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We are back on the Aegean Pearl, this time as overnight passengers for the next three days as we explore more of Greece’s islands.

The Aegean Pearl is a small cruise ship with only 650 passengers - most of them during this run are either between the ages of 15 and 25, or 70 plus. We fall somewhere in the middle. The ship itself is a bit of disappointment. No more than a mildly upgraded ferry to my mind, it has a small plunge pool, the food is mediocre and dinner is a frantic, noisy, “get ‘em in and out” affair. The tables in the dining room are very close together, and during the presentation of Baked Alaska where all the waiters parade through with trays of flaming ice cream, I was sure of certain disaster. The cabins are small, and the twin beds are bolted to the floor, so they can’t be moved together. (As a matter of fact, we spent every night in Greece on twin beds, which is ironic since we were celebrating 25 years of marriage.) We buy all-inclusive drink cards.

We met many wonderful and interesting people on our trip, who hailed from Chili, Australia, the States and Canada. We became fast friends with Trevor Birmingham and Jennifer Landry from London, Ontario, who we first met in Mykonos, and having this delightful couple to explore the Greek islands with was, in my opinion, a definite highlight. They had all-inclusive drink cards too! And so, we began our friendship burning through those cards as we traversed the Aegean Sea.

First stop tomorrow - Kusadasi, Turkey!

True to her word, our Transat representative Sophie meet us in the lobby. She is full of valuable information about bus schedules, beaches to visit, stores that won’t rip us off, restaurants that serve good food etc. She also tells us about the automatic cover charge at restaurants (they charge you for bread right off the top) and the liberal views on the beaches (swimsuit optional).

We take the bus into the town of Mykonos to find an Internet cafe and connect with everyone at home. Mykonos Town is whitewashed concrete from ground to rooftop, and quite literally a labyrinth of narrow streets. It was apparently planned to disorient Mediterranean pirates and now does the same thing to visitors. It is supposedly closed to motor traffic, but someone forgot to tell the drivers. Everything from scooters to SUVs make their way through, honking at the tourists as they try to get by.

We locate an Internet cafe where we retrieve a message from our son Dave, who is suddenly out of money and headed to Paris. Ah, the Internet…in a split second we are thrown back into reality and responsibility. Over the next couple of days, there is a flurry of back and forth messages, and with help from us (and a questionable Greek Western Union rep), Dave’s sister Sydney, and aunt Sylvie and uncle Trevor, Dave is once again flush with funds and able to finish his trip in Barcelona before heading home. And we are free to get back to the magic of Mykonos.

It is so unbelievably hot on this island, but the heat is tempered by a refreshing breeze. During our stay, we visit Paradise Beach where I am wondering why I returned that bikini and opted for a one piece. Clearly out here, beer bellies, flabby abs and saggy boobs are meant to be appreciated by all. Suddenly, I feel overdressed.

One night we decide to catch the sunset in a prime location near the ancient Mykonos windmills. Following Sophie’s advice we take jackets, and we are so glad we did! The windmills are on the windy side of Mykonos (makes sense, I guess) and the wind coming off the sea threatens to blow us clear back to Athens! We sit on the edge shivering, eyes watering, camera poised, and we wait. The sun sets, and sadly, it is disappointing. Al comments that it doesn’t hold a candle to Alberta sunsets, and he is right. He also mentions the fact that in Alberta, there are clouds in the sky, but here in Greece, there are none. That’s right - no clouds in the sky, ever! I will always remember the pure blue skies of Greece.

There are some 1400 islands in Greece and only 227 of them are inhabited. We will visit five of them during our cruise. First stop, the white sandy shores of Mykonos!

A voice over the speaker alerts passengers to the fact that we are approaching beautiful Mykonos, known the world over as the party centre of the Greek isles. I am unaware of this fact, and more concerned about seeing Mykonos’ clean whitewashed buildings, vibrant blue doors and famous beaches. We pull closer and the ship is able to disembark passengers right to the dock. Mykonos, as we soon discover, can get extremely windy. Sometimes, passengers have to be brought to shore by smaller boats as the ship is unable to dock. We leave the ship in great anticipation of four glorious days here.

Our Transat Representative Sophie greets us and we immediately know that we are in good hands. She is from Quebec City, a beautiful girl as friendly, smart and charming as they come. Sophie makes sure we get to our hotel, and informs us she will meet with us in the morning at 10:30 for a briefing.

Before then though, I attempt to take in my surroundings - am I really here? I know it’s a cliche, but this is picture perfect. When our travel agent Melody told us that everything would be exactly like what we saw in the travel brochures, well…she was right.

The Acrogiali hotel is located in a highly desirable beach front area of Mykonos. It is open and airy and very European. We walk through the lobby and right onto the umbrella-dotted beach. Beyond the umbrellas is a cove with aqua blue, clear-to-the-bottom water. “Our” beach - for the next few days anyway, is not very large, but very populated - which may not sound too appealing, but there is a certain electricity in the air. Along the beach are a few restaurants with waiters trying to usher you in, Gyro stands, bars and a convenience store where we buy our first bottle of Greek wine. Our first night in Mykonos is spent sipping wine on our private balcony and pinching ourselves every now and then to see if it’s real.

After four day in Athens, it’s time to say good-bye to the city of the goddess Athena. Al and I both agree that while we feel fortunate to have counted ourselves as visitors here, we’re ready to move on. The city’s frantic pace, stagnant heat and tight quarters has us yearning for fresh air and open space. Today is the day we board the Aegean Pearl and head for Mykonos!

We’re up early, packed, fed and eager for the cab to pick us up and sweep us away. We head down to the marble-clad lobby with its naked Grecian statues, and find that every seat in the place has a young person fast asleep on it. There are men and women sprawled out everywhere! It must be a group that just arrived after traveling all night, and they are waiting for their rooms to be ready. I shake my head and think about Dave, our 19-year-old who is currently exploring Europe on his own. Does he just crash anywhere he feels tired? Do complete strangers tap him on the shoulder because he is snoring in the bus station? I don’t want to know.

The cabbie arrives (thank goodness) and we are on our way. He takes us to the port and points in the general direction where we check in and board the ship. Again, chaos. Eventually, we end up on a bus. At some point, we are on a boat. We settle in with a beer and relax for the next six hours as the Aegean Pearl smoothly navigates its way to the island of Mykonos, known for its cubic white-washed buildings and brilliant-coloured doors. I’ve only ever seen Mykonos on postcards and travel brochures, and I can’t wait to set foot on its shores!

On our third day in Athens, we decide to make our way to Delphi, the magnificent site of the Delphic Oracle and the sanctuary of Apollo. So significant to the Greeks is Delphi that they refer to it as the omphalos (belly button) of the earth. It is the place on earth where man is closest to the Gods.

Delphi is a three-hour bus ride from Athens, but along the way we soak up the splendid countryside passing fields of cotton, and grape, almond and olive trees. We drive through the mountains that surround Athens, and enter lush terrain. The bus climbs and climbs. Suddenly we are inching our way through a charming little ski resort with streets that are surely half the width of the bus! Our driver miraculously negotiates the lanes and we are able to look down (if we dare) and see the deep valleys. The view is so breathtaking, I almost forget that it feels like the bus is teetering on the edge.

We reach Delphi on the side of Mount Parnassos and step onto this sacred ground. Immediately I can feel the history seeping out of the earth - or is it the relentless heat melting the soles of my shoes? Whatever it is, I know that I am so glad we made the trip up here. It is so beautiful and overwhelming. The expansive ruins - remnants of a temple, a stadium, a theatre, and a treasury house - seem to rise up naturally out of the mountainside like they were always meant to be here.

We are standing at the oracle, the site where pilgrams once flocked to seek the guidance of Apollo on critical matters. Questions were asked to the priestess who, after inhaling some “suspicious” fumes, was able to channel the spirit of Apollo. In her toxic stupor, she spoke in riddles and the priests of the temple would relay her answers to the pilgrims. The messages were always cryptic and vague like “know thyself,” leaving it up to the recipients to decide for themselves how they wanted to interpret the answers.

Delphi is also the site of the Phythian Games, which were held every four years in Apollo’s honour. Athletes would descend upon the theatre and stadium to compete for the victor’s laurel crown. The Phythian Games was the precursor to the Olympic Games.

A quick trip to the incredible Delphi museum and it’s lunch time. We stop in the town of Delphi where we are treated to some local fare before starting the long trek back to Athens. As it happens, today the Athenians have decided to protest the high cost of living and there is a rally near the core. And so we return to a city in chaos - well, more chaotic than usual. Just another day in Athens.