Santorini: Fira Sarah Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Planning ahead and renting a vehicle if you have a license helps a lot when exploring Santorini as public transit is few and taxi-ing can add up quickly. Unfortunately, none of us had our international license, but if we did, paying 30 Euros/day for a Nissan (one rental company for example) and dividing it by four is not bad at all.

How did we get around then? Fortunately we had arranged for a shuttle service from our accomodation in Oia to our second destination in Fira (usually about 20 euros for four people). When we went to the two beaches the first day, we took the shuttle bus which was 1.8 euro one way, but it was around a 30 minute frequency depending on where you are going so once again, renting a car or ATV or motorbike does have its perks. We first shuttled to Acroptiri Beach, one of the red beaches along the coast. When you get off the bus, you still have to walk 10-15 minutes to the beach, but the view and the trek there is beautiful as the rocks are red and as you walk down to the beach, the view is worth capturing. I really liked all the random doors along the base of the cliff too, not sure what the purpose is, but it did make picture taking a joy.

Acroptiri (Red) Beach

Next we headed to Perissia Beach, a black sand beach. Funny story, we were getting impatient waiting for the bus and were planning to hitch hike when a island van driver happen to come by (praise the Lord) and we were able to bargain a price to the next beach along with other passengers. Perissia was more touristy as they had these tiki umbrellas and beach chairs set up all along the beach. Restaurants also lined the shore and we were recommended by our driver to eat at Apollon. It didn't disappoint as you can get a huge dish of assorted meats (grilled fish, chicken, pork, lamb, beef patty), Greek salad, rice, and fries all for 24.9 euros for two. Yes you read that right! My three friends and I also got free drinks at the end. Great service and food here, so come to enjoy the sunset and then a remarkable dining experience after.

Perissia (Black) Beach

Prices to eat in Fira and along the coast in general are so much more cheaper than Oia. Thus, I recommend having one fancy meal in Oia for the experience and all, but if you are to shop or eat more often, Fira is drastically more worth it.  Don't buy anything in Oia unless you absolutely love it, Fira prices are so much better and you won't feel like you are being ripped off.

On our second day, we had booked a boat tour to check out the Nea Kemeni volcano and hot spring area. It's18 euros for the three hours, but the entrance to the volcano is another 2 euros and you also have to factor in how you are going to the port- either walking down the steps, taking cable car or riding a donkey, where the latter two is 5 euros one way. Though the cost accounted higher, the tour didn't justify it at all. I enjoyed the hike up the volcano (around 1 km) and the gorgeous island view of Santorini from a distance,  but the tour lacked information before hand and was not very interesting overall. When we got to the hot spring, we only had about half an hour to spend there and we weren't told that you had to swim 60-70m (my friend said it felt further than that) to the hot spring from the boat, thus, many people just stayed on the boat and for those who are beginner swimmers like me, we wouldn't have been able to make it to the other end so we couldn't go as the boat doesn't park closer for those non swimmers to check out.

Distance to Hot Spring

Though there were rough patches to this tour, my highlight was coming back to the port and being able to ride a donkey back up the hill to Fira. I had been forewarn that they stink and it would be a bumpy/crazy ride, and boy was it, but I also had so much fun! It felt like I was on a roller coaster and it was very amusing seeing these donkeys try to out walk each other or charge forward towards the walls to try and get some shade (poor donkeys:( ), scary at times, but a good experience none the less while trying to admire the view at gradually greater heights. So glad I tried it out for myself as initially I was for sure not going to do it!

The day kept getting better as we went to Salt & Pepper for a late lunch. My friend who came to Santorini last year highly recommended this little couple owned restaurant and said it was a must. Initially turned off by the blunt and straight forward replies of the owner, our perspective changed as our food arrived and we had time to sit and converse with the owner as we ended up being the last customers to leave. Not only was the food over the top delicious, we came to understand why the owners do what they do and how the difference of cultures and lack of understanding of them leads to misunderstandings and perceived rudeness in service at times. Thy & I shared the tomato balls (ahmazzjing!!) and the chicken in wine sauce was so delightful and tantalizing with flavour. Every dish is order to be made and the mentality of fresh, slow, and food made with passion topped off our Greek experience. Not only did Salt & Pepper create a lot of buzz with travellers, they are also a trip advisor winner for 4 consecutive years. Don't miss out and hunt down this hidden gem no matter what! Just make sure to book a reservation or go earlier on in your trip as you may get turned away when they are a full house or near closing hours. Despite their popularity, prices are still very reasonable, I can go on and on about them-we even nicknamed Irene, the wife of the chef, our Greek mommy!

Tomato Balls

Chicken with White Wine

Our lovely ice cream treat afterwards on the house

Irene & Us

What a great Greek experience! The only part I wish I could've done was eat a fresh fig, but unfortunately they weren't in season yet, so next time!

Santorini: Oia Sarah Wednesday, May 27, 2015

With an early start to catch our 7am ferry at Pireus port, we were on our way to the famous blue sunny skies and white cave houses, Santorini! By the way, the metro transportation in Athens is super accessible and easy to figure out. It is only three years old and you can hit up almost any place from the airport to central Athens and down to the ports.

Arriving Santorini, our accommodation driver picked us up from Athinos port where all the large boats drop their passengers off. The fira/thira port is where the small boats arrive and where you hear of the infamous donkey rides you can take up the mountain besides the cable car. If you arrive Athinos port, do make sure you have a driver picking you up or else there are options upon arrival which might not be as great of a deal. Alternatively, if you have an international license, renting a car is the best and most effective plan for groups as things are fairly far apart on the island.

SO happy to be here, how can this place be real?!

Our first day was at Oia (upper half of Santorini and pronounced "eee-ahh") and so after a 30 minute drive, we arrived to our beautiful cave house. The view and place was breath taking. We splurge a bit on our first night to get the great view that we're blessed to have right under the Oia main street. Wide brim hats and sunscreen are a must as the sun's rays are intense, I didn't pack the former unfortunately...hence the pricey tourist trap of spending here. Having had my first burn in Bali last year, I definitely learned the hard way and knew it was a necessary investment.

Bottom dish: Kleftiko, Greek style of cooking marinated lamb wrapped in a parcel- so so delish!

There are plenty of restaurants, shops, and cafes lining the main street of Oia with plenty of great views. However, prices are obviously and distinctly higher as its so touristy and I can't deny that I did miss the cheaper eats of Athens. Though, this is such a gift of a place so I can't complain. That night we walked down the 240 steps to Amoudi Beach (don't worry the walk is not bad at all, but dont expect much with the beach part) to watch the sunset while having seafood at one of the four restaurants overlooking Caldera Bay. We had a dish of fresh mixed fish and calamari to share which was delightful. When heading back though, it was dark so we couldn't take the stairs back up (there are also donkey options before the sun had set) so we were thankful to be able to hitch a ride up the hill back to the top of Oia as taxis are not sighted here (first hitch hiking experience-CHECK!).

Dinner overlooking Caldera Bay

Our mixed fish for dinner! Super fresh!

Despite the lack of planning on our part, the night sky blew me away. The stars actually looked like they were twinkling and with the multitude of cave house clusters lighting up around the island. Star gazing might just be a new hobby for me and the view looked like one from an out of the world fairytale. And this is only day 1 here, thank You Jesus.

The Ancient & The New Sarah Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Jet lag definitely can work to one's advantage when in a new country. Waking up at 5:30am, we realize we might as well start our day early seeing that the Acropolis ("Ack-row-po-lee") opened at 8am. Not only do you beat the rush, but you also get the time and space to enjoy the attraction to yourself without mobs of tour groups and people in the way (a bonus for photo taking) later in the day.

The Acropolis admission is 12 euros and includes the Parthenon as well as 5 other nearby ruins/sites in the area-all within a walking distance. Hiking up the hill to the Parthenon was pretty smooth and the view just got better the more elevated we got. Fun fact, the Parthenon is dedicated to the goddess Athena because she was the only virgin god, and hence why she's also the only clothed goddess in her drawings and figurines. This tells you quite a bit about the lifestyle of these Greek gods, but joking aside, the Parthenon is quite a view and so worth spending as much as you can if you had all the time in the world. Athens looked amazing from this height and it was so neat to spot areas we had walked to from the day before. It just comes to show that when there are things to see, walking for hours is not hard at all.

View from top of Parthenon

After the Parthenon, we exited and walked down the hill into Plaka, an ancient neoclassical neighbourhood  with many open air restaurants, patios and cafes. lt was around 11am and most places were just starting to open, but they all looked very cozy and chic, a great spot to people watch over a meal. Down the road from here there were also many sellers setting up tables of locally made jewellery as well as vintage finds, like an actual agora (Greek marketplace) back in the day.

P.S. Freddoccinos are amazing in Athens!-a strong caffeine flavour and so refreshing in the heat! A must drink!

Plaka 

We walked on to discover the rest of the Greek sites included in our admission including the Roman Agora, Hellenic Garden, and the Temple of Zeus. We decided against two of them as they were out of the way and not as recommend from reviews I had read (Ancient Angora and Kerameikos cemetary). I really liked the area the Temple of Zeus was in as it was situated in the National Garden. It felt very fresh to be surrounded by plantations of all sorts and stroll through a garden after having seen so many ancient places. The ancient gate at the Temple of Zeus also was a symbolic divide between the old/ancient city and the new/modern city of Athens. too.The Zeppelon mansion is also located here and we saw some people riding segways in this garden


As timing would have it, we were also able to head back to the Hellenic parliament at Syntagma Square and catch a guard change ceremony happening (on the hour). Though I've seen other guard changes before, I like how every one is different and how culture is embedded into it from the outfits to their walks. I loved the long tassel from the guard's headpiece as well as how their walk felt like a slow motion tap dance. Very amusing and worth the full ten minutes ish. Prior to arriving to the guard change, we stumbled upon Ermou Street, one of the top shopping streets in Athens! Lots of international and local brands amongst street food stalls, cafes, boutiques and unique shops. I had lots of fun window shopping expensive foreign looks and splurging on fun novelties (at a great price!) from my new favourite household store call Tiger from Denmark!

To end off our last night, we headed to Kolonaki, a posh neighbourhood where lots of business people hangout. Locals refer to it as a wealthier area so there were lots of local designer boutiques, high end stores, cafes, bars, and fancy restaurants. We were here at 8pm and the atmosphere was surprisingly quiet as the shops were closed, but the eateries weren't very busy at all. When we inquired about this, we found out that most places don't get lively until 11pm or so, so when in Greece.. keep this in mind if you are looking for night life. We had a ferry to catch early the next day so we headed back shortly after and happen to stumble on something better, the Academy of Athens.

If I thought the buildings were gorgeous during the day, at night its even better with the lights turned on. The Grecian architecture, linear columns, and gold plated designs kept my eyes gazing and loving every moment of the night view. What a great way to cap off our last night in Athens.

Can you guess where we're headed to next?

A for Athens Sarah Sunday, May 03, 2015

When adventuring on soil once trekked by Olympians, waste no time! I can't believe it"s only been day 1 of Europe in this gorgeous capital of Greece. The weather was perfect-hot but with a cooling breeze, the day was off to a good start-early, but full of new discoveries, and nothing was stopping us, not even jet lag!

Arriving at 10:20am meant having and making the most of the day ahead of us. so after checking in with our sweet Air B&B host,we quickly freshened up and were ready to walked the path of the Olympians. Living in the Acropolis station area meant exceptional convenience and access to all the major tourist hubs via walking. We didn't have to metro once, we literally walked almost a whole section of a subway line in one day. There is so much to see whereever you go that boredom and tiredness is the last of your worries. 

We started off wandering around the Acropolis area which was lined with open air restaurants, cafes, and of course souvneirs. The Adrinou Shopping Street here is prominent for the latter and it's best to compare prices before an impulse buy because things start looking the same really fast and cost does vary from seller to seller. Another thing you notice is that no matter what time of day or which cafe /restaurant you sight, it is always 80% occupied if not full. The waiters are great at luring you in with their compliments, but make sure to compare and check over menus to see what you are interested in as it can get overwhelming. Food is obviously a big part of Greek culture though and having a meal can become a leisure activity span over several hours! With the endless selections, it may take a while before you settle on a decision hah!

As it was our first day, we fixed our hunger quickly with the first spotting of a souvlaki sign (so stereotypical I know). The crowd outside reassured us of its standard and it didn't disappoint! At 2.7 euros (~$4), it was delicious and filling and a good size to share between two if you are just looking for a snack like my friend Thy & I (souvlaki shops are everywhere and around the same price). After, we kept walking north from the Acropolis area and ended up in Monastiraki Square, an open public space which hosts a flea market every Sunday (lucky us for arriving right on a Sunday, but the flea finds were closing by the time we got there at 4pm) and musical performers. There were also lots of cafes and little shops tucked into the alleyways of this area. What made this square mesmerizing was the beautiful backdrop of the Parthenon-what a beaut!

Monastiraki Square

Across this square is a street full of furniture, decor, and lots of vintage finds. A must for the treasure hunters! Thy & I loved this area for the amount of photo-esque hipster spots it had calling our names. Athens is loaded with graffiti and it's so awesome that the city embraces this graffiti  culture and ghetto cool vibe it gives off... or perhaps it's just too hard to cleanup over the years (lol), regardless, we loved and took advantage of it!

Hunting for vintage treasures!

One of the many hipster streets

From there, we wandered further north and arrived Omonia, a touristy shopping central area. We didn't spend much time here as the stores and brands were similar to back home so we explored on to find the National Library and University of Athens east of this.  There's no doubt about why Greek columns and architecture are so commonly sought after because the beauty of it is jawdropping. The lines and design of these buildings and so many others are worth a photo shoot alone. To cap off the day, we spent some time here admiring the sun's slow setting and casting a lovely glow on the parliament. 

National Library of Athens

On our way "home," we passed Synatgma Square and realize the parliament with the guard change was happening. However, our bodies weren't keeping up with our energetic minds any longer so we called it a day and saved the rest of our itinerary for another wonderful time tomorrow. In between all this walking and photo taking (seriously, everywhere you go is such a photo opp spot), we tried Greek coffee (the espresso was too grainy for me towards the end, but I loved the sugar-mint flavour turkish-like delight it came with (apparently served with coffee))  and also a delightful sandwich and dessert from Kimbo, one of the many exquisite bakeries & sandwich shop franchises in Athens.

Overall, I am so satisfied from my first day on Greek soil. The Greeks are very friendly and always ready to give directions. We were aware of the multitudes of theft and scams forewarned to us by previous travellers throughout Europe, but we felt really safe and comfortable where ever we went. Being Asian, we thought we also get the sense that we would get the minority vibe and questioned often, but other than some tourists we met being skeptical that we weren't from Canada, we felt right at home. We figured with the diversity of tourists Athens receives, the locals are probably use to it. So thank You Greeks for being so welcoming, we can't wait to discover more!

All Aboard... a New Continent! Sarah Thursday, April 30, 2015

This trip is creeping up on me so fast and it's a huge blessing that I'm able to travel somewhere this year at all. Everything fell into place once it was decided on so I thank the Lord for His favour as I'm now super excited to embark to new places, new countries, and a whole new continent!

Where am  I going you may ask?

EUROPE!

Yes, you read that one right! My first time heading to this beautifully renown and historic land. This adventure will be different in many ways. I usually favour travelling slow and soaking every experience up, but due to working full time now, I didn't have the luxury to plan every inch of my itinerary-in fact, I joined one that was started by two friends. So not only will I not be travelling alone this time like I did last year to Southeast Asia, I will be travelling with three other lovely ladies for three weeks. Thus,  I know this will feel like a quick taste of Europe having travelled for months at a time in the past, but it will give me an enticing taste of what the Europeans have to offer and I already know it will lure me back in the future.

I think one thing to keep in mind is that you can't do Europe all at once. Especially with the limitations of budget and time, I think these have been the biggest factors in holding me back to explore Europe. Its vast expanse alone is hard to grasp and there's just so much to do and see that I wouldn't even know where to begin. So in a way, I'm grateful that the duration and destinations were already picked out beforehand as it saves me trouble in figuring these things on my own. Though, making decisions between four people takes much more compromise than when travelling solo, so I know there will be much to learn and grow from in the days to come.

Most people split Europe between eastern and western locations in terms of geographically convenient places to explore, but we are kind of doing it more south lets say. Kicking off in Greece then training throughout Italy, we will cap off this trip in Spain. Definitely a different mix than most tours would have it or backpackers would recommend, but I guess this is what makes us different and a first for 3/4 of us whose never been to Europe.

Well that's all for now, two more sleeps until I'm off to Athens, Greece!

More updates than!

*Updates may be delayed as I may not have enough time to reflect, find wifi, and blog when soaking up every glimpse of Europe in the time that I have. I'm sure you will understand =)