Greece...finally...for real!

So, I’ve been wanting to post about the awesome trip to Greece – I’ve now been back for over a month and the details are becoming fuzzy.  But, I’ll try, simply to check this off my ever-expanding to-do list, if nothing else.  I’ll trust my faithful traveling companions, Jules and Alicia, to post comments for any errors or omissions.
Part of my delay has been figuring out photos…  Alicia's photos are great and hopefully can be found here – she’s a much better photographer than I.  
Mine…well, click on the number for each day and a flickr slideshow should pop up. Be sure to click "back" on your browser to get back to the blog
So, here’s the trip:

Day 1 <--click here for pics!
We flew into Athens.  We were quite travel-weary after a 10 hour flight in coach class with hardly enough room to move.  But we made it, met the woman from the travel agency with all our vouchers for hotels, ferries and taxi rides – too cool.
We were taxied to our hotel in the center of Athens – our room dark and stuffy, but a great location for walking and seeing the sights – which is what we did.  
Backtracking… several months earlier we had gone together to the I-Max to see a feature on Greece ( turned out to be primarily about the archeological dig on Santorini and not the tourist “how-to” we were hoping for) and then to the Tattered Cover – a most excellent independent book store.  At TC we bought Greece travel guides – each a different one.  Well, fast-forward and…here we are walking around Athens – none of us brought our guide books, nor had we read them extensively beforehand.  We did know however, that the Acropolis was the destination we were seeking and made it there.  We didn’t really know any history except it was really really old.  I don’t know, but knowing a little about these ancient structures sure would have brought it to life a little more.  As it was, it was very impressive and cool and amazing, but a little lifeless not being able to put it all in context of “the day”, you know?
While we were looking around, a very impressive storm moved in.  I love watching storms and the cloud formations – hopefully if I can figure out how to post all the photos, you can get an idea of this one.

Day 2
Up before the sun and a taxi to the ferry we took to Naxos, one of the many Greek Islands.  It was our first and perhaps only sunrise we captured there.  The ferry ride was interesting, enjoyable and landed us at a gorgeous island that I’ve fallen in love with.  The first day we were shuttled to our BEAUTIFUL hotel – we all acted like kids – we were so taken with its loveliness…giggling and pointing.  Lunch by the pool – a little vino…then off to the beach for a much needed nap.  We stayed at the beach until the sun went down – it cools off quite a bit so the photos show us with our jackets.  Then, our first sunset.
Showers and primping then off for dinner at Sirocco – a little restaurant owned by two cute flirtatious wind-surfing brothers.  They take everyone’s photos and put them on their website – ours is here....



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I copied this photo from the cute boys restaurant's website... This was our usual dining experience...wine, water, good food. We ate a lot of traditional Greek food such as Greek salads, souvlaki, a yummy treat called tomato dolmades , tzakziti (?), sandwiches with feta cheese, cucumbers, tomatos, sometimes salami... always wine!

Day 3
Exploring Naxos.  There is an archeological museum in the kastro section of the town.  This was the day we realized how much mythology is imbedded in their art, history, culture... we wanted to know more, so being the booky people we are, we all bought a book on Greek mythology – I read a few pages late that day on the beach before my nap and haven’t opened it again – Jules?  Alicia?

Day 4
Exploring inland.  Naxos is a fairly large island and mostly agricultural, unlike other islands who survive mainly by tourism.  We wanted to see more so we caught the bus and took it into Filloti a small town that boasts the trailhead that will lead you to the summit of Mt Zeus – along the way passing the cave that is rumored to be the birthplace of Zeus.  Again, we read about it in the guidebooks – safely tucked away in our hotel – and decided we could figure it out… We met a kind English man who’s goal was to concur the beast too, so with the help of his guide book we got started on the trail (very poorly marked I must say!)  We were quickly left in his dust, lost the trail, barked at by a dog (Alicia, sure it was rabid - Jules, claiming it to be a loud Chihuahua).  So we conceded, and took our flip-flopped selves back out and decided to summit something else.  There was a lovely whitewashed church with a cobalt blue dome on top of a hill with a paved road leading to it – that’s where we headed.  (We took photos that purposefully left out the road to impress all with out mountain-scaling skills – but the truth is….)
As we were walking up the hill (scaling the mountain) the wind became quite ferocious and we noticed a lovely odor.  Turns out we were walking alongside the local dump – peeyeeww.  Once around the corner and at the top staying upright despite the gale-force winds we snooped in the little chapel (don’t really know why it’s there –not much inside- but, there’s one on every hilltop in that valley).
We waked back to Filoti, ate lunch watched the locals and then bussed back to Naxos Town.  
Back to the beach for our daily rest where Jules and Alicia received beach-side massages that worked them over and left Jules, the more adventurous – exposed.  And Alicia, tense from fear of exposure.
  That night we went to a wine-tasting and concert at the museum.  They featured local Naxos wines, native dances and traditional Greek music.  It was fun, the host charming – as we found most Greeks- and the wine tasty.  Tasty enough to try several!
Back to Sirocco for dinner cause the boys there were so dang cute.

Day 5 (already??!! hummph)
Up early for last minute shopping then off to the ferry.  We’re headed to Thiera (you may know it as Santorini, but the locals call it Thiera)
We got off the ferry at the base of a cliff. Now they have a paved switch-back road that cars/vans/trucks can drive up to the top. Apparently there was a time when you went up by donkey, foot, or gondola - YIKES.
We checked into our hotel which overlooks the caldera (the ocean and volcano) and then made our way into town for some shopping, dinner and our first Santorini sunset. Santorini is famous for their sunsets for a reason - they're stunning!

Day 6 I was tired! We spent the morning by the pool, then that afternoon walked to Santos Winery - sampled a flight, bought a few bottles. This is hard work you know! That evening we went for a gormet meal which was really lost on us. The complemetary appetizer was cavier/pate thingy - which I nearly spewed - hate that fishy taste. Alicia's the same and Jules a vegetarian... Oh well, the rest of my meal was good.

Day 7
This morning we went on a volcano tour. The caldera hosts an active volcano, which for the right price, you can take a boat over then pay another 2 euro to walk on the volcano (which for all intensive purposes looks like a pile of black rocks). There is one little area where some steam is coming out and smells like rotten eggs. After the "hike" on the volcano - off for a dip in the "hot springs" which were more like swimming in tepid-stinky-rusty water. We were left cold and smelly and ready for a shower and a nap.
That evening - off to the town of Oia - it's supposed to be the best place on the island for watching the sunset. I think everyone else went there too - it was crowded - hardly a spot to stand in to see the sunset. Everyone clapped when it was over - kinda funny.

Day 8 - spent on the ferry going back to Athens - I was grumpy and took no photos

Day 9
Alicia's Big 4-0!! She's very well-preserved!
We spent the day waking around the plaka. We saw the changing of the guard - they do a pretty amazing little routine - Alicia got a photo just as one guard was in his high-kick... not sure that skirts are the best chice for this routine, but at least he has his tights on! We spent the day wandering then found an art gallery where we bought some amazing work (at least I'm hoping they are - we're still wating on them to be shipped). I'll post a picture of it once it arrives ( I'm a little fearful given the fact that I was taken this way in France last year!
Another nice traditional Greek food dinner then off to bed...

Day 10
Early morning to catch the taxi to airport and then the loooooong flight home.
Let the recovery begin.

I know this was long - hope it was worth it.