Welcome…

My name is Pia and this blog is about my favorite subject in the world – GREECE.  I am totally and completely enamored with Greece…in every sense of the word.  My fascination with Greece started during my first visit back in Summer of 1989 as I was backpacking through Europe with a childhood friend.  We spent some days in Athens, then took the ferry to Paros and from there to Ios…and I did not want to leave…ever.  I really thought I had found paradise on Earth.  My friend was eager to continue onto Italy and France as planned, but had to literally put me on a boat to continue our trip.  But I vowed to return…and did so several times over the years.

Then in early 2010 a friend in Berlin sent me an email about a job opening in Athens.  I was living in New York City at the time – a city I love – and had not really planned on ever leaving NYC…but this was Greece…land of my dreams.  Long story short – May 10, 2010 I arrived in Greece, all my belongings packed up and on their way across ‘the pond’ on a giant cargo ship.    Incidentally, at this time, Greece was all over the news for violent protests taking place in the city center as a result of the economic crisis.  I was not quite sure I was making the right decision to move, but my new boss at the time convinced me I was.  Turns out he was right.

Despite the economic mess the country is in, things are getting better, and everything else about Greece is amazing…the history, the lifestyle, the culture, the food, the weather, the people and of course the incredible beauty everywhere….and of course ‘the light’.  I’m convinced the light is different here.  I’ve traveled all over the world but have never seen beauty, light and vivid colors like I see in Greece.

I’m particularly crazy about the Greek Islands…and it is my goal to visit them all! Well, at least all of the inhabited ones.  Of over 3,000 islands only about 230 are inhabited and less than 100 have more than 100 inhabitants.  I’ve visited about 50 islands so far and I’m constantly amazed at their uniqueness.  One would think, with so many islands, they start to look and feel the same.  Well I’m here to tell you that they’re far from the same!  In fact, there are so many incredible islands here that you will rarely read about anywhere, each with their unique ‘something’, whether that is a wine, a special cheese, an active volcano, flamingos, a shipwreck, a special liqueur, etc.  Most people know the main popular islands such as Rhodes, Crete, Corfu, Santorini and Mykonos, etc. and while these are all amazing and beautiful islands, there are so many more to explore…with incredible, dramatic, rustic and unspoiled beauty.   It makes me wonder how it’s possible for these small island communities to exist considering so few people know about them – and how few people live on these islands.

So, back to the blog and what it’s about.  LiveLikePia is a photo travel blog about Greece, as seen from my eyes.  I will share my favorite photos and experiences as I try to reach my goal of visiting all of the islands….but also from travels to other parts of Greece – including Athens which I’m very fond of.  I will also share my unbiased personal favorite places to eat, drink, shop and sleep…as these are all quite important when traveling.

Oh and how did I come up with the name – LiveLikePia? Well, I didn’t….my two best girlfriends came to visit me a few summers ago and came up with it – and decided that I needed to start a blog to share my amazing experiences…. they  started hash-tagging my posts #livelikepia.  And I guess it stuck.

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