Today, we have been invited by our Silversea host to join the group for a S.A.L.T. (Sea And Land Taste) excursion on the island of Paros, Greece. Paros is one of the lesser known islands, often overshadowed by Mykonos to the north, or Santorini to the south. Yet, Paros has a lot to offer visitors to the island. Cafes and taverns line the port. Paros is a port you can explore easily on your own, which we did a few years ago on our first visit to the island. But, today we are in for a treat. We are joining a group of other media professionals for the S.A.L.T. Ashore: “Tastes of the Cyclades” excursion.

Visiting Paros by cruise ship requires a short tender ride. Silversea has done a good job of maintaining social distancing efforts on tender boats.

After arriving at the pier, we boarded a motor coach for the ride to Kamapango, a small, local active organic farm where we enjoyed a morning walk through fields of olive trees, vineyards and herb gardens.

Rickee chats with Brad Ball, Silversea’s Director of Public Relations, The Americas

We come from a world where everything we consume is shipped to our grocery store from God‑only‑knows‑where. On this portion of the tour, we could actually touch and feel and taste the products that are grown on the farm. Olives, grapes for Suma (a local drink comparable to Ouzo), herbs for cooking, and delicious figs, are all grown right here on the island. Everyone came away with a new appreciation for local farming.

At one point along the walking tour, we stopped for snacks, all of which were prepared using the local ingredients grown on the farm.

At the conclusion of the farm tour, we boarded the coach once again for a short drive to Thalassamou, a beachside restaurant, for lunch.

The setting for this part of the tour could not have been more idyllic. The mostly open-air restaurant looks out over the deep blue ocean waters, separated only by a beautiful beach. After being seated and offered cold water, beer or soft drinks, we noticed the chef removing freshly baked loaves of bread from an outdoor clay oven.

The same chef later treated us to a demonstration of how to roll out the paper-thin Phyllo (or Filo) dough for Spanakopita, a Greek pastry filled with a mixture of Spinach, onions, leeks, mint, and olive oil. It was fascinating to watch his technique, and we suspected we might get to try the finished product during lunch.

Soon, we were being asked to take our seats at tables set up on the beach. It is a beautiful day today with only a little wind. The tables are set up under trees for shade and, soon, the food begins to arrive.

Large bowls filled with delicious fresh salads begin to arrive, all served family style. A delicious eggplant salad was my favorite. The tomatoes in the salads were deep red and deliciously sweet. Not like the pink, flavorless ones we get back in Texas. Oh, the tomatoes. One of our table mates said that the tomatoes were one of her favorite reasons for visiting Greece.

The bread we saw being removed from the oven was served in brown bags and was still warm and delicious. Then came platters of fresh sardines, fried calamari and the freshly baked Spanakopita. I am not a big fan of seafood, so I leaned toward the Spanakopita, which was delicious.

Overall, this was an excellent excursion that fed the mind as well as the body. It is not something we will soon forget.

We arrived back on board Silver Moon in time to partake in this afternoon’s Team Trivia at Dolce Vita lounge on Deck 5. Our Cruise Director, Vicky, was on hand to inflict the pain. Rickee and I formed our own two-person team and failed miserably, coming in last place! We will do better tomorrow.

After our huge lunch on the beach, Rickee and I were not very hungry for dinner. We decided to check out the S.A.L.T. Bar on Deck 4 for a cocktail that has been all the rage on social media. Selene, The Moon is a concoction of Moonshot Gin, Maraschino, Rue Berry, Fresh Lemon, Apricot Jam, Peach Bitters and Citrus Smoke. The drink arrives with an ominous wiggly bubble on top filled with the citrus smoke.

When the bubble pops, smoke pours out that Rickee said smelled like Rosemary. The drink is quite sweet and refreshing. It is a must try when you visit S.A.L.T. Bar!

After our cocktail, we decided to head back up to Deck 8 and enjoy one last cocktail at Arts Cafe. We found a nice table outside with a beautiful view of Paros in the distance.

Outdoor seating at Arts Cafe, Deck 8 aft

Although not hungry enough for dinner, Rickee found herself in the mood for some caviar to enjoy with her glass of Prosecco. We asked the waitress at Arts Cafe if we could get some caviar delivered to our table. Within minutes, an order of caviar arrived with all the trimmings.

Complimentary, sustainable caviar is now available on Silversea

Rickee enjoyed the caviar; however, she felt like the blinis were a little too sweet. Nevertheless, the tin was soon empty. I am not a caviar fan, so I enjoyed a nice cheese platter offered at Arts Cafe in the evening.

After Arts Cafe, we retired to our suite and enjoyed a movie on the TV while munching on a bowl of popcorn delivered by our butler, Antonio. It was a great way to end another amazing day aboard Silversea Silver Moon. Tomorrow, Silver Moon will be anchored off the coast of Patmos, Greece. Stay tuned!

Day 3: Paros, Greece