First, let us introduce this photo, “Rebirthing A Legend,” and appropriately so. As legend has it, London Bridge was falling down so they moved it to Lake Havasu. Yet, it is not the bridge that captures the aesthetic eye, but the Havasu Falls seen here. According to the photographer, Michael Greene, a flash flood altered the canyon creating a smaller, yet equally impressive waterfall.

Taken with a Canon EOS 5D Mark II, the dynamic of colors and layout demonstrate, to paraphrase Greene, its undeniable beauty. “Makes me want to whip off my swim trunks and go for a dip,” quoth Luke. Some more legendary photos can be found on Michael Green’s flickr.

This shot of Athens, Greece, allows all who look at it to be transfixed. Even the photographer describes the experience as “something surreal.” Adventuring the rocky cliffs that surround the Acropolis, the photographer and friends found a point where locals gather to appreciate the view, “eyes glazed over in thought and awe with every moment.” You can see more incredible moments of adventure at cbettsphotography’s flickr page.

This picture, taken with a Nikon D80, puts me at a loss of words. I had no idea that New Mexico held such a treasure. When looking at this landscape, one cannot help but feel lost in a dream.  The intensity of color contrast to the apparent purity of the sand is nothing short of breathtaking. Such are Tsjikatilo’s other photos that you can find on flickr.

Remember to check out, or join, The Expeditioner’s flick account and share your shots with everyone. The theme for next month’s competition is: different faces in different places. Express yourself.

By Brit Weaver

About the Author

Toronto born and based, Brit is an avid leisure cyclist, coffee drinker and under-a-tree park-ist. She often finds herself meandering foreign cities looking for street eats to nibble, trees to climb, a patch of grass to sit on, or a small bookstore to sift through. You can find her musing life on her personal blog, TheBubblesAreDead.wordpress.com.

The post The Expeditioner’s May Photo Contest Finalists appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

Greece has always been on my list of places to get to. Athens conjures up so many images in my mind. Say it with me, “Athens.” It must be the ancient legends, the great thinkers, and the lightning bolt-toting gods walking around town. Besides, my fondness for toga parties really goes without saying.

Apparently, Zeus had no control over the urban sprawl, noise, and pollution this city became known for. Over at World Hum, they discovered things to be already turning around for this symbol of ancient greatness.

Rising from the grey concrete that has become modern Athens (see above), are world class museums, a state of the art airport, pedestrian-friendly streets, arguably the best public transportation in Europe, and a sense of restored pride. At least I hope.

The post Athens: A Must See City Once Again appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

Images of Athens’s New Acropolis Museum have begun to crop up, and the good news is that it’s not bad as so many people had feared (in fact it looks pretty amazing). Rumored to be opening on June 30, the 130-million-euro complex containing over 4,000 artifacts will actually be opening on June 20, 10 days early.

Early reviews have been favorable, with culture and design/trend spotting something-or-rather site PSFK.com noting: “Instead of throwing up columns and attempting to blend into the ancient cityscape, the museum is completely abstract and modern. The controversial design resembles a stack of mislaid books, with the top floor askew to parallel the foundations of the nearby Parthenon, the middle floors a trapezoidal display area, and the bottom layer outlining the on-site archeological dig.”

The post First Look: Images of Athens’s New Acropolis Museum appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

I would normally begin a post about a Rick Steves article by poking fun at his get-off-the-beaten-path-by-taking-my-tour-or-buying-my-book mantra, then dissuading you from taking any of his advice, but I’ve got to admit, the guy does know Europe, so take this next bit with a grain of salt. Here’s what Rick’s dug up for new sights to check out this summer while you’re traveling around Eastern Europe.

1) Budapest: Downtown’s gone traffic-free, a fact I haven’t been able to verify outside of Rick’s article, but if true I think it’s a great idea; one that should be applied to pretty much every city in the world.

2) Bratislava: No longer a joke for teen sex comedy flicks (I really hope Google does not pick up that last sentence). Rick’s calling the Slovak capital the next Berlin (and here I though that was going to Kiev). Interesting observation, definitely worth checking that one out.

3) Athens: Still upgrading without an Olympics on the horizon. On June 20, 2009, the 130 million euro new Acropolis Museum will be opening up at the foot of the Acropolis, housing over 4,000 artifacts, including for the first time ever, all surviving treasures of the Acropolis together for the first time in one place since, well, they were originally plundered from the Acropolis.

The post Tips For Eastern Europe This Summer appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

Just around the corner from the Acropolis, Dimotiki Agora (or what English speakers refer to rather lamely as the Athens Central Market) is probably the best place to see modern Athens in all its chaotic glory.

Wandering around the seemingly endless corridors of vendors, if one was so willing or so motivated by their OCD, one could count “some 108 butchers, 150 seafood stands and 80 fruit and vegetable stalls” that cram themselves under a giant glass roof and hawk their goods to some 30,000 locals on a daily basis. (Multiply that number by ten come Christmas, Easter, and interestingly enough, President’s Day. Seems Lincoln is huge in Greece.)

There’s also a number of restaurants that can be found underneath where it’s recommended that you sit down and try a steaming bowl of patsas soup (a tantalizing mixture of bull or lamb stomach wall and lamb feet). And you were just going to pick up a gyro? How lame.

Here’s where you can find the market next time you’re in Athens.

The post Food Shopping In Athens With 300,000 Of Your Closest Friends appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.

Forget Thanksgiving and live it up in Greece for the holidays where you can enjoy uncrowded sights, great weather, and food that will blow away a turkey dinner any day.

By Laura Bridgestock

Want to take a Thanksgiving break that won’t break the budget? Head for Greece (just don’t order the fish…).

Greece’s thriving tourist trade is highly seasonal — three-quarters of visitors go between May and September — and there is a downside to visiting outside this period: you miss out on the main program of cultural events in the capital, plus the “party islands” virtually shut down. But there are compensations: accommodation and transportation can be dirt cheap, there’s an undeniable charm to exploring Athens’ atmospheric ancient sites without hoards of tourists to break the spell, and it’s not out of the question to find yourself turning a corner on an island coastal path and discovering a hidden beach that’s all your own.

Luckily, I’d saved enough days of holiday from work to be able to spend a whole week in the country, which I divided equally between Athens and the island of Tinos. But if you only have a long Thanksgiving weekend, the decision of whether to visit the famous city or the now equally renowned islands could be a tough one. Here’s how they compare . . .

First things first: food. Greeks love eating with a passion and it shows. However, this may be lost on you in Athens if you fall into the trap of stopping at the modern restaurant-bars on Apostolou Parlou near the Acropolis. Don’t settle for an overpriced burger or club sandwich. Keep heading down to the bottom of the pedestrian strip, then turn right onto Adrianou on the south side of the Ancient Agora. Here there’s taverna after taverna staffed by waiters with as much local flavor and character as the dishes they serve. Meat dishes are varied and luxurious, including rooster, veal and lamb, and this is one place vegetarians won’t go hungry, with delicious stuffed peppers and vine leaves, zucchini pie, “giant beans” (one of my favorites) and of course the classic Greek salad.

As you’d expect, island cuisine is all about seafood. The surprising part is the price. When a fellow tourist told me the going rate was around €70 per kilo, I assumed she’d got her figures wrong. But sure enough, a few hours later I was tucking into the most expensive (though sadly not the most impressive) fish I’ve ever tasted. Metaxy Mas, in the pretty Plateia Palladas alley to the west of the harbor, came recommended by locals. The staff didn’t speak much English, but when we asked about the fish we were led back to the kitchen where the chef proudly displayed the day’s choices. The red snapper we opted for was okay, but I was still left confused as to why it cost so much — particularly as, with no sign of fishing boats or even a fish market anywhere on the island, there was no evidence of it being any more fresh than anywhere else.

Much better value was the platter of “fisherman’s pasta” we ordered at Taverna Zeukz, on a side street off the main street. Portions were generous to say the least, and I’ve never come across such huge and flavorful mussels. It was just a shame we were the only people there to enjoy the feast.

Athens also has an obvious head start when it comes to sightseeing. The Acropolis is so iconic it’s easy to feel like you’ve already been there, but my first glimpse of the “sacred rock” was hardly a let down. It looks amazing lit up at night, especially when viewed from the Pnyx or one of the other nearby hills. And in daylight you can spend hours wandering around the majestic ruins for just €12, which includes admission to the city’s other major historical sites, including the Ancient and Roman Agoras, and the ancient graveyard, a pleasant place to spend a quiet hour or two watching the social interactions of the resident colony of tortoises.

“Old stuff” aside, I’d recommend visiting Syntagma Square. As parliament buildings go, Athens’ dull sand-colored block is something of a disappointment, but hang around to see the changing of the guard, which happens hourly, and you’re in for a spectacle. Let’s just say I never knew legs could go that high. Those boys should be ballerinas.

Tinos, located in the center of the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea and about halfway between Greece’s mainland and Turkey, is best known for the Church of Panagia Evangelistria, one of the most revered shrines in Greece. It draws a steady flow of pilgrims all year round, and many crawl on their hands and knees all the way up the long hill from the port to the church. In fact, the throng of people lining up to enter the shrine, all clutching bundles of candles several feet tall, left a greater impression on me than the marble building itself.

Other than the church, the best way to view the island is to hire a car, or — if you’re feeling daring — a motorbike from one of the many rental places in the town. It’s great fun winding around the coastal roads, or heading inland to explore the rugged hills, populated with old castles, churches, dovecoats, windmills and some of the prettiest villages in Greece. Volax, a small village on Tinos just a short distance from the port, is a tiny maze of attractive cottages built into the hillside and each other, while the village of Pirgos — which is almost entirely pedestrianized — is just the right size to allow yourself to be lost amongst the blue and white houses whose simple appeal is timeless.

Last but not least on my list of reasons to visit Greece: the people. Whether you opt for a city break or island retreat, it’s the friendliness and good humor of the locals that will really make your holiday — and visiting outside peak season means you’ll have even more opportunity to meet and get to know them. So what are you waiting for?

The post Why You Should Skip Thanksgiving And Live It Up In Greece This Year appeared first on The Expeditioner Travel Site.