Apart from exploring Thessaloniki, my friend took me around Chalkidiki, a series of peninsulas in northern Greece. We stayed overnight in one village called Afitos and did a day trip to a very small beach called Kavourotripes. Both were amazingly scenic, especially Kavourotripes, and on the way we ate some really great food as well.
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After my sister went back to the States, I drowned my farewell sorrows by going to Greece! I have a friend from college who spends every summer in Thessaloniki, a small city in northern Greece, so I decided to visit her for a few days. People always say that the best way to travel is to know a local, and I definitely experienced the truth of that during this trip. The places we went and the restaurants we ate at were side street wonders and local joints. It also didn’t hurt that my friend is a Hellenic Studies master. She was like my own pocket professor giving me lectures about everything from ancient history and architecture to modern politics. It was great! She also introduced me to the real flavors of Greek cuisine. Bright and fresh, and I never knew Greek food went beyond the street food gyro. I left completely enamored by the food and inspired to cook with those elements back home.
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Despite the ridiculous amount of chocolate shops in Belgium, we (my sister, her good friend, and I) actually spent more time overindulging in frites, mussels, and beer. Some of it was good and some of it was bad, but coupled with all of the sites and good company, the overall experience was wonderful.
The greatest light to the end of my stage tunnel was my sister’s visit to Europe. Her arrival meant freedom from the crazy patisserie life and ten days of nonstop sister talk and Euro food tastings. Among the places we visited was Belgium, and let me tell you this is where the chocolate is at! Between two cities and three days, the montage above only begins to scratch the surface of the amount of shops in Belgium.
