Sunshine terror

Greece, 22 Jun-8 Jul 2002

Source: http://wallpapers.free-review.net/63__Fira_Santorini,_Greece.htm

Summer in Greece = plenty of sunshine! But the terror was unexpected.. That aside, this trip was a crash course in Greek mythology, with visuals all around us and a guide in my travelmate. I don't think I've ever seen so much rubble in one trip!

Written in April 2011 based on old notes, and edited in 2021 and finally February 2026 with reference from my photo album and further research to provide a rough itinerary within this post itself.

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22 June - Athens

Took the noon flight from LHR to Athens. It was hot! We checked in at Marble House Pension whose owner used to fly to Singapore often in her youth as a flight attendant. I just did a search for the Pension - it's still around! But of course I don't know if it's the same one...

23 June

We took a walking tour in Athens which brought us to Syntagma Square. The Evzones watch over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier there. I think I have been to a number of tombs of unknown soldiers but it's during my search today (24 Feb 2026) that I learnt that they represent the many soldiers killed in war with remains unidentified.

Photos ok, just don't disturb the guard...

So hot that I bought a scarf which saved my skin, literally. Met up with two more travelmates who flew in separately.

24 June

It seemed to be some religious holiday but it wasn't too important that all attractions are closed though...

Saw a lot of ruins this day:

• Acropolis of Athens
• Ancient Agora
• Temple of Zeus

Also went to Piraeus Port to get ticket to Santorini - so we remembered the name, which would surface again later...

Why did I do that?

I really can't tell now whether the photo was of the Acropolis or Temple of Zeus!

25 June

Went to the National Archaeological Museum. First photo in my album is a statue of a horse showing the nostrils. Is it a sign that I would have kids who like to show their 大鼻孔?!

Took an overnight ferry to Santorini.

26 June - Santorini

There were pensions touting at the port. We checked in San Georgio Villa in Fira - I couldn't find it now, only one new one but spelt Giorgio so probably different?

Went to Monolithos Beach where we played football with some local kids. They didn't speak much English but introduced themselves as Alina, Dimitris, Bavodos, Natalia.

That day, we went to an internet cafe - yes, this was back in the less connected days - and I received my results: 2-1 :)

Dinner was at Poseidon Restaurant for seafood. There was a funny waitress named Litza with whom we chatted and laughed a lot.

27 June

Took a tour to a volcanic island. I didn't note down the name but Google says it's probably Nea Kameni.

We walked to a smelly crater and there was a hot spring where my three travelmates swam in. I couldn't - and still can't - swim :(

That evening, we got a restaurant to ferry us to Oia, another town in Santorini, where we had dinner with the sun setting behind us.

Ended with a night walk in Fira.

28 June

The quartet split into two today. Remaining two of us just slacked, enjoying the town and eating gyros, a kind of wrap. Oh gosh, the gyros were so yummy!

The white and blue of Santorini, and I was in white

Even went clubbing at this Koo Club but we didn't stay long as it was outdoors and it got too cold later in the night.

29 June

Continued to slack in Fira. I recall eating butter corn along the way! Also played chess on the balcony - don't remember what chess but definitely not international chess. Maybe backgammon or Chinese chess if it was our own set. Yes, I learnt how to play backgammon (where??) and it wasn't difficult!

30 June

Went to the Archaeological Museum. Happy to find that it was free! Students are poor :p

The Nomikos Convention Centre has an impressive collection of stuff from Akrotiri - I no longer remember what that was though!

Built a castle of pebbles at Kamari Beach

Tried ouzo finally. Their 白酒。Tasted like bonjela *.*

1 July - Naxos

Left for Naxos where we visited the Temple of Apollo. Also met two HK girls.

Remaining arch of the Temple of Apollo

Also visited Kastro, the old Venetian town of Naxos. But I don't remember anything and I have no photos of it...

Apparently, we went to Waffle House. No idea if it's the same as the one I found online now... Again no photos coz back then, it was still camera, not smart phone... For avoidance of doubt, it's FILM camera hahaha!

2 July

This summer trip saw us going to beaches a lot. I got a nice tan at the Agios Georgios Beach but gosh, the only photo there was a shot of the whole of me in bikini - so pudgy so no photo :p

Also went to a Jam Café but I can no longer find any mention online...

Went back to the Temple of Apollo at sunset. A different sort of scenery. Saw a random couple sitting nearby and it looked... picturesque..

3 July

Went to Filoti, a village in Naxos. Just a quaint little place.

There's a pretty Byzantine church and pretty me :)

4 July

Went to the Archaeological Museum of Naxos where I finally saw the Cycladic figurines, left arm above right, after seeing pictures of them everywhere! 

I had a brief note about an antique shop in Kastro but that's about it.

5 July - Nafplio

Took an overnight ferry on 4 July to Piraeus and probably a bus to Nafplio - old capital of Greece - in the morning. I don't remember now but from Google Maps, it's a far way off - I really criss-crossed many places!

It's a pretty town with a nice coast. There are three fortresses there - can't remember if we went to all.

mf and the floating fortress - Bourtzi Fortress

At the Syntagma Square, with Venetian architecture and paved with marble

6 July - Olympia

Left for Olympia via Tripolis to see ancient Olympia where the first Olympic stadium is - must take a walk there! Coz I can never run. It was so hot! But it was amazing that we could just wander about the fallen columns. 

Also visited the Archaeological Museum of Olympia and saw Nike of Paionios. I bought a mini statue of Nike of Samothrace but don't remember when or where - I have no idea where it is now! I like this coz it's VICTORY! Hoho!

7 July - in transit...

Left for the Diakopto-Kalavryta rack-and-pinion railway via Pyrgos and Patras. Um, not that spectacular. Maybe I may appreciate it now?

Went to Patras to catch a bus to Delphi but either missed it or couldn't find?! In the end, we stayed at an an expensive hotel in Patras... Think back then, we didn't book every hotel as there were often touts at transport nodes. In any case, Patras is just a grey city and I don't think we meant to explore it.

8 July - Delphi

But there was morning shopping in Patras - Mango 50% sale!! Haha! I still remember getting a nice purple tank top with lacey sleeve lining. That shirt is now long gone...

Anyway, after some effort (I remember being anxious), we finally got to Delphi where it was not too hot, and very nice too. It was, after all, the centre of the ancient Greek world, marked by the Omphalos.

Went to the Delphi Archaeological Museum - yes, many such museums! - and saw the statues of brothers Kleobis and Biton, Naxian Sphinx and of course the Omphalos, among others. 

There was also Tholos, which is a circular temple, and the columns of Apollo which are the remains of the Temple of Apollo (again). It didn't occur to me then but now as I research and type, I really think it amazing that we could go all the way to all these old structures in Greece - what if the old thing falls or visitors cause damage?? 

Flags on the way from Delphi to Ancient Delphi

We took a bus back to Athens and gosh, what an unsettling final night it was!

It was late at night when we arrived at the youth hostel we booked to find that police had marked the area as a possible terrorist attack area! We couldn't go in until I think the hostel manager came to get us. Our baggage was checked before we were allowed in.

Well, we have been watching TV in Greek since the beginning of the trip and while we couldn't understand anything, we got the impression that someone with a suitcase was down near a port or something. 

So it turned out that it was Piraeus Port and a bomb went off before it was deployed! I just searched for it - it was 29 Jun 2002. We could have been there...

It was a very scary night. Shortly after settling in, we heard loud sounds. Really no idea whether those were fireworks (couldn't see) or gunshots.

9 July - Athens to Oxford to point of writing...

Glad to be leaving for Oxford! Walked around quite a bit to buy souvenirs before flying back. But I don't remember what I bought that day - mostly likely a bar of gentle soap for my scout, aka housekeeper, who has ezcema.

But along the way, I definitely bought a komboloi and/or evil eye charm. And/or coz I might have bought one dual purpose thingy :p

Also fell in love with some Greek food like gyros (yes, I know I mentioned it already), moussaka (oooh, eggplants!) and tzatziki. A few times, I had fried feta cubes - so good! 

Oh, it was World Cup 2002. When South Korean beat Turkey, the Greeks were very happy to see us, thinking we were Koreans haha!

Looking back, I admire my young self for putting her faith in a book (Lonely Planet), internet cafes and immature common sense, and ran around half of Greece! 👏