***Suggestions on planning a trip to Greece***

A good friend of mine has family there and goes all the time. I can ask him for some tips.

Awesome, Ro - I was there almost 30 years ago so I'm sure it has changed in a major way.  One thing I highly recommend is a night time walk up to the Acropolis.  Doing that was a really awe inspiring experience as the monuments are all lit up and you get this amazing view of it all.  Getting to an island in the Cyclades is also a recommendation.  Get ready to down some Ouzo!

Be careful out there! Just today the State Department issued a Travel Alert for all of Europe.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/05/01/state-depar...

Guns of Navarone

Talk to Zeus Pete.  He is down there now and goes almost every year for the last several years.  

Q: When in Greece, how do you separate the men from the boys?

A: With a crowbar! 

 Athens is a dirty dump. Go to the Aegean sea. Take a fast boat to Turkey. Eat copious amounts of green and purple speckled olives. They are my favorite. I almost had to move to Turkey in order to ensure a steady supply. They are such a tasty fruit. Have a great time. What's all this about a bucket list? I don't like the sound of that..

---

Travel advisory?! 

You don't all believe that terrorists are everywhere plotting your death, do you? 

Have fun, Roshambo. 

Of course I don't think terrorists are plotting my death, Floops. Nevertheless, 45 is a maniacal narcissist who has endangered America's standing with our allies and foes alike, and so caution is prudent when Americans are traveling abroad. 

https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings/Europe.html

Recent, widely-reported incidents in France, Russia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom demonstrate that the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS or Da’esh), al-Qa’ida, and their affiliates have the ability to plan and execute terrorist attacks in Europe.  While local governments continue counterterrorism operations, the Department nevertheless remains concerned about the potential for future terrorist attacks.  U.S. citizens should always be alert to the possibility that terrorist sympathizers or self-radicalized extremists may conduct attacks with little or no warning. 

Extremists continue to focus on tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities as viable targets.  In addition, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, high-profile events, educational institutions, airports, and other soft targets remain priority locations for possible attacks.  U.S. citizens should exercise additional vigilance in these and similar locations, in particular during the upcoming summer travel season when large crowds may be common.

Terrorists persist in employing a variety of tactics, including firearms, explosives, using vehicles as ramming devices, and sharp-edged weapons that are difficult to detect prior to an attack.

If you are traveling between countries in Europe, please check the website of the U.S. embassy or consulate in your destination city for any recent security messages.  Review security information from local officials, who are responsible for the safety and security of all visitors to their host country.  U.S. citizens should also:

Follow the instructions of local authorities.  Monitor media and local information sources and factor updated information into personal travel plans and activities.

Be prepared for additional security screening and unexpected disruptions.

Stay in touch with your family members and ensure they know how to reach you in the event of an emergency.

Have an emergency plan of action ready.

Register in our Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).

We continue to work closely with our European partners and allies on the threat from international terrorism.  Information is routinely shared between the United States and our key partners to disrupt terrorist plotting, identify and take action against potential operatives, and strengthen our defenses against potential threats.

mmmm olives. 

so how do terrorists identify Americans? by their white tennis shoes, white socks, loud plaid shorts. and smartphones.  dress like the country and communities you're visiting. don't wear expensive jewelry. 

thankfully, Ro doesn't style herself like the stereotypical American tourist. ;) 

loved greece, love traveling to anywhere under any conditions. 

a travel tip that I actually won a prize for through some travel magazine: shoot digital images of all of your picture ID, plus tickets, itineraries, etc. and save them as attachments to a web-based email account. also save them to IBooks app, if you have that. that way, if you lose your stuff and your phone, you can go to an internet cafe and print those attachments, which will make your life easier if you have to visit the U.S. consulate. i had my passport stolen in Italy once, and it was pre-internet... took me a few days before i could travel again.

Bring extra empty luggage & bubble wrap to smuggle back your favorite Cold-Press, Family-Farmed Extra-Virgin Olive Oil.

I used dirty socks instead of bubble wrap to smuggle Belgian Beer back home, but you might not have those.

The Customs man let me through with all the Beers.

old school zoner Joyce was there!

She's on fb

You've prolly got mutual friends, even

It's gonna be so fab!! Best of fun to you!!

"45 is a maniacal narcissist who has endangered America's standing with our allies and foes alike,"

Ah, the current problems facing the EU in general, and Greece in particular, have absolutely nothing to do with the current President of our country.  You might want to take that up with the folks in Brussels who want Germany to keep bailing Greece out and Frau Merkel who allows them to keep doing it.  Additionally, most of our allies are expressing satisfaction and relief that there is now an administration in Washington that is willing, albeit not always gracefully, to exert American influence again.  "Leading from Behind" is what gave us Libya, ISIS, and the current refugee crisis.

I have a friend who is Greek and recently went home for a visit, I'll see if he has any suggestions. He says that it is paradise and his descriptions makes me want to move there when I retire and find a nice island to settle on.  That is, assuming the whole country doesn't descend into chaos.

Corfu, on the Adriatic, is the most beautiful place I've ever been. Then again, I haven't been too many places. We spent 5 weeks on the island in my youth, which is obviously a long time ago, but that kind of natural beauty should still be.

Pretty amazing photographs.

My sister leaves for Greece Tuesday. She met her husband there sailing 26 years ago. They go at least once  year.

Went to Athens once on a band trip and then again the next year, but that was the last show of the tour and then went to Naxos, Santorini and Koufonisia afterwards. Greece is my favorite country in europe I think. It made me forget Italy. The people are certainly nicer and English is sort of commonly spoken. Santorini is a very popular place to go and is hence very touristy but the most scenic place I have ever been. If you do islands, go to a few different ones, a mix of touristy and not so much. You can take boats all over. It's fun but you have to do some research on which islands because there are many, and when the boats leave

It looks as beautiful as I always hear it is. Perfect.

Enjoy!

Beautiful!  Red Beach looks like a little section of Red Rocks. 

Looks like a lovely time. Don't drink too much retsina

hey hey...great photos!

safe travels, enjoy!!

Beautiful photos 

Just gorgeous! Love the photos. So lucky!  I wanna go!

Go to Crete and Santarini!

Thanks for the Photos !!  Looks like all sorts of amazing geography & architecture.  Hope you're quaffing all sorts of Yummy seafood & Wine.

Mail your clothes back home and stuff your luggage w/  Olive Oil,  Capers,  Wine 

what a cool trip!

all of the pics are beautiful but i can't stop looking at the Rooftop restaurant after sunset pic

the colors, scenery and imagery are dreamlike and mesmerizing

thanks much for sharing

http://www.cmegroup.com/apps/cmegroup/widgets/productLibs/esignal-charts...

.

thx for posting the beautiful photos!

the cable car scene was shot in Rio but they did shoot scenes in greece with roger moore in for your eyes only

Great photos. Please keep them coming.

I agree with Crabneesh - Keep the photos coming.  They are wonderful and are bringing back great memories of my short time there in 1990.  I particularly love the boats at the dock.  Happy travels, Kate!

Awesome stuff Ro!

Vicarious Vacation~!

Looks like a great trip Katie! Thanks for the photos!

Sweet maître d'

I guess I would go with the Lobster.

Such a cool photo.

Awesome pics.   I want to go!

I am starting to plan a trip this summer to Romania and Bulgaria, but might have to check out Greece instead.

Great photos! See you at TXR next week...

Fantastic photos!  Standing on the grounds of the acropolis is an awe inspiring experience!  Safe travels home..........

So cool, Ro!  Safe travels home.

FANTASTIC Thread !

RO The Pic With Your Arm Up Is Such A Fantastic Photo ! - IT Spells THIS IS LIFE !

Fantastic photographs.  Thanks for sharing.

I will see you soon.

Those olives look yummy.  Is that the price in Euros per kilo?

What serious skills with a camera! Is it your phone? .The olives-yum. The acropolis-yum!

Thanks Ro, for sharing your trip with us. Great photos. Glad you got to go and had such a wonderful time.

Going to HSBF?

Hundy for Greece!