Fabulous Greece-Santorini, Naxos and Athens
Jul 11th, 2015, 04:38 AM
#21
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June 30-
This morning we jumped in our little orange rent a car and headed out for the interior of the island where the promise of more traditional villages and stunning scenery awaited us. There are no street signs in Greece and no roads marked by number, only signposts at intersections with names of towns, pointing the direction. This made it a bit challenging because it wasn't always the next town that was listed so one had to be prepared for all the names of the town along the planned route. In a reversal for us, Billy drove and I navigated. He did a great job negotiating the ridiculously winding roads that, some times had guard rails, sometimes did not and though they are supposedly two lane roads, there were places that it was no more than eight feet wide. At one point, we rounded a corner and came face to face with a huge Mack truck. I screamed, Jenny jumped, and Billy handled it all beautifully well. By the end of the trip, Billy was taking the stop signs like the Greeks, as a mere suggestion to perhaps slow down.
After leaving the hotel, we passed by the long stretch of white sand beaches and crystal clear turquoise water. We turned inland and quickly crossed into agricultural country. As we were driving along, we saw something in the road to which we simultaneously all asked what it was but just as quickly replied, "A pig."
Crossing the road was a piglet no bigger than my foot! Jenny of course insisted we stop the car so she take photos and make sure she could usher it out of harm's way. Back in the car we started ascending into the mountains of Naxos.
Naxos' name is derived from the first king of the island who came at the head of the colonists from Asia Minor. It is the largest of the Cyclades by far and has the highest point in the Cyclades, Mount Zeus at 3200 feet.
I had read about a family run pottery shop in the village of Damarionas along the route we were taking, so when we came upon it, I insisted we stop. As we walked in the gallery, the smell from the wood that was firing the kiln was overwhelming, but in a good way. There was a woman who was busy pounding and molding clay while her brother was busy throwing clay. They had a very large selection of items that both of them plus their father had made. We, of course, left with a few.
Our first stop was Halki, a small traditional village up higher in the mountains. We arrived around noon and decided we should stay for lunch. As we rounded one of the passageways, we came across a large BBQ with a rotisserie spinning the most succulent and delicious looking chickens I have ever seen. They smelled divine and with their golden brown skin glistening at us, we were hooked. Yianni's Taverna, which was responsible for the delectable chickens, happened to have one of the most quaint settings I have ever seen. They had a large patio which was completely shaded by grapevines growing overhead. The surrounding village was lovely and quiet with local people tending their stores or enjoying their lunch. There were few tourists adding to the more traditional feeling. The town clearly was important historically as the crumbling facades of grand villas and tower houses can attest to. There were many wonderful photo opportunities here.
We ordered the chicken, fried potatoes (Naxos is famous for potatoes-go figure) and a Greek Salad (topped with a semi-soft local sour cheese)-all delicious! The local cats must have thought so as well, because we had no less than five of them sitting at our feet meowing for some hand-outs!
Halki has some great shops, especially L'Olivier, again all locally owned by artisans, and we certainly did our fair share of shopping. As Jenny and I were passing a shop with hand-loomed linens, a very discernible, older Greek gentleman approached us and was insisting we enter his shop. We couldn't help but oblige and left a few minutes later with a beautiful dried oregano filled sachet, though we all joked that we hoped we don't end up getting stopped by customs coming back into the U.S.! Billy bought me a beautiful silver fish necklace from L'Olivier, with a beautiful "eye of Naxos." I love it!
As we were making our way out of the passageways and back in to the town's main streets, church bells started ringing like mad. We popped out in front of the church to see a fully cloaked priest pulling hard as could be on the rope leading up to the bell tower. Quite a sight!
Our final stop in town was a bakery we passed on the walk into the village square. Our noses had been enticed by the sweet fragrance that was emanating from the kitchen there. Wow! did it smell scrumptious. A few cookies and Greek treats later, we were finally ready to hit the road again.
From there we continued on through the beautiful town of Filoti that sits on the slopes at the base of Mount Zeus. We drove further and further up until we reached Apiranthos, a village of stone houses with streets and alleyways made from marble. Its inhabitants are descendants of refugees who fled Crete to escape Turkish repression. It was a charming town with a few cafes, including a creperie, where we of course stopped, as well as a few craft shops.
Back in the car we finished the climb to the highest point along our drive, 2300 feet. The scenery up to this point has been amazing, it was what I had pictured Greece to look like-deep verdant valleys, high craggy peaks, wild flowers of all colors and bushes of bright pink oleander blooming up and down the hillsides. We passed countless olive tree groves and terraced hillsides with grape vines, citrus trees and fig trees, forests of juniper and huge eucalyptus trees. I can see now why Naxos is known as the green island.
At one point, we started to hear a sound and thought our little orange tuna can, that is supposedly meant to be a car, was getting ready to die on us. We were a bit nervous as the sound is incredibly loud but then it goes away just as quickly as it started however a few minutes later the noise starts up again and then again it stops. Billy suddenly realized it is not the car but cicadas! We listened to them on and off the entire car trip. Billy said how that sound always reminds him of childhood.
As we descended towards the rugged northern coast, the terrain changed dramatically. The hillsides were far too steep to terrace and thus there were far fewer inhabitants except for herds of goats that can unimaginably cling to the almost vertical drop.
Our next stop was to be Apollonas, a small fishing village which is known for having one of the three Kouros that can be found on the island. Kouros are large marble statues. This particular Kouros lies on the ground in the supine position and is more than 30 feet in length. Scholars disagree whether it was to depict Apollo or Dionysus but it is believed to be from the 6 century BC and felt it was abandoned because it had cracked and there was no way to repair it. It was an amazing sight and even more so of one when you think that many more of these had been successfully made and transported down the hillside to the port area and loaded on boats destined for the important cultural site, the island of Delos (now a UNESCO site).
From this point, almost back to Naxos town there were hardly any villages. The coastline below was breathtaking but the sinuous roads were starting to take a toll on Jenny, even though she road shotgun the entire trip. We forwent any other stops and opted to get to the hotel and spend a few hours relaxing poolside before showering for dinner.
97 kilometers and seven hours later, we did exactly that. The drive around the island was well worth the time; we had had a wonderful journey!
This morning we jumped in our little orange rent a car and headed out for the interior of the island where the promise of more traditional villages and stunning scenery awaited us. There are no street signs in Greece and no roads marked by number, only signposts at intersections with names of towns, pointing the direction. This made it a bit challenging because it wasn't always the next town that was listed so one had to be prepared for all the names of the town along the planned route. In a reversal for us, Billy drove and I navigated. He did a great job negotiating the ridiculously winding roads that, some times had guard rails, sometimes did not and though they are supposedly two lane roads, there were places that it was no more than eight feet wide. At one point, we rounded a corner and came face to face with a huge Mack truck. I screamed, Jenny jumped, and Billy handled it all beautifully well. By the end of the trip, Billy was taking the stop signs like the Greeks, as a mere suggestion to perhaps slow down.
After leaving the hotel, we passed by the long stretch of white sand beaches and crystal clear turquoise water. We turned inland and quickly crossed into agricultural country. As we were driving along, we saw something in the road to which we simultaneously all asked what it was but just as quickly replied, "A pig."
Crossing the road was a piglet no bigger than my foot! Jenny of course insisted we stop the car so she take photos and make sure she could usher it out of harm's way. Back in the car we started ascending into the mountains of Naxos.
Naxos' name is derived from the first king of the island who came at the head of the colonists from Asia Minor. It is the largest of the Cyclades by far and has the highest point in the Cyclades, Mount Zeus at 3200 feet.
I had read about a family run pottery shop in the village of Damarionas along the route we were taking, so when we came upon it, I insisted we stop. As we walked in the gallery, the smell from the wood that was firing the kiln was overwhelming, but in a good way. There was a woman who was busy pounding and molding clay while her brother was busy throwing clay. They had a very large selection of items that both of them plus their father had made. We, of course, left with a few.
Our first stop was Halki, a small traditional village up higher in the mountains. We arrived around noon and decided we should stay for lunch. As we rounded one of the passageways, we came across a large BBQ with a rotisserie spinning the most succulent and delicious looking chickens I have ever seen. They smelled divine and with their golden brown skin glistening at us, we were hooked. Yianni's Taverna, which was responsible for the delectable chickens, happened to have one of the most quaint settings I have ever seen. They had a large patio which was completely shaded by grapevines growing overhead. The surrounding village was lovely and quiet with local people tending their stores or enjoying their lunch. There were few tourists adding to the more traditional feeling. The town clearly was important historically as the crumbling facades of grand villas and tower houses can attest to. There were many wonderful photo opportunities here.
We ordered the chicken, fried potatoes (Naxos is famous for potatoes-go figure) and a Greek Salad (topped with a semi-soft local sour cheese)-all delicious! The local cats must have thought so as well, because we had no less than five of them sitting at our feet meowing for some hand-outs!
Halki has some great shops, especially L'Olivier, again all locally owned by artisans, and we certainly did our fair share of shopping. As Jenny and I were passing a shop with hand-loomed linens, a very discernible, older Greek gentleman approached us and was insisting we enter his shop. We couldn't help but oblige and left a few minutes later with a beautiful dried oregano filled sachet, though we all joked that we hoped we don't end up getting stopped by customs coming back into the U.S.! Billy bought me a beautiful silver fish necklace from L'Olivier, with a beautiful "eye of Naxos." I love it!
As we were making our way out of the passageways and back in to the town's main streets, church bells started ringing like mad. We popped out in front of the church to see a fully cloaked priest pulling hard as could be on the rope leading up to the bell tower. Quite a sight!
Our final stop in town was a bakery we passed on the walk into the village square. Our noses had been enticed by the sweet fragrance that was emanating from the kitchen there. Wow! did it smell scrumptious. A few cookies and Greek treats later, we were finally ready to hit the road again.
From there we continued on through the beautiful town of Filoti that sits on the slopes at the base of Mount Zeus. We drove further and further up until we reached Apiranthos, a village of stone houses with streets and alleyways made from marble. Its inhabitants are descendants of refugees who fled Crete to escape Turkish repression. It was a charming town with a few cafes, including a creperie, where we of course stopped, as well as a few craft shops.
Back in the car we finished the climb to the highest point along our drive, 2300 feet. The scenery up to this point has been amazing, it was what I had pictured Greece to look like-deep verdant valleys, high craggy peaks, wild flowers of all colors and bushes of bright pink oleander blooming up and down the hillsides. We passed countless olive tree groves and terraced hillsides with grape vines, citrus trees and fig trees, forests of juniper and huge eucalyptus trees. I can see now why Naxos is known as the green island.
At one point, we started to hear a sound and thought our little orange tuna can, that is supposedly meant to be a car, was getting ready to die on us. We were a bit nervous as the sound is incredibly loud but then it goes away just as quickly as it started however a few minutes later the noise starts up again and then again it stops. Billy suddenly realized it is not the car but cicadas! We listened to them on and off the entire car trip. Billy said how that sound always reminds him of childhood.
As we descended towards the rugged northern coast, the terrain changed dramatically. The hillsides were far too steep to terrace and thus there were far fewer inhabitants except for herds of goats that can unimaginably cling to the almost vertical drop.
Our next stop was to be Apollonas, a small fishing village which is known for having one of the three Kouros that can be found on the island. Kouros are large marble statues. This particular Kouros lies on the ground in the supine position and is more than 30 feet in length. Scholars disagree whether it was to depict Apollo or Dionysus but it is believed to be from the 6 century BC and felt it was abandoned because it had cracked and there was no way to repair it. It was an amazing sight and even more so of one when you think that many more of these had been successfully made and transported down the hillside to the port area and loaded on boats destined for the important cultural site, the island of Delos (now a UNESCO site).
From this point, almost back to Naxos town there were hardly any villages. The coastline below was breathtaking but the sinuous roads were starting to take a toll on Jenny, even though she road shotgun the entire trip. We forwent any other stops and opted to get to the hotel and spend a few hours relaxing poolside before showering for dinner.
97 kilometers and seven hours later, we did exactly that. The drive around the island was well worth the time; we had had a wonderful journey!
Jul 12th, 2015, 05:58 AM
#25
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My blog is essentially the same, but if you would like to read it and see some photos then feel free:
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/odie1/3/tpod.html
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/odie1/3/tpod.html
Jul 12th, 2015, 09:14 AM
#28
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July 1:
We have been in Greece for a week and still hadn't been to any of the beaches, something Greece is famous for, so today we decided to spend some time at a beach. I spoke to the owner of the hotel we are staying at and he said the beach in front of the hotel was his favorite on the island and that with the stronger winds today, it would be the best bet. He certainly didn't steer us wrong.
Agia Prokopios is part of a continuous crescent-shaped, mile long, white sand beach with crystal clear turquoise water. There were beach chairs with umbrellas for rent so we were able to relax in some shade with a perfect view of the sea.
The sea here is kind of a tease. You look at it and automatically assume it is warm as the Caribbean since it shares the same color scheme, but don't let it fool you. It is cold-like shocking Pacific Ocean cold but that didn't deter Jenny from wanting to swim. I joined her up to my waist but could really not go any further however, Billy did, doing a full head dunk.
Something I noticed about Greek women is they certainly are not body conscience, not in the slightest bit. Whether they were wearing bikinis that would be impossible to fathom a body that size being squeezed into those two small pieces of fabric or running around topless, they never seemed to blink an eye at their appearance. How nice to be that confident!
At one point, Jenny and I decided to take a walk down the beach and we happened upon quite a few older gentlemen sunbathing in all their glory. Needless to say, Jenny had a bit of a culture lesson today!
After a few hours on the beach, hunger got the best of us so we walked up to the taverna Avila that was on a small hill above the beach. The views were magnificent, the service excellent and the food delicious. We really enjoyed this.
Billy had mentioned he'd like to try and go to the Temple of Demeter. We had actually tried to go yesterday but as we turned off the main highway and came around a corner, there was a large truck that appeared to be hopelessly stuck in the next bend so after waiting a few minutes we backed up and got out of there. This time, the bend was clear. The drive to get to the temple took one through hill and dale. It was a beautiful drive on a meandering country road that was not even wide enough for two cars to pass.
As we were beginning to question whether we had missed the turn off for it, I spotted it looming on a hill above a small stream. It was wild looking out and seeing this ancient marble structure standing in such contrast to the green fields and hills surrounding it. We stopped to take in the view from afar.
Pulling into the parking area there was only one other car there. How nice it would be, we all commented, to view it without the hordes of people that we know we will encounter at the sites in Athens. As we got ready to exit the car, I realized I couldn't find my phone. I didn't have it. Damn I thought, I must have left it at the restaurant but I remembered having taken a picture of the car with it right before we left there for the Temple. I stepped out of the car to see if perhaps it was in the crack of the seat and when I did that, I found it...on the roof of the car! Unbelievably, the phone had ridden up there the whole way-traversing hills, taking ess curves, doing u-turns, and rumbling over dirt roads. I of course, broke out in laughter while Billy just shook his head and Jenny told me how cute I was (which I don't really think was meant as al compliment).
The stone path leading up to the temple was beautiful. It was lined with oleander in white and shades of pink, enormous rosemary bushes, and giant blue agave plants. It was a bit surreal when we crested the small hill and came upon the ruins. They were much bigger than they seemed from across the valley.
When one thinks of the location of the temple, really out in the middle of nowhere, in current day farmland, it makes sense that it was built here. Demeter is a grain goddess and what more of a perfect place for a temple for her to be built than in this fertile valley. The temple was built in the 6th century BC but was partially dismantled in the 6th century AD when a church was built over it. Archaeologists found many of the original columns and stones that belonged to it and were able to partially reconstruct it. It is actually one of the few temples known to have a square floor plan. It was quite impressive and the fact that we had the place all to ourselves added to the almost surreal feeling. Jenny said she was trying to imagine the inhabitants there, going about their daily business and what that must have been like. Far different from today we surmised.
I had noticed on the map what appeared to be a short cut back to town but with no road signage, we weren't too sure if it was the right road however we figured we had nothing to lose so off we went. Pretty early on we realized we were not going in the right direction but decided to keep on going. I soon saw a sign for Mikra Viglia, a beach I had heard was beautiful. We figured since we were so close, we should just go and check it out. That turned out to be a good decision as it was the beach that all the kite surfers go to. It was way cool watching them sail at crazy speeds across the white capping sea and fly through the air doing flips and jumps. We were highly entertained by their feats.
It was getting later and neither of us wanted to be out driving after dark. According to the map, we would have to go back the way we came but we decided to ask a local if there was a road back along the shore. Bingo! We were able to take a dirt road back passing secret coves and farming fields where we saw farmers collecting and bagging their potatoes.
Once back at the hotel, Jenny of course went right back into the pool. It was 9:00 by the time we sat down for another delicious dinner at our hotel. Lucky us, we had had another fabulous day in Naxos!
We have been in Greece for a week and still hadn't been to any of the beaches, something Greece is famous for, so today we decided to spend some time at a beach. I spoke to the owner of the hotel we are staying at and he said the beach in front of the hotel was his favorite on the island and that with the stronger winds today, it would be the best bet. He certainly didn't steer us wrong.
Agia Prokopios is part of a continuous crescent-shaped, mile long, white sand beach with crystal clear turquoise water. There were beach chairs with umbrellas for rent so we were able to relax in some shade with a perfect view of the sea.
The sea here is kind of a tease. You look at it and automatically assume it is warm as the Caribbean since it shares the same color scheme, but don't let it fool you. It is cold-like shocking Pacific Ocean cold but that didn't deter Jenny from wanting to swim. I joined her up to my waist but could really not go any further however, Billy did, doing a full head dunk.
Something I noticed about Greek women is they certainly are not body conscience, not in the slightest bit. Whether they were wearing bikinis that would be impossible to fathom a body that size being squeezed into those two small pieces of fabric or running around topless, they never seemed to blink an eye at their appearance. How nice to be that confident!
At one point, Jenny and I decided to take a walk down the beach and we happened upon quite a few older gentlemen sunbathing in all their glory. Needless to say, Jenny had a bit of a culture lesson today!
After a few hours on the beach, hunger got the best of us so we walked up to the taverna Avila that was on a small hill above the beach. The views were magnificent, the service excellent and the food delicious. We really enjoyed this.
Billy had mentioned he'd like to try and go to the Temple of Demeter. We had actually tried to go yesterday but as we turned off the main highway and came around a corner, there was a large truck that appeared to be hopelessly stuck in the next bend so after waiting a few minutes we backed up and got out of there. This time, the bend was clear. The drive to get to the temple took one through hill and dale. It was a beautiful drive on a meandering country road that was not even wide enough for two cars to pass.
As we were beginning to question whether we had missed the turn off for it, I spotted it looming on a hill above a small stream. It was wild looking out and seeing this ancient marble structure standing in such contrast to the green fields and hills surrounding it. We stopped to take in the view from afar.
Pulling into the parking area there was only one other car there. How nice it would be, we all commented, to view it without the hordes of people that we know we will encounter at the sites in Athens. As we got ready to exit the car, I realized I couldn't find my phone. I didn't have it. Damn I thought, I must have left it at the restaurant but I remembered having taken a picture of the car with it right before we left there for the Temple. I stepped out of the car to see if perhaps it was in the crack of the seat and when I did that, I found it...on the roof of the car! Unbelievably, the phone had ridden up there the whole way-traversing hills, taking ess curves, doing u-turns, and rumbling over dirt roads. I of course, broke out in laughter while Billy just shook his head and Jenny told me how cute I was (which I don't really think was meant as al compliment).
The stone path leading up to the temple was beautiful. It was lined with oleander in white and shades of pink, enormous rosemary bushes, and giant blue agave plants. It was a bit surreal when we crested the small hill and came upon the ruins. They were much bigger than they seemed from across the valley.
When one thinks of the location of the temple, really out in the middle of nowhere, in current day farmland, it makes sense that it was built here. Demeter is a grain goddess and what more of a perfect place for a temple for her to be built than in this fertile valley. The temple was built in the 6th century BC but was partially dismantled in the 6th century AD when a church was built over it. Archaeologists found many of the original columns and stones that belonged to it and were able to partially reconstruct it. It is actually one of the few temples known to have a square floor plan. It was quite impressive and the fact that we had the place all to ourselves added to the almost surreal feeling. Jenny said she was trying to imagine the inhabitants there, going about their daily business and what that must have been like. Far different from today we surmised.
I had noticed on the map what appeared to be a short cut back to town but with no road signage, we weren't too sure if it was the right road however we figured we had nothing to lose so off we went. Pretty early on we realized we were not going in the right direction but decided to keep on going. I soon saw a sign for Mikra Viglia, a beach I had heard was beautiful. We figured since we were so close, we should just go and check it out. That turned out to be a good decision as it was the beach that all the kite surfers go to. It was way cool watching them sail at crazy speeds across the white capping sea and fly through the air doing flips and jumps. We were highly entertained by their feats.
It was getting later and neither of us wanted to be out driving after dark. According to the map, we would have to go back the way we came but we decided to ask a local if there was a road back along the shore. Bingo! We were able to take a dirt road back passing secret coves and farming fields where we saw farmers collecting and bagging their potatoes.
Once back at the hotel, Jenny of course went right back into the pool. It was 9:00 by the time we sat down for another delicious dinner at our hotel. Lucky us, we had had another fabulous day in Naxos!
Jul 12th, 2015, 05:33 PM
#30
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travelerjan, alisa, stanbr and marina-thanks for the compliments. I always get so much information for my trips off of these forums, I am glad to always return the favors in the form of TRs but it is always nice to have them appreciated and enjoyed!
Leslie-Kostas is very highly regarded on TA but his website is:
http://santorini-private-guide.com
He was exceptionally knowledgable in all areas as well as being very likable.
Leslie-Kostas is very highly regarded on TA but his website is:
http://santorini-private-guide.com
He was exceptionally knowledgable in all areas as well as being very likable.
Jul 13th, 2015, 05:42 AM
#31
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July 2:
Our morning began at 5:30, when the alarm sounded in order for us to make our 7:10 AM departure to Athens. Check in at the one room "airport" was smooth sailing. The police were the ones manning the security checkpoint (the only police we have seen in Greece, up to this point, were at the ferry port and the airport this morning).
We watched our plane come in for a landing and needless to say, it got Jenny's attention. She commented how much it was wobbling as it descended (a result of the winds Billy assured her), how small it was (I told her she had been on that same plane nine years ago when we were in the BVIs-she doesn't remember), and when it finally touched down with only its rear right wheel hitting first, her jaw dropped (didn't really have much to say cause I was a bit taken back as well). However, I assured her our 36 seater Dash-8 was the workhorse of island commuter planes and that both it, and Olympic Airlines, had excellent safety records. She didn't seem very convinced.
The flight, for the most part was surprisingly smooth especially given the strong winds, and except for a few good drops resulting in a quick loss of our bellies, we were good. Jenny and I both were grateful that the flight was a mere 30 minutes though we could have happily watched the islands and their beautiful beaches pass below us for hours.
Athens airport was a breeze-exceptionally well organized and easy to navigate. I had arranged a car to pick us up at the airport even though I had read that taxis were more than plenty at the arrival terminaI, I wanted to make sure, just in case of any unrest in Athens, that we would have a driver there. Our taxi driver, I would guess was in his early 20s, a very nice guy and seemingly very well educated. I couldn't help but ask him about his and his friends' opinions as to what they would like to see happen in the upcoming referendum. It was the same as we have heard from countless other Greeks, they feel damned if they do and damned if they don't decide to leave the Eurozone but they would prefer to stay in. One statement he made, which I found utterly flabbergasting, was that they haven't been told what exactly they will be voting for, what a "yes" or "no" vote means in the long run. He said the Greek people have not been told what they can expect to happen as a result of their votes; what it means for their future-absolutely mind boggling!
I had told him that looking around, things seem to be what one would consider normal, people buying their morning coffee, shop owners opening their stores, people busy milling about. He said yes but if you understood Greek, you could listen to any conversation and everyone is talking about the threat of a Grexit. He told me to wait a few minutes until we came into the business district and I would see the people standing in lines at the ATM to get their money and sure enough, a few minutes later there they were-every few blocks, a line. He also told us we were lucky because there were no demonstrations planned for today and so we would be able to drive right to the front door of our hotel instead of taking a different route, parking and walking (though he insisted if this was the case, he knew the safest route to take-don't know how comforting that really was).
Our hotel is the King George, a far more luxurious hotel than we ever stay at but we got a decent deal from Amex and I knew its location and roof top views were amazing. The KG is located across the street from Syntagma Square and the Greek Parliament-the hotbed for protests and demonstrations. I had thought carefully about this hotel choice-if there was unrest while we were there perhaps a far less "showy" hotel in a less important area would be a better choice but on the other hand, if there was unrest, the police would be in the Parliament area so, I went for it.
We waited a short amount of time for our room which was worth it because they upgraded us to a Jr Suite and the view from our room is fantastic! We have Parliament to our left, Syntagma Square right below us and the Acropolis directly to our right with an unobstructed view of the Parthenon and the Temple of Erechtheion
We got situated and decided to make our way out onto the busy streets of Athens. We started off on streets that could have just as easily been in New York with Sephora, H&M, and Starbucks. Wanting to see more we tucked into a side street that was lined on both sides with ticky tacky souvenir stores until it brought us out to Monastriki square. Here we turned towards the direction of the Acropolis and quickly came upon our first Athenian archaeological site, Hadrien's Library, built by the Roman emperor Hadrien's 132 AD. Most of the west side, with its magnificent giant columns are preserved while the majority of the rest of the building is gone however the original site is scattered with original pieces of all shapes and sizes.
Next we came upon the Roman Agora which was undergoing quite a bit of work so we just admired from outside the gates. One could see how extensive a site this was.
We then turned and entered Plaka, the oldest part of Athens that is situated right under the Acropolis. The streets were busy with people but not unmanageably so. The cafes were either empty or partially filled and the owners were quite busy trying to entice passerbys into their cafes by stating how good the food was, emphasizing how clean it was and bragging about any recognition they had received on Trip Advisor. I couldn't decide whether it was sad or amusing. I had asked the driver if he thought tourism was down and he said he thought so, that tourists had gotten scared off from how the media was portraying the situation here, though our hotel and the sister property next door (and even more upscale) are completely full (maybe others used the same reasoning I did).
By this time it was getting hot in the sun, though there was a nice breeze blowing when you could find it, so we thought we would go to the Acropolis Museum in preparation for tomorrow, where we knew we were guaranteed some AC. As we came upon Lysikrates Monument built 335 BC, Billy spied a row of cafes completely shaded by large trees and where you could tell the breeze was reaching. We decided to sit down for a cold beer, which was so delicious we decided to have another. Well I think the early wake up call, the heat and walking, coupled of course with the pints of beer we had just downed got the best of us and we all decided best to go back to the hotel to relax.
Looking at the map, we decided to walk back through the National Gardens thinking it would be shadier and cooler there. We found ourselves passing through Hadrian's Arch (erected 2nd century AD) and standing smack dab in front of the Temple Olympian Zeus-fantastic!!! The largest erect columns we had seen so far. It looked quite impressive to say the least, but It was completely exposed and we had all left the hotel with no sunblock on so we again admired it from the outside and turned into the gardens.
The gardens were nice but nothing spectacular though they did provide the cooler respite we were looking for with the shade.
As we neared the hotel we noticed a group of Greek tactical police standing on the sidewalk, completely outfitted with Uzis and all. It was then that I noticed they were hanging out near their riot control bus, equipped with barred windows and rows of helmets lining the inside. Jenny was certainly a bit put off by it, but we reminded her that that was what we wanted to see right next to our hotel-a strong police presence; but we did find it odd since there were to be no planned demonstrations and the square was devoid of any obvious signs of an impending rally.
However, a few hours later, while we were resting, one could notice an increasing sound coming from outside and then the bullhorns soon followed. It was not much yet but when we spoke with the concierge upon leaving, he confirmed a demonstration would be happening but that it would be fine for us to leave the hotel for dinner.
Billy chose our dinner place this time at a very new establishment which happened to have an incredible view of the Acropolis. Our appetizers were excellent, entrees met with mixed reviews and dessert simple and traditional. The owner bought us a plate of zucchini croquettes (the best we have had yet so far) and desert and coffee. He was a very nice man who was worried we didn't enjoy our meal because Jenny and I didn't eat everything on our plates. I tried to tell him it was just too much food for us but he insisted it was only one portion-maybe for some but not for us. We thanked him for his hospitality and left to go back to the hotel to crash.
I was very excited to get in bed, because after lying in it today, I know it will be the first real bed I have slept in for nine nights. My joints hurt so badly from the rock hard beds we have slept on up until this point, I was almost giddy with the thought of it!
As we neared our hotel, the sounds of a voice over a loud speaker became increasingly louder followed by deafening chanting. We entered Syntagma Square to a sea of red. The people were waving their red flags just like you see little kids do at the fourth of July parades. There were people of every generation present, rallying peacefully and while I didn't feel the least bit uncomfortable, we didn't stay to watch. We quickly wound our way through the crowds back to our hotel where we could watch from the safety of our fifth floor balcony.
It was quite a sight to watch history beginning to play out here. How ironic we said, watching this rally by the communist party take with a view of the Parthenon (the birthplace of democracy) behind it. The Greeks are at a crossroads, an intersection with really no good options. They are now forced to try and choose between the lesser of two evils; an unimaginably difficult decision. Let's just hope both sides come to their senses because Greece really is a beautiful country and the Greeks truly are beautiful people!
Our morning began at 5:30, when the alarm sounded in order for us to make our 7:10 AM departure to Athens. Check in at the one room "airport" was smooth sailing. The police were the ones manning the security checkpoint (the only police we have seen in Greece, up to this point, were at the ferry port and the airport this morning).
We watched our plane come in for a landing and needless to say, it got Jenny's attention. She commented how much it was wobbling as it descended (a result of the winds Billy assured her), how small it was (I told her she had been on that same plane nine years ago when we were in the BVIs-she doesn't remember), and when it finally touched down with only its rear right wheel hitting first, her jaw dropped (didn't really have much to say cause I was a bit taken back as well). However, I assured her our 36 seater Dash-8 was the workhorse of island commuter planes and that both it, and Olympic Airlines, had excellent safety records. She didn't seem very convinced.
The flight, for the most part was surprisingly smooth especially given the strong winds, and except for a few good drops resulting in a quick loss of our bellies, we were good. Jenny and I both were grateful that the flight was a mere 30 minutes though we could have happily watched the islands and their beautiful beaches pass below us for hours.
Athens airport was a breeze-exceptionally well organized and easy to navigate. I had arranged a car to pick us up at the airport even though I had read that taxis were more than plenty at the arrival terminaI, I wanted to make sure, just in case of any unrest in Athens, that we would have a driver there. Our taxi driver, I would guess was in his early 20s, a very nice guy and seemingly very well educated. I couldn't help but ask him about his and his friends' opinions as to what they would like to see happen in the upcoming referendum. It was the same as we have heard from countless other Greeks, they feel damned if they do and damned if they don't decide to leave the Eurozone but they would prefer to stay in. One statement he made, which I found utterly flabbergasting, was that they haven't been told what exactly they will be voting for, what a "yes" or "no" vote means in the long run. He said the Greek people have not been told what they can expect to happen as a result of their votes; what it means for their future-absolutely mind boggling!
I had told him that looking around, things seem to be what one would consider normal, people buying their morning coffee, shop owners opening their stores, people busy milling about. He said yes but if you understood Greek, you could listen to any conversation and everyone is talking about the threat of a Grexit. He told me to wait a few minutes until we came into the business district and I would see the people standing in lines at the ATM to get their money and sure enough, a few minutes later there they were-every few blocks, a line. He also told us we were lucky because there were no demonstrations planned for today and so we would be able to drive right to the front door of our hotel instead of taking a different route, parking and walking (though he insisted if this was the case, he knew the safest route to take-don't know how comforting that really was).
Our hotel is the King George, a far more luxurious hotel than we ever stay at but we got a decent deal from Amex and I knew its location and roof top views were amazing. The KG is located across the street from Syntagma Square and the Greek Parliament-the hotbed for protests and demonstrations. I had thought carefully about this hotel choice-if there was unrest while we were there perhaps a far less "showy" hotel in a less important area would be a better choice but on the other hand, if there was unrest, the police would be in the Parliament area so, I went for it.
We waited a short amount of time for our room which was worth it because they upgraded us to a Jr Suite and the view from our room is fantastic! We have Parliament to our left, Syntagma Square right below us and the Acropolis directly to our right with an unobstructed view of the Parthenon and the Temple of Erechtheion
We got situated and decided to make our way out onto the busy streets of Athens. We started off on streets that could have just as easily been in New York with Sephora, H&M, and Starbucks. Wanting to see more we tucked into a side street that was lined on both sides with ticky tacky souvenir stores until it brought us out to Monastriki square. Here we turned towards the direction of the Acropolis and quickly came upon our first Athenian archaeological site, Hadrien's Library, built by the Roman emperor Hadrien's 132 AD. Most of the west side, with its magnificent giant columns are preserved while the majority of the rest of the building is gone however the original site is scattered with original pieces of all shapes and sizes.
Next we came upon the Roman Agora which was undergoing quite a bit of work so we just admired from outside the gates. One could see how extensive a site this was.
We then turned and entered Plaka, the oldest part of Athens that is situated right under the Acropolis. The streets were busy with people but not unmanageably so. The cafes were either empty or partially filled and the owners were quite busy trying to entice passerbys into their cafes by stating how good the food was, emphasizing how clean it was and bragging about any recognition they had received on Trip Advisor. I couldn't decide whether it was sad or amusing. I had asked the driver if he thought tourism was down and he said he thought so, that tourists had gotten scared off from how the media was portraying the situation here, though our hotel and the sister property next door (and even more upscale) are completely full (maybe others used the same reasoning I did).
By this time it was getting hot in the sun, though there was a nice breeze blowing when you could find it, so we thought we would go to the Acropolis Museum in preparation for tomorrow, where we knew we were guaranteed some AC. As we came upon Lysikrates Monument built 335 BC, Billy spied a row of cafes completely shaded by large trees and where you could tell the breeze was reaching. We decided to sit down for a cold beer, which was so delicious we decided to have another. Well I think the early wake up call, the heat and walking, coupled of course with the pints of beer we had just downed got the best of us and we all decided best to go back to the hotel to relax.
Looking at the map, we decided to walk back through the National Gardens thinking it would be shadier and cooler there. We found ourselves passing through Hadrian's Arch (erected 2nd century AD) and standing smack dab in front of the Temple Olympian Zeus-fantastic!!! The largest erect columns we had seen so far. It looked quite impressive to say the least, but It was completely exposed and we had all left the hotel with no sunblock on so we again admired it from the outside and turned into the gardens.
The gardens were nice but nothing spectacular though they did provide the cooler respite we were looking for with the shade.
As we neared the hotel we noticed a group of Greek tactical police standing on the sidewalk, completely outfitted with Uzis and all. It was then that I noticed they were hanging out near their riot control bus, equipped with barred windows and rows of helmets lining the inside. Jenny was certainly a bit put off by it, but we reminded her that that was what we wanted to see right next to our hotel-a strong police presence; but we did find it odd since there were to be no planned demonstrations and the square was devoid of any obvious signs of an impending rally.
However, a few hours later, while we were resting, one could notice an increasing sound coming from outside and then the bullhorns soon followed. It was not much yet but when we spoke with the concierge upon leaving, he confirmed a demonstration would be happening but that it would be fine for us to leave the hotel for dinner.
Billy chose our dinner place this time at a very new establishment which happened to have an incredible view of the Acropolis. Our appetizers were excellent, entrees met with mixed reviews and dessert simple and traditional. The owner bought us a plate of zucchini croquettes (the best we have had yet so far) and desert and coffee. He was a very nice man who was worried we didn't enjoy our meal because Jenny and I didn't eat everything on our plates. I tried to tell him it was just too much food for us but he insisted it was only one portion-maybe for some but not for us. We thanked him for his hospitality and left to go back to the hotel to crash.
I was very excited to get in bed, because after lying in it today, I know it will be the first real bed I have slept in for nine nights. My joints hurt so badly from the rock hard beds we have slept on up until this point, I was almost giddy with the thought of it!
As we neared our hotel, the sounds of a voice over a loud speaker became increasingly louder followed by deafening chanting. We entered Syntagma Square to a sea of red. The people were waving their red flags just like you see little kids do at the fourth of July parades. There were people of every generation present, rallying peacefully and while I didn't feel the least bit uncomfortable, we didn't stay to watch. We quickly wound our way through the crowds back to our hotel where we could watch from the safety of our fifth floor balcony.
It was quite a sight to watch history beginning to play out here. How ironic we said, watching this rally by the communist party take with a view of the Parthenon (the birthplace of democracy) behind it. The Greeks are at a crossroads, an intersection with really no good options. They are now forced to try and choose between the lesser of two evils; an unimaginably difficult decision. Let's just hope both sides come to their senses because Greece really is a beautiful country and the Greeks truly are beautiful people!
Jul 13th, 2015, 07:06 AM
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Again you continue to provide a delightful dialog of your trip with lots of insights along the way.
Glad you enjoyed Naxos. It is a perfect companion island to Santorini, laid back with an interesting main town, beaches and mountain villages all at half the price.
Your description of the demonstration is exactly as we experienced a few years ago. Lots of people milling around but in a cordoned off area with police standing by. Outside of the police tape normal life just went on, people strolling by, sitting at sidewalk cafes having coffee. We too felt no personal safety issues.
Your hard bed stories are legend in Greece. We typically spend a month in Greece and I normally beg two extra pillows that I use to make a little nest of softness. Gradually I get used to the beds and I discard the extra pillows and believe it or not my back stops hurting. You were probably about 2 or 3 days away from reaching that stage where the hard beds cease to be a problem.
Glad you enjoyed Naxos. It is a perfect companion island to Santorini, laid back with an interesting main town, beaches and mountain villages all at half the price.
Your description of the demonstration is exactly as we experienced a few years ago. Lots of people milling around but in a cordoned off area with police standing by. Outside of the police tape normal life just went on, people strolling by, sitting at sidewalk cafes having coffee. We too felt no personal safety issues.
Your hard bed stories are legend in Greece. We typically spend a month in Greece and I normally beg two extra pillows that I use to make a little nest of softness. Gradually I get used to the beds and I discard the extra pillows and believe it or not my back stops hurting. You were probably about 2 or 3 days away from reaching that stage where the hard beds cease to be a problem.
Jul 13th, 2015, 07:47 AM
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I'm enjoying your report.
The Dash 8-100 is used by Olympic Air at several island airports with short runways. Some people are alarmed by the sight of an airplane landing with one wheel first, but that's a technique used by the pilot to keep the aircraft aligned with the runway in crosswind conditions.
The Dash 8-100 is used by Olympic Air at several island airports with short runways. Some people are alarmed by the sight of an airplane landing with one wheel first, but that's a technique used by the pilot to keep the aircraft aligned with the runway in crosswind conditions.
Jul 14th, 2015, 05:38 AM
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stanbr- Naxos really was fantastic though I will admit that four nights, which really only amounted to three full days, was not enough time.
The good thing about the mattresses is, it keeps one from idling their morning away lying in bed all day!
Heimdall-Good to know, I remember flying in between cayes in Belize once and I could have sworn we were landing sideways, but then we were in a much smaller aircraft.
The good thing about the mattresses is, it keeps one from idling their morning away lying in bed all day!
Heimdall-Good to know, I remember flying in between cayes in Belize once and I could have sworn we were landing sideways, but then we were in a much smaller aircraft.
Jul 14th, 2015, 02:14 PM
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Our final day in Greece, July 2:
I'm usually pretty relaxed about wake up times on vacation but this morning I insisted that we wake up in time to get to the Acropolis when it opens at 8:00 AM. We had a delicious breakfast and caught a cab to the gates of the Acropolis. I had read that by 9:00 the tour groups start arriving and by 10:00 the place is overrun with people.
We were pretty close to the front of the line but they were holding it as they waited for the Greek Army to hold the daily changing of the flag, essentially "colors." It was interesting to watch their ceremonious protocols but it delayed our entrance until almost 8:30.
Walking up the hill through the magnificent columns of the Propyia, one is stunned by the majesty of the entryway. Reaching the top of the stairs, you are left speechless for a moment at the sheer immensity of the Parthenon, the thousands of marble pieces scattered about, the views out over Athens and of course the history of the ground that we were standing on. All together it was beyond captivating.
We quickly moved about taking pictures before others showed up, figuring we could go back around reading the signs and really take it all in. We were glad we did this as we were able to get some excellent photos.
Looking at the Parthenon from the city below, you can certainly tell that it is big but we were awed by just how massive it really is. The Parthenon is undergoing a lengthy restoration with the west side almost completely covered in scaffolding including large cranes on either side but the east side is completely free of any visual obstacles. The eastern side depicts Athena being born from her father Zeus' head-gotta love Greek mythology!
All of the artifacts found at the Acropolis, including all the Parthenon Marbles have been removed and are now housed in the new Acropolis Museum, so just about everything except structure is a replica. One can visibly see where new marble has been used to replace the missing marble in the columns-it really is quite impressive.
We watched as a giant crane lifted a piece back in place. We could see it was a lion's head and later at the museum learned that it was a roof gutter and water would spew forth from the lion's mouth when it rained.
The Erectheion, is the other building visible from below the Acropolis and is the most sacred area of the Acropolis. It was built as a Temple for the goddess Athena and is also a magnificent building.
The Acropolis is a wondrous place and we felt lucky to spend some time there before it was packed with people. By 9:45, as we were beginning to make our way down, the crowds were just pouring in. The place was mobbed and really lost some if its magical feeling.
We walked down past the Odeon and on to the Acropolis Museum where all the artifacts are kept, at least the ones that weren't plundered by the British Lord Elgin in 1810 and are now housed in the British Museum.
The museum was built on top of an ancient city that they have continually excavated over the years. The excavations will eventually be open to the public but in the meantime one can see them below the glass floors and over the railings of a few open air spots. The museum is a great visit with over 14,000 artifacts, not to mention it was air conditioned which was a definite plus.
We had lunch at a taverna, a gyro for me, souvlaki for Billy and fried potatoes for Jenny. It was all delicious and the tavern owner was really quite adorable. It's not the kind of place we would have normally chosen what with the owner trying to corral you in like an old time vacuum salesman, but it had gotten good reviews on Trip Advisor, was close by the museum and had super cold beers.
We had originally planned to ride the metro to the Acropolis this morning but in the interest of time, we took a cab, which turned out to be a better decision because the cab takes you much closer to the top. So after lunch, we chose to ride the metro back to the hotel. We walked down into the metro and were immediately struck by how unbelievably clean it was, in fact all of Athens is very clean. We were looking around for the ticket kiosk when a young professionally dressed man overheard us and told us it was free. Free? Come on-no way. Yes, he insisted-free. The government decided to stop having people pay for the metro while capital controls were in place. OK, that makes sense for the residents but what about the tourists-free for us too. Crazy!
Once we got down to the platform, again we all commented how clean it was-Jenny said there weren't even any rats, and once the train came we couldn't get over how quiet it was. The stations are full of copies of antiquities housed in built-in display cases. Some spots of the walls are all glass showing the layers of ground and the remnants of ruins discovered during excavations. It was far and above the nicest subway system we have ever been on and we've ridden it in every major city we've been in.
We surfaced at Syntagma Square where we were immediately greeted by people handing out fliers concerning the upcoming referendum. The square was clearly gearing up for what we thought was going to be another rally however when we walked into our hotel room there was s message on our TV informing us the Prime Minister would be speaking this evening and the hotel suggested if we needed to leave they would help the guests with alternative entrances and exits that may be more accessible.
With that information in hand, we opted for dinner at the very gourmet (and unfortunately ridiculously expensive) restaurant in the hotel. We did not want to fight the crowds and there was quite a bit of intrigue on our parts to watch the scene unfold, of course only from the safety of five stories up!
As it turns out, it was a good decision for two reasons:
First, our dinner was delicious (even if portion size left us joking we would have to get some, what we termed "protest food," from the kebab vendors in the Square afterwards). But the piece de resistance was the dessert, Strawberry Five Ways, which arrived on a 2'x2' framed platter topped off with a "smoking" silver chalice. It was off the charts and Jenny was just delighted! Second, the crowds were massive-overflowing down every side street, covering every last inch of space on the roads, sidewalks, steps, etc. and every time we looked out, there were more people somehow squeezing into the square from the metro.
The scene was like a big party with a huge stage set up that bands and singers performed on, to the absolute delight of the people. Once the Prime Minister took the stage the thunderous claps and chanting of OXI (oh-chee) was so deafening we could hardly hear each other talking while we dined on the seventh floor outdoor terrace.
We realized as we sat looking down upon the sea of people waving their Greek flags and OXI banners, that we were witnessing history unfold here. The decisions the Greeks make will have far reaching consequences and might certainly end up changing both the Eurozone and the European Union forever.
When I was younger, Michelle and I always talked about wanting to go to Greece, especially the islands but somehow over time it fell off my "want to travel to" list. Billy, who never had Greece on his bucket list and really hadn't been that keen on even going, has readily conceded that he had a great time. We both agreed that Jenny chose a fabulous destination.
Our trip was a perfect mixture of activities for all of us, the food was fantastic-we never had a bad meal, the people wonderfully kind and the scenery breathtaking. We can say we can check off another country, but Greece turned out to be more than that, it is a country we all said, we would go back to!
I'm usually pretty relaxed about wake up times on vacation but this morning I insisted that we wake up in time to get to the Acropolis when it opens at 8:00 AM. We had a delicious breakfast and caught a cab to the gates of the Acropolis. I had read that by 9:00 the tour groups start arriving and by 10:00 the place is overrun with people.
We were pretty close to the front of the line but they were holding it as they waited for the Greek Army to hold the daily changing of the flag, essentially "colors." It was interesting to watch their ceremonious protocols but it delayed our entrance until almost 8:30.
Walking up the hill through the magnificent columns of the Propyia, one is stunned by the majesty of the entryway. Reaching the top of the stairs, you are left speechless for a moment at the sheer immensity of the Parthenon, the thousands of marble pieces scattered about, the views out over Athens and of course the history of the ground that we were standing on. All together it was beyond captivating.
We quickly moved about taking pictures before others showed up, figuring we could go back around reading the signs and really take it all in. We were glad we did this as we were able to get some excellent photos.
Looking at the Parthenon from the city below, you can certainly tell that it is big but we were awed by just how massive it really is. The Parthenon is undergoing a lengthy restoration with the west side almost completely covered in scaffolding including large cranes on either side but the east side is completely free of any visual obstacles. The eastern side depicts Athena being born from her father Zeus' head-gotta love Greek mythology!
All of the artifacts found at the Acropolis, including all the Parthenon Marbles have been removed and are now housed in the new Acropolis Museum, so just about everything except structure is a replica. One can visibly see where new marble has been used to replace the missing marble in the columns-it really is quite impressive.
We watched as a giant crane lifted a piece back in place. We could see it was a lion's head and later at the museum learned that it was a roof gutter and water would spew forth from the lion's mouth when it rained.
The Erectheion, is the other building visible from below the Acropolis and is the most sacred area of the Acropolis. It was built as a Temple for the goddess Athena and is also a magnificent building.
The Acropolis is a wondrous place and we felt lucky to spend some time there before it was packed with people. By 9:45, as we were beginning to make our way down, the crowds were just pouring in. The place was mobbed and really lost some if its magical feeling.
We walked down past the Odeon and on to the Acropolis Museum where all the artifacts are kept, at least the ones that weren't plundered by the British Lord Elgin in 1810 and are now housed in the British Museum.
The museum was built on top of an ancient city that they have continually excavated over the years. The excavations will eventually be open to the public but in the meantime one can see them below the glass floors and over the railings of a few open air spots. The museum is a great visit with over 14,000 artifacts, not to mention it was air conditioned which was a definite plus.
We had lunch at a taverna, a gyro for me, souvlaki for Billy and fried potatoes for Jenny. It was all delicious and the tavern owner was really quite adorable. It's not the kind of place we would have normally chosen what with the owner trying to corral you in like an old time vacuum salesman, but it had gotten good reviews on Trip Advisor, was close by the museum and had super cold beers.
We had originally planned to ride the metro to the Acropolis this morning but in the interest of time, we took a cab, which turned out to be a better decision because the cab takes you much closer to the top. So after lunch, we chose to ride the metro back to the hotel. We walked down into the metro and were immediately struck by how unbelievably clean it was, in fact all of Athens is very clean. We were looking around for the ticket kiosk when a young professionally dressed man overheard us and told us it was free. Free? Come on-no way. Yes, he insisted-free. The government decided to stop having people pay for the metro while capital controls were in place. OK, that makes sense for the residents but what about the tourists-free for us too. Crazy!
Once we got down to the platform, again we all commented how clean it was-Jenny said there weren't even any rats, and once the train came we couldn't get over how quiet it was. The stations are full of copies of antiquities housed in built-in display cases. Some spots of the walls are all glass showing the layers of ground and the remnants of ruins discovered during excavations. It was far and above the nicest subway system we have ever been on and we've ridden it in every major city we've been in.
We surfaced at Syntagma Square where we were immediately greeted by people handing out fliers concerning the upcoming referendum. The square was clearly gearing up for what we thought was going to be another rally however when we walked into our hotel room there was s message on our TV informing us the Prime Minister would be speaking this evening and the hotel suggested if we needed to leave they would help the guests with alternative entrances and exits that may be more accessible.
With that information in hand, we opted for dinner at the very gourmet (and unfortunately ridiculously expensive) restaurant in the hotel. We did not want to fight the crowds and there was quite a bit of intrigue on our parts to watch the scene unfold, of course only from the safety of five stories up!
As it turns out, it was a good decision for two reasons:
First, our dinner was delicious (even if portion size left us joking we would have to get some, what we termed "protest food," from the kebab vendors in the Square afterwards). But the piece de resistance was the dessert, Strawberry Five Ways, which arrived on a 2'x2' framed platter topped off with a "smoking" silver chalice. It was off the charts and Jenny was just delighted! Second, the crowds were massive-overflowing down every side street, covering every last inch of space on the roads, sidewalks, steps, etc. and every time we looked out, there were more people somehow squeezing into the square from the metro.
The scene was like a big party with a huge stage set up that bands and singers performed on, to the absolute delight of the people. Once the Prime Minister took the stage the thunderous claps and chanting of OXI (oh-chee) was so deafening we could hardly hear each other talking while we dined on the seventh floor outdoor terrace.
We realized as we sat looking down upon the sea of people waving their Greek flags and OXI banners, that we were witnessing history unfold here. The decisions the Greeks make will have far reaching consequences and might certainly end up changing both the Eurozone and the European Union forever.
When I was younger, Michelle and I always talked about wanting to go to Greece, especially the islands but somehow over time it fell off my "want to travel to" list. Billy, who never had Greece on his bucket list and really hadn't been that keen on even going, has readily conceded that he had a great time. We both agreed that Jenny chose a fabulous destination.
Our trip was a perfect mixture of activities for all of us, the food was fantastic-we never had a bad meal, the people wonderfully kind and the scenery breathtaking. We can say we can check off another country, but Greece turned out to be more than that, it is a country we all said, we would go back to!
Jul 14th, 2015, 06:10 PM
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A perfect ending to a fine trip, and your narrative did it justice. Any Greek reading it would feel that you had an authentic experience, seeing important things -- and at the same time relaxing, enjoying, and eating great meals!
THanks for taking the time ...
THanks for taking the time ...
Jul 15th, 2015, 12:08 AM
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I am very glad to see you had a very nice indroductionary trip to Greece odie and I am very happy to see that you made your daughter part of the decision making. It is unbelievable and very sad
how many parents drag their kids on hoidays without leting them having any choice on the planning stage or during the trip!
I feel this is a trip for all of you to remember and especially for her.
Thanks again for a very well-written trip report, really appreciated : )
how many parents drag their kids on hoidays without leting them having any choice on the planning stage or during the trip!
I feel this is a trip for all of you to remember and especially for her.
Thanks again for a very well-written trip report, really appreciated : )
Jul 15th, 2015, 12:14 PM
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Thank you for taking the time to write such a wonderful trip report. It brought back so many great memories of our last trip to Greece to the similar places you visited. We will be visiting again in September and I can't wait!!
