A joke that contains a lot of truth says that "marriage is the main cause of divorce". I try to adapt this saying in the following way... "work is the main cause of rest (travel, vacation)".
I know it doesn't fit very well but for me and many people I know, travel and vacation are the main and most expected reward after a year of work!
I could say that one of the best things that happened on my trip is the trip itself, but this is macro. If I look in more detail, there were moments that can be chosen as the best things that happened on my trip, especially when traveling to another county. Certainly, there have been such moments, they are in everyone's trips but I can't remember anything that was easily and definitively chosen as the most...
Now, when I think about it, I realize that it's easier to remember an unpleasant incident from the trip, such as problems with the car, being turned back from the border because I forgot to renew my driver's license, losing my card on the first day of vacation, and so on. I am now reminded how unlucky I am, or stupid, but more likely, both!
Still, the best things that happened are hard to pick out of the many small and mostly forgotten happenings.
My foreign trips were only to two countries, Bulgaria, neighboring Romania where I live, the most, and Greece, neighboring Bulgaria, the most beautiful! I mentioned to the neighbors to make it clear that all trips were made by car.
In my opinion, Greece is the most beautiful country in Europe, especially in the marine part. Thousands of islands, a warm climate, welcoming hosts, a relaxing and healthy lifestyle, Mediterranean cuisine, history, and ancient relics are just some of the strengths of this country.
Three trips to Greece, all on the same island, Thassos Island in the Aegean Sea.
All in the same village, Limenaria!
The pleasant moments, the joys, are many in a holiday on an island, in this case, a Greek one. Although Greece has thousands of destinations, each more attractive, each different, something for everyone, I was captivated by Thassos and Limenaria and I promised myself not to betray this destination unless it betrayed me. That didn't happen...
I think you agree with what I am saying now. No matter how spectacular a place is, if it doesn't overlap with your preferences and needs, then it doesn't suit you. And vice versa!
Limenaria provided what my wife and I needed in the first place. The beauty of the sea, not seen elsewhere, friendly people, normal comfort at a fair price, and the ability to walk around. Very important walk for us!
We chose to have our morning coffee in another village, a resort, 4 km away, because that way we could have a long walk through the pine forest, through the olive grove, by the sea...
On these daily walks, until we reached Potos, the village where we decided to have our morning coffee, the road took us past a very special fence. The fence was full of photos, a kind of primitive offline social network. Each time we spent some time reading all sorts of "posts".
I even met the one who was the "network administrator".
When I asked him if I could take his picture he only agreed if I would be with him as an apprentice and helper. I enjoyed it!
The texts were mainly written in Greek and because of this, I didn't understand what was intended with this "wall", but from the theme of the photos it looked like something political, or protest. I guess you know that Greeks protest a lot and easily.
The photo of a man appeared many times, I don't know who he was but he looked like a politician... more like in opposition. The one that appears in two photos.
We chose to drink the coffee so far away from the hotel where we were staying not because the coffee was better than elsewhere. The coffee was normal but the person who brewed and served it really liked it. The owner of that little bakery had a mixture of detachment, mild irritation, and friendliness so subtly done that if you didn't get angry with him on first contact, you couldn't help but befriend him later. We made friends!
The location of this bakery, next to a busy street of cars, with only a few tables on the sidewalk, doesn't seem the most convenient for customers, but I always saw customers and, more interestingly, the customers were mostly locals and not tourists.
That's what I look for on holidays abroad, to find places frequented by locals, because those are the best. Tourists are easy to fool...
Even the dogs seem to appreciate it!
This is where we had the best breakfast in all three holidays in Thassos. Cakes, Greek pastries, and cappuccino plus the ever-present free gift of the house, every day something else.
In addition to all of this, each time we have been lucky enough to have great coffee neighbors. Like this gentleman, seen earlier in the photos on the "wall"!
Recognize him? Every morning he was here with his wife for coffee and conversation with friends. Greeks love long talks around the table.
I asked the owner of the bakery who the gentleman was that I'd seen in the photo. He confirmed that he was a politician, and a teacher, but didn't tell me more. Although this was a regular customer, it seems the owner didn't like him or his political beliefs.
Well, I can now consider that I have finished the introduction, such a long introduction, for such a short story.
My hero is another table neighbor, a neighbor of the morning coffee here at the dusty little bakery in Potos.
An elderly gentleman, very elderly, by my reckoning he was well into his eighties. Small in stature, with white hair, smartly dressed, shirt and suit, and shoes, even though the temperature was 35 degrees Celsius. Every time I got there he was at the table, with a small coffee in front of him and reading the newspaper. A retro image, a picture of times long gone.
After a few days of seeing him, I dared to say hello when my friends and I got there.
The gentleman, I don't know his name, stood up and greeted me too and thanked me. Then he asked me what country I came from.
I was a little intimidated. Always when I'm abroad and I'm asked, or it's noticed what country I'm from, I don't feel comfortable and I'm flustered. This is because both Romania, my country, and especially we, its inhabitants, are not well seen abroad.
Both because of many less civilized compatriots, not to say at all, who invaded Europe after the borders opened in 1989, many criminals who scared the hell out of people with their behavior. On the other hand also because of the unknownness of Romania, because most people have heard about my country only from the almost always negative TV news.
I answered in a quiet and shy voice that we come from Romania.
Suddenly the old gentleman's face brightened and he showed a long smile. He came over and shook my hand and said that Romania is a good friend of Greece, that Romanians and Greeks have always got along well and helped each other and he was glad to see us there!
It was a great and beautiful surprise when I heard what he said. I can say it was one of the best things that happened to me on a trip to another county. It was a joy for me to see that we are appreciated in a place that I love very much.
I'm still left with a big annoyance. I'm sorry I don't have a picture of this gentleman. I, who in my travels photograph everything I can, but this time I forgot to take at least one photo.
"The wall", which we talked about earlier, was filled with photos. This is a photo taken a year later.
I want to thank 
