Kos, Greece

Kos, another island in the Dodecanese chain, is where Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine was from. I originally was not planning to come here but did so because I needed to make a ferry connection to Turkey.

My highlight in Kos was visiting the Medieval castle right by the harbor. Kos Town also has a bunch of Greek and Roman ruins scattered around the center of the city. Other than these few places, there isn’t much to do on the island besides relaxing on the beaches.

My ferry to Turkey was quite interesting. I arrived at Greek exit point more than 30 minutes before the scheduled departure. When it was my turn to present my passport and ticket to the officer, he told me that I had to go outside and wait in line for a boarding pass, even though I already had my ticket. What unnecessary bureaucracy! I waited in line for the boarding pass for half an hour and almost missed my ferry because of that. Luckily, the ferry waited for everyone to obtain their boarding passes before heading to Bodrum, Turkey.

Santorini, Greece

Santorini is the quintessential island in the Cyclades. The island is not only blessed with iconic white and blue architecture, but also has one big cliff on the western side that overlooks a caldera (water-filled) that was formed from a volcanic eruption over 3,500 years ago.

Because of volcanic activity, Santorini has miles of black-sand beaches on its eastern part. The island also contains a White Sand Beach and a Red Sand Beach, both of which have cliffs of the eponymous color.

I had two memorable experiences in Santorini. First, the hike between the towns of Fira and Oia. This coastal walk led me past stunning coastal vistas. I saw first the southwestern and then the northwestern coasts unfold before me. Moreover, there were instances when I saw both the caldera and Aegean Sea sides, therefore seeing both bodies of water. The volcanic island of Nea Kameni was also visible.

My second highlight was visiting the town of Oia, on the northwestern tip of the island. This town is famous for its sunsets, which were slightly cloudy according to my observations (I was there twice). Oia is also has the highest concentration of blue-domed churches perched by the caldera and a couple of windmills. The town of course had its fair share of white and blue “cave homes”. All of these structures together produce stunning sceneries and photographs.

Mykonos, Greece

Leaving all the sweet memories of Crete behind, I boarded a fast hydrofoil to Mykonos, one of the most popular islands in Greece due to is iconic white buildings and wild beach parties. The ferry ticket cost me 79 Euros and I was considering skipping this island. However, I told myself that I might not ever come back to Greece and thus proceeded to purchase the ticket.

Well, it turned out that this journey was one big nightmare! I don’t know which is worse, the overnight train ride or this ferry ride. Besides being 2 hours late (which rendered this journey not to be “high speed”, in my opinion), many people threw up, including me. The ride was so turbulent that one’s diet regimen should include a daily journey on this hydrofoil.

I think Mykonos is hyped up. Sure, the pristine beaches and white-blue buildings are heavenly. However, these features can be found on other islands in the Cyclades. Furthermore, because the island is so touristy, it loses its authenticity. Even though Mykonos may have more stunning architecture, I enjoyed Crete more because of its people. The distinctive characteristic of Mykonos’ architecture, in my opinion, are the white windmills. Other than that, the island is filled with the typical white buildings in the area. Geographically, the island is quite flat and contains few trees. Thus, there were few, if any, panoramic vistas along the coast.

Lastly, I think Mykonos is an island one only has to go to once. That is, unless one loves parties and has money to spend. If camping by the beach with blaring music all night long is one’s cup of tea, then welcome to Mykonos! If not (the category I belong to), then jet away to another more pristine island without the noise.

Crete, Greece

Crete, the largest island in Greece, consists of four prefectures: Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion and Lassithi. I spent only 3 days here and could have probably spent more than a week.

The first part of my journey was in the western town of Chania. Chania is known for its Venetian architecture and harbor. During my visit in Chania, there was a Cretan agricultural festival. Vendors showcased many of the island’s products, including honey, raki (alcohol), puff pastries and desserts. The festival also consisted of children performing Cretan dance in traditional costumes.

The only beach I ventured to in Crete was in the westernmost part, a place called Falassarna. This beach had sparkling blue-green waters and was surrounded by mountains. I felt like I was in heaven!

I next headed to the largest city in Crete, Heraklion. Heraklion is a big city with only a few Venetian structures, notably its fortress and walls. Most people visit Heraklion because it is near the Minoan capital of Knossos. I had the opportunity to wander amongst the ruins of Palace of Knossos. Striking features of the place include colorful columns, reconstructed frescoes and an ancient toilet with sewage system.

The absolute highlight of my stay in Crete and probably in all of Greece was staying with CouchSurfer Antonis’ family. From the moment I set foot in his house, I felt like a part of the family. Antonis’ mother made all sorts of delicious food and made sure no one left the table without being 100% full. Her creations included homemade yogurt, homemade ice cream, cheese pastry, chocolate muffins and Greek salad (with plenty of feta, of course). Antonis, his brother George and parents were very friendly and made sure I felt comfortable at all times. Antonis exposed me to raki (alcohol of the region), meze (Greek tapas) and loukamedes (deep-fried dough balls with honey).

While visiting Antonis’ family, I got a treat of a lifetime--the opportunity to attend a Greek family party! The reason I was so excited is that having watched the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding, I wanted to experience Greek family life and see first-hand if the gatherings were really that raucous and gossipy. The truth is, the party I attended (which was to bid Antonis’ cousin farewell before he goes on military service) was much milder than the one in the movie. First, everyone was so friendly! They wanted to know how I met Antonis, and that was it. I didn’t feel they were that gossipy. Instead, they kept on offering me food and making sure I tried everything! The food list (which I am sure I forgot to list some items) is as follows: pork ribs, grilled chicken with potatoes, beef stew with pasta, goat cooked with yogurt and carrots (Antonis’ uncle’s “secret” recipe), Greek salad with olives and feta, asparagus casserole, eggplant casserole, dolmas (rice wrapped in leaves), raki, homemade white wine, ice cream, cheesecake, mini cakes, pudding, grapes and watermelon! This Greek family party will certainly go on my list of most memorable life experiences.

To digest all this food, I briefly joined in a Greek “circle” dance in the village square. The town was having a traditional dance performance (with Cretan costumes, of course) and opened up the stage to the public afterwards.

I had a difficult time saying goodbye to Antonis and his family. I was very touched at how friendly there were to a stranger. They exposed me to Greek and Cretan culture by opening both their home and their hearts to me. They showed me why Cretan hospitality is one of the best in the world.

On a side note, I felt proud and honored when Antonis’ dad said “So CouchSurfing works” before I left. This is just one of many examples at how CouchSurfing is breaking down cultural barriers, enhancing understanding between different peoples and building friendships all over the world.

Athens, Greece

So my 9.5-hour train ride from Skopje to Thessaloniki might not have been so bad after all. The 6.5-hour overnight train I took from Thessaloniki to Athens had to have been the most memorable thus far. First of all, the ticket agent neglected to inform me the option of making a seat reservation. Since I didn’t have a seat, I spent the first hour “playing musical chairs”. After a few stops, the train was packed and I was left without a seat. Thus, I proceeded to the end of the dining car, which had some floor space. Unfortunately, there were people there so I was hunched up in a corner. This experience made me the appreciate the leg room that we get in coach class on U.S. airlines! In fact, the train was so full that people were sitting or standing on every available floor space. I was thinking that if they let any more people into the train, they would be have no choice but to sit on the roof or hang out of the train doors, a scene that is quite common (or maybe not so) in India. And to top it off, it was freezing in this train! Well, at least this experience will prepare me for the trains in Asia!

The best part of taking an overnight train to Athens is that one arrives at 5:30am. This means that there is ample time to stroll around Plaka, the old town without anyone around. It also meant that I could be one of the first to enter the Acropolis at 8am (when it opens) and not have to deal with crowds. I did exactly that.

For me the most impressive part of the Acropolis was not the Parthenon, which has been damaged over the years, or any of the other temples and gates. My favorite part was the commanding view of Athens. On top of the Acropolis, I could see numerous white buildings, the Saronic Gulf, hills and the Temple of Olympian Zeus..

Another place with an even better view is Lycabettus Hill, the tallest point in Athens. From there, I could spot the Parthenon and Acropolis, towering over the city center. Furthermore, I had a birds-eye view of the old Olympic Stadium, the site of the first modern Olympics back in 1896.

I also had the opportunity to visit two world-class museums--the New Acropolis Museum and the National Archeological Museum. The New Acropolis Museum recently opened its doors, on June 21st. The modern architecture of the building is impressive, with glass floors where one can view ruins underneath. I especially enjoyed the exhibit on the Parthenon. The National Archeological Museum provided a comprehensive of Greece from the Neolithic to Classical period. There was everything, from pottery, to statues to bronze ware. The museum even contained an exhibit on Egypt.

Thessaloniki, Greece

Thessaloniki, Greece’s second city, is one of the few non-touristy places in the country. Because of that, I purposely scheduled a visit there to see how Greek life is like.

The city unfortunately does not have much old architecture as most homes were razed down after WWII to make room for apartment buildings with balconies. These structures are ubiquitous in Thessaloniki.

Another feature of the city are its numerous Orthodox churches, spread throughout the city. In every neighborhood there is an old church, surrounded by contemporary apartment blocks.