For many years Anna and I had been wanting to visit Greece. We finally made it this year. We traveled with only carry-on backpacks and stayed at Airbnbs (that had washing machines).
Athens was the obvious first stop because of the best airplane connections and the famous historical sites. We went to Greece in early September to avoid the high summer heat while the Aegean Sea was still warm enough for swimming.
The Acropolis is reached via a stiff climb (monuments to gods were built at the highest points in a city). It was built and dedicated to Athena in the 5th century BCE.
The famous ancient Greek plays of Sophocles, Euripides, Aeschylus, and Aristophanes were performed in amphitheaters built 2,500 years ago and are still standing. The ancient Greeks believed theater was a sacred civic and religious event where moral, political and spiritual lessons were taught.
The palace was built by Minoans in 1900 BCE and, after an earthquake, rebuilt in 1700 BCE. British archeologists in the 1800's did not leave the palace as originally built. In some places they attempted to display the palace as it might have been when first built. This gives the venue a strange appearance.
The visit to the palace revealed the inadequate infrastructure for the crowds, autos and buses despite the fact that admission is based on tickets sold by entry times.
We drank a lot of wine but we were also treated to a wonderful lunch.
The Acropolis is reached via a stiff climb (monuments to gods were built at the highest points in a city). It was built and dedicated to Athena in the 5th century BCE.
Crowds at the Acropolis (very short video):
The Parthenon
We started to walk the Ancient Agora but the sun was too hot to spend too much time there. We then went to the National Archeological Museum.
Zeus (throwing his missing lightening bolt):
Paris was a Trojan prince (missing in his hand is the golden apple he gave to Aphrodite as opposed to Athena). According to legend, Paris was promised Helen of Troy by Aphrodite. In the end, Athena made sure that the Greeks won the Trojan war.
How did we eat? See the typical appetizers (mezze) we got with every meal (click on the link and follow for a very short video):
And Greek Raki was served after every lunch and dinner. Turkish Raki is like Greek Ouzo - it tastes like anise. But Greek Raki tastes like turpentine!
We spent only four days in Athens. But we made sure to see the Acropolis lit up at night:
Next we flew from Athens to Crete and picked up a rental car. The car was bi-modal (both manual and automatic). However there is no clutch so the driver must switch modes with the shift lever. Anna wanted to stay in manual mode but the car had a mind of its own and switched to manual randomly! By the way, anyone over 80 cannot rent a car (insurance company rules in Greece) - so Myron could not drive.
We visited the Palace of Konossos. It was hot and crowded with tour busloads and cruise ship groups.
The palace was built by Minoans in 1900 BCE and, after an earthquake, rebuilt in 1700 BCE. British archeologists in the 1800's did not leave the palace as originally built. In some places they attempted to display the palace as it might have been when first built. This gives the venue a strange appearance.
The visit to the palace revealed the inadequate infrastructure for the crowds, autos and buses despite the fact that admission is based on tickets sold by entry times.
Crete is famous for its olives. There are locations in Crete where you can see olive groves as far as the eye can see.
We visited Korinekes Olive Mill for an olive oil tasting. In the usual Greek way, the mill added lots of food to the oil tasting table.
We tasted early harvest olive oil and all the various sequential pressing of the olives. And then we made olive oil soap (ironic for Myron).
We took olive oil soap home in our backpacks but we sent nine liters of olive oil home to be delivered by DHL.
We also did a wine tasting at Scalarea.
We drank a lot of wine but we were also treated to a wonderful lunch.
Ever since learning that Myron is a greek name (as the sculptor of the statue of the discus thrower) I wanted to visit Greece. I knew that Saint Myron is a saint's day on the Greek Orthodox and Russian Orthodox calendars. So I couldn't resist visiting the village of Saint Myron in Crete (a long time ago Myron was the Archbishop of Crete). What Anna and I didn't know was that the village was at the top of a mountain and we had to drive switchbacks all the hair-raising way up.
The village of Saint Myron has the Church of Saint Myron. The church has a cave with a holy spring and I drank the water. Will that guarantee me anything?
The church houses the crypt where Myron is buried:
We walked the neighborhood of our airbnb:
We hit a beautiful Crete beach:
There are cats everywhere. It's a thing in Greece - community cats. They are fed by the shopkeepers and residents.
On our last day in Crete we visited a local woodturner's shop. The artist took an hour and a half to give us a detailed demonstration of the techniques.
Dinner on Sunday evening was pris fix. Anna and I had to share one dinner because of the (usual) volume of Greek food. And there was traditional music.
The next morning we took the SeaJet to Santorini.
The trip took two hours at 58 miles per hour. Check out the view:
When we disembarked we picked up our rental car which was waiting at the port. But Anna had to drive up the mountain with all the tour buses.
Our Airbnb was on the mountainside in Oía. A magical location.
On our deck:
Stairs everywhere!
And views galore!
https://youtube.com/shorts/vYLOedSOwBg?feature=share
Church at the city square (blue domes are a thing in Oía):
Everything in the city must be brought up the stairs. We saw many laborers carrying large objects up the 200 stairs. Mules are also used. And mule rides for tourists are also possible.
This gentleman sat there all day for photos.
Anna and I and another couple took a private boat ride around the volcano. We had supper on the boat and watched the sunset. The church in the background was one of many for Saint Nikolaos, patron saint and protector of sailors, fishermen and seafarers.
This is what we avoided:
Sunset brings all the boats together:
Night view of the city from the boat:
We took a day to visit the black sand beach in Perissa.
Perissa had its own blue domes:
On our last night in Oía we walked down the famous steps to the port. We had to avoid any mule leavings.
Fresh seafood was our objective.
The chocolate lava cake was amazing!
And then sunset from our deck and sleep. Tomorrow was flying to Athens to Philadelphia to Raleigh-Durham.
Anna zonked in Philadelphia.
But it was a great vacation!
