And So To Greece…..Minus One Backpack
Blue sea beneath the aeroplane changes to tarmac and painted lines as the end of the runway arrives and our excitement grows, we are almost there. But within what seems a few inches of hitting the ground, and just as we anticipate the bump of landing, the engines roar, the plane accelerates and we climb steeply back into the skies from being so close to landing. Something has obviously gone wrong and the passengers fall strangely silent.
We are soon advised that the landing was aborted at the last second due to a tailwind stronger than the permitted maximum (17 knots as opposed to 10) and we are off for a further 40 minutes in the sky as we take a trip along the coast to turn and approach the runway from the opposite direction. Our second attempt goes smoothly.
Now, the following morning, the view from our apartment balcony, across the city to the sea from our elevated position high on the hill towards the fort, opens out before us as we contemplate where to take our first Thessaloniki breakfast. Container ships and freighters lay at anchor out in the bay, the blue sea glistens as the morning sun creeps across the red tiled rooftops. Somewhere down there the city is starting to buzz, but up here the call of the swifts is louder than the sounds of the city.
Our journey from home to this vibrant city was not without further incident, though none of it emanated from the areas we feared: we had evidently satisfied COVID requirements sufficiently to board the flight, and the equivalent controls at Thessaloniki Airport were quick and efficient. No post Brexit complications either – clearly the Greek economy needs visitors. Our nervousness is suitably extinguished.
What wasn’t quite so straightforward was baggage. After years of saying we must be on borrowed time on the issue, Michaela’s backpack is conspicuous by its absence from the carousel as the last bag and the last person disappear. A quick call by the helpful lady at Swissport establishes that the errant bag is enjoying a few extra hours at Heathrow but she assures us that it will be delivered to our apartment the following morning.
She’s right. It arrives in fact before breakfast, unaffected by its unplanned adventure and after just the one evening without a change of clothing, Michaela is assuaged and happy and ready for that first breakfast.
“Bougatza”, our host Dimitris had said upon our arrival, “you must eat bougatza, it is the food of my city. The best bougatza in town is 100 metres up the hill. You must go there for your breakfast….”
It’s six years since we were last in Thessaloniki but our wonderful balcony on the hill gives us a panorama we never had last time, a view so stunning that it’s almost hard to tear ourselves away to explore the city. But of course we have to, and, after our first bougatza (which despite its reputation as being unique is pretty much the same cheese pie as the rest of Greece), we set off down the line of the ancient Ottoman city walls and begin our exploration.
This glorious historic city and its blue skies and baking sun are calling…
19 Comments
wetanddustyroads
With that plane taking a second attempt to land, it makes me think of the saying “so close, but yet so far” 😄 … but yeah, you’re there! And happy days that Michaela’s got her backpack (oh, I know that feeling of arriving in a foreign country without a backpack … but all ends well!)
Your views – just spectacular! Looking forward to see a lot of photo’s and to hear great holiday stories!
Phil & Michaela
Yeah the views are amazing!
mochatruffalo
Now it wouldn’t be true traveling if everything went smoothly all the time now. What’s the fun in that 😉. Glad you guys finally made it!
Andrew Petcher
I hope that you went for a good long walk after that breakfast. I t looks like a lot of calories!
Phil & Michaela
Ah well I’m happy to tell you that a) we had to sneak quite a bit of it into the napkin and bring it home, b) we walked 12.25 miles that day and c) we didn’t need any lunch and didn’t eat again till evening! You’re right, far too heavy for breakfast, think we’ll only do it the once.
Lookoom
Thanks for the news. I’m curious to see how the Greeks are doing after two recoveries, economy and pandemic.
Phil & Michaela
On the evidence of Thessaloniki and how many people are in the restaurants each night, all is well! However we may see a different story as we move through the country.
Linda K
What an incredible view! Good for you being able to get away like that and what a wonderful looking place to spend some time. Hooray for found luggage!
Phil & Michaela
Thank you, yes hopefully this is the start of a long stay in Greece.
Annie Berger
So happy you finally left England for sunnier climes and stunning views after a scary first landing attempt and a misplaced backpack. Relieved that all turned around in your favor so soon. Happy days ahead and lighter breakfasts!
Phil & Michaela
Yeah that one was a bit of a heavy start!
Toonsarah
Hooray, you made it – I’d been wondering! That aborted landing must have been unnerving though, and a shame about the backpack – glad it wasn’t delayed for too long. We’re living on borrowed time in that respect too. We have had a bag go astray once, but on our journey home which is much easier to handle (and in any case it turned up only an hour or so later!)
I love that view from your apartment and can’t wait to hear all about your explorations. That said, if it was baking sun you wanted, you could have stayed at home 😂
Phil & Michaela
Yes so we hear! It’s been a terrific first few days here though…more to follow…
Gilda Baxter
I am envious of your gorgeous views and really glad you are finally enjoying your trip. That landing would have freaked me out a bit, but at least it was smooth on second attempt. I loved the photo of Michaela and her backpack 😀
giacomoasinello
Ah! Pure escapism!
leightontravels
Glad to see you, and all of your luggage, made it safely to Greece! The failed landing must have been disconcerting. Bougatza looks suspiciously similar to something called ‘burek’, a popular breakfast dish in Serbia and Turkey. I’m sure that you’ve been enjoying the marvelous view and more local delicacies since this post came out.
Phil & Michaela
Yes we’ve had burek. The difference is that the pastry on bougatza is flaky, whereas burek tends to be drier and heavier….or at least the ones we’ve had were!
John and Susan Pazera
Wow, you are having a dream trip to Greece! I’m curious about the covid requirements you mentioned. Did you have to show proof of vaccination? There’s a lot of talk here in Colombia about adopting covid passports – has that reached the UK yet? John was vaccinated here, but I got my jab in the US (where hell will freeze over before they adopt passports). What a brave new world we travelers are navigating!
Phil & Michaela
Yes we had to show vaccine documentation and fill out a Passenger Locator Form (a Greek Government document) in order to board the flight. We’re also having to show the vaccination certificate to board each ferry, and a special form for permission to leave the Greek mainland. This is all in addition to the stuff we had to do before we left the UK, and all the stuff we’ll have to do to go home!