When you look at a map of Greece it appears as though the bottom half of the country exploded and the resulting shrapnel formed into the two thousand oddly scattered islands which make up the Greek Isles. Despite what geologists, evolutionists or any manner of scientists say, I don’t think this could have been the result of tectonic movement, volcanic activity or any of those other fancy explanations they love to throw at us, but simply the pleasure of God creating a stunning archipelago for mankind to enjoy!

Since the English recognised Greece’s potential in the 1960’s, tourists have been coming in increasing numbers ever since. 2005 saw 18 million tourists flock to its shores, 2006 almost 20 million and in 2007 it certainly felt as much, if not more, although today it attracts a far more diverse crowd. I had little idea why Greece was such a popular tourist destination but all was to be revealed when I landed in Athens in the beginning of July.

Greece’s influence on the western world is phenomenal, it being the birthplace of democracy, philosophy, politics, western literature and the Olympics — and very influential in terms of ancient history, language, education, mathematics, physics, engineering and astronomy. I certainly arrived with a reverence for a nation that had at one stage been at the forefront of civilisation and was anxious to explore its various ins and outs.

Passing through derelict, dusty streets on the hour-long bus journey from the airport to the coast gave me the idea that Greece may not be revelling in the golden age of superiority that it once was. However, some brief research on the web informed me that Greece was one of the happiest countries in the world in terms of quality of life, and so there must still be plenty of reasons for them to be happy. I made it my mission to find these out!

Heading for the Cyclades

The islands, unlike the mainland, generally have a steady wind negotiating the soaring temperature down and for this reason I was very happy to board the ferry and bid farewell to Athens. Ferry travel is the way to explore the Greek Isles and the size of my ferry was testament to its popularity. Literally the size of a small shopping centre it was packed full of tourists and locals, café’s and restaurants and contained a thousand places to sit, eat and talk of the marvels of Greece.

From the port of Piraeus it was a five-hour ferry ride south-east to Paros island, in the Cyclades group, which was to become my home base for the next month. Not being the type of person to rush around taking photos of all the major landmarks and claiming that I had seen a place, I chose rather to do things slightly differently and really see Greece, from what would hopefully be a local’s perspective. My plan was to settle down in one town for most of my stay, then mix in a bit of island hopping at the end to give me the tourist’s perspective of Greece.

After a relaxed journey at the back of the ferry, drink in hand and chatting to fellow travellers, I finally arrived at the town of Parikia. It was late at night but the temperature was still around 30 degrees and the town still alive with people of all ages buzzing around drinking, talking, romancing and ultimately enjoying the trance the island lifestyle puts you in.

Don't rush, relax

The main activities in Greece include boat cruises, diving, sailing, windsurfing, visiting archaeological sites and general exploration of the beaches and street markets. While some, like the caravanning Europeans, prefer to settle at one beach and enjoy the water sports lifestyle, others island hop, staying in B&B’s and ticking off the island’s attractions by way of arranged tours.

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Published courtesy of travelideas.
I married the two and spent hours on my scooter exploring the islands from my home base, stopping occasionally to wander the streets of a town or to swim at an enticing beach in some idyllic location. Unfortunately since the inception of the Euro, Greece’s value for money has gone down from what was once one of the cheapest places to travel in Europe. Luckily for me, a good thing about staying in one place is that after a while you get to know people and pretty soon we were invited over for dinner by some locals and treated to a traditional Greek meal.

This was to become the much-appreciated norm for my stay in Greece as every few days someone would have you over for drinks, a meal or just repay your friendship with a beer at the beach bar. The lovely symbiosis I was becoming a part of was extremely beneficial and it meant that there was always something to do, and someone to do it with — for generally next to nothing.

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