FINAL THOUGHTS

What an amazing trip!! If you are thinking of visiting Greece, I say, get that plan on your calendar!!

For the spots I visited I'd put the places I saw in this order as favorites: Santoríni, Rhodes, Mýkonos, Crete and then Athens.

Here are some quick notes/highlights/observations:

:: For some reason, the men (mostly 40+) have the habit of picking their noses and they have no shame about it.... Walking, driving around, standing in line, at dinner.... I am NOT kidding...

:: I didn't have a bad meal. Great good and wonderful house-wines.

:: Don't use the tourists offices (unless your totally frazzled and don't mine paying 10-30+ euros over the cost of what you are getting.

:: Visit at the end of the hi-season. The weather is like CA weather, warm/hot during the days and cool at night. If it rains, it passes quickly. Late Sept-early Oct was perfect for me and you get all the advantages of the off-season.

:: Ride the buses or rent transportation to get yourself around whatever island you are on. There is lots to see outside of the port towns.

:: Tip well. The locals appreciate it and Americans have a good reputation for being fair-to-generous.

:: If you travel on a budget, still splurge for the hotel with the view at some point.

:: Take a buddy. It takes some of the travel pressure off, and its easy to spend time alone to explore once you arrive where you are going.

:: Bring pleasure reading. It doesn’t matter where you are, when you have a great book... at the airport, or on the most beautiful beach you’ve ever seen...

:: Don't over-pack. It’s easy to wash stuff in you hotel room and hang it to dry is the island air. Plus, everything is casual all over the islands... maybe one nicer top to wear at some point, but no need for more than flip flops, in my experience.

:: You're not supposed to feed the stray cats and dogs at restaurants (it’s considered rude), but, carry some leftovers with you for them on your walks - they're everywhere and very friendly and it feels awful when you have nothing to offer them. AND, if you want a Greek stray, they are easy to adopt and bring home!!

:: Bathrooms can be interesting to down-right unpleasant. You can't throw the paper in the toilet, so there are open or closed trash cans for disposal next to the toilets. On the smaller of the islands, in particular, the flush may be almost non-existent. Also, carry tissues in case there is no paper.

:: I felt very safe traveling here—meaning, both my body and my things. On the islands, in particular, the bar and cafe owners leave their bars of beverages out when they leave for the night. I only heard of one poor hotel guest who had her camera stolen, but I suspect that must have been another tourist, not a local.

:: Everyone smokes! And, litters with their butts-its amazing, actually, considering the astonishing natural beauty they sit on, and it does not stop them from throwing down their cigarette trash.