That quote succinctly encapsulates my recent trip to Athens, Greece, followed by a 3-day cruise that stopped in Santorini, Mykonos, Patmos, and Ephesus, Turkey. We arrived 3 days before the Globus tour started, which gave us a full day to catch up from the jet lag and 2 more days to get “out and about” to explore some of the major sites in the city of Athens.
Our hotel was a good 15 minute or more walk from the Panathenaic Stadium. This is the only stadium in the world that is made entirely of marble. It was originally built on the site of a simple racecourse in 400 BC. Over the centuries it has expanded to 50,000 seats. It is now the last venue in Greece where the handover ceremony for the Olympic flame takes place.
We went from there to the Plaka to spend some euros on souvenirs. What a treat that was. There was a bit of everything to shop for; everything from miniature statues of gods and goddesses. There were woven sun hats, Greek spices for cooking, olive oil, soaps made with olive oil and clothes galore. The cobblestone streets are narrow and uneven but that doesn’t discourage the hearty shoppers or the almost daredevil motorcycle drivers that weave around the tourists trying to reach their destination in a timely manner. All the shop keeps seemed to be friendly and most spoke enough English to invite you to step in and take a look around. The hours flew by at the Plaka but eventually we had to think about eating. Let me say, if you go hungry in Athens, that’s your fault. The foods and drinks were exceptional no matter if you were at a taverna or a full service restaurant along the main streets. The Greeks know how to entertain with food and drink. 😊
Before leaving Athens to board the cruise ship, the motorcoach we were traveling in snaked along the curvy narrow streets until we reached the parking area at the base of the Acropolis. Word of warning, the streets are marble and uneven so wear shoes with a grippy sole. Climbing the stairs to the top was both frightening (for someone that doesn’t like heights) and exhilarating all at the same time. It is an architectural monument not to be missed!
The 3 day cruise with Celestyal Cruises was the best way to see multiple destinations in a very short time span. The service onboard was top notch and the Aegean Sea is a color of blue that I have never seen in my life. I’ve been to multiple Caribbean and South Pacific destinations but in my opinion, the Aegean blue beats them all.
My favorite stop was the archaeological site of Ephesus. My maternal grandpa was a non-professional archeologist. His passion for unearthing treasures are embedded in my bones. Seeing the ruins of Ephesus made my heart race with excitement. The pillars, the marble paths, the shards of pottery in the dirt along the path, the remaining wall of the library, and on and on and on. These are buildings that existed in the 10th century BC!! I can’t wrap my head around how far back that really is. We had to leave earlier than what I would have liked, but I have plans to revisit Ephesus again because there is something there, that tugs on me every time I think about that place.
If Greece has been a thought of somewhere to go, I highly recommend that you answer that call sooner rather than later. Be sure that you are able bodied because it always seems that you are walking uphill on streets and paths that are made of marble.
“We are all Greeks. Our laws, our literature, our religion, our arts have their roots in Greece.” -Le Corbusier
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