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    • Echoes of Greece Across the Aegean: Istanbul-Marmara Adasi-Canakkale and Troy-Bozcaada-Gokceada-Lesvos-Spetses
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    • Kos-Lipsi-Kalymnos-Pserimos
    • Skyros – Kalavryta – Nafplio – Athens
    • Oinousses-Psara-Chios-Lesvos-Athens
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    • Athens-Syros-Ikaria-Tinos-Andros
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    • Crete – Kasos – Karpathos – Rhodes – Nisyros – Tilos – Symi – Chalki
    • Kastellorizo via Turkey 2016
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A Greek Oddity Website Logo
30+ years exploring Greece, 15 years sharing the journey by blog
  • Up With The Sunrise and a Scary Kastro Walk.  So Much for Resting!
    Oinousses-Psara-Chios-Lesvos-Athens

    Up With The Sunrise and a Scary Kastro Walk. So Much for Resting!

    ByStephanie Banks 18 October 202225 October 2022

    Why I’m up at this god forsaken time, I’ve no idea. I’m here in Limnia to rest and relax but instead of having a lie in (not a word – or two words usually in my vocabulary) I’m wide awake and full of beans! I pull up the shutters to my bedroom and see that…

    Read More Up With The Sunrise and a Scary Kastro Walk. So Much for Resting!Continue

  • Farewell Psara – Back to Chios and into the Citadel
    Oinousses-Psara-Chios-Lesvos-Athens

    Farewell Psara – Back to Chios and into the Citadel

    ByStephanie Banks 8 October 202210 October 2022

    Well, I arrived on Psara at sunset and leave at sunrise – a fitting tribute to this beautiful island and also the trouper of a ship that is the Psara Glory. The wind really whipped up last night. I could hear the chairs on my patio being tumbled about. That doesn’t bode well for a…

    Read More Farewell Psara – Back to Chios and into the CitadelContinue

  • A Birthday Boat Trip Around the Archipelago of Oinousses
    Oinousses-Psara-Chios-Lesvos-Athens

    A Birthday Boat Trip Around the Archipelago of Oinousses

    ByStephanie Banks 25 September 202215 November 2025

    Today was my birthday, and naturally, I was in Greece—there’s no better place to spend it. I don’t really celebrate anymore; it’s simply another day and a quiet reminder that life is short, which only fuels my desire to squeeze every last drop of travel energy from it. I’d already been on the beautiful island…

    Read More A Birthday Boat Trip Around the Archipelago of OinoussesContinue

  • Mikri Vigla, Portara Sunset and Grandma Loses her S***!
    Santorini-Sikinos-Ios-Naxos-Santorini

    Mikri Vigla, Portara Sunset and Grandma Loses her S***!

    ByStephanie Banks 21 July 20228 September 2022

    Despite the events of the day before I’m still determined to seek out somewhere away from the crowds. I’d love to attempt another trip up to Koronos but we really don’t have the time. The Grandadults are going to the small water park today. It’s in walking distance of the hotel in Stelida and it…

    Read More Mikri Vigla, Portara Sunset and Grandma Loses her S***!Continue

  • Too short a time in Lesvos! Guest Blog by Kathy Vichta
    Memories, Musings and More!

    Too short a time in Lesvos! Guest Blog by Kathy Vichta

    ByStephanie Banks 22 August 202017 February 2022

    The food scene in Mytilene is great! It’s a student town and there are bars, ouzeries and restaurants all through the little streets behind the main drag. Some of the most recommended are already closed for the season but we manage to eat (and drink) really well and quite cheaply both nights (an ouzerie in…

    Read More Too short a time in Lesvos! Guest Blog by Kathy VichtaContinue

  • Blast from the Past. For the Love of God – Where Can I Buy Some Pegs!  Leros 2001
    Memories, Musings and More!

    Blast from the Past. For the Love of God – Where Can I Buy Some Pegs! Leros 2001

    ByStephanie Banks 3 September 201923 April 2024

    Here is another Blast from the Past from July 2001 – a trip that took me to Rhodes, Kalymnos/Telendos, Bodrum, Leros, Nisyros and Tilos. My boyfriend at the time and I took turns in writing a diary entry and this is an excerpt from the Leros part of the trip. Apologies for the low quality…

    Read More Blast from the Past. For the Love of God – Where Can I Buy Some Pegs! Leros 2001Continue

  • Farewell Arki and on to Leros
    Samos-Agathonisi-Ikaria-Fourni-Arki-Leros-Kalymnos-Kos

    Farewell Arki and on to Leros

    ByStephanie Banks 28 July 201917 February 2022

    It is time to leave Arki.  My hosts Stami and Niko are still on Patmos so I arrange to pay for my room with Niko’s mama Georgia.  She phones Niko to translate.  I have 250€ in cash that I put aside as there is no cash machine on the island and no way to make…

    Read More Farewell Arki and on to LerosContinue

  • Day 2 of our Car Hire Challenge – Amir Ali Springs, Pharos and More!
    Monemvasia-Kythira-Elafonisos-Sparta-Gythio-Areopolis-Kalamata

    Day 2 of our Car Hire Challenge – Amir Ali Springs, Pharos and More!

    ByStephanie Banks 3 May 201918 April 2023

    Despite my horrendous experience on the road to the cave of Agia Sofia yesterday, I feel surprisingly optimistic about today’s adventures here on Kythira.  I’d asked the staff at Manolis Taverna what the roads were like on the North side of the island and was told that they were pretty good.  I felt sure that…

    Read More Day 2 of our Car Hire Challenge – Amir Ali Springs, Pharos and More!Continue

  • Losing My Virginity on Kythira (Driving in Greece for the First Time!)
    Monemvasia-Kythira-Elafonisos-Sparta-Gythio-Areopolis-Kalamata

    Losing My Virginity on Kythira (Driving in Greece for the First Time!)

    ByStephanie Banks 2 May 20192 May 2022

    Well I woke up this morning still in a bit of a quandary about what to do about hiring a car. Although I was still petrified at the thought of driving a car where everything is the other way around, more than anything I wanted to get out and about to see this beautiful island….

    Read More Losing My Virginity on Kythira (Driving in Greece for the First Time!)Continue

  • Monemvasia – Up to the Kastro and Other Points of Interest
    Monemvasia-Kythira-Elafonisos-Sparta-Gythio-Areopolis-Kalamata

    Monemvasia – Up to the Kastro and Other Points of Interest

    ByStephanie Banks 30 April 201921 May 2019

    The weather was very pleasant during our stay.  We were very lucky as we had heard about the Saharan sand storms that had blown their way over to the Cyclades.  Apart from one overcast day we had beautiful spring sunshine and the temperatures of an English summer! We had planned to walk up to the…

    Read More Monemvasia – Up to the Kastro and Other Points of InterestContinue

  • Ftenagia Beach and a Sunset Trip to the Castle and Monastery
    Crete - Kasos - Karpathos - Rhodes - Nisyros - Tilos - Symi - Chalki

    Ftenagia Beach and a Sunset Trip to the Castle and Monastery

    ByStephanie Banks 1 October 201817 February 2022

    I was so taken by the magnificent sunrise when I first arrived on Chalki that I set my alarm at 5.00am to make sure I catch it again today.  There isn’t as much definition in the sky as the storms over Rhodes have moved on. Nonetheless – it is still stunningly beautiful. I set up…

    Read More Ftenagia Beach and a Sunset Trip to the Castle and MonasteryContinue

  • Arrival on Symi
    Crete - Kasos - Karpathos - Rhodes - Nisyros - Tilos - Symi - Chalki

    Arrival on Symi

    ByStephanie Banks 22 September 201818 February 2022

    I’m not going to lie – the ferries heading South towards Rhodes don’t half leave early in the morning.  7.40am from Nisyros was OK but our ferry to Symi today leaves at 5.50am.  A bit of a killer! Anyway, it has to be the Blue Star Patmos because of my sister’s tendency to get seasick…

    Read More Arrival on SymiContinue

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  • Home
  • Blog Posts
    • Thessaloniki-Sochos Panigiri-Ourounopolis-Amouliani
    • Echoes of Greece Across the Aegean: Istanbul-Marmara Adasi-Canakkale and Troy-Bozcaada-Gokceada-Lesvos-Spetses
    • Kefalonia-Ithaca-Meganisi-Lefkada-Preveza
    • Carnival 2025 Florina-Edessa-Thessaloniki-Sochos-Athens
    • Corfu-Abania-Erikousa-Othonoi-Mathraki-Ioannina-Paxos-Antipaxos
    • Thirassia-Anafi-Santorini
    • Chios-Izmir-Oinousses-Athens
    • Athens-Evia-Lemnos-Agios Efstratios-Kavala-Xanthi-Samothrace-Alexandroupolis
    • Kos-Lipsi-Kalymnos-Pserimos
    • Skyros – Kalavryta – Nafplio – Athens
    • Oinousses-Psara-Chios-Lesvos-Athens
    • Santorini-Sikinos-Ios-Naxos-Santorini
    • Athens-Syros-Ikaria-Tinos-Andros
    • Samos-Agathonisi-Ikaria-Fourni-Arki-Leros-Kalymnos-Kos
    • Crete – Kasos – Karpathos – Rhodes – Nisyros – Tilos – Symi – Chalki
    • Kastellorizo via Turkey 2016
    • Monemvasia-Kythira-Elafonisos-Sparta-Gythio-Areopolis-Kalamata
    • Patras-Ancient Corinth-Kalloni-Poros-Methana
    • Kardamyli-Tyros-Nafplio-Poros-Aegina-Agistri-Athens
    • Naxos-Iraklia-Schinousa-Koufonisi-Amorgos-Santorini
    • Antiparos-Paros-Folegandros-Milos-Athens
    • Kea-Kythnos-Serifos-Sifnos-Lavrion
    • Sivota – Meteora
    • Memories, Musings and More!
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