Okay so in a bid to not continue failing at being an amateur travel blogger I am making myself sit down and write about the glorious time I spent in Greece, having left Athens just three days ago.
I began my Greek adventure on the breathtaking island of Rhodes, the largest of all the Dodecanese Islands, easily accessed from Fethiye on the coast of Turkey. The journey from Turkey only took about two hours on a catamaran owned by a company called Blue Star Ferries but it cost a hefty €50 due to the high tax that Greek boats have to pay to dock at the harbour. This felt like a royal rip off, especially because Rhodes and Turkey are situated so close together that Turkey is actually visible from the beach in Rhodes. Nevertheless I had to suck it up and pay it or have to journey all the way back up to Istanbul in the hope of finding a cheap flight, a bus journey that I was not keen on, having just driven 12 hours overnight out of Gorëme.
From the coast of Rhodes Turkey is viewable in the distance.
In Rhodes I actually did not stay in a hostel as I managed to find a host on the island through Couchsurfing (https://www.couchsurfing.org), an online network that is well known and loved by seasoned travellers looking to save a buck but also immerse themselves into life in the location that they have decided to visit, meeting other interesting folk with travelling souls. I also couch-surfed in Munich (the first city that I did, and my host, Suri, was fantastic), Hamburg (with the most inspiring - the story of how Jonathon and Monika met is worthy of being turned into a Hollywood flick - and incredible young family who I cannot thank enough for their hospitality, they went above and beyond for me - a complete stranger - out of the very goodness of their hearts and I will never forget my time spent with them; I wish I could have stayed longer!), Berlin and Istanbul. I was meant to couch-surf in Gorëme too but because I got sick my host and I both decided it was best for me to stay at a hostel, just in case something bad happened to me and I was alone. Nonetheless, my would be host in Gorëme helped me with every single aspect of my stay, even making sure I got a discounted rate on my hot air balloon ride and all three tours that I took!
When I applied to my host in Rhodes, a Romanian woman named Larisa, I knew from her profile that I was going to be hosted by her entire family but I had no idea just how much they would all make me feel like a part of that family. I was picked up at the harbour upon my arrival, driven back to the family home and fed homemade pizza for dinner. The first night that I stayed a Canadian couple (who had cycled from London to Istanbul over the past four months) were also staying their final night and as it happened to be Katy's (the Canadian girl) birthday she was surprised with a homemade cake prepared by Nefele, Larisa's teenage daughter. This is just one of the examples of the kindness shown by this family - not only did they feed all of us dinner but they also went out of their way to make a cake for somebody they met just two days ago. Initially I was only meant to stay three or four days in Rhodes but ended up staying for eight days at the request of Nefele and her younger brother Aris. Over the duration of my stay I was offered food for breakfast, lunch and dinner (which I absolutely hated taking at first - on my first morning I even asked if it was okay to have water - but quickly learned that Larisa would not have me surviving off of the bag of sultanas and walnuts that I had to my name), treated to endless amounts of homemade ice tea and coffee frappes, shown around the island by Larisa and her Greek husband, Victor (who also attempted to teach me the Greek alphabet...key word being 'attempted') and even treated to a pedicure (though I think this too qualified as a public service to spare the general public from the looking at my unsightly talons). I honestly can not believe how fortunate I am to have stayed with this family and really cannot express how grateful I am for everything that they did for me; from Nefele letting me share her room to listening to Victor, Nefele and Aris play music every night (they are a bloody talented bunch) - my time with the family really has been one of my favourite parts of travelling so far. I wish that I could have given the family more in return than just freshly baked Anzac biscuits because they did more for me than I ever could have fathomed a host doing, opening one's home to a complete stranger is admirable enough in itself without everything else that they provided. All I can really say is how fortunate I really was to come across these remarkable people.
Jess in the kitchen.
I think I will dedicate a separate post to Couchsurfing and my own experiences (especially with my Hamburg family, because I have some wonderful memories of them too) later on with some of my personal tips, dos and don'ts!
Rhodes itself was stunning, a tourist hotspot for obvious reasons. Although I did actually spend a lot of my time there doing crap all (at that point I really needed it) I did make the effort to visit some famous parts of the island. On my second day in Rhodes I ventured to Lindos, a famous beach 50km and two bus rides away from the family home. Though it took me forever to get there the journey - and €15 transport costs! - proved very worth it in the end. I spent most of my afternoon just lying my lazy ass on the beach, alternating between napping and reading a book, before eventually going for a stroll later in the afternoon through the densely packed blue and white market streets selling 'This is Sparta!' (I was like what I thought this was Rhodes?!) shirts and cheap plaster moulds of Hercules and Aphrodite's heads and up the cliff side for a jaw dropping view of the bay and surrounding town. I can probably pinpoint that as being my very first 'holy shit I'm in Greece' moment for when I looked down I could see nothing but a valley of white buildings, flanked by the most picturesque cove, encircling part of the Aegean Sea. I constantly have to remember to stop and allow myself to really comprehend where I am and what I am doing; something that I did at this moment, watching the mid September sun set over a piece of Hellenic paradise.
Lindos Bay.
I thought it was Rhodes?
Another day myself and Piotr, a Polish couchsurfer also staying with the family, went to the famed Anthony Quinn Bay, a bay purchased by British actor Anthony Quinn whilst working on a film there in the 1960s. The bay was reclaimed by Greece in 1984 due to changed property laws but nevertheless retained it's name and remains a hugely popular destination for tourists, notably British retirees rocking the lobster tan, bleached hair and garish espadrilles (women)/socks and sandals (men) who have ventured out of suburban England on the journey of a lifetime to visit the sight of one of the prevailing cinematic achievements of their youth. Anthony Quinn Bay essentially embodies the picture of Greece that everybody has in their mind (ignoring the cocky tourists of course): the water was a captivating mixture of turquoise, sapphire and emerald, surrounded by jagged rocks, allowing for a rugged and secluded 'island' feel; which makes perfect sense seeing as we were on an island. I personally cannot determine whether the water was more beautiful from above or underneath, where the sun literally shone through the surface, twinkling with the movement of the waves. Laugh all you want at my lame as description (I can almost hear the Señor Chang "Ha! GAAAY!" Impersonations) but being on a Greek island almost makes a person feel as if they are in their own two-star tropical romance movie and hence requires such a description (only I of course will never get a boyfriend but this does not matter for I am in love with myself more than enough for this to be plausible).
I should mention that I did satisfy the ancient history lover in me to a small extent whilst staying on the island, visiting the ruins of Rhodes' acropolis (akro = highest, polis = city, therefore the acropolis literally is the highest point in the city) where the Temple of Apollo can be found, as well as a stadium and a small theatre underneath. Though I do think that all ancient ruins are really exciting because they represent so much antiquity, the ruins of Rhodes were no where near as impressive as those later seen in Athens. I also visited The Archaeological Museum of Rhodes, which did have an impressive assortment of items excavated from the island although certainly paled in comparison to the museums in Athens. Hence, for anyone potentially travelling to Greece I suggest saving a bulk of the historical learning and exploration for Athens, the hub of it all, and focusing on relaxing on the beach on the islands; just remember to bring the SPF 50+ to avoid the following situation:
#glam.
The Temple of Apollo atop of Rhodes' Acroplois and Aphrodidite herself standing in front.
It was with great reluctance that I said farewell to the family in Rhodes to head to Santorini, but I knew that I had to move on to fit in a few other places before it gets too cold to be backpacking Europe. Once again I sailed to Santorini with Blue Star Ferries, paying about €37 for journey of about eight hours. Annoyingly, ferries only sail from Rhodes to Santorini three times a week and they all depart and arrive at the same time, hitting Santorini at 1:30am. Thankfully though a local bus is organised to drive people into town whenever a ferry arrives, so although I had some walking to do from the bus stop to my hostel I did save myself a good €15. In Santorini I booked to stay at Caveland Hostel (http://cave-land.com) and overall was fairly satisfied with the place. Initially I was quite frustrated over how difficult it was to find - remembering I was lugging around all of my junk at 1:30 in the morning - though the general cleanliness of the place won me over in the end. It really was not a bad hostel to re-immerse myself into hostel life after my blissful couch-surfing time in Rhodes.
On my first morning in Santorini I ventured to Santorini's Archaeological Museum with a guy from my hostel who was also heading there for the day. I lucked out there because as it turns out he recently graduated from uni with a degree in history and therefore was really clued on to all of the items on display, even going as far to explain the symbolism of the artwork on various items of pottery to me. If I had not of had him there though I really do not think the museum would have been worth it - it was rather small and there was not a lot of information. Really I could have been looking at pots from Bunnings for all I know.
Unless you're a die hard history nut I would suggest that you skip it in favour of souvlaki washed down with an over-priced cocktail.
That afternoon I went for an extended walk around the island, walking all the way down the cliff (then up again), past hundreds of donkeys - nearly getting crushed more times than I can count and stepping in enough donkey turd to fertilise a botanical garden. I did consider riding a donkey simply for the experience of riding a donkey in Greece though quickly changed my mind when I saw the condition and treatment of the poor animals; deciding that I did not want to generate business for people who clearly exploit these helpless animals for profit. I do understand that donkeys were once an essential aspect to island life, being used for transport before vehicles arrived, though I think now their welfare has become second to the money making machine that is tourism. As unique and quintessentially Greek as it was to see the donkeys of Santorini I sincerely hope that the government steps in to obliterate this practice, or at least enacts some stern legislation that seeks to improve the conditions the donkeys suffer!
After nearly being crushed by killer donkeys, sweating and with faeces underfoot, I strolled through the buildings that make Santorini famous the world over, attempting to take photographs whilst holding down my dress to avoid my jiggly bum becoming a part of a poor Asian tourist's panorama. That's a huge tip girls (and boys, if you're so inclined): no matter how much you want to feel like Aphrodite when visiting Greece do not wear a dress; especially in September when the wind is strong enough to blow grandma away if everybody is not careful and especially when you have to take a picture to put on Instagram to remind everybody who does not care that you're on holiday!
Arse, arse, arse (get it?!)!
I just had to take this little Asian woman's photo - she was so small and on the smallest donkey but looked so happy and high on life.
Trespassing onto private property for a good pic.
Santorini literally overlooks a massive cliff-face. The view is quite surreal.
The following day I decided to go and check out Akrotiri, a Minoan Bronze-age settlement buried entirely by ash after a volcanic eruption in 1627BC that I had not even heard of before my arrival in Santorini (and I consider myself a history enthusiast!). The bus journey out there only cost around €2.80 (I had to then pay the same for return) and entrance to the site was €10. Just like Pompeii, Akrotiri's Roman counterpart, the remains of the city (the name of which in antiquity is actually unknown, Akrotiri is the name of a nearby settlement) were remarkably preserved, though no human remains with death caused by ash suffocation were excavated, indicating that residents evacuated successfully. Interestingly, some historians believe that Akrotiri was the inspiration for Plato's story of Atlantis (I think that this is so damn gnarly if it is true!). Seeing as most visitors to Greece make Santorini am essential destination I would advise taking a morning or afternoon to see Akrotiri, especially if your journey does not take you to Italy to see Pompeii. The red beach is also close by so you can tick this off too - although I admittedly thought that it was pretty shitty (but I do come from the land of the greatest beaches on earth!).
I guess it does not look like much but Akrotiri actually is something that has to be seen to be appreciated.
On a random side note, when visiting Santorini everybody must pay a visit to ChillBox Frozen Yoghurt; that I INSIST. If you know me well you will know that the one thing I love more than my dogs in life is frozen yoghurt, and this place was like the holy grail of froyo. Blair Waldorf would have lost her headband in excitement over this one. Every single topping one could ever dream of and then some was on offer at this place and for that reason alone I have decided that it is where I will have my ashes scattered, so that I can enjoy the mother of all frozen yoghurts for all of eternity.
That evening I farewelled Santorini for Athens, one of my personal absolute essential destinations in Europe. In typical Jess fashion though I missed the bus to the port because I was listening to my iPod and sitting in the bus stop, assuming the bus would automatically stop to check for a ditzy and I expecting tourist. It didn't. Hence I had to pay €15 for a taxi. Not. Happy. Jan (Australian TV reference, YouTube it if you're not Aussie). The ferry into Athens left at 1:30 am and arrived just before 8:00am (ew) and because I am a budget traveller I did not reserve a cabin for this journey, opting to lie on the floor to try and get some shut eye: guerrilla sleeping. I had just drifted off to sleep when I was shaken awake by a crew member at 6:00am, telling me that the bar was re-opening and because of this I (and all the other passengers doing the same!) could no longer be lying on the floor. I wanted to contest this because let's face it: if even I am not up for a drink at that AM then I can assure you that absolutely nobody is. However, I do not speak Greek and therefore had to resort to storming off in a huff. Yep... I sure showed him.
Athens herself (named after the goddess Athena) was nothing short of awesome. I was able to fulfil what has been a lifelong (well since I studied Ancient Greece in year 12, but lifelong makes the achievement seem that much more commendable) goal of mine of visiting the Athenian Acropolis. Naturally, as it is 2014, I documented this moment in my life through the taking of an iPhone selfie.
When in Athens I also visited the: Ancient Agora, Theatre of Dionysus, the Roman Agora, and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. All of these attractions (as well as Hadrian's Library - which I am actually not sure if I saw or not - and Kerameikos) can be seen by purchasing one €12 ticket which lasts for four days, which I thought was a pretty decent deal. I would have left Athens feeling really pleased with this bargain had I not visited the Temple of Olympian Zeus on the Saturday I was in Athens for free, as all of the aforementioned attractions were free over the weekend for Greek cultural days. So it turns out I paid €12 for something that would have been entirely free two days later - once again I have learnt the lesson for you all: always google! The only downfall to attractions being free of course is that they end up being packed, so I guess I am almost okay with the fact that I paid because I did get to view The Acropolis at a time when it was slightly less packed than the Saturday... Actually who am I kidding?! That €12 could have been valuable coffee money - I was, and still am, pissed!
The Parthenon.
The Theatre of Dionysus, view from the top of The Acropolis.
The Erechtheum.
How The Acroplois is situated in Athens.
Athens from above.
The Arch of Hadrian (I know that this is a real shonky picture but how weird is it that just behind some of the world's most important ancient ruins a bustling street can be found?).
The Temple of Olympian Zeus.
The a Temple of Hephaestus, found in the Ancient Agora.
My Nikes (Nike is also the Greek goddess of Victory by the way) after a day of exploring ancient ruins.
As stated, the museums in Athens are unforgettable, showcasing some of the most incredible artefacts that mankind has ever uncovered and I genuinely feel really privileged to have seen some of these mind blowing objects. To me it is impossible to not be fascinated by the cultures of the ancient world when they clearly exhibit such sophistication and diversity. I visited the Athens Archaeological Museum (it shat all over Rhodes' and Santorini's museums) and the Acropolis Museum (which is actually built on top of ruins, with massive glass sections of flooring to display this. The Athens Metro is similar; when it was under construction they kept happening upon ruins and decided to just whack some glass over the ones they could keep and have them on display for commuters to admire) and was overwhelmed by the extent of information that both beheld, too much for anybody to entirely take in. I do highly suggest visiting at least one of these museums (the Acropolis Museum was free from 5-8pm on culture day) when in Athens if time permits (both of them will take at least three hours), even if it is just to look without reading any of the information. If you're not impressed then you are going to need a good whack around the head with an ancient kitchen basin or something because what you will see is nothing short of mind-blowingly awe-inspiring.
I have heaps of museum photos, most of which are not blog worthy but I will share this as I found it really interesting (though quite harrowing): this is the gold death suit of a Greek baby, excavated from a gravesite discovered in the Hellenes.
A bronze statue of Zeus (or Posedoin!) c. 460, discovered at the bottom of the Sea of Artemision. How cool is that?!
Ruins beneath The Acropolis Museum... So crazy!
On a completely unrelated note here is a picture of the amazing Greek yoghurt I had at this place called Fresko: an amazingly genius idea that is a froyo type bar for regular Greek yoghurt (with the most amazing jam stuff as toppings). Once again, I insist that when visiting Athens everybody tries this.
