A Busy Month for the Dygmeister (Part 4 - Greece)

Related Links: Part 1 - Dyg's birthday, Part 2 - Greece, Part 3 - Egypt, Part 5 - Turkey

After our hectic visit to Egypt, a day at sea was just what we needed. Dylan had a blast wading in the kiddie pool and playing deck curling with Mom and Dad. He also made several friends, like Leon from Barcelona and Tyler from Boston. The highlight of the day was the Halloween costume party, where Dylan, dressed as the fearless little lion, won first place! He was definitely popular on the ship and was then known to passengers and crew alike as "Dylan the lion" wherever we go.

We arrived in Heraklion, Crete on Day 7 of our cruise. Don't let the mysterious name fool you, because Crete is one of the busiest hubs in Greece. We rented a car, skipped the crowded downtown area and headed for the countryside, where we visited the ruins of the Palace of Knossos, known for Minoan art and artifacts like the Minotaur. For lunch, we visited the quaint town of Arhanes, where we went out on a limb and ordered local delicacies like braised rabbit and was rewarded with a scrumptuous meal. Then we spent a couple of hours lazing around as Dylan played kick-the-empty-water-bottle around a quiet plaza with some village kids.

We woke up early the next morning to watch as our ship arrived at the beautiful island of Santorini. It was just as magical as the first time we visited it last year, which just makes us want to come back every year if we could! We hiked up the cobblestone paths of Fira Town, then we ventured out and drove around the island with some friends we met on the ship. We went to a couple of Greek vineyards, then to the Akrotiri excavation site (which was closed, unfortunately), then chanced upon Red Rock Beach, which as the name suggests, is a secluded beach bordered by a cliff of ruby-hued rocks.

What trip to Santorini would be complete without a visit to the picturesque town of Oia? With its sweeping views and majestic skylines, it is the scene of many a romantic movie and is popular for its romantic sunsets. Dylan wasn't immune to the romance as he met his first girlfriend, a charming babe named Halena. Despite the tourist establishments that dotted the town, it still retains its quaint charm and is definitely our favorite place in all of Greece.

The next day, we visited the island of Mykonos, known for its beach parties and exciting nightlife. Luckily, the peak season had passed, so we enjoyed a relatively quiet day beach-hopping. We were greeted by the pelican in Hora Town, then walked around the coast to the famous windmills. We've lost count of the beaches we visited, but we did enjoy a picnic lunch at the Super Paradise Beach, where Dylan braved the breeze and played in the sand in his cute little surfsuit. We ended the day watching the sunset from Agios Iannis, with views of Hora Town's white-washed houses and other islands of the Cyclades.

Back on the ship, our friends agreed to take Dylan for a couple of hours so that Mom and Dad could enjoy a quiet formal dinner. It was definitely a much needed rest from the little Dygmeister! Then it was time to prepare for the next leg of our trip, Turkey. (See Part 5 of this blog series.)

Click here to view pictures from RD2's trip to the Mediterranean