Travelers: Mr Toad, early 60s, Mrs Toad, late 50s, Tadpole, age 15

DAY ONE

TT counts the overnight travel day as Day 1, and arrival in Athens as Day 2.

I really don't need to go into too much detail about the flight; the usual delays and rushing to make connections. We were very pleased with our Lufthansa flight, but will start saving now so we can fly business class, or better, next time. None of us got any sleep.

We arrived in Athens, collected our baggage, and Mr & Tad stood by the luggage while I searched for our TT rep. Since I was familar with the colors and lettering of the sign, I found her without difficulty, collected the rest of the family, and waited for the others to arrive. When everyone had gathered, we headed off to the hotel. We had to change buses, as the one we were riding had to go back to the airport. No big deal for us, but the young "lady" riding with us (to be known as the brat in the future) dropped an expletive that made my son raise an eyebrow, especially since her mother was standing next to her.

We were met at The Divani Palace, given our room key, and told to meet at 7:30PM. Our room was fine, with a view of The Acropolis, if you looked sideways.

We knew that napping wasn't a great idea, but we didn't care at this point, so took a nap and were feeling much better a couple of hours later.

Went to the meeting, got all the info, and went upstairs to have dinner at the rooftop restaurant, overlooking the Acropolis.

This restaurant is very expensive, IF you haven't eaten there before. We would know better as to portion size next time.

My son & I ordered the mixed grill for two, which was 50 euro. BUT, we could have easily fed another person or two, and we had not had lunch, so were very hungry. There were delicious roasted vegetables with it, and as I said, more than enough of everything for a couple more people.

They also brought out, gratis, some crostini type appetizers, a basket of assorted rolls and breadsticks, and olives, of course.

We were stuffed when we finished (my husband had a chicken dish that was around 22 euro) plus had shared a bottle of wine to toast the start of our adventure.

DAY 3

Athens Tour (included)

Breakfast was a very inclusive buffet in the basement dining room; something for everyone, from anywhere. We were one of many tour groups.

We met our TD, Anna, at 8:30 AM to board the bus and begin our Athen's tour. The first stop was the 1896 Olympic Stadium, then the Temple of Zeus, then the Acropolis. We drove by Hadrian's Arch, the Palace, and the Agora, but did not stop.

We first encountered the omnipresent stray cats and dogs at the Temple of Zeus. The dogs are very laid-back, and a hungry cat is a friendly cat.

On to The Acropolis! I was able to place some flowers along the pathway in memory of my MIL, who died here in 1971. There were so many street hawkers, etc along the path that I doubt anyone even noticed.

It was very, very crowded, and very hot - 100F. But it was well worth the effort, and we all had water bottles, and hats,(plus my folding hand fan) so we were as comfortable as possible. I was glad that I was wearing a lightweight, short sleeved cotton shirt, as many people were getting quite sunburned in their skimpy tops.

We were also introduced to the "Whisper" which is an earpiece you wear so you can hear the guide as long as you are within range. That way, you don't have to stand right in front of her, or try to hear over the crowd.

It was still a little surreal for me to actually be in place that has been so much a part of my cultural education. I'm sure I'll feel the same way when I finally get to Rome, or Egypt, or anyplace that has an easily recognizable landmark.

I got that "I'm really here" feeling.

After touring, we again boarded the bus, and were given the option of going back to the hotel, or walking around in the Plaka. We opted to keep on walking.

Our guide, Moraig, led us through the twisting streets, and pointed out internet cafes, etc. We ended up at a jewelry store, but I didn't feel that the prices were a bargain.

She then departed, but we caught up with her a few blocks away, and she was with The Brat and her mother. We asked her to please mark the route back to the hotel on our map, which elicited mutterings and sighs from The Brat, as they had been on their way to an electronics store.

Anyways, we had our directions, bid them goodbye, and went in search of lunch.

We had lunch at a nice outdoor cafe, Tepina, where we had a reasonably priced meal of delicious baguette type sandwiches, and my son had kabob. A couple of cold beers rounded things out. We stopped off at the internet cafe to check our email, and let our friends and family know we had arrived safely.

Then, a circuitous walk home (we made a few wrong turns, despite the map), passing by the base of the Acropolis again.

We had a refreshing swim in the pool (with a couple more cold ones)then a siesta, before a late dinner in the Plaka. We didn't get lost this time, and went to The Plaka Restaurant, which we had read about on the net.

Very good, and not as expensive as the previous night. The house wine was adequate, and because we mentioned the internet site, we received a free dessert of very good fresh melons. One more walk by the Acropolis, then home to pack the bag for the real beginning of the bus tour.

Mrs. Toad,
Glad you seem to be having a good time so far. Can't wait to read more and travel to Greece again through your tale.

Thank you so much, Mrs Toad, for your tale so far. I would like to do this tour, looking forward to reading the rest of your story!

Yep, thanks Toad for the time you are putting in
I have picked up some valuable tips already. Your love for a "cold one" should put Aus on your travel plans. Cheers

Mrs Toad,
Enjoying your tour tale so far.

While on my last tour, we happened to be in a restaurant with another tour group and I easily recognized a mother/daughter on the other tour who sound very similar to the ones on your tour. The daughter was definitely giving the mother a hard time and I felt sorry for her humiliation and embarrasement. I also felt sorry for the other people on the tour who had to deal with the girl's poor attitude throughout the length of the tour.
It's a shame as what could have been a time of sharing and wonderful opportunity turned into a nightmare, and I bet that would be the last time that the mother would consider taking her daughter on a trip again.

Thanks for your posts, Mrs T - you make me feel as tho' I was "really there" too!

I'm so glad you had the opportunity to place some flowers where you wanted to. It must have been a very special time.

Now tell me - how did a guide in Greece end up with a Scots name???

Mrs Toad ~ Enjoying your tale, pity about the brat. My own sons have had similar reactions to the one your son had regarding the Brat, I felt quite proud that they saw the disrespect shown to the parent and the shock on their faces when they witnessed "unacceptable" behaviour was memorable, to say the least.

Yes, what a little madam. As cheeky (that's a euphanism in this case) as mine can be at home, I know they'll always behave in public and not embarrass me (touch wood). I was a bit worried taking them to China at 15 and 12, thinking it might be too much travel etc but I got so many positive comments from the other tour members about how well behaved they were and that they could actually converse with more than just a grunt . The trip worked wonders with my daughters fussy food habits too - a real bonus!!

DAY TWO (finally!!!)

Athens-Corinth Canal-Corinth-Nauplia

We met our bus driver, Lambrous, and rejoined Anna, our TD, while we bid farewell to Athens.

There were many people who obviously didn't read the luggage guidelines, and one family of 4 took over 8 seats; they each had a window seat, and placed their rolling/oversized carryons on the seat next to them. So even though the bus wasn't full, people were stuck sitting in the back row.

The Corinth Canal was very deep, with very steep sides, and very blue water. After taking a few minutes for a rest stop, purchasing cold drinks, taking photos, etc, we continued on to Corinth.

I will just take a moment to talk about our TD, Anna. She has a degree in History, and Art History, and is extremely knowledgeable. She has been conducting tours for 20 years, and has, IMO, learned that you have to assume that your clients know little to nothing about Greek history, mythology, or art. We found that we had to tune in and out for the whole tour if we wanted to see everything that interested us. It's easy to do this because of the whisper device, so while she was telling stories from The Odyssey, for example, we were poking around in the ruins, trying to decipher greek and latin inscriptions, reading the rare informational signs (you really do need a guide to fill in the blanks) or running to the restroom, buying fresh water, etc, ahead of the crowd.

This became our MO for the rest of the tour.

Corinth was very HOT, as there is very little shade. Anna was very good at finding shady spots for us as she pointed out the temple architecture, the places where Paul preached, etc. The museum was small, but very nicely laid out.

We went back over the bridge to eat lunch at a restaurant next to the canal, at water level. There is a very unusual bridge, which I won't describe, as some of you will be taking this tour soon. The food was so-so, and if not for the herd of cats wandering around, it would have been a totally forgettable meal. Fortunately, the majority of meals were much, much better. But, the beer was cold, and cheaper than in Athens.

We then continued on to Epidauros to visit the amphitheatre and the sanctuary of Aesculapius. Sort of an ancient hospital/spa. It was just as hot as in Corinth, (high 90sF)but with a lot more shade. The cicadas were deafening, but apparently only start "singing" when it is hot, so others who visit may not hear them.

After the tour Anna told us that we will not be stopping at Mycenae today, as it's just too hot. The plan for the rest of the tour is to get up a bit earlier, have a somewhat shorter breakfast, but get to the sites as early as possible. We would then be able to tour before the midday heat, at a more lesisurely pace, with more water stops.

We stopped at the harbor in Nauplia on our way to the hotel, and anyone who wished to could take a quick walk around town, while the rest of the group continued on to the hotel. Anyone looking for a challenge was directed to the 999 steps leading to the Palamedes Fort (built during the Venetian occupation in the 17th century)with the reward of a sensational view from the top. I started the climb with my guys, but the stairway was too open for me, with no handrails, so I turned around. I have this thing about heights.

I waited for them at a nice shady taverna at the bottom, where I was able to purchase a nice cold one,which I sipped while listening to cicadas and the fountain, leafing through my pocket sized tour book.

The climb took about 45 minutes total. There was an admission fee to get into the fort. My husband felt that they should have paid HIM for making the climb. We had just enough time to catch the bus back to the hotel. Dinner was delayed until 8PM so we could all use the pool.

The hotel was actually very nice; lots of light wood and colors, which made it feel very airy. It was one that used your keycard to turn on the electricity and A/C. We learned that it was easier to leave one (if you got two) in place so the room would stay cool.

The pool was the largest that we would see on our whole trip, and was very refreshing after a long, hot day. I was actually cold when I stepped out, as there was a stiff breeze.

We showered, changed, and met everyone for dinner. The buffet was pretty extensive, with lots of selections.

I have to add that I put some clothes in the sink to soak before going to the pool, then wrung them out and hung them to dry before dinner. This became my routine for the rest of the tour.

We were so tired that we just went to bed early.

DAY 3

We had a fairly extensive breakfast, refilled our water bottles, and headed to Mycenae. The Lion's Gate was very impressive, and we had lots of fun following the paths around the ruins. It was fairly easy to imagine life here, even though it consists mostly of foundations.

The surrounding hillsides had numerous mountain goats, and there was a good view of the sea. Not much shade, and again, very hot. We appreciated the change in the touring plan!

We went to the Bee Hive Tomb of Agamemnon, where Anna explained how it was built, sealed, reopened for two more funerals, and resealed again each time. More scurrying over the top by the guys and I.

We stopped at a pottery shop/gift shop along the way. Interesting, but anything that I would want to display at home was way too expensive, and really wouldn't blend in with my decor.

I did purchase earrings for my daughter, a necklace for my neighbor, a bee pendant for myself, and some inexpensive souvenirs for my dinner group.

We stopped for lunch in the not so picturesque village. Everyone got off the bus and headed for the same restaurant, but we decided to go next door to the Dionysius restaurant. I had the best dolmades ever, along with stuffed tomatoes and pepper, with the ever present greek salad. The beer was nice and cold; I think it was Arthos. We were finished before the rest of the group so went into a gift shop next door to poke around and buy some cold water.

We continued on to Olympia, arriving in the late afternoon, after a stop in a winery. The wine wasn't really to our taste, so we decided to buy some once we got to town.

Olympia was not as oppresively hot as Corinth & Mycenae, so it was fun to walk around. This is the only hotel on the tour without a pool, but we also didn't feel the need for one. We were welcomed with juice and snacks in the lobby while waiting for our keys.

This is an older hotel, and not as modern as previous ones. But it had a certain charm, and we enjoyed our balcony overlooking the street and a park across the way. Please check out your mirror if you stay her...cute. We also had what we reffered to as "the footbath." We didn't have a tub, but rather a shower with a high, boxlike enclosure. (All tiled, of course.) There was a marble step for getting in and out- not ideal for anyone with balance/mobility issues! There also wasn't a lot of room to wash/hang things, so I used my son's bath tub next door.

It was still too early for dinner, so we took a stroll around town and picked up a couple of bottles of Boutari red wine; we found this to be our favorite. We also picked up some chips, bottled water, and I purchased a silver necklace and earrings - my major purchase for myself.

We went back to sit on the balcony, where we were joined by the teachers sitting on theirs next door. They had also purchased some wine, so we had an impromptu wine tasting. They got a chuckle out of the foot bath.

The dinner was another buffet; not as good as earlier ones, but still adequate. Their are lots of restaurants within a few blocks, so we were able to go out for ice cream, and another cold one.

Day 4

You all know the routine; wake up call, luggage out, breakfast, BUT, we didn’t get on the bus. Ancient Olympia was within walking distance, so we only dropped off our day packs (or luggage, in some cases) and walked to Olympia.

This was one of the most beautiful sites, as there were shady groves, and lots of places to wander. Anna gave us the history of the games, from ancient times, touching on the “modern” Olympics (as you recall, we had seen that stadium) and the 2004 Olympics in Greece. (we had passed that stadium)

I especially liked the fact that any athletes who cheated were forever immortalized in stone, along with the name of their towns.

We of course, had many people photographed running through the arch and into the stadium with arms raised in victory.

When we left the site, we had to cross a footbridge bridge over a “river” to get to the parking lot. Anna remarked that she usually saw frogs sitting in the stream, but not today.

Well, Ranaphile that I am, I was not going to leave Greece without seeing a frog or toad! I stayed behind (everyone else was heading for the gift shop) and waited. My patience was rewarded by spotting some absolutely gorgeous Emerald green frogs, so I called my son, who took photos.

We located the bus, dropped off our water, etc, then headed into town for lunch. We found a nice restaurant, good food, reasonable prices, cold beer.

We all got on the bus, and headed for Delphi

And this is when things started to go awry.

The road consisted of multiple switchbacks, as we were climbing into the mountains. The bus started having problems with them, and Lambrous had to stop a few times to check things out.


We stopped for “coffee” around 3PM in Petras, and Lambrous was joined by the driver of an Insight Tours bus (apparently, another Trafalgar company) and they looked around for a while. A mechanic showed up (I think he had been called from Olympia when Lambrous may have noticed a problem)

Anyways, we all had a nice rest, and crossed the street to wade in the Ionian. When we got back, we were ready to get back on the bus, but Anna got a call letting her know that there was a fire, and the road ahead was closed. So, back to get a cold one, and more socializing with our tour mates.

At around 5PM, a call came in that the road was open, so we headed off – only to be stuck in traffic, with a roadblock. Lambrous got to a point where he could turn off the road, and was able to follow this very narrow road through fields, small neighborhoods, etc to emerge a block from the bridge crossing into the mainland.

We began another very scenic journey high above the Ionian Sea. Lovely! Anna said that Trafalgar had offered to give us free break- coffee, tea, soda, wine, or a cold one in a taverna in Lambrous’s village, where we would meet his friends and family. (It was close to Delphi)

The usual suspects complained that they wanted to get to the hotel in time to swim, so we missed the opportunity to visit a non tourist area. So, we headed straight to Delphi.

As others have said, the Delphi Palace is anything but a palace, but it had a 5 star view. We also found it quite charming, similar to many ski lodges we have stayed in. There is no elevator, but we were all on the first or second floor.

Our room was fairly large, with hard wood floors and marble bath. It was also the only time we had an adjoining room with our son- I just opened both of the doors so we could come and go freely, then closed one at bedtime. This is also the only place where we had a good wireless connection.

Dinner was the only one with a set menu. The soup was good, and plentiful, the salad was standard, the mousaka was OK, but the beef dish was wonderful. We had a small carafe of wine. The dessert was a vary good variation of bread pudding, as I recall.

My son and husband took a walk down (and I do mean down, the village is on a steep hill, with stairs between streets!) while I did hand laundry. When they returned, my son caught up on emails while my sweetie & I sat out, sipping wine, looking at the stars and the sea, and watching the lights twinkle in the port below. I actually had to put my shawl on, because it was a bit cool.

DAY 5

We were up and had breakfast in the same dining room as the night before, but this morning the French doors were open, so there was a lovely breeze, and the scent of olive trees (there were a million or more on the hillsides.) The buffet was very good, and we were set to start another day.

We went out to board the bus, and it was a new one! Someone had brought it during the night.

So, off we went to visit Delphi.

It is a very steep walk to see the temple, amphitheatre, etc. The traveler’s with mobility issues had to stay at the base, and were able to spend their time at the museum (very nice) and café. They also had ample opportunity to feed the numerous kittens and cats lounging all around.

I wish that we had been able to see more of the site, but the grounds are very extensive.

We returned to Delphi for lunch in a small café on the slopes, just downhill from our hotel. My husband and I shared a Cretan Salad, which was sooo much better than your average Greek salad. It was the usual tomato, cucumber, olives, but no onion. It had croutons in the bottom of the bowl, and had a Minoan cheese, rather than the standard Feta. It was milder, and softer…very tasty. It was so cool and comfortable, we hated to leave, but it was time to head to Kalambaka.

We stopped for a brief rest on the way, and tasted an excellent pastry in the truck stop. Anna told us we would be stopping there for lunch the next day, so we checked out the menu, and it looks as if we can get a good lunch for a reasonable price.

We arrived at Kalambaka at around 5PM, and were again given the option of going straight to the hotel for a swim, or spending an hour walking around town. We opted to do the latter, and it ended up being one of our wiser decisions. But first, we stopped at the hotel to get our room keys, have a quick bathroom stop, and find our rooms.

This was another hotel that required you to insert your room card to turn on the electricity, A/C, etc. The hall way apparently needed one also, as it didn’t have lights. My son’s room was at the other end of the hall, the first time this had happened on the trip.

Our room was large, on the first floor, but musty smelling with threadbare carpets. It was the worst of any of our rooms so far, but still not intolerable.

We walked around town, and found a small grocery where we were able to pick up a couple more bottles of wine, some cold water, and some snacks, including fresh grapes.

While we were walking down the main street, popping in and out of shops, a wedding entourage passed by, with lots of horns honking, people yelling, etc. It turns out that the reception was being held at our hotel., by the pool.

We returned, took a quick shower, rinsed clothes, and then I walked out to check out the patio. I heard voices, peeked around the corner, and there were the teachers sipping wine. They invited us over, so I grabbed one of our bottles, plus some chips, and a chair. We spent about 45 minutes chatting away, then realized it was time to head on down for dinner. We put the wine away for a post dinner get together. (My son was also with us, enjoying the company and snacks , but not the wine – his choice, as he is almost of legal age there.)

Our family got to the dining room before the teachers, but the waiter would not allow us to sit at a table for 8.

The buffet was just OK. My husband got up to get seconds, and the waiter grabbed his plate from his hand! As soon as any of us took the last bite, the plates were whisked away, and there were not any new plates put out on the buffet. We started referring to the waiter as the “Plate Nazi” from that point on. This was probably one of our least favorite meals.

But, we had more wine and chit chat back in the room, so it was still a good time.

DAY 6

Same old routine.

The waiter was VERY nice at breakfast; I think others may have complained about the previous night. The buffet was not as extensive as most; it didn’t even have cold cereal. My son was able to eat the grapes from the previous day so he wasn’t too hungry. There were some very good apricots from the trees growing in the hotel gardens.

On to Meteora, which is one of the strangest, yet most beautiful, places I’ve been.

I do have one comment. Both Trafalgar’s packet and Anna made it clear to us that we were going into both a convent and monastery, and we would be required to dress appropriately. Granted, there are scarves and skirts available, but It was so much easier to just wear a skirt, and a shirt with sleeves. I also had a light scarf which I could place over my hair while in the chapels. It was also Sunday morning. I just felt that it was disrespectful to have to be told to dress appropriately, especially since that was our only tour for the day, and there would have been an opportunity to change at lunch. And that’s all I have to say about that.

The climb wasn’t too bad, the frescoes were lovely, and I really felt a sense of peace while there. As I mentioned, the landscape was incredible, and it was hard to believe that everything had been brought up in baskets, on donkey back, or carried on someone’s back. Many of the monks spent their whole lives in caves, and their bones may still be there.

Then back onto the bus, for a long drive back to Athens. Our land tour is almost over!

I’m not going to go into lunch and afternoon rest stops, They were at truck stops, with the one closest to Athens being a complete madhouse. The bathrooms were clean, and only one didn’t have toilet paper. But I had tissues in my purse, and passed the remainder around to the rest of my group.

We arrived back at the Divani at around 5. Our room was in a different wing, and it was a bit smaller than our previous one, with no view of the Acropolis. We were overlooking the street in front of the hotel, so could watch traffic go by.

We headed out to have another dinner in the Plakka. It was crowded, as usual, but felt very “Athens.”

We went to bed fairly early as we had to make sure we had everything ready to transfer to the ship in the morning. We stopped and said goodbye to a few people who were not continuing on to the cruise, and I gave them a little memento.

CRUISE DAY 1

We have a 7AM wake-up call, with 7:45 AM suitcase collection.. We really appreciate the wide variety available at breakfast this morning, after yesterday.

We board the bus at 9:15 AM for the trip to board the Aquamarine. We meet our TD, Dimitris, who goes over the boarding procedure with us. The boarding procedure actually goes quite smoothly, and we rapidly board the ship.

We get our cabin assignments, and stop to take a look and grab our life jacket for the mandatory drill before meeting Dimitris in the lounge for our orientation. I had read many of the cruise reviews here, so knew that this wasn’t going to be a luxury liner. Our cabin was large enough for the two of us, and I was satisfied with our accommodation.

The drill takes way too long, but we finally head downstairs. We’re a little bit ahead of the crowd, so my husband runs back to the cabin with our life jackets. Dimitris goes over all of the excursions, and tells us where and when to meet him for the tour of Mykonos. He takes our money, gives us our boarding cards, and also our return ticket for the bus back to the ship.

We then had lunch, then went back to the cabin to unpack. It feels heavenly to be able to hang up a few days worth of clothes, instead of living out of a suitcase. My case slips nicely under the bunk, but my husband’s is just a bit too deep, so it goes in the space next to the clothes cupboard. A larger suitcase would be a problem. I take a quick tour of the facilities, and decide that I really don’t want to pay 35 euro ( about $60) for a wash and blow dry, + tip. I went back and took a nap, as I was starting to feel a little off.

We met at the scheduled time for the tour, and transferred to the tender. I don’t mind someone holding out his hand to help me, but I DO mind someone grabbing my arm and pushing me forward, and let him know with a look that he’d better not do it again.

Mykonos was very crowded, but we had fun looking at all of the churches (400+) but most are very small, privately owned, and are rarely open. We were also on the lookout for Petros the Pelican, and his harem of lovely female pelicans. We finally spotted two ladies next to a restaurant, and ran into Petros near one of the larger churches. He’s huge, and is not the least bit intimidated by people. Quite the opposite; he intimidated me!

We were able to view the sunset on the water, and strolled around through the side streets. If you go, be sure to notice the list of bar drinks at a local tavern. Mykonos has a fairly large gay and young tourist community, so some of the names are rather suggestive.

It was getting late, and I was still not feeling 100%, so we headed back for dinner. There was a large crowd waiting for various buses (this would be duplicated in every port) but we found our line, and just waited. There was a young lady who was doing a fairly good job of keeping everyone in line, and not allowing people to just run for the bus. That was until the man (a passenger, but not in any tour) who had not paid attention to instructions before departing came along. He became quite upset when he discovered that he couldn’t get on the bus without a ticket, and that the girl holding the sign didn’t have any to sell. She radioed for help, and told him someone would be along, but he was still angry, and wanted to leave immediately. Every time a bus came in, he would start yelling at her again, and when she turned to speak to him, all semblance of order would disappear, as she couldn’t also watch for line cutters. We were at the front of the line, but missed getting on two buses because of his antics.

But, we finally got back, had a nice dinner, and went to bed early without going to watch the show. This would be our pattern for the whole cruise. We would take a stroll around the deck, look at the stars, then head to bed.