What makes Greece so special?
1. Air that heals
The first thing you notice is the air.
It smells of salt, dusty herbs, sun and... some kind of happiness.
It seems that even just breathing here is already healing.
(Although, perhaps, this is just the effect of the first day of vacation. But a pleasant effect!)
2. People who smile with their eyes
Greeks are not just friendly.
They are sincerely glad to see you. They talk to you as if you were an old friend,
who has finally come to the sea again.
And they know how to be here and now.
(I'm still learning this - in practice. Over a frappe.)
3. Food that doesn't require justification
You eat bread, olives, cheese, honey, pasta, fish, more bread, a little pie - and all this without feeling guilty.
Why? Because this is Greece. And in Greece, food is joy, not mathematics.
And yes, calories don't count on vacation. This is a scientific fact (I've personally verified it).
And also...
I fell in love with the narrow streets where bougainvilleas curl,
with white churches with domes like celestial caps,
with lazy evenings when the sun slowly sets into the Aegean Sea,
with a language in which every word sounds like a song (or a cry of passion - depending on the intonation).
And even with Greek coffee, which can start a tractor, but - wakes you up instantly!
It's not just a place. It's a mood.
Greece doesn't ask you to do anything.
It doesn't ask you to be perfect, productive, fast.
It just says:
"Sit down. Look at the sea. Eat an olive. Everything is fine."
And, you know, I listen.
Because in this country you want to be yourself - real, relaxed, alive.
My conclusion:
I didn't just spend my vacation in Greece.
I left a part of my heart there,
and in return I brought home peace, radiance in my eyes
and one very firm decision:
I will definitely come back.
Most likely - more than once.
And maybe even forever.