Wait! What? It Gets Cold In Greece?

So I’ve booked a trip to Greece. A client in a city called Volos in Central Greece convinced me to fly over to meet up and discuss some marketing strategies, including some product photography. I haven’t had a vacation in over a year so I jumped at the chance after finding inexpensive airfare. The only catch is a six hour or so layover in Frankfurt, Germany before continuing on from Toronto to Athens.

I booked the trip and am heading off in about 10 days. If you thought blogging here was slow before, just wait unless I have something reaaaally interesting to discuss. I thought to take about three weeks. The first week or so will be spent in Volos. Then I figured I would make a vacation out of it and tour the northern part of Greece. But, as it turns out, I did not fully do my research.

The Plan

I had a brief plan in mind. It was tentative, optimistic, and existed entirely before I checked the weather reports.

Volos

I’ll be arriving in Athens at about 2PM local time. I am hoping I can catch some shut eye on the overnighter to Frankfurt. I am undecided whether I will stick around Athens for a day, partly to catch up on sleep if the plane does not cooperate.

I can rent a car at the Athens airport, which is officially called “Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos,” named partially after a former Prime Minister. Apparently this is a thing, as Toronto did the same with Pearson.

Volos is about a three and a half hour drive from Athens. That is not something I want to do while half asleep on roads I do not really know. My understanding, though, is that the highway from Athens toward Volos is fast and generally safe, with speed limits that allow you to move along nicely. It also has tolls, because of course it does.

If things go well with the client, I will need about a week in Volos, especially considering the product photography that needs to be done and some refinement of their marketing strategy. I am told that if I have time, it will be worthwhile to head up into the mountains above Volos and enjoy the views of the city from a higher altitude. That part does sound appealing.

Northern Greece

My original idea was to tour the north west of Greece. What sent me in that direction was hearing some music someone shared by a band called “The Villagers of Ioannina City.” I have no idea what they are singing about, but the music intrigued me. Raw vocals, traditional instruments, and an overall sound that suggests something ancient and mildly intimidating.

Having heard them, my brain decided that if I ever made it to Greece, I needed to visit a place called Ioannina. So when the idea of visiting my client came up, this city was already lodged in my head and influenced the direction I planned to go after Volos.

Veria

If you grew up in, or currently orbit around, Christian Evangelical circles, you may have heard of this place without quite realizing it. This is partly due to the ongoing identity crisis of the Greek letter Beta.

There is debate over whether it originally had a “b” sound, but in modern Greek, Beta has a “v” sound. Greeks today call the second letter of their alphabet “Vita.”

Think of all those “Berean Bible Chapels” or groups calling themselves “Bereans.” That comes from the fact that the Bereans were considered a noble people when the Apostle Paul visited the ancient town. That town still exists today and is called Veria. So yes, I definitely want to visit and see this place.

Mount Olympus

If one is in Greece and anywhere near Mount Olympus, why would they not want to at least see the so called Mount of the Gods?

To me, that is a no brainer.

Kozani

Kozani is probably not what most people think of as a hot tourist destination. On the other hand, it is an area where some of the best saffron in the world comes from. I have had Greek saffron before. It is less expensive than other saffrons and just as good in quality.

I used to buy it here in Canada, but it is now out of stock, which feels personal.

The Food

I keep hearing about the great food in Greece. I will be traveling alone, so I am hoping that will not be a problem when visiting tavernas that serve small plate Greek food. Greece is famous for Greek yogurt, feta, and other cheeses, and I fully intend to investigate that claim.

I understand that UHT milk is far more common in Greece and throughout Europe than it is here. I suppose I could make my own yogurt from UHT milk if it comes to that.

I also want to understand the Greek version of fast food. The original souvlakia.

Won’t Be Packing A Bathing Suit. Wait. What??

Not taking a bathing suit to Greece. What about those gorgeous beaches? There are two issues.

While Volos is a coastal city, most of the places I want to see are not near the sea. So there is that.

The second issue is this.

Greece Is Not A Tropical Country

I had somehow convinced myself that visiting Greece in February would involve sun and mild warmth. I finally checked the weather.

What?

When I arrive in Athens, the forecast calls for a high of 13C and a low of 8C. Volos is expected to enjoy a high of 11C and a low of 5C.

It might even snow in some of the places I want to visit. That part I genuinely did not expect. Who knew that northern Greece experienced weather not entirely unlike Southern Ontario?

It appears I will not be returning with a suntan.