Athens, Crete & Greek Isles Greece

The Theatre of Dionysus with The Acropolis in the background

Athens

We stayed in the hip, university, left minded, artist area of Exarchia Square. Graffiti is an accepted and appreciated art form and is expressed vividly. The center of Athens is about 1.5 hours from the airport and it is expensive to get here. The most cost effective way to get to the center is to purchase a roundtrip, three day (in our case anyway) metro/bus card for just under $25, otherwise the metro or bus ride will cost you about $20. We recommend taking the metro, it is quicker and has better air conditioning.

Athens, in a nutshell, is dirty. Those cats and trash I was expecting to see and smell in Rome was shipped to Athens. I think a few airlines push garbage out their escape hatches as they fly over. Greece, the land of gods, goddesses, the birthplace of philosophy, democracy, the olympic games and some of the most famous architecture on the planet, is sinking beneath it's own garbage and recyclables. On our way up Lycabettus Hill, to get a view of the sun setting over the city, and watch as the Acropolis lit up for the night, we stumbled into a small restaurant run by an older woman who clearly made everything from scratch. It was like being in a Greek person’s home; fresh moussaka, stuffed bell peppers and pastitsio (Greek lasagna)...cheap, fresh, made with love and oh so delicious! Hiking up the side of the mountain felt as though we were trodding through the dump. Garbage was everywhere. It was as if people drove up the mountain and then tossed their household garbage over the side. As you near the top, the steps become nicely tiled, a restaurant hangs over one side and a man sells ice cold beverages from his ice chests in the center of the small lookout platform.

From here you get a 360-degree view of the humongous and monochromatic city. We opted to not be one of many vying for the best views and walked down below the restaurant and sat on the retaining wall. After sitting for a couple of minutes I thought to myself, "it smells like shit, literally, like human excrement". I peeked over the edge. I wish I hadn't. Even as I write this, over a month later, the smell returns, it haunts me. I'm still not totally clear on the facts, it is one of two options: the raw sewage from the restaurant calls this exact spot it's final destination or two persons dropped trow, hung their bare asses over the wall and relieved themselves of all that ailed them. Curiously right next to where the ice chest beverage salesman deposits his recyclables. Athens!, it's not just yogurt and olives.

Athens really is spelled Acropolis. That's really the reason you come here (although, you really could make a fine living by picking up cans and bottles all over the city), to see, feel, smell and take selfies all over the Acropolis.

Get here early. Gates open at 8:00a.m. and close at at 2:00 because it is so hot up here. Bring water, chapstick and your SPF toga. We got to the ticket gate at 7:45, expecting a long line, but it was so quiet we thought we were in the wrong spot. The ticket booth is so non-descript that we nearly walked past it. At about 8:05 the door opened and a woman stepped out and began mopping the smooth tile floor, now there were about 10 of us in line, waiting for her to finish mopping so that they'd sell us a ticket. You have two ticket options: $22.50 will get you into the north and south slopes of the Acropolis and the Theatre of Dionysus or for $33.50 you get these plus: The Temple of Zeus, The Ancient Agora, Hadrians Library, The Roman Agora and Kerameikos.

The Theatre of Dionysus from the Acropolis

Both tickets are valid for seven days, so take your time, reapply sunscreen, stretch and bring snacks. Actually, on second thought, seven days in Athens is way too long. It's too bloody hot here. Get in, lather yourself in yogurt, see some old shit and get out.

Speaking of yogurt, as you walk from the Acropolis (passing the Theatre of Dionysus) toward Zeus's Temple, treat yourself to some delicious, homemade yogurt at Fresko's Yogurt. Choose from goat or cow's milk, 2%, 8% or 10% fat (go for the full fat) and top it off with a variety of fresh toppings, like figs, walnuts, honey (also a variety to choose from). Get the largest one possible and enjoy each bite, lick the bowl...and then maybe order a second.

Keep walking from Zeus's Temple over to the Panathenaic Stadium to see where the Olympic torch of the summer games is lit. Entrance fee is not included in your Acropolis ticket. This stadium is the only one in the world made entirely of marble. On your mark, get set, go!...if you aren't cheap like us...we took pictures from the front gate and went scurrying for shade.

Athens in a nutshell: eat, drink, nap, throw your garbage anywhere you see fit, eat some more and fly or ferry to an island.

Crete

Of all the Greek Islands I chose Crete. My research lasted roughly two minutes on Google images and a recollection of a line in Legends of the Fall, when Tristan comes back from traveling the world and meets Isabel Two as an adult and he gives her a piece of jewelry, from Crete. My mind was made, I was going to Crete, (secretly hoping to meet Tristan). The images on the Google whispered things to me like: "I'm a huge island that sees extremely few raindrops, which is what makes me the worlds producer of the the greatest olive oil, but I'm a desert and if you are expecting Hawaii you will be sorely disappointed. Oh, and, my most beautiful beaches are difficult to reach." What I heard was: "I'm oozing with lush, beautiful beaches and mountains, dripping with olive oil, honey, feta and Greek gods looking vaguely similar to Brad Pitt, circa '94". I’m only kinda complaining because we had a great little apartment about two blocks from a large, sandy beach and two free community swimming pools. I was a bit disappointed with Heraklion and Ammoudara, Crete as a whole but found solace in outrageously delicious desserts, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, olive oil, olives and yogurt. We rented a car the second day and set off for Chania, on the west side of the island, which is where we should've stayed because the town is more traditional with narrow streets, more beach options and honestly I have no idea what else but it just seemed to be more our style. Alas I drove us back home and doused a baklava in full fat yogurt, rinsing it down with an ice cold beer.

Greece, if you ask us, is about food. Food tastes like food. Fruits and vegetables burst with organic flavor. Honey trickles into every nook and cranny and sweetens gently, perfectly. Olive oil, so pure in flavor and color you'll want to eat your cereal with it. Greece is the worlds number one exporter of extra virgin olive oil. It is so good that Italy and Spain buy from them and mix it with their olive oils. We had the enormous honor of spending the day with our Airbnb host family at their vineyard / organic farm / family home / olive orchard / winery.

Christine

Christine and her daughter, Anthea, picked us up at 11:00 and drove us out about 45 minutes where we were shown around their family land. It's not a lot of land, but it is packed with edibles: wine grapes, table grapes, herbs, fruits, veggies, spices, chickens, geese, rabbits to name a few.

The geese aren't actually to eat, they are the guard dogs. Christine had hundreds of clay pots around the property, with herbs, veggies, etc. and discovered one day that they were slowly disappearing. So, she and her husband, George, set up a video surveillance and bought some guard geese and waited. The footage revealed that a female neighbor was stealing the pots...upon further, police, investigation, this woman had an addiction to pots and had acquired thousands of potting plants and just stored them, empty in her yard. Further footage revealed that their investment in vicious, guard geese paid off as they were seen to attack and chase the woman off their property, causing her to flee, empty handed.

We watched as lunch was placed in a brick oven, sealed with a grey ash/clay mixture and left for several hours to cook.

Next to the brick oven, George showed us the well, through a hatch in the shed floor. The family had used this well, still beautiful and filled with water, for decades. As lunch cooked we toured George's winery. He's self taught, via manuals from UC Davis' viniculture program. The converted garage is loaded with beautiful wine making supplies, including oak barrels. He walks us through the wine making process, showing us the press they used just yesterday after harvesting the grapes.

Then, we were driven up in to the hills to see their olive orchard, learn about the different types of olives, and the painstaking labor that goes into picking them to make olive oil. We returned to unseal our meal, uncover it and reseal it in the brick oven. While waiting, two more guests arrived, we ate fresh grapes and sipped homemade chardonnay, cabernet, syrah and pomegranate raki. These wines would give Napa wines a run for their money. I preferred the syrah, while Jason and George focused on the cabernet. Delicious, smooth and dark. Even the raki was delightfully pink and palatable. Dinner was ready and we were presented with a table filled with foods from their farm, or very near to it. Perfectly roasted chicken and pork placed strategically over potatoes, onions and peppers to cook in the animal fat. Every bite bursting with flavors, perfectly flavored with fresh rosemary and salt, accompanied with fresh homemade bread, olive oil, fresh feta, tomatoes and cucumbers.

We ate, drank and and some more when dessert was presented in the form of mini handmade, chocolate dipped ice cream bars from a local lady, strawberries and watermelon. This was worth the trip to Crete. This meal and this family is how I will remember Crete. The flavors of this food, cooked with love and gratitude are flavors I will try to recreate, time and time again. After eating to our fill we were driven into town and waited for the bus back to the city, while sipping espresso.

You may think that Greece is about drinking. It kinda is, but it's stuff you don't really want to drink. All white wine, that we could find anyway, was extremely dry, as in you need chapstick on your lips, tongue and inner cheeks to drink it. The taste of the chapstick is also much better than the wine itself. Then there's raki. It is served, free, in small glasses after each meal. It too leaves nothing to be desired and we actually began to feel insulted every time the waiter brought it to our table. And of course, we can't forget ouzo. The famous after dinner liquer of a black licorice taste. This is a delightful treat for the tastebuds, those that remain after being burned off from the dry white wine and free raki. Served by the thimbleful, graciously accept, swish and swallow.

We prefer Croatia over Greece, but agree that it is someplace you must experience, if only for a meal.

Greek Isles: Santorini, Paros, Naxos, & Mykonos

Sheryl has a yoga teacher training course in Nepal starting September 6th, and I figured it would be a great opportunity to island hop my way from Crete back to Athens before meeting up with her in Nepal. Our friend Erin had met us in Athens, we spent four days together on Crete, Sheryl flew to Kathmandu and Erin and I went island hopping.

SANTORINI: When I pictured the Greek Islands, I always pictured the white buildings with blue rooftops on cliff edges overlooking the stunning waters of the Aegean Sea. If you ever see pictures of the Greek Islands you most definitely will see pictures from Santorini. Santorini was formed from a volcanic eruption back in the 16th century and this is what makes up its rugged landscape, steep cliffs, and red, black, and white pebble beaches. Its a rather small island and can be explored in a couple of days. The first day we rented an ATV and drove to all the hotspots on the Island, Oia, being the biggest one of them all. This is the village you see in postcards, (also pictured above), you can see model shoots, which we saw three, and donkey rides from the sea below up 300 meters to the village. Erin was supposed to ride one up for her sister, but wore a dress that day making it more difficult to ride. We ended our first day on one of the black beaches with a great meal, tasty beverage, and a relaxing dip. Our second day may be my favorite day on all the islands. We saw Santorini from the sea on a sailboat. There were only six passengers total, which made it more amazing than those overcrowded catamarans or pirate ships. We sailed around the coast, looking at all the other beaches and formations of the island. Also got a well informed history lesson from the first mate. One of the most fascinating: the volcanic eruption destroyed the early settlements, causing them to fall into the sea. There are some who believe this is the lost city of Atlantis. While sailing around we stopped in a few spots for a quick dip, this water is so refreshing and so clear and blue. According to the first mate, you are able to see 150 meters down. After an incredible, on board dinner of traditional Greek cuisine, we headed back as the sun dipped behind the waters edge. While not my favorite of the islands we visited, it should still be a must see and do on anyones itinerary, three days is plenty of time to enjoy this island.

PAROS: This island is better known for its more traditional villages and better beaches than Santorini. We only spent two days here and felt that this was plenty of time, although if you had a car, an extra day or two may be alright. We stayed on the north shore of the island in an incredible fishing village called Naousa. We had a nice little beach just steps out our door and the village was about a five minute walk up the road. During the day this village is quiet, but at night, it comes alive. All the beach goers from the day come out and all the fisherman have returned with the days catch. The food is fresh and spectacular, the streets, alleyways, and water front is bustling. There is an excitement in the air with music playing, food getting devoured, and glasses clanging together. We only had one full day in Paros, so we decided to hop on a bus and hit up one of the more popular beaches. There are numerous beaches on this island and all seem to have plenty of water activities for everyone. The beach we choose was no different, a sandy beach with water sports and gorgeous water looking across to the next island on our list...Naxos.

NAXOS: The neighboring island to Paros is also the biggest of all the Cyclades islands. When entering by ferry you are greeted by the Temple of Apollo, which is basically a doorway welcoming you to the greenest of the islands. With this island being much larger than the rest, we decided to rent a car for a day to do some exploring. We hopped from village to village with some amazing scenery in between. We were happy to finally see a fertile island filled with a more lush environment. Although most of this is mostly inland, it was a welcome change from the more rocky, desert landscapes we've grown accustomed to. We did get lost at one point, I should say took a wrong turn, and ended up on a narrow road/walkway where we were getting funny looks until we pinched down till we couldn't go any further. This is when I saw a man on a roof, laughing and shaking his head at us. Luckily I didn't have to back all the way out this tight, sharp cornered donkey trail because we found a small little area where I was able to turn around. Once back on track we went up and over mountains, taking in the views and marveling at the marble slabs being cut from the hillside with huge equipment. We ended up on the north shore in a small village on the water where we enjoyed a fresh fish lunch before heading back to our place. On the way back, we came across a secluded beach where I jumped in for a quick dip and welcomed cool down. Naxos has plenty of long stretches of beautiful sandy beaches where we spent most of our time, and a hidden gem...a Mexican restaurant! This was the first I can remember seeing in all of Europe, and it did not disappoint, some of the best Mexican food I've had in a long time. It was so good we ate dinner here twice, of course paired with a pitcher of margaritas while watching the sunset behind Paros. Naxos is one of the more affordable of the islands and definitely deserves a stop over if you are in the neighborhood,

MYKONOS: Our last stop before getting back to Athens...Mykonos. A super expensive party island. Like spring break on crack with its most famous beaches, Paradise and Super Paradise Beach, which have dance clubs and famous DJ's from around the world thumping music from 4:30 pm until the early hours of the morning. As much as this old dog wanted to go check out the madness, he decided to stay away and enjoy the less populated beaches. There are plenty of beautiful coves that surround this island, so it has a little something for everyone. When people are not at the beach you can find them wandering the narrow streets of Mykonos Town, the biggest and best area for restaurants, pubs, and shops. Check out the windmills and Little Venice, quick must do's if you end up on this island. Cruise ships come in every day, so the streets are always crowded. The prices here are ridiculous, and we were warned from our bartender and receptionist from Naxos to avoid even coming here if possible. It is that expensive. Unfortunately, we had plane tickets from here back to Athens already so endured the financial beating. It was great to experience but I never need to go back.

All in all, the Greek Islands were amazing. The water was gorgeous, the night skies are more of a dark blue than black, the people are some of the nicest, and the cuisine is remarkable. With so many islands to chose from, it is hard to say which ones are the best. They are definitely not lush green island of Hawaii, but incredible in their culture, history, and own unique beauty. Will I come back to the Greek Isles, absolutely!