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Bulgaria was refreshing but I had no idea how beautiful the Balkans were until I began journeying into Greece. I boarded the bus using Omio from Sofia at 8am and was slated to arrive in Thessaloniki around 1:30. At the border, each passenger was asked to exit the bus and line up at the passport counter. Once stamped we waited on the Greece side for the bus driver to drive the bus across, reboarded and continued on our way. The Greek landscape was semi arrid with low lying foliage and trees were small compared to the giant evergreens I was used to in the West Coast.

The bus arrived right on time and after a quick meal at the Thessaloniki bus station, I Ubered over to the Yachting club where I booked a yacht for the night. As the hospitality industry continues to spill over into people’s homes more and more unique experiences are becoming available throughout the world and if you’re lucky you can stay on board a yacht in Greece for $60 a night with the option to sail for 2 hours and view the coast from the ocean during the day. It was an awesome experience and my first overnight stay on a yacht as I do not have my own. The owner debriefed me on the electricity, water supply and heater and once I learned about all the bells and whistles, I was set. Fortunately, I had power that was supplied by the main generator on the pier and as long as that was plugged in, everything worked fine. It was even fun to get a bit of exercise and pump my own toilet when flushing, then repump it again to refill it with water! How’s that for glass half full…or rather, bowl half full.

Thessaloniki is rich with history. Aside from the delicious gyros, I stopped by the white tower of Thessaloniki (a former prison back in 300AD), Arch of Galerius and a few Byzantine structures. If you want more details on Byzantine empire dwellings and churches, here’s a link to help you plan your trip: visit Greece.

Walking towards the center plaza and into Old Town, then back towards my yacht for the night was a great way to explore. Often times, travel guides suggest taking busses and taxis throughout the city but there’s no replacement for taking an honest wander through a new city. The Gyros are amazing! I knew it was Greece, but SOMETHING about the way they grilled it made it taste insanely good. Walking past the Poseidon Olympic training pool as well as several tennis courts reminded me of Stephanopoulos, Tsitsipas (Greek tennis stars) and that I was immersed in the original domain of officially sanctioned, competitive sport. Students were lost in conversation and practicing their tennis serve while parents were enjoying Gyros on the sidelines. The collegiate atmosphere of Thessalonki was exiting and gave me good energy.

Next and final stop: Athens! I devoted a whole 3 nights to Athens because I read and heard so much about this ancient city and felt like I needed two whole days to get the whole experience, even at my fast-pace.

The literature I have read since my high school days taught me that Greeks are beautifully eccentric and dramatic. From the early thespians who graced the Dionysus stage over 2,000 years ago to today there is a curious interpersonal nuance that outlines the locals who blend into the crowds at the base of the Acropolis. Athens, Greece is named after Athena, goddess of wisdom and warfare. After understanding that association, it was clear to me that the Acropolis was originally a military lookout or a bastion. Most of the ruins I’d seen in my other travels were religious temples and places of worship and although true of the Acropolis as well, it has also been used to house kings and queens over the years.

Athens is a busy city, with white buildings spilling out from the Parthenon on all sides. Fortunately, I had a local tour guide lead me to the most breathtaking view from a nearby hillside that resulted in this magnificent photo:

Staying at a hostel (Mosaikon), I met up with an Austrian, Londoner, Turk and a Croatian; just my cup of tea, a beautifully rich, international crowd that included an author, engineer, coder and a teacher. The four of us explored the nightlife and saw more astonishing views of the acropolis from several rooftop bars:

The views from MS Roof Garden and Bar 360 were perfect for grabbing a quick smoothie or drink while shooting the breeze. The Parthenon was fully lit with and beamed from the top of the acropolis. It was really a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I won’t soon forget. Speaking of job security and the comorbidity of several conditions during inflation, social media and attention span, cell-phone tapping (not sure where that came from) and why I had the most unanswered emails on my phone. The bar tender was lost in a sea of guests so we never received out second order of peanuts at MS Roof Garden, but not to worry because we left with several photographs with strangers and made out way to 360 for a double hitter. Splendid I say!

Walking among the various Greek ruins felt surreal. It makes sense after visiting Greece why many people choose an island, or metropolitan location for their wedding. The massouka and the wine mixed with the soft creme and tan colors of the surrounding architecture (some of which are over 2,000 year old!) make the ambiance perfect for reflection and self-awareness. The only other experience that made me feel this way to day were the Jeresh Roman ruins in northern Jordan. There’s something about the realization that there was an artistic, competitive, athletic people roaming the exact location that I was in that makes me inspired to do more with the life I have.

One of the most impromptu and perhaps thrilling experiences was walking through a hip bar that was packed like sardines. The local Greeks were all decked out in dating attire and having fun. It was approximately 2:30am and we thought it would be a good way to end our experience. The waiter barely had time to greet us because it was so packed. The bars’s name is Sicario located on the corner of Kolokitroni and Limpona. We walked all the way to the back of the bar and as I was turning around to head back towards the entrance the song that was playing suddenly had lyrics accompanying the melody and everyone in the bar started singing along at the top of their lungs. I wasn’t able to Shazam the song in the bar because it was too hectic but I later found out it was “Opa Opa” by Antique, an extremely popular song in Greece.

Waking up at 6:30am after going to bed at 3am isn’t an easy task, but when you’re flight is at 9 and you have an hour from your current location to get to the airport by metro (always save money), you have to hustle. I really wasn’t sure I would be able to catch my light in time but I did. Greek locals are lively, vivacious, passionate individuals who represent their culture’s history with pride and a genuine interest in you the tourist. There is nothing factitious about Greece. They were dramatic and sensually romantic by nature over 3,000 years ago and they still are today. I’m forever grateful to have met new friends and to have finally traipsed across the land where competitive sport first began: both the Olympics and the Marathon. Efcharisto (ευχαριστώ) Greece. As they say, “Opa!” Next time, I’ll smash a plate.