Greece ~ A Big City Christmas

I was in need of a big city Christmas. While I love my Greek village life and its laid-back approach to the holidays, sometimes I just need that shot of holiday hype that only a big city can provide.

Our village decoration 

The Scout -- who doesn't share my Christmas-hype fervor -- is always up for an outing.

And that is why we headed to Thessaloniki the weekend before Christmas.

One of hundreds of streetlights Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki, (thess-ah-lo-nee-kee) Greece's second largest city, with a population of just under 814,000 people, is an hour's flight away from Kalamata. It is an hour's drive from our house to Kalamata, so a trip to this wonderful seaport city in northeastern Greece, takes about the same amount of time as driving to Athens.  It is a vibrant place with museums and historical sites, high end retail, and culinary delights. The best part is that it is a most walkable city.

Plateia (plaza) Aristotelous

There are limited flights between the two cities this time of year, Ours, a tiny ATR aircraft stuffed with 72 passengers, arrived on a late Saturday afternoon.  Traffic was gridlocked as we entered the city. As the taxi driver eased us through narrow back streets to reach our hotel, he would cross himself as we passed churches and then roll down his window and shout a favorite Greek obscenity to anyone blocking his route.  

That congestion reminded us that we were certainly in the big city, a far cry from our village where traffic jams are caused by goat or sheep herds sauntering from one feeding area to another. The next clue that we'd left our rural world behind was when we set out seeking food and drink. You remember I said it was the Saturday before Christmas and the town was pulsating with people.  

Not in Kansas Anymore

To paraphrase Dorothy's comments in Oz, it didn't take long to realize we weren't in Kansas anymore. We've forgotten what a Saturday night, especially the one before Christmas, and the one following two years of Covid curtailments, could mean in the big city.  

In the village this time of year, when we dine out the questions we ask is if the taverna, cafe or restaurant is open. We don't even consider making a reservation. . .because sometimes we are one of two occupied tables wherever we end up.

So having settled into our room we set out for drinks and dinner in the big city, without reservations. We did call a restaurant, recommended by friends who'd lived in this city for a time, asking if we could dine there in a few hours. Not that Saturday, they were booked solid. 

Sidewalk seating worked fine - the pours were generous

So, we headed to our favorite bar at the side of Aristotelous Plateia and was again turned away - it was full, reservations required even in its massive patio area.  The waitress took pity on us and found two chairs on the sidewalk near a bar table so that we could enjoy the sights and sounds of that vibrant part of town. 

We decided that we'd eat in the hotel, at the bar, something casual.  Our hotel bar was also busy but luckily two seats, literally at the bar, were empty. As we approached them, the waitress stopped us with what was becoming a familiar question, 'Do you have reservations?'  We didn't and the bar seating required them.  Staff finally set up heat lamps at a courtyard table where we had a delightful pub grub dinner. The phrase 'country bumpkins do the city' came to mind.

A Big City Christmas

The famed White Tower bathed in sunlight

We were last in Thessaloniki three years ago for my mid-summer birthday. It had been hot, very hot. We'd not visited in winter so were prepared for the worst of weather scenarios - it can, and does, get cold in Greece in winter. However, the weather gods were with us. Only one of our three days was windy, rainy and cold.

A restaurant entry

We had visited several museums on our last trip, so this trip's purpose was for experiencing those city sidewalks dressed in holiday style. The city didn't disappoint. We explored Greece's multi-storied department store, Attica, and the newly opened Municipal Market (more on that in a future post).

Aristotelous Plateia 

Our subsequent two nights, Sunday and Monday, were far easier to get into restaurants and bars.

Stunning Aristotelous Plateia stretched for blocks

The streets were crowded but easy to navigate.  We have not worn masks for many months now and the majority of people were not wearing any - inside buildings or out.  Employees and servers were in most cases masked up.

Flower and plant stores were among my favorites

Thessaloniki isn't known - for that matter, nowhere in Greece is known -- for those cute seasonal Christmas markets like those that spring up in cities in more northern European countries.  We did find a small one just opening up on the rainiest afternoon of our visit. The weather didn't deter little ones from riding the merry-go-round though! (And yes, I was tempted.)

Christmas Merry Go Round in Thessaloniki

I think that my favorite Christmas decoration was the lobby tree in our hotel.  Made of simple bare branches and illuminated with white lights, small glass crowns and apples, the thing was stunning.  It drew me over to it each time we came into the hotel.

The hotel tree in Thessaloniki

But the tree wasn't the only remarkable thing about this hotel - the whole hotel concept was pretty remarkable.  It was inspired by the monastery next door.  And that is worthy of a whole article which will be coming your way soon!

Boarding our plane in Kalamata

Our long weekend went quickly, and we were soon back on that small plane flying to Kalamata. Long-time readers know I am a white knuckler so you can imagine me as I buckled up, on our flight out of Kalamata and realized the only exit doors were two at the back of the plane. We were seated in row two in the front where small windows were clearly marked as our means of emergency exit. So, when I write that I love Thessaloniki so much I would get back on that plane again, you know I am seriously enamored with that place! 

Time for New Year's wishes

The time has come, with only a couple days left in this year, to wish you all a healthy, happy New Year. May your travels be safe and the memories you make, warm and wonderful. We thank you for joining in on our adventures and appreciate the time you spend with us.  Your comments, emails, suggestions and tips are simply what makes TravelnWrite so much fun to produce!  See you next year ~

The Americans ~ Eight Years Later

 Actually, it is Amerikanos, (Ah-mear-E-kah-nos). Greek for the Americans, plural. 

'There, up on the hill,' says the Amerikani 

We usually say it as part of the phrase, 'the Amerikanos up on the hill' while pointing towards the hill on which our house sits.  It serves to differentiate us from the other Amerikanos who live in this area. And you might be surprised at how many do live here now. So many, that it isn't unusual to not know some of them. What a change that is from when we first arrived!

Eight years ago already!

It was eight years ago this week that we purchased our slice of the Greek Peloponnese. Little did we know at the time we purchased what has become known as our Stone House on the Hill, that it would ultimately change the course of our orderly life back in the Pacific Northwest corner of the United States.

Venice, two hour's flight, not two days away any longer

Back then we reasoned that a house in Greece would provide a base for exploring more of this country and other European countries, Africa, and the Middle East. We had expanded our travels on this side of the Atlantic after leaving our work life behind.  This Greek-base, we decided, would allow us to travel more often and go further.

We wanted a project and definitely got a few!

Truth is back then we were rather bored with that orderly life. We needed a project, something to do besides ease ourselves deeper into old age. This home certainly gave us a 'project' as the home was in need of updating and a bit of repair. As it turned out, each of the completed projects gave rise to new projects and continue to do so.

One last fling or perhaps a few more are in store. . .

And the purchase would constitute a - sigh - 'final fling' before we got too old to have such adventures. Age was among our considerations as we talked ourselves first out of, and then, into the house purchase. We wondered if we were then too old for such a leap into the unknown. Since we are still here, I guess we weren't - we are glad we took the leap!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes. . .in our world

Development comes to the Mani 

As David Bowie sings, there have been ch-ch-ch-ch-changes in the Mani, since we became a part of it. Development is running wild in this once remote and little visited region of Greece. Both private home and rental accommodation construction continues to be on a fast track. It is difficult to find year-round rentals now in our area as so many have turned their homes into Airbnb's. One, a recently constructed Mykonos-style home on the hill above us rents for 1,000 euros a night. 

British writer and long-time Kardamyli resident, Patrick Leigh Fermor, who predicted several decades ago that the remote and rugged Mani would never attract tourists, would likely not recognize the place now.  Tourism is on an upswing.  

Hiking is drawing outdoor enthusiast here

We have local businesses that offer hiking and biking tours of the area.  A new launch site for parasailing has been constructed in a hillside village a few kilometers away.  Our beaches were filled with visitors up until October.  

New restaurant brings change to the village

Change doesn't always come easy. An upscale restaurant opened in our village last spring following an extensive refurbishment of a wonderful old building on the waterfront.  From our perspective, it is a delight to sit inside and admire the stonework as the previous traditional taverna had only outside seating. Yet, some continue to grumble about the change.

New 5-star hotel - Kalamata waterfront

Up the road an hour away, our big city of Kalamata is becoming the poster child for change: a new 5-star hotel in a refurbished early 20th century building offers a restaurant with a Michelin-starred chef at its helm.  Two abandoned flour mills on the waterfront are also being turned into hotels - one a 5-star and one a 4-star.  Next spring the city is the European site of a conference of travel bloggers, actually, 'content creators' (as they call us now). Some 350 are expected to come visit and write about 'our town'. 

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes . . . in us

Adapting to the Mediterranean lifestyle

At the time we bought the house we told ourselves we'd give 'it', the fling, the adventure, the house, whatever we called it, five years.  If we were ready to move on, move back or give it up we would.  Those years went fast as a blink of an eye.  

During which time, we began changing and adapting to our new adopted world, so much so, that we decided we wanted to live here as expats.  We are just entering our sixth expat year here and have a residency permit allowing us another year after this. 

Our world at night

We've quit setting timelines. We will be here as long as we are able and continue to want to be here (or as long as the government allows us to be).  I know a lot of you reading our blog are considering moves to Greece and other destinations in the world, so I would close with a quote attributed to Paul Coelho, 'Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute for experiences.'  

Thessaloniki bound

For those who responded to my teaser in the last post, you were correct! We are soon off to Greece's second largest city, Thessaloniki. Our decision to go there is driven partially by its beautiful Christmas decorations and partially by the call of its culinary reputation.  I'll report back on both next time!  Thanks for being with us today . . .in fact many of you have been with us through our entire Greek adventure, and we've loved having you with us!  Thanks to you all for your continued support and encouragement!!

That Roman Holiday

 Okay so we didn't zip through Rome on a Vespa as did Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in the iconic romance movie, Roman Holiday, set in this Italian city, in 1953. We are a tad too old for that.

Roman Holiday movie 1953

But we did zip through the town, seeing as much as possible during our day and a half here. You can cover a lot of territory on foot when the weather cooperates, and the tourist numbers are low. 

No crowds at the Spanish Steps

Our Roman Holiday was part of a week-long trip to Italy we took in November. One of the side benefits, we've learned, to expat living in Europe is the ease of travel to other countries. No longer must we pack for multiple weeks to make the cost of the trip worthwhile as we did when we were coming from the far western side of the United States. 

We made the 3.5-hour drive from our home in the Peloponnese to the airport and then traveled between Athens and Rome in less than two hours. Our trip was prompted by a two-for-one seat sale offered by Greece's national carrier, Aegean Airlines.

Train travel is such a treat in Italy

And traveling off-season as November is here, we could travel without a set itinerary. Frankly, we weren't sure how much time, if any, we would spend in Rome when our flight from Athens arrived on a Saturday evening.  We were catching two trains as soon as we collected our checked luggage; one to take us from the airport into Roma Termini (the main train station) and there, catching another to Florence where we were booked for five nights. 

Admittedly unstructured travel isn't for everyone. I have friends who create Excel spread sheets and plan their trips down to the nano-second. That isn't our style of travel though - at least during the low-seasons as this is in Europe. The likelihood of getting accommodations on short notice is good and we like the flexibility to change plans if something more interesting comes along.

Train to Rome via the Italian countryside

We'd considered some charming Italian villages but when you live in a charming Greek village, I have to admit, the call of the big city won out. 

Another travel trait of ours is to find a hotel with as much history as possible, and we'd succeeded in Florence so hoped for the same in Rome. The Scout went to work while in Florence, tapped into our accumulated hotel loyalty points (Marriott Bonvoy) and used points to pay for a hotel stay in Rome that we would never have paid the price for otherwise. Using points, our cash outlay was for the cost of the nightly city tax. As our travels have reminded us of time and time again, those airline and hotel loyalty programs do pay off.

The Grand Hotel Flora

The Grand Hotel Flora

When the cab pulled into the semi-circular drive and the doorman greeted us at the stately old Grand Hotel Flora, located across the street from the Borghese Gardens, I knew The Scout had hit on another winner.

Our hotel and the city walls from Harry's Bar

This place literally oozed history. Construction on the building had begun in 1905 when the Borghese family had commissioned a vacation villa.  Economic woes prompted a change of plans, the structure was sold, and the new owner decided it would be a hotel.  Designed by a Vatican City architect, the hotel opened as the Pension Flora in 1907 on Rome's famed Via Vittorio Veneto.

The stairwell from the seventh floor

The site on which it was built is said to have been - back in Roman times - an area of 'Dolce Vita' (sweet life) with Caesar among the villa owners in the neighborhood.

Roman walls and Borghese gardens from our room

By the 1930's it was a modern day 'dolce vita' destination attracting the rich and famous. 

Stolpersteine, or 'stumbling stones' commemoration

Sadly, like many of Europe's grand hotels, the hotel's dark period was when it was occupied by the Gestapo during World War II.  

Here, I must add a side story illustrating that it is impossible to travel in Europe and not be reminded of World War II's impact, as happened during our short stay in Rome:

We were walking to the Spanish Steps from the hotel when we noticed two small, four-inch by four-inch markers, embedded in the sidewalk in front of a building just a few blocks away. The names are of a mother and daughter who'd been living in the apartment, were arrested, deported, and died in Auschwitz.

I posted the photo above on FB during our stay in Rome and thanks to a number of friends who commented on it, learned they are called Stolpersteine, or 'stumbling blocks' a commemoration effort begun in 1992 for victims of the Holocaust. I will be keeping an eye out for similar markers as we travel around European cities in the future. 

[Note: For those wanting more history, I Googled the names of the women and found their story and the Stopersteine information is from Wikipedia.]

The Scout at Harry's Bar Roma

It was Frederico Fellini's 1960 satirical comedy film, La Dolce Vita, that is credited with bringing back the sweet life to the hotel as well as the Via Veneto on which it sits. And sweet life it is with major eateries, bars and other hotels within a few minutes of where we stayed. One such bar, featured in the film, was Harry's Bar - just across the street from the hotel. As they say, 'when in Rome, do as the Romans do' -- so we did! We sipped a glass of wine at the famous place both nights we were in town. 

It, too, has an interesting history as it was opened in 1918 by an American woman who called it the Golden Gate for her city by the bay back home, San Francisco.

Stone, or umbrella pines, of Rome in Borghese gardens

We loved being near the Borghese Gardens a place one could stroll for hours.  However, we were unable to visit the Borghese Gallery as tickets were booked out for a couple of days.  That was no problem though as were strolled its outside sculpture garden! 

Borghese Gallery - next time!

We are now back at our Stone House on the Hill enjoying a relatively mild winter so far in this slice of the Peloponnese.  We are getting ready for another quick getaway, and I will end this post with a teaser on where we are heading. Want to take a guess by looking at the photo below?

The next getaway destination is. . .

So how do you like to travel? Everything planned in advance or just setting off for an adventure. Tell us in the comments below or shoot us an email!  Wherever your travels take you we hope you stay safe and well and are back here with us soon! As always, thanks much for the time you spend with us ~