Athens – November 3 to 8 – Our Apartment

After the wild ride from the airport to Athens via taxi, we arrived at our apartment – home for 5 nights. Our street was narrow, one-way, and very quiet. The area was residential with shops down the hill – of course, everything in Athens is up the hill or down the hill. Very little is flat. The apartment itself was on the 5th floor – American. The flat was spacious with 2 bedrooms, living room, eat-in kitchen but, the best feature was the veranda – it was almost as big as the apartment, stretching the entire length of the apartment with doors that opened out from each room. We had a view of the neighborhood and the sea of TV antennae. At night we had a view of the Acropolis – well – actually it was the top one foot of the Acropolis – it was a little better view if you jumped up!

We shared the veranda with some brazen pigeons and doves. The railing of the veranda was equipped with pigeon-proof netting that the pigeons enjoyed as a comfortable place for perching. In the morning we opened the kitchen door and Elisabeth often sat on the veranda with her morning tea – the doves joined her and sat on the table next to her tea mug – others pecked their way along the Veranda and made moves to join me in the kitchen. Very little deterred them!

One of the best parts of the veranda was watching and listening to life in the neighborhood from adjoining balconies and windows. One morning we watched and listened to a coffee klatch of 7 older Greek women talking, laughing, and probably gossiping – just across the street from us. Other neighbors hung out their washing on balconies. We heard and saw the life of the community from our veranda observation post.
This is why we love to rent apartments instead of staying in hotels – we get to see what life is like. For less than the price of a good hotel we get all of this local color plus the ability to fix our own breakfast and other meals if the mood strikes us. Shopping in the neighborhood stores is another experience we enjoy – even though it means carrying bags up or down the streets.

The only negative about the apartment was the IKEA quality furnishings – oh for a comfortable chair! We survived, however. The first night Elisabeth turned on the stove and all the power went off – figured out how to get the power back on and then learned another burner barely got hot – so we only had a two burner stove – in effect. Fortunately we are adaptable! Greece is somewhere between first and second world in some respects. Every toilet we encountered in Greece – hotels included – did not allow toilet paper in the toilet. (Don’t ask!) Let’s just say that it is best to empty the trash frequently. Sidewalks in Athens are horrendous – must have very few lawyers – the trip and fall hazards would be an ambulance chasers dream at home. Don’t let this deter you from visiting Greece - it is a beautiful country with friendly people!


P.S. No pictures for now - on ship and satellite is so SLOW!

Nafplio and the Corinth Canal

Nafplio proved to be a favorite stop in Greece – a charming seaside resort with a compact old town and friendly pedestrian zones for strolling. It is a favorite summer and weekend haunt for Athenians. At this time of year it was very quiet. We were the only guests in our hotel – a small family run place just off of the promenade along the waterfront.

The only problem with Nafplio is that we did not have enough time! Because we arrived late, we only had the next morning to explore the city. We would like to come back and use it as a base for seeing areas of the surrounding Peloponnese.

Nafplio was the capital of Greece for one year – in the early 1820s the Ottoman Empire was defeated and King Otto arrived from Bavaria to rule the newly independent Greece. The new King was a student of classical Greece and wanted to revive Athens to its past glory. He moved the capital there one year after arriving in Greece. King Otto’s statue stands in a square in Nafplio on the site of his former palace.

What is amazing is to realize that Athens only had a population of 4,000 in 1833. Today it is over 5 million about half the population of the country (about 11 million). The Greek Diaspora has resulted in anywhere from 3 to 7 million people of Greek descent living outside the country. The number is contentious and depends on definitions. Three million people in the United States claim Greek descent according to a 2009 U.S. Department of State Study.

Nafplio is filled with restaurants along the waterfront and in the narrow lanes nearby – restaurant spill out into the streets with sidewalk tables under canopies in case of rain. We had dinner in a traditional Taverna and ate typical Greek dishes – we had Feta Cheese in everything I think – baked in foil with tomatoes and bell peppers – in salad – in appetizers, etc. Fortunately Feta is a favorite. For Philip – a salad is not a salad without Feta!

After our morning walking tour, we left for Athens. We stopped to see the Corinth Canal. This canal connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Aegean Sea. It was built between 1881 and 1893 – considered an engineering marvel for its time. We walked across a pedestrian bridge on either side of the main bridge to get the full impact of the canal – it is only 79 feet wide but it is 170 feet from the top to the surface of the water.


We returned our rental car to the airport and took a taxi to the apartment we had rented in Athens – thank goodness we did not attempt to return the car to a location in the City – Athens traffic makes Paris look simple!

Delphi to Nafplio

We finally got an early start for once – breakfast was done at 9:30! We arrived at the Museum for Delphi about 10am – we had been warned to come early before the tour buses with day-trippers arrived from Athens. It worked! There were 6 tourists in the Museums with 12 guards!

This Museum was fabulous – well lit with natural light – displays in Greek and English – well-spaced sculptures and displays. However, I have a confession. Although I can visit several cathedrals and many churches in one day, ancient ruins are not a favorite. Many people say, “If you see one Cathedral, you’ve seen them all!” Au contraire – I love to study the architecture – contemplate the stained glass, art, and sculptures, and to sit in peace soaking up the holiness of the setting. I find it very spiritual. No two cathedrals or churches in Europe are alike for me.

I may have been partially cured of my phobia against ruins by the travel writer Rick Steves. He recommended seeing the museum before the actual site to get an idea of what the ruins might have been like in their original context. It helped - especially for Delphi! It is amazing to see the sophistication of the sculptures produced in 400 BC. The most impressive aspect of the carving is the way that clothing is depicted – the draping of the fabrics which seems to be real – the tunics seem to be flowing in the wind. You expect the figures to come to life and walk right past you.

The most impressive part of Delphi – in my view – is the setting in a natural amphitheater - with cypress trees and a backdrop of gray and reddish rock. No wonder it was considered the center of the universe in ancient times. Pilgrims made their way here to seek advice from the prophetess – the Oracle – the earthly mouthpiece of Apollo. The Oracle revealed to us that Sarah Palin will not be elected President – WHEW!

We climbed the stairs – stepped over and around the rocks – and made our way up the switchbacks to the top of the site – or almost the top. We decided that the view of the amphitheater from the stage area was good enough! The ruins are impressive - especiallhy with the backdrop of the natural setting.

We decided to make our way to Napflio on the Peloponnese Peninsula by the long road. We drove along the north shore of the Bay of Corinth through a beautiful – if dry – landscape. Greece is more mountainous than many people realize – we saw beautiful views of the mountains on the Peninsula across the Bay. We took the relatively new suspension bridge linking the mainland to the Peloponnese near the City of Patras. From here we took the infamous two lane motorway along the north shore toward Corinth. We then headed south on a very modern and seemingly new motorway toward our destination of Napflio. More on this charming seaside resort in the next blog!

On the Way to Delphi – And the Oracle Said…..

On Monday November 1 we drove the 5+ hours from Meteora to Delphi. It should have been less but we made our first wrong turn and had an adventure getting off the motorway and finding our way back to the right exit. In the off-season, Delphi closes early so we had to save the visit for the next morning.

As an alternative, we drove to the nearby Monastery of Osios Loukas – a World Heritage Site. There were very few tourists in the late afternoon so we could wander the area almost alone – coming off-season has its advantages. The monastery was founded in the 10th century and is the alleged site of St. Luke’s tomb. As a result, the monastery is a pilgrimage site. It is in a remote location – with wonderful views across valleys with olive groves.

Monastery of Osios Loukas



We arrived at our hotel – a simple 8 room place with a very friendly and helpful owner. The room had a balcony with a beautiful sunset view of the Bay of Corinth – not bad for 35 Euros for the night!

View from the Hotel Balcony



Since this was primarily a day of driving, let’s talk about Greek drivers! Everyone told me I was crazy to drive in Greece – dangerous roads – worst drivers in Europe. Since I have been driving in Britain and Europe for 40 years, I was not deterred. If I could drive in Italy, in Paris, and on the “wrong side of the road” in England for a year, why not drive in Greece? If I could brave the fast lane on the German Autobahn (also known as the flashing lights Mercedes/BMW lane), why not drive in Greece?

Well – it was not that bad but of course it was off-season and we were mainly driving mid-week. Fortunately our nephew had warned me about a couple of things that made the driving conditions less of a shock. Many Greek roads have wide paved shoulders – with a white line delineating their boundaries. The trick is to drive with at least the right two wheels on the paved shoulder. This gives the idiots passing on a curve plenty of space! Everyone drives partially on the shoulder – so “when in Rome” – I mean when in Greece drive like Greeks!!! This procedure also applies to motorways. The motorway (sic) from Patras to Corinth is mostly two lanes with the same wide shoulders – there is construction everywhere! I was told this was the worst road in Greece – but we made it! Other motorways are modern and in great condition.

Next Delphi!

Meteora – Another Bucket List Site Ticked Off the List!

Ever since I was a kid and saw pictures of Meteora, I wanted to go there! Many people have given me blank stares when I mention Meteora – but when I remind them of the opening scene in James Bond’s 1981 film For Your Eyes Only, they often know what I am talking about.

The area has many monasteries perched on rock pinnacles – in seemingly impossible locations for construction – especially considering they were built in the 14th century. It is almost like monateries being built on top of the spires in the Monument Valley of Arizona.

Originally there were hermits living in the rocks in the area but when the Roman Empire waned and the Turks came to the area, the monks built these monasteries on the pinnacles as protection. Originally access was by removable ladders. There were also baskets that were raised by ropes and winches for both supplies and people. Even today, we saw supplies being lifted via this system.

Today – there are steps carved in the rock for visitors – and I do mean steps and steps and steps. Who needs a Stairmaster in Meteora!

We stayed in a village at the foot of Meteora – Kastraki. Our “hotel” was excellent and only 50 Euros a night with breakfast. It was connected to a Taverna – a traditional type of Greek restaurant. Our balcony gave us a view of the town’s Greek Orthodox Church and the pinnacles in the background. We ate at the Taverna both nights we were here – the owner spoke English well so we had good advice. The first night the place was packed with locals watching an important Greek soccer match between rival Athens teams.

We had traditional Greek fare – saganaki – fried Greek cheese, Greek Salad, souvlaki – grilled kebab, baked Feta, and baklava – of course!

The first day we arrived in the late afternoon and drove the Meteora loop to see the monasteries perched on their impossible pinnacles in the afternoon and evening light. It is an “other worldly sight” – out of a science fiction tale. How could they have built these?


We spent the next day driving the loop road in every direction. We “hiked up” to the Monastery Varlaam in the morning. All of the monasteries have a similar plan – built around a central courtyard. The church designs are also similar – traditional Greek Orthodox – icons, paintings, small windows – Byzantine architecture. The views from the terraces were incredible. We also visited St. Stephen – a monastery currently housing an order of nuns. The nuns were much more organized than Varlaam – a gift shop with VISA!


This was a fabulous day – slow-paced and fascinating. We kept stopping at viewpoints to drink in the landscape. At one point we encountered a large herd of goats crossing the road guarded by 5 sheep dogs with no human in site. One dog stood right in front of our car – staring at us – as if to say, “Stay away from MY goats!” We obeyed and waited for the goats and dogs to scramble up the hill.

Next Delphi!

Finally a New Blog Entry – Saturday November 6, 2010

We arrived in Greece 8 days ago – after three long flights. Of course, I really can’t complain too much since we had been able to upgrade to Business. The American flights from San Diego to Chicago to Brussels were excellent. We had long layovers in Chicago and Brussels – somewhat by design. The first option they gave me only had a 50 minute connection in Chicago which made us nervous so we ended up waiting for 3 hours – but with Business we were eligible for the Admirals Club which made it tolerable.

In Brussels it was a 6 hour wait due to Brussels Air’s flight schedule to Athens – we were again able to use their lounge but it was a long wait. Business Class on Brussels Air was hysterical – at least in hindsight. The plane was all coach seating – so Business was in the front with the middle seat not booked! Remind me to never pay for Business on Brussels Air – at least we were just using miles!!! On Southwest I always go to the back of the plane where there is a good chance of not having anyone in the seat next to me – didn’t know I was really in Business!!

When we arrived at the Athens airport, our nephew Romaric met us along with his significant other Maria Elena. Romaric is Elisabeth’s sister’s son. He is living and working in Athens. Romaric is an engineer for a Scandinavian company that makes and operates windmills for electricity generation. He is a specialist on the blades of the windmills and from Athens they have also sent him all over the world to work on problems. He met Maria Elena – who is from Peru – when working in Spain. He is now being moved to the Isle of Wight in England. Yes – this is an international family!!!

Finding our rental car and figuring out how to start it – in the dark – was our first adventure. Fortunately Romaric was "to the rescue!" After renting cars in Europe for 36years, I am pretty good at figuring things out – but in the dark and with instruction manuals all in the Greek alphabet it was not easy – it was Greek to me! There were no keys – just a “fob” – it turned out there was a small slot where the "fob" was inserted and then a button to push that started the car – as long as I remembered to put in the clutch!

The first night we stayed at a Bed and Breakfast a few miles from the airport. The owner was originally from England but had been in Greece for 34 years – she was married to a Greek. I kept thinking of the movie Shirley Valentine when talking to her!!! After being up for over 30 hours, bed was heaven! We both slept well and did not wake up until almost 10am – long after we had planned. After a Greek breakfast of cheese, bread, Greek Yogurt, etc. we were on our way to Meteora!