Ancient Greece: My Obsession
I can think of one word to describe Greece: MAGICAL.
A vibrant culture full of fun, positive and family oriented people, fantastic food, incredible ancient sites and ruins, diverse beaches and amazing islands.
What other place in the world could possibly come close, right?
I mean, where else can you dine at ten o’clock at night and sip wine in the middle of a huge, ancient city with a view of the Acropolis and a full moon rising?
I’m obsessed with history and have been since I was a child. I always pictured myself in the era of Helen of Troy, dressed in a white toga with long flowing hair, riding horses across the beaches of Athens with a warrior husband by my side.
LOL.
Not really. Well, kinda…
I often imagined and hoped Greece would live up to my expectations. Lucky me! Greece proved itself to be soo incredible that I’m sharing my second trip with you.
(My first trip was when I was fresh out of college, traveling with friends on a shoe-string budget yet falling head over heels in love with the place.)
Our Athenian Welcome: The Greek Referendum
As your plane begins to descend, you can almost smell the history, sense ancient mythology in the air, and taste the tzatziki sauce on your freshly baked pita bread.
Arriving in July made our trip very unique because we were in Athens during the Greek financial crisis and referendum vote. Our hotel, the King George Athens (which I highly recommend for location, service and cleanliness), was located directly across from the Parliament Square. It was here that we heard Greece’s Prime Minister speak.
And let’s not forget all of the large protest groups marching and speaking into oversized, archaic looking megaphones.
(I have to say, the megaphone voices made it sound as if we had been transported to a World War 1 or 2 gathering!)
Getting to our hotel wasn’t easy.
There were tons of media and protesters blocking the streets. We wound up parking a few blocks away and walking to the hotel amidst a group of supporters dressed in red, waving red flags. I was fascinated when I realized they were part of Greece’s large Communist party.
Of course my Russian Anton spotted them first lol.
At such a tumultuous time, you would think there would have been chaos and rioting (as we later observed on various American channels, the mass media was trying to portray). There was nothing of the sort. People were genuinely kind and friendly, enjoying the evening out with friends. Protesters were friendly and relaxed.
Spices
Traveling with Anton and our friends made it easy for us girls to do what we wanted to do, ie shopping!
My friend and I left our male counterparts behind on day two, making our way to the spice market. After such a long flight, we needed the exercise and leg stretching. We felt completely SAFE incase you are wondering. Vendors were super friendly and helpful when it came to directions. They knew right where to send us.
BTW THE ATHENS SPICE MARKET IS THE BEST EVER. The prices are incredibly inexpensive. We bought unique saffrons, curries and salts for a fraction of the price you would pay in the US.
Greek Food: Yummy!
Did I mention the dinners in Athens are DELICIOUS?! We returned from our spice hunt starving and without showering, drug the guys away from their “referendum” hotel rooftop view, and immediately headed to a quaint Greek cafe for dinner.
You do not have to worry about finding healthy choices here. The fish is the freshest, the spices and olive oils are to die for, and the waiters are the nicest ever! Even the bread tastes healthy.
(OKAY, I’m not so sure everyone will agree with me that on that one, but there’s something great about Greek pita bread!)
Touring Athens: Fitness On Vacation
Our next day was spent walking the sights of Athens…
We made our way to every ancient ruin I could lay my eyes upon, starting with the Acropolis. Athens is definitely humid and hot in July but we didn’t let it stop our sightseeing nor our workouts.
Situated high on a hill, you have this amazing view of Athens and beyond. (That is, once you catch your breath- it’s quite a hike in the heat and humidity). The Cypress trees are big and beautiful. Staring at them my mind of course wandered to the possibility of Alexander The Great and and his troops having planted them thousands of years ago!
By work out, I don’t mean your average go-to-your-hotel’s–gym and hit the treadmill. I mean, we WALKED AND WALKED AND WALKED like 18963726379000 steps until my feet literally couldn’t walk anymore! Come to think of it, the only time we were in a car on the Greek mainland was driving to and from the airport, ferry port and Delphi.
Walking truly is the best way to see and feel a city, especially one as special as Athens. Plus, you maintain your shape and fitness level! It’s hard to put on weight eating fresh Greek salads, tzatziki and hummus, an occasional bowl of pasta, and a daily “cheat” scoop of gelato when staying so active.
(As you can see, staying fit while traveling can be easy! Always thinking of your mode de vie fit is easy to do and doesn’t cost a thing.)
Speaking of staying fit and Delphi… stay tuned for my Ancient Delphi blog. We all definitely felt the booty burn on our way to the top. Trust me guys, Greece has something for EVERYONE!
xx Shanna
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