mariha2912

This turns to be one of the most interesting trip reports/threads I recently read on Fodors.
Let's see what comes next... : )

stokebailey

Aw, thank you, Ann! The time I carelessly ran out of gas when the girls were maybe 5 and 7, and they walked good-naturedly with me a half mile in the snowy slush along a busy road with no sidewalks, then back with a gas can: that's when I realized I had hit the jackpot good-sport-daughters wise. Their dad is good to travel with, too, but gets testy when something goes wrong.

A rental donkey! What a great concept, hibiscus or no hibiscus. I need to get to Hydra for sure now.

Made lots more interesting by your contributions, mariha.

stokebailey

That's good to know, travelerjan. I hope it can reopen. The elevator tunnel is up past the cannons, right, a small parking area and some flagpoles set above the entrance? Lacking flags when we were there. I thought about driving up, but hated to get behind the wheel more than I had to, and of course we could have walked up the long way along the road, too. Then there was the seductive charm of those Rendezvous couches with the Bourtzi view.

clausar

Both Nafplia Palace and Amphitryon were closed for the winter and reopened on 25/3.
They will stay open till the end of October

travelerjan

Ah yes, the couches. Have enjoyed many sunsets at many waterside cafes on many Greek isles & mainland, but Nafplio so far is the only one that offers you Marquee-tent open-front seating in cushioned wicker loveseats. Every time I sink into a comfy settee there I think, why aren't these everywhere??? And every newbie I bring there says, why isn't this in all the brochures? And I just say Shhh. It's our secret.

stokebailey

Good to hear, clauser. Thanks.

Hm yes, travelerjan. Okay, I won't mention the love seats beyond this intimate group.

From my journal Feb 23:

0700 At Aktaion Mare. This place magical at dawn: the prison/fortress/hotel Bourtzi seemed to float in a silver mist, mountains barely darker behind, the sea a sheet of misty silver. Workers at the café made me cappuccino and are setting up all around me. THIS is the place to come in the early mornings.'

Then we had our our "Hydra"day and:

'1930 or so, The Rendezvous. "Peaceful, relaxing, happy places." Hannah. "Is there a better place in the universe?" Me. Olives, cheese, tomatoes, chips, silver ice bucket and water for the ouzo, "red wine with honey" or οινομελο, all for 10.50€! Counting the view, the world's best bargain.'

Granted, that was our second visit, so we got better treatment as regulars. And I probably got points for pronouncing οινομελο within reasonable distance of how the waiter had the previous evening.

Lena had recommended Vasili's taverna just around the corner for their food,so we saved that for later. One night we came home around 2200 having forgotten our Rigas door key, were unable to get a response to our knocks, and not having a working mobile phone we asked the Vasili's waiter if he could call for us. Ivan walked us back and was about to climb the garden fence to use his side door key when Lena responded to the bell.

The next day we ate at Vasili's, chatted with handsome Ivan, ordered very nice Melitzanas Iman , souvlaki, grilled bread. The extra treat at the end was apples drizzled with honey and sprinkled with cinnamon. So fine. I can't say enough about the Greek sense of hospitality.

Another example: our last evening at the Gyro Grill, we sat next to a regular who struck up a conversation. He ended up offering us literally some of everything on his table: kebabs, souvlaki, bread, potatoes, and offered to top up our water glasses from his own bottle.

stokebailey

Don't miss Ancient Mycenae. We stopped there on the way back to Athens, past fertile orange groves a short drive from Nafplio, and found it wonderful. You drive at last through a village lined with businesses named after Clytemnestra, Orestes, Electra, and other cursed figures of tragedy. Pursued by Furies while sipping your beer?

The Fodor's guidebook had described the climb to its acropolis as "strenuous" and warned that they had to carry out several people a year who had underestimated it. (Also insist you bring water and wear a hat.) So I was expecting something, you know, strenuous. Well, it wasn't. You do have to watch your step on the slippery marble ramp especially. Late February is just such a perfect time to visit. There were Spanish high school students in the museum, and a sprinkling of other visitors, but no kind of crowds, and only pleasantly warm sunshine. It's an acropolis, an evolving archeological site, the center of a massive 2nd millennium BC civilization.

It helped to have seen some of the golden and other art treasures at the museum there and at Nafplio. The actual House of Atreus. Which bedroom was Menelaus', Clytemnestra's, or Agamemnon's? Did Helen ever visit, did Paris sneak up the back gate? (Probably no, but still.) The brochure tells you that the Cyclopean Walls, because the stones were so massive, were thought to have been built by giants. I love that it then says something like the Cyclops are as plausible an explanation as any.

Magnificent views. Spring flowers that Iphigenia might have picked: purple, yellow. We heard a distant sound like bamboo wind chimes, and kept scanning the hills until we saw a goatherd and his flock on a hillside a few hundred yards away. What a life. We finished some leftovers for lunch on a wall by the parking lot, overlooking the distant hills, and bought orange juice that the grouchy food truck woman in the parking lot squeezes for you. Then you gulp it down, and bless the oranges.

travelerjan

Ah, the oranges. Last time I was in Nafplio with newbies, we couldn't go to Mycenae, so we settled for Tiryns... just 5 mi outside Nafplio right on the road. As we left I saw a tiny handlettered sign on a fence "Tholos Tomb" with an arrow. I remembered walking down that lane for half a mile once, to no avail. But this time we had wheels and an enthusiastic driver. We careened around back roads between orange groves for fully 5 miles and finally, another tiny handlettereed sign "Tholos." and There it was!! A teeny-weeny version of the "Treasury of Agamemmnon" or whatever the Mycenaean biggie is called. This one was about the size of a Model T garage... but PERFECT. We went in, and emerged to confront a scowling Farmer who stood there with a pitchfork as we hastily got in our car. He appeared concerned we were there to pick his oranges!!

stokebailey

Ha. Usually when farmers suspect me of snitching fruit they are correct; but windfalls only, honest. We pulled up at Tyrins and enjoyed what we could see from the road. Definitely looks worth a visit.

ATHENS

Athens felt a lot more like real life.

The drive back to the airport was a lot easier when the highway was not cluttered with tractors and, for all we knew, angry farmers clutching pitchforks. The traffic was still not bad, even though the middle of a weekday afternoon. The rental car lot is right there at the airport, and it's an easy walk to the Metro station.

Luckily we had enough cash for ticket machines, since they don't accept cards, and it was a fairly lengthy wait for a train. More and more people got on at every stop. Roma children squeezed down the aisles playing accordion and beseeching with their eyes. A man lurched by at one point apparently arguing with gods or demons. I got up to stand next to the luggage and lost eye contact with Hannah as the train packed. Luckily she stood up when we got to Syntagma Square, and with liberal use of "signomi" we got through the doors.

Cloudy, grey, crowded, graffiti-filled, starting to rain, sidewalks in need of repair, we headed less than enchanted down Stadiou, right on Tsatsou, then to the door of Alice Inn Athens. Ah. My new favorite ever micro-boutique BnB -- or hotel for that matter. www.aliceinnathens.com Four rooms altogether, stylish, comfortable. More like staying at the home of wealthy friends who doesn't expect you to keep them company.

LCBoniti

Love the Alice Inn Athens website in which they describe themselves as "a super-funky bed and breakfast at the foot of the Acropolis". Gave me a chuckle.

I'm still enraptured by your trip report and I love that it inspires such amazing comments. Greece must be a very magical place - or should I say "Magiki".

stokebailey

You are too kind, LCB. I had no idea we would love Greece so much. After a couple of days in Athens, Hannah said it was either the most hipster or second most hipster city she'd been in including Budapest(at least a semi- compliment), and that she'd be happy to live there.

Here's a rundown of whom to blame for what ails Greece:

-- The banks, per Enterprise car rental clerk.
-- That idiot Tsipras, per a guy in airport lost luggage office
-- The basic Greek attitude to life, per Lena
-- The late junta, per someone
-- The wacko taxation system, per a couple of other people
-- Farmers, per someone else
-- Having joined the euro zone per Psiri graffiti
-- The current government, that mandates every enterprise, except the government itself, accepts credit/debit cards, per yet another reliable source.

I'm sure there are more places to point a finger. I like that people talk about it.

I also liked that in Greece only one woman, a Scot, mentioned the ride of D.J. Trump, a phenomenon for which there seem to be as many different explanations.

thursdaysd

The Alice Inn looks gorgeous, but doesn't list prices.

You are reminding me how much I enjoyed Greece. More than time to go back.

annhig

lovely BnB in Athens, Stoke - you seem to have a gift for finding great places to stay. which room were you in?

stokebailey

We stayed in the Anthony Quinn, with its separate bedroom so we wouldn't disturb each other with reading late or getting up early. It worked perfectly for us. Also included: coffeemaker, mini-fridge. I don't remember exactly, but it was not more than $100/night. Prices may vary by season?

stokebailey

Ah, thanks, Ann. One of my friends thinks I'm a travel agent at heart.

stokebailey

Alice Inn Athens sits on a quiet residential street just around the corner from the buzzy tourist area, where employees stand outside their restaurants and call, "Hello! Would you like lunch! Good food!" We never go inside when importuned, Hannah especially disliking that. The first evening we ate at the Taverna Saita, just around the corner and as recommended by Claire at our Inn. Darling waiter, good food, not touristy.

It was a Wednesday night, and Hannah really wanted to hear traditional music. Claire called a couple of places for us, determined that one she liked had music starting after 2100. So we headed for Monastiraki, past many socializing hipsters sitting at many sidewalk tables. We peeked into the recommended place, but since music hadn't started we strolled up around the corner and heard bouzouki music coming from a taverna. Decided to go in and listen, settled in, found it delightful and stayed for a couple of hours. The bouzoukist and guitarist looked like father and son. I loved the way the older musician would hold his cigarette between middle and ring fingers while he played with his pick, then between songs take puffs. They were the favorite of the three duos we heard: warm harmonies, traditional songs, warm smiles. The guitarist asked where we were from, and three nights later when we returned, he called out, "Missouri!" Dang, can't find the name of the place. Will come back to it later. I could become a regular there.

We climbed up the Acropolis our first morning there, watching our step in our sensible walking shoes. It's beautiful and it must be doneMore slippery marble underfoot, more glorious views from the top. There were plenty of others, speaking in many languages and accents, but it was not crowded. Hannah's EU student ID got her into museums free, and there's a list, not including the Parthenon Museum where my ticket would be also good. Workers climb around on scaffolding, restoring the temples. I sit and sketch awhile, eavesdropping on fellow tourists.

Next: I change my mind about the Parthenon/Elgin Marbles, before I change it back again.

travelerjan

FIND the name of that taverna! But of course they won't be there, the next time. These things are SO fleeting. I frankly am not that fond of the cult of "rembetika" (that whiny, Turkish-type music brought to Athens in the 1920s, all full of angst & sorrow, the Greek Blues -- not my thing). But the other, those traditional, aah. An Athens friend & I always go to a teeny place behind the university, Taverna Lesvos, lots of mezedes. One time 3 guys, one w. guitar,were just sittng there soaking up som ouzo, and they started singing. People clapped, they kept it up, for at least an hour (we had to leave, maybe it went on & on).. lovely melodies, easy harmonies, everyone around knew the words. I asked what kind of songs they were "Oh just village songs, you know, the old songs," they said. I think in America we'd call them Campfire songs. But to find a place where this happens regularly ... Omorfo.

annhig

it all sounds delightful, stoke. I have to confess that i have never made it to Greece save for one most memorable fortnight in Crete a very long time ago. I don't know why we've never been back, we certainly enjoyed ourselves.

perhaps now I know where to stay in Athens, we will give it a go.

SharonG

My brother lived in Greece for two years, in Rafina which was charming. He picked me up at the Athens Airport and the first thing we saw was a taxi with a coffin strapped on it. Gotta love those Greeks.

stokebailey

I emailed Claire at Alice Inn, the darling concierge/assistant, and she helped me find it.

This is that Psiri taverna: Η ΩΡΑΙΑ ΠΕΝΤΕΛΗ, where Aristophanes and Aeschylus come together. (actually Αισχύλου & Αριστοφάνους, or Eschilou and Aristofanous)
tinyurl.com/z6sdcuz for Google map.

We ordered from the "home cooking" menu: Perch with vegetables, veg dolmades with excellent yoghurt, and nursed one wine each for me, ouzo for Hannah. There were just a few people when we arrived at ~2030, almost full when we left at midnight our second visit. The guitar and bouzouki players have similar mellow-looking faces and voices, could be a generation apart. The first night they played that familiar song that starts off slowly then gets frantic fast; I think for our benefit. (I now think of it as the "Route 66" of Greek music, the one that must be played at every gig.)

A group came in and were greeted as old friends, bought the musicians whiskeys. Then a table full of 20ish couples. Sometimes people sang along. Eventually a balding man got up and danced, then later a woman, then with her a woman from another table. Sexy ecstatic middle-aged plump unselfconscious dancing, arms in the air. Then another man solo, then two men and a woman with arms around shoulders.

Later the guitarist pointed us out as Americanevas, said everyone else was Greek, then "you are Greek too!" When we finally got up to go, he kissed his hand to us as we left. Back through packed hipster sidewalks to our lovely comfy Alice Inn.


That's fun, travelerjan and Sharon. Lovely memories. Ann, I'd take a fortnight in Crete, come to think of it..