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I was thinking about going. Santorini is mad beautiful and Athens is really cool. I was thinking about going on tour with EF next spring. I have already been on tour with them for France last spring. Pretty cool. Paris is overrated to me. Anyways, the price right now to go is really good and affordable and I was thinking about going but that would mean sacrificing the Japan trip. I was REALLY anticipating going to Japan. I've been studying the culture and everything else about Japan for nearly 2 years now. But I know how expensive it is. I just don't know if it's worth the money to go there. With the money spent on a week in Japan, I could go on the premium Greece trip and visit several different cities and even France & Rome and spend 10-12 days there. I don't know what to choose.
In my original plan, Greece was never in my mind. Because I thought it was a racist country. But I did some research and it's really not. And before Greece, it was Spain or Japan. But I know I've always wanted to visit Athens more. But Japan will cost me to bring an extra $2,000 with me to live good. Which I don't even know HOW I'm going to come up with If I even pay the trip! But then again, how am I going to do all this study and research on a country and never visit it? Especially Japan. I've ALWAYS wanted to visit one of the Asian Pacific countries and this is my chance. So which one?
I was thinking about going. Santorini is mad beautiful and Athens is really cool. I was thinking about going on tour with EF next spring. I have already been on tour with them for France last spring. Pretty cool. Paris is overrated to me. Anyways, the price right now to go is really good and affordable and I was thinking about going but that would mean sacrificing the Japan trip. I was REALLY anticipating going to Japan. I've been studying the culture and everything else about Japan for nearly 2 years now. But I know how expensive it is. I just don't know if it's worth the money to go there. With the money spent on a week in Japan, I could go on the premium Greece trip and visit several different cities and even France & Rome and spend 10-12 days there. I don't know what to choose.
In my original plan, Greece was never in my mind. Because I thought it was a racist country.
Where that came from?
In my opinion Greece is a great destination for vacation, the islands in particular. Good for relaxation, fun, easy going, meeting young beautiful girls from all over the world. Athens however, is a gray dusty city, not much to see except if your interested in archeology.
Japan on the other hand is an experience on a different level. Not a place for a leisurely vacations, but for exploration and learning.
That being said, if you are short on money, you can postpone these trips, you are still young... Whatever you choose, take it easy and have fun.
Two very different options, being to both and personally i would choose greece. But can you turn your back on two year of study. The option is yours.
Oh and personally i would spend one or two nights in athens max, its one of the dirtiest, poluted and most crime ridden citys in europe.
I have to stand up for the Greeks. We enjoyed Athens very much. I felt quite safe walking around. Sure, it's a large city, with all the associated hazards, but as large cities go I was amazed how well it works despite the visible chaos. I was also surprised and pleased how friendly and helpful the Athenians were. I would go back to Athens in a hurry. All the Greeks treated us very kindly, and Athens was no exception. I have since read a bit about the US's history with Greece, and that no one held that against us personally was a very cosmopolitan and welcome thing.
No, I would not care to offend the Astynomia, but again, fair is fair. The only police officer I had any contact with simply smiled in greeting. Of course, I wasn't going down to Exarchia to cause trouble, it is true. And one caution applies: the Athenian cab drivers are infamous. Watch out for those. We didn't get hosed only because our tour company picked the cabs, and clearly the cab company didn't dare offend such a steady source of solid business. Everyone else says the cabs in Athens are a problem, so I'd believe that, and take care. But that's one small factor.
And if you want a great place to eat, Megas Alexandros across from the Athens Imperial is your choice. Once we tried it we only ate other places out of a sense of duty to broaden our experiences, but in our hearts, Megas Alexandros was all we wanted. If we lived in Athens we would be in there at least twice a week. Wonderful family, wonderful food, wonderful welcome.
Two very different options, being to both and personally i would choose greece. But can you turn your back on two year of study. The option is yours.
Oh and personally i would spend one or two nights in athens max, its one of the dirtiest, poluted and most crime ridden citys in europe.
Uh-oh. I had high hopes for Athens. I thought it was a top-notch city.
Dont want to put you off too much, I was their in 2003 before the olympics. Their was no train to the airport at that stage (it was beign bulit) and gangs of taxi drivers were out the front all asking the same extrodinary price (50 euros) to get you into the city.
The old olympic stadium and the archelogical mesuem were both closed for renovations at the time and the acropilis while open represented a construction site.
My lasting image of athens however was the streets near our hostel which were all lined with cars that had covers on them. They needed them to, thoes covers were covered in a thick black soot. I am not sure what image you have of athens, it is certainly however not a city of leafy green parks lined with coffee shops.
After one night we could not wait to get out of the place. The islands by contrast were beautiful and i would go back any day.
Last edited by danielsa1775; 05-15-2009 at 03:22 AM..
I visited Japan for a week last year in April. It was my first time there. I fell in love immediately and since then I have wanted to know everything about it. I learned the kana before going just to make it easier to read signs and other things. I would like to live there someday. It was amazing to say the very least. It is definitely an experience. If you have been studying Japan I think you should go there. We flew from here in Austin, TX to Narita for 850 roundtrip. We decided to keep our spending as low as we could so we both took about a thousand each to be safe. We only spent around eight hundred. We had to save for this because unfortunately we are not rich . As soon as we got to Narita we took the train to Kyoto and stayed at a very nice, very welcoming ryokan called Daiya Inn. It wasn't fancy, but it was perfect for us. It was only 3500 yen per person which was roughly 70 dollars each night. The host was very nice and she spoke a little english. We then took the train to Tokyo and stayed at the Sakura Hotel in Ikebukuro for about 9000 yen a night. You must also get a Rail pass if you go, you will not be sorry it saves you so much money. Before we decided to move to Hawaii this year, we were going to visit Greece for the first time for our next big vacation so I cannot speak on behalf of it. One day I would love to go there, but just from my basic knowledge of the two places, it's black and white really. Japan does not have to be expensive if you plan it right. Whatever you end up doing, I wish you happy travels!!
(I have a blog I wrote kept about my week in Japan if you want to read it. The site is youremyit.blogspot.com)
I was in Athens in 1990 and thought it was a great. The "dirty city" business is quite exaggerated IMO. My daughter went a couple of years ago and she also enjoyed it. When I was there we stayed in a central location and were able to walk to the Acropolis, museums, etc. The neighborhood below the acropolis does fit a lot of people's image of a pedestrian-oriented, old European city, with coffee shops and lots of people watching. I do agree that the islands are fantastic (I went to Thassos and Samos). But the expectations in a big city are different. You don't go to hike and lie on the beach but rather for the cultural and historical attractions. It's hectic and not necessarily relaxing, but interesting.
I visited Japan for a week last year in April. It was my first time there. I fell in love immediately and since then I have wanted to know everything about it. I learned the kana before going just to make it easier to read signs and other things. I would like to live there someday. It was amazing to say the very least. It is definitely an experience. If you have been studying Japan I think you should go there. We flew from here in Austin, TX to Narita for 850 roundtrip. We decided to keep our spending as low as we could so we both took about a thousand each to be safe. We only spent around eight hundred. We had to save for this because unfortunately we are not rich . As soon as we got to Narita we took the train to Kyoto and stayed at a very nice, very welcoming ryokan called Daiya Inn. It wasn't fancy, but it was perfect for us. It was only 3500 yen per person which was roughly 70 dollars each night. The host was very nice and she spoke a little english. We then took the train to Tokyo and stayed at the Sakura Hotel in Ikebukuro for about 9000 yen a night. You must also get a Rail pass if you go, you will not be sorry it saves you so much money. Before we decided to move to Hawaii this year, we were going to visit Greece for the first time for our next big vacation so I cannot speak on behalf of it. One day I would love to go there, but just from my basic knowledge of the two places, it's black and white really. Japan does not have to be expensive if you plan it right. Whatever you end up doing, I wish you happy travels!!
(I have a blog I wrote kept about my week in Japan if you want to read it. The site is youremyit.blogspot.com)
Thanks so much! I think I WILL ultimately choose Japan over Greece!
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. As soon as we got to Narita we took the train to Kyoto and stayed at a very nice, very welcoming ryokan called Daiya Inn. It wasn't fancy, but it was perfect for us. It was only 3500 yen per person which was roughly 70 dollars each night. The host was very nice and she spoke a little english. We then took the train to Tokyo and stayed at the Sakura Hotel in Ikebukuro for about 9000 yen a night. You must also get a Rail pass if you go, you will not be sorry it saves you so much money. Before we decided to move to Hawaii this year, we were going to visit Greece for the first time for our next big vacation so I cannot speak on behalf of it. One day I would love to go there, but just from my basic knowledge of the two places, it's black and white really. Japan does not have to be expensive if you plan it right. Whatever you end up doing, I wish you happy travels!! 
