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With Gratitude for a Glorious Solo Month in Greece

With Gratitude for a Glorious Solo Month in Greece

Old Jul 29th, 2017, 05:44 PM
  #21  
kja
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@ tripplanner: Oh, I’m so glad I had more than 2 weeks! I couldn’t begin to suggest a plan for you, but maybe some of the details of what I did and experienced might help you plan a trip that works for you and your interests. BTW, changes of hotels weren’t always necessary when I made them – I have no objectiion to relocating, and instead absolutely abhor unnecessary backtracking. So, for example, one could see much of what a saw in Crete with just a single base, or perhaps two, in contrast to staying in 4 different locations, as I did. And much of the Peloponnese can be seen from a single base….

@ Kathie: Yes, I saw a LOT – and I haven’t even begun to say what I did with each of these days! To me, it was worth every exhaustingly energizing moment.

@ travelerjan: The itinerary I just posted is the one I actually executed; it differed minimally from what I had planned. It sounds like you fit a lot into your first trip, too! I certainly understand how difficult it can be to leave some places!

@ xyz: What I nice compliment – thank you! I’m glad that you’ve found my reports helpful, and I certainly appreciate that people travel at different paces and for different periods of time. Vive la différence!
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Old Jul 29th, 2017, 06:11 PM
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Looking forward to following along. Boy, as others have note, you did pack in alot. I've been to Greece twice for 3 weeks each time and not sure I saw as much as you did.
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Old Jul 29th, 2017, 09:24 PM
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@ yestravel: Welcome to this vicarious tour group! I saw a lot, but my preference is to pack a lot into my trips. I’m sure you had different experiences during your trips to Greece – and I bet they were wonderful, too.
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 02:41 AM
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How exciting to discover your trip to Greece when we are following your advice for Spain. We've done upwards of 6 trips to Greece (usually for 4-5 weeks) and have managed to visit most of the mainland and a pretty good number of the islands. Our itineraries have been pretty full too, but not quite as full as yours. You did a lot but there is so much more to do... if I can every help, please let me know! So good to share our experiences...
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 06:51 AM
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kja, I can identify with your comment about not being a young mountain goat anymore...

Coming along on your journey, albeit vicariously.
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 09:48 AM
  #26  
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@ yeshekathy: I’m envious of you of your travels in Greece! Fitting my trip into a single month was a challenge, and the hardest part was, of course, deciding what to cut.

@ Treesa: Mountain goats of all ages are welcome, as are non-goat travelers. ;-)

....

What I liked most during my month in Greece, in no particular order:

- The skies! -- the astonishing softness, and softening, of the colors of the sky and clouds at dusk through SOOoooo much of Greece; the not infequent drama of scudding clouds, white and grey and black, texturing the already multi-colored surface beneath with ever shifting patterns of light and shadow and saturating the colors into deeply vibrant hues; the overaching blue of sunlit days, with puffs of fluffy white clouds here and there, or banks of white clouds in the distance; the contrasts of lightning-riddled storm clouds overhead and in front of me, but with bright blue skies elsewhere. Awesome!

- Glimpses into the splendor of past cultures! I’d had the good fortune to visit many ancient Greek ruins before, but I had never seen Minoan or Mycenaen ruins. Their extant wall paintings were a revelation to me – what extraordinary artistic achievement! And so many of those paintings show the details of exquisite textiles, which again, I found surprising. (I admit it – I imagined rough linen robes hangling in loose folds. Sooooo wrong!) And the ways Minoan architects brought light into multi-story palaces and homes, and other artifacts speaking to the elegance of these ages, and not just at the palaces of Knossos and Phaestos, but the much more work-a-day lodgings of Akrotiri… Wow! And the awesome building skills of the Mycenaens – no wonder some of those walls are called Cyclopean!

- New insights into ancient Greek culture, too, gleaned from the remnants of glorious color on statues in the Museum of the Acropolis; the views of the interior architecture of the Temple of Hephaestus; the healing hall at Epidauraus; the runner’s starting blocks at Menea; the ceramic “seat” for toddlers shown in a video at the Museum of Cycladic Art and on display in the National Archedological Museum; and oh, so many other stunning relics of ancient Greece!

- And not just Greek ruins, but also Roman ones, including the fascinating bath complex of the Roman Agora in Thessaloniki and the glorious mosaics of the Rotonda, also in that city, and the wall of law and fields scattered with bits of ruins at Gortyna; and Venetian castles and fortresses; and Ottoman / Turkish fountains and mosques; and, of course, the many glorious Byzantine churches with their frescoes and mosaic floors and beautiful brickwork, particularly in Mystras and Thessaloniki, but elsewhere, too….

- Some utterly awesome museums! I encountered an astonishing diversity of collections – vases, statuary, wall paintings, gold, textiles, Cycladic figurines, costumes, Byzantine art, funereal artifacts, the implements required for life in days past (producing textiles, farming, making wine or olive oil, etc.), liturgical vestments, modern art, re-created rooms, even a museum devoted to the ways in which water power was used… And oooh, the archeological treasures! The Delos lions, the charioteer of Delphi, gold and ivories from the tomb of Phillip II, the Mycenaen armor in Nafplio, the Mask of Agamemnon, soooo many awe-inspiring pieces….

- The variety of breathtaking scenery – Meteora’s incredible monolithic pillars and boulders; mountain-edged inlets filled with crystal clear waters, whether the mountains were barren or were, instead, home to trees and shrubs; the incredibly punished terrain of central Crete, filled with fractured rock and vast stretches of non-arable land; the transition, sometimes marked by a single switchback, between a rain shadow and the lush, wet side of a mountain; Santorini’s caldera and its striated cliffs beneath the cascades of blue-trimmed white buildings; range after range of mountains, one behind the other, vanishing into the distance wth clouds touching some, and in between others, and in front of a few, and maybe even some rain falling here or there in the distance; the flooded interior of the Diros cave, with its age-old stalactites and stalagmites; gorges carved between dramatic cliffs and narrow defiles; rounding yet another mountainous corner to an unexpected panorama of a vast plain or the sea far below; snow-capped mountains hovering above various locations in Crete and Mt. Olympus shimmering in the distance above the Thermaic Gulf; vistas from mountainous spots through a series of valleys and peaks and out to the sea; sheer rock faces dropping into deep, narrow gorges lined by lush greenery; island studded waters separating serrated mountain ridges…. I used to think that the ancient Greeks knew how to site a temple, and I haven’t stopped believing that – but I now realize that they weren’t exactly hurtin’ for options!

- A stunning variety of wildflowers and blooming shrubs (especially during my time in Crete and the Cyclades) and cultivated plants, too (especially the roses of the Arkadhi Monastery and Nemea), and by birds – magpies and sea birds and ooh, the peacocks of Knossos and greenfinches in Athens and the birds who hit the current outside of Acrocorinth JUST right so that they seem stationary even though in flight, and another bird that swept in front of my car and led me onward, gliding to and fro across the road, as I descended a hill near Messina – and tortoises and a wild boar and the impossibly green lizards of the Imbros gorge and various goats, including one precariously poised with his hind feet on a metal road-side guardrail and his front feet positioned far out on a tree, stretching his neck as far as it would go to reach the tasty leaves at the furthest tips of twigs far out over a precipitous abyss.

- And (speaking of goat and boar) the scrumptuous foods -- flavorful stews (I want a recipe for rabbit stifado!) and perfectly grilled meats and octopus and calamari and braised pork and so many wonderful cheeses and tasty regional breads and incredibly fresh fruits and vegetables and spinach pies and local specialties ranging from red rose or prickly pear preserves through fava beans and Naxos’s potatoes and so very, very many varieties of olive; and the tradition of serving a bite of something with a beverage, whether a bowl of chips or a small plate of freshly grilled calamari; and the delightful wines with which I paired my dinners (kudos to Nemean reds and Santorini whites and SOooooo many other very pleasant options); and tasty bits of something sweet after dinner; and the glasses or flagons of locally brewed beverages often provided in my lodging or as an after-dinner treat – raki or ouzo or mastica (OK, I didn’t actually like mastica – too sweet for me, but I still appreciated that it was offered!) or some other liqueur.

- The extraordinary generosity and graciousness of the Greek people with whom I interacted. It wasn’t just the appreciated treats I mentioned above – it was FAR more than that. It was the pleasure that so many people seemed to take in sharing their corner of this glorious country; the patience and helpfulness of those I asked for help along the way; the kindness of two different women who decided, for no apparent reason, to give me freshly cut roses; and so many other treasured interactions. And even in the places with seemingly endless numbers of astonishingly rude tourists, just a word or two of Greek was enough to change what seemed a politely indifferent reception into one of remarkable solicitousness and grace. Without doubt, I was made to feel very welcome in Greece.

- And so many other things – watching a performance in the Odeon of Herodes Atticus; seeing wreathes of dried herbs and flowers by doorways in Crete; the red VW bug convertible, sans top, that someone had turned into a huge and vibrant planter; listening to a violin and piano concert in Naxos’s Venetian Castle; the many very well fed cats roaming around ruins (and what their health says about the kindness of the Greeks who live near them); that one can see the glorious Parthenon from so many places in Athens and glimpses of the sea from the Parthenon….


But my trip was NOT perfect, so next up: what I liked least.
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 10:59 AM
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kja, it is so wonderful to travel along with you in one of my favorite places. Thanks for posting this report!
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 11:26 AM
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Friends recently discouraged us from thinking of visiting Greece: They felt it was dry and dusty. ?

Reading your first installment I'm already feeling the pull...
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 03:05 PM
  #29  
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@ HappyTrvlr: And it is wonderful to have you traveling along! Thanks for letting me know you’ve joined in.

@ sundriedtopepo: I don’t remember ANY place in Greece that struck me as “dry and dusty,” with the possible exception of the interior of the Arkadhi Monastery – and since the surrounding area was lush and green, I think that might have been an intentional element of its presentation. Some (not all) of the ruins I saw seemed dry (but never dusty); quite in contrast, many of the ruins I visited were delightfully “cluttered” with wildflowers. Some of the areas in rain shadows were, of course, dry – but drought-resistant shrubs seemed the norm, and I found some of the hills and mountains of central Crete and the Mani Peninsula to be awesomely barren, but again, not dusty. BUT, I suspect it varies with the season. Before being dissuaded from a trip to Greece by this particular friend’s warning, you might want to carefully consider where and when you would go. I must that I’m a bit curious about where and when your friends went…
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 05:32 PM
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kja, I find, that people who make comments like "dry & dusty" then turn out to have gone to Greece in September.... that means that there has essentially been almost NO rain for about 4 months -- some islands are dry & rocky year round, b ut even the green islands are dusty by that time. If you went 4 months without a shower, you'd be dusty too! That's why May-June is a perfect time for a Greece trip.
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 06:22 PM
  #31  
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@ travelerjan &
@ sundriedtopepo …

Thanks for the explananation, travelerjan, and, sundriedtopepo, I hope that information helps!
I don’t know about other times of year, but I, for one, am glad I visited in May / June (including about 3 weeks in May, extending into the first week of June).
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 07:23 PM
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kja, thanks for sharing your trip with us. Makes me want to go back again but it will have to wait a while longer. Many years ago we spent extended time in Greece and loved it for all the reasons you describe.

Did you prebook all your accommodation? Last time we were there we didn't book anything but not sure how much that has changed and it would be helpful to know for when we do go back (probably in a couple of years).
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 08:06 PM
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Good to know. We really enjoyed Sicily in May as well, much greener then than in October.
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 08:24 PM
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@ dreamon: I’m glad that I’m reminding you of things you enjoyed!

I did book all of my accommodations WELL in advance – but then, that’s my preference. I like deciding where to stay when I have the widest possible array of options, looking for a reasonably affordable and well-located places that meet my needs – and although my needs are, as a solo traveler, rather basic (I want a clean, safe location, preferably with free wifi and breakfast), I love finding places that go beyond those needs to be true highights of a trip. And I did that on this trip -- OMG, really and seriously, I stayed at some awesome (and incredoibly affordable) places!

I began booking rooms for this May / June trip in early January and then tweaked my plans well into March, with final checks in late April. (If it isn’t already clear, I am obsessive in my trip planning.) I can assure you that some of the places that I booked during my earliest efforts were fully booked WELL in advance of my journey – particularly, the smaller places that seemed to me (and were!) absolute gems by MY criteria (which could easily differ from yours).

But there were, of course, many other options – for the locations that I visited. And I want to emphasize that I didn’t visit some of the places that are most clearly on the usual tourist trail, so I can’t speak to any of them.

I suspect that the availability of last-minute bookings is similar to what you would encounter in many popular locations – options probably exist, but with varying levels of desirability, and IME, how to balance freedom and security is a decidedly personal juggling act.

I’m not sure that helped….


@ sundriedtopepo: I almost made an explicit comparison to Sicily in my earlier response! I visited Sicily in May, too, and much as I loved the Valley of the Temples, it was dry and – yes – dusty! And some of the Greek ruins I visited in Turkey, in May, were dry and dusty. Timing matters!
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 09:09 PM
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kja:

Sounds like you had the "best" trip. If not, you did your best.

��

Huggy��
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 09:27 PM
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Refers to our previous conversation regarding planned Swiss rail trips. I have been trying to develop a clever response. I can think clearer as it is 2 in the morning here and I cannot sleep.
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Old Jul 30th, 2017, 09:55 PM
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@ Huggy: Got it, and please know that I laughed (quite genuinely) when I read your first response, because I easily recognized the context and the fond sentiment behind it!

As Huggy suggests, we’ve enjoyed some give-and-take on a different thread about the meaning of the word “best” in the context of travel, so …

Yes, I did my “best” to plan a trip what would “best” meet my interests, without worrying about whether any of it was seriously THE “best.” And, for me, it was the “best” trip I could have planned!

So, Huggy, neither “bests” nor cleverness are required here or in Switzerland or anywhere else. In contrast, sleep can be a good thing anywhere! Hugs, Huggy. BEST hugs.
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Old Jul 31st, 2017, 02:10 AM
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Marvelous. Have a wonderful trip and enjoy the "best." You have made my day and you are the best!

H
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Old Jul 31st, 2017, 04:23 PM
  #39  
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Despite all the things I treasured on this trip, there were some things that were less than perfect, so now, in no particular order, here are the things that I liked LEAST about my time in Greece.

- Bowls of shelled nuts that hid pistachios that were still in their shells. Argh!

- Toilets in women’s bathrooms that had no seats, only a rim.

- The horrendous treatment I received at the Spiradakos car rental agency, which I reported on a different thread. See my post of June 25, 2017 @ 11:53 p.m. on
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...m#last-comment

- Cucumbers with seeds, but no peel – the reverse of the way I like them.

- The fact that rental cars are clearly marked as such. I’m sure it was absolutely safe, but when I leave my luggage in a rental car while en route from place to place, I prefer to be a bit less of an identifiable target.

- Museum shops that close long before the museums themselves close.

- The norms for room supplies that appear to govern most lodgings in Greece – stopperless sinks, few hangers, no tissues….

- The reduction in the speed limit around interections, maddeningly spaced in some areas so that one JUST barely reaches the otherwise prevailing speed limit before having to slow again – if, at least, one bothers to obey the law, which, it seems, most Greeks do not do.

- Being pelted by hail.

- Rude, drunk Americans staggering into the roads of Santorini, even in the middle of the afternoon.

- Twisting mountain streets that are two-way, but so narrow that even a small car brushed surrounding shrubbery on BOTH sides of the road. (Yes, I did experience that, but OK, it was only once when well off the mains roads of the Lousios Gorge.)

- Having to decide among so MANY enticing and delicious olives whenever given a choice.

- Getting hopelessly lost … well, strike that – getting lost can (and did) lead to some wonderful unplanned moments.…

- Listening to the same six CDs whenever I drove, day after day after day – oh, oops, I guess that one was on me, huh?

• And, uh, well, uh … OK, that’s it.

So, while my trip was not perfect, the imperfections were few and far between, and really, they were minor peeves, with -- at most -- just one real problem. These little niggling problems were nothing in comparison to the things I enoyed so very much on this trip!

It was, truly, a glorious trip – so many memorably delightful elements, and so few difficulties! I feel truly and extraordinarly fortunate to have had the chance to visit some of Greece’s treasures.


Next up: A more detailed description of my trip, starting with Chania and other parts of western Crete.
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Old Jul 31st, 2017, 04:54 PM
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Well, aside from the rental car and the drunken Americans that doesn't sound TOO bad.

"no seats, only a rim"

Isn't the rim the seat? At least it wasn't a hole in the ground - although sometimes that's preferable, provided your knees still work.

"stopperless sinks"

I travel with a universal sink stopper, but I agree it can get tedious.

You are much braver than I am - I did NOT drive in Greece.
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