Thessaloniki, Greece: The In-between

Burnt in our train compartment.

  
      Taking the metro to the train station, Becca and I said goodbye to Hashim, and bought overnight train tickets. Finding our train compartment however, proved to be more of an adventure. The entire Greek army was on our train. And they were all pushing past us, in the opposite direction. As we finally figured out what car we were in, we stumbled on the train, delirious from a sunburn and lack of sleep. It's a good thing that we aren't claustrophobic, because the foot of space allocated to sleep in was quite confining. After watching Sex and the City Two (bootlegged from Athens), we curled up in our tiny spaces, waking up occasionally to apply more aloe.

     We arrived in Thessaloniki at seven thirty am. Perfect timing. Our train from Thessaloniki was supposed to leave at eight am. And then our adventure began. While Andy had thought that the man had said eight am, he actually said eight pm. There we were in the train station, a suitcase and handbag apiece, with twelve hours for our train. Never ones to overlook a chance to explore, we locked up our suitcases and set off to explore this new city.

     While exploring, we decided to be practical as well. Internet was on our priority list, as we wanted to find a hotel in Istanbul before we arrived. Finding an internet connection, however, proved to be more difficult than we originally thought. Especially on a Sunday in Orthodox Greece. Fortunately, we're very determined. After a few awkward conversations, an espresso shop that claimed to have internet but only boasted a scantily clad barista with tables full of poicemen, and wandering around with my iPhone trying to find a wireless signal, we found it.

     The restaurant was not open (Sunday), but the owner was sitting outside and invited us to sit and use the internet. Thank goodness. We quickly found a hotel, and set off for a walk by the water. Two Ice cream treats and a funny picture of Becca on a kiddie train later ,  we were on our way back to the train station. As both of us are great with directions, it took considerably longer than we anticipated. We stumbled upon a fruit stand and picked up some dinner for later on the train. We waited a little bit longer (our patience improved immensely on this trip) and we boarded the train in dire need of some sleep. But sleep was not in the cards for us.

View of Turkish countryside from our train window.

We were abruptly woken up about 230am by a loud, booming PASSPOOOOORTS! Startled and fumbling for our glasses (at least I'm not alone in my blindness) we opened our door and handed them to the night guard. Fifteen minutes later, our door was pounded upon and our passports handed back.  Thinking the customs part of our trip was over, we snuggled back into our blankets. False. Another Turkish man came by, pounded on our door, and again demanded our passports. Okay. And then the same loud booming voice was ordering us outside. At four am? Luckily, Becca and I are cheery people. But this was pushing it a bit. We stumbled out of our cramped car in our pajamas, confused and unsure of what was going on. 

     We stood in line on the train tracks, shivering on the border of Greece and Turkey. One by one, we were escorted into a brightly lit hut and paid for our Turkish visas. Finally, we thought we were finished. Alas, we were again mistaken. Another man ambled by our compartments and pounded on the door, booming "CUSTOMS." After finding out that we're two young girls from America, he smiled and said "Good night." Pleased that our baggage was not going to be searched, a rigorous process but even more draining at five in the morning, we laid back down. And finally our passports were returned.

Sunflower fields in Turkey.

     Perhaps the overnight train was not our best choice, but it was definitely an adventure. Next time, we don't need to bother with the sleeper train, as we were up all night anyway. At least the cheery sunflowers brightened our day. Onto the bus portion of our trip. An estimated hour trip, ended up taking two, but we finally arrived. A hotel has never looked so good.

Poros Island, Greece

At a restaurant on Poros Island.

     Tan and pleased we are, at Poros Island. After we decided to explore some Greek islands, it was only a matter of choosing which island would fit in our schedule. As much as I wanted to explore Santorini with it's white homes and clear blue water, but alas, this was not in our time schedule or budget. We eventually settled upon Poros Island, a trip that required a few hours on a boat to get us there. 

     We woke up at Becca's peak morning hours, aka freakishly early, and set off for another adventure. Making our way to the coastline, we found many ferries and chose one that looked promising. As Hashim, Rebecca and I ascended the boat, we chattered about our excitement for tan lines. Two and a half hours, two small island stops, and a persistent sea gull later, we arrived at our destination. We then enjoyed a toasty day of sun and lemonade. Content with our sun kissed skin, we boarded the boat back to Athens and our next adventure- traveling from Athens, Greece to Istanbul, Turkey.

Sunset over the Mediterranean Sea.

Athens, Greece

On the streets of Athens.

     Arriving in Greece was a reunion with an old friend. Wine shops, girls in little summer dresses, and shoe stores galore. But before the shopping extravaganza could commence, we had to find our hotel. Conveniently, the metro was connected to the airport, so we hopped on, suitcases and all. What we didn't realize, however, was how quickly the train would fill up. Consequently, we were smashed against Greeks of all shapes and sizes. Quickly, we realized that switching train lines was going to be a feat of physical strength. Dragging our two months of clothing and gifts along, we huffed and puffed to downtown Athens. Realizing that we needed a cab to our final destination, we hopped in and were taken to our hotel. Or at least, the first hotel.

     Arriving at our hotel, we discovered that our attempt to save money meant shady/sketchy/leaving immediately. Grabbing our overstuffed bags and running, we caught another cab to the hotel our friend, Hashim, was staying at. Becca knew Hashim from her Persian class, and he decided to meet us for a few days in Greece. Unfortunately, he befell a bit of bad luck in Greece. His passport was stolen, and as he is a Pakistani citizen, it took a bit to receive a new one. Thus, he ended up spending most of his summer residing in a Greek hotel. 

     Arriving at the new hotel, we were relieved to find a clean, modern establishment. It was small, but the older couple that owned it were very friendly, albeit quite lazy. We tugged our suitcases up a few flights of stairs, then set off to explore the city of Athens.

Outside of hotel Athinaikon.

     Outside our hotel was a plethora of things to see, starting with the flower and plant store next door. There were flowers covering every spare inch of space, and it was delightful to see so much green around. Besides the more modern stores and architecture, Athens reminded us a lot of Jordan. A bit run down, but a lot of character. 

Taking a break from shopping and exploring.

     On Thursday morning, we set off in a search of real coffee, the weeks of Nescafe had us longing for the real thing. On our way, we stopped at a local street vendor for cinnamon raisin breakfast pastries. Becca and I said goodbye to Hashim, as he set off to the embassy for a new passport. We spent a few hours shopping and browsing Greek fashion. On this day, a pension bill was passed in Greece, reducing benefits and increasing the retirement age. This was an attempt to reduce their debt. There was a huge protest in front of the Parliament, so we rushed to get there, to be amidst the police officers on horseback and throngs of Greek activists. The twelve thousand protesters managed to shut down central Athens. It was a completely new city at night. The lights sparkled, and the city comes alive. Greeks have dinner very late at night, ten pm is the normal dining time. Tourists are the only ones seen in restaurants before then. Our explorations led us to some very interesting finds, including this artist's studio.

An artist's studio.

     There were many art galleries around Athens, and this one happened to be attached to the artist's studio. Below the gallery, through a little wooden opening, were stone steps leading to this creative environment. Half-finished paintings, oil paint, and a pottery fire showed us another side to Athens, the hidden artistic side. Along with this little gem, we managed to have dinner at the most delectable restaurant in Greece- Paradosiako. The hand-written menu and husband and wife duo made the most memorable restaurant experience in Greece. The Greek salad was fresh and tasty, as was the squid, octopus, and cod. Everything was plated and presented wonderfully as well. The other restaurants that we had been to comprised of tourist dishes and prices. This was local and deliciously authentic. One treat that we quickly became used to was the complimentary melon as a dessert. This sweet treat was always a refreshing way to end the evening. The next day began our historic part of our adventure.

The Erechtheum at the Acropolis.

     Our first stop Friday morning was to the Acropolis. The Parthenon is at the center. This area was full of tourists, and we only stayed long enough to take a few pictures and read the signs scattered about.

The Parthenon, at the center of the Acropolis.

     The view however, was stunning. Overlooking the city established a deep appreciation for where we were, and the significance of the area.

The view of Athens from the Acropolis.

     Our next stop was the Temple of Zeus, or what remained of it. The Statue of Zeus was located here, and was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. We also stopped at the National Gardens. While the Gardens were pretty, the most striking aspect was the turtle pond. After experiencing much of Athens, I was ready for further our exploration. But which island to go to?

Temple of Zeus.