Emily in India

We had done a lot of running around in Santorini and were really looking forward to some downtime in Crete. I knew that the hotel was going to be fabulous and that a friend had hooked us up with an even better room than the nice one we had booked. We got off the ferry, picked up our rental car, and drove to Nikos Aglios. It was late when we arrived but the hotel was gorgeous. We walked into a huuuuge suite overlooking the bay. We were starving so took a short walk to the first open restaurant we found. They were close to closing but the owner was insistent that we stay. We had an absolutely delicious meal.

The next morning, we got up in time for breakfast. Have I mentioned that this was the first adults-only hotel we’ve ever stayed at? It was luxuuuuurious. We went to breakfast – it was full of people but so quiet and peaceful.

We spent the rest of the day and week in the room, by the private pool, reading, and sleeping. We did yoga together everyday and went out for dinner every night. A couple of times, we walked across the street to the hotel’s private beach and laid on lounge chairs staring out over the water. It was rather uneventful but soooo perfect.

We took a flight to Athens on Thursday and found ourselves back in the airport where we spent our first 9 hours in Greece. We took a cab from the airport to the hotel. The hotel was in a bustling city, business/shopping district. It was ALIVE. I had been to Athens when Jake and I traveled in 2011 and absolutely loved it. Out of all the places we went – Tourin, Florence, Rome, Venice, Paris, and Athens – Athens was my favorite. So I was thrilled to go again, despite my goal of seeing new things before repeating things. As we drove through Athens to get to the hotel, and as we stared out over Athens from the hotel room, I felt it again. I just love that city.

After some rest, we took an evening stroll to dinner. We found a busy busy spot but they were able to get us a table on the sidewalk without a problem. Another amazing meal. The vegetables were out of this world. Truly, the Greek salads are top notch.

On Friday morning, we woke up first thing and headed out. Our first stop was the changing of the guard near our hotel. It was a small ceremony but neat to watch. I found a precious Greek cafe in one of the quaint neighborhoods nearby so we walked through the cobblestone streets, admiring the flowers and graffiti art all around.

The rest of Friday, we wandered all around Athens. That afternoon, we stopped for gyros as a well-recommended place. It was fast-food-like and felt very local. And BOYYYY were those gyros good! Full bellies and sooo tired, we went back to rest at the hotel.

Since we had a late lunch/ early dinner, I was interested in having a sweet treat that night. I found a nearby dessert spot within walking distance. It was relatively new to the area and hard to find but I am beyond thankful that we didn’t give up. This charming place was tucked back in a row of shops but inside was like a cozy home. All of the tables were different, all of the chairs were different, there was a fireplace and bookshelves. We were the only ones inside and honestly, it felt like the place was there just for us. The serve came, such a nice and friendly guy. And then the owner/ chef came to take us through the menu of desserts. At the end, he said he had been working on a new addition that hadn’t yet been put on the menu or served to anyone. So of course, I had to have that. Both of our desserts were out of this world. The chef was clearly a culinary genius.

The next day, we got up early and wound our way through the cutest neighborhoods on our way to the Acropolis. We saw a Starbucks but it wasn’t open yet so went next door to another coffee shop and had amazing coffee and pastries. When we got there, it hadn’t opened yet (part of our plan) and only a few other people were waiting. We got in line and when they opened the gate, we high-tailed it up the hill. It was a hike, lots of walking, and at a decent incline but we had read that the way to do it was to get straight to the top before too many others reached. It was remarkable. The history is outstanding and it is so cool to think of these structures being built so long ago and that they are still standing through the various empires since. The Acropolis was another one of the, “I can’t believe we are together IN GREECE.” We walked around, read the history, took pictures (took some silly pictures as by this time, we had gotten in the silly habit of lining Bryan’s hand up with different backgrounds as if he were holding, standing against, propping up whatever was in the background).

We spent that day knocking historical sites of the list. Bryan was really into it, had planned the order of things, and it was so nice to just sit back and follow. I loved every second of it.

The next day was the last day. We got a cab to the airport. Bryan’s flight was first and mine was a couple hours later. Fortunately, I was able to check in at the same time as his so we were able to go through security and wait for his flight together. We walked around, sat, held hands, and when it was time for him to board, tearfully said, “see you soon.” My sobs started as he walked onto the bridge to the plane. I did a little retail therapy (soap, chocolate, knick knacks) and before long, it was time for me to head back to India.