Honeymoon 2? Part 10 - Island Adventure
Day 10 - Bestest Greek Isle?
On our previous trip to Greece (honeymoon), we visited several Greek islands. They were Mykonosos, Crete, Rhodes, and Santorini. From my experience, I'd say I most enjoyed Aegina. But I'll say that with a few caveats. First, Angie planned the activities so it's obviously catered to our likes. Our previous trip, we were on a cruise so the excursions were based on a more general audience. And I'll also say that I thought the archaelogical site at Knossos in Crete was very nice too. I also suspect that Santorini has good archaeological sites, but the activities were very focus the resort-y aspects of Santorini, not ancient Thira. So it's not a good comparison and we're probably better travelers now. Thinking about it now, I don't know if I can really make such a definitive statement but anyway, I very much enjoyed Aegina.
So we started the day with breakfast in a nice little courtyard. It had a very nice quaint feel. The hotel seemed to be run by only a few people so you saw the same people again and again. After breakfast, the owner/manager said to stop by and she'd give us a map and some information. She talked a bit much but it was okay; and we got a map.
Our first stop for the day was the Ruins of the Temple of Apollo, which has one famous pillar and some surrounding ruins. I actually spotted the site from the ferry on our approach. We wandered around for a bit and I think they also had a small museum of artifacts. I very much enjoy when museums place artifacts in the same arrangement as they'd be in a temple. It was a miniature size recreation, but still nice.
The one remaining pillar (https://photos.app.goo.gl/bz7nBLg2Pvm4bZWv5)
Ruins next to the beach; it reminded me of Tulum in Mexico. (https://photos.app.goo.gl/DQmwz76fwExh7kEP8)
Sun glare by the pillar (https://photos.app.goo.gl/5XqtbXzb6qwLCwY36)
A wider shot of the site (https://photos.app.goo.gl/f6AWvWSXCwGpbvxY6)
Next we headed to the Temple of Athena Aphaia. I remember talking to the hotel owner/manager and she said something like "it's not just a few rocks". The temple is in the mountains and through some trees so you don't see it when you approach.
I don't know why this photo was taken, but it shows the approach. (https://photos.app.goo.gl/KYAc5RP2NKsG1fn67)
A clear view; I was so surprised by how well preserved/reconstructed it was! (https://photos.app.goo.gl/hqdQDxQtASBFboTm9)
And you can see that you can get super close; the roped off area is only feet away from the temple! (https://photos.app.goo.gl/2CecEFVCf4PGeL578)
This temple was super interesting because you can see how there's the big columns around, then a wall and then there are little columns inside with columns on top of that. How crazy?!? (https://photos.app.goo.gl/DdLxFGYB88fEW7LfA)
A view with the sea in the background; supposedly, there's a triangle from this temple, the Parthenon, and the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion. "They" say you can see Sounion on a clear day, but we didn't really try. (https://photos.app.goo.gl/DecpvwLTJ2Xj8CNSA)
A view from the "front" (https://photos.app.goo.gl/y9VP1co4MWSj85wv9)
Afterwards, we went to another side of the island with a beach line that the hotel person recommended. The beach was pretty nice with a gentle slope. We parked randomly by a side street and rented some beach chairs. We got some drinks and possibly food (since there was a server that worked for an adjacent restaurant). We swam and snorkeled. By one side of the beach, there were rocks and plants and such, so that was a nice place to snorkel.
At one point, I was snorkeling and I never want to touch coral or plants or anything. So I was swimming over it and then I eventually go turned around or didn't know how far out I went. And I think I'm fine (swimming) when I'm calm and stuff. But I think I started to get more water into my mask and I didn't know how deep I was, so I started to panic. Then it's like stuff where I start to try to breath normally (through my nose) but you can't since the gear blocks your nose. Again, I know what I need to do, but it's just the fear of water so I got more panicked and started to try to swim to shore and stand up. Eventually, I started to flail around like a crazy person and Angie came by and pull me up by the shoulders to make me stand vertically... and I could STAND in that depth of water. So I was very panicked and "drowning" in water that probably only came up to my chest/neck. Afterwards, we were talking and she was like "I was wondering why you didn't just stand up". That's my "more scared of drowning in water that I can stand in versus feet from falling to my death" story.
At some point, there was a person riding a unicorn (float); it's that yellow thing in the center of the picture. (https://photos.app.goo.gl/aFhXUiadMD14X2Gc7)
After a couple of hours (?), we decided to walk around nearby shopping areas. We stopped in a small shop off a street to look at some random souvenirs/things that can act as Christmas ornaments. The store was pretty small and possibly had the owner's house behind it. But we bought some pistachios, which apparently are an Aegean specialty with festivals, and an Evil Eye charm.
Then we drove to the side of the island that our hotel was on. Our hotel had a section of beach nearby that had chairs and such that we were allowed to use. So we hung out there for a bit. This portion of beach was much wavier, which was fine. We laid around for a while.
A generic beach photo (https://photos.app.goo.gl/Hy7eAm7qea93P9Jf9)
After laying around for a while, we headed back to the hotel to clean up and change. There was a restaurant right by the beach that we just came from that we were going back to. On the way out, we saw a HUGE praying mantis. We tried to avoid eye contact and pass it by even though it was by a passage we had to take to get out of the hotel.
I would say it was 2-3 times larger than praying mantises (?) that I'm used to! (https://photos.app.goo.gl/K61NjF2Jj8KfhQEL7)
So this hotel had a nice view of the beach and outdoor seating. There was also no one else there. The server and another person were sitting around playing a game (backgammon possibly) for the most part. I think at some point, another party stopped by but I don't remember them staying. Oh, I also think our server reminded me of Orlando Bloom since apparently that's a very common thing (like Rupert Friend and Luke Evans).
I had an Alpha and Angie had sangria (?) with nuts and chips while we waited for our food. (https://photos.app.goo.gl/CKKoKuKP3UjiLymv6)
I had a Gyro and Angie had a Greek salad. When I ordered, I pronounced it like gyro-copter, and the fake Orlando Bloom was like "what is this gyro?" "Oh, gyro (like hero), okay". Doesn't it seem like it should be pronounced like a gyro-copter? (https://photos.app.goo.gl/wS15wEWCUQfKTzay8)
Coffee and ice cream as dessert (https://photos.app.goo.gl/PMGN7u1QsW8ANgDm9)
At some point, he also gave us free shots of some sort of chocolate liquor since we (all of us) had nothing better to do. It was pretty sweet and light. He was also saying how it wasn't good weather and next week would be better. We were like "but it's so beautiful and excellent!" "NaBrO, it's too wavy...".
Then we left and walked along the rocks for a bit before heading back to the hotel.
On our previous trip to Greece (honeymoon), we visited several Greek islands. They were Mykonosos, Crete, Rhodes, and Santorini. From my experience, I'd say I most enjoyed Aegina. But I'll say that with a few caveats. First, Angie planned the activities so it's obviously catered to our likes. Our previous trip, we were on a cruise so the excursions were based on a more general audience. And I'll also say that I thought the archaelogical site at Knossos in Crete was very nice too. I also suspect that Santorini has good archaeological sites, but the activities were very focus the resort-y aspects of Santorini, not ancient Thira. So it's not a good comparison and we're probably better travelers now. Thinking about it now, I don't know if I can really make such a definitive statement but anyway, I very much enjoyed Aegina.
So we started the day with breakfast in a nice little courtyard. It had a very nice quaint feel. The hotel seemed to be run by only a few people so you saw the same people again and again. After breakfast, the owner/manager said to stop by and she'd give us a map and some information. She talked a bit much but it was okay; and we got a map.
Our first stop for the day was the Ruins of the Temple of Apollo, which has one famous pillar and some surrounding ruins. I actually spotted the site from the ferry on our approach. We wandered around for a bit and I think they also had a small museum of artifacts. I very much enjoy when museums place artifacts in the same arrangement as they'd be in a temple. It was a miniature size recreation, but still nice.
The one remaining pillar (https://photos.app.goo.gl/bz7nBLg2Pvm4bZWv5)
Ruins next to the beach; it reminded me of Tulum in Mexico. (https://photos.app.goo.gl/DQmwz76fwExh7kEP8)
Sun glare by the pillar (https://photos.app.goo.gl/5XqtbXzb6qwLCwY36)
A wider shot of the site (https://photos.app.goo.gl/f6AWvWSXCwGpbvxY6)
Next we headed to the Temple of Athena Aphaia. I remember talking to the hotel owner/manager and she said something like "it's not just a few rocks". The temple is in the mountains and through some trees so you don't see it when you approach.
I don't know why this photo was taken, but it shows the approach. (https://photos.app.goo.gl/KYAc5RP2NKsG1fn67)
A clear view; I was so surprised by how well preserved/reconstructed it was! (https://photos.app.goo.gl/hqdQDxQtASBFboTm9)
And you can see that you can get super close; the roped off area is only feet away from the temple! (https://photos.app.goo.gl/2CecEFVCf4PGeL578)
This temple was super interesting because you can see how there's the big columns around, then a wall and then there are little columns inside with columns on top of that. How crazy?!? (https://photos.app.goo.gl/DdLxFGYB88fEW7LfA)
A view with the sea in the background; supposedly, there's a triangle from this temple, the Parthenon, and the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion. "They" say you can see Sounion on a clear day, but we didn't really try. (https://photos.app.goo.gl/DecpvwLTJ2Xj8CNSA)
A view from the "front" (https://photos.app.goo.gl/y9VP1co4MWSj85wv9)
Afterwards, we went to another side of the island with a beach line that the hotel person recommended. The beach was pretty nice with a gentle slope. We parked randomly by a side street and rented some beach chairs. We got some drinks and possibly food (since there was a server that worked for an adjacent restaurant). We swam and snorkeled. By one side of the beach, there were rocks and plants and such, so that was a nice place to snorkel.
At one point, I was snorkeling and I never want to touch coral or plants or anything. So I was swimming over it and then I eventually go turned around or didn't know how far out I went. And I think I'm fine (swimming) when I'm calm and stuff. But I think I started to get more water into my mask and I didn't know how deep I was, so I started to panic. Then it's like stuff where I start to try to breath normally (through my nose) but you can't since the gear blocks your nose. Again, I know what I need to do, but it's just the fear of water so I got more panicked and started to try to swim to shore and stand up. Eventually, I started to flail around like a crazy person and Angie came by and pull me up by the shoulders to make me stand vertically... and I could STAND in that depth of water. So I was very panicked and "drowning" in water that probably only came up to my chest/neck. Afterwards, we were talking and she was like "I was wondering why you didn't just stand up". That's my "more scared of drowning in water that I can stand in versus feet from falling to my death" story.
At some point, there was a person riding a unicorn (float); it's that yellow thing in the center of the picture. (https://photos.app.goo.gl/aFhXUiadMD14X2Gc7)
After a couple of hours (?), we decided to walk around nearby shopping areas. We stopped in a small shop off a street to look at some random souvenirs/things that can act as Christmas ornaments. The store was pretty small and possibly had the owner's house behind it. But we bought some pistachios, which apparently are an Aegean specialty with festivals, and an Evil Eye charm.
Then we drove to the side of the island that our hotel was on. Our hotel had a section of beach nearby that had chairs and such that we were allowed to use. So we hung out there for a bit. This portion of beach was much wavier, which was fine. We laid around for a while.
A generic beach photo (https://photos.app.goo.gl/Hy7eAm7qea93P9Jf9)
After laying around for a while, we headed back to the hotel to clean up and change. There was a restaurant right by the beach that we just came from that we were going back to. On the way out, we saw a HUGE praying mantis. We tried to avoid eye contact and pass it by even though it was by a passage we had to take to get out of the hotel.
I would say it was 2-3 times larger than praying mantises (?) that I'm used to! (https://photos.app.goo.gl/K61NjF2Jj8KfhQEL7)
So this hotel had a nice view of the beach and outdoor seating. There was also no one else there. The server and another person were sitting around playing a game (backgammon possibly) for the most part. I think at some point, another party stopped by but I don't remember them staying. Oh, I also think our server reminded me of Orlando Bloom since apparently that's a very common thing (like Rupert Friend and Luke Evans).
I had an Alpha and Angie had sangria (?) with nuts and chips while we waited for our food. (https://photos.app.goo.gl/CKKoKuKP3UjiLymv6)
I had a Gyro and Angie had a Greek salad. When I ordered, I pronounced it like gyro-copter, and the fake Orlando Bloom was like "what is this gyro?" "Oh, gyro (like hero), okay". Doesn't it seem like it should be pronounced like a gyro-copter? (https://photos.app.goo.gl/wS15wEWCUQfKTzay8)
Coffee and ice cream as dessert (https://photos.app.goo.gl/PMGN7u1QsW8ANgDm9)
At some point, he also gave us free shots of some sort of chocolate liquor since we (all of us) had nothing better to do. It was pretty sweet and light. He was also saying how it wasn't good weather and next week would be better. We were like "but it's so beautiful and excellent!" "NaBrO, it's too wavy...".
Then we left and walked along the rocks for a bit before heading back to the hotel.