Greece:

Greece – I could talk endlessly about how much I cherish this beautiful place on earth.
I’ve always regarded Greece as a kind of sacred place. When I’m there, something shifts within me. It’s a place where I can recharge and reconnect with myself, almost on a spiritual level.

I believe everyone has their sacred place—a haven to relax, recharge, and simply slow down.
One of my most cherished memories in Greece dates back approximately three years. It was just my dad and me, no other family members, spending two weeks in Agios Nikolaos. This was when I first started the habit of waking up early. My Dad, Konstantinos, would get me out of bed at 5:15 am, and then he would make me the most delicious, amazingly smelling, and simply the most perfect coffee in the world. Meanwhile, I would sit outside, with the moon still hanging in the sky and a cold breeze covering my body – simply meditating. The peace I felt during those early morning moments remains indescribable.

Another core memory of mine was also created during those two weeks. So, for whatever unknown reason, the internet out there was terrible; therefore, I had not much of a choice but to spend my day filled with various activities to keep me entertained. Despite the initial frustration, I adapted quickly. One of my favorite pastimes became heading into town and sitting on the beach—lost in thought, daydreaming away the hours. It might sound uneventful, but it was anything but. I felt transported to a different world, observing the locals, especially those old Greek men smoking thin cigarettes and playing backgammon, and the elderly Greek grannies, dressed in black, carrying baskets filled with various things to eat – a lot of delicious things too. They somehow seemed so calm while they were constantly grumbling about everything.
Watching the sea was a highlight. The waves cascading towards the shoreline, the sparkle of the sea during the day—truly breathtaking.

This summer, I was blessed with similar images. What made it special was a particular beach, accessible only by climbing down a more ‚challenging‘ cliff. Yet, once you reached the beach, the experience was simply overwhelming.

Your feet would touch the softest little stones while the water covering your body would be exceedingly stunning. When my brothers and I were at this beach, it was already dusk. The sky was painted in the most beautiful light pink, yellow, and orange hues with a hint of blue. We would swim together and play our favorite game, which we call „Stand the Waves.“ It’s very straightforward: the first thing you need to play this game is, obviously, waves. If there are waves, then great. You sit at the very beginning of the sea, so the water covers you up to your navel. The challenge is to withstand the power of the waves from flushing you away. If you are flushed away by a wave, you lose. The last one sitting at the place where it all began wins the round.

My brothers and I have been playing this game since I was very little. Whenever we play it nowadays, we all kind of let our childish side out again – I really love those tiny moments with them 🙂
So, all in all, Greece truly has a place in my heart. I love it 🙂

Love, Ena