Thursday, April 19, 2007
Day 9- Our last day in Greece
The morning began with a bittersweet farewell to Jay and Emily, our fabulous travel companions, as they headed off to Munich and Salzburg for the last leg of their trip.
Finding ourselves with a whole day left in Athens, Jack and I headed out to catch in some sights that we missed yesterday, beginning with the Temple of Zeus, which turned out to be down the street from our hotel. You'd figure that a temple to Zeus, Greek God of all Greek gods, would be more of a draw, but this is pretty much what's left of it. It's only briefly mentioned in my Frommer's guide.
From the temple, we took a 15 minute walk to Kolonaki, the trendy neighborhood you go to see and be seen. It's a super posh shopping district filled with expensive stores and many things that were way out of our price budget, and since it was noontime on a Saturday, it was jammed with wealthy Athenians, sporting their leather jackets, stylish sunglasses and ritzy cars. We were able to find a nice cafe for lunch (we were only able to get seats because we sat inside, whereas everyone else was sitting in the jam packed sidewalk patio) and ordered our last (sniff sniff) Greek salad, this one loaded with rusk, a crispy bread from Crete and tons of Feta.
After lunch, we hiked a steep street and caught a funicular ride up to Lykavvitos Hill, a vantage point from where we were awed by panoramic views of the entire city.
On our way down, we stopped by the flea market, a few long streets crammed with small vendors selling pretty much everything.
And also made our last loukoumades stop, this time at a cafe called Doris. The place was on a desolate side street and the name was written in Greek letters (thank goodness we took Calculus in high school!) and the entire menu was Greek to me, but all we had to say were 2 words- "Loukoumades please!" and a broad grin spread across our waiter's face. They made them fresh for us, 5 to a plate, and since it was our last day, we each ordered 1! They were definitely the lightest and crispiest ones we've eaten so far, but also by far the oiliest, and who would have guessed, beer washes down an oily loukoumadi really well! Forget the coffee!
We stopped by Fantasy Travel to see if Dina, the terrific agent who worked with us for this trip was in, but she had the weekend off. All we can say is, if you go to Greece, book your trip with these guys! It beats the hassle of trying to figure out the mysterious and everchanging ferry schedules on your own, and Dina was super friendly, organized and patient with all of my questions. And no, I'm not being paid to advertise. They were super!
On our way back to our hotel, we stopped by the Olympic stadium, where the games were held just a few years ago. From the street, it doesn't look that big, but when you actually look inside, holy cow! It's like an Olympic stadium!
We took a short rest back at our hotel, and then headed out for our last night on the town. For this occasion, Jack had done some research and booked us a dinner at Spondi, which earned a Michelin star last year. We were seated in a beautiful stone cellar with vaulted ceilings, accented by some interesting chandeliers. And at 8:30pm, we were the first diners for the evening. Most people didn't show up for dinner until after 10:30pm, which is true for most of Europe.
A 7 course eating extravaganza ensued... below is a picture of our amuse bouche, which doesn't count in the 7 courses, as, apparently, neither did 3 other small plates of food that appeared before us!
We rolled out of Spondi just after midnight, slightly drunk, much too full, and joyfully delirious with the memories and experiences of the past week and a half. Greece was like a dream.
When I tell my students where I went over spring break, I find myself trying my hardest to convey the beauty of the white washed houses, the turquoise blue roofs, the magical sunsets, the warmth of the people... but inevitably someone will say, "Isn't that where that movie '300' took place," or, "Hercules is from Greece, right?" And so, instead, my 2nd graders walked out of my room today, remembering most of all, that in Greece, there is a magical food called loukoumades, and that Mrs. Chen ate a whole bunch of them over spring break.
The morning began with a bittersweet farewell to Jay and Emily, our fabulous travel companions, as they headed off to Munich and Salzburg for the last leg of their trip.
Finding ourselves with a whole day left in Athens, Jack and I headed out to catch in some sights that we missed yesterday, beginning with the Temple of Zeus, which turned out to be down the street from our hotel. You'd figure that a temple to Zeus, Greek God of all Greek gods, would be more of a draw, but this is pretty much what's left of it. It's only briefly mentioned in my Frommer's guide.
From the temple, we took a 15 minute walk to Kolonaki, the trendy neighborhood you go to see and be seen. It's a super posh shopping district filled with expensive stores and many things that were way out of our price budget, and since it was noontime on a Saturday, it was jammed with wealthy Athenians, sporting their leather jackets, stylish sunglasses and ritzy cars. We were able to find a nice cafe for lunch (we were only able to get seats because we sat inside, whereas everyone else was sitting in the jam packed sidewalk patio) and ordered our last (sniff sniff) Greek salad, this one loaded with rusk, a crispy bread from Crete and tons of Feta.
After lunch, we hiked a steep street and caught a funicular ride up to Lykavvitos Hill, a vantage point from where we were awed by panoramic views of the entire city.
On our way down, we stopped by the flea market, a few long streets crammed with small vendors selling pretty much everything.
And also made our last loukoumades stop, this time at a cafe called Doris. The place was on a desolate side street and the name was written in Greek letters (thank goodness we took Calculus in high school!) and the entire menu was Greek to me, but all we had to say were 2 words- "Loukoumades please!" and a broad grin spread across our waiter's face. They made them fresh for us, 5 to a plate, and since it was our last day, we each ordered 1! They were definitely the lightest and crispiest ones we've eaten so far, but also by far the oiliest, and who would have guessed, beer washes down an oily loukoumadi really well! Forget the coffee!
We stopped by Fantasy Travel to see if Dina, the terrific agent who worked with us for this trip was in, but she had the weekend off. All we can say is, if you go to Greece, book your trip with these guys! It beats the hassle of trying to figure out the mysterious and everchanging ferry schedules on your own, and Dina was super friendly, organized and patient with all of my questions. And no, I'm not being paid to advertise. They were super!
On our way back to our hotel, we stopped by the Olympic stadium, where the games were held just a few years ago. From the street, it doesn't look that big, but when you actually look inside, holy cow! It's like an Olympic stadium!
We took a short rest back at our hotel, and then headed out for our last night on the town. For this occasion, Jack had done some research and booked us a dinner at Spondi, which earned a Michelin star last year. We were seated in a beautiful stone cellar with vaulted ceilings, accented by some interesting chandeliers. And at 8:30pm, we were the first diners for the evening. Most people didn't show up for dinner until after 10:30pm, which is true for most of Europe.
A 7 course eating extravaganza ensued... below is a picture of our amuse bouche, which doesn't count in the 7 courses, as, apparently, neither did 3 other small plates of food that appeared before us!
We rolled out of Spondi just after midnight, slightly drunk, much too full, and joyfully delirious with the memories and experiences of the past week and a half. Greece was like a dream.When I tell my students where I went over spring break, I find myself trying my hardest to convey the beauty of the white washed houses, the turquoise blue roofs, the magical sunsets, the warmth of the people... but inevitably someone will say, "Isn't that where that movie '300' took place," or, "Hercules is from Greece, right?" And so, instead, my 2nd graders walked out of my room today, remembering most of all, that in Greece, there is a magical food called loukoumades, and that Mrs. Chen ate a whole bunch of them over spring break.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Day 8- The Birthplace of Democracy
Our day in Athens... for some reason, I heard from several sources that Athens was boring, dirty and congested, and that it really wasn't worth a visit of more than 1 or 2 days. We actually found it to be quite the contrary. It was pretty tough packing in all of the sites into a single day. Instead of finding it boring and dirty, the skies were blue, the birds were chirping, and the air was perfumed by the fragrance of orange blossoms! We found several cool neighborhoods and districts that were quaint and festive, and everywhere we turned, we saw ancient ruins. What's not to like? It's the Parthenon!
And the Theatre of Dionysus...
And this ancient temple, held up by the Caryatids, these lovely women with the roof on their heads, a sacred place of worship to Athena and Poseidon...
And the Ancient Agora, where Socrates drank his hemlock, and St. Peter witnessed to the Greeks, and the idea of democracy was debated and founded...
All that in one morning... time for lunch at a cafe in Syntagma Square, and a moment to figure out what's next!
Just in time for the changing of the guards in front of Parliament!
Emily and I with the Greek guard, trying to look just as stern.
Then on to the National Archeological Museum, which we pose in front of... this picture was funnier when we were actually taking it... it's hard to see the statues that we're imitating in the background. But they're there! Really!
Ancient figurines made out of bronze...
Marble Statue of Aprhodite swatting away an amorous Pan with her sandal.
Another loukomades run, this time at Krina's, a cafe which supposedly sets the standard for all loukamades... check out the giant honey stick! Delicious! Light, crispy and airy, with a slightly doughy center.
Roaming through Omonia Square, we stumble upon the Central market, which is a giant meat market, in every sense of the phrase.
But they also sell some beautiful produce... Greek olives really are to die for.
Jack and I headed out for a pre-dinner drink at a cafe near our hotel, as Jay and Emily took their siesta.
For dinner, we headed to the Gazi district, still somewhat of a transitional neighborhood, but with some cool new restaurants, bars and galleries filling in the holes. A fabulous dinner at Mamacas, sitting on this beautiful patio beneath the flickering lights.
And enjoying some last moments together before catching a taxi back to our hotel.
Our day in Athens... for some reason, I heard from several sources that Athens was boring, dirty and congested, and that it really wasn't worth a visit of more than 1 or 2 days. We actually found it to be quite the contrary. It was pretty tough packing in all of the sites into a single day. Instead of finding it boring and dirty, the skies were blue, the birds were chirping, and the air was perfumed by the fragrance of orange blossoms! We found several cool neighborhoods and districts that were quaint and festive, and everywhere we turned, we saw ancient ruins. What's not to like? It's the Parthenon!
And the Theatre of Dionysus...
And this ancient temple, held up by the Caryatids, these lovely women with the roof on their heads, a sacred place of worship to Athena and Poseidon...
And the Ancient Agora, where Socrates drank his hemlock, and St. Peter witnessed to the Greeks, and the idea of democracy was debated and founded...
All that in one morning... time for lunch at a cafe in Syntagma Square, and a moment to figure out what's next!
Just in time for the changing of the guards in front of Parliament!
Emily and I with the Greek guard, trying to look just as stern.
Then on to the National Archeological Museum, which we pose in front of... this picture was funnier when we were actually taking it... it's hard to see the statues that we're imitating in the background. But they're there! Really!
Ancient figurines made out of bronze...
Marble Statue of Aprhodite swatting away an amorous Pan with her sandal.
Another loukomades run, this time at Krina's, a cafe which supposedly sets the standard for all loukamades... check out the giant honey stick! Delicious! Light, crispy and airy, with a slightly doughy center.
Roaming through Omonia Square, we stumble upon the Central market, which is a giant meat market, in every sense of the phrase.
But they also sell some beautiful produce... Greek olives really are to die for.
Jack and I headed out for a pre-dinner drink at a cafe near our hotel, as Jay and Emily took their siesta.
For dinner, we headed to the Gazi district, still somewhat of a transitional neighborhood, but with some cool new restaurants, bars and galleries filling in the holes. A fabulous dinner at Mamacas, sitting on this beautiful patio beneath the flickering lights.
And enjoying some last moments together before catching a taxi back to our hotel.
Day 7- Farewell to Santorini
Our last day in Santorini was bittersweet- we woke up to a cloudy morning, and being depressed already at the prospect of leaving the island only seemed to make the day a bit chillier. Alas, we decided to check out something indoors for a change, and headed to the Museum of Prehistoric Thera, and then to the Archeology Museum. Both were pretty small, housing ancient artifacts found in the islands of Greece.
Since we finished touring the museums so quickly, we wandered through the streets of Fira, stopping to admire a lovely pastry shop which claimed that it had been making a special pastry there since the 1800's! We decided to try this Greek specialty, called a Kalafati- it tasted to me like pan fried egg noodles drizzled in honey and topped with nuts!
For lunch, we tried out the "best gyro in town," according to our host Nikko. This is Lucky (yes, that's actually his name) shaving off the crispy bits of the largest wheel of pork rotisserie I've seen to date.
So was it actually the best gyro? Maybe in this town. We actually preferred the gyro in Mykonos, though I liked the crispy pieces of meat and the thick tatziki.
After lunch (which included another run to Loukamodoupolis for our favorite Greek treat), we spotted a stone staircase path that led from the top of the cliffs down to the port, and decided to work off all of the meals we had consumed so far on our trip. Over 580 steps later, we found ourselves down by the port, gazing up at the amazing rocky cliffs, with the traditional cave houses built into them.
On our way back up, we were charmed by a cafe owner who enticed us onto his patio with promises of cold drinks and a very delicious (but expensive!) cactus juice. Of course, we didn't know how much that drink cost until after we paid for it, at which point, Emily and I had both already ordered a second round! Tricky...
We spent hours on the patio that afternoon enjoying the glorious view (and savoring every last drop of that cactus juice... I even licked the straw), and then, suddenly it was time to go! Nikko, our beloved host, dropped us off at the airport to catch our evening flight back to Athens.
Back in the city with the islands behind us, we caught a late dinner at a taverna in Plaka, the old town part of Athens, near the Acropolis by our hotel. Tomorrow, the Parthenon!
Our last day in Santorini was bittersweet- we woke up to a cloudy morning, and being depressed already at the prospect of leaving the island only seemed to make the day a bit chillier. Alas, we decided to check out something indoors for a change, and headed to the Museum of Prehistoric Thera, and then to the Archeology Museum. Both were pretty small, housing ancient artifacts found in the islands of Greece.
Since we finished touring the museums so quickly, we wandered through the streets of Fira, stopping to admire a lovely pastry shop which claimed that it had been making a special pastry there since the 1800's! We decided to try this Greek specialty, called a Kalafati- it tasted to me like pan fried egg noodles drizzled in honey and topped with nuts!
For lunch, we tried out the "best gyro in town," according to our host Nikko. This is Lucky (yes, that's actually his name) shaving off the crispy bits of the largest wheel of pork rotisserie I've seen to date. 
So was it actually the best gyro? Maybe in this town. We actually preferred the gyro in Mykonos, though I liked the crispy pieces of meat and the thick tatziki.
After lunch (which included another run to Loukamodoupolis for our favorite Greek treat), we spotted a stone staircase path that led from the top of the cliffs down to the port, and decided to work off all of the meals we had consumed so far on our trip. Over 580 steps later, we found ourselves down by the port, gazing up at the amazing rocky cliffs, with the traditional cave houses built into them.
On our way back up, we were charmed by a cafe owner who enticed us onto his patio with promises of cold drinks and a very delicious (but expensive!) cactus juice. Of course, we didn't know how much that drink cost until after we paid for it, at which point, Emily and I had both already ordered a second round! Tricky...
We spent hours on the patio that afternoon enjoying the glorious view (and savoring every last drop of that cactus juice... I even licked the straw), and then, suddenly it was time to go! Nikko, our beloved host, dropped us off at the airport to catch our evening flight back to Athens.
Back in the city with the islands behind us, we caught a late dinner at a taverna in Plaka, the old town part of Athens, near the Acropolis by our hotel. Tomorrow, the Parthenon!
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Day 6- Ancient Thera and an afternoon at the Villa
Ancient Thera is a classical city from the 9th century BC, set up in the headlands high above the black sand beaches of Kamari town. The city was inhabited until the Byzantine period, and you can see evidence of buildings from this era, along with Hellenistic, and Roman styles. From the top of the ancient city, you get an amazing view of the coast and the southern end of the island.
We arrived at Thera at 9:30 AM, making sure to have plenty of time to wander through the ruins before the area closed at 2pm. Once again, our little put put car made it up the steep, narrow, switchback road, this time encountering some cars that were coming down the opposite way, which was interesting to say the least. We were greeted by a beautiful day and the aroma of wild thyme, growing between the rocky paths.
For lunch, we headed down to Kamari, and ate a pleasent meal at Cafe Classico cafe, situated on the promenade that stretches along the black sand beaches. In the summertime, the beaches are packed with sunbathers and sun umbrellas run for miles down the sand... on this day, just a few European tourists attempting to lie out in the cool wind.
After lunch, we headed back to the Villa and spent the rest of the afternoon napping, reading and playing card games. The place definitely induces the relaxation instinct.
A picture of our trusty little car...
And a gorgeous view of the Santorini sunset, with our villa in the foreground. What a day!
Ancient Thera is a classical city from the 9th century BC, set up in the headlands high above the black sand beaches of Kamari town. The city was inhabited until the Byzantine period, and you can see evidence of buildings from this era, along with Hellenistic, and Roman styles. From the top of the ancient city, you get an amazing view of the coast and the southern end of the island.
We arrived at Thera at 9:30 AM, making sure to have plenty of time to wander through the ruins before the area closed at 2pm. Once again, our little put put car made it up the steep, narrow, switchback road, this time encountering some cars that were coming down the opposite way, which was interesting to say the least. We were greeted by a beautiful day and the aroma of wild thyme, growing between the rocky paths.
For lunch, we headed down to Kamari, and ate a pleasent meal at Cafe Classico cafe, situated on the promenade that stretches along the black sand beaches. In the summertime, the beaches are packed with sunbathers and sun umbrellas run for miles down the sand... on this day, just a few European tourists attempting to lie out in the cool wind.
After lunch, we headed back to the Villa and spent the rest of the afternoon napping, reading and playing card games. The place definitely induces the relaxation instinct.
A picture of our trusty little car...
And a gorgeous view of the Santorini sunset, with our villa in the foreground. What a day!
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Day 5- Wandering the Santorini Crescent
The beautiful island of Santorini sits at the southern end of the Cyclades, a group of islands just south of Greece. Once upon a time, it was almost perfectly circular, but then a volcano erupted and blew a large portion of it underwater, leaving in place a spectacular crescent-shaped island crowned by tall, rocky cliffs showing off streaks of sedimentary layers like mocha swirl.
Our home away from home, the Villa Iantha, sits almost in the middle of the crescent high on the cliff above the bay facing the caldera. Somehow, we were booked in this incredible place which costs a third of what it costs in the normal high season. It has 2 bedrooms, a small sitting room and kitchenette and... it's own pool facing the sea. Yes. Totally ridiculous.
Jack and I took a brisk walk in the morning to an amazing bakery down the street, lured by the piles of breads and pastries overflowing from their baskets, oozing with the aromas of butter and yeast. Somehow, neither one of us had thought to bring any euros, and in the end, returned empty handed, sans breakfast. Emily and Jason laughed good naturedly, albeit hungrily, and we all hopped in the car and drove down, this time able to walk away with several of the pillowy sugared donuts and puffy breads. Fueled for the day, we were on our way.
First stop, a winery that we drove by which we made Jason make an illegal turn for to visit. Here is the view from the outside patio... the wine was decent, but we had a good time chatting with the Russian winemaker.
A great dinner back in Fira, the main village in Santorini at a family owned tavern called Nikolaus, and then, Loukamadoupolis! We'd passed this little shop earlier in the day, enticed by the towering pile of the loukoumades in the featured picture in the window, little balls of fried, doughy joy, drizzled in honey. The anticipation of these yummy delights made me and Emily especially excited, as you can tell from this picture. The owner of the shop made them fresh for us and seemed amused by our enthusiasm and also by the number of pictures Jack took of him as he made them.
A perfect way to end a fun filled, good food day.
The beautiful island of Santorini sits at the southern end of the Cyclades, a group of islands just south of Greece. Once upon a time, it was almost perfectly circular, but then a volcano erupted and blew a large portion of it underwater, leaving in place a spectacular crescent-shaped island crowned by tall, rocky cliffs showing off streaks of sedimentary layers like mocha swirl.
Our home away from home, the Villa Iantha, sits almost in the middle of the crescent high on the cliff above the bay facing the caldera. Somehow, we were booked in this incredible place which costs a third of what it costs in the normal high season. It has 2 bedrooms, a small sitting room and kitchenette and... it's own pool facing the sea. Yes. Totally ridiculous.
Jack and I took a brisk walk in the morning to an amazing bakery down the street, lured by the piles of breads and pastries overflowing from their baskets, oozing with the aromas of butter and yeast. Somehow, neither one of us had thought to bring any euros, and in the end, returned empty handed, sans breakfast. Emily and Jason laughed good naturedly, albeit hungrily, and we all hopped in the car and drove down, this time able to walk away with several of the pillowy sugared donuts and puffy breads. Fueled for the day, we were on our way.
First stop, a winery that we drove by which we made Jason make an illegal turn for to visit. Here is the view from the outside patio... the wine was decent, but we had a good time chatting with the Russian winemaker.
Next stop, the amazing red rock beach and cliffs above Perissa. The woman that Emily is taking a picture of is actually a UC Berkeley grad who was traveling by herself through the island on an ATV. Go Bears!
The rocks were all shades of burnt caramels and sienas, the water, frigid.
Lunch was at Melina's, an awesome, beachside, open-air cafe that served what we all considered to be our best meal since coming to Greece. Fried sardines, anchovies, and small mackeral with a side of fried Santorini tomatoes and grilled aubergine with garlic.
After lunch, we headed to ancient Thira, a town high above the black sand beaches of Kamari, accesible only by a narrow, gravelly, switchback road, which Jason navigated in our rented stick shift. But when we got there, it was closed! We saw a German couple who had managed the crazy road on a scooter, and were thoroughly impressed by their "it was no big deal" attitude. We decided to return the following morning. On to Ia, reputed to be the most beautiful village in all of Greece, and we arrived just in time for a sunset. There was a fantastic, little bookstore on the main cobblestoned pathway, interestingly enough opened up by a young american guy who was, ironically, moving to Oakland to teach with the Oakland Teaching Fellowship. Small world!
So most pictures you see of the Greek islands are probably taken in Ia. The incredible views made us feel like talented photographers! But I'm sure everyone else has the exact same pictures.
Jack, Emily and Jason, sitting at Kastro, the cafe from where we viewed the famous Ia sunset.
A great dinner back in Fira, the main village in Santorini at a family owned tavern called Nikolaus, and then, Loukamadoupolis! We'd passed this little shop earlier in the day, enticed by the towering pile of the loukoumades in the featured picture in the window, little balls of fried, doughy joy, drizzled in honey. The anticipation of these yummy delights made me and Emily especially excited, as you can tell from this picture. The owner of the shop made them fresh for us and seemed amused by our enthusiasm and also by the number of pictures Jack took of him as he made them.A perfect way to end a fun filled, good food day.
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