Friday, July 2, 2010


We plan 24, 12 , 2 hours in advance, taking our adventures one step at a time…We eat when we’re hungry, we sleep when we’re tired, we absorb the stimulation and the newness, we navigate and maneuver our way, feel the flow, trust ourselves, trust each other.. we are synced up and tuned in.. Oh the ease of sibling travel!
We've been staying connected to the world (besides facebook, email, and phone) through the current universal language of the world cup! catching games or scores or glimpses during dinner, over coffee, through store windows . A great conversation starter in any city, small town, bus stop..

We made our way back to mainland Greece from Albania and landed our first stop in the otherworldly place of Meteora – Greek for “suspended rocks” or “In the heavens above”. Insane rock formations house the monasteries of monks from 11 AD who built their homes on top of the rocks to escape the bloodshed of the Ottoman empire. Today monks still live there, as does the thriving tourist scene. So serene, so surreal, so beautiful.
(one of the monastaries at Meteora)
Athens came next. Fortunately we stayed with Dana’s friend from DC who is living and working in Athens and could offer us 2 bedrooms, free Wi-Fi , laundry and great hospitality – what a treat! Although none of us found Athens to be charming, beautiful or even that interesting of a city, the vastness of its sprawl , the history, and of course the Acropolis spoke for themselves – amazing. Making our way to the acropolis in the evening was a great move on our part- less crowds and perfect evening lighting leading to a sunset over the city. I am not much of a history buff and usually don’t retain much historical information, but I will always carry with me the feeling of being in the center of such a city, at the highest point, breathing the intensity of the Parthenon and the other structures, feeling without knowing that history took place here.

(Adam and I at the Parthenon)

Being beach bums and sun worshipers, we had to get back to the islands – Naxos being the first. What a cute island - dry as a bone but still charmng! We lazed on the beach, rented scooters and explored little towns, Mt. Zeus (i am still confused at to what this was.. but I love the name!), and beaches along the coast. Riding scooters has become one of my new favorite things and we try to rent them as often as possible.. Nothing like the freedom of the road - not to mention the "cool" factor.. I just might have to have my own one day.. Keeping the theme of “island hopping”, we left Naxos after 2 days of exploration, great seafood and more soccer and ferried our way to Santorini.
(beach and coast in Naxos)

Santorini is where we parted ways with Dana and started in on the nitty gritty of sibling travel – which has been amazing. We accidentally splurged on one of the most unique places I’ve ever stayed. Nestled in the whitewashed town of Oia, our room was built right into the side of the island, accenting the natural curvature of the rock.. it was seriously like living in an igloo – a posh igloo no less, for we found ourselves wearing our white robes and slippers on our private balcony eating fresh fruit overlooking the Mediterranean feeling the breeze and the sun and utter happiness :) Oia, has quickly climbed my “potential honeymoon” list as it is SUCH a charming and romantic town - I think Adam and I were the only couple not holding hands ... The architecture looks like it is covered in icing - so white, so smooth, so soft.. We decided to stay in our classy, posh themed adventure and rent a convertible Mazda sports car for the day. Wind in our hair, plastered smiles on our faces we zipped around the whole island, explored cliffs, beaches, towns, and constructed photo shoots along the way (see below).. Livin our lives like they’re golden. One epic night, the entire island (or so it seemed) gathered at the tip of the island (which is Oia) to watch the sunset.. what a unifying and electrifying vibe with so many people crammed in every crack with a view of the sun setting over the ocean.. we hollered, and clapped, and one man even proposed in the midst of it all.. It felt very burning man. The epic night ended in the BEST fish dinner I have ever tasted..so fresh, so tasty, so simple
(Oia at sunset)
Santorini was the end of our 2 weeks in Greece. How we LOVED Greece and it’s tomato-cucumber-feta-olive salads, white wine, amazing history, chillin islands, electric sunsets, crystal blue waters, cobblestoned towns tucked in mountains and valleys, yogurt and honey, inviting atmospheres, lovely people. Greece, I WILL be back.
A friend sent me this amazing piece on the concepts of a pilgrimage and purposeful travel and I will leave on this excerpt from it…….“On pilgrimage it seems everything around us appears richer, fuller and more alive as our awareness expands. Time takes on a different dimension. There is no past or future, only this moment and what is in front of us. We create a new environment energetically and physically each day.” – this pretty much sums it up!!

Next up TURKEY TIME!

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