Flying from Cyprus to Athens was a very strange experience. On entering the airport everyone had temperatures taken and face masks were compulsory. We were leaving on the only departing flight so there were socially distanced lines at baggage drop. No hand luggage was allowed so everyone had to drop bags off and anyone who hadn’t paid online had to provide a receipt of payment at the desk. This caused several disputes. The airport was very quiet. In seating areas every second seat was cordoned off. Shops and restaurants were closed and we were glad we had eaten before leaving .
Arrival in Athens was less regimented. Once outside the airport face masks quickly disappeared and life seemed to continue as normal. A taxi took us to our Air bnb and we explored our four bedroomed apt, home for the following four nights. The apt was outside the main tourist drag in a local neighborhood with several small shops and lots of apartments. Each floor was called after a Greek God, being on the top floor meant we were in Zeus, king of the Gods. We headed out to lunch and wondered at being in a different country free to roam and closer to home.
Next morning we headed to the nearby Panathenaic or Olympic Stadium. We were the only visitors here to learn about the first Olympic Games and how the contest has continued since. It was an interesting visit. The stadium surrounded by tiered seating was fully intact. We sat in the thrones of the King and Queen and imagined a huge crowd around us cheering on the athletes. This was the end point of the Marathon. The boys did a lap and then received their prices on the podium. We saw a turtle doing his own lap but we were quicker than him.
There was a long cave like tunnel which led to an indoor museum, originally where athletes emerged into the stadium. The burner from which to light the Olympic flame was there along with posters and torches from several Olympic and Winter Games. The audio guide was informative but the best part of the experience was imagining all the events that had taken place here since 350BC.
We walked through the National Garden, formally used by the King as a private garden but now open for public use. We stoped for a nice lunch in a garden terrace near the apt. We got back to the apt by 2.30 and relaxed for the evening. The boys watched the first ‘return to the season’ Derby game and were pleased with the win.
On Sunday we headed to the Acropolis. It was much quieter than on a previous visit when we fought through the crowds. We passed the temple of Zeus and Hadrian’s Arch on the way and then climbed up to the Parthenon at the top of the Acropolis complex.
We were all ready to sit and enjoy a cold drink and some lunch after the climb in the heat. We stopped in Athina restaurant where, despite eating on a terrace with views of the Parthenon, we enjoyed some great food and service. We wandered back to the apt through the national garden stopping for a brief playground visit on the way.
On Monday we walked to Plaka, a busy area with pedestrianized streets lined with shops and restaurants. It was interesting to catch glimpse of the Acropolis on the hill as we walked around the area. We revisited the Panathinaikos sports shop and got the boys kitted out in new T-shirt’s. We stopped at a nice restaurant in a big square with two churches and enjoyed a great lunch. Then black clouds filled the skies indicating the pending storm. We managed to get back to base before the thunder & rain started.
Tuesday we were due to leave Athens and fly to the Cyclades islands. We headed out for brunch in a local taverna before heading to the airport. We got word that the ferries we had booked were now cancelled so we had a fluster trying to rearrange our plans. The airport was again under strict Covid measures. Masks still compulsory but the manner in which some of them were being worn caused the boys some dismay. The flight was delayed so we sat at the gate for ages awaiting our 30min flight. Finally it was called and we boarded the tiny propellor plane and set off. Again the boys were amused at the strict mask policy which seemed to go overlooked when the on-board drink and snack was served!
We arrived in Naxos, the largest of the Cyclades island group. First thing that impressed us about this place was the tiny airport contending with Kerry Airport for our favorite airport slot. A taxi collected us and dropped us to the Saint Vlassis Hotel. We had a rooftop room with a large balcony and a smaller room downstairs for the kids. The owner, Constantinos, couldn’t do enough to help. A very large breakfast was served each morning on the sunny patio. Due to Covid restrictions the buffet was closed and the menu written to provide the buffet in menu format. When we thought we had finished the first morning he arrived out with dessert! We were more careful about our menu choices the next day. We enjoyed five nights there walking to the nearby St George beach where we rented four sun beds and two umbrellas for €10 a day. The water was shallow for wide expanse which made it safe for the kids to enjoy.
We enjoyed some great dinners out in the evenings. The restaurant views were excellent. We went to ‘Sirocco’ in the main square which was friendly and recommended by Constantinos. Next day we discovered the marina and the Naxos Arch, we dined with a view of the sunset in ‘Il Professore’. The food was great but portions proved way too big for us. Shea’s Pizza made for a nice lunch for the boys the next day! One evening we walked through the maze of narrow streets inside the castle walls before stopping at ‘Ammos’ for probably the best meal we had on Naxos. We shared fish and seafood and it was delicious. Closer to the hotel was ‘Trata’ on the beach where we enjoyed another nice sunset with some mussels, shrimp and calamari. For the last evening we went back to the marina for another lovely shared seafood meal in ‘Naxian Capriccio’.
The five days we had in Naxos simply flew by. We were all sorry to leave and vowed to return to this mystical island linked to Zeus, father of all gods and his mythical son Dionysus again one day. A taxi dropped us to the port in the marina and we awaited the ferry to Santorini. We had a cabin booked for the two hour journey so we rested there and read our books. It wasn’t long before the white houses of Santorini appeared on the horizon. A taxi bus took us from the port to the Grand View Hotel.
This was another special stay. The name was spot on as the views from the pool over the caldera were spectacular. Santorini is a volcanic island where an underwater volcanic eruption took half the island with it leaving a crescent shaped island with high cliffs on one side and black sand beaches on the other.
We had a large two bedroomed suite with two balconies. We sat and did school work there in the mornings until the school holidays arrived on June 30th. Breakfast was served by the pool each morning. Big trays of steaming coffee, fresh bread, croissants, fruit & eggs were quickly devoured. The sunset at about 8.30 each evening over the caldera was beautiful.
We had two nights here. The first night we walked to the square in Megalochori, a beautiful, quiet village. Most places were closed due to the restrictions. We ate at the Marmite restaurant in the garden terrace overlooked by the church with the blue steeple. The food was excellent. They presented us with some freshly grown capers & olives, cheese and tomatoes to start and the flavours were amazing. We then shared lamb & potatoes, pork & leeks and rice stuffed peppers with some local white wine. A fruit plate and another carafe of wine were included in the meal for free. Not sure how they managed it but the boys still had room for a gelato from Mr Scoop next door for dessert.
The next day we did some work, relaxed by the pool and took a walk in the afternoon. The cliffs were spectacular. We saw grapes growing for the local wineries. And pink flowers brightening up the stone walls. We saw snails clinging to walls and plants. Most of the hotels were still closed. That evening we swam in the pool and enjoyed the grand view with a glass of complimentary wine.
We walked to the nearby Tavern Tzanakis for dinner at about seven. The family run restaurant was fantastic. We met the cook who told us about the freshly grown produce. Then she went to the kitchen to prepare food while her husband and son looked after the orders. We had stuffed courgettes, beef with white aubergines and calamari. Eoin tried rabbit and liked it. The food was fresh and wholesome. They gave us a small dessert and a digestif on the house. We paid the bill and headed back to see the sunset from the hotel terrace. Another lovely day in Megalochori.
The next day after breakfast we finished up school work….schools out for summer! Then we sat by the pool for an hour before taking a taxi to the town of Thira about 15minutes away. We had been due to leave on a ferry today but it was cancelled so we had an extra two nights in Santorini instead. The town of Thira was totally different to Megalochori. The hotel room at Oasis wasn’t ready when we arrived so we headed out for coffee and a walk around the main square. It was a bustling town more like Thailand than Greece. There were lots of mopeds and hole in the wall snack bars etc. Once we had met Frida, the wonderful owner of Oasis, we relaxed into Thira. With echoes of ‘Tara, Mark, I love you, be careful’ in our ears we set off to explore the town. First stop was the three bells. It was a bit of a climb but an amazing view.
Next stop, refreshments. We wandered through the narrow market streets in search of a tavern. Most of the shops and cafes were closed. The island hasn’t really reopened yet. We found Iriana cafe perched on the cliff side overlooking the caldera. It was a lovely place for an aperitif. Dinner was a quick Asian feast in the main square. Then it was back to base for a jacuzzi before bed. Frida even came to say goodnight!
We had a lovely breakfast delivered on a tray to our door. Then on Frida’s advice we headed to Oia for a few hours. It was a beautiful village with white houses clinging to the cliff side. It was also completely deserted, a positive side effect of Covid. The narrow streets would be very different and much less appealing if we had to contend with a bustling crowd. After a nice walk we stopped for coffee and the boys had some pizza.
Back to Thira for apperatif and dinner. We returned to Iriana Cafe since it was so nice and then shared some shrimp and calamari in a little roadside restaurant recommended again by Frida.
Next morning we listened to Marty Whelan play a request for us on Lyric FM and then Eoin joined his twitter feed wearing his Hairy Baby Marty T-shirt! Our time in Santorini was up so we packed our bags, Frida blew us a kiss and we headed on our way.
We were due to get a ferry to Crete but again it was cancelled. We had to change plans, nothing new there 😉, and fly back to Athens and then on to Crete. Masks on and back on the little plane, short flights and no delays.
Heraklion, the capital of Crete, was different to what we expected. A business city, not very touristy. The Galaxy Hotel was nice though. There was a big pool, which we nearly had to ourselves and lots of comfy garden furniture and bean bags too. The town was busy but strangely the first night all the restaurants were closed due to a workers strike. The following night it was business as usual. The harbour area was nice to walk and watch the sunset.
Discovering Spells, a magic themed bar, was a master stroke. Eoin delighted in a major sugar rush with a butter beer while we admired all the fun touches around the bar.
History time…an hour walking around Knossos was interesting but hot. It was the oldest city in Europe dating back to the Bronze Age. Once capital of Minoan culture and civilization, now an impressive archaeological site with well preserved columns and mosaics.
Next stop Rethymo, a nice seaside town with lots of seafood restaurants and tourist shops. We stayed in an old apartment which was like a cavern with nice tiling and a garden breakfast room, boys weren’t impressed with the poor wifi! We walked to the beach and swam and read there during the day and we enjoyed nice meals by night.
A taxi took us to our next stop. The Kiani Beach Resort seemed to break every rule in the Covid 19 handbook. We deliberated for a few hours about whether to stay or not. The manager offered us a room away from the busy pool and communal areas. We had paid a non refundable fee so we choose to stay. The Olympic sized pool was nice but the resort was much too busy. The buffet was manned and slow. We were not impressed at all with the resort.
Last stop on our Greek trip was Chania. We stayed two nights in the Kriti Hotel. In contrast to the Kiani Beach Resort it was taking Covid measures very seriously. There was hand sanitizer everywhere and request to apply it every five minutes! There was a nice pool where we swam and relaxed but the beds couldn’t be moved due to social distancing so it got very hot! We were a block away from the water and lots of restaurants. We enjoyed lots of nice walks and sunsets along the water. The harbour was contained by a breakwater wall which was part of the old city fortifications. There were fishing boats bringing fresh catch to the restaurants.
After two nights we moved onto the final stop of the trip. The taxi dropped us as near as she could as the old town was closed to cars. We found the Porto Antico hotel and were then walked around the corner to our apt. It was a lovely space amongst the hustle and bustle of Chania Old town, a block away from the harbour. The neighboring cafe arranged to bring us breakfast in the morning and the watermelon shell filled with exotic fruits was amazing with Greek yogurt, fresh orange juice and croissants.
The last few days of our exotic lockdown exile were spent wandering around Chania, enjoying the many restaurants along the sea front, swimming at the beach and reminiscing about our two week trip that turned into nearly five months.
We packed the bags one last time. We discarded some of the well worn clothes and three bags became two. Then a taxi took us to the tiny airport in Chania. There were several flights, many heading to Athens. Masks were compulsory. As we sat at the boarding gate awaiting our flight it was clear that this flight was going ahead, our eight flight booked and the first one to actually leave. We watched the plane land and boards of tourists descent its steps. Time to leave we thought, the island is about to become busy again. There were ten people on the Ryanair flight to East Midland which was a strange experience. The flight attendants didn’t bring the trolley with them for the inflight service and there were no hot drinks served. Other than that it was business as usual. We flew over the Greek islands, the French Alps and the White cliffs of Dover. After four hours we began our descent into East Midlands airport.
Hairylambthewanderyears 