Posts Tagged ‘Travel Greece’

Greece – Delphi

{ January 25, 2010 @ 12:55 am } · { Travel, Travel Greece }
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We spent our last day in Greece on a tour to Delphi, the holiest city in ancient Greece and supposedly the center (navel) of the world, where two eagles sent by Zeus from opposite ends of the universe, met. We visited the Sanctuary of Apollo, the site of the first panhellenic games and where the famed navel stone is located. It was a well-known worship site for the god Apollo, after he slew the Pytho, the deity who protected the navel of the earth. It was a nice walk uphill, albeit a bit hot, from the roadside to where the chariot races were held. In between, we saw the theatre, the treasury and the remaining columns of the Temple of Apollo. We later walked through the museum, where we saw many athletic statues, early musical notation and golden treasures.

Greece – Santorini

{ January 24, 2010 @ 11:59 pm } · { Travel, Travel Greece }
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Finally, we were on approach to the Lost City of Atlantis, Santorini. Ahhhh….Santorini. It was amazingly beautiful, with its colored rock formation and steep terrain. Unlike any other island, we were informed a half hour in advance of our approach, to go to the upper deck for a photo op. It didn’t disappoint!! Since the cruise ship was too big, we couldn’t dock at the port. Instead, we took transfer boats to shore. Once there, we had three options to get to the top — walk, take a gondola or take a donkey. Because it was a hot day, we decided not to walk and since we felt somewhat adventurous, we decided to take the donkey up to the top. It was definitely the right decision. We didn’t have to walk up the same path as the donkeys and negotiate the poop, yet it was somewhat of a thrill, especially when a herd of donkeys were coming down as we were trying to go up. I’m a bit surprised that our donkey didn’t turn back and head for the bottom with the others. Three quarters of the way up, our donkey refused to go any further. After walking most of the 500 steps to the top, they donkey was tired and hot and just wanted us to get off. I don’t blame them….

Once at the top, it was the most amazing view. We walked around the island and it was very pictureque, with the domed churches and rugged terrain. Every way you turned was another photo op, even down to the decor of the patios, with ceramic pots and even a rowboat. The ocean appeared silvery at times because of the lighting from the sun. Some of the people were uninhibited, walking around topless on the decks of their apartments. Santorini has it all…beauty, serenity, great weather, great restaurants….and a perfect view of the Mediterranean. It was an amazing place.

As the sun set in the Mediterranean and the moon rose above the island, we knew we’d be back. The next morning, we would awaken and be back at the port of Athens. However, we will always remember this amazing cruise to the Greek Islands of Mykonos, Patmos, Crete and Santorini and Kusadasi, Turkey.

Greece – Crete

{ January 24, 2010 @ 9:20 pm } · { Travel, Travel Greece }
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We awoke to a beautiful sunrise over the Mediterranean as we approached the island of Crete. Looking through our guide books before our trip to Greece, we thought that we’d go to the Palace of Knossos. When we got to the port, we thought that we could walk, but after asking a few people, we decided against it. Should we have gotten lost on the way, it might have been difficult to communicate and get back to the port on time for our departure to Santorini.

So, we disembarked from the ship….and at the port, there were a number of taxis swarming the area for unsuspecting visitors like us. The taxi drivers told us that to go to the Palace of Knossos, there would be no way to get back if we didn’t hire them for a few hours. They went on to say that most taxis at the Palace of Knossos have been hired for the day and they wouldn’t be available, then, to hire them from that point back to the port. Hmmm. We asked, then, for a price quote, and depending on who you asked, the range was from $80 – $100 US dollars. Our initial reaction was ‘RIP OFF”.  How is it that there’s no means to get back to the port or to a nearby area? No knowing the area, we begrudgingly hired one of those taxis to take us to the Palace.

We got there early and were unable to get in for another 45 minutes. Sunday, however, was free, so we saved on the entrance fee. The driver then told us that because he had to wait longer, that we’d have to pay an additional amount. Instead of waiting, he told us that he could take us to another museum and wait for us. He’d bring us back to the Palace when it opened.  Just as he said that, we saw a local bus stopping right outside the Palace. At that point, we knew that this was our way out of what we believed, was extortion. We cut him loose after having paid our one way fare of $10 US. He was a bit annoyed, but what could he say? This place was, at most, three miles from the port. He wanted $80 just to drive us there and back and to wait for us for an hour. NO WAY!!! For anyone going there, just get a one-way fare and take the bus back for a dollar or so.

We walked aroung the Palace for about an hour. There were a few interesting and authentic ruins, but a lot of the restoration involved the use of ‘modern’ material — in other words, CEMENT!! It’s very unfortunate. Had the restoration been done properly, it could have been an unbelievable site.

As planned, we took the bus back to the city center and once again, we relaxed at an outdoor cafe before heading back to the port. We know that there’s a lot more to Crete than the Palace of Knossos and the Heraklion port. Next time, we hope to travel through Crete with our neighbor, who’s Greek and knows where to go and what to see…..

We then set sail for the island of Santorini…..

Greece – Patmos

{ January 24, 2010 @ 7:13 pm } · { Travel, Travel Greece }
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From Kusadasi, the next port of call was Patmos, Greece, where we walked up to the Monastery of St. John the Theologian. In the hot sun, the walk seemed endless, negotiating through parts that were not paved as we walked up the hill. At time, we weren’t sure whether the road would lead directly to the Monastery or whether we’d hit a dead end. But at all times, we made sure that we could see the port so as not to lose our bearing. Through it all, however, the views were magnificent. Looking up, we saw a spectacular view of the monastery. Looking down, it was a beautiful view of the port.

The monastery was amazing. It consisted of a series of interconnected buildings and courtyards, many of which have architectural interests. One set of staircases would lead to another courtyard or arcade. Each was unique and beautiful. The bell tower was very interesting and the church that was counstructed out of stone was exceptionally beautiful, especially against the blue skies of the Mediterranean.

The walk down the hill was a piece of cake. In many ways, walking gives you a better perspective of an area than riding a bus. We experienced the terrain and were able to capture photos that could only be caught if you’re not constrained.

Before heading back to the ship, we stopped in the town to get a drink and some ice cream. The town consisted of a series of narrow streets, flanked with outdoor cafes and shops. It was very relaxing, as we watched the people walk through, looking for souvenirs to buy. That evening, we dined in the maing dining room of the cruise line. The food, again, wasn’t great…the lamb was a bit dry (and that’s hard to do with lamb) and the baklava wasn’t the best. However, the entertainment was great. As the waiters sang twist and shout, we waived our napkins and had a great time. It was the perfect end to the evening.

The next morning, we’d be in Crete….

Greece – Mykonos

{ January 18, 2010 @ 5:23 am } · { Travel, Travel Greece }
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Our cruise ship, the Aegean Pearl, left the Port of Pireus midday and sailed first to the Port of Mykonos. En-route to Mykonos, we had our first meal aboard the ship. It most certainly didn’t deserve any ‘oohs and aahs’. It was just okay….especially since we were expecting great food on the cruise ship and furthermore, Greek food is supposed to be delicious. Disappointing, at best….but that wasn’t the primary reason for going on this cruise….we wanted to experience as much of the Greek Islands as possible in as little time as we had. Therefore, when we go back to Greece, we’ll know where to stay.

As we set sail, we found the Mediterranean to be amazingly blue….must richer in color than the waters off Hawaii. It was incredible. As we then approached the island of Mykonos, we noticed consistent architecture throughout the island — white stuccoed homes with a tiled roof — typical of the Mediterranean, but beautiful nonetheless.

We love to walk, so we decided to walk up the hill among the cars and busses that use the same lanes to transport visitors….it was a bit awkward, with no shoulder, so we decided to turn back half way up. The view, however, was worth the experience.

We made our way back to the downtown area and walked through the charming narrow streets of Mykonos. These streets did not have a fixed pattern so you could easily get lost in the maze. We finally made our way out to the famed windmills, located at the end of the pier. These windmills are very unique, the tops of which look like men with bad haircuts. The blades appear to be made of thin wires, which leads to me believe that they’ve never been functional, but just there for the aesthetics. Someone can tell me otherwise….

We had a drink at one of the Venice-like restaurants right on the water. It was so romantic and very beautiful as the sun set over the Mediterranean. The next day would take us to Kusadasi, Turkey.

Greece – Athens

{ January 17, 2010 @ 10:06 pm } · { Food, Recipes, Travel, Travel Greece }
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There’s so much history in Greece, with Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, Greek Mythology and the Greco/Roman history and architecture. This piqued our interest  in going to Greece and as an added benefit, we got a taste of the Greek cuisine, which we have gotten to know and love, and also got a chance to experience the Mediterranean, which was absolutely beautiful. We started our journey in Athens….and on approach (from the airplane), it appeared very much like Hawaii, with its volcanic terrain. However, it seemed a bit more arid, with limited vegetation. In addition, the buildings were monochromatic, with the Mediterranean ‘white’ architecture.

We arrived in the early morning in Athens, just in time for us to begin our full day of sightseeing. We were able to sleep on the plane, so when we arrived, we were fresh and ready to go. We were very excited, like kids in a candy store. Our first attraction, of course, was the Acropolis, which in many ways was fascinating. How were they able to build these monstrous structures with limited tools? How were they able to get the marble to the top? How…? What…? Where…?  Question after question came to our minds. The trip to the top hill where the Pantheon was located, which would be on foot, looked a bit daunting at first, but it was a piece of cake. The walk to the top was very interesting, having passed ruin after ruin (an open air arena and a few temples). The ruins were amazing. The intricacy of the carvings high atop some of the structures were awesome. The Greeks have been renovating the grounds of the Acropolis, including the construction of a museum worthy of antiquity, particularly the Pantheon, for some time now. And in doing so, they want England to ‘return the marbles’.  With the opening of the museum, the pressure would be on the British Museum to return the missing marbles.  “Return the Marbles” can be seen on cruise ships and everywhere.  We walked around for a couple of hours, astounded, taking photo after photo….and loving the architecture. One word of advice is to take some water, which we did since it was relatively hot in early June, and wear shoes that are comfortable, as the grounds are not even and to experience it all, is to do it on foot!!

From there, we ate a late lunch in the Plaka district, a quaint area adjacent to the Acropolis. This and the Monastriaki are great areas to eat and shop. The cafes have some of the most wonderful Greek foods – Greek salads, giros and baked lamb of sorts. There are a number of souvenir shops and a large open flea market, where you can find the ‘evil eye’, olives and some cotton wear. Although I didn’t realize it before going to Greece, I have since learned that the best cotton and olives are grown in this area — the climate makes it ripe for the picking.  There are 2,000 year-old olives trees around, ones that predate the Holy Roman Empire.  If the trees can live that long, the olives MUST be good for you! Unfortunately, the olive-making process includes having to brine the olives — and with that, it will have an adverse effect on your blood pressure. The advice then is probably to eat olives in moderation….it can’t be all that good for you!

The area around the Acropolis is full of ancient ruins, including the Temple of Zeus, Hadrian’s Arch, Tzistarakis Mosque and Fetiye Mosque. We also witnessed a few archelogy students unearthing the ruins in the area. Having watched them for a half hour or so, it’s a very arduous process, using brushes, small picks and dustpans. It’s very important to preserve the ruins, so large sledge hammers and demolition tools are not used.

That evening, we ate our dinner under the stars at a roof-top restaurant below the Acropolis. We ordered Greek salad, lamb and some red wine. It was heavenly. The goat cheese in Athens is very smooth, unlike the cheese that you can buy in the US. Normally, we eat rather quickly, but we were told that the night lights of Athens would be quite a sight to. So, we ate slowly and enjoyed the ambience…and waited for the sun to set. It couldn’t have been more perfect. The weather was great and it was a beautiful sunset…well worth the wait! Once the sun set below the horizon, the lights of Athens illuminated the city…and the Acropolis. First, the structure atop the Acropolis lit up in a gold tone. After a few minutes, the base lit up in a greenish tone, lending contrast to the golden hue of the building. And finally, everything turned golden, contrasting the dark skies of the night. It was magical…..and we captured, in pictures, the changing colors.  What a perfect end to our first evening in Greece. We took the subway back to our hotel, fully sated and eagerly awaiting our cruise to the Greek islands and Kusadasi the following morning.

Our version of some great Greek recipes:

Greek Salad:

Four Tomtoes (Cut in Half Lengthwise and Sliced); 1 Large Cucumber (Cut in Half Lengthwise and Sliced); 2T Olive Oil; 1 Lemon (Squeezed); Goat Cheese (3″x3″x1″ – Crumbled at the last minute); Fresh Oregano (3 sprigs)

Yogurt Condiment and Dessert

1 Pint of Plain Yogurt (use a cheese cloth to take out most of the water – yogurt will be very thick in consistency); 1-2 Cloves of Fresh Chopped Garlic; 1T Red Wine Vinegar; 1 Cucumber (1/4″ cubes) – Mix everything together and enjoy….

1 Pint of Plain Yogurt (use a cheese cloth to take out most of the water – yogurt will be thick in consistency); Top it with 4T Honey