FN Blog - Seven heads are better than one!

Greece has been in the news lately for several fires raging Athens and nearby cities. I’m really concerned about this because Greece is such a beautiful country! I got a chance to visit around two years ago and I promised myself that I would return someday with my family (I only got there through the generosity of my friend, PR master and ultimate tour guide, Keren Pascual and Ben Chan).

View from the restos lining the port

I especially loved, loved, loved Mykonos. I’ve been to many places around Europe and Asia, but really, Mykonos is just something else. The architecture is different, the weather is crisp and just right in the summer, the sights are breathtaking and the people, super-friendly. Parang tayo sila! Keren got lost on his way back to our hotel in Athens and was asking around for directions. A Greek guy (um, obviously), offered directions but Keren was having a hard time understanding him. So guess what the Greek did? He rode with Keren on the bus and personally dropped him off at the hotel’s door! O di ba. And this is just a random guy on the street ha. They’re super helpful to tourists and not to mention, gwapo!

View at the port

Back to Mykonos, here, they have a strict code on how structures are supposed to look like. They all look the same to encourage a unified and unique look for the island. Even colors are regulated! And before Easter every year, they paint everything a crisp white so that when tourists come to visit, all you see from the boat is the cobalt blue water, the rugged hills, and these little white structures jutting out to greet you. Soooooper ganda. This really took my breath away.

Staying and dining in Mykonos can be affordable, it’s just the airfare that’s a killer! Gyro meals (locally known as shawarma) are just around P150, and there are several inns and bed and breakfast places around the island to fit your budget. We stayed in a sosyal inn while with Ben, but once they left, Keren , Nicolette, Liza and I stayed at an affordable ($250 for three days, two nights with breakfast) inn which claimed to be near the port, but turned out to be on top of a hill! Mega pagod walking back every night! Imagine guessing your way in darkness, at 2am. All the signs are in Greek, so good luck to us. Uphill talaga ang drama namin. Good thing I was in good company so in between the bickering, there was always an over-supply of laughter - really useful when you’re trudging your way in darkness in a side street in a foreign land.

Authentic Greek salad. Yum!

We also rented a car and went around the island, visiting little villages and eventually going to Super Paradise Beach. As usual, we got lost along the way, but we eventually found our way down the steep, rocky slope. This is supposed to be a nude beach, but seems that the only nude people are old, gay couples. Ok lang, new experience din. Hehehe.

Super Paradise Beach. Sorry, can’t post nude bathers!

It’s been two years since I’ve been there, and I’ve made it my life mission (O.A. ba?) to go back and share the experience with my loved ones. I hope to go back before I’m too old to enjoy getting lost.