TRAVEL|ROAD TRIP|EUROPE

From Athens to Zadar

Driving Through the Alphabet in Europe

Me and My Dog with the Acropolis of Athens in the Background — Karon M. G. Murray

There’s nothing like the open road. Possibilities unfold as the terrain whizzes by your window.

Hailing from the second largest country in the world means that road trips were a rite of passage. There’s a lot of ground to cover in Canada. Packing up and jumping in the car for a long drive to a different destination, through ever-changing seasons is a core memory for me. Driving several hours or even days means that I’ve logged a lot of kilometers on Canadian roads over the years — traversing those expansive landscapes with awe. These road trips stretched into married life for family gatherings, special events, school holidays, and glorious weekends at the cottage.

Our road trips took on a whole new dimension when we moved to Izmir, Türkiye in 2021. The roads no longer looked familiar. We drove with a sense of uncertainty and with, I must say, a slight feeling of trepidation.

Can traffic circle procedures really be that different here? Why is everyone speeding? Will small country lanes based on centuries old trails be wide enough to pass through? What if we get lost and we don’t speak Turkish?

Once we adjusted to the local norms of driving we revelled in the fact that our road trips led us to ancient cities steeped in history.

Ephesus. Pergamon. Olympos. Assos.

Roads led us to incredible natural beauty.

Duden waterfalls. Cleopatra Cove. Pamukkale. Patara. Mount Chimerae.

Roads led us to special towns and villages.

Akyaka. Burhaniye. Datça. Kas. Şirince.

L: Library of Celsus at Ephesus in Türkiye; R: Theatre of Pergamon in Türkiye— Karon M. G. Murray

After three years in Turkiye, my husband and I were ready for a new adventure — road tripping as a full time endeavour. It’s a slightly unconventional way to live but we have embraced unpredictability and are all the better for it. I love how the highway stretches out before us like a blank page each time we move on down the road.

There’s always something to discover about our world and ourselves.

One constant of family road trips in Canada was the tradition of playing games to pass the time. This was long before every person in the vehicle had their own device. We sang silly songs and played games like eye spy, the license plate game or alphabet game, all while trying to avoid getting slugged by a sibling who was intent on playing punch bug. That and the regular chorus of ‘are we there yet?’ made for some memorable moments travelling down the highway.

“You’re never too old to get acquainted with the world you are living in.” Eugene Levy in an episode of The Reluctant Traveller.

Our road trips over the last few years have taken us from A to Z … from Athens to Zadar and most of the alphabet in between. So I guess we have been playing our own version of the alphabet game. My husband and I swap stories in the car as we test our memories using each letter of the alphabet. It’s wonderful to recall each place and what made it special to us.

Annecy, Budva, Chios, Dubrovnik, Erdine, Florence, Genoa…

L: Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy; R: Palais de l’Île in Annecy, France — Karon M. G. Murray

A is for Athens, Greece

We drove to Athens from Izmir during our Aegean summer road trip in 2022. Established over 3400 years ago, it’s a sprawling city of over four million people with annual record-breaking tourism. Thankfully we were able to avoid the crowds. We stayed in the Cholargos neighborhood and felt right at home. Our hosts were welcoming and directed us to many notable spots in Athens as well as a local dog park only a few blocks away. Our Labrador retriever was happy.

Athens is one of the most famous cities in the world. When you say you’ve been there no one asks where that is. It’s near the top of the list for any North American traveller heading abroad. Home to the Acropolis and one of the most recognizable archeological ruins from antiquity — the Parthenon, Athens is a treasure trove of historical, cultural and culinary wonders.

It goes without saying that the museums and galleries in Athens are world class. I’m an art nerd so I could have spent days in the new Acropolis Museum or the Byzantine and Christian Museum. So many beautiful treasures.

But truthfully, we spent most of our time educating our taste buds. Oh, Greek food! Greek salad with that creamy, tangy feta topped with fragrant oregano. It just tastes better in Greece. Gyros, moussaka, souvlaki, dolmades. Opa!

All the Amazing Greek Delicacies — Karon M. G. Murray

Z is for Zadar, Croatia.

We arrived in Zadar on the last day of October, 2024. I remember it well because I was at the wheel and drove through three countries in just a few hours. Italy, Slovenia and into Croatia.

While it doesn’t have the megastar fame of Athens, Zadar is a showstopper. Due to its stunning scenery, Zadar is equally unforgettable. The beaches are gorgeous. The azure water beckons you to kick off your shoes even in November. After spending a lifetime on the Canadian prairies, I find seaside living along the Adriatic so alluring. Zadar is a place renowned for its sunsets as noted by the likes of Alfred Hitchcock. The city also boasts a Mediterranean climate like Athens but without the pollution that comes from a big city.

L: Church of St Donatus with Roman Ruins in Foreground; C: Artifact from Museum of Ancient Glass in Zadar; R: Ancient Marina in Zadar — Karon M. G. Murray

Like Athens, Zadar has a diverse history having been populated since prehistoric times. It is thought to be the oldest settlement in Croatia. In addition to strolling through the marvelous twists and turns of the old town, Roman ruins can be explored including a forum built by Julius Caesar. We studied the artifacts in the National Museum as well as the Museum of Ancient Glass. The unique collection of glassware was especially intriguing. It's remarkable that such delicate pieces survived over hundreds of years.

When it comes to population, Athens is roughly 10 times larger so visitors can expect a more intimate experience in Zadar. A much needed slower pace of life. You can linger as long as you like, especially in the restaurants. Zadar serves up palate-pleasing fresh seafood accompanied by tasty local beer and wine. We were thankful that our over indulgences were budget friendly.

A is for Athens. Z is for Zadar.

Both cities captured our imagination so my husband and I found ourselves looking for connections between them.

Having lived in Türkiye for three years we have become somewhat attuned to recognizing Ottoman influences and how they have been woven into modern culture. We can see evidence of this in both cities. We also learned that early Greek civilizations influenced and traded with the ancient peoples who inhabited present-day Croatia so we assume those exchanges would have had a lasting effect.

These Balkan countries share a welcoming disposition with friendly people who exuded pride in their homeland. In our everyday interactions with people we found that they have a sense of humour and don’t take themselves too seriously. We had no problem communicating. Attempting a word or two in Greek or Croatian was the starting point for conversations. This gesture was met with a reassuring smile and then followed with kindness.

My Dog Playing at Sabunike Beach, Zadar — Karon M. G. Murray

We loved the time we spent in these two Balkan beauties and would happily return. I think if we left it up to our dog to decide, she would choose Zadar. As a water dog she really felt in her element frolicking in the Adriatic sea.

A, B, C, D …

A strong sense of curiosity drives us forward to new destinations, an opportunity to create new memories. The alphabet game continues and we are both winning.

Tell me about your favourite road trip.

Thanks for reading. ;-)

Follow my creative observations during full-time travel with my husband and my dog at https://www.instagram.com/its_me_creative_g/