Greece Adventures

If it’s good enough for Tom Hanks, it’s good enough for me.

Did you know that Tom Hanks has a house in Antiparos, Greece? Yup, he does. So does Christian Bale … and Mathew McConaughey. If this tiny island is good enough for the Hollywood elite, then it’s good enough for me.

But this adventure begins in Mykonos (one of the more famous Greek islands), which we had to fly into before taking two boat rides to Antiparos.

My husband and I arrived in Greece and were greeted by the most SPECTACULAR of sunsets. People aren’t kidding when they talk about those Aegean skies. The photo below doesn’t do it justice. Pink, turquoise, and tangerine were all reflecting off the sky in a glorious meld of sea and sky.

I literally gasped when I saw it.

We only spent one day in the labyrinth of bleached homes and white-lined pathways of Mykonos. It was beautiful … but crowded. Hundreds of tourists were snaking through those tiny pathways and zooming down the roads on mopeds and 4-wheelers. I managed to get a few “people-free” photos, but trust me when I say I was glad we were headed somewhere more secluded.

One day in Mykonos was plenty.

Leaving the picturesque windmills behind, we took two ferries to Antiparos (no wonder Hollywood buys homes on this island, getting there is a commitment).

But the beautiful small island was worth it!

Let me tell you, Antiparos’s bougainvillea game was on point! WOW!

And at night, the waters sparkle.

The highlight of the trip was a boat trip around the island where we were taken to several swimming spots (that’s me in the water waving).

And the beaches were pretty nice, too.

One day my husband and I went exploring. We found a white-lava rock beach and fishermen drying their catch.

We also visited the Antiparos cave, which was literally the coolest place on the island (being underground). There were 411 steps into the depths of the cave (and 411 steps back up).

This wouldn’t be an Elle Berlin post if I didn’t share some of the food we ate. I’m obsessed with feta now, and for the first time, I can say I actually like falafel (because us American’s have no clue how to make it). Oh, and don’t miss the “happy tzatziki” (which is what our waiter called it).

One of our waiters also told us that there are more cats on the island than people. Honestly, I believe him. There are a ton of stray cats everywhere. The cats aren’t a nuisance though. They’re super friendly and nice. They just want some food and love.

If you want to help the stray cats in Greece, here are two non-profit organizations dedicated to helping them:

• Cats of Antiparos
• Noah’s Little Arc

We did take one “day off” to hang out at our hotel and relax (to take a vacation from our vacation). I did some brainstorming and have a good idea for a standalone novel set in Greece (because you can’t turn the writer brain off, even on vacation).

Also, that picture on the right is Tom Hanks’s Antiparos home (which we saw on our boat trip). No, I didn’t meet him.

Next week, I’ll tell you all about London. That’s right, there’s one more stop on this vacation. We have to fly out of another European hub to get home, so we chose the UK for our final adventure.

Cheers, Elle