Athens Pre Cruise

Ah, Athens! The cradle of civilization, home to gods, philosophers, and probably the first person who ever said, “Do I really have to climb all those steps?” We visited in the height of summer when the temperatures were only rivaled by the quality of the food. We arrived two days prior to our cruise to recover from jetlag and see a few highlights before embarking...

1. Lake Vouliagmeni: When Fish Have a Fetish for Your Feet
We started with a dip in Lake Vouliagmeni, a place where the setting is serene, and the fish have absolutely no boundaries. These little nibblers are all about feasting on your dead skin, giving you a pedicure you didn’t ask for but secretly enjoy. Billed as a natural thermal lake, surrounded by cliffs, we were pleasantly surprised that the temperatures were less 'hot springs' and more 'backyard pool', a welcome refresh in the 100 degree heat.

Much to the irritation of my teen daughter, I yelped a few times in the beginning when a school of Garra rufa fish, AKA “doctor fish,” would surprise me by tickling my toes and munching on my dead skin. It takes a second to get used to having something take tiny bites out of you while you are swimming and not jump out of the way. After a few initial startles, I found it easier to sit at the lake edge and dangle my feet so that they couldn't catch me unaware.

2. Sounion: Poseidon’s Temple
Next, we headed over to Cape Sounion, home of the Temple of Poseidon. Perched on a cliff overlooking the Aegean Sea, this ancient temple has breathtaking views. Had it not been for the temperatures (did I mention it was 100 degrees?), we would have stayed for hours longer.

3. Walking Food Tour: Calories Don’t Count on Vacation
 A walking food tour in Athens is a must. It’s like trick-or-treating, but instead of candy, you get spanakopita, fava beans, Cretan salad, and a lesson in how to pronounce “gyro” correctly (it’s yee-roh, by the way). We strolled through bustling markets where we sampled olive oils. I had no idea that oil could taste so sharp (apparently that indicates particularly high anti oxidants). Then we tried several cafes, including one that was decorated like an old Greek grocery store with products lining the shelf. 

4. Hiking to the Acropolis
The next day came the real challenge—ascending to the Acropolis. The Acropolis is the stuff of legends, literally. It’s the kind of place where you can’t help but be impressed by human achievement, and also by how ancient Greeks managed to do all this while wearing sandals with no arch support. I knew I was in trouble when my daughter commented that I sounded like grandma as I panted my way up the hill, stopping in the tiniest sliver of shade to catch my breath and rest my feet. We made the mistake of not realizing that admission tickets now had to be pre-booked and ended up with the less desirable noon timeslot for admission. Even so, once I reached the  top to see the Parthenon in all its glory, I appreciated that the view was worth every drop of sweat.