Tag Archives: Greece

Greece Summer Vacation

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During my summer 2025 vacation, I had the opportunity to travel to Greece with my family. Out of all the countries I’ve ever been to before, including Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Mexico, I would rate Greece as my favorite. Listed below are the four different islands I went to.

Athens (5 days)

Athens had the most attractions Greece had to offer. From ancient ruins to countless museums, I’d say if you want to take in as much history as you can from Greece, you should go to Athens. My favorite site we visited was definitely Acropolis. For some background, Acropolis is an ancient archaeological site where Greeks settled and proudly defended Athens. There are many columned buildings, like the Parthenon, the Erechtheion with its Porch of Caryatids, and the Temple of Athena Nike. Moreover, there were ancient theatres that were used for music, oratory, and poetic performances. These include the Theatre of Dionysus, birthplace of Greek theatre, and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. Additionally, before taking the two hour drive to the Temple of Zeus, our taxi driver took us to my favorite restaurant in Athens, Labros. They had the best souvlaki, fries, meatballs, and Greek salad I had eaten in my whole trip. I highly recommend going there if you plan on taking a trip to Athens!

Mykonos (3 days)

Mykonos, known for being one of Greece’s “party islands” was my favorite island we went to. Our hotel, the Nissaki Boutique Hotel, had a jaw dropping ocean view with many party yachts anchored in the water. This alone made my Mykonos experience one hundred times better. Moreover, the island’s vibe was completely unmatched. Strolling through Mykonos town, petting the cats, and having delicious gelato was so different from visiting museums in Athens. Additionally, I took a day trip to Delos, an ancient sacred island known for being the legendary birthplace of the gods Apollo and Artemis. In its day, Delos was a thriving commercial and trading center in the Hellenistic period, with its original stones and houses still standing. I thoroughly enjoyed Delos and would recommend taking a day trip there if you are in Mykonos!

Santorini (3 days)

In Santorini, I went to its two main towns, Fira and Oia. One takeaway I have from Fira and Oia is that it’s like a hike. To see the different parts of the town, you must go up many hills and stairs, but once you do, it is so worth it. The sunsets and ocean views at the tips of these towns were breathtaking, and I did not regret the sore legs! I loved exploring these towns and I know you will too!

Crete (4 days)

I spent my last four days of my Greece trip in Crete, and I definitely believe that was too much time. Due to Crete being the biggest island in Greece, many of its attractions were spaced out. My family and I did not find this out until arriving there, so many of the attractions we planned to see and put time towards were not visited. I really enjoyed walking on Crete’s black-sand beaches and swimming in its clear green waters. Overall, I’d say Crete was a beautiful island and I liked its beaches the best.

I hope after reading this blog you plan a trip to Greece! 

– Sophia B.

Giannis: The Improbable Rise of an NBA MVP by Mirin Fader

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Giannis: The Improbable Rise of an NBA MVP is a book that details Giannas Antetokounmpo’s rise to greatness. 

In 2008, if I told you that a skinny Nigerian kid living in Greece was going to become the face of the NBA and win 2 MVPs, would you believe me? If you said no, you would agree with the majority of people. However, if you said yes, would you stick with your answer if I told you that this kid had illegal immigrant parents, and he had to sell on the streets every day to get his family food to eat? If you would still say yes, you would have predicted the rise of Giannis Antetokounmpo. 

Giannis had to go through many struggles as a kid. He would go with his mom to sell sunglasses for a couple of euros each just to try to get food on the table. Sometimes, he would have to go to sleep with a rumbling stomach, imagining the food that he wasn’t able to eat. He would always try to smile, so his brothers wouldn’t start to worry. His family would get evicted a lot, and they would have to move to a different apartment often because they couldn’t pay the rent. However, basketball was a way out. Giannis would forget about all of his worries when he was on the court, playing his heart out. He would dream of playing in the NBA and having his family all with him along the journey. 

Giannis’s childhood was difficult, but he worked hard and didn’t complain. His story should be a lesson to all of us: Anything is possible as long as you put in the effort and work extremely hard. His childhood shows us that we should never count anyone out based on their circumstances. 

The author, Mirin Fader, did a great job including interviews and quotes from people who played a role in Giannis’s childhood. His mom, brothers, and former coaches all had quotes in this biography of Giannis Antetokoumpo. 

While reading about Giannis’s rise to stardom, I was not able to put the book down. It was so intriguing to read about the struggles that he faced and overcame to get to where he is today, and I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Giannis Anteokounmpo. Also, anyone who wants to learn a thing or two about the challenges that some people face would find this book interesting, too. 

-Mert A.