Greek Bucket List

Have you ever felt the sudden urge to just drop everything and explore the world? In these last few stressful weeks of class, I can't help but imagine what my life would be like if I could hop on an airplane and see all the countries that have been on my bucket list since elementary school (and let me tell you, there are a lot of countries on this list). While I wish I could call myself a seasoned traveler, my bank account, fear of flying, and desired college degree are enough to chain me to Pennsylvania for now. So far, I've been all around the United States, but my international traveling experience is limited to a measly 4 places: Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and (of course) Greece.

After visiting Greece two times already- or three if you count the time my mom was pregnant with me- I'm pretty much an expert on all the cool places to see in the country. For today's blog, I thought I'd take on the role of "tour guide" and share some of the prettiest islands and cities Greece has to offer. So if you ever decide to travel in the future, here are my top suggestions.

The Best Places to See While Touring Greece
#1: Santorini
If you've ever seen a typical photograph of a Greek island, chances are the photo is of Santorini. Known for its white houses and blue roofs, this Cyclades island is a common destination for tourists. What makes this place so special is its rugged landscape; Santorini was destroyed by a volcano thousands of years ago, reshaping the the rock formations that make up the land. All of its villages were built on the edges of these rocks, so many buildings hug the cliffs and overlook the deep blue water below. While I haven't been to Santorini yet, seeing the island is definitely on my to-do list for my next trip to Greece.

Santorini, Greece

*photo courtesy of Mintstime*

#2: Athens

Athens is not only the capital of Greece, but also the most exciting city to explore in the country (in my own opinion of course). Here, you can see the Acropolis, the Parthenon, the Theatre of Dionysos, and the birthplace of democracy all in one visit! I've been to Athens during both of my trips, and the Acropolis still has not lost its striking effect on me. And though the city is famous primarily for its ruins, it also has an excellent reputation for its nightlife and representation of Greek culture. One of the cool things to see uptown is the marching of the Presidential Guards (otherwise known as Evzones) in front of the famous Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The guards dress up in traditional Greek attire and march in front of the tomb to protect it. Unlike many of the remote greek islands, Athens is a bustling city and prominent center for business and culture. 

Athens, Greece at night

*photo courtesy of g4g Day*

the Evzones performing their march

#3: Kos

My final suggestion is the island where my family lives. Kos is a tiny island shaped like a lamb and is a great place to either relax on a private beach or shop at a family-run market. Boating, snorkeling, tanning, and eating are just a few of the popular pastimes here. During my first visit, I even got to bathe in a natural hot spring! Kos is home to the first hospital ever built, and monuments of Hippocrates (known as the father of medicine) decorate its ruins. The oceans are beautiful and the pebble beaches are calming after a year of stress and school work. And if you need a place to stay, my cousins hotel, The Cosmopolitan, is newly renovated and ready for new travelers every day. 

ruins from Hippocrates's hospital

Kos, Greece

the Kos coastline (notice the cute little goat)

Overall, Greece is a beautiful country and has a lot of different activities to offer its visitors. If you love to travel like I do, check out one of the places on my list- you definitely won't regret it.

Independence Day (Greek-Style)

The 25th of March is one of the most dreaded days of the year by all the young kids in my family. From the endless pictures to the embarrassing costumes to the boring history lessons, our trauma from the year before doesn't seem to completely dissipate before the next round of torture begins. Much like the 4th of July, this day brings an opportunity for the whole family to get together, watch parades, eat some food, and boast about our national heritage of pride. However, March 25th also bears an excessively overpowering aura of Greek-ness. So buckle up, people: it's Greek Independence Day.

Now, I'm not saying I have no pride in my culture, nor am I saying that the whole day is a flop. In fact, Greek Independence Day is such a significant part of our culture that I decided to explain some of its history in this week's blog (and show some real- yet slightly embarrassing- photos of how we celebrate here in the states).

Greek Independence Day
To give a brief overview of the day's history, Greece revolted against the Ottoman Empire on March 25th, 1821 after 368 years of oppression. While Greece had some success in the early stages of the war, the Turks recaptured almost all of the land by 1827. Things weren't looking good for the Greeks.

But just as surrender seemed imminent, we gained some major allies. France, Great Britain, and Russia all joined forces with Greece in a last attempt to bring freedom to the country. And after the famous Battle of Navarino (well famous, at least, to most Greek people), a treaty was signed declaring Greece an independent nation. Yay!

So every year, in honor of that glorious moment, Greeks living all around the world celebrate with parades, festivals, and flag displays. Yes, everywhere around the world, including right here in Pennsylvania.

I was 4 when I first got to engage in our yearly celebration. My church, as stereotypical as they come, holds an Independence Day festival every year that allows the Greek youth to speak up about their passionate love for the home country. My job was to recite, in Greek, a poem written as a tribute to the holiday. As you can see in the picture below, not only was I thrilled to be speaking in front of my whole church, but I also thoroughly enjoyed wearing my dreaded (and quite itchy) Greek costume.

here I am in my traditional Greek attire (I'm the one standing with the microphone)

my sister and me during the Independence Day festival

my cousins, my sister, and me years later (yes, still being forced into those costumes)

In Greece, however, parades are the major events around the country. Each parade is slightly different, depending on where in Greece it takes place. But the national flag is always displayed at the very beginning, and lamb is always engorged like there's no tomorrow (big surprise, I know). Basically, Greek Independence Day is a time for big dinners, big festivals, and even bigger pride in our country.

my cousin's parade in Kos, Greece

So while I may not be forced to squeeze into my 8th grade costume for pictures this year (bless you college life), I will definitely still be celebrating the holiday this Saturday; all I'll need is some OrderUp food from The Greek and I'll be good to go. And though it may not be as good a celebration as the real deal, I've learned through the years there's no imperfect way to boast your pride on Independence Day.

The Greeks Invented Being Proud

I cannot even begin tell you how many times I have been making normal conversation with my family only to have the topic somehow switch to a Greek history lesson. Granted, I consistently tune out those monotone stories and never really learn anything, but nonetheless I am reminded of how narcissistic Greeks really can be. I mean don't even dare mention pottery, medicine, or even the Olympics; my family will show no reluctance to enlighten you on everything's Greek roots. So for this week's blog- with the help of the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding- I decided to embrace that self-love by proving yet another stereotype true: Greeks truly do have immense pride in their heritage.

Stereotype # 4: The Greeks Are a Proud People
I've noticed through the years that the only greater excitement than meeting another Greek person is meeting that other Greek person's restaurant. For some reason, whenever my family finds a new Greek restaurant- or even just a diner for that matter- we immediately have to drop everything and try the place.

As if we didn't already eat enough Greek food.

For example, just 2 weeks ago, when my parents picked me up for spring break, we decided to eat dinner before the long drive home. Not one of my suggestions was even considered; it was as if my parents truly believed we were destined to eat at the The Greek near N. Atherton.

my mom proudly displaying her menu at The Greek

I would not be speaking too hyperbolically when I say I may have eaten at every diner and Greek-food serving restaurant in the north east. 

But this is just one of the many ways Greeks prove their pride. While watching both the first and second My Big Fat Greek Wedding movies, I noticed a common dialogue come up every so often. Whether this dialogue involved claiming an object as a Greek invention, explaining an English words' Greek roots, or even proclaiming that all people wished they were Greek, many of the lines in these movies show how prideful the older Greek generations can be. 

What's sad is that the movies almost underrated how often Greek people enjoy boasting about their bilingual and multicultural background.

For example, some of the common lines in both movies are Gus's often inaccuracte "the Greeks invented" claims. Throughout the movies, Gus explains that pottery, baklava, Facebook, ice hockey, and even the Italian language should all be attributed to Greek culture. Yes, yes, the latter three would seem to obviously have non-Greek origins, but the crazy doesn't stop there.

My family falsely adds more objects onto this list every day by claiming pizza, ice cream, batteries, and even cars are true Greek inventions. I promise we are educated.

Finally, there appears to be a natural desire of every Greek to explain where the English language came from. In My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Gus says, "Give me a word, any word, and I'll show you that the root of that word is Greek." My family is no different and will go to great lengths just to prove that "apple," "finale," and "cello" are all Greek words at heart.

So if you ever hear that Greeks are extremely proud of their heritage, remember that all stereotypes are based on a little bit of truth. And trust me, if a Greek person ever starts giving you a history lesson, your best bet is to run. Otherwise, you could be there all night.