Sangria and Stilettos

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National Gardens, Athens Greece

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They have Bob’s message in Central Athens… “One Love”.

In A Hellenic State of Mind →

After returning from my last trip, I thought it could be helpful (mostly for my rapidly fading memory), if I documented not only what happened on the trip, but the steps I take in preparation — let the comedy ensue!

Until last week, I was torn on where I should take my “2012 Grown Woman” trip — between Hawaii, Spain and Greece. Right before I went to sleep one night, “Troy” came on and it seemed like a sign that I should choose Greece! Decision made. Thanks, Brad Pitt! 

First, I checked the State Department website for travel advisories. If you’ve been paying attention to the news for the past couple of years, Greece has been in the midst of a severe recession which has caused strikes and rioting. Usually, I try to steer clear of places which may have recently had unrest (I’m looking at you Egypt), but I was encouraged to read that Greece would receive another bailout from the European Union  which should help to keep the country funded until 2014. (I’m definitely not skipping the travel insurance on this trip.)

Next, I needed to figure out the best dates to travel. A quick look at airfares showed that I would save $500 - $800 on airfare by going the week before Memorial Day. I was also able to find a direct overnight flight that will get me to Athens by 9 a.m., which gives me another day to explore versus traveling.

After speaking to a few friends who have been there, I determined that I should split my time between Athens and the Greek Islands. It didn’t take much more research to figure out that I should go to Santorini, specifically the village of Oia.

Every picture and story I have heard of Oia tells me that this is one of the most beautiful places in the world. On the strength of a  recommendation (and reviews on TripAdvisor), I think I’ve made a good selection for a hotel in Oia and by investing in an overseas call to the property, versus booking online and was able to get a complimentary room upgrade.

Now, I’ll focus on booking my hotel in Athens and a few excursions. I’m also planning to visit some Greek restaurants in my neighborhood to start getting acclimated to the food options. It’s my shameful secret that I have a very unsophisticated palate and every time I leave the U.S., I look for a familiar chain restaurant versus being adventurous with my food choices. My goal is to break that bad habit this go-round.

This trip will mark the first vacation that I’ve taken where I wasn’t already not familiar with the language of the country I’m visiting. I will try to get the basics by watching these handy Greek 101 videos on YouTube.

I’m very excited for this trip! I’m a history fan and grew up on Greek mythology, so it’s definitely going to be a treat to visit. Even before I decided to finalize plans to go there, I had recently picked up “The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller and “Oh My Gods: A Modern Retelling of Greek and Roman Myths” by Philip Freeman and in-between my crash course in Greek language immersion, I will carve out some time to read these before I leave.

A part of me does feel a little wistful that I’m doing this particular adventure solo. As much as I pride myself on being an independent traveler, Greece has always been on my short-list of places to explore with “Mr. Right” (second only to Bora Bora). But since Mr. Right only exists in my imagination or is in a witness protection program… I decided to press forward. Time, tide and this chick wait for no man!