhere exotic and new. You could easily imagine you had got in your car and travelled to Greece, but this little pocket of Greece was instead in Tarpon Springs, Florida.

Tarpon Springs is a Greek community built around sponge harvesting. It provides its visitors with an authentic chance to explore another culture without the cost or time involved in a trip to Greece.

As you might imagine, I loved it. I loved the vibrant people going about their lives in a way that was so foreign to me. I loved smelling the spices in the air, hearing the unknown language. They were probably talking about something as mundane as tying their shoes but it sounded so passionate to my foreign ear. I felt like I was peering through a window into an imaginary world.

We decided to walk about the town a bit and get a feel for the place before deciding where to eat.

[caption id="attachment_186" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Sponges were everywhere"][/caption]



We decided to eat at a place called Plaka. There were so many other restaurants to choose from. Places with names like Mama's (there was a belly dancer there), The Halki Market, Hellas, Mykonos, Mr. Souvlaki. So many places and we could only eat at one! I would not be against coming here every single weekend just to try out a new restaurant. :)



We ordered fried calamari and a gyro to split. We asked the waitress how to pronounce gyro. She said "yee-row" while slightly rolling the r. For all those who pronounce it different don't get mad at me, I'm just passing on what the Greek waitress said. I wish we had ordered flaming cheese (saganaki) but we didn't think of that. NEXT TIME! I can't believe I passed up a chance to eat cheese!



I'm sorry about the terrible picture. As usual, I was there without my camera (can someone just attach the thing to my body somehow?) so we bought a disposable so we would at least have some pictures. The calamari was brilliant! Very lightly breaded and seasoned. I made R taste it and he did so unwillingly.



He didn't like it. No big surprise there.

The gyro was huge and tasted wonderful but I have heard it is not the conventional gyro that is served at other restaurants. I wouldn't know so now I will be forced to go back again to find out. It looked like we had eaten two bites when we were finished. LOTS OF LEFTOVERS.

I loved Tarpon Springs. We need to go back soon. (Flaming cheese is calling my name.)