Wednesday, 2 October 2024 07:08 pm
Vacation Report: Greece
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deckardcanineYet again, travel has left me sleep-deprived, but this time not to the point that I had to wait five days to write about my trip. Just as well that it was only one week, meaning both less exhaustion and less to summarize (didn't take notes for once).
In truth, those aren't the only reasons I'm glad my Intrepid tour didn't last longer. A focus on ancient ruins gets old fast, and I deemed few worth sharing in photos. Most other activities -- a winery, a water power museum -- weren't really my thing. Olive oil tasting wasn't bad, just overpriced. Also, I feel that Greek cuisine is too samey, even now that it offers more vegetarian options than My Big Fat Greek Wedding implied in 2002.
Still, for all the times I was somewhat bored, I don't regret my choice of destination. It was my first European vacation in more than a decade. After visits to poorer nations, Greek luxury was a relief, tho the diminishing towns are kinda sad. The natural environment had its beauty. Lots of cats and a few dogs hung around, and none of them gave me fleas. The weather was clear all week, and I mostly appreciated the moderately high temperatures in line with my hometown, even if they don't play well with a duvet.
Everyone I dealt with directly had adequate English mastery, tho that may be partly because I avoided restaurants with no English on signs. I didn't learn much Greek, but I made a point to thank people with "Efcharistó." (The CH is pronounced the Yiddish way.) The only time I figured out what whole Greek sentences meant was when someone asked whether the tour group was German and he got corrected. Some modern Greek words have no connection to their ancient counterparts reflected in English borrowings; a cat is not an ailuro but a gáta. It's a rather pretty language. If I didn't listen closely, I could mistake it for Spanish -- not Italian, for lack of the lilt.
As usual, plenty of American music played. For some reason, I heard "I'm Good (Blue)" by Bebe Rexha and David Guetta thrice in as many days. Now and then, I'd hear Greek rock. My Intrepid guide was kind enough to send me more via WhatsApp when I expressed interest (along with a fantasy novel recommendation!).
While my travel was hardly arduous, I cannot recommend Greece to anyone who needs a wheelchair. Unless you stick to the coastal lowlands, you'll probably have to deal with stairs, not low-angle ramps or elevators. Don't expect dramatic renovations in a millennia-old country where few streets are wide enough for two cars. (And sheesh, Europe, if you're going to put street names only on buildings, at least include them at more than half the intersections.)
To my surprise, only three other tourists were in my group: a retired couple from the Brisbane area, one of them confusingly sharing my first name, and a woman close to my age from Vancouver. Yep, I was the only American. We all had consistently agreeable conversations, even when they tiptoed into political territory. My one-on-one interactions were mostly with the Canadian; if not for the distance between our homes, I would have considered pursuing romance. In the end, when our guide asked what we liked best about our trip, I sappily said the rest of the group.
There, that ought to satisfy my itchy feet for a while. Next time I go to Europe, I'm thinking Switzerland or Portugal. Maybe Denmark in the summer.
In truth, those aren't the only reasons I'm glad my Intrepid tour didn't last longer. A focus on ancient ruins gets old fast, and I deemed few worth sharing in photos. Most other activities -- a winery, a water power museum -- weren't really my thing. Olive oil tasting wasn't bad, just overpriced. Also, I feel that Greek cuisine is too samey, even now that it offers more vegetarian options than My Big Fat Greek Wedding implied in 2002.
Still, for all the times I was somewhat bored, I don't regret my choice of destination. It was my first European vacation in more than a decade. After visits to poorer nations, Greek luxury was a relief, tho the diminishing towns are kinda sad. The natural environment had its beauty. Lots of cats and a few dogs hung around, and none of them gave me fleas. The weather was clear all week, and I mostly appreciated the moderately high temperatures in line with my hometown, even if they don't play well with a duvet.
Everyone I dealt with directly had adequate English mastery, tho that may be partly because I avoided restaurants with no English on signs. I didn't learn much Greek, but I made a point to thank people with "Efcharistó." (The CH is pronounced the Yiddish way.) The only time I figured out what whole Greek sentences meant was when someone asked whether the tour group was German and he got corrected. Some modern Greek words have no connection to their ancient counterparts reflected in English borrowings; a cat is not an ailuro but a gáta. It's a rather pretty language. If I didn't listen closely, I could mistake it for Spanish -- not Italian, for lack of the lilt.
As usual, plenty of American music played. For some reason, I heard "I'm Good (Blue)" by Bebe Rexha and David Guetta thrice in as many days. Now and then, I'd hear Greek rock. My Intrepid guide was kind enough to send me more via WhatsApp when I expressed interest (along with a fantasy novel recommendation!).
While my travel was hardly arduous, I cannot recommend Greece to anyone who needs a wheelchair. Unless you stick to the coastal lowlands, you'll probably have to deal with stairs, not low-angle ramps or elevators. Don't expect dramatic renovations in a millennia-old country where few streets are wide enough for two cars. (And sheesh, Europe, if you're going to put street names only on buildings, at least include them at more than half the intersections.)
To my surprise, only three other tourists were in my group: a retired couple from the Brisbane area, one of them confusingly sharing my first name, and a woman close to my age from Vancouver. Yep, I was the only American. We all had consistently agreeable conversations, even when they tiptoed into political territory. My one-on-one interactions were mostly with the Canadian; if not for the distance between our homes, I would have considered pursuing romance. In the end, when our guide asked what we liked best about our trip, I sappily said the rest of the group.
There, that ought to satisfy my itchy feet for a while. Next time I go to Europe, I'm thinking Switzerland or Portugal. Maybe Denmark in the summer.