Honeymoon Part 2

Courtney and I extensively researched the possibility of going to Greece for our honeymoon. Ultimately we decided that Greece was beyond our budget and we ended up going to the Dominican Republic then New York City for our honeymoon. Our honeymoon was an amazing experience so we do not regret the decision we made at all. However, now that we live in Europe, Greece is a much more affordable and realistic place to visit. So we decided that we would plan a second honeymoon! The wonderful pace of life in Spain provided Courtney and I with 11 days paid vacation for 'Semana Santa' (Holy Week) which was the perfect opportunity to take a long relaxing vacation. In total, we spent five nights in Greece, one night in Zurich, Switzerland, then we returned to Madrid for four nights of relaxation and recovery. What a second Honeymoon it was! 

We arrived in Zurich after a short flight and immediately began shelling out Swiss Francs at every turn. Courtney has vowed to never return to Switzerland, as it really is overpriced. Despite the pain of overpaying for EVERYTHING we had a great little tour of Zurich. Our hotel was right in the midst of a lively nightlife that was reminiscent of the neighborhood called Malasana in Madrid (young, artistic, and loud). We flew out at noon the next day but not before we took a really pleasant stroll around the city. If you are making a living wage in Zurich, then you are sure to have a comfortable and pleasant life. Zurich is beautiful, clean, rich in history, interesting, artistic, and environmentally conscious. 

 

More about this building

During our walk (which was bordering on recklessly close to missing our flight, we stumbled upon some really interesting shops including a shop/factory that we had read about and wanted to see. They make bags out of reused materials and their storefront is likewise made from old shipping containers. The building is stunning. It is inspiring to see repurposed materials become artistic and functional. I really wish that we could have explored the building inside but we had just enough time to catch the nearby train to the airport (we did arrive at our gate the moment boarding began).

Courtney and I often joke about the only true value in Switzerland, Swiss Air. I have heard from locals that Swiss Air is usually quite expensive but we have found their prices to be among the best recently. Even if we have to pay a few more Euros to avoid Easy Jet or Ryan Air, we will. Swiss Air actually provides you with a meal, even if your flight is only an hour long! They also graciously provide you with unlimited beverages AND Swiss chocolate! Another small nicety is their online ticketing system which will automatically check you in 24hours before the flight and email the boarding passes to you, or text you a smartphone boarding pass! This has been very helpful in these situations where we are hopping around so frequently.  

Late Saturday (March 31) we arrived in Athens and decided to go straight to our hotel near Piraeus port to dump our luggage and get the lay of the land. After getting settled in our hotel (which was its own adventure by metro and bus) we decided that we should hit the Athens city center despite our impending early morning (7am arrival at the port). What a great choice! Our expectations were low based on all that rumors flying around about Greece. Greece is in a desperate situation economically. The conventional wisdom about Athens (from the posh western tourist point of view) is to see the amazing ruins and museums then run to the islands as fast as possible. I am not sure which is more concerning the conventional wisdom concerning Athens or the endless mid-century urban sprawl which is decaying as Athens fails to succeed in the emerging system of capitalism supported by foreign bailouts. Athens is withering under economic concessions, and more people are leaving than entering. Yet, this seems healthy considering thier insane population boom over the last 3 generations. 

Yea	City population	Urban population	Metro population
1833	4,000[58]	–	–
1870	44,500[58]	–	–
1896	123,000[58]	–	–
1921 (Pre-Population exchange)	473,000[19]	–	–
1921 (Post-Population exchange)	718,000[58]	–	–
1971	867,023[59]	–	–
1981	885,737	–	–
1991	772,072	–	3,444,358[60]
2001	745,514[61]	3,165,823[61]	3,761,810[61]
2011	655,780	3,074,160	3,737,550[12]

          In the mid eighteen hundreds Athens had a population of about eight thousand and over the past century and a half it has exploded to over three million inhabitants. Speaking to some of the locals, we learned that many of these inhabitants still have family ties to villages in Greece and are returning to a more time-tested way of life. While other locals I talked to mentioned their hope to get out of the country as soon as possible. Wage reductions and elimination of paid holidays have become regular while living expenses are still somehow climbing. The gap between the rich and the poor seems to be widening in Athens as a result of the bailout.

However, this reality was not one we wanted to run from. Rather, Courtney & I were poised to explore Athenian culture and connect with whomever we could. We took a long stroll around the city center of Athens & fell in love with the lively neighborhoods. All around the majestic natural fortress called The Acropolis (which has been the city center of Athens for all of its recorded history stretching back to nearly a millennia BC) there are interesting neighborhoods that cater to tourism, to varying degrees. We were comfortable in the emerging neighborhoods that invited tourists but where locals still outnumbered us. Ψυρή - Psyri is the neighborhood that will soon become the next Πλάκα - Plaka (classic tourist destination). We found some of the best food, hospitality, & atmosphere available in Europe, especially considering the reasonable prices. It was also really fun being able to read Greek due to my seminary experience. 

Yet, proving ourselves to be posh western tourists, we whisked ourselves away to the idyllic Greek islands by high-speed ferry. We saw three beautiful Greek islands before arriving to our final destination, Σαντορίνη - Santorini. A man with a sign that said “Bryan Babb” was waiting for us on the dock who recklessly drove us to our traditional cave villa on the other side of the small island. We stayed just north of the capital of Santorrini (Φηρά - Fira) in the picturesque town of Οία - Oia (pernounced “EE-a”). This town really seems to embody the spirit of the Greek Islands with its romantic, singular architectural style. The architecture harkens back to a simpler time. It comes from the period of Venetian rule. There are cave houses, large Venetian villas, tons of Catholic Churches, charming windmills, and fortifications to defend the island from pirates. All of the traditional styled buildings have common colorful features that are iconic to the Greek islands. Santorini is literally alive with volcanic activity. In fact you can purchase maps on the island dating back to the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries that do not have islands that currently exist due to recent volcanic activity! Also due to modern eruptions, a large portion of Santorini is ruins that have yet to be restored. 

For me this adds to the mystique and intrigue of the island. I found my imagination running wild, pondering the history of Santorini, while gazing over the cliff that was our doorstep to the vast Aegean Sea and neighboring islands. I have yet to see a view that thrilled me as the view from our cave home in Oia, it was really the highlight of the vacation for me. However, our dining in Santorini was also noteworthy. Some of the dishes were ones that I grew up with, having parents who were always exploring different cuisines. Others came as complete surprises, like a lasagna-esque dish native to Santorini with layers of meat, spices, and bechamel sauce. We also connected with a few of the Santorini locals in meaningful ways. We would definitely go back to Santorini and Athens!

Courtney’s # 1 on her Europe bucket list, complete!