Greece trip 2023 ~ (Rhodes/Athens)

The afterstory.

Last but not least, the true vacation where we can relax and not worry about meeting musicians and interviewing locals. Relaxing as in … slow late morning getting groceries to make an epic breakfast with fresh fruits and bread and mocha pot coffee, leisurely stroll through Old Town, long feast lunch at a nostalgic restaurant while siping Sauv Blanc, afternoon nap followed by sunset dip in the crystal clear calm Mediterranean water, all ending with an early cozy night in with take out gyros wraps and beer and endless sunflower seeds accompanied by Netflix. That’s the kind of Greek island vacation.

Athens was a lot more active - Darvn’s first time and so many monumental sites to visit. But while being a ‘productive’ traveller I also found time to just chill at the Airbnb right under the Acropolis and make myself iced matcha latte and listen to CD’s while reading Greek Poetry collection “A Greek Quintet” I found strolling at the cute nearby bookstore, cooking simple Greek Salad at home, sitting all night from sunset to 11pm on top of Areopagus Hill just watching the waning light and the magnificent Parthenon lighting up under the stars and near full moon. Just sitting, cracking sunflower seeds, listening to the sound of teenager’s speakers blasting pop songs, watching the tourists sizzle out and the locals settle into their space, tracing the stars and feeling the cooling evening air. Those were the moments.

And last but not least, while battling a definitely oncoming fever, with the help of some ibuprofen, we got up at 4am to hike Mount Lycabettus to lie on the rooftop tiles and wait for the sunrise. And damn was it spectacular. Honouring that passage of time, from the darkness of dawn to the start of morning twilight, the infinite changes in colour of the sky leading to finally the moment that bright yellow dot emerged behind the distant mountains. What a sight to behold. Not just a sight, a single moment, but the whole waiting, the allowing of time to pass, the intensified perception of passing alongside time. Somehow, trusting and then seeing the proof of the sun rising for us, once again. We jokingly clapped and sarcastically cheered, as if applauding the sun for doing a good job climbing up again. And we just lied there, blasting Mr. Blue Sky (also the soundtrack to our sunset drive back to Trabzon, the last night we had the car), and feeling that kind of silence of the early morning, the haziness, the height, the freedom, the sense of just existing. We were there. That’s all. Just living however wildly we dream to live.

Why not?

xoxo

SP