Along the "fingers" of the fabulously beautiful peninsula of Halkidiki
It is impossible to come to Greece and not fall in love with this country! I experienced it myself. This year we are a small group of 4 childhood friends went on vacation to the sunny land of smiling and friendly Greeks. To be honest, I did not even expect that Greece would meet us so cordially. We stopped on the Chalkidiki peninsula. To make it clearer, I'll tell you a little about what this place is.
Of course, when we flew from Russia to Northern Greece, we had little idea what the "fingers" of Halkidiki were and how they, in principle, look. When we arrived, everything became clear. Already starting from the story of our accompanying girl on the bus on the way to Sithonia (the second “finger”), it became clear that Halkidiki is a kind of trident. By the way, it used to be called “Poseidon’s Trident”, in honor of the ruler of the seas and oceans. According to legend, it was he who formed this peninsula by throwing his trident into the sea and thus dividing three children who did not find a common language with each other. It is precisely these three micro peninsulas that are called "fingers".
So, we lived on the second. This beauty is hard to describe in words. The emerald-colored sea, the cleanest mountain air (Greece is still a mountainous country), wonderful people - all this filled our vacation every day with bright colors. Picturesque bays, harbors of amazing beauty, olive and pine groves - it's just a fairy tale. Everything here is imbued with the spirit of history and myths. Believe me, as soon as you get to these magnificent places, you will want to stay here forever. All two weeks of our holiday we enjoyed our stay in Greece. This rarely happens. Every time you come to a new country, something irritates you. This is the first time I didn't have any negative thoughts at all. One admiration.
Of course, sitting in one place for 2 weeks is not the most pleasant experience. I would like to see the country a little, but relaxing on the beach is also important. So we tried to combine business with pleasure, as they say. The very first excursion we went on was a Toroneos Gulf cruise. This was just the so-called mix of history with nature called the Blue Lagoon. On the way we were told myths, legends and some historical information, but on the boat itself we enjoyed the magnificent nature of the Sithonia peninsula.
I love the sea very much and such a small cruise is just for me. Of course, not all my friends shared my enthusiasm before the start of the trip, but in the process they themselves were already happy as children when our ship ran into the waves and broke them with its bow. Yes, if someone is motion sick, take a pill in advance. But, believe me, light pitching is such trifles compared to the beauty that you will see.
When I was told that it was impossible not to fall in love with Greece, I did not believe it. Now I can say the same myself. But I'd rather describe everything I saw that day. First we went to the town of Neos Marmaras. Yes, by the way, this prefix is given to cities in Greece, which were formed on the site of an ancient settlement or as a result of the resettlement of Greeks from Turkey. (the same city names are there, but without prefixes). So, we sailed from the pier in Neos Marmaras. I will say right away that the town itself is small, but very beautiful. There really is where to go and what to see. Then the most interesting began. We drove to the beach, which is located in a beautiful bay, which cannot be reached by land. White sand, amazing water. I have not seen this anywhere. I don’t know if photographs can convey this beauty, but believe me, several shades of blue are very clearly visible in the Aegean Sea. It's amazing how nature could create something like this. The most interesting thing is that the sea seems to be divided by some kind of partitions, because the colors are so bright and do not merge with each other, that it seems that it was all painted by an inexperienced artist. It's very hard to believe that this exists. It's the same as dividing the water in one bath. I doubt it's possible!
How wonderful it is to jump from the deck of a ship straight into the clear sea. We were there like small children frolicking in the water, although we ourselves were not 10 years old. The water is clear and warm. No wonder we still went on vacation in early August, although we doubted for a long time. Pure pleasure. Yes, the turtle island is just perfectly visible from the water. Indeed, do not be surprised when at one fine moment, you raise your head and see a huge green turtle in front of you in the middle of the sea. Very impressive!
Then we went for lunch. I will say this, taverns throughout Greece are great. It is better not to look for some fine expensive restaurant, but to go to a traditional Greek tavern on the seashore. It's tasty and cheap. Portions are something. It seems that the owners expect that a person will sit here all day and eat all this without stopping. I advise you to try fried squid rings and tzatziki. You will not regret!
Unfortunately, the day ends very quickly, and we only had time to get a taste, as we had to go back. I am very glad that it turned out to be such a hot sunny day, and we were able to swim and sunbathe as much as possible, because literally the next day it started to rain.
I sum up the trip: Greece is a paradise, both for the beach and for sightseeing holidays. No country has such a rich history, and even Indonesia can envy its sandy beaches and clear sea. Sea cruises are amazing. You can visit such beautiful bays that it takes your breath away, and the photos are simply magnificent. The kitchen is a separate story. I have never tasted so many goodies anywhere, one wine is worth something. In general, I am delighted with the country, with the people, with the air and the sea. I think that everyone should visit Greece at least once in their life. In any case, I advise everyone!
