I accidentally uploaded all of my Greece photos in reverse order, so if you'd like to view them in chronological order, start at the bottom of this post and work your way up. Otherwise, you'll be going back in time as you scroll down.
I feel so lucky to have spent the past two weeks with some of my best friends, Rob Udell and Noel Cyr, and also to have made a new friend, our Athenian host, Miltos Giourgis. While only one of these three guys is Greek, they are all Greek gods in my book! I have thoroughly enjoyed my time exploring the old and new of Athens with Miltos, as well as the sunny beaches and delicious cuisine of three of the Cyclades islands with Rob and Noel. Yamas (to our health in Greek)!
After calling Europe home for the past four months, I am headed off to the Israel and the Middle East tomorrow for an entirely new chapter in my journey around the world. Thanks for tuning in. Shalom and Salam!
The wake of my ferry after saying farewell to Rob and Noel in Paros. Headed back to urban Athens after soaking up the wonders of the Cyclades...
Rob, me, and Noel in Naoussa, Paros, posing at our last supper. We fed the leftovers from this meal (not shown) to the 5 cats and kittens surrounding the table. Stray cats (and some dogs) were a real staple in the Greek landscape, popping out of dumpsters and showing up at your feet when your food came out at restaurants. Aw kitty!
Doing (olive) tree pose in a harbor in Paros, Greece, sporting the most important outfit during this chapter of my trip: my bathing suit!
Noel, me and Rob about to devour yet another Greek salad and yet another liter of locally-made house wine. Paros, Greece.
We got a flat tire near Faragas beach in Paros, probably from all the stones on the rugged side roads. I have my father to thank for getting me an international cell phone during moments like these!
My friend Angela reminded me to S_A_V_O_R my trip. So did this 'Savorit' car aboard a Greek ferry!
Going on a mountain walk in Chalki, Naxos. We saw herd of goats, groves of olive trees, and quaint Orthodox churches along the path. We also tasted some delicious fresh figs right off the trees!
The magenta bougainvillea was so brilliantly colored, I just wanted to douse my life in its electricity!The photo barely does it justice...
The terraced fields of Naxos, Greece--the most fertile of the Cyclades islands.
Rob and me outside a small Greek Orthodox church on our mountain walk in Chalki, Naxos.
If you squint, you can see a row of goats being herded along the mountain pass. We could only hear their bells at first, clanging in the distance. Keep up the great work, ladies! We love your cheese! Chalki, Naxos.
The rocky beach of Mikri Vigla, where the locals would watch for pirates approaching the island of Naxos. The blue and aqua colors of the water were SPECTACULAR! Naxos, Greece.
Just another postcard moment in the Cyclades. This scene captures the capital city of Chora, Naxos, where we stayed for four nights.
Me, Rob and Noel basking in the glow of a Naxian sunset.
We went to the Wine Museum in Santorini, which featured the history of wine making on the island. The exhibit was super cute, with moving parts that were part Disney animatronics, part paper mache. This photo shows the plowing technique used by farmers working with the distinctive volcanic soil.
Living life in the fast lane in Santorini! Don't worry, I am not driving in this photo! We rented cars on all three islands, which gave us lots of flexibility and certainly some thrills on the road (sharp turns near drop-off cliffs, sharing the narrow road with every motor vehicle and creature imaginable, and a close call with an angry Greek lady and her parked motorcycle).
Our sweet pad in Santorini! We rented one of the suites in this vacation villa.
The entrance to an art gallery in Oia, Santorini. I really loved the old, Orthodox paintings, which came alive with the glowing gold accents.
The famous view of Oia, Santorini, taken just after the sunset.
Spreading love and peace in the afterglow of Oia's sunset, Santorini.
Argh! It's One-Eyed Willy from the Goonies, crossing the Aegean Sea during the famous sunset in Oia, Santorini.
Preparing for the highly-anticipated sunset in Oia, Santorini, with Rob and Noel. If you've seen any photos of Greece with white-washed buildings, blue church domes built into a cliff, and alluring turquoise water in the background, it was probably a photo of this town in Santorini at sunset. Tons of people (like us) were gathered on every look out available to watch the sun sink into the horizon. After the sun made its final sizzling drop, the crowd began to clap. Hard to believe this happens everyday and it still gets applause! That's how it should be...way to go nature!
La pura vida. Olive oil, wine, seafood, cheese...well, just about everything on the menu was local. Buy fresh, buy local, baby!
The caldera of the volcano that destroyed Santorini on several occasions, the most recently being 1950. Santorini now looks completely different than it did many years ago as a result of so many eruptions. We hiked around the center of the blast, and later swam in a (luke warm) hot spring that is fueled by the simmering magma under the colliding tectonic plates.
Me, Rob and Noel hiking in the caldera of Santorini's volcano. The heavily-altered land and water in this area is believed to be the location of the lost city of Atlantis. The largest eruption on this site is recorded as the most powerful volcanic explosion in history. There are occasional tremors that rattle the locals, but scientists don't expect any major activity any time soon. Phew! Lucky us.
One of the many adorable kitties that we grew to love in the Cyclades. You can even see another wee orange kitten near my elbow on the bottom left of the photo, peaking out and whispering "I love you...feed me!"
The dramatic cliffs of Santorini.
Greek Orthodox churches like these are scattered around the islands. This was against a cliff as we were approaching the Red Beach in Santorini.
The Red Beach, Santorini, where we swam and enjoyed the plentiful people-watching, an official sport for many Europeans (and Holly Tyson). The colors and contours of the red rocks were amazing.
The church and town center of Perissa beach, where we stayed for four nights in Santorini.
Kisses for the fishes in Perissa, Santorini.
Noel and Rob digging into Poseidon's feast at a local seafood taverna (owned by the fishermen families themselves) in Perissa, Santorini. We arrived on a big festival day to mark the patron saint of Perissa beach. As such, we stuffed ourselves silly with fish, calamari, and more fish, paired with the company of locals and the melodies of live traditional Greek music.
Rob and Noel, arriving in Santorini's port town, Athinios, via a high speed ferry from Athens.
All the stray dogs were always sleeping and lounging lazily in the sidewalks of Athens, including this pooch near the Parliament building. The graffiti on the pillar translates to "Violence from the violence of power", which stands in perfect contrast to the indifferent state of the dog's political motivations.
Greece's National Parliament building, where the elected Senators meet. Like Germany, Greece is about to host its presidential election, so politics were even more visible.
Noel, Miltos, and Rob standing outside the Acropolis Museum, with the iconic Parthenon in the background. Athens, Greece.
The Parthenon, Athens.
Noel, Rob and me in front of the Parthenon, Athens. These two had just gotten off a plane from the US, and here they are frying under the Greek sun like true traveling soldiers! The Spartans would be proud.
