Wildflowers and a Mighty Wind:
Nine days in the Peloponnese and Athens.
Nine days in the Peloponnese and Athens.
Logistics continued, and some final thoughts
Language and communicating
We found it a lot easier to communicate than we thought we would; even in
remote areas, we found people whose English skills enabled us to be
understood. Ironically, the only time that language was an obstacle was
during the lengthy (and terribly awkward) cab ride in cosmopolitan Athens.
As much as we like try to learn the local language, our Greek never
progressed beyond good morning, please, thank you, yes, no and a few
other basics.
Visiting sites: open and closing hours
We found that we could not necessarily rely on published opening and
closing hours or days. It’s best to check on site, or have your concierge
make a call. Several places we visited closed earlier than our guidebooks
led us to believe, and for some, the guidebooks had conflicting
information. Other things were open when we thought they wouldn't be.
And, many sites have winter and summer hours. Finally, we were there in
proximity to a national holiday. It's just a good idea to check first.
Money
We had no trouble getting cash from ATMs anywhere or using our credit
cards. As noted above, we’ve become accustomed to entering an odd
amount in order to get at least some smaller bills (<50€); we’ve learned
that we really don’t like having to ask small vendors to make change for a
50 on a 3€ purchase. The only trouble came in reporting in advance to
Citibank that we’d be using ATMs in Europe, leading to one painful 30-
minute conversation with someone in China.
Telephones
We took several cell phones on regular AT&T roaming, as we really only
wanted a phone for emergencies (well, some of Allie’s friends did text her
at all hours of the day and night; no telling what sorts of emergencies
those were). In some areas, particularly south of Nafplio, only my quad
band phone had service.
Weather, attire and packing
Temps were comfortable, with highs generally in the 60s. We got along
well with a mix of long- and short-sleeved shirts and light jackets. Of
course, there was a bit of rain; fortunately it didn't affect our activities except
for a bit in Athens. Oh, yes, there was that matter of the wind...
The local fashion (for women) at this particular point in time was definitely
boots, and most commonly with skinny jeans or tights. That, however,
would have made for some difficulties with all the hiking and climbing we
did. For the type of trip we did, good walking shoes are a must—for the city
and elsewhere. We did a lot of climbing, negotiating narrow paths through
the flowers or foliage, etc.
Final thoughts
First off, thumbs up for our decision to go to Greece this early in the
season. The weather was all over the board...a bit rainy at times, sunny
other times, and very windy in between. But, aside from one day in Athens,
the rain did not really affect our activities at all. With all the climbing and
walking we did, it definitely beat the heat and crowds you'd find in the
summer. And best of all, everything was lushly bathed in gorgeous
wildflowers—everywhere! Unless you are planning on going to the islands
for a beach-vacation getaway, we definitely recommend going in the spring.
There are many reasons to visit this part of the world, and thousands of
ways to enjoy it. But you can't come here without understanding first what
this place means in the "big picture" of western civilization. History has
been unfolding and unfolding again in this part of the world for more than
3,500 years, and every culture that has inhabited this land has left its mark.
Several of the places we visited were already considered venerable
ancient ruins when the Romans came here, 2,000 years ago. Greece
today is a polyglot stew with many potent flavors—literally and figuratively.
Every day, we felt we’d not be able to top the previous day's experience,
and every day, we managed to surprise ourselves.
We have much more to see in Greece and will definitely be back, some
day. We never ventured out to visit the islands, nor did we travel north of
Athens...so we feel like we haven't seen a great deal of the country at this
point. But we have tasted enough of this fascinating country's delightful
flavors to thoroughly whet our appetites.
Thank you for reading!
See all of our Greece photos
our travels
home
contact us
Language and communicating
We found it a lot easier to communicate than we thought we would; even in
remote areas, we found people whose English skills enabled us to be
understood. Ironically, the only time that language was an obstacle was
during the lengthy (and terribly awkward) cab ride in cosmopolitan Athens.
As much as we like try to learn the local language, our Greek never
progressed beyond good morning, please, thank you, yes, no and a few
other basics.
Visiting sites: open and closing hours
We found that we could not necessarily rely on published opening and
closing hours or days. It’s best to check on site, or have your concierge
make a call. Several places we visited closed earlier than our guidebooks
led us to believe, and for some, the guidebooks had conflicting
information. Other things were open when we thought they wouldn't be.
And, many sites have winter and summer hours. Finally, we were there in
proximity to a national holiday. It's just a good idea to check first.
Money
We had no trouble getting cash from ATMs anywhere or using our credit
cards. As noted above, we’ve become accustomed to entering an odd
amount in order to get at least some smaller bills (<50€); we’ve learned
that we really don’t like having to ask small vendors to make change for a
50 on a 3€ purchase. The only trouble came in reporting in advance to
Citibank that we’d be using ATMs in Europe, leading to one painful 30-
minute conversation with someone in China.
Telephones
We took several cell phones on regular AT&T roaming, as we really only
wanted a phone for emergencies (well, some of Allie’s friends did text her
at all hours of the day and night; no telling what sorts of emergencies
those were). In some areas, particularly south of Nafplio, only my quad
band phone had service.
Weather, attire and packing
Temps were comfortable, with highs generally in the 60s. We got along
well with a mix of long- and short-sleeved shirts and light jackets. Of
course, there was a bit of rain; fortunately it didn't affect our activities except
for a bit in Athens. Oh, yes, there was that matter of the wind...
The local fashion (for women) at this particular point in time was definitely
boots, and most commonly with skinny jeans or tights. That, however,
would have made for some difficulties with all the hiking and climbing we
did. For the type of trip we did, good walking shoes are a must—for the city
and elsewhere. We did a lot of climbing, negotiating narrow paths through
the flowers or foliage, etc.
Final thoughts
First off, thumbs up for our decision to go to Greece this early in the
season. The weather was all over the board...a bit rainy at times, sunny
other times, and very windy in between. But, aside from one day in Athens,
the rain did not really affect our activities at all. With all the climbing and
walking we did, it definitely beat the heat and crowds you'd find in the
summer. And best of all, everything was lushly bathed in gorgeous
wildflowers—everywhere! Unless you are planning on going to the islands
for a beach-vacation getaway, we definitely recommend going in the spring.
There are many reasons to visit this part of the world, and thousands of
ways to enjoy it. But you can't come here without understanding first what
this place means in the "big picture" of western civilization. History has
been unfolding and unfolding again in this part of the world for more than
3,500 years, and every culture that has inhabited this land has left its mark.
Several of the places we visited were already considered venerable
ancient ruins when the Romans came here, 2,000 years ago. Greece
today is a polyglot stew with many potent flavors—literally and figuratively.
Every day, we felt we’d not be able to top the previous day's experience,
and every day, we managed to surprise ourselves.
We have much more to see in Greece and will definitely be back, some
day. We never ventured out to visit the islands, nor did we travel north of
Athens...so we feel like we haven't seen a great deal of the country at this
point. But we have tasted enough of this fascinating country's delightful
flavors to thoroughly whet our appetites.
Thank you for reading!
See all of our Greece photos
our travels
home
contact us
Harbor at Nafplio
Ancient Nemea
Theater at Epidaurus
Thousands of years of history: replica of
Agamemnon's death mask at Mycenae
Agamemnon's death mask at Mycenae
Small church at the bottom of the cliff below
Limeni Village
Limeni Village
Detail on a church in Athens
Greece home
The voyage to Nafplio
Mycenae: Bronze Age equinox
To the theater! Epidaurus
Madness? This is Sparti! (and Mystras)
Greek Independence Day on the Mani
Monemvasia: a one-way trip to the past
Athens is calling
A rainy day in Athens
Our big, fat Greek finale / the journey home
Hotel reviews, air, driving, and other logistics
Logistics con't, and some final thoughts
The voyage to Nafplio
Mycenae: Bronze Age equinox
To the theater! Epidaurus
Madness? This is Sparti! (and Mystras)
Greek Independence Day on the Mani
Monemvasia: a one-way trip to the past
Athens is calling
A rainy day in Athens
Our big, fat Greek finale / the journey home
Hotel reviews, air, driving, and other logistics
Logistics con't, and some final thoughts