Mykonos

Our first island was Mykonos. We took the slow ferry. It left Rafina at 7:50 am and arrived 4 1/2 hours later in Mykonos. The ferry stopped in Andros and Tinos. Cost was €27 from Rafina to Mykonos.

We boarded the ferry 15 minutes before departure and the lounges were already full. We found a seat on the outside deck, which was better because we were able to watch the islands float by. 

We arrived in Mykonos' new port, 2 km north of Hora, the capital. The old port is 400 m north of town but is only served by small speed boats. The port was a zoo. I almost turned around and went back to Rafina. There were way too many people and this was late May. I can't even imagine how bad the island is in July & August, the height of the tourist season. 

Most hotels offer free transfer from the ports and from the airport so it's easy to get to your hotel. We hadn't notified our hotel when we were arriving and had planned on taking a bus. We quickly found out there was no easy bus to our hotel in Platys Gialos. I asked someone who looked like a tour guide to call our hotel and our hotel sent a van.

Iconic image of windmills in Mykonos.

Panagia Paraportiani, Mykonos' most famous church. It's a popular place to watch the sun set.

Hora is a maze of pedestrian streets loaded with shops, galleries and restaurants. When we first arrived in Mykonos, there were 3 cruise ships in port. We waited until 6 pm after the ships left to visit Hora and it was still crowded. I had to wait a while to get this picture without anyone in it.

I loved this.

2015 05 25

Avra Hotel, Rafina, Greece

We stayed at the Avra Hotel in Rafina. It was just across the street from the KTEL bus stop and a 10-minute walk to the ferry.

Avra Hotel--€75/night

In Europe, we always try to get a "twin" room. You can push the beds together to get a king bed.

The hotel featured rooms with balconies and we had a nice view of the water. We could watch the ferries come and go.

A full buffet breakfast was included.

2015 05 24

Rafina

Since we were going to the Cyclades, it was easier to leave from Rafina. We took a bus from the airport to Rafina. The ride took only 30 minutes.

Pick up the bus across from the Sofitel at the airport. Walk out the doors in the middle of the airport and cross to the Sofitel. You'll find the KTEL bus stop to Rafina. http://www.greeka.com/greek-ferries/athens-ferry-ports.html

Pay the driver 3 euros when you get to Rafina--end of the route.

You can also take a taxi. The trip takes about 20 minutes and the fare from Athens airport to Rafina Port is approximately:
- Day time (05:00-24:00)    35 €
- Night time (24:00-05:00)  50 €

We avoid taxis whenever there's an alternative. We've had bad experiences with taxis in the past, especially at the airport.

2015 05 24

Turkish Airlines--My New Favorite Airline

We flew Turkish Airlines from SFO to Istanbul then connected to Athens. I was hesitant when my husband booked the flight but Turkish Airlines is now my new favorite airline.

Turkish Airlines was voted best airline in Europe for the last 4 years.

The economy seats are much wider than those on US carriers and there's more leg room. There's also a foot rest. Each seat has its own entertainment system with more than 50 movies, a variety of TV shows, music and games. I watched 3 movies on the flight to Istanbul!

After boarding, we were given a bag with slippers, socks, eye mask, earplugs, toothbrush/toothpaste and lip balm. This is in economy class.

After taking off, we were given a hot washcloth then a Turkish delight.

There was a chef when we boarded and our meals were served on china. There was also real silverware. Apparently, business class got served course by course.

On our 53-minute flight from Istanbul to Athens, we were served a full meal as well. You had to eat fast to finish.

2015 05 23

Ben Tre

Our flight didn't leave until 6 pm so we had a late lunch near the airport. I found Ben Tre on Yelp. I'm always in search of good bun rieu and had read that Ben Tre had bun rieu.

It's located at 219 El Camino Real in Millbrae. They're closed on Tuesdays.

Crispy Tofu--$6.95. I liked these. Nice coating, soft tofu and not greasy at all. It came with a sweet soy sauce for dipping.

Bun Rieu--$8.50. Tomato, Crab & Pork Vermicelli Soup. My husband did not like this at all. He thought the broth didn't have enough seafood flavor and tasted like chicken broth. There wasn't much crab in the dish either.

5-Spice Chicken with Garlic Noodles--$12.50. This was 1/4 chicken with 5-spice flavor. I thought the chicken needed more 5-spice flavoring but the garlic noodles were delicious. The chicken was moist.

2015 05 23

The Greek Islands

We just returned from a 2-week trip to the Greek Islands. We didn't have a set schedule. We traveled with backpacks, hopped on ferries and visited 8 islands:

Mykonos
Delos
Naxos
Santorini
Folgandros
Milos
Kimolos
Sifnos

The timing of this trip was crucial. We went in late May/early June. July and August would have been unbearably crowded. As it was, Mykonos, Delos and Santorini were already too crowded for our taste. Go too early in the season though and the ferries are not fully functional.

The euro traded between $1.08 and $1.13. We used ATMs to get our Euros but did carry US dollars with us. We were afraid Greece was going to default on its loan to the ECB and there would be a banking crisis. Our fears did not materialize and we had no problems with ATMs.

Thursday Night Dinner

Here's last night's dinner at Flavor Bistro. All this for $24.95

Sogliola Con Peperonata--Local Sole Served in Slow Cooked Peperonata Topped with Spicy Saffron Aioli, paired with 2012 St. Francis Winery & Vineyards Chardonnay, Sonoma
 

Quaglia Arrosto--Pan Roasted Quail Served in Cannellini Bean Ragù Flavored with Tomato Confit,

Organic Escarole, Garlic Candy & Gratin Di Pane, paired with 2012 Preston Farm & Winery Cinsault (Organic), Dry Creek Valley

Bistecca Ai Ferri--Grilled Marinated Flat Iron Steak, Garnished with Organic Fingerling Potatoes, Ragoût of Green Garlic, Organic Mushrooms, Sweet Peas & Carrots Served in Mustard Brown Sauce, paired with 2012 Chappellet Winery Mountain Cuvée, Cabernet Blend, Napa Valley

Crostata Di Ciliegie--"Cherry Pie" Served with Toasted Almond Vanilla Custard, paired with 2010 Novy Family Wines Late Harvest Viognier, Russian River Valley

2015 06 12