Greece

These short, dreary Seattle days have me longing for sun and surf. The lack of daylight has got me in a funk, and I often find myself dreaming of exotic beaches and salt infused breezes. The constant drizzle outside then snaps me back into reality as I am faced with day after day of grey skies and minimal daylight. I could move to California where glossy advertisements from Disneyland and Napa Valley hold promise for constant sunshine and eternal happiness, but the logistics of such a move are daunting. Instead, I reminisce of adventures past where the warmth of sunny beaches is almost tangible on my skin -- or perhaps that is just the space heater radiating hot dry air into my face. Either way, I am utilizing some visual therapy to remind me that the sun will return, and if not I will go in a desperate search for it. Truth be told - my friend Natalie and I recently booked tickets to a tropical oasis in the Caribbean, but you'll just have to wait and see where we end up.

So I now take you back two summers ago when Dan and I made the trek to a small island in Greece called Kefalonia. It was there that we practiced the art of Greek living: sleeping late, enjoying long meals on sun lit terraces, and dancing the night away on cozy, cobbled squares.

We had the best instructors -- we were there visiting friends who are originally from Kefalonia, along with all their aunts, uncles, and grandparents. To say our experience was truly Greek would be an understatement. We lived and breathed like the Greeks do, participating in all the local customs and traditions and learning all that we could from our friends.

My friend Tamara's family lives in a small community just outside the bustling port city of Argostoli. The town -- if you could even call it that -- was so small that the only amenities included a little shop out of a home where cold sodas and ice creams were available for purchase. The rest of the time the only indication of activity came in the early mornings and late afternoons as a cacophony of bells echoed through the valley while goats were herded through the fields.

Tamara's family is from a long line of olive growers. Her family still owns an olive grove and we spent an afternoon walking through the fields of trees learning about the importance and history of olive trees in the Greek Islands. Still to this day their entire small community gets together for a huge festival to harvest the olives and celebrate in the bounty of the earth.

We spent our mornings lounging on the terrace overlooking the arid fields to the blue of the Mediterranean. Our meals were some of the best I have ever had - fresh local bread, ripe juicy fruits, and the unforgettable tang of handmade feta cheese. It took awhile to become accustomed to the schedule of meals - breakfasts around 11, a small lunch around 2, and a large lingering dinner around 10 in the evening.

My favorite beach on Kefalonia was Myrtos Beach where smooth white pebbles comprised the sloped shoreline. It was here that scenes from Captain Corelli's Mandolin were filmed. The blue of the water was electric, and the people were more beautiful than any I have encountered.

We also visited the town of Assos, where we hiked to the remains of a 16th century Venetian castle. The views of Assos were breathtaking.

We took our time exploring the ruins and many of the other abandoned construction projects surrounding the fields around the castle. Our friends were well traversed in the land and took us to many hidden churches and homes - long since left to deteriorate. As always next to my toned and tanned Greek friends I felt like a plump, white country bumpkin.

The sunsets were stunning as they illuminated the parched land and set everything aglow. At the time of our visit, Kefalonia had gone over two months without a single drop of rain. Coming from a city where it rains practically three quarters of the year, I couldn't fathom such aridness.

It was difficult to leave Kefalonia. We had truly fell in love with the Greeks and their culture. The weather was pristine, the food to die for, and the beauty of the land unmatched. Our friends had taught us the Greek way of living - one where family is cherished, food is savored, and conversations are thoughtful.

Forget California, I think if I could, I would find a way back to this island paradise and spend the rest of my days growing olives and eating feta cheese. Don't tell anyone though, but I might start to miss the rain.

Athens as I remembered it was dirty and congested. I was pleased to find on my return that it wasn’t quite as bad as I had thought. Yes, it is still polluted and overrun with taxis and traffic, but I found a unique charm to Athens that I can really only compare if you were to combine the ruggedness of Cairo with the sophistication of New York. Yes the edges are a little rough and in places it feels unsafe, but the history and culture rivals Europe’s top cities. Our stay here was brief, but I managed to squeeze in some of Athens top sights.

The Plaka rivals the Acropolis as top tourist attraction. This maze of restaurants serving bland food and shops selling cheesy t-shirts is worth visiting, if only briefly. Up until Athens was made the capital of Greece in 1834, this small area at the foot of the Acropolis was the extent of Athens existence.

The Sunday Flea Market can be found on the far end of the Plaka and was a spectacle unto itself. Stands lined the storefronts where one could purchase everything from plumbing equipment to rare antiques. Locals and tourists alike haggled out a good deal and my favorite sight was watching a vacationing couple eagerly tote their new weed whacker to lunch.

The Acropolis, sits high above the Plaka and views of the Parthenon are hard to miss as you make your way around the city. We were given a private tour of this historical sight, but unfortunately I missed most of it as I was carrying a very unhappy 16 month old. Between the nearly 90 degree weather and the confinement of being held, this little guy was ready to go. Nevertheless, I still got to take in the sights and appreciate this amazing wonder.

The National Gardens are located near the Acropolis and serve as the stomping ground for strolling locals and energetic children. Between a small zoo, botanical gardens, and playgrounds it is easy to let yourself get lost on the trails in this lush park. No, it’s not Central Park and the grounds are not perfectly maintained, but it is Athens after all, and I found it to be welcoming.

Lastly, I toured the National Archaeological Museum. This museum contains the most impressive collection of Greek art and sculpture I have seen yet. It definitely rivals Europe’s top museums (think the Vatican or Louvre) and is worth a very long afternoon or several short visits.

Athens may not be a sole vacation destination, but combined with some of the other delights in Greece; it is definitely worth a couple days. It definitely lacks the charms and beauty of the islands, but it is a unique city to explore. I leave Greece with the anticipation of a adopting a more Greek lifestyle. Greeks are relaxed and simple; they linger over meals, visit with friends, and live a minimalist lifestyle. I feel like we could all benefit from becoming a little more Greek. I mean, how could you go wrong with afternoon naps, lazy work days, hearty, late meals, and carafes of wine? Now if only I could convince the rest of America.

White washed buildings, steep cliffs, and turquoise blue water blend together to create the ideal Greek getaway in Santorini. When images of Greece come to mind, this is the island I have always pictured.

With four nights in Santorini we made home in the small town of Imerovigli situated on the highest cliffs of the Santorini caldera, directly between the islands top destinations of Fira and Oia. Our hotel, the Astra, delivered on all areas of customer service and comfort. Bustling through our last two destinations, we never really had the chance to enjoy the resorts. Here, we spent afternoons lounging by the cliff side pool, taking in the views of the caldera, and enjoying the beautiful sunsets.

On our first day in Santorini we went on a five hour private sailing tour. With an excellent crew, we received top notch service and a true sailing experience. Our guides gave us a thorough background on the formation of the caldera. Around 1650 BC researchers believe the largest volcanic eruption in the Earth’s history occurred here, causing a massive tsunami which destroyed dozens of other civilizations and resulted in the current shape of the island. Researchers have also found evidence that Santorini is the site of the lost city of Atlantis. Our sailing trip took us through the caldera and included an enormous traditional Mediterranean feast, which rivals my top spot for best meal ever. As we sailed back to port we enjoyed a magnificent sunset and great conversation.

One of the drawbacks to Santorini is the massive number of cruise ship tourists. I can’t even imagine what it must be like at the height of the tourist season in July and August. Hoards of people swarm the cities and getting a taxi during peak times (early morning and mid afternoon) can be nearly impossible.

Fira and Oia (pronounced ee-ah) definitely draw the most visitors. We spent several of our afternoons navigating both towns, and although both felt touristy, Oia definitely has a charm that Fira lacks. To begin my Oia experience I had my taxi driver drop me off in Ammoudi Bay where a tiny harbor village hosts a handful of waterfront restaurants. Our hotel promised this was a sight not to be missed, but I felt this fishing port was lacking and quite dull. I then proceeded to climb the 250 or so crumbling stairs to Oia, this grueling climb was interspersed with beautiful sights and excellent photo opportunities. As I neared the top hundreds of people filled the passageways seeking out a prime sunset viewing spot. I felt overwhelmed by the massive tour groups, but I found that if you simply stepped off the single path where souvenir shops lined the walkway, a more peaceful and tranquil Oia existed. Although Oia is bustling during the day, after sunset things quiet down as people move to the livelier Fira.

Fira is the lively town directly above the port of call for cruise ships small and large. Tourists make their way up the steep cliffs from the port via donkey, cable car, or a 500+ stair climb. We read in my Lonely Planet guide book that donkeys can physically only carry about 115 pounds, the tourists we saw slowly making their way up the cliff side definitely did not fit into this category and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for these poor, overworked animals.

Fira as a town is quite picturesque, but is definitely overrun with tourists and souvenir shop. The walk from our hotel to Fira was definitely a highlight as we took in the incredible sweeping views on this 20 minute jaunt. To conclude our stay in Santorini we enjoyed an amazing dinner at Archipelagoes where we enjoyed a late lingering meal in true Greece style.

Although I didn’t quite cover all the major sights in Santorini, I leave feeling as though this journey is complete. While Rhodes and Crete were lots of fun, I probably wouldn’t return to these islands, but with Santorini I could return here dozens of times and never tire of the endless maze of passageways and beautiful white buildings. Next we spend two nights in Athens, a city whose pollution, congestion, and poverty contrasts the beauty and tranquility of our journey through Greece so far. More to come soon!

Crete, the largest island in Greece, is diverse, unique, and demanding. Lacking some of the characteristic charm of smaller islands, Crete is not your typical Greek experience. With three nights in Crete we stayed in Elounda on the Eastern shores of Crete. This tiny harbor village attracts day tourists from larger neighboring towns and hosts a handful of restaurants and souvenir shops.

On our first day in Elounda I stopped at restaurant and spent a good hour chatting with the owner about Greece and the Crete experience. He suggested I walk up a narrow drive towards the old town of Elounda, away from the tourists, towards a more Greek experience. I took his advice and headed up the steep hill towards a quaint narrow lane where the residents of Elounda make home. Here laundry hung from windowsills and a handful of locals could be seen planting flowers or attending to other housework. This was more like the authentic Greek experience I was seeking.

Later in the evening we returned to Elounda for dinner at Olondi and enjoyed a fabulous menu of Greek specialities. The appetizer for two could have easily fed all five us, and when dinner arrived we managed to get in a few bites before feeling comatose from overindulgence. The Greek dining experience is meant to be a several hour occasion, with dishes shared from the center of the table and wine served by the carafe, not the bottle. Being swept away in this Greek experience makes me wish that back home I took more time to enjoy the subtleties of life. The Greeks truly seem to understand happiness from a level of simplicity and this is something I wish to apply to my own life.

Our resort, the Blue Palace, is as incredible as resorts get. With hands on attention and every detail looked after this beautiful resort is easily the most amazing place I have ever stayed. The resort even comes complete with a private funicular which carries you from your cliff side room to the beach. Each of our rooms has a private pool hanging on the cliff side. Despite how wonderful our resort is, it lacks in Greek culture. Surrounded by the posh luxuries of American style living, I could literally be anywhere.

Across from our resort, situated in the center of the bay is a small island called Spinalonga. Here I mingled with hundreds of other tourists as we set about exploring this previously Turkish occupied island. Most recently until 1957, Spinalonga served as quarantine for those with leprosy. Crumbling buildings, beautiful scenery, and a warm ocean breeze made Spinalonga the highlight of the Crete experience.

On our final full day in Crete we headed into Iraklio, Crete’s capital, where we toured the Palace of Knossos. This amazing archaeological wonder was only recently discovered in the early 1900’s and is the island’s primary attraction. Maneuvering around the cobbled paths with a stroller was quite difficult and it definitely cut our exploration time in half.

After our brief encounter with Knossos we headed into downtown Iraklio where we used our guidebook to do a walking tour of the city. On first glance Iraklio is dirty, loud, and hectic, but our walking tour took us through some amazing parts of the city where churches and harbors surprised us with their beauty. To finish off our tour we explored the Archeological Museum which is supposed to be one of the finest in Greece. Due to a revamping of the museum, only the highlights were on display in a small room.

To finish up our experience in Iraklio we headed out to the Boutari winery just outside of the city center. Boutari is the Mondovi of Greece with a collection of wineries all throughout the Mediterranean. To begin our wine tour we were ushered into a large movie theater where we watched a futuristic film about the history of Crete and winemaking. Our tour ended with a tasting of several of Boutari’s finest wines.

Our last evening in Crete was spent dining along the waterfront in Agios Nicolas, Elounda’s larger neighbor. Agios really picks up at night when toursists from nearby resorts come to this vibrant harbor to wine and dine the evening away. Although Agios offers a collection of shops and restaurants, it probably wouldn’t appeal to the senses of the adventurous traveler, but for a night on the town, Agios is your best bet on the Eastern shores of Crete.

Our stay in Crete was short, but not unfortunately so. Being such a large island, Crete feels more like mainland living without the Greek charm of the smaller islands. Although we could have never covered all that Crete has to offer, I don’t feel like this was a hindrance to our Crete experience. With that, we move on to Santorini, an island of white buildings and cliff side views, where things are looking a lot more Greek already.

Arrival into Rhodes did not come easily. Between missing our direct flight from London, enjoying a five hour (10 pm – 3 am) layover in a hotel across from the Athens Airport, then checking into our 5 am flight, and just barely missing the scheduled strike by air traffic controllers in Greece, we finally made it to beautiful, sunny Rhodes. We landed just as the sun was rising over the crystal clear Aegean Sea and made our way to Ixia where we checked into the fabulously posh Ixian Grand.

Having decided against sleeping at the Athens hotel, I was literally about to pass out from exhaustion. Travelling with young ones is hard work and we were all in need of a generous nap. After catching up on some zzz’s, I was given several hours off. Now, I was still tired and the room was still spinning from lack of sleep, but I preserved as all adventurous travelers should and walked through the sleepy town of Ixia, stopped in an internet café (the Hotel WiFi was out of commission), and experienced a mild earthquake all before taking a taxi to Kalithea Thermi. And by the way, yes, I am positive it was an earthquake and not just my sleep deprived brain because everyone else in the room felt it too. During my first journey to Greece last summer, we experienced a much larger earthquake that actually caused some minor damage to structures. Greece is notorious for their earthquakes and literally thousands have been recorded over the last several decades.

Kalithea Thermi was not where I had originally intended to go. Driving up from the airport I saw this magnificent white church that I wanted to visit. I tried explaining it to the driver and he took me to several churches, but without any luck. With the driver’s recommendation we headed to Kalithea Thermi, an Italian designed spa which hosts a protected beach, beautiful buildings, and small outdoor café. For only a couple of Euros it was definitely worth the money. The taxi ride there alone was worth the trip as we zigzagged through thumbprint sized villages complete with olive groves and slinky cats balancing along the garden walls. Children played in the fields as mom and grandma hung laundry to dry. This is the true side of Greece that makes me appreciate the Mediterranean lifestyle and wish I could just escape behind their village walls and truly live like they do.

Over the next couple days I visited Old Rhodes Town on two separate occasions. Once at midday at the height of the tourist pack, and again in the evening once the streets had cooled down and the cruise ships had left port. The vibe was completely different and the quieter evening was definitely preferred. It is in the evening that locals stroll in the alleyways and children play chase in the square. The mood is festive and intimate and the atmosphere encourages long dinners and great conversations.

On the last evening in Rhodes we rented a van and went to Lindos on the East side of the island. The drive was spectacular as we climbed high into the hills making frequent stops to allow for families of goats to move out of the road. Due to the location, Lindos is best visited at night as temperatures are often 10 degrees hotter than elsewhere on the island. As we wound through the narrow, pedestrian only paths we could peak up into the skyline where the Lindos Acropolis stands tall and mighty. We enjoyed an amazing roof top dinner where once again we ate late into the night and enjoyed great food and company. Man, the Greeks really know how to do things right! Between afternoon naps, enormous, long dinners, and some of the friendliest people in the world, I could easily make Greece my home.

The highlight of my stay in Rhodes was visiting Ialysos which sits high atop the hills in Northern Rhodes. Here I took in almost 360 degree views of the island and climbed the narrow spindly stairs inside a giant cross to get to an even higher vantage point. Ialysos is also home to Doric, Byzantine, and medieval ruins. Walking down the many pathways, families of peacocks strutted around displaying their magnificent feathers while others sat perched among the tree limbs.

Rhodes is an amazing island with just enough to keep you busy, but not so much that you feel obligated to spend your entire time on foot. Rhodes promotes relaxation and I leave with a renewed sense of a calm that London stole away. Next we will enjoy three nights in Elounda, Crete at the Blue Palace Resort, and I am eager to see how Crete differs from Rhodes. More to come soon!