My Wanderlust: #2: Greece, Summer 2008

In the summer of 2008, I went on the most incredible trip to 3 places in Greece. I was only 17 when I went, and now I'm 24, so I'm probably writing this way too late to remember a lot of things, but I'll tell you what I do remember. I went with my Dad, step mom, and one of my sisters. My other sister and my brother were very little, so they stayed home. I would always suggest leaving small children at home for extravagant vacations, especially when they don't specifically cater to children.

Traveling through Europe is easy for Americans, because most places, such as Greece, don't require you to have a visa, but you must have a passport. Now, as far as food goes, definitely try out Greek food. They have amazing crepes and my all time favorite Greek food, Moussaka. My favorite Moussaka is Eggplant Moussaka. Gyros are good too. Check out lamb gyros. Now, remember, 18 is the drinking age in Greece, so if you bring your teenage son/daughter with you, let him/her drink! It's an experience they won't get to have until they turn 21 back in the United States. So let them have this. Just make sure to stay with them the whole night, and don't turn them loose. You can play D.D. for them for at least one night, and they don't even have to get drunk. At least let them have one drink. I had a lot of shots when I was in Greece, and I never got drunk, but I had a great time. Also, you should check out the nude beaches in Greece. They are not sexy at all, but they will give you lots of good laughs, and you'll have a lot to tell people when you get home. And you don't have to go naked. You can go completely dressed, but you'll see a lot! Also, swim in the Mediterranean Sea or, if possible, the Aegean Sea! You may not get another chance to do it in a long time, so check it out. The water's fine! As for where to stay, check out hostels. They are very cheap, and you can even get a cheap private room. That will make your money go farther. As far as the time of year to go, I believe I went during the end of May and beginning of June, and it was beautiful and warm but not too hot.

The first city my family and I went to was Athens, a classic. We stayed at a hotel overlooking the Parthenon on top of the Acropolis, which was amazing. Try to stay somewhere near the Parthenon, because that's where a ton of things to see and do are. It's a lot of walking, but not as much as if you were to stay a ways away from the city center. We did a lot of sight-seeing, mostly through tours. I would only suggest doing tours if you're afraid to venture out on your own or are bad with directions. If you like to explore, however, do it all on your own. It's a lot more fun and saves you time to do what you really want to do, not just what the tour takes you to do. Definitely climb to the top of the Acropolis to see the Parthenon. Definitely go see the Temple of Athena and the Temple of Poseidon. See as many temples as you can, as well as the Greek Colosseum. There is amazing architecture all over Greece, so make sure to see everything you can while you're there. If you like shoes, check out the sandal shops in Athens. The Greeks make the cutest strappy sandals. I bought a pair, but my sister stole them from and never returned them, although she will tell you otherwise. Anyway, I miss those shoes! Also, go see The Poet/The Sandalmaker if you like shoes. He's very famous in Greece and makes some neat shoes. He is not a must-do, but if you like shoes, I recommend paying him a visit. Check out as many outdoor cafes as you can. They are beautiful. However, homeless people will constantly come around and try to sell you things. The weirdest thing a guy ever tried to sell to me was a brillo pad, of which he demonstrated the use by rubbing on his feet. Gross. Yes, please, I'll take 10! These people don't speak English, so just ignore them. Also, children will come around and beg for food, so if you want to help them out, don't give them money. Instead, give them your leftovers if you aren't going to eat them. They will be extremely happy, take it from my personal experience.

The second place we went to was an island called Santorini, Greece. It was amazing! You know how you see pictures of steep cliffs with amazing blue and white houses going all the way down the cliffs? Santorini is where you'll see these. My dad and I rode donkeys up a mountain here, and my family and I climbed a volcano. There are all kinds of nice family-owned hotels/hostels for to stay in Santorini. They will be a lot cheaper than the big, name-brand hotels. Don't worry about those. That's just not how you're supposed to kick it in Santorini.

The third place we went to was Crete, Greece, which is another island, but we must not have spent much time there, because all I remember is meeting two really buff men at an outside cafe. I'm pretty sure they were in the Olympics or something. And the other thing I remember is seeing a Greek show with lots of wine and dancing. I'm not really sure about a lot to do in Crete, but honestly, I would suggest spending more time in Athens and Santorini. And there are a lot of other cool cities to see in Greece, such as Delphi if you like architecture and archaeology, as well as Sparta if you want to check out cities from old Greek mythology. While you're in Greece, you should also go to Istanbul, Turkey to see Hagia Sophia, other mosques, palaces, basilicas, and some amazing architecture. I wish I had done that. I know I will someday!

I'm sure there's a lot more to do in Greece, but this trip was a long time ago, so I don't remember every little detail from it. I know I loved it and want to go back, that's for sure! Anyway, let me know if you have anymore questions about this trip or need any advice. I highly recommend this trip. It's my favorite European country of the 4 European countries I've visited, and it's one of my favorite countries in the world that I've ever visited.