Traveling On Your Own

“I can't think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything.”

Bill Bryson

 

Bunratty Castle, Ireland
A place we toured by car

 

My husband and I have traveled quite a bit over the years, and the majority of trips we have done on our own, with out being part of a tour group.  Yes, we have done some tours, we have done the "big bus" tours and we have done smaller tours with only a few in the group, but most the time we have preferred to go it on our own.  That quite often meant renting a car and exploring a countries back roads, getting off the beaten path.  But as we have aged (we are 65 now), my husband has expressed a desire to not do that anymore.  He is not as comfortable driving (or having me drive) in a place where he doesn't know where he is going, and he can't read the road signs, and doesn't always know all the rules of the road for that country.  So for that reason we are looking at other options.  But that doesn't mean that we have to get back on the bus.

George and I in Scotland
Off the Beaten Path

There are many ways that people can still travel on their own, without being completely on their own, and without having to rent a car.  There are quite a few tour companies who will now book your independent travel for you, including all your transportation.  They will either book you on the train, or provide a car and driver for you.  They will take care of hotels along the way, and even arrange city tours to orient you to the city when you arrive.  They will have someone available for you to call if you need assistance while you are traveling.  You are on your own with your travel partner, doing whatever you want to do, on your time table, spending as much time at a place as you want to spend, and going where you want to go.  But you have all the comforts of  being on a tour and having someone take care of you.  And your meals can be at local restaurants eating local foods which is what I prefer, or if you don't want to do that, you can eat McDonald's or at the hotel - although I don't recommend either of those things.  The point is, it is your trip and you plan it.

Another option is to go completely on your own.  Do not book through a tour company.  You might want to go to a travel agent, as they can help you with the planning and get you train tickets, ferry tickets, whatever you might need.  Quite often the train tickets are cheaper if purchased here in the states, than if you purchase them there.

Delphi, Greece

When we went to Greece a few years ago, I booked the trip in advance, but we were on our own.  I had the hotels booked, I knew what dates I would be in each place, I booked a mini tour which would take us from Athens to Delphi and Meteora and back to Athens.  It was a 3 day tour.  We were  picked up in a van, with several other couples, taken first to Delphi where we toured the ruins.  We spent the night there in a really nice hotel which was on the side of the mountain overlooking the Peloponeso Peninsula.  The next day the van took us to the city of Kalampaka, where we spent the night.  The next day we toured the monasteries on the tops of the rocks in Meteora, then we returned to Athens. 

The Monasteries Of Meteora
Town of Kalampaka below

Me, on the Island of Santorini, Greece

We also took a 3 day Greek Island cruise on that trip, which was booked in advance.  I booked it through the internet.  I wanted to see the islands, and some of them can be reached by ferry, but some take too long to reach that way.  The cruise got me to several islands in a short period of time.  And it was fun.  The time we spent in Athens was completely on our own.  And after the cruise we flew to the island of Santorini and spent several days there.  The cruise did not stop there, and it was on my list of places I wanted to see, so we explored Santorini and then it was just a short hop by ferry over to Crete, where we spent a week.  We stayed in a timeshare there, and had time to really explore the island.  We did rent a car there, but it was pretty easy driving on the island, not too much traffic.  We wouldn't have wanted to drive on the mainland. 

So we combined a trip on our own with a cruise and a small tour.  We were on our own,  We weren't stuck on a bus with a huge group of people, doing what we were told to do.  We didn't have a time schedule of how long we could be someplace - except while on the cruise and the tour.  We got to eat the local food (which I loved) and to spend as much time people-watching as we wanted.

So, next time you are planning a trip think about going on your own instead of taking a bus tour.  Be independent, and you can really get more of a feel for the place you are going to.  You may be surprised, it's easier than you think.  And you don't have to be too independent, you can have a little help. No one is saying you have to completely wing it, have the trip set, reservations made.  But with independent travel it is not all set in stone, you have the time to be spontaneous, and explore more on your own.  Happy Travels!

Street Foods

"Street cooks are magicians: With little more than a cart and a griddle, mortar, or deep-fryer, they conjure up not just a delicious snack or meal but the very essence of a place."
Unknown

 

Viet Nam, street food vendor with Banh Mi sandwiches

Whenever I travel I like to experience the food in the place I am.  Most of the time that means eating at local restaurants.  But it also means eating street food.  Street Food is any food or drink sold in a street or a market area or fair by a hawker or vendor, usually from a portable stall or truck.  Most street foods are also food that can be eaten with your fingers and are cheaper than food you would buy from a restaurant.  Almost any city you visit has street food that is very much a part of that place.  

Banh Mi Sandwich

Some people worry about eating in places such as this, for health reasons, but if you use a little common sense, it is not a problem. If you do not try something that looks good you are denying yourself an essential part of the travel experience.  Go where the crowds are, the locals know where the food is safe to eat.  And if it doesn’t look clean, then go somewhere else.  But try the local foods.

Suman, a street food in the Philippines

We lived in the Philippines many years ago.  I used to go out to the local market to buy fresh shrimp.  They would unload the boats of fresh fish early in the morning, and you could get fish and shrimp right off the boat. The shrimp were still alive and jumping. If you waited until later in the day, then it was no longer fresh, as it would have been in the open with the heat of the day, and the flies covering it.  I never went to the market later in the day.  But while there I quite often would also buy some of the Suman which is a sweet rice that was wrapped in banana leaves and cooked there in the market.  They were delicious.  I never got sick from eating there, but like I said, I got there early in the day when things were still fresh.

That was my start on street foods.  Over the years I have tried many more versions of street food.  Each country has things they are famous for.  When we visited Istanbul, Turkey, I noticed that there were many carts selling fresh corn-on-the-cob.  I love corn, and I bought and ear one day and ate it as I walked down the street.  It tasted really good.  The other street food I had in Istanbul, was simit.  Simit is a bagel style sesame bread.  I enjoyed that also.

Simits in Istanbul

Corn on the Cob in Istanbul

While in Germany we had bratwurst on a bun, cooked on a grill.  It came with onions and green peppers.  Another German street food is the pretzel, big doughy pretzels with salt or mustard.  We have some that are similar here in the states, but somehow they just tasted better there.
 

George with our friends Bonnie & Pete
Having pretzels at the Christmas Market in Germany

Baguettes in Paris

In Paris we purchased long sandwiches with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil in a baguette from a street vendor, and ate them in the park.  Another Paris treat is a crepe made with nutella. 

 



Frites in Belgium

Another place known for street foods – Belgium where you can get the crispiest, freshest fries (frites) served in a paper cup, or waffles from a street vendor.  For those who do not know, the Belgiums are the ones who originated what we now refer to as French Fries.

Israel is known for falafel balls served with pita bread.  Viet Nam has their Banh Mi sandwiches which are baguette bread filled with grilled pork and pickled vegetables.  Mexico has street tacos. 

 

We saw some really interesting street food in China.  There were scorpions on a stick and some drink that had smoke coming off of it, which seemed to be quite popular with the locals. 

Street Vender in China

Drink in China, Never found out
what it was

 

Singapore Street Food

And Singapore probably has the safest street food, and some of the best.  The government enforces health standards at all places that serve food.  Singapore is so clean, you could probably eat safely off the sidewalks.  And they are famous for their food stands, and food carts.  We went to a place that was famous for serving the local food.  It had probably 20 carts in an area with tables set up.  The tables had numbers on them, and you would order the food and they would deliver it to your table.  My mistake was that I didn’t know they had 2 sizes of plates.  I had seen little plates being delivered to the table, so I thought that is what I was ordering.  I decided to order a variety of food.  I wanted to try a little of everything.  When I realized that I was getting large plates of food, it was too late.  We had enough food to feed a small army.  We did waste some of it, there was no way we good finish it, and I’m sure the local people were laughing at us.  But everything we ate was good, and even though we ordered alot, it was cheap, so we didn't break the bank.

Hot Dog Vendor in New York

Even here in the states we have street food.   And I don’t mean all the fast food restaurants, that is not street food.  Food trucks are becoming quite popular all over the states, and many of them are now serving ethnic foods.  I know the Vietnamese Banh mi is becoming quite popular here because of the food trucks.  And if you go to New York or Chicago, you will see the hot dog vendors on the street corner, they are an institution. 

So when you are exploring a new place, make sure you take the time to also try some of the local favorites and get a taste of the place you are in.  Use common sense, yes, but be adventuresome.  Look for the crowds, and see what they are eating.  Sometimes the street food is really the essence of the place you are visiting. 

 

 o

Places Evoke Memories of Food

“It is always sad to leave a place to which one knows one will never return. Such are the melancholies du voyage: perhaps they are one of the most rewarding things about traveling.”

Gustave Flaubert

For me, experiencing new things when I travel is why I travel.  I especially love trying new foods that are specialties of that country.  I am not quite as adventuresome as Anthony Boudain.  If you watch the travel channel on television you know that he travels the world trying very unusual foods (bugs, brains, etc.)  I don't go that far, but if a country has a food that it is famous for, then I want to try it.

Dinner in China

You may say that you have tried foods from other countries from restaurants here at home.  Just because you have tried foods in the United States that is supposedly from a different region of the world, doesn't mean you have actually tried food from that country.  Restaurants here cater to American tastes, and the food is quite often different than what you will get when you are actually in that country.  As an example, I have eaten Chinese food here in the states thousands of times.  But when I went to China I found the food to be quite different from the food I had here in the states.  I enjoyed the food in China, and tried just about everything I was served, but it did not remind me of the food I had here.

Sometimes I will have a food and it immediately calls to mind a trip I have taken.  I remember having that food and it reminds me of the place where I ate it and the fun I had in that country.  Certain foods I will always associate with a place.  Moussaka is certainly one of those foods.  I had never had Moussaka until I went to Greece, now I have it often and even make my own.  None will ever taste as good as that very first taste though.  But whenever I have it, I think of sitting in the Plaka in Athens at a little sidewalk table, and I remember our waiter, who chatted with us and was quite funny.  And I fell in love with Moussaka.  I was already in love with Athens by then.

Greek Salad

Actually moussaka is not the only food I fell in love with in Greece.  The country has some of the best food I have ever eaten.  I really like the food of Greece.  I love lamb, and the Greeks use a lot of lamb in the dishes they prepare.  And Panzanella salad became a favorite, which is made with big chunks of bread.  The Greek salad is so different than the salads by that name here in the states.  The Greeks seldom use lettuce in anything, including their salads.  A true Greek salad is chunks of tomatoes, green peppers, sliced red onions, kalamata olives and fresh feta cheese, with a little olive oil and some herbs over the top.



Tapas

In Spain we went out each evening for tapas, which are small bites of food served either hot or cold, usually with a glass of wine or beer.  The tapas are served in the early evening to tide people over till dinner which is never eaten before 10:00 p.m.  Sometimes we ate so many tapas that we didn't need dinner.  But I did love the dinners there.  I really fell in love with gazpacho in Spain.  Gazpacho is a cold tomato soup.  It is delicious, and I ordered it almost every night while in Spain, as a starter to my meal.  Of coursethey are famous for their
paella and everyone who goes to Spain should try it, it is better than any paella you will get anywhere else.  And the Costa del Sol area where we were, had wonderful seafood dishes. 

Plaza Mayor in Madrid, getting ready for
the dinner crowd

One of the things I love about dining out in some of the European cities is that they dine outside all year long, in wonderful little town square areas.  They set up tables and all the neighbors come out with their kids and their dogs and they wander around the square, saying hello to each other.  The kids and the pets are playing, and people are having their dinner.  We have nothing like that here.

Tomato and Mozzarella Sandwich

We traveled to the Canary Islands in 2003.  We were on the island of Tenerife.  The food that I remember most from that trip was a tomato and mozzarella sandwich, on a long bagette type of bread.  It had basil leaves on it, and sometimes a thin sliced Spanish ham.  We were there with friends from Scotland, and almost everyday we would stop at a little outdoor restaurant somewhere and have one of those sandwiches with a beer, and watch the people, and enjoy the sunshine.  I have had other sandwiches similiar to them since that trip, but none seem quite as good as those were.  Maybe it was the company, or the sunshine, or the atmosphere, I'm not sure.  But I will always associate the Canary Islands with those sandwiches.




Squid in its own Ink

While in Croatia in 2010 I was told that the best seafood in the world was to be had there, and in particular that I should try the squid.  So one night my husband and I were at a typical outside restaurant, like the ones I described above, in a town square with children and pets, and families.  I decided to order the squid.  I have eaten squid here in the states, usually breaded, and had always enjoyed it.  When this arrived it really surprised me.  It was in a bowl, and it looked like a bowl of black rubber bands.  It was served in its own ink.  My first thought was, that it didn't look too appetizing.  My husband was looking a little askance at it.  But I will try almost anything, so I took a bite, and I was hooked.  It was delicious.  I practically licked the bowl.  It is a meal I will always remember, and it is one I loved.

In Thailand everything we ate was spicey.  We were eating some noodle dish and I bit into something that caused me to feel like I was breathing fire.  I turned bright red and started gulping my drink.  My husband laughed at me and thought I was over-reacting.  Then he bit into the same thing, and realized that it really was hot.  I do like Thai food, but I also learned to respect it for what it is, and to be careful. 

Me eating gelato in Italy

In Italy we fell in love with gelato.  Gelato is not just ice cream, it is smoother, richer and more flavorful.  It is in a class by itself.  We were in Italy during the summer, so it was hot out.  We stopped for a lemon gelato on our second day in Italy.  For the next 20 days, while we toured the country fell in love with Italy, we made a point of stopping everyday and enjoying a gelato.  Lemon is still my favorite flavor, I suppose because it was the very first taste I ever had of gelato, or maybe because it was just so refreshing on a hot day.  We tried almost every flavor available, but somehow kept going back to lemon.



Lemoncello

It is not only food that sometimes makes me think of a country.  Drinks also play a large part.  I found that the only thing I ever want to drink with either Chinese or Japanese food, is beer.  That is the drink they serve in those countries to drink.  Of course not everyone has beer, but it is the most common drink with the people of those countries.  It is what I had with every meal when I was in both of those places.

In Italy we spent a week in Sorrento, which is near Naples, Capri and Pompeii.  They are famous for their Lemoncello.  It is a lemon liquour.  It is sweet and sour at the same time.  It is an acquired taste, and I am not overly fond of it.  But when I think of Sorrento, I think of lemons, and Lemoncello.

In Spain we were served Schnapps after every meal.  We didn't order it, it was just set before us at the end of the meal.

Raki in Greece

 In Greece, it was Raki, which was put in front of us at the end of the meal.  Most of the time the Raki tasted like turpentine.  I did not enjoy it, so I would usually pass.  George drank them both, not that he enjoyed it, but he did it so I wouldn't have to.  But one night, on the island of Crete, we had a wonderful meal in the hills overlooking the town of Rethymnon.  They made their own Raki there, and it was smooth, and tasted wonderful.  I even bought a bottle to take home.  When Raki is made the right way, it is actually quite good.  Of course, Greece is more famous for its Oozo, and I also drank that while there.  I quite like Oozo, but then I also like licorice.

A Shandy

And last year we traveled with our Scottish friends across Scotland and around Ireland.  I discovered the Shandy.  A shandy is a mix of beer and "lemonade".  But the lemonade is not what we think of as lemonade, it is sparkling - more like a 7up with a slight lemon flavor.  You mix it with the beer and it is a light refreshing summer drink.  I was completely hooked on it throughout that trip.  Scotland will all be associated in my mind to the Shandy.


We are looking forward to traveling to new places soon.  Africa will be later this year, and I am sure I will have some new taste treats to look forward to there.  Some may be better than others, but I am looking foreward to trying whatever the locals prepare, it is part of the experience.  It is hard for me to imagine going to another country and instead of trying the food of the area, looking for familiar foods from home.  I know people do that, I have even traveled with some who will not try new things.  For me though, I would not feel I had really been there and experienced it, if I had not also tasted it.  So to all of you who are traveling to new places I say "Bon Apetite!"

Here is my recipe for Moussaka.  I hope you enjoy it.  It is as close as I can come to the Moussaka we had in Greece.

Moussaka
6 T. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound ground lamb
1/2 Cup red wine
1 T. tomato paste
1 1/2 canned crushed tomatoes in puree
1 (1 pound) eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices
4 ounces cream cheese
1/4 Cup milk
1/2 Cup grated Parmessan
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
1/8 teas. ground allspice
1 teas. salt
fresh ground pepper

Heat the broiler.  In a large frying pan heat 1 T. oil.  Add onion and garlic.  Cook until softened.  Add the lamb and cook until meat loses its pink color (2 min.)  Stir in wine, tomato paste and tomates in puree, bay leaf, cinnamon, allspice, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer covered 10 minutes.

Moussaka

Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with remaining oil and season with salt and pepper.  Put eggplant slices on a large baking sheet and broil, 6 inches from heat, until browned.  About 5 min.  Turn and broil until browned on the other side.

In a small saucepan, combine cream chees, milk 1/8 teas. salt and a pinch of pepper.  Warm over low heat until just melted.

Oil and 8 X 8 inch baking dish.  Layer half the eggplant in the dish, then half the meat sauce.  Sprinkle with half the Parmessan. Repeat with remaining eggplant, meat sauce and Parmessan.  Spoon the cream cheese sauce on top; broil until just starting to brown.  Serve hot.



My Favorite Places

"Laugh at yourself, but don't ever aim your doubt at yourself.  Be bold.  When you embark for strange places, don't leave any of yourself safely on shore.  Have the nerve to go into unexplored territory." 

Alan Alda

Probably everyone has heard of the book 1000 Places To See Before You Die.  Most of us will only see a few of those places in our lifetime.  There isn't enough time or money to visit them all.  I keep a list of only 10 places I want to see, but as I see them I cross them off and add new ones, because there are certainly more than 10 places in the world I want to see.

Quite often people ask me what is the place you have enjoyed the most.  For me that is always very difficult to answer.  I have enjoyed every place that I have been - really.  Whenever I go someplace new, I enjoy exploring that place and I find things I like about it.  But obviously some places I have liked better than other places.  I do have some favorites, but I can't really say that one place is my very favorite.  I can tell you my top 8 and why.

In no particular order, my top 8 are:
Venice, Italy
Crete, Greece
Moorea, French Polynesia
Paris, France
Great Britain
Beijing, China
Tenerife, Canary Islands
Philippines

Venice

Venice, Italy - The first trip to Europe that my husband and I took together was to Italy.  It was the one place I had always said that I just had to go to.  When we were finally able to go I was so excited.  It was our 25th anniversary trip.  I was almost afraid that it wouldn't live up to my excitement about going, but it did.  Everything about that trip was very special.  I loved Rome, and all the ruins.  The Forum and The Colisseum.  And then we went to Venice, and I really fell in love with that city.  I loved all the peeling paint on the buildings sitting in water.  I loved the boats and all the little alleyways between the buildings, and the bridges over the canals.  We also went down and spent a week in Sorrento, and visited Pompei and Capri, and enjoyed the beautiful town of Sorrento.  It was beautiful.  I loved every minute of that trip.

Crete, Greece - I actually loved all of Greece, and should maybe just put the whole country of Greece on the list.  But if I think about my favorite part of our trip to Greece, then Crete stands out. Maybe because we spent a week on the island and had more time to really explore it.  We did spend several days in Athens, and though it is a big city, I absolutely loved it.  I love the Plaka district, which is the old city, and I loved the Parthenon up on the hill.  And the people in Athens were all so nice.  And we took a tour over to Delphi and Meteora, both of which were wonderful, and not to be missed if you go to Greece.  I also loved the island of Santorini, where we spent 2 nights.  It is really lovely. 



Rethymno Harbor

But our week on Crete was fascinating.  We stayed in a condo near Rethymno, and our friends from Scotland joined us for that week.  I loved wandering around Rethymno's streets, looking in the shops and especially loved having lunch down by their harbor.  We drove all over the island, even went over and hiked the Samaria Gorge.  I did have blisters after doing that!  And we visited Knossos, which is a Bronze Age archaeological site.  We also had probably the best meal I have ever had in my life, at a farm in the hills above Rethymno.  They grow everything they serve on the farm, and we had a 10 course meal, on a hill overlooking the town, at sunset.  Even the feta cheese they served and the olive oil was made on the farm.  We swam in the sea and we explored the island, and it has to rank as one of the best weeks of vacation I have had.

Moorea, French Polynesia - We have a timeshare, and had to use the week we had deposited, or we would lose it.  I started looking online at places that were available.  A week in Moorea came up.  I had always wanted to visit Tahiti, so this seemed ideal.  I decided to go for it.  Since I worked at AAA at the time, I actually had some benefits that I could use towards the trip.  Air Tahiti Nui offers half price air to Tahiti for travel agents and I was able to take advantage of that.  And because I had sold a lot of Pleasant Packages, I had points with them that I could use for free inter-island flights and a free night on the island of Tahiti and 2 nights in an over-water bungalow on Bora Bora.  So we booked it and off we went. 

Cook's Bay, Moorea, French Polynesia

We spent our first night on Tahiti then flew to Moorea where we spent our week in our timeshare.  We had a condo with a balcony overlooking Cook's Bay.  We spent the week swimming, snorkeling and exploring the isalnd.  It was a relaxing fun-filled week on the beach.  The waters are sparkling clear, with lots of beautiful fish.  We took a catamarran trip to a motu - which is a small island, where we had a picnic lunch and did more snorkeling.  I thought Moorea was beautiful.  I had been told by others that while Moorea was beautiful, everyone usually liked Bora Bora the best, so we did 2 nights there at the end of our trip.  But for me Moorea was prettier, and there is more to do there.  I liked Bora Bora, but I loved Moorea.


Paris, France - Paris - the city of lights, the city of love.  Who could not love it.  My daughter and I breifly visited Paris back in 1989.  My husband and I went back in 2003.  I have not seen much else of France, but I do love Paris.  The city is beautiful, and vibrant.  Regardless of what people may tell you, I think the people are mostly charming.  There is so much to see and do.  I think I could live in Paris for a year or two and be quite happy.  As my husband says, "we'll always have Paris." 





Great Britain - England is the first country in Europe that I visited.  My daughter spent one semester of her sophomore year in London, and at the end of her semester I flew over and visited her, and we traveled around England, Scotland and Ireland, and even took a quick excursion over to Paris.  I have very fond memories of that trip.  And because it was my first European country to visit, it holds a special place in my heart.  I have visited Great Britain since that first trip.  I can't really name one place in Great Britain that I love more than others, although certain places stand out more than others.  


Crail Harbor, Scotland

I loved Cambridge, I found it to be charming.  And Penzance was a fun place to visit. And who could not love London, there is so much to see and do there.  I particularly loved Scotland, and we went back to Scotland this year.  We saw some new places, and re-visited a few places I had been.  I love the Highland cows, and all of the castles.  The harbour towns are very picturesque.  And the Scottish people are some of our favorites - we do have good friends there, so that helps.

The Great Wall
Just outside of Beijing, China

Beijing, China - I had been to Hong Kong years ago when we lived in the Philippines, it was a short hop away and a good place to get away for a weekend, but it was under British rule when we were there.  So a few years ago I suggested to a girl friend that a trip to China would be fun.  We went for a 12 day tour.  It was an adventure.  I knew I wanted to walk on the Great Wall, and we did that.  But I found all of China to be wonderful.  It certainly was one of the best trips I have ever taken.  We had a wonderful tour guide in Beijing.  His name was Tony, and we got to know him fairly well in the few days we were with him.  He took great pride in showing us around Beijing, and he was proud of the history of his country, and the sights he showed us.  He acknowledged that his country had problems, and he envied us our freedoms, but he was still quite proud to be Chinese.  I particularly enjoyed getting to know him.  And I loved all of China.  We went to Xian and Shanghai, and a cruise on the Yangtze, and re-visited Hong Kong.  But my favorite place was Beijing, and getting to know Tony, and learning about China through his eyes.  And of course walking on the Great Wall.

Tenerife, Canary Islands

Tenerife, Canary Islands - In 2003 our friends from Scotland invited us to join them in the Canary Islands for 10 days.  There are several islands that make up the Canaries, Tenerife is the largest, and that is the island that we went to.  They had a timeshare which was a 3 bedroom condo, so we had basically a full-size house, with a lovely patio, that we lived in for those 10 days.  We rented a car and we explored the island.  That was the first trip that we took with those friends, we have traveled with them since, but there was something special about our new friendship and the fun we had together on that trip.  I had never even thought about going to the Canary Islands, and I don't know if they ever would have showed up on a list of places to go to, but they invited us, and we went.  I absolutely loved everything about the place.  It is part of Spain, but actually closer to Africa, so it had a different feel about it then when we were in Spain.  We were close to a small village, and stumbled across one of their local celebrations, which we joined in on.  We swam in the ocean and enjoyed the beaches, and we explored the towns.  We had some wonderful meals also.



Banca boat on Capone Islands,
Philippines

Philippines - My husband spent 26 years in the Navy, so we moved around quite a bit.  Most of the times we were in the states, and quite a few of those times my husband was gone, to places where we could not go as a family.  We were only stationed overseas together as a family once.  That was the 2 years we spent in the Philippines - from Dec. 1978 to Dec. 1980.  We lived on a small base about an hour from Subic Bay. The base was called San Miguel.  One of the gates from the base led straight out onto the beach, where we could go and enjoy the warm waters of the South China Sea.  There were small boats - called bancas that we could get into and be taken out to the Capone Islands, where we could snorkel, or we could just stay at the beach and swim from there. 


In the two years we lived in the PI, we explored as much of the country as we could, taking trips to different areas, and seeing the sights.  The people near where we lived were all very nice.  We got to know some of them, and spent time in their villages, and their homes.  We were invited to celebrations as their guest of honor.  It was a wonderful two years, where we learned a lot about the country and the people.  Those 2 years hold wonderful memories for myself and my family.  I am so glad we were given that experience.

But even though these places stand out most in my mind when I think of the places I have traveled, I really have enjoyed every trip I have taken, and I have fond memories of them all.  And I know that with my future travels, some of those places will probably bump some of these places off my favorites list.  We are planning a trip to Africa for this coming year, and who knows, that trip may move onto my favorites list in the future.

Destination - Greece and the Greek Isles

"It is fine wherever my feet take me

As long as there are sights to see"

Unknown 

“Travelers never think that THEY are the foreigners.” 

Mason Cooley

 

Temple on the Acropolis - Athens

I fell in love with Greece when we went there in 2007. I loved the islands, and I loved the countryside, and I even fell in love with Athens, named for the goddess Athena. Yes, Athens is a big city and it has a lot of the same problems every big city has, but it also has the Plaka (old historic district), the Parthenon which can be seen from all over the city because it sits on a hill overlooking the city, and it has charming people, wonderful restaurants and food, and great shopping.

When we went in 2007, we spent 3 weeks there, mostly on our own. We did book a 3 day Greek Island cruise, and we did a 3 day land tour that took us to Delphi and Meteora, but the rest of the time we were traveling independently. Greece is an easy country to go to on your own. Athens is easy enough to get around in, and it is easy to get to the islands on your own also. We did do the cruise for part of the islands, but we also took a short flight from Athens to Santorini, and we took a ferry from there to Crete. So we did do some of the islands on our own also. And driving in Greece was not that stressful.

Most people start their Greek vacation in Athens, as that is where most people fly into when coming to Greece. So below are my top things to see in Athens. From there we will branch out to the rest of the country.

Playing with a dog in the Plaka

The Plaka – Taking a walk in the Plaka is a good way to get a feel for the “Greekness” the city has to offer. The Plaka is the city’s oldest neighborhood. Built directly under the Acropolis, it is a picturesque maze of stone-paved roads, old houses, monuments, shops and restaurants. If you want to purchase anything as a souvenir of your trip, this is the place to do it. Yes, it is very touristy, but it is also charming and a must see.

Ancient Agora

The Ancient Agora- Of all Athens' ruins, the famed marketplace of Agora makes the most fitting start to your sightseeing — it stands testament to Athens' status as a cradle of Western civilization. It was, in Socrates and Plato's day, the heart of public life, and among the site's extensive excavations you'll find temples, a concert hall and long, colonnaded arcades. Smaller finds, housed in the museum are no less fascinating — settlement here spans five millenniums. The entrance fee to this also covers the Acropolis.

The Parthenon

The Ancient Greece and the Acropolis – Literally the Acropolis means “high city.” Most cities have their monuments scattered here and there. In Athens the most important ones are all huddled together in one vast archaeological park at the the very heart of the city, on and at the foot of what the ancients called “the Sacred Rock of the Acropolis.” Here you will find the first theater in history, the Theseum temple, the rock of Areopagos and most importantly, the Parthenon. This temple to Athena, the goddess of the city in ancient times, is considered by many the most perfect building in architectural history. There is a bit of a climb to get up to the Acropolis area, but well worth it. And you will have some wonderful views of the city from up there.
 

Mt. Lycabettus in the distance

Mount Lycabettus– From almost anywhere in Athens you can see this mountain rising out of the center of the city. You may be thinking, oh no, another hill to climb. But the good news is, you don’t have to climb it. There is a strange looking train that will take you almost to the top. The views from up there are impressive and should not be missed. The best time to go is at twilight, when you can catch the sun setting and the lights of Athens. We then walked down the hill and found ourselves in an interesting neighborhood. Walking down was easy, and we were glad we did, just for the chance to explore some more of the city. 
 

Central Market

The Agora-Athens Central Market - No matter how you feel about fish, meat and vegetables you won't find a more lively place than the Central market on Athinas Street. Whether you come early in the morning to watch the trucks unload because you are jet-lagged and suffer from insomnia or you visit between 7am and 1 pm with the majority of the Athenian shoppers, a walk through the market will probably change how you feel about shopping and may make you wish you had an apartment with a kitchen so you could join in. The restaurants in the meat market can't be beat for good food at a cheap price at any time of the day or night. And if that is not enough the Market is also the beginning of Athens Chinatown and Eolou Street, the pedestrian shopping district. But watch your wallet or handbag when wandering through the crowds.



Monastiraki Area



Monastiraki- This district is close to the Plaka and is full of tourist shops, clothing and jewelery stores, and some other pretty interesting shops. Monastiraki Square is still one of the most lively squares in Athens, and at night it is filled with people, venders and pickpockets, so beware. On Sundays it becomes a flea market where people come from the hills to lay out their blankets and sell all sorts of stuff. It can be a mob scene but worth the experience, even if you just sit and watch in the cafes overlooking the ancient agora. You will see street musicians and bootleg sellers (sometimes running from the police), and a parade of shoppers. One of my favorite things to do in any city is to sit and people-watch, and this is an excellent place to do that.

National Archaelogical Museum

The National Archaeological Museum – This is one of the great museums of the world. You won’t find a better collection of ancient Greek sculpture, jewelery, coins, or pottery. It also has the Antikythera Device, a 2000 year old computer found in a shipwreck off the island of Antikithera which will have you wondering just how advanced those ancient Greeks actually were.

Moussaka

I recommend trying the Greek food. We had wonderful lamb, fresh seafood and the best moussaka (an eggplant dish that is similar to lasagna without the noodles) in the world. We had gyros, domathes, and of course bakalava and other desserts. The greek salads were different than the ones here in the states. You seldom find lettuce in the salad, it is more chunks of tomatoes, green peppers, onions, and olives with wonderful large chunks of the best feta cheese you have ever tasted. The dressing is simply olive oil and herbs. I still make my Greek salads this way.

There are many areas of the mainland of Greece worth exploring. For many visitors, visiting Cape Sounion in Attica is their first journey out of the city. It is an easy day trip, and can either be booked as such through your hotel, or you can drive there on your own. If you are on a tour it will most certainly be included. The contrast between the hustle and bustle of modern Athens with this serene, imposing edifice is sharp. Sounion is reached by a scenic drive south from Athens along the western coast of the Attica peninsula.

The Temple of Poseidon at
Cape Souion

The Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion - Though his famous statue is long gone, safely imprisoned at the National Archeological Museum in Athens, great Poseidon needs no bronze props to make his presence felt. The Greeks have always watched the sea, for the return of loved ones, for the safe delivery of goods, for news of war. Maybe that's why the Temple of Poseidon, with its magnificent view of the Aegean, seems to still fulfill the role of seawatcher from the high promontory.

Statue in the Delphi Museum

When we visited Greece in 2007 we took a 3 day side-trip to Delphi and Meteora. They were booked as one trip. We were picked up near our hotel and first taken to Delphi where we toured the ruins there and where we spent a night in a nice hotel overlooking the Peloponnese Penisula. The next day we drove to the Meteora area where we spent the night in the town of Kalambaka. The next day we toured the monastaries on the tops of the rocky peaks, and then returned to Athens.  This trip is one you could book in advance as we did, or could be booked from most hotels in Athens.  It would be easy enough to rent a car and do it on your own, as well.

Delphi

Delphi – Delphi is both an archaelological site and a modern town in Greece. In Greek mythology it was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god Apollo. Today it is one of the most important archaelolgical sites of Greece. You can tour the ruins on the hillside and then go into the museum, where most of the statues are being preserved. The town of Delphi has some wonderful shops and restaurants and since it is high on a hill, it has some magnificent views of the Peloponnese Penisula.

One of the monasteries of Meteora

Meteora – Meteora is an area in central Greece where the monks built monasteries on the top of the rock towers, some as early as the 11^th century. There are 24 such monasteries in all. The monasteries of Meteora are a World Heritage Sight, and for good reason. They were built under impossible conditions, with no roads, and are built on sandstone rock pinnacles that rise starkly over 400m above the valley. The word Meteora means “suspended in the air.”  Today there are roads into the area and they take you close to the monasteries, where you can walk across bridges to get to them. The major monasteries are open to the public, and draw huge crowds everyday. The tour buses all stop here. Women are required to wear a skirt. If you didn’t bring one, they will provide a“loaner” wrap around skirt. If you are a James Bond fan, the movie “For Your Eyes Only” featured one of the monasteries of Meteora, I believe James was rock climbing.

Temple of Hera Heraion, Olympia

Olympia - Olympia, Greece was the site of the ancient Olympic Games, which were celebrated every four years by the Greeks. Olympia was situated in a valley in Elis, in western Peloponnesus, through which runs the Alpheus River. It was not a town, but only a sanctuary with buildings associated with games and the worship of the gods. Olympia was a national shrine of the Greeks and contained many treasures of Greek art, such as temples, monuments, altars, theaters, statues, and votive offerings of brass and marble. The area of Olympia, Greece is one of the most popular archaeological sites in Greece. Olympia attracts thousands of visitors every year due to the natural beauty that surrounds the area and the historic significance it has. This can also be booked as a day trip or combined as a several day trip with any of the above.

The Greek Islands - There are hundreds of islands in the Greek Isles. The ones with inhabitants is somewhere between 166 and 227. Most of those have less than 100 people living on them. The largest island is Crete. I am only going to write about the ones I have actually been to, which are also probably the most visited of the islands.

The Harbor in Mykonos

Mykonos - Mykonos Cyclades is considered the most cosmopolitan spot in Greece. The island is famous for its amazing beaches, the picturesque villages, the vivid nightlife and its gay friendly attitude. This is the second most popular Greek destination and it is often described as the "Ibiza of Greece. Mykonos Town or Chora is the capital and the most picturesque village on the island, with traditional architecture and a lovely ambience. The landmarks of Chora are the windmills on top of a hill, the nice quarter Little Venice and the famous pelican of Mykonos.

Delos is a tiny island that can be reached by boat from the port of Mykonos Town. Delos was a sacred island for the ancient Greeks as, according the mythology, god Apollo had been born there. Remains of an ancient sanctuary and a theatre have been found on the island, which is a great open site today.

Shops on Mykonos

There are plenty of hotels in Mykonos, and it can be reached in just a few hours from Athens by ferry. If you are on a Greek Island cruise it will probably be one of the stops. Even the 3 day cruises stop in Mykonos. There are also island-hopping packages that can be booked that include the ferry and hotel stays.

Fira Town, Santorini

Santorini - The island of Santorini or Thira is located in the Cyclades islands, in the middle of the Greek Islands of the Aegean Sea. Santorini is, along with Mykonos and Crete, the most famous holiday destinations in Greece. It is a small group of volcanic islands and its name refers to Saint Irene. Called also Strongili and Kalisti, the island was the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in the world and what remains today is a submerged volcano and a caldera. The island is related to the myth of Atlantis. The amazing views from the villages of Fira and Oia are spectacular. People gather on the hillside of Oia every night to watch the sunset.

Oia, just after sunset

This was one of my favorites of the islands when we visited. It was just so beautiful. We actually flew to Santorini from Athens and spent 2 nights there, so we had some time to really look around. The main town is Fira, which is where we stayed. It is on top of the island. You will most likely arrive in the port area. There are buses and taxies that will take you to any of the towns. We stayed in the Aressana Hotel in Fira, and I highly recommend it, it was in a great location and the room, pool and breakfast were all excellent.

Hotel Aressana

Medieval Rhodes

Rhodes - The largest of the twelve Dodecanese islands on the Aegean's eastern edge, Rhodes is also its most popular. The well-preserved medieval city of Rhodes sits at the north of the island of the same name. It is famous because the Colossus of Rhodes used to guard the harbor - it was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. High rise hotels line the northern and eastern coastlines. Small villages and resorts dot the island's other shores. Whether your interests are beaches, bars or ancient sites, Rhodes offers an abundance of all three. Authentic Greece can be found in the hilly interior of the 50-mile-long island.

The view from the Lindos Acropolis

We visited the island of Rhodes for just one day, which wasn't long enough to see the whole island. We did take a walking tour of the the medeieval city of Rhodes, and then we took a bus over to the town of Lindos. The village of Lindos is one of the most attractive villages of Rhodes and is located south of the capital, on the eastern coast of the island. It is dominated by a magnificent acropolis which we climbed up to. It was quite a steep climb, and on a hot day, we were winded when we go to the top. The acropolis overlooks a picturesque bay.

Plates at the factory in Rhodes

We also visited a plate factory there. The plates are famous. We were shown how they are made and hand-painted, and of course I had to buy a few for gifts and one for myself.

I also spent the late afternoon on a beach in Rhodes town. I had a refreshing swim. The Greek Isles are a wonderful place to relax and enjoy the beaches.

Patmos, Greece

Patmos - Patmos is one of the Dodecanese islands. It is one of the most religious Greek Islands because it is where Saint John the Divine is said to have his revelation and where he wrote the Apocalypse (Book of Revelations). It used to be an important place of pilgrimage and belonged to the church. You can go into the Monastery of Saint John if that is of interest to you. This Greek island has many beauties to offer to visitors. Today, this mountainous island and its small coves attract sun lovers who wish to dive in its crystalline waters.

Courtyard in Patmos

We were in Patmos for just a few hours on a Sunday. We were on a 3 day cruise and the ships all stop at Patmos for half a day and then go on to the coast of Turkey to see the ruins of Esephus. Most of the people on the ship took the tour up to the monastery. We opted to explore the town instead. There was a Greek Orthodox church having services, and you could hear the chanting in Latin all over the town. It was quite pretty. I'm not a religious person, but I enjoyed the sound of this. There were some cute shops in town, which were open. And the views of the water and harbor were stunning.

Rethymno, Crete

Crete - Crete island is the largest of the Greek Isalnds and is located in the south of the Aegean Sea. It is one of the most famous Greek islands and often visited with Santorini. It is separated in 4 prefectures: Chania, Heraklion, Lassithi and Rethymno. The island has everything to offer: mountainous landscapes, a coast with many beautiful beaches and rocky coves, beautiful towns and charming villages and harbors, excellent food, ruins like Knossos, of the Minoan Civilization, one of the greatest civilization ever, and wonderful food and restaurants.
 



Crete is said to be the birthplace of Zeus, the king of the Gods, and it was the site of Europes's first modern civilization.

 

Rethymno Harbor

From our dinner table at sunset

 I spent the most time on Crete. We took the ferry from Santorini over to Crete and then rented a car. We spent a week on the island, exploring and enjoying the beaches, towns, ruins and food of the area. It is actually my very favorite of the islands, probably because I did spend more time there.  We stayed in a timeshare in the town of Rethymno, with another couple that we quite often travel with.  We spent the week exploring the island.  We loved the town of Rethymno, with its harbor and lighthouse area.  We had a wonderful dinner one night at a farm on the hill above the town.  It was a 15 course meal, and everything we were served was grown or raised on the farm, including the wine, cheese and breads.  It is one of the best meals I have ever had, and we were sitting outside on the hillside overlooking the vineyards and the town below.

 

Samuria Gorge

We drove to other towns on the island and explored, we swam on the beaches.  We hiked the Samaria Gorge.  To do that we took a boat over to that area and we hiked up to the gorge from the beach.  There is a longer route to it, which starts at the top of the gorge and hikes into it, but this was a long enough hike, without doing the whole thing.

 

And one day was spent exploring the Minoan ruins at Knossos, which is near Heraklion.  Inhabited since the Neolithic era. The first palace of Knossos was built around 1900 B.C. Two hundred years later it was destroyed by an earthquake and rebuilt, becoming grander and more luxurious. The final catastrophe occurred about 1500-1400 B.C., according to one theory, with the eruption of the volcano in Santorini. Despite this blow, people continued to live there for another fifty years, until a fire swept through the city circa 1400 B.C. The Minoan palaces were not only the residence of the ruling house, they were also administrative and religious centers for the whole region. The ruins of the capital of the Minoan Kingdom include the palace of Minos, the homes of the officials and priests who surrounded him (Little Palace, Caravanserai, House of the Frescoes, etc.), the homes of ordinary people and the cemetery. The palace was a labyrinthine complex built around a central court. This multistoried construction covered an area of 22.000 sq.m. and, in addition to the royal quarters, also contained places of worship, treasuries, workshops and storerooms.

Minoar ruins at Knossos

The restorations performed by Evans have been criticized as inaccurate, and there is a feeling that many of the details were reconstituted utilizing at best "educated guesses". For the visitor however, the restorations render the incomprehensible strata of ruins along with their past grandeur a bit more obvious, and bring the majesty of Minoan life at the palace a little closer.  We found Knossos to be fascinating.

 

There are many more Greek Islands to visit.  Those are the ones I have visited, but I would love to go and spend a few weeks on one of the smaller islands with just a few inhabitants.  You would probably get to know some of the locals if you were there for any time, and all of the islands would have great beaches where I could just relax and enjoy myself. 

 

If anyone reading this has a favorite Greek Island that I didn't mention, I would love to hear about your experience and why you love it.  Anywhere in Greece is worth taking the time to see and explore.