Opa! Getting Away in Greece!

We finally made it to Greece! And after all we went though to get there we were pretty excited to say the least.

I’ve always dreamed of going to Greece. Ever since I was very little I’ve had this romanticized image of what Greece would be. It had been drilled into me over the years though textbook pictures and endless history classes. But to be honest it was completely different than I had imagined it to be.

I came to realize that my expectations of what Greece as a whole would feel like came mostly from images and movies that highlight the scenery of the Greek Isles. I thought it was all white cliff-side houses with bright blue roofs where daily fish venders ride donkeys up the steep and narrow  streets. I soon realized that this may have been the case if we had visited Santorini, but not Athens. Unfortunately, the Isles didn’t make the itinerary this time around but it gives us a reason to return. I still want to see those blue roofs.

When you say Athens you think history. The Parthenon, the vases, the sculptures all come flooding to mind, and yes, these are all still a very key element of the culture, but there is so much more. With all the economic hardship lately that Greece has been battling through, I was beginning to fear that this city might just be buried in the overshadowing allure of its past. But all you have to do is strike up a conversation with a local vendor, take one bite of the food, and inevitably take part in the never-ending night life for proof that this city is still very much alive.

The Great Train Trip

For the next leg of our journey we took advantage of our EURail pass and took a series of overnight trains through Eastern Europe. Our end goal was eventually to get to Greece and we thought that this would be an easy way to see a little of Eastern Europe and not have to pay for accommodations at night since we would be traveling via train.

Riding Down the Rhine Valley & Perusing Prague

The next leg of our adventure took us to Koblenz, Germany. Here we took full advantage of one of the many perks of our EURail pass and spent a whole day riding the Köln-Düsseldorfer paddle steamer all the way up and down the Rhine River Valley. We spent the day admiring the quaint little riverside towns, the beautiful vineyard covered vistas, and the historical hilltop castles once belonging to the wealthy robber barons of the area. It was nice to be able to do some sightseeing from a different perspective.

Chocolate in Bruges & Art in Amsterdam

We decided it was time to slow down a bit so we headed off to Belgium and the Netherlands. 

Our first stop was Bruges. Bruges was more than I expected. It was a quaint little town with an old Europe flair surrounded by canals and windmills. The people were friendly and welcoming. At one point on our walk around town we were looking at our map trying to figure out where to go next and a nice elderly man we could barely understand wandered up to help us. What started out as just directions turned into quite a long conversation about the meaning of love. I could only assume he seemed taken by us as a couple. And even though it was unexpected it kind of gave Bruges a sense of old school European romance that has been missing elsewhere. Our primary goal in Bruges was to consume as much fine Belgian chocolate, cheese, and beer as we could. We succeeded! Everything in Bruges tasted delicious! By the time we left for Amsterdam I had to loosen the belt just a bit but boy was it worth it! 

Finally Putting On Our Sandals in Saint Malo!

Walking along the city wall of Saint Malo with Fort National in the background.

After Paris we headed off to spend a few days enjoying the beautiful beaches and exploring the walled city of Saint Malo. We had had enough of the city and were told that this is where some of the locals go for holiday in France. According to Kathy, it is a great place to spend all day just lying on the beach and turning yourself into toast. We thought, “great! We could use a little toasting after all the rain we’ve encountered so far!” It proved to be just what we could have hoped for!

We say “Oui” in Paris!

Enjoying the beautiful Paris skyline form the top of the Arch de Triumph.

The tiny not so pleasant smelly elevator to Kathy's 7th floor
apartment. We dubbed it "The Smelly Elly". I'll just say
it...it smelt like urine but it beat walking up the stairs!

The Chunnel Tunnel did not collapse and we arrived in Paris safe and sound! We were greeted with open arms and a smile by Kathy, a long time family friend of Matt’s, who kindly hosted us in her quaint Paris apartment for the week that we were there. Her hospitality and in-depth French know-how were greatly appreciated. We spent most evenings drinking wine and eating home-cooked dinners with bantering conversation until the wee hours of the morning. We even became quite close to PT the cat as we spent those long conversations with a hairbrush in hand. Needless to say by the time we left we thought PT might just come with us when it was time to leave. I have to say that it was nice to spend the week with family (Yes Kathy, you are family now!).

Making Our Way Through the UK!

Walking along the River Thames and admiring the Tower Bridge.

The next stop on our adventure was the United Kingdom! We packed in as many sights and museums as our feet could handle. Though we came back to London multiple times we took the opportunity to explore as much of the out-of-the-way sites as we could. It was nice to see a bit of the UK that wasn't bustling with cars, double-decker buses, and a constantly rising skyline. London has lots to offer but for us it just felt a little too similar to what we are used to and didn't have much of the charm of the old picturesque European city we both had hoped for.