Kalimera!

Kalimera! or Good Morning! for my non-Greek readers (all of them). I apologize that it has taken me so long to put up this post. I blame the time change and the need for a siesta I developed while away.

I came up with a lot of ideas for posts while I was gone for a week, but most of them were inspired by things I saw that people were doing improperly. So to not seem like I came home bitter, here is a post about the Greek islands I visited. I focused on the sights, the food and the little discoveries we made, sometimes by accident.

Another reason this post is a little later than I planned is because I spent extra time on my pictures this week. I made collages to not take up too much room with photos, and then I decided to make them look kind of postcard-esque. I always say I'm going to send postcards when I'm away, but it has yet to happen. So consider these your postcards!

Mykonos

Mykonos was our first stop off the cruise ship and it was amazing. As much as I loved growing up in New Jersey and visiting the Jersey Shore every summer, anyone who has been there knows we do not have crystal clear water. But in Greece, you can see straight to the bottom. Take one peek into the water and you will see thousands of sea urchins perched on the rocks.

All of those black spots are sea urchins. They're spiky, so don't touch!

The most striking thing about Mykonos is how beautifully white their buildings and streets are. I won't even buy a white car because I know it will be brown in a month, but the residents of Mykonos are so devoted to keeping their city beautiful, they paint the buildings and streets on a regular basis. We even got to witness a man painting the white lines outside a shop.

I bet you didn't know that Mykonos has an official mascot. His name is Petros and he is a pelican. This pelican we saw is not the original Petros, who died in the 80's, but is beloved by the people regardless. I also learned that he has a girlfriend named Georgina and the two can sometimes be seen walking the streets together, I assume nuzzling with their large beaks.

The highlight of our stay in Mykonos though was sitting on a balcony in Little Venice. This section of the island is called Little Venice because the buildings are built right on the water. There are many restaurants here where you can sit right at the edge of the water while you enjoy your meal. Our group met up and sat on a balcony overlooking the famous Mykonos windmills and watched the sunset on the water.

Here's a tip: Mykonos is great for shopping but is more expensive than most of the islands. If you're looking for a new Louis Vuitton, you can find it here. But if you want souvenirs to bring home, hold off for Santorini.

Patmos

Patmos is a beautiful island rooted in tradition with fabulous food and shopping. We didn't spend very long on Patmos, but we did swim in the sparkling blue water. If you go, take a dip in the warm water where you can see right down to your toes.

Lindos

Lindos was one of my favorite towns we visited. They have their own ancient Acropolis, which stands for Extreme (Acro) City (Polis). The views from the top were absolutely breathtaking.

As amazing as the views were, the highlight in Lindos for me was the donkey ride down! For only 5 Euros you can take a donkey down the ancient streets to the base of the Acropolis. Fortunately, these donkeys are led by a guide, unlike the donkeys in Santorini, but we'll get to that later. Becky, my roommate, our new friend Irina, and I took the donkeys down together and had an amazing time. If you find yourself in Lindos, cough up the 5 Euros and take the ride of your life. Because when else will you be able to say you rode a donkey in an ancient Greek city?

Left photo by Rebecca Moore, top right photo courtesy of Irina Jeyaruban.

Here's a tip: If you plan to visit the Acropolis in Lindos, get there early. We arrived right before the huge crowd of tourists showed up. Also, you can ride the donkeys up to the Acropolis, but the lines are shorter if you ride them down.

Rhodes

Our next stop was Rhodes, specifically Old Town, an ancient fortress that the people have repurposed for shops, restaurants and living space. It was in Rhodes where I did most of my shopping. I'm sure you have noticed that the shops in every tourist-y area have a lot of the same tourist-y things. But in Rhodes I found a lot of unique jewelry and gifts. I bought two pairs of earrings that I am going to consider one-of-a-kind, whether that is true or not.

The beach we visited in Rhodes was just as beautiful as the one in Patmos, but this time instead of sand, the beach was covered in small rocks and pebbles. Beautiful to look at, painful to walk on. Once you make it a little deeper into the water, the rocks disappear and the bottom is smooth. However, getting out of the water is a difficult feat. No one looks sexy trying to climb out of the water on slippery and painful rocks.

After swimming, Becky, our new friend Emily, and I headed into town to find some food. We stopped a gyro place with a very friendly waiter to enjoy a meal for approximately 2 Euros each. You can't beat that. I had the vegetarian version of a Greek gyro, which means they put a lot of french fries in it! They also had a delicious ketchup/mayo/spice sauce, the recipe of which I am still on the hunt for. I would put it on everything.

Fun fact: If you remember your history lessons, this is where the Colossus of Rhodes is supposed to have stood over the Mandraki harbor entrance. However, modern analysis of ancient descriptions have proved it is unlikely that a statue of that size could have straddled the harbor in this way.

Oia, Santorini

Ah, Oia (pronounced ee-ah), I could have stayed there forever. Close your eyes and picture Greece, chances are you are imagining Oia. Having a hard time? Let me help.

If you can't get married in Oia, at least honeymoon there. We saw two weddings taking place, and for good reason. The scenery is beautiful, the perfect backdrop for romantic photos. Santorini, the island on which Oia is located, was nearly destroyed by many volcanic eruptions over thousands of years, but from the ashes a beautiful island has emerged. The white, black and red lava rock is used to make jewelry and pumice stones which can be purchased at almost any store. 

My favorite part of Oia, besides taking in the scenery, was an amazing bookstore we stumbled upon called Atlantis Books. I spoke with a girl from Wisconsin who volunteers there over the summer (dream job) and discovered a bed in the middle of the bookstore (dream home). The wall outside was covered in a mural of books and the inside was filled with notes, drawings, poems and more. It was like walking into someone's personal sketchbook.

Bottom left photo by Rebecca Moore.

I couldn't leave without buying something, and I fell in love with this print they were selling for 5 Euros. 

The next best thing about Oia? Dessert. We had tiramisu and pistachio gelato from Lolita's Gelateria and baklava dripping in honey from a little bakery we found while looking for our bus.

Top right photo by Rebecca Moore.

Here's a tip: Don't ride the donkeys down to the water in Thira, Santorini. While I had a guide and was tied to two other donkeys, everyone else in our group was left without a guide and their donkeys were untied, free to do what they wanted on the journey down. They were biting each other, racing each other and slipping on the steps. We even saw two donkeys who refused to budge, their poor riders left stranded on the path. These donkeys were bigger than the ones in Lindos too, more like mules or horses. The ride takes about a half hour, depending on your donkey's mood.

Photo by Rebecca Moore.

Oh yeah, and that winding path is what we came down. Photo by Rebecca Moore.

A few extra tips (free of charge):

• Don't flush the toilet paper in Greece. The pipes clog too easily. Most public toilets will remind you with a sign, but it takes some getting used to.
• Don't mind the locals. Much like in Italy, men in Greece are not shy about catcalling out to pretty ladies. Take it as a compliment and keep walking.
• Watch your stuff. While Greece is considered relatively safe, pickpockets are everywhere, so keep an eye on your stuff and be aware of your surroundings.
• Much of Greece's economy is fueled by tourism, so in the areas where tourists frequent, most people speak at least a little English. Many signs are in Greek and English as well.
• Avoid the crowds and get to the sights early, save the afternoon for shopping, eating or napping.
• This is a strange one, but we found many of the streets to be slippery. It was popular to use marble for everything, including flooring, "back in the day" so watch your step. We had many close calls and saw one girl fall very hard on a slippery patch at the Acropolis in Athens.

I knew this would be a long post, so I am saving Athens and Turkey for another day. I hope you enjoyed seeing/learning about the islands we visited in Greece! For those who don't know, we went with Contiki Tours, a tour company specifically for 18 to 35-year-olds. This was our second year going on a trip with them, and I recommend them highly. The prices are reasonable, the tour managers are awesome and knowledgeable, and they have a wide selection of tours so you can go wherever you want! 

Big announcement: Come August when they start taking applications, I am going to apply to be a tour manager for the 2014 season. It seems like an amazing opportunity to see the world, meet new people and grow as an individual. Wish me luck! 

Finally, here is your fun fact for today. Origin of the word grenade: It is customary in Greece for a newly wed couple to enter their homes with their right foot first, holding three pomegranates which they throw on the ground for good luck and fertility. Pomegranates explode when thrown on the ground, it is from this idea that the grenade was developed and named.

Thanks for reading! And welcome to my new readers who I met during this amazing trip! It's wonderful to have friends all over the world now!

Come back next time,

Sam