Blogs from Greece, Europe

Made it to Rethymnon where the chilly weather continues. However, forecast for Friday was initially 37, no not Fahrenheit, it's Celsius, which would be 99F. Yeah hot. It is Thursday as I now write this with the current forecast indicating we now will experience a cool 93. Bit of a change from our chilly days wouldn't you say? As for Rethymnon, yes certainly preferrable to Sougia or Plakais, yet it is no Chania. Overall, the island has underwhelmed us. Except for the superb food with cook-at-home prices. We recall a restaurant review where a guy complained of bill totaling 37 Euros (about $40.) where they had a starter, half carafe of wine and two entrees. Would you complain in the U.S.? Plus flavors are just wonderful here. Of course, we do not cook even when staying ... read more

I’m way too tired to write out a post so I will save details for later. Arrived at 130am 2 days ago and found an awesome place near the airport to spend the night. Trekked down to city center. Hostel is awesome. Area is borderline meh but it’s on the edge of greatness and close to everything so we can walk everywhere. Little shopping and exploring yesterday. Acropolis and Pláka today. Love Pláka. All the food has been amazing. Tomorrow I take a boat day trip. I won’t even tell you the number of photos I took today alone. I’ll attempt to upload a few. And no surprise, I’m making friends with cats. More later. Sorry photos won’t do upload. They are ah-maz-ing.... read more

Another eventful travel day occurred on 1 May departing Cyprus for Crete. Among other events our plane was an hour late, which was exactly our layover in Athens before departing for Heraklion. So, guess what happened? We missed our plane and had to stay overnight in Athens you say. Well no, after dashing about the airport with no clue about where to find our flight, and going through exactly the same security twice, we arrived at a different departure gate than listed on our ticket, discovering they held the full Airbus 320 for an hour to wait on us. Unbelievable, but what a relief...at least for us. No folks, not over yet as our rental car agency closes at nine with the two weary travelers arriving at Herkalion at eight needing to collect luggage and clear ... read more

Mastika (also spelled as mastiha) is one of the most unique Greek liqueurs. It is made from mastic tree resin from the island of Chios, the only place where the trees grow. Chios Mastiha has European PDO status. Mastika has a slight piney flavor, making it an intriguing cocktail ingredient. It must be at least 15% ABV. My Greek brothers make their own, and offer it at the end of dinner (usually not lunch). Mastika can also be purchased at most grocery and liquor stores in Greece. In fact, on one of my first trips to Athens, I was having dinner, and enjoying a conversation with some Americans at the next table. After we were served the mastika, they decided to buy some at the store around the corner. They brought back TWO, one for them ... read more

By far the largest and historically the most important of the Dodecanese islands, Rhodes abounds in beaches, wooded valleys, and ancient history. Whether you’re here on a culture-vulture journey through past civilizations, or simply for some laidback beach time, buzzing nightlife, or diving in crystal-clear waters, it’s all here. The atmospheric Old Town of Rhodes is a maze of cobbled streets that will spirit you back to the days of the Byzantine Empire and beyond. Further south, in the picture-perfect town of Lindos, capped by an ancient Acropolis, sugar-cube houses spill down to a turquoise bay. While both Lindos and Rhodes Old Town get very crowded in summer, Rhodes is large enough to allow plenty of room to breathe that pure Aegean air. A Little Bit of History: the island was inhabited in the Neolithic period, ... read more