Kali Mera!

I do have a good reason for neglecting my tremendously popular blog - I have been holidaying in Greece!

My mother and I took a well-earned trip around the mainland and a few of the islands.

While I considered writing a travel blog it became very hard to stop and find an Internet cafe while we were on the move, so instead I kept a journal.
Here are some of the observations I made and the experiences I was a part of - summed up as neatly as possible...


Athens - Olympia - Delphi
Greece's major capital city was very clean and not as busy as I anticipated. It was only semi-hard to dodge the scooters and taxis that came screaming down the one way streets.
Shopping was amazing with endless sandals and shoe stores - Mum and I cleaned up with almost 10 pairs between us. The staff are incredibly helpful and you just can't say no to them!
One thing I found odd were the number of homeless dogs just sitting on the sidewalk, sleeping mostly, not bothering anyone. Think 'pigeons in Sydney' except not as annoying. I enquired about this and it turns out Athens Council supports the 'Friends of Dogs' program where people come around to feed the dogs once a day and vaccinate them when necessary. What a brilliant program, and another testament to how lovey Greek people are.

We took a tour of the ruins in both Olympia and Delphi, brushing up on Greek Mythology and basically the beginning of civilisation. Our heads exploded with stories of Gods and Oracles and our feet walked some of the oldest paths and climbed the oldest structures still in their original forms. The Greeks sure know their architecture!


Mykonos
Coincidentally our first day on the party island was also my 25th birthday and I was surprised by my best friend from England who came to help me celebrate a quarter of a century.
It was still low season so there weren't as many crowds on the beaches or in the towns - excellent.
We shopped in 'Little Venice' and as we attempted to manoeuvre our way up and down tiny alleys without getting lost I imagined that if the Gods were watching us they were probably taking bets on who came out first.
The streets surrounded by white walls and blue decorative paint reminded me of the movie 'The Labyrinth' and I half expected David Bowie to come round the corner on a scooter.
We partied one one and a half nights out of the three, but didn't get to taste the sleazy-come-raunchy nightlife Mykonos is known for and I wasn't sure whether I was happy or sad about that.


Paros
Known less for its party atmosphere and more for its landscape, Paros fit the picture of laid back exquisite Greece.
We hired a Quad Bike and ventured around half the island in less than a day - perfect for a tourist who wants to catch a glimpse before they have to move on.
Quad Bike - 20Euros. Insurance - 8Euros. Petrol - 10Euros.

Bugs in the face doing 50km/h along the beaches of Paros....Priceless.

I got used to (possibly too used to) the Greek road rules - assume everybody else will move for you. It wasn't scary driving on the other side of the road, I believe I adapted well and my lack of scars and injuries prove it :)
Driving around Paros I found I could definitely live the Greek lifestyle and I could definitely live in Paros.


Naxos
A smaller island like Paros, Naxos is more of a family destination and this was evident from the beaches we visited where lots of children ran amuck.
I learned not to go overboard with the 'trying new things while on holiday' as I accidentally stumbled into a Nude Beach for members of the older generation, hidden in an alcove. They were large, dark and leathery and I quickly moved on.
We did some shopping and alot of eating, there were plenty of Seafood restaurants to choose from which were reasonably priced.
The highlight of this quieter island would have to have been the Greek boy I met on the beach who hardly spoke English but he made up for that by having no shirt on...I'm only human!
The next best highlight was that my learning a little Greek made itself useful while my Mum was trying to haggle with a shop owner who didn't speak English about the price of a scarf. Lana to the rescue, I got 5Euros off!


Santorini
At first glance as our Ferry swam closer to the Port, it struck me that the houses sitting atop the cliffs didn't seem 'on top' of them, but more part of them. As if the towns were uncovered over time having already been there.
Mum and I marvelled about how much work would have gone into creating Santorini, and why anyone would have thought to go to all that trouble.
The answer - I believe - lies in what I already know about the Greeks. They are hard workers when it comes to architecture, sometimes biding over 20 years so as to make their creations perfect. They also like to build up high and it doesn't get much higher than Santorini.
We had six days in Fira which were spent around the expensive and a little 'too touristy' town and in our gorgeous hotels, sitting by the pools with couple on their honeymoon. Yes, couples on their honeymoon and Mum and I.
Day trips were fun, we visited the black sand beach Kamari which was beautifully quiet and with water so clean you could see the hairs that I missed whilst shaving my legs.
We climbed our way over rocks and jutting cliffs to check out the Red Beach (aptly named the 'Red Beach') and we of course watched a sunset in Oia - where we saw more couples on their honeymoon.
The sunsets were remarkable. Sitting on the edge of the caldera I was able to watch night envelop us from East to West, swallowing us as the towns along the cliff turned on their night lights.


So. Greece. Wow.
I loved the language, I loved the people and I loved their attitude.
Everyone we met was so happy to be working in Greece, even though they work non-stop for six months. This is of course followed by a six month holiday so I can see why.

There is inner beauty to Greece.
Being the third most mountainous country in the world, the landscape at times was all brown and rocky, so one has to look deeper to find what I found.
The beauty is in the people and their culture, they love their life and they are only too happy to go out of their way to share it with you.

Lana Hearts Greece - Forever.


It's been a pleasure - and for me too ; )