Greece: A Vacation from My Vacation

Trying out my photo taking skills 

We landed in Greece from the French Riviera. A nice quick flight. Now, my expectations for this country were mixed. I'd always imagined this place to be a dream, beautiful water and beautiful people. I mean, I was an avid watcher of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants...it paints a certain appetizing picture.  I'd always wanted to come since I was in 6th grade when I was invited with my friend whose family is from Mykonos. But, my parents said it was dangerous then...it was after 9-11, so any distant travel was construed that way. My parents still see it as dangerous now-but this is my Europe trip and I didn't hear any arguing from them besides "be safe".
    It also didn't help that when I tripadvisored our hotel in Athens there were multiple comments about crackwhores and prostitutes out the front door. When we walked up the steps of the metro into Athens city, I still had some in-clinking of hope...but the moment I set eyes on the first, the second, the fifteenth homeless person all looking at me googly eyes I realized the filth of the district. Everyone was right. Greece is in a rut-it's very obvious. I could see how there was rioting, war, chaos. We stayed in the first night and I realized our sole reason for venturing to Athens was to check out the ruins-it was only in that first night that I realized I would have to endure the actual ruins to get the chance to venture the ancient ruins. 

Parthenon at the Acropolis in Athens 

The group photo, worth the pain 

Our day touring the acropolis was nice...we got pics at the parthenon, Zeus' columns, and the shrine to Athena. But it was bloody hot, and I killed my ankle trying to set the camera up for a group photo shoot on a hill...so really I could have just dodged the city and headed straight to the islands and I would have been dandy. But when you come to Greece you gotta check the culture. That night we walked to get food around 9pm. The homeless and sketchy were plentiful and when Caitlin and I asked the desk clerk for an ATM he advised us against even leaving the place. We were literally walking 2 blocks to a cafe, and we had Liam, and my strong arm so I wasn't very worried-but his blanket statement made me a little apprehensive on the walk. 

The next morning we woke at the crack of dawn to catch the ferry-our first of many-to the island of Paros. We used the metro to get there, and walking at 6AM with 2 bottles of liquor was like waving drugs in front of an addict. Not until we saw the street sleepers faces did we realize it was the liquid gold we had in our hands that was causing them to salivate. But, pleasant Greeks do exist. Lauren was sick on the metro there and this kind gentleman gave her a packet of wipes.

Smiling on the beach in Paros

Landing in Paros brought positive reassurance why we came to Greece in the first place. The water is crystal blue, the beaches are sandy, and the people want to serve you. We thought we could get to our apartment on our own accord, but landed at a florist shop. The owner of our place picked us up right away and I was very happy to see our place-a fantastic view and a pool too. I took a sunset run that night, and happiness flowed back into my system. I found a cliff with a fantastic Panoramic view and a beach nearby that just shined paradise. 

Sunset View Paros

3 nights in Paros. We rented a car our second day to explore the island, a red jeep that I stood on, rather than sat-feeling very much on top of the world. No cops around island to snicker at us either. We went out that night to a nearby Irish club...we were the only ones there besides a few Germans. We decided on a day at Parasparos beach the following day. For dinner we were stoked to cook something and save some money, grabbed 15% wine and returned to our place to feast. Yuck, the red wine was unbearably sweet. I tried mixing it with Pepsi (Lauren's Spanish secret to mask bad wine). Still, Yuck. We later realized we had bought dessert wine-so much for being cheap. Consequently we tried to drink Lemoncello we had been hauling from France. Again, not mix drink worthy. Its the type a thing you take a solo shot of after din din....not something to get intoxicated off of. After a long decision process we agreed to check out the other side of the island, which was promised to be youth worthy. It was dead. But we wandered upon the best of the best Greek frozen yogurt. Smiles returned to our faces.

View from the Jeep

 The following day we left for IOS. I was slightly concerned, since Paros had been so dead, I thought we would have completely missed the season. For those who don't know, IOS is world renowned as party central...it's got a great reputation for yielding an epic time. We stepped off the port with far too many Greeks yelling and grabbing our hands for accommodation, avoided their path and bused to our hotel. Another fantastic place. White linen flowing sun canopies and a view of Mylopotas Beach to die for. Another scene of paradise, and walking down to the beach my smile stretched larger seeing the plenty of people my age chilling poolside and beachside.

Mylopotas Beach

 Two nice Aussies found Lauren and I at the beach and chatted us up. I soon realized the Aussie accent would fill my head during my time on Ios-these kids flock here each summer to enjoy the pattern of work and party. We were told Ios was settling down, and usually the place is packed...but that there was still plenty of fun to be had. For dinner we were recommended by our beach buds to check out Harmony Mexican Restaurant, a friend of a friend of Lauren's worked there too...and we were all pretty over Greek food, so it was the perfect place for us. As we walked over we saw a string of kids bar crawling for a 1/2 century party-two of the harmony employees had turned 25. We made it just in time for a few drinks for happy hour and enjoyed an incredible view, great food, and live music. The night scene in Ios was something we had all been desperate for. I lost my friends at one point in the night and stumbled, literally I tripped up the steps, into a bar and embarrassingly decided that was where I would stay. 3 jäger bombs for 10 euros-a good deal to boot too. Caitlin miraculously found me and we danced to some familiar old school beats. 

First Night Out Ios 

The following morning wasn't the most pleasant, but nothing some sunshine couldn't cure. Lunch at some local Greek spot took over an hour for what should have been easy gyros...so with that service in mind, it was a given we ate at Harmony for dinner the next two nights. Also, I forgot to mention that you get free shots at the end of your meal at Harmony :D The following afternoon I got some loner time away from the group and met a Dutch guy, he was a photographer for the water sports crew that takes people on boat rides/tubing excursions. I got a free ride on the boat while he was snapping shots of patrons on the tube, fully enjoying being on the water...and even happier I didn't have to pay for it. That night I met the crew at Harmony, 2 minutes to spare for happy hour. They told me when they arrived the bartender walked them over to our lounge of choice with a "reserve" sign on it. Yeah, that felt good. This place Harmony is known as THE spot for hanging...during high season the owner told us waits can last up to 2 hours, they only take large parties, and some reserve spaces a year in advance. I was floored, and finally relieved we had come as the season was ebbing down. We got to enjoy the place with no rush, and got to know the local Aussie staff. 

The Harmony Scene

I had cut off my workout streak in Ios, but if you had the surplus of fun we had you wouldn't judge. Our last night we opted for a taxi to the bars as we missed the last bus into town. Lauren tried to argue for a better deal but I just hopped right in, not helping her with the barter process. Dancing and fun. Lauren and I were tempted to try a challenge at one bar, to beat the record for girls of 3 shots in 7 seconds. We practiced with hand motions seeing if we could achieve it and then realized we would have to train for something like that. I thought I met a Greek....finally my Kostos...turns out he was Israeli. Later in the night I had lost Caitlin, Liam and Lauren went off to get gyros, and I found some Aussie girls we had eaten with at Harmony. I spent the rest of the night with them, went to some empty Greek bar and found myself trying a tequila shot, but instead of lime an orange with cinnamon. It is a new favorite. One of the bartenders started "playing around" with the owner and took out a gun, aimed at the guy and they were chuckling. Instinctively I dropped to the ground, another Greek guy asked me what the worry was they were just having some "fun", then by my reaction played it off as the gun was fake. Not my type of party so us girls left and found the bakery open munching on some delicious spinach pie. Now that's my type of end to a night ;)

I awoke bright and early and headed straight to the ocean to absorb some calcium. We were off to the ferry in the afternoon and we found some of our Canadian friends who were headed to Santorini as well. Now, Santorini is renowned for being the most popular, most published, most picturesque island in Greece. Granted, it was beautiful...but we had such a great set up in IOs so I was slightly mourning our departure. Our place was nice, pool included again, and walking distance to a black sand beach. We were planning on cooking in since we had a hot plate and spent a little too much money in Ios. But we lazily wandered to this place Tranquilo with advertised XXL salads. They were truly humongous, and after the first bite we realized this would be our new Harmony. It had a nice chill hippie vibe with tapestries all over the place and a comforting "stay local, be local" promise of ingredients.

Tranquilo Salad XXL Style

 We decided to rent a car for the next 3 days...which was essential because of the size and stretch of this island. We got to check out 3 different beaches in a day, including the famous Red Beach which takes it's name from the red volcanic rock color of the walls and sand. The next morning I woke earlier to try and make Tranquilo's morning Ashatanga yoga they host at 730AM. I woke at 7 and turned off my alarm to not bother my Suitemate Caitlin...then, shit, it was 723 in the blink of an eye. I ran downstairs and told Lauren we had 7 minutes, she grogged and rolled over to cuddle Liam. I momentarily thought, oh well, too late...but I've been missing my yoga routine since Charleston so in one swift second I threw on my gear and was running off to the place, sandals slapping the pavement. Luckily it started late so I had time to spare. It was nice to find some Shanti, peace, and to return to prajna breathing. The ocean waves crashed in the background and my body craved the therapeutic release. After the practice I was refreshed, rejuvenated, and reawakened. If only my Charleson Power Yoga class could follow me through Europe.  

Red Sand Beach

 That day we decided on a few other beach stops and left the sunshine in the afternoon to explore the town of Fira, the main set of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. White stone houses all along the cliff side, donkey rides up the 500hundred or so steps, and tons of shopping. Looking in the distance at mountains surging up from the crystal blue Aegean Sea is breathtaking, in the distance the white houses set the mountains to appear snow-capped in the blazing sun. Oia, a small town set beside Fira, is renowned for their sunset view where hundreds of people line up around the side walls and at this ancient old castle. We had Liam and Lauren reserve us a spot the first day-you do really have to get there 2 hours ahead to get a decent seat. Returning with ice cold Coca Cola lite I perched up next to Liam letting my feet swing off the scaffold. Such a surge of energy sometimes just to dangle your feet over a hundred meter drop, looking at the poor donkeys headed on the way up the never ending stairs I was happy I spared them of my weight, and happy I spared my wallet of the cost. It's a pretty view where we were, but we got unlucky with the sunset...massive clouds swept through and the blazing orange sun disappeared.

View from Santorini Sunset

Photo of Sunset Viewing Point

We ate out at Tranquilo again which took far too long. Lauren and Caitlin played the teasing game of anticipating every plate that left the kitchen. They compd us with a free bottle of wine probably because they saw how hunger lay on my friends faces. Our food came and a local band started booming behind us. Enjoyable music, but it cut off the table talk-not that we really wanted to talk, everyone was shoving food in their mouth desperate from hunger. The next day we decided to stay at our beach in Parissa, the water was perfect and I was able to swim endlessly out into the sea getting a crucial water workout. I had wanted to try and climb the nearby mountains as there was a rock walk, and I wanted to figure out what this one establishment was perched halfway up, but the beach was too comforting and I knew I wouldn't be Oceanside much longer (Caitlin and I are headed to Eastern Europe next). That night we dressed up nice and decided to give the Oia sunset another shot. We had also walked by what smelled like the most delicious restaurant with a panoramic view so we decided to indulge. The sunset had the same effect as the day before, but we got a few photos looking better mannered than the day before. Although the service at the restaurant was less than commendable, the mussels in red garlic sauce I got were great...I had been dying for some nice seafood. Frozen Greek yogurt for dessert still didn't stand up to that on Paros.

Dangling my feet in Oia

    The following day we took the afternoon ferry back to Athens, an 8 hour trip. Before loading the boat they have you in a holding room. We arrived 45 minutes early so at first it seemed nice and there were plenty of seats. Slowly but surely it began to fill. Although I was already sitting next to someone, this lady pointed at my water bottle I had planted to generate space between my neighbor and I. I looked puzzled and picked it up, immediately she sat down, forcing me to basically share my seat. I was baffled that a stranger would actually do that. Being in a room with hundreds of people staring out the window in anticipation for the boat speaking in 20 different languages was making me go stir crazy. But there was really no escape, I just had to endure it. A free for all to the ferry when it arrived and luckily we knew a second door to enter, the seasoned ferry riders we were. We passed the time with some games of hearts and sandwich making sessions...I am completely sick of Tzazki and feta for now. The sunset from the boat was magnificent. The sun went down as we passed Paros and i overheard a greek gentleman with a high end camera telling another how Paros actually has better views of sunset than Santorini island-after our stay on the islands I would have to agree. We landed in Athens at midnight, asking every single bus and Greek where the bus to the airport was. We walked with a few friends using the Lonely Planet guide, wandered somewhere totally not right, found another large group by a bus stop and finally thought we had found it. Then out of no where one of the previous friends runs by "bus down the street, to the airport, leaving now". Lauren and Liam went to check and then the rest of the group we followed earlier went sprinting by. Lauren and Liam returned within distance and I realized it was go time. I swear our transportation transfers mirror episodes of the Amazing Race. Backpack on, buckled, and using my Santorini workouts to my advantage sprinting to a hidden bus terminal. 5 euros paid and we were off to the airport. Caitlin and I's flight was at 3pm and we arrived at 130Am. Earlier in the day, with the magic of google I had found "best places to sleep in Athens airport". The chapel was the overall response (random an airport having a chapel in my opinion) but literally a god send. It was secluded by what seemed like two hallways of sound proof doors and was carpeted. Caitlin and I snuggled together, and besides our 3AM wake up when we were told to move by the police, we were never bothered again. I woke up to Lauren giving us some of their blankets before their earlier flight left, and a few other employees or chapel users shutting some doors, but other than that a great night sleep until 10AM. The wonders of google, and some help from the big man, I guess.

Blondies I travel with 

Now off to Poland-just a night in Warsaw, a night in Krakow, and then the night train to Prague. Wish Caitlin and I luck...it's just us cougars for the next 24 days exploring all we can of Eastern Europe.