Ithaca

Ithaca

As you set out for Ithaka

hope your road is a long one,

full of adventure, full of discovery.

Laistrygonians, Cyclops,

angry Poseidon—don’t be afraid of them:

you’ll never find things like that on your way

as long as you keep your thoughts raised high,

as long as a rare excitement

stirs your spirit and your body.

Laistrygonians, Cyclops,

wild Poseidon—you won’t encounter them

unless you bring them along inside your soul,

unless your soul sets them up in front of you.

Hope your road is a long one.

May there be many summer mornings when,

with what pleasure, what joy,

you enter harbors you’re seeing for the first time;

may you stop at Phoenician trading stations

to buy fine things,

mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony,

sensual perfume of every kind—

as many sensual perfumes as you can;

and may you visit many Egyptian cities

to learn and go on learning from their scholars.

Keep Ithaka always in your mind.

Arriving there is what you’re destined for.

But don’t hurry the journey at all.

Better if it lasts for years,

so you’re old by the time you reach the island,

wealthy with all you’ve gained on the way,

not expecting Ithaka to make you rich.

Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey.

Without her you wouldn't have set out.

She has nothing left to give you now.

And if you find her poor, Ithaka won’t have fooled you.

Wise as you will have become, so full of experience,

you’ll have understood by then what these Ithakas mean.

 - C. P. Cavafy

EGYPT

Our last leg of our journey was Egypt.  When we first started throwing around ideas about which countries we wanted to visit before heading home, Egypt was not really on our list.  Then we looked into the cost of flying home and everywhere was a little pricy, all except for Egypt.  With a low cost of about $550 (Italy, Greece, and France were all around $1,000), we started doing more research.  In the end we chose a reasonably priced tour through Delta Tours.  A tour is really the easiest and safest way to see Egypt.  Come to find out the most beautiful ruins are located right on the Nile many miles apart.  With our tour including a Nile cruise, we couldn't think of a better way to see Egypt.

July 3rd - We made our way from Athens to Cairo on a short 2 hour flight.  We arrived and made our way through customs before be picked up by our vary eager guide.  We experienced the wall of heat as we exited the airport into Cairo's humid evening.  We arrived at our lovely accommodations - complete with two queen sizes beds and a spacious bathroom. 

July 4th - We toured the city of Cairo with our guide, an Egyptologist.  We saw the Three Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, and also Sakkara, which was the first capital of ancient Egypt.  It was pretty breath taking to see the huge Pyramids rising up in the middle of the desert.  We also really lucked out that this is low season for tourism in Egypt, so there was ample opportunity to take photos of just the Pyramids and no tourists.  We also took a short Nile cruise, on a small sailboat, which we found to be relaxing.

July 5th - The next morning we checked out of our hotel and stored most of our luggage so we didn't have to travel the rest of Egypt with so much stuff.  Today we visited the Egyptian museum, where we viewed many artifacts, including a display of treasures belonging to King Tut Ank Amon.  Then we strolled through the Citadel of Saladin where the Alabaster Mosque of Mohamed Ali rises above the city of Cairo.  We next strolled through Old Cairo; stopping first at Hanging Church and then Ben Ezra Temple, a Synagogue.  Our final stop of the day was Khan el Khalili market.  This was enormous market filled with small stalls and shops catering to tourists.  We were once again reminded of Chatuchuck Market in Bangkok and The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul.

We traveled by night train to Aswan.  We had about four hours to kill so we had dinner and discussed current affairs with our guide.  We enjoyed the opportunity to have a chance to ask questions regarding Egypt's current political state, following it's revolution in December.  We also learned how the working class felt about the new president and Egypt's future.  Our guide stayed with us until our train arrived and then escorted us on and made sure we were in the correct seats.  My slight OCD concern with being on the correct train greatly appreciated this.  As a side note - while we were waiting for our train we witnessed a third class train traveling through.  We were both shocked when a four car train pulled in with people crammed in to the point where parts of their bodies were hanging out the windows and doors.  Some kids even crawled through windows to try and find a space.  There was also a group of three boys who tried to access the train though the door.  This had been tied shut by the passengers who were standing up against it.  After a few failed attempts, one of the boys produced a knife to try and cut his way on board.  At this point some other travelers intervened.  When in Thailand,  Stacy and I both traveled third class as it was so cheap, even at one point having to sit on the floor of an overcrowded train; but we had never witnessed something like this. 

July 6th - A few stops before Aswan, our guide for the next leg of our journey boarded the train and introduced himself.  He was waiting for us as we de-boarded in the city of Aswan.  We then made our way to the bank of the Nile to board our cruise ship.  Our stateroom was really charming and even though we didn't have a balcony the windows slid open to reveal the beautiful river.  After lunch, where we met fellow American travelers, Susan and her son, we met up with our guide to see the sites of Aswan.  First, we visited the Granite Quarries and the unfinished Oblisque.  Next, it was the High Dam, which was built in 1960 and provides electricity and irrigation for the whole of Egypt.  Though this did come at a cost as the indigenous tribe, the Nubians, had to be relocated once the Dam was built and all their villages were flooded.  They now live in exile on the West bank of the Nile, while Egyptians live on the East bank.  Our last stop of the day was Philae Temple.  This ended up being our favorite temple.  Not only was it beautiful in structure with detailed hieroglyphics, it is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  When the Dam was built, the Nile rose a great amount through the country, because of this 7 temples were going to end up underwater.  UNESCO spent 3 million dollars moving each of the Temples in 1in by 1in cubes to higher locations along the Nile parallel to the original location.  Philae Temple is the most northern temple along the Nile.  There are also markers in the water to show the original location of the temples.  We enjoyed a cold beer upon our arrival with our new friend Sue and enjoyed the sunset over the desert.

July 7th - We awoke to the lively city of Aswan and since we had the morning free, we decided to book a tour to a Nubian village.  We took a long boat ride on the Nile getting an up close look at the vegetation and also the West bank.  The city of Aswan and all other cities leading up to Cairo are located on the East Bank.  This is because the East bank is considered life and the West bank is considered death; the sun rises in the East and sets in the West.  Along the East bank it is mostly cemeteries.  Once we arrived at the village we first toured a typical home and saw where the Nubians cook, eat, and sleep.  Most families have multiple generations living under one roof.  Though it is also common for newlyweds to build onto the house and create separate quarters.  Next, we visited the school where a friendly teacher taught us each a bit of Arabic; the Nubian language cannot be taught as it is only learned by being born into a Nubian village.  Many Nubians  go to college in the city of Aswan, but the majority return to live in the village.  We meandered around the shops and stalls filled with local necessities and  tourist merchandise.  Then it was back to the boat before casting off and sailing to Komombo.  The Komombo  temple was dedicated to two Gods; Sebek the Crocodile God and Horus the Great, The Solar God of War.  Once again we were awed by the enormity of the temples and the hieroglyphics.  Our guide this time around was also an Egyptologist and very friendly.  After snapping a ton of pictures we toured the crocodile museum complete with calcified crocks.  We then set sail for Edfu.  That evening our cruise scheduled a Galabia Party complete with Egyptian food, music, and dancing.  It was a lovely way to experience Egyptian culture. 

July 8th - Today began with a tour of  Edfu Temple which is dedicated to God Horus.  It was then back to the boat and we made our way to Esna to visit the Esna Temple.  On our way to Luxor our ship had to travel through the Esna Lock.  We experienced quite the scene, as we made our way down the river numerous boats began following us filled with peddlers trying to sell souvenirs.  The salesmen would take items like beach towels and table cloths and throw them up to those of us who expressed even a hint of interest.  A few them of the items ended up in the water when they were being tossed back down to the peddlers.  The peddlers also climbed onto our ship after crossing the first lock, and before crossing the second, all in an effort to sell stuff.  All in all, it was very comical to watch.  Later, we arrived at our final destination of Luxor.  We first toured the East bank of the Nile including both the Temple of Luxor and the Temple of Karnak.  Both temples are linked by an avenue of ram-headed Sphinxes, but the pathway has yet to be converted for public use. 

July 9th - We had a very early wake-up call this morning in an effort to beat the heat.  Our first stop on the West bank was the Valley of the Kings.  Situated in the middle of the desert we realized why an early start had been essential.  We toured four of the tombs in the complex burial chambers for the Pharaohs from Tutmose 1.  These are the only temples that have been excavated; there are still many tombs that lie uncovered but, until the government begins to reinvest money, the project is at a standstill.  The tombs we did explore were breathtaking.  The frescoes are well maintained behind glass and are protected with limited lighting and no flash photography.  We then toured the Hatshepsut Temple and Colossi of Memnon.  We enjoyed our guide for the Nile section of the tour. He was a Coptic Christian, and he'd even tattoed a cross on his daughter's wrist to brand her a Christian. As the minority in a Muslim country, the Coptic Christians make up 10% of Egypt's population. After a short break aboard the boat we made our way to the local bus station and headed north for the city of Hurghada.  This ended up being a little disconcerting as we were traveling along the coast across from the Sinai peninsula.  Due to the current unrest the boarders of each city were heavily guarded, including guards pointing MK 47s as the bus traveled through the check-points.  

July 10th - We arrived early the next morning in Hurghada, located on the Red Sea.  A guide was waiting when we got off the bus to take us to our all-inclusive resort.  Upon arrival, even though it was past mid-night, the staff brought up a full dinner and dessert for each of us.  We enjoyed our lovely meal and the cable tv.  The next morning we spent our only full day relaxing at the pool and the resort's private beach, along the Red Sea.  It was nice to have a day to relax before heading home!

July 11th - We returned to Cairo early the next morning to our first hotel for one last evening in Cairo.  We enjoyed the local beer by the pool and a lovely sunset.  The next morning we said good-bye to Egypt and made it to the airport to begin our journey home.  The only eventful part of this homeward bound adventure was that as I was going through passport control in Egypt, I was stopped by custom officials.  The attendant then proceeded to question my nationality as she didn't believe I was American.  After much convincing that she was holding my only passport, she reluctantly let me though.  We had a lovely 10 hour lay-over in Abu Dhabi before landing in Chicago so spend a few days with Stacy's sister Jacki! 

~ Rnadi 

Athens, Greece

We spent Athens 4 days visiting Athens:  the cradle of Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy. We did the Hop On/Hop Off bus tour, which proved to be an easy and convenient way to explore the city and catch all the sights.  Our favorite stop was the Parthenon and Acropolis - so much history!  Next, we visited the Temple of Zues. We stayed on the bus for the full ride through the city. Then, we decided to explore on foot. After getting lost on foot, we hailed a taxi to the bottom of Lyvattis Hill, where we caught a tram to the top.  Once on top, after being chased indoors by pigeons, we enjoyed a few glasses of vino.  While in Athens, we also visited the Athens Archeological Museum. On Sunday morning at 11 am, we saw the parade and ceremony at the tomb of the unknown soldier in Syntagma Square. We couldn't help but notice that they put the tall, good-looking soldiers up front!  After some Greek yogurt, we headed to the crowded Sunday Market. As we were walking along Plaka and Monastraki, we bought more luggage to better distribute our weight.  Also, I bought a tin wine pitcher that reminded me of dining at the Greek tavernas. We enjoyed bargaining with friendly, energetic shopkeepers.  We spent our last day in Athens at Pounda Beach, a beach club. We've gotten quite spoiled with the lounge chairs and hand delivered cocktails.


We've both enjoyed our time in Greece, and not just because of the beautiful landscape, spectacular views, sunny beaches, and amazing food and vino. We valued the warm hospitality of the Greek people and the value they place upon leisure and having a good time, despite their worries and the crippling Greek recession.  The Greeks know how to live in the moment. They have a reputation for being loud, gossipers, and complainers.  Maybe by being so vocal they get everything off their chest and they're better able to kick back, relax, and enjoy life.  Randi and I enjoyed the slower-paced, more relaxed lifestyle so much that we were sad to leave.  Hopefully, I'll be back in another 6 years. Sa Gapo Greece.

~ Stacy

Paros, Greece

Though it was really hard to leave the lovely island of Santorini we also enjoyed our final stop; the island of Paros.  Paros is one of the bigger islands and is also considered the most beautiful of the Cyclades.  We chose to stay in the main city of Parika.  Like most of the islands it is very easy to get around to the various cities, but we did enjoy having the main bus station only a few minutes away from our hotel.  On our first night we chanced upon one of the many outdoor theaters.  It was only a two minute walk from where we were staying, so our first day consisted of Mexican food, which had been greatly missed, and the movie "Dark Shadows".  Though the movie was lacking at various points it was heightened by the fact that we watched it under the stars.  We enjoyed it so much we also saw "Safe House" a few nights later.

For our first full day we headed to the beautiful harbor of Naxos.  We puttered around the fishing harbor, visited the Venetian Castle, and did a little shopping.  The Venetian Castle turned out to be a little disappointing as it was a single tower and the only way to access it was to walk on the very narrow and extremely slippery walkway.  Stacy chose to stay behind as the waves were crashing over the walkway.  I braved the trek for the sake of a few photos.  Later that evening we enjoyed dinner along the sea at sunset.  We happened upon a nice taverna with a very welcoming owner.  We actually ended up eating here two more times during our stay.  By the end we were getting hugs and kisses on the cheek from our pseudo-grandpa.  Another highlight of our stay was the discovery of frozen Greek yogurt!  This became another staple to our daily routine complete with mixed berries and hazelnuts.

We also visited Pounda Beach and some of the historical churches.  Overall we really enjoyed Paros.  It was nice to be in the main city and there were not as many people there.  Between the Greek yogurt, our regular dinner spot, numerous beaches, and the outdoor theater it was a great way to finish up our island hopping.

~ Randi

Santorini, Greece

Our next stop was to the most popular island, Santorini.  Our journey there was a little choppy, let’s just say I was very thankful for my IPod!  Stacy did not fare as well and even though she popped two Dramamine she was a little worse for the ware upon our arrival.  I, on the other hand, was energized from my nap and ready to go.  We stayed in the city of Perissa, which was at the opposite end of the Island about 20 minutes from Fira, along the famous Black Beach.  Our room was small, but lovely, with a balcony that looked out onto the sea.  I spent the rest of the afternoon catching up on reading and e-mailing, while Stacy lay in bed waiting for the Dramamine to wear off.  That evening we headed to the grocery store that was just across the street to stock up on breakfast and dinner items.  We ended up having most our meals on our balcony, which was a nice break from constantly eating out.

 
















On our first full day we were up early and made our way to Oia.  Oia sits at the Northern most edge of the crescent shaped Santorini.  This is probably the next most famous city, after Athens, when people think of Greece.  With numerous churches and breath-taking views any which way you look, we were able to spend the whole day in Oia and never got bored.  Most of the buildings are white, which gives a beautiful contrast to the deep blue sea and scattered blue domes of most of the churches.  There are actually close to 300 hundred churches on Santorini; this is because, way back when, it was common for each family to have its own church.  Most of the churches remain closed and are only opened for special occasions.  As we winded our way over the cobble stone streets of Oia, both Stacy and I couldn’t stop taking pictures.  Each turn brought about a new and more beautiful view than the last.  To avoid the cruise ship sheep we stopped off at one of the cliff side tavernas for lunch/dinner.  We wanted to stay until sunset, so we had plenty of time.  We then made our way back through the village stopping in many of the shops along the way.  We ended up with a few purchases, but probably the most memorable was Stacy’s donkey Malaka (asshole)!  She had been eying the donkeys most of the day, after a few glasses of wine, she realized he was a necessity!   As we sat waiting for the sun to go down near the famous windmills, we both decided that we will have to come back to Greece just for another visit to Oia.

The next morning we woke up to the fact that it was almost twelve and we had slept a good bit of the day away.  Obviously it was needed so we meandered around, eating breakfast and then made our way to Perissa Beach, which is one of the Black Sand Beaches.  Formed from when the volcano struck the island it is one of a kind.  It is extremely painful to walk on so there were wooden pathways leading from the beach to the water.  We shelled out 2.5 euro apiece for our thick cushioned lounges and set up camp under a straw umbrella.   When I decided to venture out for a dip it was shocking how deep the water levels got so soon after entering the water.  I could not have been more than 10 to 12 feet out and already couldn’t touch.  This was a little disconcerting as the last time I was in the ocean I was stung by a jellyfish.  After taking in the sun for a few hours we headed back to our room for dinner and Retsina.  Retsina, a Greek wine, is very cheap and not too bad, especially while watching the sunset overlooking the ocean.  We decided on a pool day for our next afternoon and made sure to set an alarm this time.  We had a lovely day just soaking up the sun and lounging by the pool.  We were the only ones there so it was nice to have the area to ourselves.  We also had a repeat of the evening before on our balcony.

For our last full day we chose to go on a tour.  A few of the highlights were the Profit Illia Monastery, Mt. Profitis Illias, Santo Wines, and the excavation site of Ancient Village of Akrotiri.  One of our favorite stops was the Akrotiri excavations.  Unfortunately the excavations are at a standstill at the moment due to lack of funding from the government.  It is too bad that excavations cannot continue because Akrotiri is one of the most well preserved ancient cities.  Due to its collapse when the city was covered with volcanic ash and pumice sediments, the structure of the city was preserved.  The excavation team was even able to recover  a life size painting in pristine condition.  Another of our favorite stops was the winery where we toured the winery and sampled some local wines.  Santorini is actually home to many wineries and produces most of the island’s wine.  My favorite stop was Mt. Profitis Illias, due to the beautiful panoramic view of the entire island.  Santorini was our favorite stop by far and our next jaunt is to the island of Paros.

  ~ Randi