Thessaloniki, Greece

Our first stop in Greece: Thessaloniki! It’s been 6 years since I lived and studied for a semester in Thess, and I was happy to find my favorite Greek city relatively unchanged. Thessaloniki looked the same, but the people looked different. There were more tourists (even a hop on/off bus!) and more African street vendors. The Greek women were no longer dressed to the nines in black and instead wore neon colors and jean shorts! The men have ditched their tight jeans, punk boots and spiked hair. Now, they’re all dressed out of an H&M catalog, just like Randi and I.

I enjoyed playing tour guide to Randi and revisiting my old haunts. We visited the city market, Aristotle Square, the Agia Sophia Church, the Rotunda, and the White Tower. We, also, visited my favorite food stands and enjoyed some Greek pizza, spinach & feta pastries, and crepas. Sitting along the sea each afternoon, we enjoyed countless iced coffees and Mythos beers.










On our 2^nd night in Thess, after dining on tzadiki and mussels, we went to a bouzoukia.  A bouzoukia is a Greek nightclub with a stage, where Greek singers, dancers, and musicians perform all night. It’s always been one of my favorite ways to occupy an evening and Randi enjoyed it, as well. We didn’t make it on stage, but we did enjoy dancing around our table! We stayed until dawn. I was happy to see that some things haven't changed in Thessaloniki. Everyone still sits around talking while smoking and drinking coffee all afternoon, and they still go out until sun up each morning. They still dance on chairs and tables. It's a city that still values fun and leisure and the company of friends.

~ Stacy