Sun, Good Vibes & Tzatziki - Greece Chapter 875

Hello,

Boys, Girls, Foxes, Memory Foam Mattresses, or whatever my readers identify as today... I mean, Excuse me?! It's 2023!

And you can be whatever or whoever you want to be. ;)

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It's summer here in Greece.
So different from Berlin right now.
I'm currently holding a cocktail in my hand, with my face towards the sun.
I'm looking at the sea, smiling inside and out, and enjoying my life.
The waves are so loud that we almost have to yell to understand what the other person is saying, even though we're only separated by the pole of a beach umbrella under which we've taken refuge.
The restless sea is shining brightly and the stiff breeze blowing through our hair offers a welcome change from the temperatures above 35 degrees that have been prevailing here since our arrival.
The sea, with all its shades of blue and turquoise, is always so much more beautiful in Greece than anywhere else.
Anyone who says otherwise is a mean liar. ;)

The air is burning, anyway. Well. And so is my sunburn.

I feel like a crispy (burned) duck.
I don't want to say that it's hot, but when you take a pizza out of the freezer here, it's already fully baked before you even reach the stove with it.
I've been here 10 or 11 times in the past 15 years.
Whether it's mid-June, early September, or the summer months in between.
I've seen it all here.
But honestly, it's never been as hot as this time... it's new to me.🔥
Honestly, I don't want to complain or anything.
Better this way than having to hide from the rain in the German midsummer with a blanket and Netflix.
However, my older sister, who was my happy companion this time, didn't handle the climate too well.
At least not on this particular day.
We were at my favorite beach.
(And no, I'm not going to tell you which one it is, because I don't want to see any of you snooping around there)
The sun was burning mercilessly.
The air was stationary.
There were gusts of wind from time to time, but it was still like African wind.
You need to know that going to the beach with me is not just a walk.
No.
It's almost like an expedition.
You'd better wear hiking shoes and already have drunk 3 liters of water before you can eventually lay your towel on the sand.
So I parked the scooter and we walked what felt like 4 kilometers to the end of the beach.
And I mean that literally.
Beyond that, there's nothing but rocks.
Only a few nudists get lost on this part of the beach.
Not such a pretty sight most of the time, but what can you do...
And yes, I admit, it's exhausting for me too... this walk every time.
But I just hate people.
And I despise the masses who squeeze themselves like sardines into 2 square meters just because there's a kiosk or a beach chair that rents for 274 euros per hour.
We splashed, sweated, ate, drank, dived, bobbed, snorkeled, fell silent, laughed, chilled, chatted. (in any order)
However, we still had to move to another part of the island, so we eventually decided to leave and walked the felt 4 kilometers back to the scooter.
Since I'm the fast type and my sister belongs more to the sloth species, I didn't notice her condition at that time.
I was just looking forward to the wind on my vehicle.
However, the first 5 seconds on the scooter were nothing but sobering.
Sobering and hot air.
It was so disgusting.
Like a 60-degree hot hairdryer blowing in your face.
It wasn't any different in the shade.
It was indeed a tough 30 minutes on the two-wheeler.
When we arrived at the accommodation, I finally saw Peggy properly for the first time in a while.
Sweating.

Bright red. 

And pale at the same time. 

And above all, silent. 

She didn't say a word, but you could practically see the faint cries for help in her eyes.
It was too much for her.
She would probably have just passed out behind me on the scooter if we had stayed on it for 2 minutes longer.
Let's just say it took her a while to recover.
And let's just say, I wouldn't be me if I allowed people to rest longer than necessary.
The E in ViviEn stands for 'relentless'.
The new accommodation I booked advertised a fantastic incomparable view over the city.
And where do you usually have a fantastic incomparable view over the city?
Exactly - from high up!
Our new hotel was almost at the highest point of the island.
And of course, there was no road up there.
So we walked from the port.
Over hill and dale.
Over countless stairs and unpaved, very steep paths.
With 30-kilo suitcases and a heat stroke.
In 43 degrees Celsius in the shade.
The lady at the reception asked, looking at our destroyed state, how we had arrived.
'Well, on foot.' (in a foreign language, of course)
She looked incredulous.
Her face a wild mix of horror, pity, and schadenfreude.
Because of course, there was a road up here.
Of course, we didn't have to walk.
Of course, probably no one had ever walked this way before us.
But remember - my obsession with expeditions! ;))
And the view from our terrace.
By the time we saw it, all the bad things were already forgotten and we were completely rewarded.
Or?

Maybe my sister hated me a little on that day.
But maybe I just don't care. ;)

We've been here for 8 days now.
In 2 days, we'll be going back to our hometown and I just don't want to go.
No, no, and no times three.
We've seen so much, done so much.

Even the arrival here was legendary.
Haha, when I think about it now...

Shit!

That one word pretty much sums up how the first few minutes started here on my favorite island.
'Shit. It's gone. I've lost it.'
A million thoughts raced through my mind.
1000 euros simply gone.
How could that happen?...
Hold my wine glass, I'm going to explain:
Our host from the first vacation rental I booked picked us up at the ferry when we finally arrived at my favorite island.
Since we would be living far away, we stopped at a supermarket to stock up on the necessary (or unnecessary) things.
Said and done.
Finally arrived at the accommodation, Shock!
Frantically searching my back pocket of my jeans.
A back pocket that was now empty.
But a back pocket that was just moments ago home to my full wallet.
It was really gone.
I searched everywhere.
Panic started to set in.
All that money, driver's license, bank and health insurance cards.
All gone.
We raced back to the supermarket.
Scoured the parking lot, and our landlord went into the shop to arrange access to the surveillance cameras...

The vacation was over before it even started...

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Everyone loves cliffhangers in movies.
And that's exactly how I'm ending this part.
Think what you will. ;)

But I can tell you something about the accommodation!?
We booked a tiny family-run hotel with a view of an extremely well-kept garden, and right behind it was the big water.
Just a few steps through the meadow and you'll reach your very own private bathing area, which leads directly into the sea.
So so so nice!
It's just a shame if you forgot something in the room.
It was really exhausting to walk back up.
Well.

But since we are mature and composed adults, we always managed to agree on who had to take on the hard way without any problems.

(Scissors, stone, paper decides)

The next day, I finally rented a scooter for us.
You're just lost without one here.

Ah, how I missed it!

The feeling that overwhelms me.
The smells that you can't escape.
The mix of pine trees, the sea, and a hint of sunscreen hitting your face as you cruise along the narrow serpentine roads with the scooter.
There's nothing better. Actually, nothing at all.

Occasionally a few mountain goats.

Donkeys.

Chickens.

People who move in slow motion as they work on their houses and farms because it's just too hot to move quickly.
Just the blue sky and the certainty that the entire vacation lies ahead of you and your only problem is which taverna to order your chicken souvlaki from tonight.
The island is about 70% covered in pine trees.
So during the ride, you practically see lush green everywhere, with the sea shimmering in between.
Turquoise and inviting.
And did I mention the smells here?
It smells like pine trees, salt, and heat.
I really want to capture this scent, preserve it, and take it home with me.
This small island in the Aegean Sea has done something to me.
Something that keeps pulling me back like a magnet.
No matter where I've been in the world -
Nowhere is like here.
Nowhere do I feel so at home.
Nowhere is it so much fun to conquer the narrow and steep streets.
Past olive trees, orchards, and white houses with blue-painted shutters and red tile roofs.
The mountains and hills, the hidden pebble beaches, this damn clear water.
I just can't get enough of this island.
If you've never been here...............please leave it that way, because this island is mine!!
(Imagine me hopping up and down like the seagulls in 'Finding Nemo' and shouting 'Mine Mine Mine' at this point.)

Oh man, it's really annoying that today is already Monday.
The end of 11 way too short days in Greece.
Why does a workweek never end and when traveling, you blink and bam! you're already at the airport, 3 kilos heavier, on your way back to good (c)old Germany.
Flip-flops are replaced by rubber boots and the airy tank top will probably only be used in the gym from now on. (haha Exactly!)
Now I'm sitting in the plane in row 31, looking outside and wondering if I should really finish writing the blog or leave it.
I mean, there are already a few from here, and what else can I say about it other than the same old praise.
But it's my own fault. I keep taking other people here and they absolutely insist on it.

('There won't be a blog with ME as your companion, Vivi'...)
Bla Bla, Yeah Yeah.
I'm already continuing.
So I'm looking out and reviewing the past days.
The plane is packed, and I would also prefer to be packed, I'm telling you how it is.
Because it would be easier to bear the child sitting right in front of me.
It's too loud.
It's moving.
It talks and sings.
It's very happy.
But:
There are limits, yes.
There are rules.
I don't want that.
I just want to go back to the beach, with a million in my bank account and a cocktail in my hand.
Is that too much to ask.🥲
I mean, just yesterday I was at the Acropolis, following in the footsteps of the Greek gods, and less than 12 hours later, I have to fly to cold and rainy Berlin.
Unfair.
Just unfair.

And do you know how hot Athens is?
At 8 o'clock in the morning, the thermometer already showed 32 degrees.
And, in any case, I was glad to have the opportunity to visit Athens again before my demise.
Because before we go to Berlin, I had planned a little stopover in the Greek metropolis to end our vacation.
I thought my sister should experience some culture.
And I tell you... this flight... which was supposed to be only 40 minutes, but in the end felt like almost twice as long... this flight will probably stay in my memory the most.
I don't even know how to describe what happened... it was disturbing... eerie... scary... I already prepared some final words, wondering who would clear out my apartment and who would fight over my shoes and books.
In the end, nothing happened.
Of course... otherwise, you wouldn't be reading my anecdotes now.
But believe me, if you had been there...
No one spoke a word.
There was complete silence on the plane at some point.
Not even clearing one's throat could be heard at times.
Well.
The sooner I forget this experience, the better...

Back to Athens:
I have to say, this city has a good chance of replacing Barcelona as my favorite city in Europe.
I like the vibe there.
I generally like big cities.
I like the mix of ancient history and modernity.
Everything is colorful.
Street art everywhere.
And no matter where you are, you can almost see the Acropolis from everywhere.
Of course, we didn't miss the chance to climb up there.
But of course, not at noon like I did in 2008. (Smarter through pain)
I guess it was around 7 o'clock in the evening when we arrived.
When you're standing up there in front of these historic monuments, realizing how long they've been there... it just takes your breath away for a moment.
My sister apparently lost her breath and blood circulation in her brain again.
Otherwise, I can't explain why she leaned against a 2500-year-old monument to relax.
Of course, she was immediately chased away by a security lady, but: Deserved, Peggy, deserved!! 😂
We stayed on the hill overlooking the city afterwards.
The view was just amazing, and the sunset wouldn't be long in coming, so we settled down somewhere.
Apparently the place to be for many.
There were a lot of people with us.
But once you ignore them... it's a magical moment every time to watch the fireball as it sinks lower and eventually disappears, painting the sky colorful in the process.
But seeing this spectacle at the Acropolis.
Wow.
That was mind-blowing.
But then...
So.
How should I say it...
I already find people who applaud on a plane after landing problematic and cringey.
BUT:
People who cheer and applaud the sun for 3 minutes because it made the effort to set????

You have no idea what it was like to witness that.
Just 1 word:
Uncomfortable.
After this experience, we quickly went to the hotel because we would have to get up very early the next day since vacations are always finite and our journey was over.

If I were to write down what else happened here every day, I wouldn't be finished until 2024, and who would even want to read all of that. (well, I already know a few messed up people among you...)
And no matter how much effort I put into it, it never reads the same as it feels in 'real life'.
I can only repeat myself:
Greece is one of the most beautiful countries in Europe for me.
With the best food.
The warmest people.
The bluest sea.
And this little island (whose name I still haven't revealed), is simply the greatest place in the world.

Period 

Thank you for any form of attention and see you soon!

Over & Out