Archives for June 2019

Top 7 Things to See in Athens

You’ve landed in Greece, now what?

First things first, Athens is a huge, dynamic city with so much to offer! We are going to highlight our favorite SEVEN things to do if you have 2-3 days in Athens. Obviously, there is so much to see, do and eat! This is just an introduction to the beautiful city of Athens.

The Acropolis

It’s ancient history in real life! Do not miss spending at least half a day wandering around the Acropolis. Hot tip- they love if you can pay in cash and those lines are much shorter to get in.

We just walked around ourselves and read the plaques, which was fascinating, but I also think it probably would have been even better to hire a tour guide. The area is absolutely massive and can easily take several hours. Not much of it is shaded and Athens summer days are hot! Bring your own water – there is one small drinking fountain in the place.

Mount Lycabettus

The place to catch the most beautiful views of Athens and also the perfect place to watch the sunset. There is a trolley you can take to the top, or you can hike up. It is a very simple, easy hike and only takes about 15 minutes. I would suggest walking so that you can enjoy the outdoor space.

Don’t be surprised if you are not the only person up there for the sunset – it’s a very popular place at that time of day. There are also restaurants on the very top where you can eat while enjoying spectacular views.

Plaka

This is the ancient market and it’s a lot of fun to walk around. It’s located at the base of the hill of the Acropolis, so you can easily do both activities in one day. Just like most big cities, make sure your belongings are in a secure place and that you know where they are at all times.

There are lots of options for food in this area – we ate authentic Greek food, as well as very touristy treats and ice cream. It has a nice mix of everything.

Temple of Zeus

This is beautiful! It truly feels like it is in the very center of Athens. Located close to all of the other tourist sites, it’s an easy (and obvious) stop along the way.

It’s amazing to see how well everything is preserved. It was built in the 5th Century BC! It’s hard to wrap your head around that. Seeing something that was created so long ago and is still so majestic and beautiful. Another fascinating aspect of this site is that excavation continues to this day on the Temple of Zeus. They are uncovering and discovering new things every day!

Psyri

This is a vibrant, fun area of Athens filled with bars, restaurants, shops and live music. Lots of fun to walk around and hang out. We only spent a couple of hours in the area, but we loved it.

Panathenaic Olympic Stadium

This is really a site to see since it is the exact place the ancient Olympic games took place in the 4th Century. It is built entirely of marble and is really impressive to see up close. It is the place where the first modern Olympic games were hosted in 1896. It was last used as an Olympics venue in 2004.

Such a rich history in one place. If you want to get crazy, they offer a workout class, combined with a tour of the facility. You can learn how ancient Olympians trained and try some of their workouts. Click here for more information.

Acropolis Museum

After walking through the Acropolis, you have a lot of questions! Many of them are answered at the Acropolis Museum. A lot of the pieces on the Acropolis are not complete – they contain parts that are kept and preserved in the Acropolis Museum. You could spend days in this museum. It opened in the summer of 2009. It is new and a lot of the residents of Athens recommended that we visit.

The most DELICIOUS authentic Greek food you must try while in Greece

If you are traveling to Greece for the first time, get your taste buds ready! We were there for seven days and not once did we have a disappointing meal. From the Greek hospitality to the baklava, the Greek’s know how to do food!

It was refreshing to hear the locals tell us that McDonald’s is not very popular in Greece and that they all prefer authentic Greek food over American fast food – hey us too! The food in Greece surpassed all our expectations. We are going to share our must-try list of authentic Greek food.

Gyro: The gyro’s in Greece surpassed all my wildest dreams! The tender pita with crunchy veggies, slow roasted meat, and a few french fries thrown in for good measure was hands down my favorite thing to eat! If I am being honest, I ate a gyro almost every single day while I was in Greece. What can I say? YOLO! You can find the BEST gyro in Santorini at The Grill in Karterados.

Moussaka: A version of this dish was on pretty much every single menu that we viewed. It is a dish traditionally made with eggplant, potatoes, and minced meat. Eggplant is used in many dishes in Greece. We enjoyed trying the different moussaka dishes in Athens and Santorini. The eggplant has a mild flavor and the meat is able to shine. It’s unlike any dish I have ever had in the United States.

Greek Salad: This salad is a given on the must-try list. The crunch of the cucumber, the perfectly ripe tomatoes, and the large portions of feta make this salad a great option for lunch or dinner. We regularly ordered a greek salad as an appetizer before our meals. Delicious!

Souvlaki: Along with gyro’s you have to try Souvlaki while in Greece. Greek slow-roasted meat is an art form. You can usually choose between chicken, pork, or beef.

Loukoumades: These are Greek honey donuts. They are similar to American donut holes. However, they fill them with custard or cream and then cover them in chocolate or ice cream! Hands down the best dessert we had in Greece! My personal favorite was the Bueno Bar Loukoumades that were drenched in the melted European chocolate bar. If you are committed to trying the “real thing” then get the traditional honey only. To die for!

Baklava: This traditional Greek pastry is plentiful throughout Athens and Santorini. If you go to a pastry shop or restaurant, 9 out of 10 times they will have their own form of baklava. We enjoyed trying all different forms of the treat but especially liked the “deconstructed” baklava with ice cream on the side. It balanced out the sweetness perfectly.

Bread with olive spread and hummus: As Americans, we get excited when we sit down at a restaurant to find a loaf of piping hot bread fresh from the oven. Well, in Greece they take this nice surprise up one more level and serve the bread with an olive spread and local hummus. I don’t ever want to eat fresh bread any other way! This is the best savory appetizer before a meal.

Mushroom Toast: The Greeks know how to prepare mushrooms. The mushroom toast dish at Roka in Oia on Santorini won over some mushroom haters in our group – it’s that good! If you are stopping in Oia this a must to go and try. The toast is completed with a bearnaise sauce that is one of the best I have ever tasted!

Gelato: You cannot take a vacation to Europe without enjoying your fair share of gelato. Gelato stops were hit and miss so make sure you go to a recommended spot. A local told us to try Lolita’s in Oia and it was divine. We all ordered different flavors and they were all perfectly smooth and creamy. Plus, the ambiance at Lolita’s is idyllic!

Enjoy your time in Greece! The Greek people are so wonderful and welcoming. At almost every restaurant we tried they gave us something “on the house”. It truly is a magical place and I cannot wait to go back again someday.

8 Things to See in Santorini

The Greek island of Santorini is breathtaking

The small Greek island is even prettier than the photos make it look! Santorini is known for its cave-like buildings that are whitewashed and glowing in the sun. Although the town of Oia is the hot spot on the island, there is a ton to do and see outside of town. This is the perfect location for honeymooners, families, or a girls trip! I went with 5 of my closest girlfriends and it was paradise!

I put together my top 8 recommendations for travelers to Santorini:

Watch a sunset in Oia

The sunsets here are world renowned. People truly travel from across the globe to witness the sun dipping below the Aegean Sea. If you plan to go, try to go before June or after August. We went at the end of May and the crowds were definitely building but all of the locals said things got really crazy in July and August. As for getting a good seat to watch the sunset, they are everywhere! Just sit down wherever you are and take in the view.

2. Go on a private boat tour around the island

Santorini’s stunning cliffside views are thanks to volcanic eruptions over time that have created their famous caldera. Seeing this from a boat is so much fun! It is also a great way to see White Beach, Red Beach, and Black Beach. These beaches are not your typical sandy beaches so it is just fine to see them from the water and appreciate the beautiful landscape they create. On our tour, we were able to swim in a couple of different spots and we were served a delicious lunch aboard the boat. Plan on spending $100-$150 depending on how long your boat tour lasts.

3. Get a gyro from The Grill in Karterados

Gyros are a part of everyday Greek life and at The Grill, they are done right! For under 3 euro you will sink your teeth into the best gyro on the island! We stayed a short 5-minute walk from The Grill and made an almost daily stop for one of their gyro’s. They are the perfect mix of spiced meat, fresh pita, and crunchy veggies!

4. Walk through the winding streets of Oia at night and wander through the shops

Oia is just about as charming as you can get. From the doorstep views to the ocean views, it is so much fun to walk around the town and take it all in. We had one of the best dinners EVER at Roka in Oia. Finding it is one of the craziest treasure hunts you will ever do, but it is completely worth your time. You must get the mushroom toast! It comes with a bearnaise sauce that will send your tastebuds soaring. The prices are very reasonable, I recommend sharing dishes so that you can try a variety of entrees! After dinner, you have to stop for some gelato at Lolita’s! The coconut and Nutella flavors are divine with the smoothest consistency. We tried a lot of different gelato places and this was the best, hands down!

5. Go to Akrotiri

The ancient city of Akrotiri was a complete surprise to us. Once we arrived in Santorini some locals told us about the ancient seaside town that was covered by volcanic ash in 1600 B.C. Because it has been buried in the ash for so long it is incredibly well preserved. We were all blown away to see that the inhabitants there had built a plumbing system and beautiful artwork for their homes more than 3,600 years ago! Mind-blowing for sure and a great history lesson at the same time.

6. Check out the views from the oldest monastery on the island

The monastery happens to be located on top of the tallest hill on Santorini. It offers gorgeous sweeping views of the caldera. They still perform religious services at the monastery but you need to be Greek Orthodox to participate in them fully. Be warned: the ride up is very windy with steep cliffs on either side of you so if that makes you queasy, you may want to skip this outing.

7. Have dinner in Fira

If you want to get away from the crowds in Oia go to dinner in Fira. We happened to be able to save a kitten thanks to some local girls who were extra vigilant of their surroundings! (long story, with a happy ending) In Fira they have plentiful restaurants that offer authentic Greek favorites. It is a slower pace than the rest of the island and can be fun to stroll around.

8. Stay in a beautiful Airbnb

Our FAVORITE part of the trip was the Airbnb that we were able to snatch up. Described as a NeoClassical Mansion it fit all six of us comfortably. A housekeeper visited daily to keep things tidy and the friendly staff sent us to the best restaurants on the island. The home is impeccably designed and decorated and the pool and patio area make it so you don’t even need to leave the place for a relaxing vacation. I would recommend this spot for families or for groups of 4 to 6 people. It was spectacular and I hope to return again soon!

A few other tips for travelers to Santorini:

Make sure you rent a car. The island is large and things are very spread out. Having a car is very convenient and helps you see more in less time. Be warned that most rental cars on the island are manual transmission and the streets and alleyways are VERY narrow!
When in doubt – ask a local! The Greek people are so hospitable and warm. Thanks to the locals we were able to see and do more than we would have ever done on our own.
Bring light, breathable clothes. The island gets hot in the summer months so make sure you bring items that you will be comfortable in.

Enjoy your time on this beautiful Greek island! Make sure to check out our other recommendations for the Best Authentic Food To Try In Greece and the 7 Things To Know If You Are An American Travelling To Greece.

Greece Travel Nightmare

What really happened when we went to Greece

It’s time for us to share what really happened in GREECE.⁣

Brooke and I were invited on a Guided Tour of Greece by a girl named Josie who created a company called Book Your Bucket List. She reached out to us 6 months prior to the May 2019 trip. We used that time to create a detailed media and promotion plan leading up to the trip.

Greece group tour grows by four

After sharing our dream itinerary with friends and family, four girls decided to join the trip with us. Two close friends and two family members. They got on the phone with Josie, gave her their credit card information, and were told everything was good to go.

The red flags before the trip

As part of our promotional plan, we began promoting Book Your Bucket List at the beginning of May. This included dozens of endorsements from us, encouragement to check out their trips, and of course to BOOK your dream vacation with them.

One Week To Go

With just one week to go before the trip, we had NOTHING from Josie. No confirmation numbers, no flight information, and nothing telling us what to do when we landed in Athens. We decided to reach out and see if she would meet us in person so we could further promote the trip by her answering questions from our followers. She agreed, so we met up at the state capitol and chatted for about 5 minutes before she said she had to go. During that time we told her we were getting nervous that nothing had been sent to us. She immediately said that her team told her they had sent everything and that their email server had been having problems. She promised to get ALL of the trip information sent to us that night.

Hanging On

At this point, we hung onto that little lie as hard as we could and told ourselves everything was going to be fine. Brooke also had been in contact with a fellow blogger that had been taken on a guided tour of Australia with Josie. From the first moment Josie reached out, Brooke had been talking with her friend who had encouraged her to go on a trip with Josie. She told her that although Josie was last minute in sending trip information and confirmations, it would be amazing once we got to Athens…

Landing In Athens

When we landed in Athens after 16 hours of flying we were told that the Book Your Bucket List team would be waiting for us with our transportation to take us to the 5-star hotel listed on the itinerary. When we landed in Athens, the “team” was two girls that clearly had no idea what was going on.

Waiting for an Uber

The girls had us sit and wait for around an hour with no explanation of what was going on. We finally started inquiring about the so-called transportation and where it might be because according to the itinerary we were supposed to be standing in front of the Parthenon at that VERY MOMENT! As we sat at the airport waiting for a “van” that never showed up. The fake tour guide then told us she was calling an Uber. Well, all of us have used Uber before and know that it takes less than 5 minutes for your driver to arrive – we waited another excruciating hour on the airport curb – for the so-called Uber. At that point, we told her we were going to take taxis. At this point she told us we needed to drop our bags off at an Airbnb she claimed we were staying in. This was confusing because we had all been sent the name of a 5-star hotel in downtown Greece that we were supposed to be staying in. We decided to call the hotel to see if we had reservations and could drop our bags off, upon reaching the front desk they quickly told us they were completely booked for the night and there were absolutely NO RESERVATIONS for anyone with Book Your Bucket List.

Lost Somewhere In Athens

After 45 minutes in taxis, we were dropped off on the curb of the Airbnb. Except that it was not an Airbnb it was a sketchy neighborhood in the middle of Athens with residents in all the homes and no rental space in sight. At this point, the “tour guide” tried to leave us sitting on the curb with all of our luggage. We chased her taxi down and climbed back in telling her she could not lose us that fast and that she needed to fix the problem.

Tour Guide

As a tour guide, you would think that you would be on your very best behavior for clients and answer any questions that they might have. This was not the case. Our “tour guide” decided to mention that she wasn’t actually a Book Your Bucket List employee and that she had been to Athens once before about 7 years ago. When we asked her what was truly going on, she refused to answer and would not give us any information.

Furious

After we were taken to the wrong Airbnb location and presumed that there probably was not a rented Airbnb space waiting for us we decided to take the matter into our own hands. We searched for the closest recognizable hotel and happened upon a Hilton. We told our (exhausted) taxi drivers that would be our final destination and we would wait there until Josie landed and could make things right for our trip.

The Waiting Game

We sat in the Hilton hotel lobby in Athens for 8 hours waiting for Josie to arrive and explain herself. ⁣During this time the “tour guide” did not offer to get us a meal or help make any of the supposed itinerary for that day happen which was supposed to be the Parthenon and a cooking class for dinner. We were exhausted, hungry, and incredibly disappointed.

She arrived

⁣Josie arrived at the Hilton and did not offer apologies, just said there were some misunderstandings. We told her we had called the hotels on the itinerary SHE MADE and none of them had reservations for us or if they did they said the reservation could not be completed because her credit card had been declined. We asked for confirmation numbers for the rest of the trip and she gave us NOTHING. It was infuriating. Not once did she apologize or try to make it right. ⁣

Taking it into our own hands⁣

Realizing that our dream trip and itinerary were completely made up, we got together and decided we could either fly home broken hearted and distraught or try to make the most of our time left in Greece. We all agreed that we would sleep on it and make a decision in the morning. At breakfast the next day, we all came to an agreement that we wanted to book the rest of the trip ourselves. In one hour, the six of us planned everything. ⁣ ⁣
⁣

The rest of the trip

We have talked about the highlights of the trip in posts like where to eat while you are in Greece, 8 Things to See in Santorini, and What to Know if You Are An American Travelling to Greece. The rest of the trip was superb. Our Airbnb came complete with a pool and housekeeper that showed us the ropes for Santorini. The rest of the trip showed us why people talk about Greece the way they do. It was shockingly beautiful.

Coming home

Soon after returning home to Utah we started sharing our experience to warn other travelers or prospective clients and found out that Book Your Bucket List has done this same thing to dozens of other people. Countless people shared their experience of booking their dream vacation, only to show up at the airport and have no flights booked or a trip canceled.

Refunds and Closure

No one has received any kind of refund. ⁣The owner posted names of people from our group with fake refund pictures. She truly stops at nothing. And sadly, we have learned that our experience is just the tip of the iceberg for her criminal activity.

Justice

The case is now in the hands of law enforcement and the FBI. We hope to share more details when justice is served and she can no longer take advantage of travelers seeking a fun adventure.

Last Note

If you know someone else who has been scammed by Book Your Bucketlist, please have them reach out to us. ⁣We try to keep our blog a happy and positive place, but we do not want to see one more person get scammed!

7 Things Every American Should Know Before Going to Greece

Now, if you are headed to Greece, here are a few things you should know as an American:

Very few taxis take credit cards.

We always made sure to have cash on hand. They use Euros in Greece. It’s usually cheapest to exchange your money at a bank. As far as rideshare companies, like Uber, they are not super popular there. Instead, most people use an app called TaxiBeat that helps you hail a taxi.

You must ask taxi drivers for receipts or they may try to overcharge you (it happened to us).

Beware that there is also a flat fee charged from the airport – ask what it is. We were charged 60 euro when it should have been the flat fee of 38 euro.

Greek people are friendly and kind.

At one point, we got stuck on a cobblestone hill and a complete stranger came and offered to drive our car to the top. He saved us from trying to push the van up the hill ourselves. It was so kind.

Fewer people speak English than in other large European cities.

I wished I had learned more basic phrases for communicating. I always think it’s a little bit rude to assume everyone around the world speaks English. Even though I sounded terrible, I could tell it was appreciated when I tried.

There are dangerous neighborhoods, just like anywhere else, so ask your hotel which places are safest to walk if you plan on doing a lot of sightseeing.

Our concierge told us exactly where to go and we had no problems. One night we were wandering around and not sure where to go next, so we asked a police officer, who was so helpful and nice. Of course, just like other major cities, there are lots of people trying to make a quick buck in Athens.

People were always surprised when we tipped 15-20%.

It wasn’t until we asked a Greek person who told us that it is customary to only tip 5-10% in Greece. They also just round up at some restaurants, so a tip is included in your bill. If you would like to tip your waiter, give the money directly to them. I went with a group of 6 and at every restaurant, we ordered 6 dishes, a couple appetizers, and dessert and split everything. We rarely paid more than 10-15 euros/person per meal. I found it to be very reasonably priced, even at nicer restaurants. Almost everywhere we went, they brought out something “on the house”, one night it was soup, another night it was dessert. I thought it was nice.

There is little to none when it comes to American fast food in Greece, which we found so refreshing!

The entire time we were in Athens and Santorini, we only saw one McDonald’s. Instead, you actually get to try all of the local flavors and Greek food is delicious. Talking to a few native Athens residents, they said most of them would rather eat a fresh gyro than a McDonald’s hamburger. I have to agree! The street food was absolutely delicious. We never had a bad meal.

The main thing you need to remember is to have fun! Enjoy the beautiful country of Greece and all it has to offer. It is truly unlike any other place in the world. The rich history is magnificent and the sights are breathtaking. I can’t wait until I get to visit again someday.

Botox vs. Dysport: An experiment on identical twins

Dr. Chidester at Form Spa asked us to test Botox injections vs. Dysport injections on our faces since we are identical twins.

Now that we are 30 years old we have definitely noticed more wrinkles in our foreheads and we are excited to see how this Botox injections versus Dysport Injections experiment works out! Our doctor told us that as far as he knows it has never been done before on identical twins!

What’s the difference between getting Botox injections and Dysport injections?

Botox and Dysport are similar products, just with different brand names. Both are a type of botulinum type A used to relax the muscles that cause frown lines and other overactive muscles of the face, like forehead lines and crows feet. Many dermatologists recommend these injections to help prevent wrinkles and fine lines from forming. Dysport is a smaller-sized molecule so it’s unit measurement is different than Botox.

The Experiment

We wanted to know which one – Botox or Dysport – kicks in faster and which one lasts longer. That is what you really care about when you go in for these procedures! Dr. Chidester first examined our faces and told us what kind of results he was hoping for. We specifically chose Form Spa because Dr. Chidester is known for natural and flattering results on all of his clients. He marked up our faces with a white eyeliner pencil that you might notice in some of the photos on the areas he planned to inject. He made sure to mark the same exact places on both of us.

The Results

Day 1:

Both of our faces look the same at this point. No noticeable changes yet in our forehead lines or crows feet.

Day 3:

It was crazy how quickly the Dysport injections started working on Brooke’s face. Within three days of getting Dysport, her results were almost fully there. Brittany’s face looked pretty much the same, albeit a very slight change in her “frown lines” on the forehead becoming less noticeable.

Day 7:

Brooke’s face had noticeable changes from the Dysport. One of our favorite things that Dr. Chidester can do with injections is a “brow lift”, this is what makes you look refreshed and more awake. One week after the Dysport injections on Brooke there was full evidence of the brow lift making her look more rested as well as almost all wrinkles smoothed out in the forehead area. Britt’s wrinkles were still intact after one week, however they were not as pronounced as they had been on Day 1. She still had lots of movement and some slight lines still visible on her forehead.

Day 14:

The Dysport injections in Brooke’s face had worked it’s magic and there were no longer signs of wrinkles on her forehead or crows feet around her eyes. The Botox in Britt’s face had worked up to a point but she still had much more movement than Brooke in her forehead. If you’re going for a more natural result where you still have lots of movement in your eyebrows, you are probably going to want to go with Botox injections. Dysport created a much faster, noticeable difference in Brooke’s face. Dr. Chidester at Form Spa said he most often recommends Dysport to his patients.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it hurt? The short answer is no. At Form Spa, they have a vibrating facial tool called Goldy that they use on your face while administering the injections. It really helps with the slight pin-prick of pain and makes it completely tolerable. Brooke and I are both terrified of needles and they use such tiny needles it really feels more like a tiny rubberband snap. The entire injection process takes less than two minutes. From two wimps with very low pain thresholds, we were completely fine! There is also no pain after the procedure is done.
How long does it last? Botox injections and Dysport injections last 3-4 months. They can last shorter than that or longer, it just depends on how fast your body metabolizes it.
Should I go to a Botox party or have my friend/neighbor/cousin do my injections? NO! When it comes to your face it is not worth the risk. It is important to remember that a misplaced injection could cause LIFELONG damage to your face. We specifically chose Dr. Chidester at Form Spa because he is a renowned plastic surgeon in Utah and knows his stuff! Only go to a qualified doctor. Better yet, someone where you have seen what their results look like – like Dr. Chidester!
Will my face look different? We still look exactly the same minus the crow’s feet and wrinkles! After becoming moms, we both noticed our faces looking tired all.the.time. After working with Dr. Chidester, who specifically placed the Botox and Dysport in areas to raise our eyebrows, we are happy to report that we look and feel more refreshed than we have in years. It is a non-permanent change, so you can decide how much and how often to get it done depending on your preferences.
What is the cost difference in Botox and Dysport? They are about even. It really comes to your preference and the one your doctor recommends working best for you.
Now that you have done the experiment which one would you guys recommend? We have to go with Dysport. The amount of time it takes to kick in is incredible and the results seem a little stronger than Botox. It’s worth mentioning that when we were getting our injections done and Dr. Chidester was comparing and marking our faces up, he said Brooke had deeper wrinkle lines in her “11s”, which is the space between her eyes. Now those have completely disappeared on Brooke and you can still see Britt’s when she scowls! We have also heard Dysport lasts a little bit longer so we will update this post in a few months with our take!

We highly recommend Form Spa, their staff is welcoming and professional. They are respectful and do not try to push anything on you (like so many other med spas out there!). Dr. Chidester is one-of-a-kind and very skilled at what he does. We went to see them at the Cottonwood Heights location, but they also have locations at City Creek and a soon-to-be-opened location in Riverton.

UPDATE

It has now been 4 months since we went in for our Botox and Dysport injections at Form Spa. We now 100% recommend Dysport over Botox. Brooke (who got Dysport) has had lasting results and is just barely starting to see movement and lines again in her forehead. On the other hand, Britt (who got Botox) has been seeing movement for the last month or so. If you want the option that works the fastest and lasts the longest go with Dysport!

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