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Staying at Halkis Muses – Luxury on Halki Island, Greece

Bex Hall
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14
Staying at Halkis Muses – Luxury on Halki Island, Greece

As a travel expert on Greece and guidebook updater for Rough Guide to the Greek Islands I feel fortunate to be able to visit out of the way Greek islands, less frequented and untouched by mass tourism.  One of those islands is Halki.

Halki is exceedingly small at only 11 sq miles and a year round population of roughly 480 inhabitants – increasing ever so slightly in the summer months.  People tend to visit as a day trip from Rhodes as it’s only an hour by catamaran.

But in order to fully soak up and appreciate the small island atmosphere, I’d recommend a two or three night stay – and where better than a traditional stone house – that of Halkis Muses.

**This post includes affiliate links.  For more info, see here. Despite any complimentary services received, all opinions remain my own**

Having had experience of what it’s like to undertake a mammoth update of a guidebook, I decided to take my own advice and stay some more time on this albeit small Greek island. Imagine my delight when Halkis Muses offered to accommodate me.

The Greek island of Halki

What is Halkis Muses?

To quote from their website;

The Muses are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science and arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric songs and myths that were related orally for centuries in the ancient cultures. According to historic Pausanias, the three original…muses were daughters of Uranus and Gea. The combination of all three Muses; Aede, Mneme and Melete, is important to Poetic Art.

So, Halkis Muses are four properties on the island of Halki; one villa, three houses each with their own distinguishing features and all individually named after one of the muses.

My Halkis Muses ‘experience’ was in Muse Mneme: The Muse of Memory.  I was afforded the chance to stay in this 110 sq m (1184 sq ft), two story property located right on the water’s edge. It’s nice to know that this stone villa was named after the Muse of Memory because all the owner’s family have fond memories of the times they lived and grew up here.

Stone Villa - Halkis Muses - Halki Island - Greece. Life Beyond Borders
Stone villa Muses Mneme – Halkis Muses

My Halkis Muses Mneme experience

Upon see in Muses Mneme from the outside, you immediately feel a sense of its past – and, strangely, peace.  It’s probably because ‘her’ stone facade is literally a few steps from the water’s edge, and the sound is so peaceful, hearing the water lap gently against the side of the harbour.

Halkis Nmeme - Halkis Muses - Halki Island - Greece. LifeBeyondBorders
With a view like this from the front of your Halkis Muses villa, why leave?

Upon entering this lovely house, you walk into the open place downstairs area that comprises of a fully equipped kitchen to your left and living area to the right – really tastefully decorated and, once again, that old stone wall interior oozes authenticity and originality, as well as warmth!

A wooden staircase to the upper level reveals a very high ceilinged master bedroom with double bed – and laptop (in case you haven’t brought your own)…across the hall is the small bathroom and room with two single beds.

Mneme is great, therefore, for a family with two kids – but not only.  A couple or two couples could quite easily enjoy their time here.  Its situation – right on the harbour edge – is perfect and the lower level has outdoor seating, plus the upper level has this adorable balcony to view the goings on of the fishermen mending their nets below – perfect for eat breakfast and watching the world go by.

Amenities within Halkis  Muses

All of Halkis Muses properties come with:

  • High speed internet (and it really is high speed!)
  • Laptop
  • Fully equipped kitchen
  • Satellite/Smart TV
  • Maid Service (daily)

I really enjoyed my two nights in Muses Mneme.  It was relaxing, peaceful and literally a stone’s throw from the ‘centre’ of Halki (well, to be honest, most places in Halki aren’t far from each other as it’s such a tiny island).

Practicalities

If you’re coming to Rhodes on holiday, Halki is a great place to come either for a day, or for a three or four night stay. I’d highly recommend spending some time to explore and get to know this island, or just sit and relax, watch the world go by outside your door.  One of the houses of Halkis Muses is the perfect place to do that.  Check here for unbiased reviews about accommodation on Halki.

Don’t overlook Halki island.  It’s small, compact and as you’ve seen, offers a great range of accommodation.

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INN Athens Boutique Hotel – Athens Greece

Bex Hall
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10
INN Athens Boutique Hotel – Athens Greece

Since 2016 there’s a trend for boutique hotels to open their doors in Greece, despite the financial crisis that hit the country hard.  The INN Athens opened its doors to the public in September 2015, offering the public a boutique choice of 22 rooms, comprising of:

  • 1 Junior suite
  • 4 suites at 28 sq meters
  • 2 Ground floor Family rooms
  • 15 Rooms with a choice of Standard and Deluxe at 17 sq meters

The INN Athens Boutique Hotel is located near Syntagma Metro station, right by Parliament Square and is a stones throw from the lovely National Gardens with all the flora and fauna on offer. It’s the perfect place to come back to after a day’s sightseeing.

  • Have a look at my Insider’s Guide to Athens for tips of things to see and do during your city break.
  • Discover Anafiotika neighbourhood in Athens, a hidden ‘island village’ under the Acropolis.
  • See my Luxury Athens Beach Hotels for a guide on where to stay along the Athenian Riviera
  • Heading to the Greek island of Rhodes afterwards? Then treat yourself to a stay at Kokkini Porta Rossa in the UNESCO Old Town of the city.


**This post includes affiliate links.  For more info, see here.**

INN Athens Boutique Hotel – an oasis in the heart of the city

The piece de resistance of this hotel is its location.  Yes, as the above map will show you, it’s in the heart of the city, meaning staying at the INN Athens whilst exploring this exciting capital city is an excellent choice.  But, it doesn’t mean that traffic and noise have to bother you.

Tucked away down a side road off the busy Amalias Avenue, you enter the hotel by way of a small arcade via the ever popular By The Glass – a wine bar offering a selection of over 250 different wines and well placed to be so near the hotel.  Opening the (very heavy, because it’s soundproofed) door at the end of this arcade, you enter an atrium..the ‘start’ of your INN Athens experience.

No filter editing needed here! Great nighttime shot of @innathens_hotel – like a fairytale

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I say ‘start’ because you’re met with a sound of, well, almost nothing…which is heavenly after the traffic and general business of outside.  In the centre of all this calm is a tall lemon tree with a table built around it, allowing you to sit and bask in the sun dabbled yard in peace and contentment.

Courtyard of INN Athens Boutique Hotel - Athens, Greece. LifeBeyondBorders
Courtyard of INN Athens

But we can’t stay out here forever!  We must check into our boutique piece of heaven.  So, let’s follow the sign to Reception, just off to the right and down some steps where we’ll enter and meet the staff.

INN Athens Boutique Hotel – a little bit of history

As I mentioned before, the INN Athens is one of several boutique establishments recently coming to life in the capital.  But it’s not always been a hotel.  Its history is a mixed potpourri of establishments:

  • Accommodated Greek refugees from Asia Minor in the 1920s
  • Offices
  • A hostel in the 1970s
  • Bank Offices, just before being re-designed and opened in its current form.

The building itself is over 100 years old and has always belonged to the Ralli Family – Georgios Rallis a Greek conservative politician and Prime Minister from 1980-1981.
It’s lovely to see the building now used in such a uniquely designed way.  Let’s take a look inside.

INN Athens Boutique Hotel – the rooms

I was hosted in a suite room at the INN Athens, overlooking the atrium courtyard and that lovely lemon tree, adorned with fairy lights at night time which lent to the cozy atmosphere.

INN Athens Boutique Hotel - Athens at night. LifeBeyondBorders
INN Athens at night

The bathroom was glassed off within the bedroom by frosted glass, and throughout the room, up cycling of marble off cuts could be found; the splash back on the sink, the walk-in monsoon shower, the table and bedside tables in the bedroom. This, coupled with the CocoMat bedding (see my post about my CocoMat hotel experience), wooden flooring and cleverly designed lighting and windows – designed to give the maximum filtered amount of light into what could have been an old, dark building – all lends to a contemporary experience, yet unpretentious.

Suite bedroom and bathroom at INN Athens Boutique Hotel, Athens Greece. LifeBeyondBorders
Suite bedroom and bathroom at INN Athens

During my two night stay, I slept incredibly well, not really wanting to get out of my comfy bed.  And yet, even in the middle of the city, the sun dappled atrium was filled with the occasional birdsong in the morning, meaning that throwing the curtains back was a pleasure.

The Standard and Deluxe rooms, although smaller, all had their arty quirks and again, the up cycling of marble.

Breakfast

Served in the dining area that also leads onto the Reception, not only did you have your choice of fresh fruits, Greek yogurt, honey, nuts, fresh juice and croissants, but the chef could whip up an omelette for you – or how about an avocado or sweet coleslaw open sandwich?  For breakfast? I hear you think – trust me, it’s delicious…especially the avocado sandwich…and nothing else is needed until lunchtime.

@innathens_hotel offers up a delicious breakfast in relaxed surroundings. #InnAthensHotel #visitathens #thisisathens

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Conclusion and facts

Comfortable, stylish, friendly and unpretentious – that’s my overall summation of the INN Athens.  And its main selling point?  How central the place is, and yet so quiet and calming.
The staff are friendly, professional and courteous, yet also ‘Greek’.  I mean this in the best sense of the word i.e.: Hotel Manager – Manos Konstantinou – gave me a hug as I left, after having spent some time over the course of my stay chatting, drinking endless frappes with him, etc.
Philoxenia oozes from every poor of this establishment – that Greek word that is actually a philosophy and way of life…and not in a fake friendly sort of way.

Standard Room   17 sqm  €165 per night (August price – less in winter season) inc. breakfast

Deluxe Room       17 sqm (with atrium view and small balcony)  €175 per night (August price – less in winter) inc. breakfast

Suite                      28 sqm (with atrium view and balcony)            €210 per night (August price – less in winter) inc. breakfast

The INN Athens does offer several deals throughout the year.  You can book here – please note I will get a little bit of commission if you choose to use this link, but at no cost to you (and you’ll be helping me to continue to fund my site to bring you great content!)

Thank you for hosting me at the INN Athens, and I do hope you, my readers, will be tempted to stay at this little gem of a place in the heart of Athens city.

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Travel Across Myanmar – an adventurous train journey

Bex Hall
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2
Travel Across Myanmar – an adventurous train journey

I am pleased to introduce Julian Schönfelder on the blog who guest posts about his adventurous train journey in Myanmar, a country that’s always fascinated me.

**This post includes affiliate links.  For more info, see here.**

**All Images by apenoni.com unless otherwise stated**

| Originally posted in MAR 2017 | Updated and re-posted MAY 2020 |


Julian is an independent travel writer, web-designer and co-author of apenoni.com. Travelling and exploring the world ever since he was young, he is now on a quest to inspire others to do the same. Together with his wife, they created their travel blog with inspirational stories and pictures about their journeys across the globe.
You can also follow what they are up to on:

Facebook,
Instagram,
Pinterest
Twitter.

It was late afternoon, the sun still burning down on our heads as we reached the town of Bago, a city located north-east of Yangon. Our intention was to reach the town of Kalaw by the end of the day, an ambitious task as it lies roughly 500 kilometers away, nestled deep in the mountains of the Shan state in northern Myanmar. Based on our prior experience travelling around the country, we knew that travel in Myanmar can consume quite some time. Nevertheless, we were ready and eager to reach that goal.

We walked across a bridge and reached a bus station, helpfully pointed out to us by a friendly local. After finding out that the next northbound bus was to leave in over three hours, we decided to find another way of getting to Kalaw.

Travel in Myanmar – The train station

We originally had no intention of travelling by train in Myanmar, but somehow the circumstances lead us straight to the station of Bago – an old, yellow-painted colonial building. There were many people sitting on the floor in the Main Hall; waiting for their train, eating and talking loudly. A man approached us and showed us the way to the ticket office where we asked for two tickets to Thazi, the stop-over station that would eventually bring us to Kalaw. Unfortunately, the “upper class” tickets were sold-out which left us with no choice but to buy “ordinary class” – the main difference being the comfort of the seats.

Myanmar Train Journey
Myanmar Train Journey

The train arrived, the sound of the air whistle ringing in our ears as we boarded the wagon, signalling the start of our Myanmar train journey. The train rattled hard as it left Bago train station, steadily making its way out and up towards the next stops of Taungoo and Nay Pyi Taw. It started to gain speed as it speared into the dark night.

Travel in Myanmar – Inside the train

And so we settled in to watch the goings on around us; Merchants passed though the aisles selling local foods, children played, people ate – it was a fascinating display of Burmese life and we were right in the middle of it! People invited us to eat their food, they took our picture and engaged us in conversations, despite the language barrier.
As midnight approached we tried to get some sleep, but our attempts of doing so were utterly crushed by the heavy shaking of the train, the hard, wooden benches and the noisy clacking of the tracks.

Train Travel Myanmar Trackside Shops Apenoni.com
Train Travel Myanmar Trackside Shops Apenoni.com

Morning – and another train!

We arrived early in Thazi. The sun slowly pierced its way through the early morning haze as we packed up our bags and left the train. Our backs were aching, our eyes puffy from the lack of sleep.

We found out that the best way to reach Kalaw was to take yet another train – and so, still shaky from our previous ride, we bought two tickets. After having some breakfast in a small shop in front of the train station, we boarded another train that would lead us through the mountains of the Shan province.

Due to the steep mountains between Thazi and Kalaw, the train had to pass through multiple switchbacks along the way.  This involved moving forward, stopping and then reversing onto another track in the opposite direction. This “zig-zag” construction was an incredibly interesting sight and fascinating experience. We had smaller stops in between, allowing us to take some nice pictures of vendors offering all sorts of products to the train passengers.

Roughly six hours later we finally arrived in the town of Kalaw. A beautiful journey and a great adventure that lead us here finally. Truly a fascinating and unforgettable experience!

Travel in Myanmar – Conclusion

Train travel in Myanmar is highly recommended as it leaves you with memorable impressions. Apart from the journeys mentioned above, we also experience a unique trip in the western Shan State, taking a trip from the town of Hispaw to the former summer capital of the former British colonial administrators of Burma, Pyin Oo Lwin. It is here where we crossed the famous Gokteik Viaduct, Myanmar’s longest bridge. Built in 1901, and by then the second-highest railway bridge in the world, it is an ageing and fascinating superstructure. A highlight for any train traveller in the country!

Gokteik Viaduct, Myanmar's longest bridge
Gokteik Viaduct, Myanmar’s longest bridge

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An Adventurous Train Journey through Myanmar - LifeBeyondBorders

 

 

 

 

Exploring the Viking country of Iceland

Bex Hall
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18
Exploring the Viking country of Iceland

Northern lights, hardy ponies, hot springs, glaciers and active volcanoes all experienced under 24 hour daylight (or 24 hour darkness, depending on the time of year you visit), that’s the Viking country of Iceland for you.

Tours in Iceland

There are many outdoor excursions in Iceland you can undertake.  They range from glacier hiking, scuba diving in Þingvallavatn, the largest natural lake in Iceland and located exactly where the U.S. and European continental ridges meet, to horse-riding along the sands of Húsey in the east of the country—past reindeer grazing and seals lazing under the midnight sun.

Horse riding along Husey Beach - Iceland Source
Horse riding along Husey Beach – Iceland
Source

How about visiting the dark sands of Reynisfjara Beach, approx. 180km southeast of the capital—Reykjavik—offering the visitor an atmospheric, almost creepy encounter of titanic rocks looming over you. Legend has it that they’re the petrified remains of trolls who stayed outside too long and the sunlight caught them. And let’s not forget the various bird and whale-watching tours. In fact, I’ll have to make a journey back one day to be sure to experience more excursions in Iceland.

Reynisfjara Beachwith petrified trolls? Source
Reynisfjara Beach in Iceland with petrified trolls?
Source

Reykjavik

The world’s northernmost capital city offers the visitor various things to do such as the famous landmark that is the Lutheran church of Hallgrimskirkja. Located on top of Skolavorduhaed hill—one of the main shopping thoroughfares, if you choose to climb to the top of the church you’ll be rewarded with a bird’s eye view of the city and beyond.

Lutheran church of Hallgrimskirkja in Rekjakavik, Iceland
Lutheran church of Hallgrimskirkja in Reykjavik, Iceland

If you’re looking to buy authentic goods, at the weekend flea market—located in the harbour area—you can buy hand knitted woolen jumpers, something of a must should you visit this northernmost European country during the winter months.

When I visited this majestic country in 2015 on a short stopover from the U.S., something of a more artistic nature caught my eye; the street art that adorns the walls in Reykjavik.

Street art in Reykjavik

I like to try to find alternative tours when I visit cities around the globe, alas my stop in Iceland was too short that I didn’t have time. What little time I did have didn’t stop me from wandering the streets to explore and discover my own street art.   The lion is a particularly interesting one for me because it came at a time when there was the (rightly so) huge outcry about the hunting and killing of Cecil the Lion. I wondered if this mural had anything to do with it.

Cecil the Lion street art in Reykjavik, Iceland?
Cecil the Lion street art in Reykjavik, Iceland?

Strictly speaking, graffiti of any form on any public property such as public buildings, benches and lampposts is considered vandalism and is a punishable offence. However, street art is legal, with the consent of the owner of the building, whether that be public or private.

Reykjavik Street Art - Iceland
Reykjavik Street Art – Iceland

Much of the street art is commissioned by organizations. In the autumn of 2015, for example, the Iceland Airwaves music festival saw international musicians collaborate with Urban Nation, the Berlin museum for urban contemporary art, to bring even more murals designed by local and international artists.

As with anywhere, a lot of ‘street art’ can also actually be quite ugly. Reykjavik Street Art Tours offer 1.5 to 2 hour tours around this city’s ever burgeoning scene.   On a tour such as this, you’ll be able to make your mind up for yourself if you think anything’s worthy of the label ‘street art.’

Alternative Icelandic food

Fish

Being an island stuck right out in the mid-Atlantic, naturally Iceland is popular for its seafood. You can expect to see items such as dried cod or haddock—almost a ‘fish jerky’ or (extremely!) salted cod, cod tongues (Gellus)—the fleshy triangular muscle above and under the tongue which, apparently, can either be served in a more appealing way as a gratin (with a cheesy sauce), or, the more adventurous of you might want to try it just boiled.

cod tongue iceland photo
Cod Tongue – Photo by Jon Åslund

You’ll notice popularity in cod dishes. If your culinary taste buds want to be stretched, you have the option of trying shark, whale blubber, fish stomach (almost like the Scottish haggis as it’s stuffed with liver and sometimes rye) and fishballs.

If you’re somewhat squeamish and an animal lover, steer clear of minke whalemeat. As the Minke whale is not considered an endangered species, it is eaten—either raw or cooked. Apparently it’s a red meat and tastes similar to beef. I personally don’t think I’ll be trying that, purely on principle!

Meat

If you’re a meat lover, you’re in for a treat in Iceland too, for it’s not just fish that they specialize in. There are oddities such as Sheep’s Head. It tastes exactly like mutton (because, being from a sheep, that it what it is in essence), however in Iceland, the presentation somewhat throws people off trying it—literally a whole head; tongue, eyes, etc. still in tact. It’s a specialty, hence can be bought at any supermarket in the frozen food section, or pre-cooked in some groceries.   Apparently, the most delicious part is the cheek and tongue.

thorramatur photo
Sheep’s head(ugh!) Photo by sbs_iceland

Having never tied it, I can’t comment. I was one of those people put off seeing a whole head of an animal in front of me!
Or how about Sour Ram’s Testicles?   Not so much a common meat nowadays, in the past Iceland used to be a relatively poor country, so people would make use of all the animal, including eating all of it. It was preserved in order to keep for longer, hence the ‘sour’ part.
Read more about alternative Icelandic cuisine.

Have I tempted you to visit Iceland, what with its dramatic scenery, excursions, cuisine and basically, a country far removed from any you’ll ever visit.

Have you visited Iceland?   Do leave your comments.

 

iceland

The Hora of Serifos

Bex Hall
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9
The Hora of Serifos

Aside from the local tourist population in Greece, Serifos is a little known Greek island amongst the international tourist crowd.  At roughly 29 square miles and a year round population of not even 1,500 people, this Cycladic island nestles south of the island of Kythnos and northwest of Sifnos.   There are many beautiful beaches to visit on Serifos, however when I visited, my favourite pastime was to wander the streets of the Hora.

Hora of Serifos

When you arrive by ferry into Serifos you’ll come into the port of Livadi.  Looking up as you arrive, you can’t fail to notice the pill box houses spilling over and cascading down the summit of a rocky hill.   This is the Hora of Serifos.

There is a year round local population of just under 370 people in this tiny yet beautiful village. It’s possible to take the bus from the harbour to the Hora – at a price of just €1.70 one way. It’s wonderful to wind your way slowly up the hill and be rewarded with views across virtually the whole island – and see as far as other Cycladic islands, weather permitting.

Drive up to the Hora of Serifos with views out across the island
Drive up to the Hora of Serifos with views out across the island

The best time to visit the Hora of Serifos, especially in the summer, is in the late afternoon/early evening.  It’s cooler to wander the tiny streets, plus the light is magnificent at this time for photographs.  The Hora’s divided into the Upper and Lower Hora, the bus depositing its passengers at the Lower Hora and then you can wander to the Upper part, enjoy getting lost in the tiny streets and marvel at the views.

The Streets of the Hora of Serifos
The Streets of the Hora of Serifos

You’ll come across small churches and eventually the remains of the 15th-century Venetian castle which sits virtually at the top, commanding spectacular views across the island.

Churches of the Hora of Serifos
Churches of the Hora of Serifos
Walking to the Kastro in the Hora of Serifos
Walking to the Kastro in the Hora of Serifos

Platia / Square in the Hora of Serifos

Once you’ve wandered the streets, you’ll eventually come to the main platia, or square of the Hora where you can sit and while away your time drinking a cup of coffee whilst admiring the neoclassical Town Hall.

Town Square of the Hora of Serifos
Town Square of the Hora of Serifos with the Venetian Town Hall

Serifos facts

  • Serifos is approx. 5 hours by slow ferry from Piraeus at a price of €31.00 or 2 hours by speed ferry at a higher price of €50.00
  • I stayed in the port of Livadi in a charming, traditional AirBNB place. There are places to stay in the Hora, ranging from renting rooms to whole houses – for me it was nice to be located by the beach and choose to travel up to the Hora when I wanted to.
  • It’s possible to take a 2.5km hike from Livadi to the Hora, but it’s uphill and best done by those who are keen on hiking, and in the late afternoon when the sun’s lost its strength.
  • As you can imagine, Serifos is busy throughout most of August, mainly with French and Italian tourists as well as Greeks.  Not many native English speaking tourists grace Serifos, but English is widely spoken.

Have you been to Serifos or any of its neighbouring islands?  What was your experience? Would you like to go?  I’d love to see your comments.

The Horaof Serifos

Victoria Green Travel Wash-bag – a Review

Bex Hall
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10
Victoria Green Travel Wash-bag – a Review

** Thank you to Victoria Green for providing the three way hanging wash-bag in Lorton Print in Smoke design for review. Despite any complimentary services received, all thoughts and opinions remain my own.**

As part of the travel products that I am trialing as I navigate my way around the globe, one of the most practical yet ‘pretty’ and boutique is the Victoria Green three-way hanging travel wash-bag.

Who and what is Victoria Green?

Victoria Green is the name of the person who designs the wash and make-up bags, plus the name of the label.  She’d been designing products for the British High Street stores for over 20 years, when in 2014 she decided to strike out on her own!  Based out of her studio in Brighton on the south coast of the UK, each of her travel wash and make-up bags have their own distinct design and attention to detail.

I contacted Victoria after seeing her advertisements for her products on Instagram.  After email correspondence, within a few days this beautiful three way hanging wash-bag was delivered to me.

Victoria Green Travel Washbag - Lorton Print in Smoke design
Victoria Green Travel Washbag – Lorton Print in Smoke design

I was honoured to discover it was their brand new design, due to be released on the market in August 2016.

Victoria Green Travel wash bag in action

Since I received my product, it’s been to some pretty unique and far reaching places; Falmouth in Cornwall where I took a short break, the Greek island of Sifnos and a seven day Aegean Islands cruise around the Mediterranean.  Each time, my travel products have packed neatly into one of the four pockets, it’s folded up and secured well with the popper stud and the added bonus; I can carry it separately if I want with the useful handle.   Also, the clear pouch at the bottom is detachable, meaning I can place make-up items in there and keep it separate.

Victoria Green travel Washbag in use
Victoria Green travel washbag in use

Usually I’m a practical traveller and prefer functionality over aesthetics, but the Victoria Green travel wash-bag, for me, has it all.  Made from 100% polyester it easily wipes clean, can be laid flat out in your bag if you’ve packed a lot of clothes and can’t squeeze the wash bag in folded up.

It’s great for a short break, week’s holiday or a long haul trip.  In fact, Victoria’s products are made with all sorts of different breaks in mind; Long-haul, Mini-break and Gym & Swim meaning there’s a Victoria Green travel wash-bag, make-up bag and even vanity case for all occasions.

Victoria Green Travel Wash-bag facts

  • For sale in UK High Street stores such as Debenhams, FeelUnique, Very.co.uk and Littlewoods. You can also buy direct from her website.
  • From August 2016 her new brands will be on her site, so double check for prices.  There are also regular sales.

Final say

As a regular traveller, it’s great to finally find a travel wash-bag that offers me more than practical use.  I like to be ‘girly’ and the Victoria Green three-way travel-washbag Lorton Print in Smoke design has it all…it gives me the chance to feel fashionable and functional all at the same time.  Thank you, Victoria – I can see it will last me a long time and experience many more future destinations with me.

The Victoria GreenTravel Wash-bag Review

Offline for a while…all at sea

Bex Hall
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2
Offline for a while…all at sea

I bid you farewell for a while, I will be offline.  You see, from 7th to 15th July 2016, I have been invited on board a Celestyal Themed Cruise around the Eastern Aegean sea in the Mediterranean.

Greek Summer Festival Themed Cruise – Women Today.

The cruise is a three or four day itinerary, but I am fortunate enough to join it for the full 7 days.  The ‘Women Today’ themed cruise has a theatrical performance of ‘Shirley Valentine’ – the one character performance of a 1986 Liverpudlian housewife and the before and after transformation after she takes a holiday abroad in Greece (turned into a film in 1989).
It also has a jewellery making workshop, fashion show and…(wait for it…) a book presentation of Girl Gone Greek by yours truly!

Yes!  I have been asked on board to present my novel – I’m so excited!

Itinerary

Here is the 7 day itinerary:

Athens
Mykonos
Kusadasi (Turkey)
Samos
Milos
Athens
(whilst at sea – my presentation will take place!)
Syros
Cesme (Turkey)
Kos
Ios
Santorini
Athens

Off the map – offline

Now then, although I’ll be visiting ports, it basically means I’ll be offline for a good while.  Internet by satellite is expensive on board and besides, it’ll be a good opportunity to have some down time and concentrate on enjoying all these different islands and ports.

And so, if you don’t see anything written by me for a few days, it’s because I’m off, promoting Girl Gone Greek and gathering new material to blog about for you all.

Aye aye Captain!

GGG on Celestyal Cruises 11JUL16

Greece, the UK, the EU Referendum

Bex Hall
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12
Greece, the UK, the EU Referendum

**Warning: Swearing in this post – plus some honest opinions you may not like**

Thank you.

She stepped up to me and embraced me.  I looked and felt a little perplexed.

Your chocolate tonight is free, on me.  You want something else?  Crisps?  Here, these free too.

He placed said items into a bag for me, insisting I take them.

Scenario: I was in my Athenian neighbourhood, had just popped out to buy some chocolate from my local periptero (a place in Greece which is like newsagent, except it’s a tiny huts on streets.  And they even sell paracetamol, beer and wine, not suggested you buy them together). They’re veritable treasure troves and to me, as much a symbol of the Greek nation as the Acropolis and the Greek flag.

Periptero - Rob Wallace from Flickr
Periptero – copyright Rob Wallace from Flickr

Why were these kindly Greek periptero owners offering me free perishables?  It turned out they were thanking me for ‘being British.’ For:

…having a Referendum and the guts to start the ball rolling.

Greek opinion on the British Referendum

As I was being hugged, handed junk food and slapped on the back, it became clear to me.  For well over 6 years now, Greeks (rightly or wrongly) feel they have been bullied by the conditions of the E.U. and actually, having spent a good portion of my time in Greece and seeing the effects first hand of the Troika’s conditions, I can’t blame them.

Many Greeks that I have met admit that they, too, as a nation need to change their outlook and way of operating…to remove the ‘chaos’ that surrounds their policy making (is that even possible though?  Is that not a quintessential part of being Greek?),

But do so offering us help…a constructive way of helping us understand how to change, not bullying and threatening us

says the lady who’d hugged me.

They were thanking me for being British and the Referendum results.

After 23rd June, I have mixed feelings.  On the one hand I was being thanked merely for ‘being English’ – yet I have strange mixed feelings too.

Don’t hug me too hard – and maybe take some of this food back.  I was a Remain voter

I sheepishly admitted.  The woman took a step back.  The man stopped mid way from packaging my perishables.  Is she going to now do a very Greek about turn and slap me?

Look at me, look me in the eye.

I did.  I don’t mind eye contact at the best of times.  But this woman was appraising me, looking through me in that uncanny way the Greeks have, of shining a spotlight right into your soul.

Pah! I see your eyes and heart tell you differently.  You were scared, you voted out of fear.

She took a drag of her cigarette and carried on embracing me.

My eyes widened.  Because in retrospect, she is correct.  I did vote out of fear.

Voting out of fear

This has been a disgusting campaign from both the Remain and Leave camps.  The trump card of the Leave camp was xenophobia, the trump card of the Remain camp was economics (I am grossly simplifying, I know, before you all go huffy puffy on me).

Actually, I would have preferred to not vote at all.  I voted selfishly and out of fear. I love Greece, I love being able to divide my time between my birth country (U.K.) that I increasingly grew to appreciate more and more the more I travelled abroad (note past tense ‘grew’ – I’m not so proud of Britain at the moment). I didn’t want that luxury to change.  I wanted to be able to divide my time between all these beautiful E.U. countries and explore and appreciate their different culture, yet come ‘home’ to green rolling fields, a system that works and isn’t chaotic (chaos over time can cause long term stress).  But I am increasingly becoming unappreciative of my home country lately.

So my head told me to vote ‘Remain’ – and I did.  My heart, well, that Greek lady busy hugging me was spot on.  My heart told me otherwise.  I looked around me…at how a supposed ‘Union’ operated:

  • At their treatment of the Greeks over this prolonged period
  • At the gradual rise and domination of one particular country in Europe (I thought the formation of an E.U. was supposed to stop that?)
  • And the straw that broke the camel’s back for me: the refugee crisis and the E.U’s response (ha!  Lack of) and attitude, once again, towards Greece.

I had my feet firmly in two places.  What do I do?  I was undecided for so long.  I would have preferred this kind of voting card:

New referendum Voting Card - LifeBeyondBordersBlog

So I’m angry.

  • Angry at being placed in this situation to have to decide
  • Angry at the vitriol being played out by the Remain voters (I hear over 1 million want another Referendum.  Can you imagine if Remain won, and the Leave voters demanded this?)
  • Angry that anyone who may have voted Leave is branded a xenophobe (whilst that may be true i.e.: some people voting to leave did so for xenophobic reasons, it’s like saying all muslims are terrorists – oh, wait: someone DID say that, and he’s in the running for President of the U.S.)
  • Angry at BOTH sides of the campaign for, quite frankly, gutter politics.

Are the Greeks xenophobic for thanking me for being British and having the balls to stand up to the E.U.?  No, the Greeks are tired:

  • Tired of years of austerity
  • Tired of more and more measures being imposed on them
  • Tired of the, quite frankly, impossible expectations imposed that are actually not to bail out the people, but the banks.

What’s the answer

I don’t know.  But I do know that I don’t like what the E.U has become:  one country rising as the hegemonic one, as the bully of the bloc.  The EU turned out not to be about unity, but about a ‘do as you’re told’ bulshy school ground bully, although much more dangerous. It’s behaved appallingly in areas such as the refugee crisis and at the end of the day, did you see much of a ‘union’ at work?

Maybe this vote is what’s needed to stop the domination of one country. The notion that we were all a ‘union’ working together was mid-guided and naive. It was one country getting stronger on the decline of others. 

This could be Britain’s 1939 moment all over again.

I may well get anger and vitriol at this blog post I’ve written. But something needed to change.

Maybe this is the start of the shake up that’s needed.  The Greeks I’ve met certainly think so.

 

Falmouth – Cornwall

Bex Hall
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8
Falmouth – Cornwall

After attending the Tiverton Literary Festival in my hometown in Devon and as Devon is the nearest UK county to Cornwall, having never really explored the seaside part of the south Cornish coast, I bundled my father into our car and we took off down the M5/A30 past Exeter to Falmouth.

Route from Tiverton, Devon to Falmouth, Cornwall
Route from Tiverton, Devon to Falmouth, Cornwall

As you can see, it takes approx. 2.5 hours to reach Falmouth, but it’s a picturesque drive skirting the north of Dartmoor National Park and across Bodmin Moor.

Where to stay in Falmouth

There are plenty of hotels and B&B’s to choose from, as well as self-catering options all catering to the size of your group (solo traveller, family, couples, groups) and your budget.  My father and I chose the self-catering option for three nights; Falmouth Bay Holiday Apartments.  With a fully equipped kitchen and spacious two-bedroomed place, it was perfect for a short or even long stay.Normally rented on a weekly basis, I was able to negotiate with the friendly owners and its location – about a 7 min walk to Gyllyngvase Beach – was perfect.

Gyllyngvase Holiday Apartment - Falmouth Bay Holiday Apartments
Gyllyngvase Holiday Apartment – Falmouth Bay Holiday Apartments

What made it even nicer was the Welcome Pack on arrival.  No need to worry about where to find the local supermarket.  They also left fresh milk in the fridge, along with Cornish Clotted cream, scones and jam to make the famous Cream Tea!

Welcome Pack from Falmouth Bay Holiday Apartments
Welcome Pack from Falmouth Bay Holiday Apartments

What to do in Falmouth

Tourist Attractions

The National Maritime Museum of Cornwall is located by the harbour of Falmouth.  Created in 1992 and with its impressive new building built in 1996, there are exhibitions galore such as the Viking Voyagers, plus 15 galleries over 5 floors, showcasing the maritime of the past, present and future of the UK.  It’s great for kids too, with their Viking and Dragons Playzone.  This make the National Maritime Museum of Cornwall a good option for the wet days that you’re bound to have!

national maritime museum cornwall photo
Photo by Capt’ Gorgeous

Pendennis Castle – located on the headland – has protected Falmouth and Cornwall from foreign invasion since Tudor times.  Built in Henry VIII’s reign, it was also used extensively during World War One. Great coastal views, tours of the castle, a First World War exhibition and occasional live reenactments in the summer months, this makes for a great day or afternoon trip.

pendennis castle photo
Photo by Robert.Pittman

For me, however, the highlight of my trip was merely wandering the streets of Falmouth and finding the quirky shops such as this second hand bookshop/pub: the Beerwolves Books. I was in my element!

Beerwolves Books - Falmouth
Beerwolves Books – Falmouth

Or how about this very English scene?

Quitisential English countryside scene. #Falmouth #Cornwall

A photo posted by Rebecca Hall – Travel Writer (@beyondbex) on


The coastal paths, beach (even on a cloudy day) and beach huts all made for lovely walking and moody inspiration.  Whilst it might not be possible for all but the hardy person to brave the waters, it’s still wonderful to stand and gaze out at the view. I’m almost tempted to move down (if I have a spare million pounds to buy a house with a view).

Fabulous beach huts in #Falmouth #Cornwall. Such a joy to wander along the beach and come across these on a British summer’s evening

A photo posted by Rebecca Hall – Travel Writer (@beyondbex) on

Beach huts are a strange British phenomena.  They became popular around most of the British coastline around the early part of the twentieth century, mainly because the bathing huts where men and women changed separately and walked straight into the water were becoming cumbersome to keep lugging into the water.  The beach hut was a great way to combat this; get changed in private, go into the sea.  In fact, the initial beach huts were the abandoned bathing machines with their wheels removed and placed on land!

Nowadays beach huts can be rented or owned and as they are becoming very fashionable now, ranging in cost from £6,000 to £35,000 to buy!  That really is saying something, considering there are by-laws that state you cannot sleep overnight in them.  They range in size, but the average one is 8′ x 12′ (feet) with a height of 6′ 9” (feet and inches) and most people have bottled gas stoves inside to make themselves that very British cup of tea whilst huddling in a blanket or towel because it’s too cold to go inside the water.

However, if I had some spare money, I would certainly consider renting one for a short period of time.  I like the idea of them and could happily stay on one all day, writing away.

I loved Falmouth and would go back in a flash.  I hope to visit again one day.

Pin for later

Explore FalmouthCornwall

 

Tiverton Literary Festival – Devon

Bex Hall
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Tiverton Literary Festival – Devon

Tiverton is a small market town based in mid-Devon, in the South West of the UK.  I’ve written about it before here as it’s the place I grew up in as a teenager before spreading my wings further afield.  Take a look at that post to see what’s on offer in this quaint town.  This time, coming home I found myself asked to take part in the Tiverton Literary Festival.  In its second year, the Festival is the brainchild of a wonderful locally based author Jenny Kane (one of her many pseudonyms).  I was really honoured (and nervous!) to be asked to take part – but it was an event that turned out to be informative and fun.

Tiverton Literary Festival Workshops

The event kicked off on Wednesday 8th June 2016 at 2pm with an Historical Fiction Masterclass.  This was swiftly followed by ‘tea and chat’ with authors Jenny Kane and Devon based historical fiction author Michael Jenks, aptly located in a small room in the grounds of Tiverton Castle.  It was wonderful to glean writer’s tips from local talent, especially as writing can be lonely work.  For me, it was good to realise I’m not alone and not punish myself if I can’t write hundreds of thousands of words daily!

Tiverton Castle - one of the locations for the Tiverton Literary Festival
Tiverton Castle – one of the locations for the Tiverton Literary Festival

Throughout the week there were a variety of workshops and talks, all in different locations around the town ranging from the Town Hall, The Oak Room (a small art gallery/cafe/old church hall) and the Tiverton Museum.  I must admit, for a small town I didn’t even know so many different spots existed to explore!

The most interesting talk for me was a discussion with Faisal Islam, Political Editor for SKY News who came down to discuss the E.U. Referendum and talk about the consequences.  Interesting for me because his 2013 book; The Default Line gave some insights into the economic situation in Greece, where I spend a lot of my time and worked.

Invite to present to the High School

On Thursday 9th June 2016 I was invited to come and talk to two different classes at the local secondary school.  How did I feel about this?  Nervous!  From my experience of teaching English in Greece, I know kids can actually be your harshest audience, and therefore this’d give me good practice before my talk in the Town Hall on Saturday 11th.

What could I talk about to two large groups of Year 9 students (aged 14 years)?  I settled on talking about my work as a Travel Writer for Rough Guides and the transition into penning my debut novel Girl Gone Greek.

It seemed to go down well – I was chuffed that the students were quiet and seemed to listen, and asked questions!  A few were interested in the difference between Greek and English schools (that’s a whole blogpost in itself, but it was nice to be able to answer questions).  It was an honour and privilege to be invited to the school to present – and to meet the great teachers who continue to inspire these kids.

Author market – Tiverton Literary Festival

Saturday 11th June dawned bright and early.  Fellow locally based author Chrissie Parker, who has also penned a novel, Among The Olive Groves – historical fiction based on the Greek island of Zakynthos, joined me in our goal to promote Greece in the Author’s Market in the hall of St. George’s Church.

Flying the flag of Greece, we were determined to promote the country in our way; selling our novels, Greek candies on offer for those who purchased one and persuade people to go on holiday there!

Promoting Greece with Chrissie Parker - Author at St George's Church Hall - Tiverton Literary Festival
Promoting Greece with Chrissie Parker – Author at St George’s Church Hall – Tiverton Literary Festival

Town Hall talk – Tiverton Literary Festival

Jenny Kane Introducing me at the Tiverton Literary Festival
Jenny Kane Introducing me at the Tiverton Literary Festival

2pm came around very quickly, and it was my turn to present in the Mayor’s Room of Tiverton Town Hall.  Feeling nervous as hell, it turned out I didn’t need to be as Jenny Kane bigged me up somewhat in her introduction…and off I launched into tales of the transition from local girl to travelling and writing for Rough Guide to Greece and then penning Girl Gone Greek.  It seemed to be well received and again, at the end people asked questions and took free tea and cake – a good enough reason to come!

Presenting in the Mayor's Room - Tiverton Town Hall - Tiverton Literary Festival 2016
Presenting in the Mayor’s Room – Tiverton Town Hall – Tiverton Literary Festival 2016

For a small town in mid-Devon, the Tiverton Literary Festival attracted a wide audience and interesting crowd.  I loved speaking to the High School students and hope they’re motivated to explore a career in travel writing, and realise that it’s OK not to necessarily follow the route of school, A-Levels, Uni, job, marriage, kids, retire, die. I certainly tried to steer them away from that thought process, and I think the teachers appreciated it too!

I look forward to the third year of the Tiverton Literary Festival in 2017.  A HUGE thank you to Tiverton Community Radio for interviewing me and promoting Girl Gone Greek – you can listen to my interview here, as well as interviews with other participants of the Festival.

Tiverton Literary Festival 2016 - LifeBeyondBordersBlog.com

Impact Hub – Athens

Bex Hall
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2
Impact Hub – Athens

You’re a travel blogger, a remote or location independent worker. You’re coming to Athens, Greece for a short or mid-period of time and whilst you may’ve rented a great AirBNB apartment to base yourself, and it comes with Wi-Fi, because you’ll be around for a while, you don’t want to fall into the trap of isolating yourself in a new city and just stay at home all day, working.  Where can you go?  This is where Impact Hub comes in.

What is Impact Hub?

I’ve recently fallen into the category of remote worker and am having to be really strict with myself to not think

Ohh!  I can laze in bed ’till about 11am

The problem with this is that I quickly become lazy.  I need a different routine for myself.  And so I started to investigate the idea of actually leaving my house to go and work, like leaving for an office.  A reason to get dressed and not sit in my pyjamas typing my latest blog post! (I am sure there are those remote workers out there who are nodding along – I hope so anyway, otherwise it means I’m totally alone in this!)  This is where Impact Hub came in.

Co-working space

Just minutes from the centre of touristy Athens – Monastiraki or Thissio station being the nearest metro stops – in the small district of Psirri lies Impact Hub.

Location of Impact Hub Athens
Location of Impact Hub Athens

It’s a beautiful two story town house, lovingly restored into a co-working / meeting space.  Perfect for the person who wants to pop in and spend a few hours or the whole day immersed in their work, but also surrounded by other like minded people.

Courtyard Of Impact Hub
Courtyard Of Impact Hub
Opening hours and prices of co-working space at Impact Hub Athens

09:00 – 21:00 (9am – 9pm) so if you wanted to, you could come for a whole day. Check here for their prices (part of the section of this site in Greek, scroll down for English package prices) AND NOTE: the prices are excluding VAT which currently seems to keep changing on a daily basis, I’m not kidding.

The great thing about Impact Hub’s location is how central it is, and it’s literally across the road from Little KooK themed cafe.  So  if a change of scenery is required, then why not pop in for a cake/dessert at this fairytale location?

Tip

If you’re staying for any great length of time in the city, you can negotiate with the staff a special package that is different from these stated prices.  As with most things in Greece, negotiation is the key.

On the day I went, I spent most of the day there and paid €10 (Euros).  This included use of the premises and helped myself to tea/coffee and water.

Co-working space inside Impact Hub Athens
Co-working space inside Impact Hub Athens

Impact Hub as a Community

If you find yourself in Athens for any great length of time, check with the staff as to community and networking events that it’s possible to attend.  Hell, you might even want to suggest an event or presentation!  They’re very open to ideas and getting people together and encourage it.

You can also rent the space for any event and rent meeting rooms, of which there are a selection (scroll down the link to see the idea of size and selection of meeting rooms to rent).

My conclusion of Impact Hub Athens

OK, in all honesty it is not somewhere I feel I could afford to go on a weekly basis.  I’m not the sort of person who can work in a coffee shop, and unfortunately Greece (Athens, at least) is not accommodating on public library spaces with internet facilities (unless anyone can correct me?  I’ve looked, really, I have!) so I use Impact Hub as a treat, not as a ‘normal’ daily working space.  I think that way, it gives me:

  1. Something to look forward to
  2. A reason to get out of my pyjamas!

Info

Impact Hub operates in 49 countries:

  • 11 locations in Africa and the Middle East
  • 9 locations in Asia
  • 41 locations in Europe
  • 13 locations in Latin America and the Caribbean
  • 16 locations in America (note: None in Canada as yet!  Who wants to get the ball rolling and set one up in, Toronto, Vancouver, etc??)
  • None in Australia or New Zealand or Canada (see above).
Impact Hub Athens
Impact Hub Athens

Fund your travels with TEFL?

Bex Hall
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Fund your travels with TEFL?

Many of you will know; prior to my life as a travel writer, I trained as a TEFL teacher and taught in Greece for over 5 years.

I recently read a really interesting article about “10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Teaching TEFL” and it raised some interesting questions in me, specifically points:

#3: “How much effort are you prepared to put into the job?”

#4: “What Kind of Commitment Can You Make?”

#8: “Do You Have The Patience?”

#10: “Do You Think You’ll Be A Good Teacher?”

There are a lot of articles out there that exult the merits of TEFL as a way to ‘help fund your way around the globe’ and being the #1 job in listicles for  “Best Travel Jobs”.   In fact, in my debut novel Girl Gone Greek (loosely based on my experiences in my first year teaching English in a small Greek village), the protagonist comments, as she is waiting to take her one month TEFL course:

“There was a part of me that agreed with Ugly Big Sister; that [this course] would be the ideal opportunity for me to bum around the world for a while before making up my mind what to do with my life…”

Source: Girl Gone Greek by Rebecca A. Hall

But should TEFL be viewed as just a way to find your worldwide travels?  Let’s look at the points about that particularly jumped out at me.

How much effort are you prepared to put into [TEFL teaching]?

I often wonder if people mistakenly think that TEFL doesn’t constitute a full day’s work (as a lot of classes -well, in Europe anyway), are taken after school hours in the evening (unless you teach business English).  So you could spend the morning on the beach, or maybe even after work the night before go out for a ‘late one’ with your newly formed friends.

But there’s marking to do – a lot of it.  There’s lessons to prepare for the next day.  There’s students to talk to and re-assure if they have anything they want to talk to you about.  It’s not really a job that you switch off from, you have responsibilities to your students.

What kind of commitment can you make to [TEFL teaching]?

This one’s a tricky one.  I’m coming from the angle of short term teaching, not necessarily basing yourself in a country and teaching TEFL long term.

Is volunteering to teach English in a developing country a good thing, to go in and do your three or four weeks, then come away feeling you’ve made a difference?   Who have you made a difference to; the students, or yourself?  No doubt it’s interesting for the students to be exposed to different teachers from different nationalities…but is the ‘drop in / drop out’ again nature of volunteerism really making a difference?  There are TEFL courses designed specifically for this purpose; weekend courses that are actually more about teaching cultural difference and life in a different country, not necessarily a full month’s course where you’re taught English grammar such as the different between Present Continuous and Present Simple.

A better description would be ‘Cultural Exchange’ – but how is it ‘helping’ to go to a developing country with postcards of your own culture and talk about life in England/Canada/USA?  Is it fair to drop into a country, talk about your customs and culture, then fly out again feeling as if you’ve gained meaningful insight?  I ask the same question as above; who are you really doing this for?

Again, I could be completely mis-guided so do feel free to correct me in the Comments if you like.

Do you have the patience [for TEFL teaching]?

Yes, this is a question I found I asked myself time and time again, even as I was teaching!  Kids in particular take it out of you.  Lessons never go to plan, so even if you’ve planned a super dooper lesson with all sorts of visuals, be prepared to have to ‘shoot from the hip’ and adjust to their mood on the day.  Kids deserve patience, understanding and to be listened to, irrespective of if you’re a TEFL teacher or full time teacher, irrespective if you’ve a headache, had a bad day or an argument with the Head of English.  Kids are special human beings; they’re malleable and sensitive to the environment.  We have a duty to them.                 OK, off my soap box!

Do you think you’ll be a good teacher?

I feel I’ve covered a lot of this above.  Teaching takes up your whole personality – whether a ‘proper teacher’ (as my character’s sister referred to herself in Girl Gone Greek) or a TEFL teacher.  Remember – we have a duty to kids (or whoever we’re teaching).

In summary, I feel teaching TEFL should be taken just as seriously as if you’re a full time teacher in a school in your home country.  If you were to stay in your own country and be a teacher of English, ask yourself these questions.  If you honestly feel you’re not suited to it, why should you be suited to it just because you’re in another country?

I guess I consider TEFL:

  1. As a vocation
  2. Yes, as a way to integrate into a culture – but taken very much hand in hand with #1

The minute I felt #1 started to disappear, I knew it was time for me to make a change…to head in a new direction (writing.  This was my hobby that then started to overtake my ‘day job’).

Would love to hear your opinions…and of course, I am prepared to be ‘disagreed’ with.

Featured image sources: Justin Vidamo on Flickr and Christine und Hagen Graf on Flickr

Rejuvenate at Live-Bio, Greece

Bex Hall
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Rejuvenate at Live-Bio, Greece

**Note: Despite any complimentary services received, all thoughts and opinions remain my own**

Through friends of friends of friends (as is the way in Greece), I came to hear about Live-Bio and was put in touch with Periklis and Magdalena, a young couple with a dream and vision to make their dream a reality: to create not just a place to stay surrounded by beauty and nature, but;

a small community hub for visitors and the local population

The couple have a beautiful property they have converted into 50 square meter apartments with the piece de resistance being the views from your balcony.  Take a look here to read more about why this young couple decided to drop professional life in order to harness their love of nature, local produce and people-centred experiences.
Imagine my delight when they offered me the chance to come and experience Live-Bio for myself, which I did over Greek Easter 2016.

Location of Live-Bio

Location of Live-Bio in relation to Poros Island
Location of Live-Bio in relation to Poros Island

Live-Bio is actually in the Peloponnese region of Greece, but the best way to reach there is to take a ferry to the island of Poros (about 1.5 – 2 hrs away by ferry from Piraeus).  I like taking the ‘slow’ ferry.  It takes roughly 2 hours but I like being able to walk around on deck and not be cooped up inside a big ‘flying sea cat’ that yes, granted takes you to your destination quicker – but to me, being at sea and enjoying the views is all part of the enjoyment. Greek ferry timetable here.

The journey to Poros and Live-Bio
The journey to Poros and Live-Bio

Once you reach Poros and disembark, you go to the small ticket booth of the ‘roll-on/off’ ferry that, for €0.70c (for a foot passenger) takes you on a 5 min journey back across the water to the small Peloponnese town of Galatas, where Magda or Periklis will come and meet you to whisk to away to their property in the hills, above Galatas and with sweeping vistas from your balcony back towards Poros, Poros Town (the capital) and the sea beyond.

Live-Bio accommodation and views, Galatas, Peloponnese
Live-Bio accommodation in Galatas, Peloponnese.  The gorgeous views to Poros Town

What to do at Live-Bio

As mentioned previously, Magda and Periklis are keen to help you make the most of your stay.  However, they also know not to be pushy and intrude upon your private time, so they are there as a constant backdrop, on-hand with advise, even willing to join and take you places if needs be.  In your room you’ll find a brief guide to the area and suggested things to do such as sailing trips, day trips to Poros and the local Peloponnese spa town of Methana (not very well marketed or advertised, hence not to popular with tourists outside of Greece making it a perfect place to explore) – all with a suggestion by Magda and Periklis as to why they recommend going.

Things to do and places to eat as suggested by Live-Bio
Things to do and places to eat as suggested by Live-Bio

My Live-Bio experience

As mentioned previously, I was offered the opportunity to experience Greek Easter at Live-Bio.  Easter in Greece is the biggest celebration of the year, bigger than Christmas.  I arrived on the Thursday before Good Friday and was met my Magda from the roll on/off ferry.  A short drive through Galatas and up through the olive groves lead me to Live-Bio.

As I was guests of Periklis and Magda over the weekend, I had a deliciously simple dinner with them, catching up on their news and agreeing we’d take it easy over the weekend.  There were other guests staying who were also keen to experience Greek Easter.

Good Friday dawned and Magda and I took a slow wander through the olive groves behind their property to Galatas Town for the ubiquitous Greek coffee and pastry that can take up to three or four hours to consume.


The procession on Good Friday evening is important as the ‘body of Christ’ leaves from the local church and many of the villagers all meet at the church and wander through town holding candles, all congregating at a central point.

Easter in Galatas, Peloponesse, #Greece with @livebioeveryday

A photo posted by Rebecca Hall – Travel Writer (@beyondbex) on

Afterwards, our group gathered in a taverna to eat calamari, octopus and vegetarian dishes (no meat until midnight on Easter Saturday, as Greek Easter tradition dictates) and we fell into bed at about 2:30am

Saturday was a relaxing day – I decided to head on over to Poros and take a look around.  Magda and I drove into Galatas Town, parked up and took at water taxi (7 mins) for €1.00 across to Poros and then a taxi up to the Monastery.  What a relaxing place to sit, soak up the spring sunshine and drink a coffee.

Chapel by the Monastery and Monastery Bay in Poros, Greece
Chapel by the Monastery and Monastery Bay in Poros, Greece

Easter Sunday at Live-Bio

All the guests staying at Live-Bio had been invited, in true Greek style, to share Easter Sunday with friends of Periklis and Magda’s on their farm in Galatas.  As you can see, the food was plentiful as was the music, wine, celebrations and dancing.

Easter Sunday food - Live Bio
Easter Sunday food – Live Bio

Facts about Live-Bio

  • Take the ferry to Poros from Piraeus, then ferry from Poros to Galatas.
  • If you take a fast Dolphin ferry to Poros, you’ll take a water taxi to Galatas (located right next to where the Dolphin’s disembark – cost: €1.00 for the water taxi)
  • Alternatively, you can take the bus from Athens or drive to Galatas (remember, it’s on the mainland in the Peloponnese) and it takes roughly 2.5 hours (about the same as the slow ferry ride to Poros).
  • If you take the slow ferry to Poros, you’ll take the slower roll on/off ferry to Galatas (€0.70)
  • Live-Bio are a set of 50 sqm apartments located on the hill just outside of Galatas.  They come with open plan kitchen/living and bedroom and bathroom.
  • Each apartment can comfortably accommodate 2 adults and 2 kids
  • Car hire is available in Galatas starting at approx. €35 a day (small car)
  • On request, Live-Bio can provide breakfast (at extra cost).  Anything from €8 to €15, depending on what you require.  They can provide fresh fruits, yogurt, pastries from the local bakery/coffee shop (which delivers), fresh orange juice and coffee/tea.  The higher price range for breakfast could also include an egg dish such as an omelette or scrambled egg with feta cheese – depending on what you fancy.

Would I return?  I feel there’s so much more in the area I’d like to see, so next time I’d like to take advantage of the car hire options in Galatas and explore the region more.  What, for me, was perfect about Live-Bio was the fact that it’s in a pretty non-touristy region of Greece – with the option of visiting slightly more touristy Poros – just a stone’s throw away – if I wanted to.  Galatas is a local Greek village where every day Greek life can be observed.  The location of Live-Bio, for me, was perfect, and who can forget those views!

Come and explore Live-Bio LifeBeyondBordersBlog

Santa Cruz California

Bex Hall
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Santa Cruz California

I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to various places in the U.S; New York, Seattle and a Green Tortoise trip way back in 2004 – from coast to coast (west to east). There are other places I’d love to visit – America is such a diverse country.  Santa Cruz, California, I have to admit, was not on my initial U.S. Bucket List of Destinations, until I started digging.

Santa Cruz California – Location & Climate

Santa Cruz - California. Where it is
Santa Cruz – California. Where it is

Located approx. 51km (32 miles) south of San Jose, 120km (75 miles) south of San Francisco and on the northern edge of Monterey Bay, Santa Cruz means Holy Cross in Spanish and enjoys a mild, Mediterranean climate throughout the year.  July to September averages at about 23 degrees C whilst in January to March, you’re looking at about 15 to 18 degrees C.  So far so good – the temperatures sound moderate to me; not too hot or cold.
Apparently, due to its location on the Monterey Coast, fog can roll in during the night/early hours of the morning, especially in the summer.

Santa Cruz California: a little history

Apparently, before the 18th century (when the Spanish soldiers, missionaries and colonists came), Santa Cruz was inhabited by the Awaswas Native American tribe.   More information about Santa Cruz’s history can be read here. Find out about the Santa Cruz Mission, how Santa Cruz, in recent history (2011) was affected by the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami and the city’s stance and efforts on Social Activism.
Nowadays, tourism plays a big role in the income source for Santa Cruz (along with agriculture and high technology), with Pacific Avenue – the main thoroughfare of the city – offering a variety of shops and home to many eclectic arts such as street musicians and performers.  Lest we forget the beaches, Broadwalk (the major seaside amusement park on the Pacific Coast), hiking in state parks, whale and bird watching – let’s take a look at what to do in Santa Cruz; you’ll see why this city has whetted my appetite to visit.

Things to do in Santa Cruz California

Outdoors

Having stumbled across the comprehensive site of Things to do in Santa Cruz, I learnt all about Santa Cruz County’s 29 mile stretch of beaches, many offering a variety of wildlife such as elephant seals (Ano Nuevo State Park), Greyhound Rock Beach which offers bird and whale watching opportunities as well as hiking and scuba diving among many others.  Take a look at the list of beaches and their activities.  All offer amazing sunsets.

Ano Nuevo State Park photo
Photo by vonlohmann – Ano Nuevo State Park – Santa Cruz California

I’m not much of a hiker, but even the 80 miles of trails offered in Big Basin Redwoods State Park sounds amazing.  I’ve seen pictures of the amazon Californian Redwood Trees, and this state park’s 2,000 year old Redwoods offer, as would be expected, ample opportunity to view bird and wildlife.

Big Basin Redwoods State Park photo
Photo by MiguelVieira – Big Basin Redwoods State Park – Santa Cruz California
Shopping

As mentioned above, Pacific Avenue offers a wealth of eclectic shops.  These include homemade jewellery stores, antiques, vintage stores, household furnishings, natural hemp clothing (yes, truly!) and art galleries. Here is a comprehensive list of shops you can expect to find if shopping is your thing.

Attractions

From the surfing museum, famous Broadwalk and Santa Cruz wharf, I really don’t think I’ll be short of attractions to visit when I eventually make it to this neck of the woods.

santa cruz broadwalk photo
Photo by mdornseif – Santa Cruz California Broadwalk – the major seaside amusement park on the Pacific coast.

As I said, Santa Cruz California wasn’t necessarily on my bucket list – I preferred the rather more obvious San Francisco.  But having researched, I can honestly say that as it’s only a (roughly) 75 minute drive from San Francisco down the coast, why not make a road trip of it one day.  Anyone with me?

Thank you to Things to Do in Santa Cruz for allowing me to craft this post.

Featured picture image credits:  © Davide D’Amico and Dennis Jarvis of Flickr – CreativeCommons Commercial Use Allowed Licence.

Come and explore Santa Cruz California. Photo credits Eric Chan and Marika - Flickr Creative Commons
Come and explore Santa Cruz California. Photo credits © Eric Chan and Marika – Flickr Creative Commons

 

Scrubba Wash Bag ©

Bex Hall
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5
Scrubba Wash Bag ©

**This item was provided to Life Beyond Borders for a fair and honest review.**

As a traveller, it means I’m on the road a fair amount, whether for a long(ish) or short time.  However long I’m away for, I like to try to pack the minimum amount of clothes as it saves space. Doing so means having to wash clothes a little more often than I’d like to – and rather than take a shower with my clothes on (yes, it’s been done in the past before) or ruin my knuckles in a sink, or spend a fortune on hotel laundry or waste time trying to source a laundromat, I saw the Scrubba Wash Bag© and decided to give it a go.  More specifically, I used it on my trip to Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and Portugal.


Demonstrating how to use the Scrubba Wash Bag ©

What makes it so easy to use?

What makes it so effective is the flexible internal rubber nobbles that act like a scrubbing board, literally. As you’ve seen from my demonstration above:

  1. Fill the bag with clothes
  2. Fill the bag with water and liquid soap
  3. Roll and clip together
  4. Release any trapped air
  5. Scrub / wash away!

The longer you scrub, the cleaner your clothes will be.  The Scrubba site recommends about:

three minutes for a machine quality wash.

I actually found a more fun way to wash – this time using my feet.  It was like a reflexology massage:

Scrubba Wash Bag©  – ideal for camping

Back in the summer of 2015 I went to the Pacific Northwest of the U.S and went ‘glamping.’  Oh how I wish I’d had the scrubba then!  it’s a really useful item to take camping with you as it doesn’t take up too much room in your suitcase.

Photos © Scrubba Washbag
Photos © Scrubba Washbag

Comments about the Scrubba Washbag ©

My only observation would be is that it takes quite a while (and a little effort) to squeeze the air out.

Tip: Squeeze from the top of the air piece – it goes slightly quicker

You’ll also note from my first video I didn’t clip the bag together properly, so the water came out.  It’s easily remedied, if you roll and clip it the correct way (not like I did at first, but hey – we’re all human!)

The Scrubba Washbag © comes with detailed instructions anyway, so you can’t go wrong.  I take it with me everywhere I go now, even on weekend trips.  And it’s even good for washing thick clothing like jeans.

The Scrubba Washbag retails at USD$55.00 and details of how to order one from their site can be found here.

In which I try out the @scrubbabag whilst travelling in #Holland Check out my video on #YouTube – Leaving Cairo / Life Beyond Borders

A photo posted by Rebecca Hall – Travel Writer (@beyondbex) on

Rotterdam – Fotomuseum and Hotel New York

Bex Hall
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2
Rotterdam – Fotomuseum and Hotel New York

**My visit to Rotterdam was arranged by Rotterdam Partners and I stayed at the Inntel Rotterdam. As always, all thoughts and opinions remain my own, despite any complimentary services received**

My second full day in Rotterdam dawned grey and cold.  After a hearty buffet breakfast at the Inntel Rotterdam, I braved a walk across the Erasmus Bridge to the southern part of Rotterdam, where the Netherlands FotoMuseum and Hotel New York are located.

With nothing to protect me from the elements (except my hat, gloves, coat and scarf), the wind howled across the Erasmus Bridge and the brisk 20 minute walk did, admittedly, feel like it took forever!  I was looking forward to being amongst buildings to protect against the sleet, and to warm up.

Immediately across the Erasmus Bridge, you get the feel you’re in the older part of Rotterdam – the port district.  It’s here the cruise terminal is, and the surrounding buildings reflected the past docklands feel, yet – as with London – regenerated to make fantastic living quarters.

Rotterdam's Maritime District
Rotterdam’s Maritime District

Netherlands FotoMuseum

…the leading national museum of photography in the Netherlands…

Source

…houses an impressive collection of more than 5,000,000 photos and a Library (open Wednesday’s and Friday’s; 13:00 – 17:00).  Located on three levels, as well as Dutch photography, the museum also hosts international exhibitions, with approx. 10 different exhibitions yearly.

I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge museum fan in general and didn’t really know what to expect of a ‘fotomuseum’; history of photography?  The day I visited in February 2016, the two exhibitions which really grabbed my eye were:

Polaroids by Ulay (Frank Uwe Laysiepen) – a collection of the photographer’s dedicated to his Polaroid work

Polaroid Exhibition - Netherlands FotoMuseum - Rotterdam
Polaroid Exhibition – Netherlands FotoMuseum – Rotterdam

and Dutch Artist, Toon Michiels’ “American Neon Signs – Day and Night.” I particularly enjoyed browsing through this as I noted the vast difference between the signs in day and night.  Far from looking gaudy, some actually looked quite pretty.

American Neon Signs – Day and Night Exhibition at the @nlfotomuseum @rotterdam_info

A photo posted by Rebecca Hall (@beyondbex) on

Collage of further collections at the Netherlands Foto Museum - Rotterdam
Collage of further collections at the Netherlands Foto Museum – Rotterdam

After a pleasant hour and a half, where I was converted to liking museums – at least photography museums – I braved the still freezing weather to walk further down the street to the former Holland America Lines Head office, where Hotel New York is now located.

Hotel New York

Hotel New York is situated in the beautiful former head office of the Holland America Line. From here, thousands of emigrants left for North America, hoping for a better life. Nowadays, people come here to sleep, celebrate, eat, drink and do business in a special atmosphere. Source

I hadn’t come to sleep there – but did want to experience lunch at this place as I’d been told of the splendour of the interior – and the good food in the restaurant.

I was informed that if I hadn’t booked a table, I would, indeed, have to wait or I could seat myself at the bar.  Happy to do so, I chose an avocado salad from the extensive menu and took in my surroundings from my vantage point.  It’s thought that the restaurant is housed in the former departure hall of Holland America Lines, and this is reflected in its high ceilings, nautical theme and overall grandeur of the place.

Bar area of Hotel New York - Rotterdam
View of the restaurant area from the bar of Hotel New York – Rotterdam
Hotel New York - Rotterdam
Hotel New York – Rotterdam

After purchasing a few gifts from the giftshop at the entrance, I battled with the elements back across the Erasmus Bridge to my Inntel Hotel and chose to relax for the rest of the afternoon.

My time in Rotterdam was short.  But the programme arranged for me by Rotterdam Partners was enough of a taster to tempt me to promise myself I will be back.  And next time I’ll be more familiar with the city and can glide around like a local!

In conclusion: Don’t overlook Rotterdam when planning a trip to the Netherlands.  It’s more than just a port town or cruise stop off point, as I hope my posts have proved.

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Rotterdam – Cube Houses and Markthal

Bex Hall
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Rotterdam – Cube Houses and Markthal

**My visit to Rotterdam was arranged by Rotterdam Partners and I stayed at the Inntel Rotterdam. As always, all thoughts and opinions remain my own, despite any complimentary services received**

My first full day in Rotterdam entailed a visit to the Cube Houses, the famous Markthal – indoor market and the Luchtsingel Bridge as well as a lunch date with Rotterdam Partners in Hopper’s, North Rotterdam.  Luckily the sun was shining and the day, whilst very cold, made it nice to wander around wrapped up and sample the delights of Rotterdam.

Cube Houses

Architect Piet Blom designed the Cube Houses and construction was started in 1982, completed in 1984.  They’re distinctive for their treehouse look.  Blom’s thought process was to:

…create a kind of village within a town, a safe oasis where several functions could take place: small scale businesses, shops, a school and a children’s playground downstairs, with housing upstairs. Source.

And like a treehouse it certainly did look!  Not really knowing what to expect, with excitement I made my way to the waterfront area of Rotterdam (the ‘treehouses’ are located by Metro/Tram stop ‘Blaak’ and almost opposite the Markthal).  I walked from my hotel – near the Erasmus Bridge – and it took me about 15 mins to reach my destination.

Cubehouses - Rotterdam
Cubehouses – Rotterdam

There are 38 Cubehouses in total; 36 are lived in, one is a Museum and one on AirBNB.  The Museum costs €2.50 for Adults and you can wander around and see what an interior looks like – more like a show home.  The show home was created because the residents of the Cubes were fed up with the general public wandering around outside, trying to catch glimpses of life inside!

Inside

The inside of a Cube has three floors: Lower = living space in the shape of a triangle with a built in kitchen in one corner, a toilet and shower space (like a cabin shower) and space for a sofa and desk for computer/T.V., etc.  Middle = two separate bedrooms and then a mezzanine level in the ‘roof’ of the Cube (accessed by ladder) with room for a small mattress – a three-sided pyramid with windows all around.  Great for a sunroom.

Steep stairs, Kitchen and Living are of Cubehouse
Steep stairs, Kitchen and Living are of Cubehouse, Rotterdam
Bedroom and Mezzanaine level of Cubehouse - with skylight
Bedroom and Mezzanaine level of Cubehouse, Rotterdam – with skylight

I would love to stay in a Cubehouse and might look at the AirBNB option next time I come to Rotterdam!  Do read more about the Cubehouses and their history in the various links above (in blue).  I certainly enjoyed my visit to them and can see that this is one example of how Rotterdam has architecturally improved since its obliteration in World War II.

Markthal

Next stop was the Markthal.  Located a stone’s throw from the Cubehouses, I made my way over to the magnificent arch structure with over 4000 colourful tiles inside that forms the largest artwork in the Netherlands.

Open 7 days a week until 8pm, you can park and shop and, most importantly, eat!  There are over 15 food outlets to choose from, and 8 restaurants.  I enjoyed wandering around the stalls and sat down to drink a cup of hot chocolate.

Food stalls at the Markthal, Rotterdam
Food stalls at the Markthal, Rotterdam

North Rotterdam and Luchtsingel Bridge

A tram ride later to the more working-class district of North Rotterdam (but no less beautiful) and my lunch date with Anne Klapmuts of Rotterdam Partners.  Wandering along the canal to Hopper’s – a coffee roaster’s and ‘artisan bakery’, it was lovely to see a swan gliding gently along, and to view the street art in the area.

A delicious homemade tomato soup and mint tea (really mint leaves with hot water) later, I was ready to explore Luchtsingel Bridge.

Wildlife and delicious lunch in North Rotterdam
Wildlife and delicious lunch in North Rotterdam

Luchtsingel

The Bridge – a 390 metre pedestrian wooden structure that links North Rotterdam to the Centre.  – is pretty distinctive for its street art design, and 17,000 yellow boards.  It brightens up an otherwise slightly greyish area.  The ‘centre’ side ends in Station Hofplein, which now houses trendy jazz clubs and trendy shops in its arches.  On a bleak day, it made a colourful walk back to the hotel, where I kicked off my shoes and relaxed for the evening, after a full day exploring.

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My first day in Rotterdam

Bex Hall
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My first day in Rotterdam

**My visit to Rotterdam was arranged by Rotterdam Partners and I stayed at the Inntel Rotterdam. As always, all thoughts and opinions remain my own, despite any complimentary services received**

I’d never been to the Netherlands  As I’m a fan of sunshine, endless coffee and sunny, warm people (hence why I choose to live in Greece) and not cold, rainy weather and dour Northern Europeans who have a language that manages to sound both harsh and as if they want to beat you up or break into song when they speak, I was a little reticent about visiting Rotterdam.  After all, it’s just a huge, cold, grey industrial port town – isn’t it? Eat your words, Bex, and be prepared to be humbled.

Rotterdam – a bit of background.

Lonely Planet has voted one of the top 10 cities to visit in 2016 – Best In Travel 2016.  Holland’s second largest city (after Amsterdam), Rotterdam really was obliterated in World War II and, I guess, since then has continued to grow and be rebuilt in innovative ways.  It is a popular cruise stop for many, but as I discovered in my three days of being hosted, it’s so much more than just a place to stop off for a few hours.  And so much more than a grey, industrial cold city (although the weather was cold in February…so wrap up warm!)

Transavia

My adventure started when I boarded my Transavia flight to Amsterdam.   Transavia is the low cost carrier of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.  It offers fantastic fares – the service was efficient, friendly even (a lot of low-cost carriers cut back on the friendliness of staff in favour of efficiency, not Transavia) and the usual applied regarding low cost carriers: be prepared to pay extra to reserve a seat, to put luggage in the hold, etc. My only observation is that the seat pitch seems to be small – i.e.: I felt squashed into the seat (and I am not huge by any means!  I’m a healthy UK size 12) and my knees did seem to touch the seat in front – this is a first for me on a low-cost carrier.  I haven’t had this experience on Ryanair even.   Still, it’s not as if it was a long-haul flight, so I could overlook this.

Transavia

Amsterdam to Rotterdam

What’s really great about the Netherlands is how efficient everything is.  Amsterdam Schipol is huge, so the Passport control guys meet you as soon as you exit the plane.  They wait for you by the jetty and check your passports, then you’re on your way to collect your baggage, and off you go!  In fact, as soon as we’d landed and were taxying to our jetty, the crew announced which baggage carousel number we could collect our bags from.  Super efficient.

I had my train ticket already, so with clear signage I made my way to the station and platform.  There is a direct train from Amsterdam Airport to Rotterdam Centraal – it’s nothing special but it’s fast and efficient, if not necessarily comfortable (notice a trend?  I am using the word ‘efficient’ a lot.   You can tell I’m in Northern Europe).

Hotel Inntel

Rotterdam Partners had booked me into Hotel Inntel, Rotterdam. Located at Metro stop Leuvehaven, it’s literally only 2 or 3 stops from Rotterdam Central station by Metro.  A three day public transport card costs €16.50 and can be used on Metro, tram and bus around the city – unlimited. Hotel Inntel is right opposite Leuvehaven Metro and is  located by the Erasmus Bridge, the 800 meter long swan-designed structure that links North and South Rotterdam.  My room looked right out over the bridge.

Swan Bridge of Rotterdam

The Hotel was a mix between a business accommodation and suitable for tourists.  It’s clean, comfortable and the staff friendly and (yes, you’ve guessed it), that uber Northern European trait of efficient. It’s also well located for a majority of the tourist sites. There are a variety of rooms available; ranging from Design Panorama Waterfront, Design Panorama Top Riverview to a Junior Suite with Private Sauna.  The minimum is €148.50 a night – INC.  wi-fi, taxes AND city tax (this is important: when I went to Rome I was caught out with the city tax as the hotel I stayed in didn’t include it in the initial cost, claiming that the government changes the City Tax weekly, so they can’t pre-quote it.  Then again, we all know Southern Europe and its LACK OF efficieny, despite its charm).

Bazar

And so, after settling in a seeing that Hotel Inntel had a pool on the 8th floor, I set out for the evening to eat dinner at the Restaurant Bazar (part of the 2* Hotel Bazar which, despite its star rating, looks delicious, at least Reception did).

Incredibly busy with laughing, not-so dour people, I settled back to enjoy my meal and the atmosphere.  The tomato and tofu dish was delicious, to be honest, the humus was a little bland (but living in Greece I am spoilt with food choices).  Overall I would recommend this place though: for the atmosphere, the food and aesthetics.
Bazar Restaurant and Hotel - Rotterdam
Bazar Restaurant and Hotel – Rotterdam

And so, wandering through Rotterdam’s streets at night back to my hotel, I looked forward to my first full day ahead – to see what this not-so industrial and dour city had in store for me.

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Villa Vager in the Peloponnese

Bex Hall
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Villa Vager in the Peloponnese

The weekend of 06FEB16 I was invited to be hosted by Nikolas and Marina Vager in their boutique, homely establishment Villa Vager.

“I wondered lonely as a cloud” In Levidi, #Peloponnese in #Greece. A beautiful morning here.

A photo posted by Rebecca Hall (@beyondbex) on

Location

Villa Vager is located in the Peloponnese town of Levidi, only about 1.45 hours away from Athens (by car).  I was lucky to be offered a lift with the owners to the hotel on Friday 5th February (we left exceedingly early in the morning due to the tractors blockading the roads, so we wanted to miss this – and we did!)

Levidi is in the Peloponnese district of Arcadia, idyllically located below the fir covered Mount Mainalon, whilst also offering views of the snow peaked mountains of this region.

Levidi region - where Hotel Villa Vager is located
Levidi region – where Hotel Villa Vager is located

The town itself is quaint and offers a town square with the usual cafe with the old men sitting inside and chatting.  This also serves as the bus station – so prepared to get (not unpleasantly) stared at when you go in to buy your ticket back to Athens (€19 one way.  The bus goes to Tripoli, regional capital of Arcadia, first, then onwards to Athens).

Local produce for sale in the Peloponnese town of Levidi
Local produce for sale in the Peloponnese town of Levidi

Villa Vager is a good place to base yourself if you want to explore the surrounding region such as Nafplio or Epidaurus – where the ancient theatre is located – or even Tripoli, which offers a rich history as it was the scene of the bloody Siege of Tripolista, the Fall Of Tripoli.

Hotel Villa Vager

Family crest in the entranceway of Villa Vager
Family crest in the entranceway of Villa Vager

I admired how much hard work had gone into the construction of the place.  Originally built in 1843 , but then left to the elements and a complete ruin, Marina and Nikolas made it their mission to restore the property back to its former glory.  They started restorations in 2007 and four years later, Villa Vager was born.  Read more of the history here.

The Rooms at Villa Vager

Villa Vager offers 9 suites ranging from Junior to larger suites.  I slept in the Secret Suite, a 20 sq metre suite suitable for two with a king-sized American bed, Egyptian cotton sheets, goose-down duvet and underfloor heating (perfect for the winter chill in the mountains) and en-suite bathroom with shower and Molton Brown toiletries.

Expect to pay €110.50 per room per night, including tax and breakfast for the Secret Suite if you pre-book via Villa Vager’s website, slightly more if you don’t pre-book and pay in full.

The Secret Suite in Villa Vager
The Secret Suite in Villa Vager
Breakfast

A fresh, all locally sourced produce breakfast is prepared every morning; cheese pies, pumpkin pie, fruit salad, cheeses, croissant, homemade bread, homemade jams (strawberry, mixed berry, apricot), croissants, poached eggs.  And as the kitchen in open plan and you can see it all being prepared, you really do feel as if you’re a welcome guest in someone’s home.

Breakfast at Villa Vagar
Breakfast at Villa Vagar
Dinner

Again, locally sourced produce was used to produce a medley of dishes for us.  All the guests sat together and we mingled pleasantly – not the ‘forced together’ conversation.  Villa Vager is, as I have stated and observed, a relaxed environment.

I really enjoyed my time at Villa Vager and Levidi.  It was a relaxing atmosphere and despite being a high end establishment, did not offer any pretentiousness – quite the opposite in fact.  I would recommend hiring a car from Athens – it’s only 1hr 30 mins from Athens Airport.  That way you can travel around the surrounding region easily.  Car hire is also available in the nearest big town of Tripoli – from approx. €45 a day for a Class A (Fiat) car. The owner – Nikos – can arrange for you.

Alternatively, take the bus from Athens – Levidi that goes via Tripoli (Kifissou Bus Station in Athens). The trip takes approx. 2.5 hours and costs €19.20 one way.

** Note: I was a guest of Nikolas and Marina. As always, all thoughts and opinions remain my own, despite any complimentary services received. **

Among The Olive Groves – Chrissie Parker

Bex Hall
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Among The Olive Groves – Chrissie Parker

Chrissie Parker is the author of the fantastic historical fiction novel Among The Olive Groves, based on the Greek island of Zakynthos and in the South West of the UK.  I was so taken with the book – and learnt so much from it that I decided to interview her.  And guess what?  She even lives near my hometown in the UK!  It’s great to catch up with a fellow author when I go home.

Here is my interview with Chrissie.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Chrissie Parker in Zakynthos - Author of Among the Olive Groves
Chrissie Parker in Zakynthos – Author of Among the Olive Groves

BIO: Chrissie lives in Devon, UK, with her husband and is a freelance Production Coordinator working in the TV, documentary and film industry. Chrissie is also an Author. Her thriller Integrate (Book One of the Moon Series) was released in October 2013. Her historical fiction Among the Olive Groves was released in July 2014. Her thriller Temperance (Book Two of the Moon Series) was released in October 2015.

Other written work includes factual articles for the Bristolian newspaper and guest articles for the charities Epilepsy Awareness Squad and Epilepsy Literary Heritage Foundation. Chrissie has also written a book of short stories and poems, one of which was performed at the 100 poems by 100 women event at the Bath International Literary Festival in 2013.

She’s passionate about Ancient History, Archaeology and Travel, and has completed two six-month Archaeology and Egyptology courses with Exeter University.

Among The Olive Groves spans two time periods; present day and the Second World War.  

What compelled you to write an historical fiction novel focusing on the effects of the Second World War on the Greeks and, more specifically, the Ionian island of Zakynthos?

In 2005 I went on holiday to Zakynthos to visit family and friends. Whilst there I met a lot of interesting people, including a local who told me a few stories about what the island had gone through during WW2. One of those stories stuck with me, it gave me the idea for the character of Elena and eventually formed the basis for the whole book. I also decided to write a story that would show the world what Zakynthos has been through, how strong the island and her people are, and what a beautiful place it is to visit. It really is a hidden gem!

The more I read about the treatment of the Greeks at the hands of the Germans – and Italians – during the Second World War, the more my blood boiled. That’s a sign of excellent writing. As your book is historically accurate and highlights the atrocities committed, was it particularly difficult for you to write?

Yes, parts of the book were extremely hard for me to write. There are three scenes in the book that made me cry as I wrote them. They were so difficult for me to get to grips with, I felt so badly for what my characters were going through, but those scenes make the book what it is; a realistic story of the island and what the residents went through during the horrors of World War Two.

The toughest thing about writing Among the Olive groves was that many people who lived through the war don’t really like talking about what they went through. During that time people were forced to choose sides, and some may not have chosen what we would now think of as the ‘right’ one. Some people were forced into horrific and unspeakable actions that threatened their lives and alienated them from family, friends and neighbours. It was difficult to get the facts I wanted, a lot of information that did exist from that time was destroyed when the island was hit by a catastrophic earthquake in 1953 that saw much of Zante Town destroyed. I am still grateful to a handful of island residents who helped me with research and who read the book to ensure the book was as close to reality as it could possibly be.

Literally, among the olive groves on Zakynthos island!
Literally, among the olive groves on Zakynthos island!

Who was your favourite character in the story? Who could you most relate to, or who did you enjoy writing about?

My favourite character is definitely Elena, the protagonist. As a young girl she is faced with the impossible – both in her personal life and on a worldwide scale. She grows up very quickly and becomes an incredibly brave fighter. I have a few of her traits, so I think that’s why I can relate to her the most.

If I had been in her situation I would probably have done the same as her and joined the resistance too, I hate to see people mistreated and I always feel I have to stand up for them. I could never have stood by during the war and watched my homeland being destroyed and my family and friends going hungry. I would have had to have done something.

Do you, personally, have any connection with Zakynthos?

Yes, I have some family who live there, and I also have a lot of friends on the island too. It’s the most wonderful place to visit, the people are so welcoming and friendly and it’s a beautiful place to explore.

Will we see a follow on and discover more about the present day protagionists?

I have received a lot of messages from readers of Among the Olive Groves who have told me that they are desperate to know what happened to Athena. I always intended the book to be a stand alone, but after much thought I have decided to make my readers happy and write another book relating to it. [Bex: “Yippee!”]

Mountain road - Zakynthos. Among the Olive Groves
Mountain road – Zakynthos. Among the Olive Groves

I have already worked out the plan and it will be called A Night of Thunder.

I don’t want to give too much away, but the book will feature, Mainland Greece, Zakynthos and Bristol. We will learn more about Athena, Richard the airman, as well as what happened after the war ended. The terrible 1953 earthquake on Zakynthos will also feature. My plan is to try and release it in 2017/18 as I have two other books to release first.

Chrissie – thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions about your thought-provoking novel. Among the Olive Groves can be purchased on Amazon in print and Kindle format.

You can find out more about Chrissie via her Website, her blog, her Facebook page, Among the Olive Groves Facebook Group, Twitter, Pinterest and on Goodreads.

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