The first time I visited Athens, in 1996, the Parthenon thrilled me, as did the Plaka, the statuary, and the overall vibe. The next time I visited, my enthusiasm had waned. Athens looked dirty, was hotter than hell on a bad day, the sky had a brownish tinge from pollution, and there were too many […]

Last night I slept better than I have in many nights—the gentle sound of the ship’s engines lulled me deep into dreamland. When I woke, we’d dropped anchor in Santorini, part of the Cycladic group of Greek islands. Santorini is a beautiful island. Well, it used to be a single island, now it is a […]