Day 55: Windy Naxos!

Since I couldn't do much exploring in the dark last night, today was my first chance to really see Naxos. Although the weather wasn't too cold, it was very windy and overcast- a big bummer since I realized my hotel is literally 30 seconds away from the beach! Maybe the weather will be better tomorrow...

I walked along the Paralia (the main street by the water) and scoped out all the restaurants (I know, its not even afternoon yet and I'm already planning dinner!) I then wandered around the old part of town. I didn't have a map but I don't think it would have helped that much because all the streets are so windy and narrow! I seemed to be the ONLY person walking around (besides a few locals I saw). On my walk I found the Venetian Museum- a house built in the 13th century. It was pretty small and at first I was a little bummed about paying 3 euros for it- but I did end up getting a map of the town, plus a free shot of kitron, so it all worked out in the end!


I then made my way to the Archeological Museum. I wasn't too excited to check it out, but there wasn't much else to do, so I figured, why not?? Well it turns out I should've saved my money on some baklava instead. First there was a rude man at the front desk who didn't bother to get off the phone when I came in (which actually happens A LOT over here! I always feel BAD for interrupting their conversation which shouldn't be the case!) Then as soon as I got inside I realized all the descriptions are in Greek! (I dared to go back to the front desk and ask if there was an English brochure...bad idea!)

For lunch I grabbed a feta cheese pie from a bakery and went back to the hotel to make a cup of soup (My dorm room has a little stove and fridge which is quite handy!) While I was there I got a chance to make a few observations- well actually I noticed these things last night but only got to take a picture now!

Number 1: I've seen MANY poorly translated signs throughout Europe but this HAS to be my favourite! (see the last rule)


You know, its always been a problem for me- to respect your next men than quieten! HAHA

Number 2: The shower. Just look:


How do you NOT get the whole bathroom wet with a shower like that?? (If there IS a way, I haven't figured it out yet...)

After lunch I headed back out to explore more of the town. I saw on the map that there was a cinema not too far away, so I went to check it out. Turns out its an open-air cinema, and by the looks of it, only open in the summer! Boo! I then went back towards the water to see the Portara- I'm not exactly sure what it is, but its in all the postcards of Naxos, so it must be important!


Next up: afternoon snack! I have been seeing these dessert waffles for weeks now and I haven't had the chance to try one...until now! Although it didn't look super pretty it was delicious!


There was not much else to do after that- the wind was INSANE so I decided to just head back to the hotel to relax for a bit. I did some sudoku, cruised the internet, read more of my book (I'm reading "A Thousand Splendid Suns" right now- even though it is depressing, it is REALLY good! I definitely recommend it!) With 7:00 approaching it came the big decision: where to go for dinner?! Although I've been loving the Greek food I had read in my Lonely Planet about a great Mexican place in town. I also saw a brochure for it at my hotel so I thought I would try something different for a change! But as soon as I neared the restaurant and I saw the unlit sign I realized it was closed! So much for that! I headed back to the Paralia and picked one of the restaurants I had scoped out earlier today. I ended up getting calamari- not totally Greek I don't think, but I realized I haven't been getting my fair share of seafood these past few weeks, especially being so close to the water! When I finished my meal and asked for the cheque the man said "in a few minutes". At first I just chalked it up to the Greek "friendliness" (ie. the man at the archeological museum today)- but no, he was ACTUALLY being friendly! He brought over a glass of ouzo for me to enjoy! This was not a small shot like I've typically seen, but a glass of it watered down with ice. It was my first time having ouzo in Greece (weird, I know, but I've kept getting shots of raki instead!) and I gotta admit, it was quite enjoyable!

The plan for tomorrow: I'm thinking about renting a car so I can check out the rest of the island...thats dependant on how much it is (unfortunately I haven't met anyone I could split it with!). And if I'm feeling crazy, I might go for a run! I have been eating sooo much food these past few days (there hasn't been much else to do!) so I figure I might as well get a jump start on the fitness regime I have to get back to when I go home!

Love, Dianna

Day 54: Off to Naxos!

Last night I got to sleep in a double bed for the first time on my trip- how luxurious! But, I also had to have a cold shower so that kind of brought me back to reality. I didn't have much planned for today- I had pretty much seen everything I wanted to on the island so the question was: how was I going to kill a few hours before my ferry? I decided to climb a mountain! I had seen it on our walk from Thira to Oia the other day and I thought it looked so cool. It only took me about 45 minutes to get there from Thira- and I had some company from a random dog that appeared out of nowhere! He ended up following me up the mountain and back down again...and all the way back to Thira! I named him Costas (had to go with something truly Greek).


After only having a gyro last night I wanted a really nice meal before I left Santorini. Don't get me wrong I love gyros- and they're so cheap!- but there is so much other stuff I still need to try and my time in Greek is quickly coming to a close! (Side note about gyros: I'm not sure if its a Greek thing or I just haven't eaten very many back home, but whenever you order a gyro here you get fries IN it! It's an odd, yet delightful thing- we need to bring this to Canada!) For lunch I had Soutzoukakia - meatballs in a tomato sauce served with rice (but I think you can also get it with potatoes or pasta. It was delicious! I gobbled up the whole thing...oh, how I love Greece!


I caught the 2:30 bus down to the port to catch my 3:30 ferry. We arrived about a half hour late into Naxos- I was supposed to have a ride waiting for me at the port but that didn't happen. Since I was expecting to be picked up I didn't have an address or directions to the place. Fortunately all the people I asked kept telling me to just walk straight- so thats what I did and I eventually found the hotel. Luckily I didn't splurge for the private room- my dorm room seems to be empty besides me! Its kinda nice, but at the same time it would nice to meet some people!

Not much on the agenda for tonight- now that it gets dark so early it really cuts into my sightseeing time! I did go out to get some groceries, though. But for some reason none of the supermarkets I went to had fresh bread (just some weird looking packaged stuff) and the meat and cheese were crazy expensive, so my idea of making sandwiches for lunch got thrown out the window. I did manage to pick up some things for dinner though including stuffed peppers and tomatoes...in a can! They also had stuffed wineleaves in a can, and MOUSAKA in a can! I don't even want to know how that would taste....I'm happy to report that the stuffed tomatoes and peppers were actually quite good! I can only imagine what it would be like in a good restaurant!


Love, Dianna

Day 53: Santorini...By Boat!

This was my last full day in Santorini and I wanted to spend it doing one of the many boat tours that are offered here. But first I had to worry about checking out of my hotel in Parissa, getting the bus to Thira, dropping off my stuff at my new hotel, finding a travel agency to buy tickets and of course make my way down to the port to catch the tour. Needless to say, I figured I better wake up extra early today. (especially when the buses are not exactly reliable!) Luckily the bus came on time and I managed to get everything done plus walk down to the port with half an hour to spare. And guess what? You know how I thought the donkey rides up and down from the port were finished for the season? Turns out, they're not! It was a Monday when Arlyn and I did our walk...I guess that's they're day off! There were literally a hundred donkeys on the path! Even though I was tempted to hop on one of them, I decided to just walk down and then take a donkey on the way back up after my boat tour (more on that later).

The first stop on the boat tour was the volcano. We didn't have much time- only enough to walk up to the top and back down again, but it was cool to see Santorini from a different angle, plus our guide told us a lot of interesting facts! Like did you know that all of the islands of Santorini are actually just volcanos?? And all the villages on the main island (Oia, Thira, etc) were all formed by separate volcanos too!



Our next stop was the hot springs. I did bring my bathing suit but I didn't end up going in the water- for a bunch of reasons! 1) We were running late so we only had 15 minutes there. 2) the boat couldn't dock anywhere so you had to jump in the water that was around 17 degrees and then swim to the hot springs. 3) I didn't have a towel so I didn't want to deal with wet clothes, wet hair, etc. I know, kind of lame excuses but I gotta leave something for when I come back! (Update: Talked to a few people that went in- turns out the hot springs were more like "lukewarm springs"! Glad I stayed on the boat!)


We then headed to Thirassia- part of Santorini but its on its own little island. It had a steep walkway going up from the port to the village just Thira does, but our guide said that there probably weren't any restaurants open up there, so we just stayed by the water to grab some lunch.

It was then back to Thira where our tour began...and where I could finally get my donkey ride! It cost 5 euro and was definitely way cooler than taking the cable car (and way easier than walking up!) It was the funniest thing ever- being herded up this path on a donkey (which was going in every which direction, just doing its own thing!) I'm not sure if the donkeys enjoyed themselves but I had fun- and it sure beat walking the 587 steps all the way up!


Love, Dianna

Day 52: Parissa and Thira...and Back Again!

I have noticed a few things about Santorini since I arrived. Firstly, there's the million and one supermarkets- how many groceries does one person need?! As well, there are a ton of wineries and art galleries (some of them are even combined, like the one I visited on Monday!). When I first got here I didn't notice all the grape vined they had- that's because they are a little different here. Due to the harsh winds they sometimes get, they wrap the vines in circles on the ground! And finally, another thing that seems to be in excess: gas stations! I wouldn't think that many would be necessary for an island this small!

Well as soon as I hopped into bed last night I heard the rain begin. What the heck?! I thought my plans of a beach day would be ruined, but when I woke up this morning the sun was shining! I enjoyed my breakfast on the balcony and then walked to the bakery for some snacks for the day (that was the only exercise I was planning on doing today!) Then it was off to the beautiful black sand beach of Parissa. The beach was deserted- how could it not be packed on a day like today?? Oh well, nothing was going to stop me from taking advantage of a perfect day to RELAX.


Around lunchtime I walked back to the hotel to have something to eat (from the yummy bakery, of course!) I had planned on hanging out by pool for a bit, but it started to cloud over and the winds began to pick up. Can I not have one FULL day of sunshine?! I then decided to head into Thira- I wanted to find acccommodations there for tomorrow night, as well check out prices for a boat tour tomorrow. I guess I have been spoiled with the rental car these past few days- I waited for the bus for over an HOUR! When I finally got into town I managed to find a place for tomorrow- not as cheap as what I'm paying now, but still crazy cheap! I am paying 12 euros for the hotel here in Parissa (even though Arlyn left last night they didn't charge me more!) and in Thira I will be paying 18 euros. For a hotel room!!! Ridiculous!

A quiet night for me tonight- its been quite a while since I've been on my own so its nice to just have some "me" time and not have to talk anyone! I had a massive Greek salad for dinner- it could have probably fed a family of 4 (yet I managed to eat the whole thing) then just relaxed watching TV. Well that actually didn't last long because the only English channel I get is BBC and they keep repeating the same stories every 5 minutes!

Less than 3 weeks to go on my trip....ahhhh!

Love, Dianna

Day 51: Santorini...On Foot!

What is the best way to wake up in the morning? With sunshine in your face! I couldn't help being in a good mood- finally some good weather! Our first stop of the day was Ancient Thira- which was a 45 minute hike uphill to get there! We actually didn't even go into the ruins (we didn't want to pay the 2 euros) but we got some great views (we could see both sides of the island from there!) and we got an amazing workout (now I can eat even MORE pastries!)

After we hiked back down the hill we went to check out Parissa Beach- one of the most popular beaches on the island and famous for its black sand. We didn't stay there long (Arlyn is leaving tonight so we want to fit in as much as possible today!) instead we headed back to the hotel for a quick lunch (I had a Greek favourite- yogurt and honey!) and then we drove to Red Beach. As you may have guessed from the name, yes the sand is red! It was another one of those beaches where you had to hike quite a bit to get to it but definitely worth it!


Once again, our time there was short. After laying on the sand for about an hour we got down to our next order of business- walking from Thira to Oia. It's about a 10km walk that takes about 2 hours but the views are said to be spectacular. As soon as we hopped in the car to go to Thira some rainshowers began. What the heck?! They came out of nowhere! Luckily by the time we got there the rain had stopped. Our walk started off great- the trail was pretty flat and the scenery was amazing. We passed through a few little towns and took tons of pictures (I had to resist from taking too many. It seemed like everywhere I turned it was another gorgeous shot!) As we neared the 2-hour mark we realized that there was no way we would make it to Oia in that timeline. We wanted to make it there for sunset (it is said to be the nicest spot on the island for it!) so we kicked it into high gear to make it in time. When we got to Oia it was just about at the 3-hour mark (I don't know where my information about "2 hours" came from!) but we did make it in time for the sunset- although it wasn't even that great because a few clouds decided to block the view.



By the time we got into town we were STARVED. We found a great restaurant and went crazy- not only because we were so hungry after walking 10km but also because it was Arlyn's last night in Santorini! To start we had zucchini fritters and stuffed peppers, then for the main course I had Yiouvetsi- beef with orzo pasta in tomato sauce with parmesan cheese on top- delish!


There was no way we were walking the 10km BACK to to get our car so we got the bus to Thira and then headed to Parissa. Our splurging wasn't done quite yet- we stopped by the bakery by our hotel and got some yummy desserts- 2 types of baklava- yum!


After walking sooo much today it is definitely early to bed, and a relaxing day tomorrow. I really hope the weather is nice so I can jsut hang out on the beach ALL DAY!

Love, Dianna

Day 50: Exploring Santorini!

We had our fingers crossed that the weather would be a bit better today...but it definitely didn't start out that way! We had planned on renting 4-wheelers to cruise around the island with- but since it was raining we decided to rent a car instead. We first needed some fuel- not only for the car but also for ourselves! We stopped by this amazing bakery and picked up some snacks, then headed to Kamari. We went to this amazing art gallery that was IN one of the oldest wineries on the island. The Greek man giving us the tour had such a thick accent I couldn't understand what he was saying half the time, but it was so cool to see all this modern art in these old wine caverns (plus the wine tasting at the end didn't hurt!) We then checked out the beach area of Kamari (FYI the rain had stopped by that point- yay!) I'm not sure if it was the weather or the time of year but pretty much everything was closed! Up next was Ancient Thira...or so we thought. On our way there we discovered that its closed on Mondays- I guess we will just have to do it tomorrow then! Next stop was Thira. We wandered around the town and headed down a looong path to the old port. You have a choice of taking a cable car back up (or in the summer they have donkey rides!) but we decided to walk back up again (had to work off those pastries somehow!)



For dinner we visited an Authentic Greek restaurant. We shared some Calamari to start then I had some yummy lamb in lemon sauce- and then we went all out and got dessert two doors down at a little cafe. Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate- it was heavenly!


Afterwards we headed back to the hotel- we both needed to use the internet and figure out our next stops on our journeys. It looks like I might have it all sorted out now- my new plan (I think this is revision 24!) is to stay in Santorini until the weekend (hopefully the weather will get better so I can enjoy some beach time!), then head to Naxos for a few days, and then back to Athens. I have contacted the airline and they said I could cancel my first flight from Mykonos to Athens and just take the Athens to London flight...with no extra charges!

I gotta admit I'm a little bummed about how this last leg of my trip has turned out. The Greek Islands was supposed to be the highlight for me and it seems like nothing has gone according to plan since I got here! Its very frustrating because all the guidebooks say "Don't go to Greece in July or August!" but nowhere does it say that after mid-October everything pretty much shuts down! Basically, September is the only good month to come...kinda regretting not doing this at the beginning of my trip but what can ya do! Live it, learn it! I'll definitely have to come back one day and do it right...spend like a whole month just touring around the islands...in September, of course!



Love, Dianna

Day 49: Santorini Sooner Than Expected!

Another girl at my hostel, Arlyn, and myself had planned on taking the bus to Hania today to check out the town...but unfortunately it was STILL raining when we woke up this morning. We figured it wasn't the best weather to be sightseeing so we decided to hang out at the hostel until it let up. But that never happened! The thunderstorms continues for most of the day...leaving us with not much to do but play cards! For a brief moment the rain let up so a few of us decided to head to a travel agency so we could figure out the ferry schedules. Arlyn and I were both planning on heading to Santorini either tomorrow or Tuesday but upon seeing the prices we changed our plan! The ferry prices for those days were 42 euros- BUT if we were to leave TONIGHT it would only cost us 16 euros. Although we didn't really want to leave that soon we couldn't pass up that price so we booked our ticket for the evening ferry. We were both a little bummed about leaving the hostel so soon- we had made some good friends (we were all planning ong going to see a movie tonight!) but I've realized that sometimes the ferry schedule makes your decisions for you! Once we had figured out our plan we were a little rushed for time (the ferry was leaving from Iraklio which is 1.5 hours away from Rethymno!)...that was until someone filled us in that it was daylight savings that morning so we actually had another hour to spare! We were very excited about that because that meant we had time to go to our favourite gyro place before we left (I had the falafel pita- so good!)

By 3:45 we were on the bus to Iraklio and by 6:20 we were on the ferry to Santorini. This boat was definitely not as nice as the one I took from Athens- maybe it was the rainy weather but we were rocking all over the place! Luckily I took some Gravol as soon as we got on board so no sea sickness for me! Another thing that made the boat ride a little "uncomfortable"? The fact that they were playing "Titanic" on the TV. I mean, you would think that they would avoid playing movies about ships sinking, right?! Anyways, we made it to Santorini safe and sound (avoiding all icebergs). We had a free shuttle from the port in Fira to our accommodation in Parissa (which is on the other side of the island) so our ride was waiting for us when we arrived. We were pretty impressed with our room- its pretty much a hotel room with 2 single beds, private bathroom, TV and balcony for only 12 euro each! What a steal!

Hopefully the weather will get a bit better- the rain seems to have stopped (although there is still a ton of lightning happening!) It was dark out when we got her so we couldn't really see any of the beautiful scenery yet- but we can't wait for tomorrow!

Love, Dianna

Day 48: Cruising Around Crete!

The plan for today- more BEACH! But this time we wanted to check out something new. Myself along with 4 other people from my hostel decided that instead of staying in Rethymno we would head to Palm Beach down on the south side of the island. We figured that renting a car would be cheaper and more convenient than taking the bus- so thats what we did!

Getting to Palm Beach is not that easy...for the last 5km o have to drive on a winding dirt road on the side of a cliff. Then once you reach the end of the road you have to walk another 500m to actually get to the beach! It was definitely worth the effort though- its like a little hidden treasure! Palm Beach is said to be the most photographed beach on Crete- of course I added to that number! Unfortunately the weather wasn't cooperating with us. It was quite cloudy when we got there- that soon turned to a few rain drops (no downpours though!) We explored the Palm Forest for a while, then decided that since it wasn't exactly sun bathing weather we would head out and drive to the nearby town of Plakias.



It turned out be not so much an exploration of the town but a very yummy meal by the water. I tried the mousaka and it was amazing! I wasn't sure what to expect but it was kind of like a Greek version of a shepherd's pie. To finish off the meal they brought over a shot of raki- also known as "fire water". Now THAT is some unpleasant stuff!


We then drove back to Rethymno and returned the rental car. Pretty much as soon as we made it home the skies opened- and stayed that way for the rest of the night! To add to the not-so-nice weather: 1) I discovered that the Samarian Gorge which I really wanted to see is going to be closed for the next few days because of the rain, and they will probably even close it for the season because of this weather! and 2) the beginnings of my cold which was just a pesky cough has now turned into a runny nose as well- not fun at all! Early to bed for me tonight- hopefully I feel better tomorrow!

Love, Dianna

Day 47: Life On An Island....

Well I never realized how luxurious a ferry could be! I felt like I was on a fancy cruise ship! (Just like the Titanic but without the whole sinking part). I'm glad I didn't splurge for the cabin because I was more than comfortable in my seat. The section I was in was virtually empty so everyone was able to spread out and sleep- which I think I did for most of the trip! We arrived on the island of Crete at 5am- the boat docked in Chania but I had booked accommodations in Rethymno. Fortunately the bus I needed was sitting right where we unloaded so there were no problems getting to Rethymno. We got there just after 6am- still dark and still really early! I hung out at te bus station for a bit because: 1) I didn't want to be wandering around a new town in the dark all by myself, and 2) I didn't know if the hostel would even be open yet! Just before 7am I decide to head out and find my hostel. It was still dark and my directions were vague so of course I got lost. After asking a few people and no one hearing ANY idea what I was talking about, I finally found someone who knew EXACTLY where it was. (by that point I was actually right around the corner from it!) I arrived only to find the reception doesn't open until 8. Oh well, at least I made it in one piece! Fortunately when they finally showed up my room was ready so I was able to sleep for a few hours before heading out to explore the town.

Before I could do that though, I wanted to book my tickets for the ferries. I had decided to only go to Crete, Santorini and Mykonos- I figured they are the most popular islands so I wouldn't have to worry about being the only one there! Unfortunately my new plan doesn't look like it will work out too well! Although the lady said she doesn't have the final schedule for next week, she can't see ANY ferries going from Santorini to Mykonos. (I checked online when I got back to the hostel and I couldn't find any either...) So I'm hoping either the schedule will change or I'll have to figure out a new plan! Normally I wouldn't be too worried but I HAVE to go to Mykonos because I fly out of there! Once again, keeping my fingers crossed it all works out!

I had planned on doing a little sightseeing but since I was a little bummed about my ferry dilemma I decided to just go to the beach instead! Ah, just what I needed to relax! After a few hours of laying on the sand I decided to head back to the hostel to change and THEN go sightseeing. I wandered around the town- very cute!- and then headed back home again. I met some people in the hostel so we all went out to dinner together- more yummy gyros for me tonight! Tomorrow we are all planning to go to a beach on the south side of the island...hopefully the weather permits!



Love, Dianna

Day 46: The Acropolis...and so much more!

I've had the chance to spend a little bit more time in Athens and I have to stand by my earlier statement- the city is wonderful! I honestly have NO idea what other people are talking about! I wish I could stay here longer I am having such a good time! (Update: Just talked to the girl at the front desk. She says there is an area of town that has really cheap but really nice hotels so many people stay there....unfortunately its a really sketchy neighbourhood! So maybe THAT'S where people are getting their bad impression of Athens!)

I set my alarm for 8am this morning because I knew I had a busy day of sightseeing ahead of me. (PS. My dorm bed/pillow were the most comfortable things I have slept on this whole trip! Another reason why I don't want to leave!) I visited the Roman Agora, then headed up to the Acropolis. Luckily I went when I did because it was packed! Unfortunately a lot of it was under restoration but it was still incredible to see- and great views from way up there! After that I checked out even more sights: the Theatre of Dionysos, Andrianou's Gate and the Ancient Agora. It still amazes me how all these things are still around after so many years. Especially such fragile things like pottery that they've managed to piece back together- incredible! All these places (Rome, Pompeii and here in Athens) makes me think how cool an archeologist's job must be. Imagine the feeling of discovering something buried beneath the ground, cleaning it off, figuring out its purpose, how old it is, etc- must be exhilerating! I don't know, maybe if the radio thing doesn't work out I could do that instead! Ha Ha! I have to admit- I think I enjoyed the ruins here better than Rome! But maybe that's just because I have been to Rome before and I didn't have very high expectations of Athens. Either way, its definitely worth checking out!

After grabbing a quick lunch at the hostel I headed back out again- I saw Hadrian's Library, the Acropolis Museum (they have so many artifacts its ridiculous!) and I also did a little shopping! I swear, its the last thing I will buy! (It has to be because I have no room for anything else!) I found a cute pair of sandals for 15 euro- a lot cheaper than the 40 euro ones I've been seeing! I then headed home just in time to catch the sunset on the rooftop patio- beautiful! (I apologize, I've been using the words beautiful, amazing and incredible way too much in my blog posts- but thats the only way to describe everything!) As much as I would love to stick around Athens a little bit longer, my overnight gerry to Crete leaves at 9pm. And I have heard many great things about the island so I don't think I will be sad for too long!




Love, Dianna