July 10, 2013: Travelmag – The Independent Spirit, travelmag.co.uk

June, the first month of summer, has just gone by and the sun in Greece is shining bright and warm. Living in the Greek capital this time of the year can be very challenging as the high temperature during the day is exhausting if you are not in a room with an air condition or a fan. An unexpected proposal a few days ago made me travel for three days to Andros, the second largest island of Cyclades. Although it is the closest to Athens island of the Greek group of islands in the Aegean Sea, this was the first time for me to go there.

About three times in the past I’ve travelled to the island of Tinos, and before we arrive at our destination the ferry made a stop at the port of Gavrio in Andros. At that time I had no idea of how beautiful the island really is, as Gavrio is a small town with no trees or any other kind of vegetation. With two friends of mine, one of them has family there, took the early boat from the port of Rafina and in two and a half hours was there. Another friend was coming at the afternoon.

We went with a car, so we had no problem to explore the island in the best way we could. The first thing we had to do though is to find our hotel, which was at the town of Batsi, about 15 minutes from the port by car. Batsi is the most touristic town of Andros, along with Korthi and the Chora of Andros. The father and son who owned the hotel Adonis were very kind and helpful, and the balcony in front of our rooms had a perfect view over the entire town.

It was around 13:00 o’clock and the sun was high. A light breeze was able to cool us for a bit, but we needed to take more drastic measures. That means that we wore our swimsuits and went at the beautiful beach of Chrissi Ammos (Golden Sand), which is located between Gavrio and Batsi. The beach was full with people and the DJ at the beach bar was playing some of the latest hits, from Lana Del Rey’s “Summertime Sadness” to “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk. The water was clear and cold enough to take the heat away.

Close to the beach, at the area of Agios Petros (Saint Peter) there was two taverns the one next to the other. At “Maria’s” tavern we took our first meal in the island and at “Giannoulis” our last before we leave for back home. The food was very tasty. The most famous traditional dish of Andros is Froutalia or Fourtalia. It is an omelette, made of not just eggs, but also of sliced potatoes and traditional sausages fried in pork fat, that gives a very exquisite taste.

The rest of the day ended with picking up the last friend from the port and exhausted as we were, we went back at the hotel for a nice bath and some rest. Later at night, we ate something at a creperie in Batsi, had a drink at a very cosy bar and went for a small stroll by the sea, counting the stars and looking at the breathtaking full moon at the cloudless sky.

The second day was supposed to be the fullest of all. We were about to discover a large amount of the island, including the Chora of Andros. We woke up as sooner as possible, if you consider that last night we went to bed extremely late, and started by going to the popular beach Tis Grias to Pidima (The Old Lady’s Jump) that is situated near Ormos, at the municipality of Korthi. The name originally refers to a local myth according to which an old lady committed suicide by jumping off a cliff in that location.

Korthi is located at the east side of the island and is one of the largest towns of Andros. In order to reach the beach Tis Grias to Pidima, you have to drive through Korthi and after a few miles of dirt road you have to walk down for about 10-15 minutes a slope with small made of stone steps. The hot sun makes the descent very difficult, but once you arrive at the beach the wonderful sight and the incredible water will reward you for the hard effort.

Be prepared in advance to have with you cold water and food, because the beach is not organized. We were not prepared so after several hours without anything to drink or eat, we left the beach for the Chora of Andros. Chora is the main town of the island. The houses are built in the typical Cycladic style, with doors and windows painted in many different colours, while the rest of the house is white. The most interesting thing that occurred to me, was the too many cats that wondered around the streets.

In Chora you must definitely visit the square of the Unknown Sailor, where there is a big statue of a sailor gazing at the sea created by Michalis Tombros. From there you can see the whole town and you can even climb a brick bridge, that connects the mainland with a small island that has on it a ruined Venetian castle and from there you can see an even smaller island with just a lighthouse on it.

The Chora of Andros has four museums. An Archaeological Museum, a Nautical Museum, a Folklore Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art founded by Basil and Elise Goulandris Foundation in 1979. Born in Andros Basil Goulandris was not only a successful ship-owner but also a passionate art collector, who along with his wife Elise felt the need to sponsor and support many and different kinds of artists, and a Museum at his birthplace was a perfect idea. Situated at the centre of the town it is easily accessible by foot and it is closed during the noon.

It took us the whole day to travel around Andros, but at the way back we were lucky to see the beautiful sunset, minutes before we arrive at Batsi. The glorious sun immersed into the deep blue Aegean Sea, taking with it all the heat of the day. At night, after we walked for a while at the promenade, we ended at a “all Greek” club, that played music from the 80’s-90’s till today. Early in the morning we returned to our hotel, only a minute away from the club.

One day has left and we were committed to live it to the fullest! After we settled our economical obligations with the hotel we hit the road once again. This time we went to the upper east side of the island and the amazing beach of Zorgos. Instead of sand, the beach is full with pebbles of many and different colours. The light blue water is deeper than at the other beaches of the island. An interesting fact about Andros is that you must choose where to swim depending on the weather. Like most of the islands in Cyclades, strong winds are normal during the summer time.

It was about time to leave the beautiful island of Andros. Our ferry was leaving for Rafina early at night so we were at the port of Gavrio about two hours before the departure. There was no way to leave Andros without buying Amygdalota. The traditional macaroons made in Andros are famous in all over Greece. Made of almonds, sugar, albumen and rose water are the trademark of the island, along with the soft local cheese.

Although we’ve been there for just three days, it felt like it’s been more than a week. We explored almost the whole island and saw most of the things that we could see in three days. Andros is also famous for the monasteries, with the monastery of Agias Marinas, Panachrantou, Panagias Tomarchianis and Zoodochou Pigis being four of the biggest ones. Unfortunately we didn’t have much time to see them all, so that’s a good reason –but not the only one– to visit the island once again in the future.

January 10, 2013: Travelmag – The Independent Spirit, travelmag.co.uk

Winter in Greece is usually milder than in other European countries, especially the ones in the North. However, snow and low degrees Celsius is not a rare phenomenon, mostly for the cities and villages in a higher altitude.

For most Athenians the Ski Center on mount Parnassus and the scenic villages around the mountain, are must for the cold days of winter.

With two friends of mine, we decided to pay a visit on the lovely village of Arachova, located at the foot of mount Parnassus, or Parnassos as Greek’s call it, nearly 26 klm away from the Parnassos Ski Center.

At this point I must confess that this was my first time in Arachova and also my first time going snowboarding, which was something that intimidated me, but I thought I could leave my worries aside for a day and have fun.

We only had a weekend free, so we left Athens early in the morning on Saturday, and about three and a half hours later by car, with two small stops on the way, we arrived in Arachova. After we settled in the hotel – booked two weeks ago through the internet – we were ready to explore the area.

The graphic village of Arachova is one of the most touristic places in Greece during the winter, with people from all over the country visiting the village, not only because it is close to the ski centers, but also for its beauty, the kind people and the intense nightlife.

The first thing you notice from the moment you enter in Arachova, is the big clock made of stones, that sits high on a hill in the center of the village, and as a result that was our first destination.

According to the legend, that clock was first build in the 18th century, as a belfry of the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary, which is right next to it, but was destroyed by the 1870 devastating earthquake. It was destroyed once more, on March 1944 by the Germans, and after that it was rebuild in 1966 by the abbot of the Monastery of Hosios Loukas to the form that has until today.

The hill under it is called by the locals “Tyrias”, which derives from the Greek word “Tyri”, that means cheese. And that’s because they used that hill as a natural fridge for their homemade cheese, Formaella.

Formaella is a traditional cheese only produced in Arachova and is usually made of ship milk. It is a semi-hard cheese with salty and peppery taste. The milk after it is boiled for a couple of hours in a high temperature, it is then divided into big pieces that fit in special moulds made of woven reed. It is suggested to eat it either grilled or fried.

The view from the clock is magnificent. You can see the whole village surrounding the hill, while in a near distance there are fields with olive trees. That day although at the morning the sun was shining, very soon thick mist scattered within the houses and the only thing you could see, was the red roof tiles.

After we wondered around the alleys for a while, we then went for a hot cup of chocolate, at one of the many coffee shops, near the central square. The two storey building was crowded with people enjoying their hot beverages, while on the outside two or three buses have just brought more people to the village, all of them students, around our age.

The boys and girls flooded the main road, as well as all the coffee shops, restaurants and taverns in the area. That’s why it took us more than half an hour to find somewhere to eat, in a village you can walk through in less than 15 minutes.

Arachova is known for the good meat and so we played it safe, ordering a stake, plus a piece of grilled formaella cheese and some Greek salad. All of them were very tasty.

The hour passed before we know it. It was already late in the afternoon and we needed to be relaxed for our night out, so we went back to the hotel for a few hours. And when the time came we run out to find the nicest bar, although it has just started raining.

Arachova at night is very beautiful. The clock is lightened up and the streets are full of young people talking and laughing, ignoring the bad weather. The shops are open until late and the tourists blend with the locals in a very interesting way. The sound of the raindrops, along with the smell from the grilled meat coming out from the taverns is something else.

All the bars are in a close distance one from the other, so we didn’t got tired to walk up and down the street for a couple of times before we choose the one that suited more to our taste. Sunday was near and although we had a big day ahead of us, we got back to the hotel early in the morning. Fortunately we haven’t drunk a lot, so we were more than sober.

The next day was the day I was afraid the most, and also the one I was most excited for. After we packed our staff, paid the hotel and ate some homemade breakfast, we left for the Parnassos Ski Center, with the blessings of the two lovely ladies hosted us for the weekend.

Snowboarding for the first time at the Parnassos Ski Center

Sunday was colder than Saturday. The sun was hidden behind clouds from the moment we woke up, but fortunately the rain had stopped many hours ago.

We took the road going up to the mountain, following some Jeeps obviously going on the same place. At a certain point the first snow appeared on the side of the road. The trees where also covered with snow but the street was still open for cars.

However, near the Ski Center we had to put snow chains, otherwise we weren’t allowed to continue. It was the first time to use them, and after some help from other drivers, we managed to put them on.

The Parnassos Ski Center is composed of two sections, Kellaria and Fterolaka, which combined make the largest ski center in Greece. We went to the first one. Not for any particular reason, just because we liked the name better.

Outside the ski center you got a card for 18 euro that allows you to enter the building and it has your name on it with your picture. You can give it back when you leave and take three euro. I kept mine.

The ski center is divided into two installations. The first one where you get the ticket and the next one, where you can rent the appropriate equipment, either for snowboard or ski, or a sleigh. The two of them are connected with a cable car.

Once you get the equipment, then you have to take the chair lift to go upper in the mountain, so that you can slide down the slope.

The time had come. I was ready to shine. I was ready to conquer the slopes. I was ready to be crowned “King of Snowboarding”. Of course none of this happened. From the moment I put on the snow board I felt it was not gonna be easy at all.

They say that the first time is always difficult and I am at a position to confirm that. Beginners luck wasn’t on my side that day. I went up and down the slope twice, and though the second time was better, I had to deal with the gravity issue.

Most of the time I was with my back on the snow, but thank God I didn’t hurt during the continuous falls. It was actually very funny, cause as I was laying down I was weaving to the other skiers who where on the chair lift. Some of them were even giving me advises!

Unfortunately, like all good things this one too had to end. We had to return to our basis. It was already dark outside when we left the mountain and after we ate something on the way back, we did a small stop in Arachova to buy some souvenirs. I returned in Athens exhausted, soaking wet, extremely cold but very very thrilled from the experience. I am looking forward to do that again soon.

All photos: Author

Bulgaria: Sofia, Varna. Romania: Bucharest, Brasov. Serbia: Belgrade. Montenegro: Podgorica, Budva. FYROMacedonia: Skopje.

It was sometime around February when we first thought of doing something different this summer. Last year we had the best time in Tinos, the Holy Island of the Virgin Mary and Mykonos, the Party Island of Greece, but this year we wanted a real adventure. At first we discussed of going in Cairo, Egypt for a week, but that plan quickly aborted due to the latest riots in the country. UK also came in mind, Italy too and Spain (especially Barcelona). Neither of those countries however fulfilled our fantasies. “A trip by car would be nice” we thought, “a trip by train would be better” we decided. So, after a very helpful Google search my friend John and I found out that just like InterRail allows you to travel around Europe by train in a low cost, Balkan Flexipass allows you to travel around the Balkans, and the ticket is much cheaper. Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia and Turkey.

We had only two weeks to travel around the Balkans, so we were in a bit of a hurry. And just because Turkey is quite a big country, unfortunately we had to leave it out. I took my passport in about a week, we had already bought our tickets (106 euro for 15 days in a month) and we were ready to go. The trip coincidentally began at the same time with the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games in London and completed at the same day with the Closing Ceremony. Although we missed the Games, it was like we were competing in a Marathon. We took the late night train from Athens to Thessaloniki and while Greece is not connected with any other country by train, we took the morning bus to Sofia, Bulgaria, our first destination.

St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia (Bulgaria)

Before we leave home I have found on hostelworld.com the three best rated hostels in each city that we were supposed to stay for at least one night. As a result when we got off the bus in Sofia, we immediately start searching for the hostel we were staying. This wasn’t the first time we were visiting Sofia. We’ve been there once before, but only for a night. Now we were about to explore Bulgaria’s capital in the day light too. We found our hostel easily -with the help of a Brazilian new friend- and right after we went out for a walk. On the suburbs of Sofia we’ve seen a bunch of very tall buildings with more than a hundred apartments in each one, where the less wealthy families where living. But the center of the city was something else. The big Cathedral of Alexander Nevski is a monument of exceptional beauty and architecture. The golden and light blue domes combined with the countless windows all around the Cathedral are able to capture you in awe. The streets are large, but the tram crossing the biggest part of the city is very old. Although Bulgaria is a very cheap country (we had to change our Euro into Lev), we had to pay double ticket for our luggage in order to take the tram. We explored all the cities by foot, so I don’t know much of their underground metro system. Every one in our hostel was very friendly and they even gave us a map of the city with the “must see” spots. Near the Cathedral is a park, and in the morning there is a flea market where you can find souvenirs and antiques.

Beach in Varna (Bulgaria)

The next morning we took the train to Varna. Varna is the most touristic city of Bulgaria in the summertime. It is near the Black Sea, where you can swim, and it is on the eastern side of Bulgaria. Going from Sofia to Varna takes incredibly many hours inside a train, with no bar or any big stops on the way. So if you don’t have already bought a large bottle of water before you get in, you’re more or less… in trouble! Be careful! If anyone tries to help you at the train station, will probably later ask you for money, and there is no need for more expenses. In Varna we stayed two nights and met some really interesting people, whom I can now call friends, Jane from Taiwan and Fonsh from France. The day after, we went for swimming in a very sandy beach at the Black Sea, which was about 5-10 minutes on foot away from our hostel and the center of the city. There you can find all kinds of people, from families with two and three children, to topless women and elderly people all sunbathing under the hot sun. The train station from the center of the city is about 15-20 minutes on foot, if you like walking. The day before we leave for Bucharest, Romania, we found wondering around the city the flea market, where you could find cranberries in a cup with a plastic spoon, and that was our delicious breakfast for the day. They also have fresh almonds and walnuts.

Palatul Parliamentului of Nicolae Ceauşescu, Bucharest (Romania)

To go from Varna to Bucharest, the capital of Romania, you must change train in Russe and then after three hours or more you’re there. The moment you are passing the boarders, over the Danube river, the wild nature around the bridge, is at least stunning. That day, the deeper we were going into Romania, the more the weather was changing. The sun was hidden behind dark clouds, the wind was blowing and the sunflowers, whole valleys of them, where dancing in the storm. Soon it started raining too. When having in the back of your mind the thought that Romania is the country of Count Dracula and the Vampires, even if you don’t believe in any of them, there was the appropriate atmosphere to make you believe. We arrived in Bucharest late at night and went straight to our hostel, which we have already booked at the same morning from Varna, thanks to our new friend Vesselina, who is working in the hostel there. In the meantime, all the exchange stores where closed and we had no Romanian Lei to buy anything to eat. However, that night we explored inch by inch -with commentary- the beautiful Bucharest with the help of Tim from Copenhagen and Natalia from Russia. With 2lt beer in a bottle and four cups in our hands, we had the best night of our trip. The morning after, we walked the streets in the day light and we even went shopping. This city, achieves to combine the old with the new, the Medieval with the modern. The colorful fountains in Piata Unirii and the gigantic Palatul Parliamentului of Nicolae Ceauşescu are the must see spots of the city, with the Old Town having the best bars and restaurants in the whole Bucharest. Romania has lots of dogs, so you must be careful because they usually hunt in herds and they usually are not very friendly.

Brasov (Romania)

Two days later we took the morning train to Transylvania and Brasov, the city near the village Bran, where is the famous castle of Count Dracula. The truth is that the castle in Bran isn’t the real “home” of Dracula. The infamous Vlad Tepes, or Vlad the Impaler as he is more widely known, lived there for only 6 months and used that castle as a hermitage. But back in 1897, the best-selling Irish novelist Bram Stoker in his Gothic novel titled “Dracula” placed his character in the castle of Bran. From that day, the castle and the village around it became one of the biggest attractions of Romania. Brasov is a very beautiful town with medieval buildings. The Black Church of Brasov, which was burned in 1689 by the Turks, and the Hollywood-like sign with the name of the city on the top of the mountain, will definitely draw your attention. Our hostel was in a walking distance from the city center, but to go to the train station we had to take the bus.

Count Dracula’s Castle in Bran (Romania)

The next morning we decided to visit Bran. It is about two hours away by bus. Around the castle there is a flea market with all kinds of souvenirs, most of them Dracula-themed. We bought our tickets and then walked quite a lot of stairs till the castle’s entrance. A big cross made of stone was right outside. The castle itself is very beautiful, and inside you can see some of the chambers where many great kings and queens of Romania lived. It is also decorated with some of the original memorabilia from the 1992 movie “Dracula” by Francis Ford Coppola. And after we’ve seen Dracula’s castle, it was time to leave Romania and go to Serbia, Belgrade.

Bombed building in Belgrade (Serbia)

Going from Romania to Serbia was the toughest thing in the whole trip. It took us about two days to arrive in Belgrade. After we missed our morning train from Brasov to Timisoara, the city in the boarders of Romania, we had to go back in Bucharest to take the train from there. We travelled all night and arrived in Timisoara early in the morning. Then after about 10 hours we took another train to Vrsac, the city in the boarders of Serbia. After that we had to take a bus to finally get in Belgrade. In the meantime, we met a guy from Italy and a girl from Brazil, so we weren’t travelling alone. The first moments in the city, a taxi driver practically stole from us about five euro, trying to get us in our hostel which was about five minutes by foot from the train station. Anyway, the hostel we where staying was very beautiful. It was on the top floor of a very tall eastern European style building, with more than one hundred steps to climb. Belgrade is maybe the most beautiful city we’ve seen this summer. The Kalemegdan Park and the amazing view on the confluence of the river Sava and Danube is a jaw-dropping site-seeing. The fast food is so delicious and also very cheap. You can eat a whole day with less than five euro. Although the city was rebuild, some wounds made during the Yugoslav war in 1999 are still wide open. On the way to the Cathedral of Saint Sava, you pass through the ruins of giant buildings half collapsed but still standing there, just to remind you of the past. Next day we left for Podgorica, Montenegro.

Morača river in Podgorica (Montenegro)

Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, is surrounded by six rivers and that’s why it is the hottest city in the entire Europe. The Morača and Ribnica rivers flow through the city, while the Zeta, Cijevna, Sitnica and Mareza flow nearby. The climate is so hot and dry in the summer, that is able to catch your breath the moment you get off the train. Montenegro was the only country where we didn’t have to change in the local currency, as they use euro too. The Millennium Bridge and the Sahat Kula, an Ottoman clock tower, are the biggest landmarks of the city. On the banks of Morača river you can find cafe-bars and you can even swim in the river if you want, although the water is quite cold. What impressed me the most, is that everyone we saw walking around the streets was wearing always their swimsuit! Our hostel was near to the train station, however there was no train going to Budva, a coastal town of Montenegro and the most touristic, so we took the bus, which costs six euro each.

Budva (Montenegro)

The coastal area around Budva, called the Budvanska rivijera, is the center of Montenegro’s tourism, where every summer, millions of people come from all over the world for the sandy beaches and the intense nightlife. Our hostel was a bit crappy, but it was the only one that wasn’t full at the time. Budva has nothing to envy from any other cosmopolitan cities of Europe. In the morning the beach in the Adriatic sea is full with people of all ages and you have the opportunity to do water sports, such as jet-ski, wind surfing and more. When the night comes, the promenade is lightened up by restaurants, souvenir shops and at a certain spot there are big night clubs where you can have a drink and party till the morning light. One of the most certain places you should visit is the Old Town. Hidden behind big walls the Venetian design architecture of the Town with alleys, balconies and traditional churches is more than fascinating. Just like Belgrade and Podgorica the food in Budva is very tasty and cheap. Although meat is the most common food in these countries, in Budva you can find good restaurants with fresh seafood cooked in many different ways. I ate pasta with shrimps and it was just delicious. After two nights in Budva, we were ready to leave for Skopje, FYROMacedonia.

National Archaeological Museum of Skopje (FYROMacedonia)

We took the bus to Skopje early at the evening and after we passed through Kosovo we finally arrived at the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia. It was very early in the morning so everything was closed, but we were lucky to find a hostel nearby the station. The owners, a young couple who also enjoy travelling, has made a beautiful place to stay… a “home away from home” as they say! At first we were a bit biased because the last few years our countries doesn’t get along very well. They have unsolved issues regarding the name of the country, but we were happy to see that something like that doesn’t affect the local people. The gigantic statue/fountain of Alexander the Great in the center of the city, the Kale Fortress, the Memorial House of Mother Teresa and the Stone Bridge over the Vardar river are the greatest landmarks of Skopje. At night the Archaeological museum is lightened up in red and yellow, the colors of the country’s flag, creating a very beautiful reflection on the river. We spent our last night abroad at the hostel, where we met two really cool guys from the UK, Henry and Joseph. The next morning we were travelling back in Greece, first Thessaloniki and after Athens, our home. And that’s how our trip finally came to an end.

Five countries, eight cities in two weeks! It’s been the most incredible two weeks of my entire life. I visited beautiful places, met interesting people and made good new friends from all over the world. After being on the road for 15 days, I returned to Greece quite exhausted, but full with once in a lifetime experiences. I feel different, I see things different, I am different. Traveling around the Balkans I saw cultures similar to mine, but at the same time so unique. The people are polite and helpful, even though most of the time you are “lost in translation”. I feel blessed that I was given the opportunity to do something like that and will definitely do it again if I have the chance. In the end, the Balkans are an interesting and alternative way to spend your holidays.

All photos: Author