Our first day was spent just relaxing and exploring Mykonos town. We walked to the famous windmills, had a coffee and croissant each at one of the cafes on the harbour front (14 euro) and ended the day walking to the harbour area to watch a ferry coming in. It seemed to be organised chaos but fun to watch. The sea was rough though and I bet there was a few folks getting off the ferry that were happy the journey had ended for them.

Oh, and I had another Shirley moment when I found the market stalls on the harbour front that she bought her fruit. Unfortunately, there were no melons!

One thing I need to say here is that Mykonos was expensive. Everything from a coffee to a simple dinner was, I felt, pricey. We averaged (for a two course dinner with wine) between 35 and 40 euro. We tried to eat at those restaurants we found to be at a cheaper level but sometimes they seemed to be hard to find. In fact, one evening we had a dinner picnic courtesy of the local supermarket. Fresh fruit, cheese, cold meat, some wine and a great view. Saved us a fortune and it has to be recommended!

On our second day I wanted to be alone. Yup, you?ve got it. I was heading off to Agios Yannis to see where Miss Valentine worked and lodged and listened to orchestras. That day I was going to BE Shirley. HWTHIBO said it was not a problem, as he wanted to check out some of the local museums in the town plus perhaps a few beaches. Yes, I know all about some of the beaches on the island and he knows what Shirley got up to so how could I mind!

I took a taxi to Agios Yannis (6 euro) and the driver kindly dropped me off at the very top of the road to let me walk down and take in everything I had seen in the movie. Sure enough there was the hotel, the little blue church in the harbour area, the island across the beautiful Aegean (Delos) and further down the road on the beach the actual taverna that was also used in the movie.

In general, the area does look different as there are now many new apartments but I think that the area is big enough to cope with that without it being spoiled.

I had lunch at THE taverna and checked out the large movie stills displayed on the wall, and then walked back up to the main road to take more pictures for my album. Down that same road a little bit there is a nice cafe where I sat and chatted to the young man (about 20 years old) who was on the cash register. He laughingly told me about others who visited Agios Yannis searching for Costas and the hotel owner both seen in the movie. He could not understand how people thought those characters were real. I think it was at that moment I could have slapped his beautiful face, in a caring way of course.

Had he never heard of the damn orchestra, found that little beach, or dived into the ocean that goes down forever? Mind you, if he had been ten years older I may have asked him if he could borrow his brother?s boat and we could explore the beaches looking for the Greek rock he he he

I left Agios Yannis feeling just a bit melancholy. I have no idea why. I was not disappointed in what I found there, in fact I loved the place from the moment I saw it that day. It was weird.

Down at the little harbour in Agios Yannis was a bus stop and a helpful timetable displayed let me see that the bus to Mykonos town calls there every hour. I did not have long to wait and was back in town in about 15 minutes and the ticket cost me 1.5 euro.

HWTHIBO was snoozing at the hotel when I got back. He said the museums were good but he did not go to any beaches. I believed him too!

Day three and our last on the island was spent just enjoying the great atmosphere in the town, taking more coffees and having a very lazy day. Just after lunch, the next day we took the ferry back to Piraeus and the trip was very enjoyable. We called first at Tinos then Syros (very pretty port, must visit if we ever come back) and reached Piraeus late evening.

Again, we took the metro back to Syntagma and easily found Hotel Arethusa.

Part 3 to follow!

I just wanted to say that I am really enjoying reading this report! My fiance and I are leaving for Greece in one week and we can't wait!! This will be our first trip to Europe...we've been planning for a year and I can't believe it's finally here.

We'll be in Athens for a few days, then Santorini (where we're getting married!) and then Mykonos. I'll definitely post a trip report when we return.

Milley, I'm not even going to Greece and I'm enjoying your report! Write on!

Milley: I'm enjoying your report immensely! It's been quite a while since we took our trip to Greece and I felt as if I was with you as you toured Athens (which we too liked very much) and again as you walked the narrow streets of Mykonos to get to your hotel.

Shirley Valentine is a favorite movie of mine, and your comments about your visit to the area where it was made were great!

So glad you had such a good time and the way you are describing it makes me feel your joy. Thank you. ><

MAS16 I know you and yours will have fanastic time. It was my first trip to Greece too and I can't wait until I'm able to return. I hope you have a wonderful wedding day on Santorini.

dln, thanks. The third and last part I hope to finish later.

Giovanna: thanks too for your comments. Did you visit Agios Yannis when you were on Mykonos?

milley: No, but I certainly will if we ever return. Will also buy a Byzantine ring, which I so admired, but felt were an extravagance we couldn't afford, and have regretted it ever since.

This report is great! I'm leaving for Greece on Thursday (also doing Athens and Mykonos) and this report couldn't have come at a better time.

I'm taking a Delta flight via JFK. Can you tell me your thoughts on the flight? Also, do you remember any of the names of the restaurants?

Many thanks.

Okay, I MUST ask... HWTHIBO? I am trying to figure it out. I have some ideas, but not the "B" "O". Do tell.

Great report by the way!

Your report is a valentine to Greece!!!!

Giovanna: I saw those rings in Mykonos! In fact, I thought the specialist gold shops there were amazing, so beautiful. I was not allowed to loiter outside them too long though and anyway he had the credit card. Bad planning on my part I think. Go back and buy!

wuzupnyc: Delta was just fine. In fact, any airline would have been OK as I was so excited about going to Greece I really didn't care. Sounds crazy but it is true. The little restaurant we used a couple of times in Athens was on Mihail Voda just 100 yards along from the hotel. I'm so sorry but I don't recall it's name but it is the only restaurant there. In the Plaka the restuarant was opposite the metro station at Monastiraki. Again, I didn't take a note of the name but I will remember to do so if I ever write a report again. Mykonos was different as we had a couple of evening picnics courtesy of the local supermarket. We ate in one restaurant called Kostas right behind the main town Church. Another that was recommended to us was Nikos but he didn't get a chance to try it out.

Austin: I'm married to an ex-navy man. He always tells me at least he had power there! He Who Thinks He Is Being Obeyed. He does too. Really.

cigalechanta: thanks, what a lovely thing to say.

Final part

It was late evening when we came up onto Syntagma and we used the little map I had printed off from Hotel Arethusa?s website to find the place. Amazingly, it took us only 3 minutes to get to its front door as it is located almost ON the square.

One thing I need to mention though was the heat that was waiting on us when we arrived back in Athens. That evening the city centre was unbelievably hot and humid. Much, much hotter than our few days there the previous week. The breezes on the island and during our ferry trip that day no doubt helped reduce the temperature and make it all so pleasant but I cannot remember ever feeling humidity like that before.

Our welcome at the hotel was so very nice and we found that the level of friendliness continued throughout our stay there. This is a tourist class hotel, on eight floors, with a rooftop restaurant area. The rooftop was closed down during our stay but the lovely woman on reception gave us the key to let us take some pictures of the Acropolis. Our room was large, clean, and tidy. Unfortunately though, the air conditioning system really struggled against the so very high temperatures outside and the room was sometimes stuffy and warm particularly through the night. Mind you, the rate for the room was great at 95 euro per night and we have no reason to complain.

We had budgeted for one conducted tour (the full day trip to Corinth, Nafplio, Mycenae and Epidaurus) but we were too late that first evening to book it for the next day. We therefore got out our guidebooks and maps and decided to take a trip back down to Piraeus and use the local ferry to visit Hydra instead.

Very early next morning, after a ?hot? night and a very nice breakfast (included in the rate) we again caught the metro to Piraeus and found the booth that sold tickets for the Saronic Islands.

We had the choice of either the high speed ship or the slower car ferry. We chose the car ferry simply because it also called at Aegina, Methana and Poros on the way. The journey to Hydra took about 3.5 hours and we loved every minute of it. The town itself was soooo beautiful and I wish that we had been spending maybe a few days there. We only had about 3 hours before we had to start the trip back but we could not complain bearing in mind how little we had paid for the whole journey.

We arrived back in Piraeus about 6.30 and had dinner there before returning to the city centre. The tour companies charge about 80 euro per person for this trip and we did it for about 40 euro all in.

The next morning the tour company C.H.A.T. collected us from the hotel just after 8am to start the Mycenae-Epidaurus trip (79 euro per person ?with lunch? or 69 euro per person ?without? ? we felt this was an expensive tour so to ease the strain against our budget we opted for the ?without lunch? option). From the hotel, we were taken to a sort of clearing area where we got on another coach and then set off.

The places we visited have been talked a lot about on here and I am not going to go over them again.

Our favorites were Nafplio (where we bought lunch) and Epidaurus. I would have loved to have attended an evening concert at this beautiful place. Mycenae was amazing but the heat kind of held us back a little as there was no shelter there.

The tour guide was very good and the air-conditioned coach extremely comfortable.

We were back at our hotel for just before 7pm, happy and a little tired.

This was our last evening so we splashed out a little and had dinner in a restaurant recommended by our friend at the hotel.

We took a cab to the place and I think it was called Athenian and was close to Omonia Square. The food was fantastic and was all traditionally Greek. A lovely way to end or trip.

Next day we were so sad to be leaving. Usually after a week or two I am ready to go home but not this time.

Everything went smoothly on the return trip and now that we are home I have my photographs and lovely memories. I just cannot wait until we return.

Shirley is gonna have some competition next time especially as I already have made a deal to hire the brothers boat. But that is my little secret.

milley

Hydra is a fantastic little island, isn't it, gov?? Did you have a drink at the kafeneia that is on the promontory near the "beach." There were some lovely shops near the cafe. Oh, how I wish I on holiday in Greece right now with a big retsina in front of me.

Hi,
Thank you for a great report. My husband and I love Greece. We have been there serveral times and we keep discovering new areas. This year we traveled to France and loved it, but we are now planning a return trip to
Greece, but we won't be able to go until 2005. Your report let me live vicariouly.

Your trip report brought back memories for me. I took a tour back in the mid-70's through Epidaurus, etc. Everyone said that I had to go to the evening performance there - we'd never forgive ourselves if we missed it. Anyway, we went and I was incredibly bored! I'm not sure what we were expecting, but it was all in Greek - big surprise, eh? I still chuckle when I think about it! That area was wonderful though.

I took liked Athens. 24 years later, I went back, with my husband, and enjoyed it again.

ThinGorjus: We didn't have a drink at the kafeneia but I'll take a note of it for the next trip. I had never tasted retsina before arriving in Greece and at first I wasn't so sure. Then I found the more I tasted it the more I appreciated it LOL

yipper: If we can save big-time then it will be 2005 for us too. Also, I'm not so sure next year is the best time to go with the Olympics being held in Athens. Mind you, the great thing will be to see so much of Athens and Greece on the TV coverage. I bet visitor numbers in the months and years after the games will soar.

SusanInToronto: Intesting to read your comments about Epidaurus. For me, I think it would be just to sit there as the sun goes down and then soak in the atmosphere. Can you recall if the tickets were expensive? Also, where did you book them?

milley

Hi Milley, great report and very interesting, you stepped in my footsteps so to speak in Athens, Mykonos and Hydra. Glad you liked the Arethusa, it is surely one of the most convenient and the staff are so nice, all had a great sense of humour on reception and allowed me into a room at 6.30am in the morning after my flight from London. I then fell into bed and slept for 3 hours. From Adrianou street up to the small road that runs to the Acropolis entrance are some houses and there are quite a few felines around there.
The tavern that Shirley worked in was closed for the season when I called but sounds like it was interesting with it's photos on the walls. Did you meet mama at Il Posto cafe on the waterfront, she is lovely and a real character?
I walked from the second to last metro stop to Piraeus through the waterfront area and marina and there is further along a very good Marks and Spencers with a supermarket. Also near there a pleasant walk along the coastline to Piraeus. It was a long way but very enjoyable. I hope that you got to Delos which really is a must see, one of the highlights for me.
I should also mention M & S on Ermou st, has a lovely little cafe for a rest after much shopping.
I was disappointed with Kifissia, it was too run down for me to be called an upmarket suburb. Some old villas that must have been truly splendid in their heyday but not now.
I'm also planning my next escape to Greece and luckily have week to week reports from my Athenian friend.
If anyone is looking for a homely small inexpensive pension on Mykonos, on the hill above Hora but with a spectacular view from it's terrace and lovely hosts, please ask.