May in the Mediterranean Part I: Thessaloniki

May meant the end of classes and the beginning of the exam period and summer break. I took the opportunity to head down to Bologna, Italy to join my travel buddy for a trip to Greece thanks to an incredible deal on Ryan Air tickets (14 Euros round trip!!).

Thessaloniki

I took the overnight bus from Prague to Bologna. It's a 16 hour trip, but it's also the cheapest way to travel and I got lucky with my own 2 seats to (kind of) stretch out on. The last time I'd been to Bologna, it was covered in snow and had several blizzards hit. This time I actually got to see the streets. On my first trip to the grocery store I realized we'd spent a week in winter walking across the grass, but at the time we thought it must be the sidewalk because it was the most walked-on path. That's how deep the snow was!

Pizza

Tangerines

Hiking

Our flight was the next day, and my travel buddy joined our friend, MK, at the airport just in time to join the line for boarding. I was nervous, as always, but it (sort of) helped to have friends with me. The best part was looking out the window and seeing the Mediterranean.

Happiness :)

I calmed my fears by telling myself that at least if the plane crashed I'd die having seen that incredible sight. Morbid, right? This is how my irrational fear of flying goes...Luckily the thought was fleeting, and so was the flight. In no time we were off the plane and trying to guess what the letters said on the signs around us. I was so excited, I believe I may have done an embarrassing (for my travel partners, not for me) dance to express my joy at being in Greece.

The White Tower

Let me take a moment to give a bit of history here. Greece has a very special place in my heart. It is probably the first country I knew about outside of the USA, because I grew up on my mother's stories about her life there when she was in high school. My grandfather was in the Navy and was stationed in Athens for about four and a half years, along with my grandmother, mother, and uncle. One of my youngest memories is of looking at old slides they had of pictures from their time there. We ate spanakopita for special occasions (for years I ate the flaky Phyllo crust off the top and wouldn't touch the feta/spinach filling...now it's my favorite food). My mom showed me pictures and shared her memories of living there. I didn't understand heredity at the time, so I thought all of these things meant that I was partly Greek.

Shops

It was not until I was 9 or 10 that a friend questioned my Greekness. I think Americans in general (and I try not to generalize, so take this with a grain of salt and know that I recognize that there are exceptions, and also that this tends to be a habit

Streets

I've noticed most with caucasian Americans who have European ancestry) keep track of where their ancestors came from and then use this information to define their identities - even if the ancestors came generations before. I remember a time as a kid when my friends and I were discussing "where we were from" (silly since we were all "from" WI...) and I said I was "English, Norwegian, Scots-Irish, French, Belgian, and Greek." A friend replied, "Greek? You're not Greek, have you looked in a mirror?" I went home and asked my mom, who explained that my friend was right. We were not, in fact, Greek. But it didn't change the fact that her time there was an inspiration to me. I don't know if I'd ever have left my home city, let alone the country, if it hadn't been for her example.

Restaurant Alleyways

So, back to May 2012, Thessaloniki. I loved it. The city is a great size, with the university and the port helping to create a dynamic atmosphere. The waterfront is lovely, with the White Tower on the skyline, and the streets are begging to be wandered. We were in awe of the first tangerine tree we found...to the surprise of the locals who knew better than us that they grow all over. We walked across much of the city, and took a winding road up to the castle by bus, for an incredible view of the city below. From there we meandered back down via an inviting road through tall grasses surrounded by olive and tangerine trees, then down back alleys until we reached center again. We were treated to our own apartment, thanks to the overwhelming generosity of our friend XM. In addition, since he was out of town, we were guided through the city by his friend, SZ, who made us feel welcome and took us out for delicious rakomelo (honey raki). We only had a day and a half in the city before catching the night train to Athens, and a day at the end; it wasn't enough, but it was a start. I sincerely hope to get back there when possible!

On top of the world!