Odyssey 1/25

@Greece, its Islands and Archipelagos

Greece is a country in south-eastern Europe with thousands of islands through­­out the Aegean and Ionian seas. Influential in ancient times, it's often called the cradle of Western civilisation. Athens, its capital, retains land­­marks including the Acropolis citadel with the Parthenon temple dating from the 5th century BCE. Greece is also known for its beaches, from the sands of Santorini to the party resorts of Mykonos.

Odyssey 2/25

@Greek Beach, Sithonia

Perfect and Precilla excitedly collected their luggage. Their tour guide, Dimitri, had arranged for them all to stay in a cosy tree­house hotel, complete with hammocks strung between the branches and a veranda that offered a breath­taking view of the sea. Sithonia was every bit as en­chanting as their brochure had promised.

Odyssey 3/25

@Windsurfing in Greece

The first night in Sithonia, they feasted on a spread of Greek delicacies, including crispy fried courgette, creamy tzatziki (a yogurt and cucumber dip), and juicy olives that Splotch couldn't get enough of. Precilla, more adventurous with her palate, tried the souvlaki and declared it the best meal she had ever had.

Odyssey 4/25

@Port, Thessaloniki

They went by coach to Thessaloniki, which held treasures like the White Tower and the Arch of Galerius, where the pets climbed to the top, their hearts racing from both the exertion and the breath­taking view. They also visited the port and watched the ships un­loading their cargoes.

Odyssey 5/25

@Catacombs, Thessaloniki

The underground Catacombs of St. John the Baptist are located near the Church of Hagia Sophia. Dimitri gather­ed the group in the garden. “Here we can see the ruins of the nymph­aeum, a spring dedicated to the nymphs as well as the therm­al baths dating from Roman times. The nymphaeum was convert­ed into a holy water spring during Christian times and an under­ground worship place was built there, in honour of St. John the Baptist. This Catacomb belongs to a wider net­work of secret communic­ation in Thessaloniki, which has not been fully explored yet! It consists of cata­combs and tunnels, used by the first Christians to practise their worship. One can reach them through the Temple of Saint John the Baptist, hence the name. There are also remnants of the early Christian church.”

Odyssey 6/25

@Flag of Greece

Dimitri paused beneath a national flag adorning the street. "Ah, the colours and stripes of our flag," he began, his voice filled with pride. "They hold a signifi­cant piece of our history, a story woven into the very fabric of our nation. I will explain more later in our travels."

Odyssey 7/25

@Moonlit Kastoria

The following night, the coach pulled into the picture­sque town of Kastoria, nestled on a lake shore. The moon cast a silvery glow over the town, trans­forming it into a fairy­tale scene. The lake was a mirror, reflecting the lights of the city like a thousand stars scattered on its surface.

Odyssey 8/25

@Lakeside, Kastoria

The next day, they explored the quaint streets of Kastoria, marvell­ing at the well-preserved Byzant­ine architecture. The town was a living museum, with each build­ing bear­ing secrets of the past. They stumbled upon a tiny, hidden square, where back­gammon was being played, the clack of the game pieces a comforting sound­­track to the lazy afternoon.