The day had come. We were heading home. This was the final leg of our around-the-world trip.
We took a nearly-five-hour, non-stop Blue Star Ferry from Paros back to Athens at 10:45 a.m. We spent the time on the ferry reading, downloading photos, writing, and staring out the window. Our long-dreamed-about trip around-the-world was coming to an end. And we wondered, what’s next?
Back in Athens
We arrived in Athens on time, and checked into the same hotel, the Acropolis View Hotel. After freshening up, we went for an evening walk around the Acropolis and to find some dinner. We said “hey” to Boss the dog, sleeping inside the closed gates of the Acropolis. We dined at “God’s”—high expectations with a name like that–and filled up on delicious risotto-stuffed tomatoes, fava, and wine.
On the morning we left, we used the last of our traveling coffee packets, and sat out on our balcony, soaking up the sun and staring at the Parthenon. It’s tenacity seemed a fitting ending to our trip, and a reminder of home for us Nashvillians.
A panorama of Athens and the Acropolis. Greece.
And then, we flew home: ATH – LHR – ORD
First, we had a taxi ride with Michael to the airport. The car windows were down and open to the sunny sea air, and the Foo Fighters, ACDC, Supertramp blared from the stereo. Everlong will forever remind me of flying through foreign streets: “…If everything could ever feel this real forever, If anything could ever be this good again…”
The four-hour British Airways flight left Athens at 1:30 p.m. BA ran out of vegetarian meals by the time they got to my seat. And because one passenger on board had a peanut allergy, no snacks with nuts were being sold and we were asked not to eat the peanut M&Ms we’d brought onboard either. BA also charged for water, payable by credit card only. And with that, British Airways officially became the least favorite of all the airlines we’d flown around the world.
It was a brief stop in London, and as we got to the gate on this dark, rainy night, we were asked some strange U.S. immigration questions before boarding the American Airlines flight. It was nine hours to ORD–plenty of time for a meal, a movie (the tearjerker, “Coco”), some reading, and some quiet time to reflect on our trip. We landed at O’Hare around 7:30 p.m., and were back at home by 9 p.m. We’d gone all the way around this big old world! It was good to be home. And yet, I’d go again in a heartbeat.
Around the world
28,000+ miles
6 countries, plus 4 more touched in transit
Our 7th (and 8th!) continent
Big planes, little planes, scenic rails, overnight trains, taxis, buses, bicycle rickshaws, remorks, tuk-tuks, small boats, big ferries, and miles of walking. From glaciers on the 8th Continent to the Great Barrier Reef, to the Taj Mahal and Angkor Wat, to Mt. Everest and the Parthenon…here’s to all the sunrises and sunsets, smiles, laughs, beautiful animals, crazy sights, tasty meals, and Nescafe along the way.
Select photos from our trip are available on Etsy.
Finally, if you liked this post and would like to stay in touch, please…
Carol Fletcher is a traveling, dog-loving, coffee-addicted photographer and blogger living in Chicago. To see more photo essays and projects, please visit www.carolfletcher.com.
Greece was the sixth of six countries on our around-the-world trip. After all the time we spent dreaming about a long trip, we weren’t prepared–we bought our RTW flight tickets super fast, made arrangements for the first couple of countries and the group tour of India/Nepal, and the rest came together by the seat of our pants. Greece suffered the brunt of that approach. When we left Chicago, we had zero arrangements for Greece. Thanks to our friend Helen’s recommendation, Himalaya Travel in Athens arranged all our of transportation and hotels for Greece. We gave them our wishes and a few parameters and they did everything, even delivering the Blue Star ferry tickets to our Athens hotel when we arrived. After Athens, Santorini was next on our itinerary.
Ferry to Santorini
The trip to Santorini was a seven-and-a-half-hour ferry ride, 200 miles south through the Aegean Sea.
What a long, beautiful day! The ferry left Athens at 7:25 a.m. and docked in Santorini around 3:00 p.m. It was one of those days with crisp blue skies and an occasional cotton-ball cloud. A perfect day for daydreaming and reflecting. We passed Ios–the shining white buildings perched on green hills down to the sea. The ferry churned on through the deep blue water, with a cool breeze, salt spray, and a feeling like the motion should never end.
Ios as seen from the Ferry from Athens to Santorini. Greece.
At last, we passed into the opening of Santorini’s bay. White buildings perched high on the edges of the cliffs. Was this a dream? It didn’t seem real. As the ferry’s loud alarm signaled the positioning of the ferry to the dock, a crowd gathered at the boat’s garage door. No one wanted to waste a second of time here in this paradise. Amid the rush of people onto Santorini, we found a driver, piled in, and went up the island mountain also known as Thira (or Thera) to the capital of Fira.
Looking out from Fira. Santorini was created when a volcano blew apart. What remains is the collapsed caldera.
About Santorini, also known as Thira or Thera
Santorini is the remnant of a volcano. In 1600 BC Santorini exploded in what scientists say may have been one of the largest volcanic eruptions on earth. The C-shaped chain of islands is what remains. The people of Santorini have built into the hard edges, warrens of tiny homes and narrow lanes spill down the rims of the island. Our driver drove us up, up, up, stopping at a church at the crest of a hill. We were met there by the manager of the Thireas Hotel who escorted us down a hundred steps to reception and our room. Good thing he came to meet us. It would have taken us an hour to find the place amid the many little paths and patios.
We had an incredible view from our room and balcony. It was not yet sunbathing weather, in fact it was too cold and windy to sit out there for long. But we bundled up and sat staring out to sea. It’s not hard to imagine this as a caldera. It is hard to take your eyes away from the spectacle of the cliffside houses and the drop-dead gorgeous view.
At Thireas Hotel. Fira, Santorini, Greece.The view from our room. Thira, Santorini, Greece.Fira, looking north to Oia. Santorini Greece.
Pre-Season on Santorini
Our hotel recommended a lovely place called Theoni’s Kitchen for our first meal on the island. We made our way over around sundown and were the only ones there. We gorged on the delicious food–stuffed peppers, potatoes, and fava (which is similar to hummus, but Greek), wine, and a pastry dessert.
Later in the evening, we walked around the narrow streets. Santorini was not yet full of tourists. It was quiet walking through the little town’s steps and lanes. Shops weren’t open, but there was a lot of activity. Residents were cleaning, building, and painting with the traditional blue and white in preparation for the hoards of tourists coming any day now. When asked when the season began, they would say only “soon”, “tomorrow”, or “Friday”. Turns out, none of those days was it. And that was perfectly fine with us.
We found the 588 steps up from the Old Port, labeled so tortured climbers could set their expectations. Today, cable cars also make the trek up instead of the poor donkeys. But the Old Port is not used much anymore.
An evening view on Santorini. Greece.A cat at twilight. Santorini, Greece.Counting the steps from the old port up to Fira. Santorini, Greece.
Mornings in Fira, Santorini
At dawn, we walked down from our hotel, around the narrow passages and small spaces. We looked for the buildings we could see from our room and found this old church. The view of the sea was breathtaking.
A barge approaches the dock in Santorini. Greece.A bird on a cross. Fira, Santorini, Greece.Bryan looking out to sea. Santorini, Greece.
Bells ring the hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the chimes echoing through the streets and mountainside. I wondered what this place was like before it became a tourist destination. I realize that it is the height of hypocrisy, but why does tourism development seem to destroy so much–often leaving none of the original way-of-life and natural charm behind?
Near the bus stop, Santorini’s street dogs look for food in the trash. Fira, Santorini, Greece.One-earred pirate dog who belonged with this shop. Anyone going through the passage with food was followed, stared at, and otherwise enticed to give pirate dog a little something to pass. Fira, Santorini, Greece.Panorama of Santorini. Greece.The ferry–looking tiny from here–coming into the caldera of Santorini. Greece.
Finally, if you liked this post and would like to stay in touch, please…
Carol Fletcher is a traveling, dog-loving, coffee-addicted photographer and blogger living in Chicago. To see more photo essays and projects, please visit www.carolfletcher.com.
Greece was the last destination on our around-the-world trip. Growing up, I had three travel posters hanging in my room: green fields in Ireland, the fjords of Norway, and a drop-dead gorgeous view of blue domes over pristine white buildings on the Greek Island of Santorini. When we started our around-the-world trip planning, we tried to include places that had been on our lists for a long time like our seventh continent, the Taj Mahal, and Mt. Everest. That travel-poster view of Santorini made the cut. We were heading to Athens and the Parthenon, then some fun, sun, and relaxing on two Greek Islands before going home.
KTM – DOH – ATH
It was six hours from Kathmandu to Doha. We flew over India, Pakistan, Iran, and the Persian Gulf. Finally, we were about 30 feet from landing in Doha when the plane abruptly pulled up and turned sharply. Everyone on the plane was quiet, listening to the accelerating engines and making eye contact with timid smiles. “The wind changed direction,” the pilot told us about ten minutes later. We landed on the other end of the runway, in a dust storm.
Our Doha, Qatar layover was about four hours, so we got some food and sat watching the dust obliterate the view of the runways. It was as thick as smoke, a buff-colored cloud on the ground. Tiny particles sounded like sleet at the windows. The dust diffused the sun into a magical ochre color for hours–and then it seemed to clear. Dust swirled in little puddles on tarmacs we could now see. Planes were coming and going. When we finally left Doha, Qatar Air avoided the direct route to Greece over Saudi and Syrian airspace, instead going north over Iraq before turning left in Turkey.
Arrival in Athens
We arrived after midnight into Athens. A taxi took us along empty streets through the city to our hotel near the Acropolis. We were exhausted. The next morning, I woke up with a runny nose and low-grade fever. We were off to a slow start in Greece. I took some cold medicine we’d packed and spent the morning with a book and tissues in bed. It was a good time to do some laundry via the hotel service. After a few hours, I felt better and started moving again.
Our hotel rooftop had an amazing view of the Parthenon, sitting high on the Acropolis. We sat up there in a cool wind, wrapped in our jackets, and took in the view of this symbol we’ve seen all our lives. Amazing feeling to look at it in person, high on its hill. Later in the afternoon, we walked to the street Drakou in Plaka for dinner at a tavern called Kalamaki. Fresh hummus and a Greek Salad, with french fries and wine. Perfect.
Beautiful street in Plaka, Athens, Greece.
The Acropolis
The next day, we made our way to the Acropolis to see the Parthenon. It was about a 25-minute walk from our hotel to the Acropolis park and up. The area just around the Acropolis is filled with outdoor restaurants, street musicians, souvenir shops, and wandering tourists.
The Parthenon
Built in 447-432 BC as a temple to the patron goddess of Athens, Athena, the Parthenon was a sophisticated and precise structure for its time. It has been said that the builders accounted for and refined the design to correct for optical illusions and that the 46 Doric outer columns are proportioned to add life to the rectangular building. The four corner columns are larger and lean inward. The other columns are larger in the middle and taper slightly at the ends–to correct for the leaning one sees in straight lines. It is an architectural masterpiece. And it represents the best of Ancient Greece, Western Civilization, and Democracy.
Being born and raised Nashvillians, we are very familiar with the Parthenon. A full-scale replica of a complete Parthenon stands in Centennial Park across from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. The temporary replica was originally built for the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition, and rebuilt in sturdier concrete in the 1920s. We’ve visited our beautiful Parthenon all our lives–scrambling over the base of the building, posing for photos around the columns, feeding the swans that live in the pond, swinging in the most perfect swings, and enjoying the old trees of the park. Our alternative newspaper, the Nashville Scene, has a “You’re so Nashville if…” contest every year. My favorite response ever was, “You’re so Nashville if you think our Parthenon is better because it’s still standing.” 🙂 We FaceTimed our families so they could see the real Parthenon.
Looking out from the Acropolis to the Temple of Hephaestus. Athens, Greece.Columns at the gateway, along the entry up into the Acropolis. Athens Greece.
What Happened to the Parthenon?
Once completed in 432 BC, the Parthenon was used as a temple, a treasury, and when the Ottomans came, a mosque. On Sept 26, 1687, it was cannonballed by the Venetians. The Ottomans stored gunpowder there, so all of Athens witnessed the massive explosion that blew the roof off of the 2,000-year-old building. It was a devastating loss of ancient Greek architecture.
Since that time, well-meaning people have taken sculptures for protection and others have stolen pieces out of greed. Other people tried to rebuild with remnants. In the early 1800s, Thomas Bruce, the Earl of Elgin, got permission from the Turks to remove the Parthenon Marbles that once graced the pediments. In an on-going controversy, the Elgin Marbles are still in the British Museum.
The Parthenon. Athens Greece.Restoring the columns on the Parthenon. Athens Greece.What’s left of the Parthenon’s Eastern pediment. Athens, Greece.Crane from the Eastern side of the Parthenon. Acropolis, Athens, Greece.The Ottomans were storing gunpowder in this temple (built in 432 BC). When a Venetian cannonball hit in 1687, the Parthenon was blown apart. Parthenon, viewed from the Southeast. Athens, Greece.The Western side of the Parthenon under scaffolding. Athens, Greece.Workers standing on the Parthenon. Athens, Greece.Columns to the sky. Athens, Greece.
Restoration
Real restoration finally begin in 1975. It is a big, heavy, difficult jigsaw puzzle. Huge pieces are scattered around the grounds. To put it back together, artifacts are inventoried and models will determine appropriate placement. Work is slow. A crane inside the Parthenon places marble pieces carefully and work is done to secure them in non-obtrusive ways.
Pieces of the Parthenon. Athens, Greece.Columns waiting for placement at the Parthenon. Athens, Greece.
The Acropolis Theaters
Along the hillside of the Acropolis, there are two amphitheaters. The Theatre of Dionysus is considered to be the world’s first theatre, believed to have been built in the sixth century. The theatre seated more than 15,000 people, some in marble throne-like seating up front, and others in the grassy area up the hill. It has excellent acoustics even today. There are re-used statues and reliefs from older buildings around the stage area. We sat for a while, trying to imagine the Greek tragedies that may have played out in this space, enjoying the place, and watching the grass grow between the stage stones…as it has for centuries.
The Theatre of Dionysus, as seen from the Acropolis. Athens, Greece.Bryan resting in the cheaper seats at the Theater of Dionysus. Athens, Greece.The remains of the Theatre of Dionysus, reused sculptures from older buildings surround the ancient stage.
Also on the hillside of the Acropolis, sits the Odeon of Herodes Atticus theater. This one was built in 161 AD, destroyed in 267 AD, and left in ruins for 1,700 years before being restored in the 1950s. The theater seats about 5,000 people, and once hosted musicians under a wooden roof made from the Cedars of Lebanon. Today, the roof is gone, but it is once again a music theater.
The Odeon Of Herodes Atticus. Acropolis, Athens, Greece.
The Odeon Of Herodes Atticus sits on the side of the Acropolis, looking out over Athens, and an area called Plaka.
Boss the Dog
In the Acropolis, we met a few resident dogs. One was 16-year-old Boss. We saw him early in the day, sleeping under a tree. On our way down, a woman was feeding him and we went over to say hello. She told us that volunteers come daily to feed and care for the Acropolis dogs, including old Boss. Today, he’s so old he lays down to eat and naps most of the day. The volunteer sat brushing and cooing to him. During our time talking with them, she filled a water dish twice and he drank it all. As we were leaving, we gave her a donation for food. And she dug out a photocopied photo of Boss as a younger man, a gift for us. As I considered asking for his signature, I looked down to see him smiling up at me. Thanks Boss!
Boss. The old dog resident of the Parthenon/Acropolis. Athens, Greece.
Finally, if you liked this post and would like to stay in touch, please…
Carol Fletcher is a traveling, dog-loving, coffee-addicted photographer and blogger living in Chicago. To see more photo essays and projects, please visit www.carolfletcher.com.
