a Government building in Athens
Athens. Hostel is perfect, friendly, and helpful. We wander around in the sunshine. Authentic gyro for lunch, amazing. Found a pastry shop that I have no doubt or hesitation in declaring that it must make the best pastries in the entire world. The Acropolis towers over the city majestically, lit up against the clear night sky. Went to dinner in a couple-hundred-year-old wine cellar where a table of elderly Greek couples beside us pulled out their song book and passed it around serenading us throughout our delicious meal of spanakopita and tzatziki. Up early to find our ferry to Milos. Made everyone on the boat jealous with our decadent breakfast of cream-filled, caramel-honey frosted donuts from the bakery and fresh strawberries from the market. We are the only tourists on the entire ferry. We stuck out with our blonde hair and shorts that were worn more out of insistence that it was spring break than the need to stay cool. Escaped the scrutinizing stares, up to the empty top deck of the boat to be in the sun and gawk at the islands we docked at.
amazing vistas of the extreme Milos landscape
Milos. Starving. Sat unsuspectingly on a deck café and ordered more food than we could eat and a cold beer. The waiter brought us each two beers. Then a shot. Then massive beers. Then another shot. Then refilled our beers. Repeatedly. Welcome to Milos? Nap time. Woke up and took the cab to the capital, Plaka, even though we had slept through our dinner reservation. Tiny little restaurant run by a husband and wife. They had been waiting for us and were so excited that we actually showed up. We ordered fish baked with potatoes and sun-dried tomatoes. Absolutely phenomenal. We came back three more times and ate our meals and watched
Dancing with the Stars with our newly adopted Greek grandparents. Best meals since being in Europe. Rented a car and found countless beautiful beaches. Found herds of goats with big old bells on their necks that made the nicest music at the slightest movement. On a quest for sunshine, drove towards the sunshine, got stuck in rain, found the sunshine. Napped on the beach till the sun started to sink behind the hills. Next day taking a ferry to Santorini at 5. Got to the port, ferry not leaving till midnight or possibly 6 a.m. because of high winds. Sat on the ferry…for 36 hours…until the ferry left at midnight the following night. Swells so powerful, impossible to stand up. Terrified.
Oia, the most picturesque city in Santorini
Santorini. Get there at 4 a.m., drive up up up the cliffs. Feel like we’re floating in darkness. They weren’t expecting us so they give us blankets and cots to sleep in the outdoors living room for the remainder of the night. Hot shower is so necessary when we finally get into the room. Cold out so took a bus to a winery to do a tour and tasting. What a failure. Creepy mannequins reenacting how wine was made on ancient wine press’s and three tiny glasses of lack luster wine. Waited at the bus stop for 45 minutes in the cold. Back to the hotel and are pleasantly surprised to find a DVD player and black and white movies in English and the hotel brings us wine and snacks on a tray. Dinner, chef brings us unlimited free wine and dessert. Things are looking up. Next morning, rented a car and drove to Oia, the picturesque town on all the post cards of “Greek Isles”. Found shelter from the wind and enjoyed the sun from someone’s deserted Villa patio. Found Black Beach. Found Red Beach. Watched the sun sunk red into the ocean as the pink light faded to purple on the white washed buildings. Dinner at the same restaurant three nights in a row. Best moussaka I have ever tasted, maybe even better than the dinners in Milos. 8 hour ferry back to Athens. Try to sleep. Screaming Children.
The Acropolis, close to where we stayed in Plaka, Athens
Athens. Acropolis is not as breathtaking up close because it is over packed with tourists and you can’t get very close to the structure. Flea market. Getting really sick of being haggled by people selling scarves, togas, gladiator sandals, silly squishy plastic balls that splat on the ground, and even restaurants hosts who try to corral you into their dining area. Mentally exhausted. Somehow climb to the highest point of Athens. Share a beer and admire the mass of white buildings that extend as far as the eye can see in every direction with the Acropolis jutting above it all on its rocky perch. Barter for a better price at dinner just because we can and we are broke at this point. Train to Airport. Plane to Rome. Bus to train station. So fed up with traveling I go ahead and buy the overpriced 1 hour train back to Florence.
Home.
sunset in Oia
For Hotels/Hostels that we stayed in on a student budget in the off-season:
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