Spring Break Part Due - Greece

We took the overnight ferry from Bari, Italy, to Patras, Greece, and then a bus across the country to Athens. The ferry ride was exhausting but fun - we had deck seats, so we had to sleep on the floor - and the views were incredible. Plus, it was so cheap!

We went to only two places in Greece: Athens and the island of Santorini. Because of a ferry strike, we spent almost the entire week in Athens, and only a day and a half in Santorini. But that was ok... unlike the crowd of people who warned us off, we loved Athens.

In Defense of Athina
So many people told us that there is nothing to do in Athens. This is untrue.

Athens is something else, something affecting, something transformative, not just for the history, but for the modern city. It is true, you can do all the "historical stuff" in about a day. After that, you are faced with modern-day Athens, its culture and its people... which has its problems, but is like nowhere else.

First, a word about Greeks. They are probably the most welcoming people we have encountered, and everyone, everyone, speaks English. Despite the news about riots and political unrest, the city felt very safe, even when we were surrounded by protesters and riot police. The Greek people are moving themselves forward, and the whole city has a feeling of ambition.

We couchsurfed again in Athens, staying with a Greek family. There were two brothers a few years older than us, and the girlfriend of the younger brother. We stayed at their house outside the city-center but near the metro (which, fyi, is the best, cleanest, quietest metro I have ever seen). Their parents had the floor above us, and their mother kept popping in while we were asleep and leaving us goody bags of Greek cakes and pies.

We also met up with our fellow Angevine Paul. It was good to see a familiar face.

We did all the typical things - the Acropolis, the New Acropolis Museum (like the metro, best I have seen), the different hills, Hadrian's Arch, etc. I finally understood why people get obsessed with Ancient Greece, because now I'm obsessed, too. I need to learn Ancient Greek!!!!!!!

But the city! Athina! We went to markets, sampled oregano-flavored potato chips, had picnic dinners of feta cheese and pita, hung out in the national gardens, spent hours in a bookstore, watched a fire-show, ate oranges straight from the trees lining every road, drank iced coffee at every opportunity, learned how to pronounce gyro (and the real feat, "one euro gyro"), and went out with our hosts, sampling traditional Greek drinks and driving crazily through the midnight streets under a glowing moon.

We spent most of our time at Monastiraki, a square in the heart of Athens full of tourists, Athenians, vendors, and crazy people. We would buy a kilo of strawberries for 1.50 euros and either Greek donuts or pretzels, then sit on top of some ancient ruins in the middle of the square and people-watch, with the Acropolis looming overhead.

It was hard to leave Athens. I felt like I lived there. It just - fit.

The Island Paradise - Santorini
We took an early morning ferry to Santorini. The ride was surreal, full of light, water, and columns rising from rocky outcrops that approached and were left behind in the waves.

Looking back towards Athina:

We stayed at Pension George, a clean hostel in the tiny town of Karterados, within view of the sea, full of flowers and a friendly English/Santorinian family.

Santorini was the most savagely, nakedly beautiful place.  Standing on the cliffside streets of Fira, looking out over the caldera (the volcanic crater/bay), we could see all the way up and down the crescent of the island. The land is bare and rocky, with huge, steep cliffs breaking into the Mediterranean.

We rented a car (illegal!) and drove all over the island.

We saw the red sand beach, the black sand beach, the ancient towns, the mountaintop, and of course, the famous sunset, which we watched from a cliff-top bar, where we sat, drinking cactus cocktails and just breathing it all in.

As much as I love Italy, Greece is the place I miss the most. I felt most relaxed there. Everything was open and modern. The weather was perfect, sunny and dry, and the landscape reminded me of home (replace the Columbia river with the Mediterranean, add some old carved stones, and they're identical).

BTW, even the Acropolis is under construction. Europe, get your act together!