To travel, or to vacation? That is the question!

Do you enjoy travel? Or would you rather go on a vacation? Confused? Well, I truly believe there are fundamental differences between both, making it a relevant topic for this month’s Travel Tip Tuesday!

The great thing is that both options are fun in their own way, and each has its time and place. It really just depends on how much you like to relax and explore. So let’s compare!

What vacation means
A vacation typically includes room service, an all you can eat buffet or menu designed specifically for tourists, access to an open bar, and multiple bikini options packed in your suitcase. Your vacation may include soaking up the sun on a beach, relaxing in the spa, and a never-ending drink at your side. This could be on a large ship or on an all-inclusive resort, with not a worry in the world. It is a huge battery charge for yourself, a well-deserved treat away from your busy demanding life. Simply, vacationing is spending a lot of money to do nothing, typically in warmth.
Cuba
Vacationing means leaving your stress at home, relaxing, indulging, maybe finally catching up on some reading and enjoying the luxuries in life! It consists of eating as much as you’d like, and maybe even turning off your cell phone for a bit! This can be costly but often you can find great getaways that do not break the bank.
Relaxing in Santorini
There is nothing wrong with this. In fact, from time to time we all need this. Not just for the ample amounts of vitamin D, but for our cortisone levels, the bags under our eyes, and our overall health. Studies have proven that those that take the time to vacation have a better outlook on life, more motivation to achieve their goals, and less risk of heart disease! Put that in your next vacation submission. This is will actually benefit your workplace!

So what is the difference?
Travel is not always about the relaxing, it can even be stressful! Travelling is about integrating yourself into the new culture. Often we will fit in as many churches, museums, or palaces as we possibly can in one day. If we are not tired by the end of the day, we haven’t seen enough and will work harder to ensure we try more traditional food and drinks, talk to the locals, walk around and go off the beaten path. It can be less focused on regenerating yourself and more on pushing yourself to make new discoveries both personal and trip-related. Encompassing a “travel trip” means less time on a beach or ship, and more time, well, traveling. Although you may actually sleep less, and eat less than you would at the buffet, it can be incredibly transforming. You get to learn all about new cultures and can develop new friendships that last a lifetime.
Exploring in Trinidad and Tobago Our choice
Over the last 2 years, we have traveled all around Europe and have been on at least 30 trips in that time. But we have yet to vacation since visiting the Caribbean prior to moving to Europe. I prefer it that way. I love creating a jam-packed, colour coordinated itinerary and experiencing new places to the fullest. I get enjoyment out of guessing a new transit system, finding a new favourite food spot and learning about the history of that region. Don’t get me wrong though, I am always up for lying at the beach with a margarita by my side! We find that on a 4-day trip, we like to have 3 of those days itemized to the half hour, and one day more at leisure to slow down or revisit areas that we thought were special.
Travel or Vacation? Palma De Mallorca
So what do you prefer? What is your trip style? Let me know in the comments below!

Cheers,
Melissa

February 26, 2019 0

5 Things You Didn’t Know about Frankfurt!

Frankfurt, Germany
Before we left Europe to return back to life in the Six, we enjoyed one last weekend of traveling. We made a final stop in the financial capital of Germany, and arguably Europe, Frankfurt. This charismatic city is the 5^th largest in Germany, and a global hub for tourism, education, and transportation. Frankfurt was so surprising, that I want to share with you all the interesting finds we made on our trip!
Frankfurt At Night
1) It is tall! Like really tall – 14 out of the 15 tallest skyscrapers in Germany reside in Frankfurt. After being surrounded by so many flat buildings in Amsterdam, it was a nice treat to visit a city filled with high rise beauties, similar to what we are used to in Toronto. Though Commerzbank Tower is the tallest at 259 m, Main Tower (200 m) was my fave because of the 360 panoramic views! Highly recommended. Since Frankfurt is often referred to as Main-Hattan because of its rockin’ skyline resemblance, there are 7 Spiderman hidden all over the city. An artist set them up randomly to ensure that Frankfurt gets its fair share of comic book characters as well. We could only find two. How many have you found?

2) Red lights are not just in Amsterdam. That’s right, you can stroll the red light district in Frankfurt as well. Reminder to tourists, no photos are allowed to protect the privacy of the workers. Don’t stray too far at night, it’s pretty close to the train station where the safety levels are in line with Chicago at night (it was really sketch – times 10). They are making efforts to clean up the drugs and crime, though it is recommended to just stay clear of the area.
Red Light District
3) Fake it until you make it. The famous Instagram spot, Römerberg, is picture perfect with its old row houses (now converted into shops and restaurants). Going to burst your bubble here, these are not actually authentic; they were reconstructed after being destroyed in WW2, to bring in more tourists. You can find this charming area in Altstadt (old town).
Römerberg
4) When life gives you apples, make apple wine! In Frankfurt, you can find lots of German beer and unlimited sausage, but don’t forget to sample some authentic apple wine (apfelwein)! Yup, that’s a thing. I wasn’t a big fan of it; it tastes just like cold apple cider vinegar to be honest.

5) When we travel around Europe there are usually numerous amounts of tourists on the weekends. Frankfurt was not the usual. Most people drive into work during the week; therefore on weekends, the streets are pretty empty. Comparable to the financial district in Toronto. I’m not complaining. It was a nice change to stroll and window shop without feeling overcrowded! On the other hand, that meant lots of buildings were closed.
Flea Market Finds!
Apart from all these cool facts, there are more than enough activities in Frankfurt to keep you occupied for a weekend. They have ample museums (most closed on Monday’s, so watch out), free churches, The Eschenheim Tower (the oldest and most unaltered building in the city center, from the 15^th century, and you can go to the top for free!), archaeological finds, shopping malls and an awesome flea market on Saturdays along the Main river!

Have you been to Frankfurt? What did you think? Let me know of your German travels in the comments below! Auf Wiedersehen!

Cheers,
Melissa

February 20, 2019 0

Holiday Travel

Thanks so much for all your comments, questions, and support this past year! Due to popular demand, I will continue my monthly ‘Travel Tip Tuesday’ posts! Since the holidays are wrapping up (see what I did there?), this month’s tip is dedicated to traveling over the Christmas season.
Travel Trip Tuesday
On previous Christmas vacations, my husband and I have traveled to the Caribbean, and for the most part, it was seamless. The trips were on the pricey side since our dates were not flexible, though this was offset by the near limitless alcohol, constant parties and the weather was heavenly. This is the only way to really enjoy the holidays when traveling, in my opinion.
A Sunny Christmas Vacation
This year we tried something a tad different. We celebrated Christmas in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, and dashed off to Copenhagen, Denmark, to catch the New Year’s fireworks. Though both trips were fun filled in their own way (and stay tuned as I will be posting more details on each trip very soon), they were difficult this time of year. Having known what we know now, we would have done it differently.
Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Due to Palma being in their offseason, coupled with the last remaining businesses being closed for the Christmas holidays, many of the attractions and restaurants were closed for Christmas and New Years. We found that museums closed early (if they were even open at all), open restaurants were far and few between (and adding in our GF/ Vegetarian needs was a blast), some excursions were not running, and often it was a ghost town between mid-afternoon and late at night. In warmer countries like Spain this is not a huge issue, however, Copenhagen is collllllld. So walking around aimlessly can be tiring. Why not stop and have a drink you ask? Well, Denmark is expensive (like Zurich, Switzerland expensive) and who wants to spend their whole trip held up in a bar? Then add the cold chill and it’s probably not even healthy to spend the entire day walking around in the winter wind.
Copenhagen, Denmark
Don’t get me wrong, both countries had a lot to offer and were beautifully decorated for this time of year; just be prepared to do extensive research before packing your bags and booking your flights. Instead just go on a guided tour or an inclusive resort to ease the stress of planning and just enjoy relaxing away from the holiday stress! Better yet, get out of the city, rent a car and drive around for a few days; this is when we typically have our most fun.

Want to see more from our trip to Mallorca, Spain? Check out my YouTube video on Mellie Telly HERE. If you enjoy it please be sure to like it and subscribe!
Palma Decorations
Do you travel for the holidays or do you prefer to stay in town with the fam jam? Any stories of traveling during the Christmas season? Do you have questions for me to cover on my next ‘Travel Tip Tuesday’? Let me know in the comments below!

Cheers,
Melissa

January 8, 2019 2

Money Money Money

Today is Travel Tip Tuesday! Novembers tip is about finances, not necessarily my strong suit, though a topic that should be covered, especially when so close to Christmas shopping. When travelling we all hope for a picture perfect trip with no frustrating situations, and often the unexpected can happen. Here are some ways to protect yourself from money theft and getting stuck in an unpleasant vacation.

When travelling, I always pack several different cards with me (both debit and credit). Even if the intent is not to use all of them, sometimes your bank may block a card, or your card simply won’t work in that specific country (It’s happened to me in Poland and South Africa). So just in case, I always bring a few cards which are all linked to different outlets. I would suggest keeping at least one tucked away in your room, in case your purse or bag gets stolen! On that note, it may be a good idea to give your bank a heads up that you will be travelling – depending on the institution you may be able to do this online for convenience.

Cards are great, and as they say, cash is king…sometimes. Some restaurants will not accept cards, in Europe you may need change for the water closet, and transit can be tricky to pay for when in a rush. Flea markets are usually cash only and normally a good way to bargain is by only showing them a small bill or a few coins. Cash is also good in case of emergency! I also suggest splitting between your wallet, bag, sock and money belt. It will seem a bit ridiculous, especially when taking off your shoe to pay for something, it will at least offer some protection against losing everything to an opportunistic pickpocket. This hidden cash can get you a meal, somewhere to sleep, and a call home for help.

I never owned a money belt until we went to South Africa. And now, I think they are a great investment. I’d suggest not using it as a replacement for a purse and only for the essentials (this includes your passport/residence card, one bank card, a photocopy of health cards and a bit of cash). Have it hidden under your clothes, and don’t go digging for it in public. This way even if your purse gets snatched, you can still get home.

I get this sounds a bit paranoid and over the top; as safe as you may feel in your surroundings, you never really know what can happen when abroad in a strange land. Neighbourhoods can look fantastic when the sun is up, which can drastically change after sunset. Why test it? Be prepared and therefore you can worry a bit less about logistics and more about enjoying your trip!

Money

Cheers,
Melissa

November 13, 2018 3

South Africa Part 2

If you haven’t read part 1, I suggest doing so first! South Africa is way too amazing to cover in just one post so I have split my top 10 favourite stops into two posts. So let us dig right in with what to know for your Safari game drive!
Elephants in South Africa
6) Park It: We did two game drives through Addo Elephant National Park. This park is the 3^rd largest in all of South Africa and was created in 1931 to provide sanctuary for the remaining elephants in the area. The cool thing is that all the animals and vegetation in the park are originally from that area. The park rangers prevent the influx of animals (such as giraffe and cheetahs) and any vegetation that does not actually originate from that area. They have over 700 elephants, along with buffalos, rhinos, zebras, antelope, hyenas, monkeys, ostrich, lions (rare to see as they only have 14 in the entire park) and the largest population of the flightless dung beetle! Our first drive was insanely early in the morning (up for 3:30 am), and it was chilly! Be prepared with layers, it is cold. We thought ahead and brought fleece, gloves and hats. We were there in September, which is their spring, so most days have a bit of a crisp breeze, with a nice warm afternoon in the sun. I found that the animals were more active on our second drive in the afternoon, as the watering hole was the meetup spot for almost 50 elephants!
J Bay
7) Surfer Dude: If you are a surfer, or think now is the time to learn, ride the waves in Jeffrey’s Bay! Jeffrey’s Bay is in the top 5 most famous surfing destinations in the world and hosts the annual World Surf League. This town was pretty quiet during our visit, as summer has not started yet, but I can see the potential during the peak surfing season for sure. It did have some cute souvenir shops, an awesome beach with a quickly rising tide, and beautiful accommodations at Mandyville Hotel, who were super accommodating to us with gluten allergies (which is quite rare).

8) Cape Town: A must see on this side of the Western Cape is Table Mountain. You can get to the top via a cable car (book your tickets ahead online and be prepared for a long line up), or by a 2-hour hike. We opted for the cable car as we had limited time to explore and wanted to spend most of our time viewing from the top, turns out, either option takes the same amount of time during peak times. Once there, you will have incredible views of Cape Town and it’s Harbour on one side, and the never-ending ocean on the other. The landscape is rocky with some bushes and adorable Dassie’s running around (A gopher like animal, actually related to the elephant family surprisingly). We were lucky enough to experience this at sunset and had a view that would give Santorini a run for its money. However, if you stay that late you will have to wait for HOURS to take the cable car down, and be prepared for lots (and lots) of butting on epic proportions. In Cape Town, I would also suggest my usual, a free walking tour. That way you can explore the city on foot safely with a guide, and learn about the history and politics of the country. We did feel rather unsafe in Cape Town, we were harassed for about 6 blocks by an aggressive homeless man and nobody stopped to help us out. We ended up going into a store and waited for the person to leave. It really ruined the vibe of the city for us.
South Africa
9) Townships: I don’t recommend heading to a Township on your own. These government made neighbourhoods have high poverty and practically no employment. They are so bad that even our Uber driver would not venture to one. If you do, go with a guide in at least a small group and ONLY during daylight hours. I’m not even exaggerating this. We made a quick stop at Kayamandi Township and met with a wonderful local who made homemade Xhosa treats such as amagwinya (deep-fried dough bread, not so great for your stomach If you are GF) and chakalaka (a vegetable spicy relish, great for vegetarians). She also explained the traditional wardrobe that women would wear to a wedding (how fitting since we were on our honeymoon) and filled our stomachs and hearts. Within the first 30 seconds of exiting her house, we had someone threaten us for our cameras, so we quickly got into the van and left.
Baboons
10) Baboons: If you are driving along Cape Point, you are bound to see these creatures at some point (usually near mountains) We stopped to take photos of the baboons on the side of the road. However, I warn you not to get too close. As adorable as these old world monkeys are, they are not pets. They can be very aggressive (especially if you have food) and are incredibly smart (they can zip open your purse, inspect your lipstick and open car doors). So make sure to leave space between you and them if you decide to get out of your car! Also, watch out for traffic, but that’s a given.
Elephant Hugs
The great thing about driving in South Africa is that every 100 Km, the scenery drastically changes. The ecosystem is so diverse that one moment you are gazing up at snow-topped mountains, and the next fields of the canola flower. Instead of cows you will see Springbok (an antelope, apparently they taste delicious), and will constantly want to stop for photos, guaranteed! I had no idea that South Africa would be so rich in landscape, really I envisioned walking into The Lion King, but it is so much more than that. It is a beautiful country with an immensely long list of things to do and see, filled with welcoming people, magnificent wildlife and delectable food. If you have the opportunity, book your tickets and go see for yourself!
Photos courtesy of KVDV Photography!

Check out my YouTube video on Mellie Telly, for the Top 15 Things To Do in South Africa HERE. Planning a trip to SA and want to save money? Use promo code: MELLIETELLY during checkout at Hotspots2c Tours (the company that we used, love and trust) and get 5% OFF YOUR NEXT TOUR! Or book through this LINK.

Cheers,
Melissa

November 3, 2018

Rise & Shine

I’m going to suggest something that I will RARELY say…Get up early (when you travel)! I know you are on holidays and staying tucked in extra-long can be ever so tempting, but don’t! Not only will rising at the crack of dawn get your day started early (allowing the chance to fit in more activities), but that means you may be able to beat the long lineups and overflow of people at popular tourist attractions.
sunday market (17)
When we arrived early at the Palace of Versailles we were able to view most of the palace on our own, without fighting to see the paintings or antiques because of overcrowding. While not the most important, it also makes it easier to get that perfect picture without soo many heads in your photos. This also takes the stress of waiting, and the anxiety of people out of the equation, meaning you can actually enjoy and relax! Another quick tip, in relation to being an early riser, is to pre-purchase tickets ahead of time, then you really can spend less time on logistics and more time enjoying the beautiful views.
KVDV Photography
Speaking of views… check out the sunrise! How often do you get to witness that? And how frequently in another country? We recently were up at 3:30 am (I know right, ugh) for a safari drive in South Africa, and it was worth every moment. Though be it, the chill permeated through our thin clothes, the views more than made up for it. If the clouds are just right, the sunrise can become one of your favourite memories of the whole trip.

So suck it up buttercup. Put your outfit out the night before if you need to, and pull the shades down early to experience the morning life over the nightlife for once. Plus who’s to say you can’t have a mid-day fiesta if you need a rest?
KVDV Photography
Are you an early bird catches the worm type, or are you a night owl? Let me know in the comments and stay tuned for more tricks and tips next month!

Cheers,
Melissa

October 16, 2018 1

10 Tips for Prague on a Budget

I admit I’m a few months behind on this post as I have been busy traveling to Canada to get married and visiting South Africa for our honeymoon (more on these adventures later on). However, better late than never to post on our wonderful long weekend spent in Prague, Czech Republic. To attempt something new, we tried to do this trip on a backpacker’s budget, just to see if we can have the same amount of fun, and guess what, it was still a blast! So here are some tips to do the same:
KVDV PHOTOGRAPHY - Prague
1) Eat on the cheap and I mean CHEAP: Prague has delicious food and at a fair price. A lot of restaurants offer great deals such as Lokal (recommended to me by a wonderful friend), which has some of the best authentic food we found. Want something different? Try Kofola; a sweet herbal substitute for Coke. If your budget has tighter purse strings, you can opt to get groceries and live like a real local. Another great thing about Europe is that the booze is much cheaper than North America, at times even cheaper than a bottle of water!
KVDV PHOTOGRAPHY - Prague Walking Tour
2 ) Learn from Locals: I always suggest it, but pleaseeeeee go for a free walking tour! It is a fabulous way to see the city and they point you in the best direction for more free things to do, places to stay, and hidden restaurants. You will also get a great workout as they often walk for 2 – 3 hours. So turn on that Fitbit.
KVDV PHOTOGRAPHY - John Lennon Wall
3) Free Art: Prague itself is a glorious work of art; it also has unique pieces spread out throughout the city. Let’s start with the John Lennon wall. You guessed it, it is a wall. This wall is special in particular because it is covered with colourful inspirational lyrics and eye-catching graffiti. Not too far is the Statue of Two Men Peeing. Again, it is literally what it sounds like; two men peeing. For some added fun, send a quick text and they will spell your name with their “pee”. Next stop is the Library for the bookworms out there. Some of you may want to read, but the real reason to step inside is to get your Gram on with the never-ending book tower. Such a unique piece of art! You can also look for the giant head of Franz Kafka and the Upside Down Horse statue downtown.
KVDV PHOTOGRAPHY - Smallest Street
4) Smallest Street: This is free entertainment perfect for any time of day. Prague boasts the narrowest street in Europe; it’s so tiny that there are traffic lights to prevent people from colliding in opposite directions. The gap of this alley is only 50 cm wide. Wowzers! (Great for a photo opt!)
KVDV PHOTOGRAPHY - Prague Castle
5) Castles: If you were looking for medieval architecture, you are in the right city. From cathedrals to castles to cobblestone, Prague is the city for you. One spend I will encourage would be for the Prague Castle grounds, which includes St. Vitus Cathedral, Vladislav Hall, the Basilica of St. George, The Crown Jewels (of course) and so much more. According to the Guinness Book of records, this castle is the largest medieval castle in the world, with over 1.8 million visitors a year. They started to build the Prague Castle in the 9^th century and it was finally completed in 1929. I’ll make sure I won’t use the same company to build my next house. Fun fact; on the main entrance of St. Vitus Cathedral, there are self-portraits of the architects from over the years and it is interesting to see how clothing has changed in the last 1000 years.

6) Riverside: Take a romantic stroll along the riverside of The Vltava, or cross one of the many bridges to get a view from the other side. The most famous one being The Charles Bridge which connects Prague Castle and Old Town Prague.
KVDV PHOTOGRAPHY - Riverside
7) People Watching: Wenceslas Square is the heart of New Town Prague with shops, bars, restaurants and more. The great thing about this square, or the many others around town, is that it is free to sit there as long as you like and take in the historic atmosphere. If you know Europe, hardly anything is free and seating in nice areas are typically at a premium. Watch the tourists, lick an ice cream and bask in the European sun imagining what it may have been like back in the day.

8) The Hunger Wall: While you are hiking up windy paths making your way to Petrin Lookout Tower, you can find a unique hidden surprise. Along the edge of the path is an original medieval defensive wall that was built in 1360, and a great view of the city.
KVDV PHOTOGRAPHY - Prague Railway Station
9) Railway Station: Praha hlavní nádraží is the largest railway station in Prague. It originally opened in 1871 and still runs today. If you look hard enough you will find the hidden Wilsonova Building. This portion of the station has a small beautifully decorated ceiling dome that was once the main entrance and ticket hall impressing passengers on arrival back during its peak.

10) Get Lost: Some of our most treasured memories and greatest discoveries came from our walks throughout the city that had no planned out route. No map, no destination, just pure exploring. When doing this you will discover markets, new food, meet new friends, see new sites and add a personal touch to your trip. We did this when in Prague and found some local music to enjoy while watching the sun delightfully set over the old picturesque town.
KVDV PHOTOGRAPHY
To sum it up, you can splurge or save, but either way, you will have an exceptional time in Prague. With over 200 museums, and many churches (often free or at the very least they’ll allow you to step in for a quick peek without actually paying any admission), there is lots of room to explore and discover your own riches. Have you been there? Let me know about your trip in the comments below!

Cheers,
Melissa

October 12, 2018 0

A Cuba Travel Tip

Melissa in Cuba
Wow, can you believe this is already my 6^th monthly post for Travel Tip Tuesday! Today’s post is on the wonderful Cuba! Also known as the “Pearl of the Antilles”, Cuba is a gorgeous place to visit, filled with spectacular beaches, a bustling capital city and stunning views. However, due to restrictions in trade, the food will not live up to the beauty of the island and will leave you disappointed. A tip? Pack your own sauces and spices! Mini packages of ketchup (or Mayo for the Dutchies out there) from your local fast food restaurant, Franks, Sriracha, salt and pepper will go a long way to enhance the local cuisine to something more tolerable! You can even find small enough travel friendly bottles if you plan on just taking a carry on. Adding extra flavour to the bland food will help you get through the same buffet every day, and let you build memories on something that matters – having fun abroad!
Cuba Beach
Any other travel questions? Let me know in the comments below! And stay tuned for more tips and tricks!

Cheers,
Melissa

June 5, 2018 0

Greece Part 2 – Athens

Athens, Greece
If you haven’t read my previous post (Greece Part 1) be sure to check it out for what to do when visiting Santorini!
Oia, Santorini
To make it to Athens from Santorini you can fly, or you can attempt to save some money and travel by boat from the surrounding islands. I rather spend the money next time and fly. Our 4 hour boat ride ended up being a 7 hour milk run filled with lots of sick people. I’ll spare you the gross details but you could literally hear everyone around you get sick. With 1+ meter high waves, be sure you have a tough stomach, avoid alcohol, bring a neck pillow such as this one and have a light lunch. Athens
Once you arrive on the mainland, your journey can begin! You’ll notice that Athens has a much different vibe compared to the Island with its ancient temple ruins, massive hills (I swear I constantly felt like I was walking uphill), streets lined with palm trees (or orange trees) and graffiti everywhere!
Athens
I’ll give you the same advice as I do for almost every European city…Start your trip with a PWYC walking tour. Ours was a bit disorganized this time around, yet it gave us an idea of where major landmarks were, with a local touch. As soon as you’re finished, go get your combination ticket for the Parthenon! I believe they offer many other deals, but the best one being the 30 euro ticket package. This gives you access into 7 outdoor locations and is valid for 5 days! Most of the locations are all in the same general area and can be done in one really long day, or broken up into two more manageable days. I would augment this deal with two other museums, such as the Acropolis Museum and The National Archeological Museum (but you will have many to choose from). A for Athens View
Much like any other city, the downtown core has streets filled with shopping and has some of the best prices to find souvenirs, antiques, sandals and gold olive wreaths. Continuing with the typical European vibe, the core also has more restaurants than you can count with a good variety of choices. We did not have any issues finding food that is vegetarian and gluten-free. My favourite spot being the rooftop patio at ‘A for Athens’. Once again, I suggest making resos, but we lucked out without and were seated at the same table as another couple – odd, but at least we got a balcony table with a great view. They also have a sommelier on staff to assist with your wine decisions to make sure it is pleasantly paired with your food.
Mixed Sample Plate of Greek Food
Speaking of food, Greece knows how to keep you full! My favourite vegetarian options were the greek salad (obvi), dolmadakia (stuffed grape leaves), tzatziki, gigantes plaki (baked giant beans), stuffed tomatoes and peppers called yemista and of course baklava. I didn’t try the meat but I heard that the gyros, souvlaki and octopus were worth a sample. A note that here they charge you for water and bread and will attempt to not give you an option to say no. Such as opening the bottled water just as they arrive at your table and start pouring, or adding bread onto the receipt even after you rejected it. On the flip side, some places will provide a free aperitif with your bill, yum! The greek frappes (essentially an iced coffee) were good, as were the local wines, especially the latest trend…blue wine! Blue Wine in Athens
Though Athens is pretty touristy, if you go off-peak season (peak is mid Jun-Aug), the crowds were tolerable and it wasn’t like walking around in a furnace. We never encountered any long lines, and were able to get some great photos without loads of people in the background. Speaking of touristy, a must stop is to purchase a pair of sandals from The Poet Sandal Maker. Here they measure your feet and custom fit the straps (only for certain models). Oooor you could fake them and get knockoffs for half the price on Amazon, like these.
If you want to get out of the city there are lots of day trips available. We opted to check out the ancient ruins of The Temple of Poseidon in Cape Sounion. It was beautiful; great views of the harbour, yachts and the beach. For our particular tour (Athens Extreme Sports), it was not worth the price we paid (120 EUR), as we rented a 4 wheeler to drive on city roads for 5 hours with 2 short stops, instead of the 4 as advertised. Most importantly, we did not get any opportunity to go off roading, thus negating the entire purpose of renting an ATV. The guide did not offer any additional information along the way and we still had to purchase our ruins admission and lunch. So essentially, we rented a 4 wheeler for 120 EUR to see ruins for 30 minutes and had to pay to follow a “guide” to show us where to go, when a GPS would have worked just as fine. I cannot recommend this particular tour, however they have many other options. You would be much better off to rent a car and drive yourself, as you could take your time, enjoy the sites, and save a lot of money. 4 Wheeler Excursion
End your day with a trip up Mount Lycabettus. Word of caution, you will have to walk up most of the mountain before you can take a tram the rest of the way (7 Euros each way). At the top there are 3 restaurants, each with fantastic panoramic views of the city. Reflecting back, I found this to be the best spot to watch the Greek sunset.
A photo of yours truly
Overall, Greece is a fantastic place to visit. It has a mix of old and new with its own unique charm that I haven’t seen anywhere yet in Europe. Want a tip for your Instagram photos in Greece? Purchase a toga and a gold wreath (they are everywhere) and snap away! Greece
Did I miss anything? Anymore questions about your next trip to Greece? Let me know in the comments below!

Cheers,
Melissa

June 3, 2018 0

Greece Part 1 – Santorini

Yamas! As the locals say in Greece. I am so excited to share this post with you, as I really enjoyed my trip to Greece both in Santorini and Athens. Since this was quite a long trip, with so much to share with you, I have split it up into 2 parts. So let’s begin! Greece Lunch Spot
Santorini is one of the many islands off the coast of Greece. With so many options you may wonder why we picked it. I had heard it has a world famous sunset, so why not! First impressions were that Santorini is hot, sunny, friendly and beautiful! Oia Sunset
There are 4 main locations on this volcanic island where we spent most of our time. I’ll start with Oia. There you will find the amazing sunset. You must go early, in fact, I would recommend packing a picnic (with some local wine of course) and heading there at least an hour before sunset if you want to take epic people free photos. We were over an hour and a half early and barely got a spot. Everyone will tell you the best view is the Castle and I would agree they are absolutely correct. Though if the weather and clouds are not cooperating, the sunset may not live up to your expectations and you may have to go back a few nights. If you want a view while you eat, reservations are a must as most coveted balcony spots fill up fast. Oia is gorgeous with its blue dome roofs (though only a few are easily discoverable, so not as many as I had pictured), white curved arches and flowers everywhere. Oia is meant for tourists and they are everywhere, which can really be felt in the narrow streets. It’s busy, expensive and traffic leaving the city after sunset is just bananas! The Famous Sunset
If you want to see the same architecture, same sunset, but more of a nightlife, then go to Fira. The capital of Santorini offered more to do in the way of bars, food and shopping, they even had fun fish spas for your feet and it was a (tiny) bit less touristy. If you are determined to try the authentic donkey ride up the escarpment you can find this both in Oia and Fira (stay tuned for more about this horrible experience later!). Fira, Santorini
Have you seen enough sunsets? Then check out some ancient ruins! My favourite was Ancient Thira (on the southeast side of the Island). I suggest renting a 4 wheeler or a car to get up part way. This is a great first stop after you land as it is super close to the airport. Another option is on the southwest end of the Island to Akrotiri. Yes, it is quite fascinating to see remains of a settlement that was destroyed in the Theran volcanic eruption in 1627 BC, however, this indoor facility was a bit overpriced. Also if you do not have a guide there are minimal signs so you may not get a very deep understanding of it all. Ancient Ruins at Thira
Being on a sun-filled Mediterranean island, the beaches are truly endless. My favourites are Kamari Beach (I was originally confused and thought this was the Black Beach as it’s all black sand and black stone) and the Red Beach. The Red Beach is a quick 10-minute hike from the parking lot, and pretty small so it is important to get there early. There you can enjoy sunbathing while being surrounded by red cliffs. A reminder to bring water shoes as it is all stone, like these here. Unfortunately, we did not go to White Beach as our GPS would only suggest one sketchy road that our tiny car would not be able to handle. Red Beach
If you are the excursion or activity type, I have many suggestions for you! First, go to a winery! There are so many local wine creators in Santorini, and many wineries offer tours or tastings. I enjoyed Boutari Winery. The cool thing about the local wines is that their vineyards do not look like what you’d see in the Niagara escarpment. To protect the grapes from wind and the sun, they wrap the vines like Christmas wreaths close to the ground. Also since the soil is all volcanic, this adds a bit of flavour to your adult grape juice. Boutari Winery
Second, do a boat tour. Just do it. Yes it’s a bit touristy. Yes it can be pricey. But doooo it! We used Key Tours for an all-day adventure. We made a stop at the volcano (yes it was a bit disappointing as it’s just a hike on rocky hills with the highlight being a hole in the ground that is slightly steamy with little Instagram worthy shots, but still a great experience), swam in sulphur hot springs (my fave part of the whole day), and ate lunch on Thirasia Island. A bit of a warning, the bathroom on the boat is hot and small. You should not, under any circumstances, wear a one-piece bathing suit AND a onesie jumper, unless you are wanting an unpleasant experience. Nuff said! (In general, the bathrooms suck in Greece and you must not throw any TP in the toilet, as their pipes are too small and cannot handle it and you are lucky to get toilet seats). Swimming in Hot Springs
Another fun thing to do is just rent a car and drive around. Check out the local less touristy villages such as Pyrgos or go to the edge of the island and check out the lighthouse. You never know what you’ll see, eat or discover, such as the free Venetian Castle we found. It’s the spontaneous adventures and discoveries that add to your lifetime of memories.
Now for those asses! I am not afraid of heights and I love animals of all kinds (ask K who is constantly following me as I am trying to pet lizards, cuddle stray cats or feed the ducks). I read ahead on the donkeys and felt assured that they were well treated. After being up close and personal, I don’t feel like this is the case. The donkeys did not seem very happy and were covered with hot spots from the straps. The poor things go up and down the mountain all day long carrying tourists. I also had a very unpleasant donkey who clearly wanted nothing to do with me as he constantly walked too close to the (very low) edge, crushing and scraping my leg against walls (bruises to show for it) which induced fear and panic in me (I legit cried after getting off). He also had no desire to listen, and would stop or run up ahead of the other donkeys when he pleased. There are no reins to steer the donkey, just a single rope on the one side, which only helps if you want to turn right. The whole thing is rather depressing and I will not do it again. Do as you wish, it’s your trip, but I do not recommend it. Instead get your steps in for the day and climb the stairs.
Any comments, questions or concerns? Let me know below! For more tips on what to do, check out my Youtube video on 15 Things to do in Santorini HERE. Stay tuned for part 2 on the mainland…Athens! Enjoying the local wine
Cheers,
Melissa

May 30, 2018 0