LODGING WE LOVE: Ibis hotels—we stayed in these often! good prices, clean rooms, and a front desk person (we really like hotels over apartment rentals/BnBs because of the front desk person. We’ve had a few mis-steps with Air BnB rentals … Continue reading
My sister and brother-in-law are planning their first trip to Europe and she asked for advice on things to do and see. Here’s my rambling, way-too-long notes page. Not included: opening hours, admission prices or travel time.What you will find–the … Continue reading
Only photos in this blog post–because really, Greece is fabulous because of the architecture and art that’s stood the test of time.
Food became our passion in Greece. Each island had their local favorites and when we landed in Athens, everything seemed to come together. With our guide’s help, we found a great dessert shop, Hans and Gretel, featuring chimney cakes filled … Continue reading
Mars Hill (Areopagus)– where Paul addressed the Athenians in Acts 17. This rocky area functioned as a court for trying homicides and religious matters and overlooks the ancient agora below. ACTS 17 vs 16.. Paul was waiting for them in … Continue reading
On our first morning in the city, we took a free walking tour of Athens to orient ourselves to the major sites. The city is home to 600,000 people and it sprawls in all directions with the acropolis as a … Continue reading
It’s hard to overstate the importance of Ephesus to the ancient world. A center of commerce and philosophy, so much history is recorded here. Some important sites include the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient … Continue reading
Medieval old town, acropolis of Lindos and the Colossus We love Rhodes! The ancient city dates back to 407 BC and has a history of being conquered by a variety of forces–ottoman, byzantine, venetian and roman–all who left a bit … Continue reading
Santorini, the prize jewel of the Greek islands. Known for beautiful sunsets over the caldera, we had two days to duck into shops and enjoy leisurely meals while admiring the view.
Tourists arriving by ferry to Santorini have to scale a huge cliff to get to the towns of Oia and Fira. We opted for the quick and efficient taxi ride instead of cable car or donkey to the top.
One the best ways to see Santorini is by walking the 9km path that connects the towns of Oia and Fira. We took a city bus to one end of the the trail (Oia) and began our way back home after lunch. The path is well marked and the caldera view spectacular. While not difficult, there are plenty of challenging uphill climbs along the way.
Our flight to Greece left at 6:30am which was perfect timing for us to squeeze in a Journey concert in San Diego before spending the night in Anaheim and leaving for LAX airport at 4:30am. Grateful to Lauren for being … Continue reading
Tim’s completion of a year-long chaplaincy residency is the perfect time to celebrate. While Ireland still makes the top of our “Must Visit List”, the draw of sunshine, water and an oracle or two made Greece our destination for 2018. After a visit to the library to check out every Greece and Turkey travel book in San Diego County, we settled on this 2 week itinerary:
