Greece

Our transfer picked us up at 4 am for our 7:20 am Turkish Airlines flight to Thessaloniki, Greece. The ride took about 40 minutes and our car had prom limo vibes - not sure the lights were necessary this early, but it is what it is!



After overall airport security, self bag drop which took a few tries (it was like working a CVS self-checkout kiosk), passport control, security again, we were able to rest in the IGA Lounge due to Justin’s credit card. We noshed, saw more plastic surgery patients, and what I believe to be the Galatasaray Women’s Basketball team. It could have been volleyball too, but it’s the same club that the soccer fans were pregaming for on Sunday.

Separately, throughout the trip, we also saw several recent hair transplant recipients, but most seemed local. Turkey is well-known for their affordable cosmetic and plastic surgery and we saw many bandages and head wraps.

We enjoyed our 4 nights and 3 full days in Istanbul! We leave behind the calls to prayer, the many cats that walk the streets, and the throngs of tourists in this very safe city. We were surprised that Ozan advised there is very limited pickpocketing and we surmised it may come from the low crime culture or the Muslim mindset. We also heard plenty of Russian which was actually surprising noticeable. Perhaps it seemed more to us considering so many countries won’t let Russians visit nowadays.

Our flight took about an hour and upon arrival in Thessaloniki, we picked up our Hertz rental car. This is the planned route for the next few days through Northern Greece ending in Athens:



Most folks do time-consuming day trips from Athens to Meteora annd Delphi, but I figured this would give us flexibility and more time.

For our morning in Thessaloniki, we enjoyed a few highlights and walking around. It’s the second-largest city in Greece and was once the co-capital of the Byzantine Empire with Constantinople.

First, we drove by the White Tower which is on the waterfront and now a symbol of the city - it once was a prison:



After parking the car in a garage, we walked by the Palace of Galerius ruins and then up to the Arch of Galerius and the Rotunda of Galerius. All from the early fourth-century AD and considered outstanding examples of early Byzantine art and architecture, and of course, UNESCO World Heritage sites:







The Rotunda was also once a church and had impressive mosaics:



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We then passed many chain stores and fancy shops down to Aristotelous Square on the waterfront. Apparently, the city’s main university is Aristotle University, the largest in Greece and the Balkans. I rubbed Aristotle’s toe as I saw someone else do it and at the same time, a bird landed on his head:



The large square - my mom said the boats looked like they were in a painting due to the fog:





We then lunched at Mono where we ordered a focaccia, a barchetta, and a salad. Justin aptly pointed out this was more Italian, but was still delicious and hit the spot:



On our way back to the parking garage, I took a photo of the city’s own Hagia Sophia:



Justin and I split the driving, but I ended up doing more as he didn’t sleep much last night or on the plane and I drank a double Greek coffee at lunch. The car is a Kia Sportage - despite the upgrade, it didn’t have CarPlay capabilities like when we struggled with our Japan rental car. But the car navigation was easier to input and seemed more updated than in Japan. For good measure, we still propped my phone for Google Maps. Also, even though it was a Korean car, the navigator had a British accent and some destinations defaulted to British search results.

It started to drizzle and was super foggy on our drive. We couldn’t see Mount Olympus, but I asked Justin to take some random photos:





In less than three hours, we were in Kalabaka, one of the towns in Meteora. I wanted to visit the Holy Church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary today, as it will be closed tomorrow after our morning monastery tour for a midday break and we will want to head to Delphi. It is believed to be the only Orthodox church in the world that features a free-standing pulpit and is from the 11th century. The blogs said it was definitely worth a visit if you’re staying in town. We couldn’t take photos inside, but were super impressed on how well-preserved it was and with the Meteora backdrop:





Here’s a view of the town along with our rental car:



Our hotel, called Doupiani, is in neighboring Kastraki. I realized Mama Kim and Justin had never stayed in a town that clearly caters to backpackers. It definitely reminds me of experiences in South America and the vibes. Justin had to help carry our suitcases to the second floor as there was no elevator. Mama Kim said this felt like “real travel” and was an adventure. Our second floor room came with a terrace “panorama” view:





After resting, the hotel recommended dinner at Taverna Bakaliarakia which was in the village center and next to the town church. Our waiters were lovely and we shared cokes, local Alfa beer, fried cod, spaghetti, chicken souvlaki, moussaka, and a complimentary yogurt and honey dessert. Here’s a photo of the town vibes and our dinner:





We then drove back up the hill and to our hotel. You will notice there’s no real photos of us today as we were a bit tired and sans makeup. So I leave you with this night photo from our terrace: