Georgia, Turkey, & Greece: 3 Countries, 2 Continents, Infinite Gyros

As Easter break commenced, I decided to head west to revisit my ol' stomping grounds (Turkey) and see what was all the fuss about in Greece!

Athens, Greece

Day 1: Departure!

Being the poster child of frugality, I purchased a 70 lari (30 dollar) bus ticket from Zestaponi to Istanbul! Well, the day certainly didn't go as planned! I took the marshutka from Chiatura to Zestaponi and I was 5 minutes late (AH!!). To add insult to injury, I sprinted to the Metro Bus Company's office there and it was closed INDEFINITELY! So I was freaking out! Where was the point of contact?!?! It couldn't get any worse, right? IT WAS RAINING BUCKETS! After running, (literally running) around the city, I finally got ahold of the company and, to my excitement, they told me the bus was 30 minutes late! However, it was more like an hour and I was freezing!! Needless to say, I was thrilled to get on that bus .... for the next 20 hours. Surprisingly, I had a great time (with the exception of the very cold border crossing and the frequency which I woke up). Overall, 9 out of 10 recommend!

Day 2 & 3: Istanbul, Turkey

Admittedly, Turkey has changed a lot since I last arrived. The tourists sparsely populate the city and many shops have closed. Of course, what dominated the skyline were the 'Evet' and 'Hayir' posters or the 'Yes' and 'No' campaign banners, respectively. I arrived the day before the referendum in which Turks decided if Turkey's current president could consolidate his power. Unfortunately, the referendum barely passed.

Taksim Square

Despite this, I spent what little time I had there meeting with my former Turkish professor, Yeliz, and discussing politics under the extremely pleasant weather! I mostly spent my time walking up and down Istiklal Caddesi, the main thoroughfare, and eating lahmacun, a Turkish pizza!

Although my time was short, I got to peak the old city one last moment before I left! I miss Turkey a lot, and i'm afraid, if recent events continue, my return anytime soon will be unlikely.

Hagia Sophia

Day 4: Athens, Greece

The previous night, I flew into Athens, and, naturally, I had a gyro for dinner! It was scrumptious and I familiarized myself with the city that night!

In the morning, I was stuffed like a Thanksgiving Turkey! Breakfast consisted of a Greek salad smothered in olive oil, Greek yogurt with honey, the largest Jonathan apples this side of the pond, and, by far, the most succulent olives I ever had! Practically a gift from the Greek gods! I headed over to the Acropolis that morning with a friend I befriended at the hostel! The wait wasn't that long and I managed to get the student discount (saving me a bigillion Euro) and we lived like Ancient Athenians! We saw the Theatre of Dionysius, the Parthenon, and the Temple of Athena! The sites were absolutely breathtaking and I highly recommend a visit to Athens! We weren't done yet! We headed over to the Temple of Zeus after some Souvlaki! Although much of the temple wasn't standing, you could gather the entirety of the original structure based on the massive columns left! IT was absolutely incredible! The rest of the evening I spent crisscrossing the cobbled streets trying to decide my next meal! That night, my friend Meera brought me to this fine establishment serving these delectable zucchini balls, tzatziki sauce with bread, an assortment of appetizers, and the house wine! To much surprise, I couldn't eat it all, but the conversation was equally as delightful! Talk of the economic crisis and Syrian refugees filled the air! We ended the night with some laughs and went our separate ways.

Theatre of Dionysius

Parthenon

Souvlaki

Acropolis from afar

Temple of Zeus

Greek Salad

Changing of the Guard at the Greek Parliament

Day 5: Athens, Greece

The next day, I headed towards some of my favorite sites: the Olympeion, the home of the first Olympic games, the Ancient Agora, and the Karameikos! Happenstance, I found out that day was National Monument Day! All the monuments and museums were free! If I only had known earlier.... Regardless, I had an amazing experience! The rest of the night I explored my neighborhood and I had hummus and falafel (for a grand total of 3 Euro!!) at this homely Mediterranean restaurant!

Speaking of which, the one aspect of Athens that shocked me was how diverse the city really was! In Omonia, where I rested, every corner and every store advertised a unique selection of food from whichever restaurant you could choose from! There were even Georgian restaurants there as well! What a time to be alive!

Olympeion

I honestly forget what Temple this was, but it's apart of the Ancient Agora

Day 6: Athens to Thessaloniki

Perhaps, my most tragic day, I got up early, ate breakfast, and headed off for the train to Thessaloniki! Surprisingly, the carriage was very comfortable and the Greek woman next to me (who only spoke Greek) was extremely chatty! However, tragedy struck. Food poisoning befell my hapless self halfway through my journey of enjoying the Greek countryside and I was rendered useless the rest of the day. Taking public transportation in Thessaloniki was painful (imagine a cramped, humid bus) and I was thrilled to take solace in my hostel.

Day 7 & 8: Thessaloniki

Although my final days in Greece were clouded with illness, I rather enjoyed Thessaloniki. Nestled on the perfect harbor with a rich history, I admired the views and the chilly--often breezy--days. I visited the picturesque White Tower, explored the Archaeology, Byzantine Culture, and Macedonian Struggle Museums, respectively, and glided over thousands years of history at the Agora and the Rotunda! I didn't know what to expect from Thessaloniki, but I highly recommend it! I much preferred Athens, but it's worth the trip! Finally, I sailed back to Georgia on a white yacht and I savored each and every wave! JOKES! I flew back at 5 in the morning on WizzAir. C'est la vie!