The end of the holiday really revolved around where we were going to sit by the pool. It was quite an eventful few days doing all the sightseeing so we just wanted to relax. I definitely did anyway!

I spent the days doing some revision and writing (as per usual) as it just lets me get out what I need to, even if no one sees it.

We went back to the sky lounge restaurant that was on the rooftop of our hotel, but the highlight of that meal had to be the bread and olive tapenade...the salmon I had was overcooked and really dry, which was a shame.

We did go back to our favourite restaurants, Dionysos and Strofi, again. In Dionysos I had the chicken with bulgar and a bit of sauce and I had a cheeky chocolate soufflé too. I mean look at it!

Then in Strofi I had the exact same meal as last time! Although I did try Moussaka for the first time and it was spectacular there.

We couldn't leave without writing in their guest book

I actually continued writing on but I wrote it all before I even left the hotel to get on the plane and I was so pleased with the flight that I needed to come back and add it in. As you would have read in Athens part 1, I was convinced that all plane food was terrible and I would never have a good meal on a flight but boy was I so wrong. There were two options for our meal, either pork and potatoes or chicken tortellini, I don't eat pork so I went for the chicken option. I was convinced it would be horrible and I could just eat whatever came with it, but it was delicious (for plane food that is, I wasn't exactly thrilled by it). It came with a Greek salad and bread and my brother had the kids meal so I got to eat the fruit off of that, so really it was a pretty good meal!

I know it's really cringe and cliche but I really feel as if I've come quite far over the past week. I've realised where I've been going wrong and what I need to do to change this. Personally, that's quite an achievement as I would normally deny there was a problem whatsoever and just carry on. But as I return home, I have planned out realistically what I can and hopefully in 4 weeks I will have progress to show for it!

All your words of encouragement mean so much, so keep them coming! And I truly hope that whoever reads this is taking at least a little bit of good from it!

Review. Arizona Green Tea

If you have been reading my blog for some time then you will know that I love a bit of green tea! While I've been on holiday, I've tried a few different flavours of Arizona Green Tea and I thought I would write about them for anyone who is interested. They're imported from the US and come in the prettiest bottles. As far as I know you can't ge them many places in the UK unlike here where you can get them in every other shop.

First up, Green Tea and Honey:

Personally, I found this way too sweet compared to the fruity ones. It tasted like I was basically drinking sugar and water. Not something I'll be trying again! It was over 30 degrees or so everyday on holiday so I would rather have had something slightly more refreshing.

Pomegranate Green Tea:

To sum it up in one word: delicious! (My favourite word at the moment). It was only a little bit sweet but it was quite fruity and so freshening which is just what I needed. It was almost gone after 2 minute! If it didn't contain so much sugar I would want to drink it more often.

Blueberry White Tea:

This was quite similar to the pomegranate green tea but was more like water with a hint of blueberry juice. Unfortunately, this was the third and last one I tried (the hotel didn't have any more flavours), and it was also the only time I read the label (a lesson to be learned here). 

That sweetness I tasted in all of them? Yeah, that would be because the second ingredient, after water, was sugar. It explains everything! 

Although there was just under 150 cal in the whole drink which considering the ingredients, I thought was quite good.

The quote on the bottle says "here's to your health" but with carbohydrates at 7g per 100ml, I'm not seeing how it is beneficial to my health in any way.

My point is, that despite the pretty bottles and false advertising, you are probably better off choosing a different drink!

I liked this quote so I thought I would share it ❤️

Athens - part 2

So we made it to day 3 of our holiday in Athens and I have gotten the biggest blisters all over the balls of my feet from when we attempted (and failed) to find some nice places to eat.

In the end, that night, we went to a restaurant called Dionysos which had the most incredible views of the Acropolis, which lit up when it was dark. It really is a must see if you ever visit Athens. 

Anyway, for dinner we had the most amazing food (and if you've already seen it all on my Instagram then you get to see it all over again now!). To start we had bread (this seems to be the case in all restaurants) and then calamari and courgette fries, so yummy! I said before I came on holiday that I would try food I hadn't had before, and that starter was it, I probably wouldn't choose to get it again but I did enjoy in nonetheless. They weren't greasy at all which was a huge relief. For the main I had American ribeye steak,  cooked medium rare of course, my mum had chicken and my dad had pork belly. It was so beautifully presented that I had to take pictures of it all.

Unfortunately, we were all tempted by dessert, while my brother and I went for the chocolate ice cream, my sister had an incredible lemon meringue pie and my parents had crepes suzette with ice cream and an orange syrup, not my cup of tea personally but they loved it.

Don't we look cute!

Chicken with bulgar wheat and a light sauce

American ribeye steak with a light sauce, asparagus, and potatoes

Pork belly with mashed potatoes

Our view of the Acropolis at night!

Lemon meringue pie 

The next day we headed out to the national archeological museum which was actually fascinating, with amazing statues and sculptures and all kinds of old bits they had found. 

The national archeological museum

Look at them trying to be all interested!

They had a tortoise there!!

Then on the Saturday evening we did "Athens by night" and went round on a coach for a few hours to see all the sights of Athens. We then went to a Tavern and saw a folklore show. Without a doubt one of the funniest nights I've had. The food we ate was pretty average, starting with Greek dips, bread, salad and some pasta. Followed by chicken in a light sauce with potatoes and spicy vegetables, which after a few glasses of wine and being starving, it tasted pretty great (you know that kind of drunk where you get the munchies, yeah I was at that stage). We finished with a scoop of ice cream and some more folklore singing and dancing!!

The very first Olympic Stadium.

He ruined a great selfie

The Greek parliament

Mum and hope got up for Greek dancing!

This tastes way better than it looks

After a somewhat eventful night I completely overslept and woke up 5 minutes after breakfast ended, oops! Even so, we ventured off to venture through the streets of Athens (with my poor blistered feet) and headed to the flea market which was unbelievably busy. I refrained from getting something to eat from the many bakery's we passed along the way, and instead had my first frozen yoghurt (or Iin Greek, frogen yüz)! After going round the flea market and picking up some treats, we went to get some lunch which was an utter disaster (and obviously this is my opinion, so please don't take offence). My mum and I tried something different and got chicken gyros...I honestly have no idea what was on my plate but it didn't taste like chicken I'm used to! So we left basically the whole meal!!

Chocolate frozen yoghurt with lots of fruit! My first ever one :)

The disaster...

I found a blog post that had happened to come up the day we got here on bloglovin' about Athens, conincidence or what, however on there they recommended a restaurant named Strofi, my dad saw it had some good reviews so we booked a table there for the Sunday evening. It was a stunning restaurant, 3 floors, and an even better view of the Acropolis (yes, it's one of my favourite places now if you hadn't guessed). So we sat on the rooftop taverna and enjoyed dinner with a view (again). That night I had some feta and bread to start (I'm awful I know) and then I had grilled chicken, grilled vegetables and "potatoes of the oven", simple yet so nice and I'll definitely be making it for myself at home without the potatoes. I was feeling slightly unwell and some nutritious food was just what I needed! The rest of my family had slightly more traditional starters (although I know feta is Greek!), my dad ordered moussaka which everyone loved and my sister had grilled halloumi, tomato and pine nuts.

The view from Strofi

Halloumi with tomatoes and pine nuts

Grilled chicken, grilled vegetables and "potatoes of the oven", lush!

And my mums pork stuffed with sundried tomatoes with the same sides

Today was finally the day we went to the Acropolis!! First we went to the museum which was utterly fascinating (no sarcasm here), the statues that they managed to recover and preserve were so amazing, it doesn't even seem real. We ate in the restaurant there instead of the cafe for a bit of a better meal and the kids of the family just had pasta bolognaise, but the food here is unbelievably salty!

We wandered round the rest of the museum and the museum shop then trekked up to the Acropolis, I wish I was exaggerating when I say it was a trek but I'm honestly not. It was the best part of 35 degrees today and I swear I almost fainted but I got to the water fountain in time. If you ever go, please take water as there was barely any shade along the way and no where near enough water foundations. Besides that, it was incredible and amazing and fascinating and beautiful, did I mention it was incredible? Honestly, I don't think I'll ever see anything so great again. And don't worry my dad, brother and sister walked ahead and got us some iced lemonade, the best drink I ever tasted after being so dehydrated that I drank my brothers too! (I'm a wimp I know). We are now all collapsed in the shade by the pool and we won't move for the next two days! 

My beaut family

And now I'm enjoying this beauty

On a side note, I have written out my meal plan and gym workouts around work when I get back at the end of the week! Wish me luck!

Much love if you got through reading all of that. X

Athens - part 1

Now where to start? At the beginning of course. At the time of writing this it was actually only 5 hours after we left the house (at a ridiculous 4am). Luckily we made it through security relatively quickly so by 6 am my parents and I were drinking strong vodka and orange juices (thanks dad!) in the BA club lounge. Possibly one of the strangest experiences of my life! But hey, it's never too early to start drinking so on the plane we washed down our breakfast with mini bottles of champagne, and yes I am certain that regardless of which class you fly in,  the food will always be awful! I enjoyed the fruit though...all 5 pieces of it.

So we arrived at the hotel and headed straight to the rooftop pool which had the most amazing views and had "frozen" cocktails, which in 32 degree heat melted straight away and were more like normal cocktails.

So it would seem I am going to live off of Greek salads for the whole week which is absolutely fine by me. For the first time in a few years, I wore shorts to dinner and I must say I felt pretty great and comfortable in what I was wearing, it was a miracle! And the views from the rooftop looked even more incredible at night, all lit up!

The Acropolis.

While I am here, I am planning to write out a meal plan and a shopping list, and also a gym regime to stick to as I finally feel like I am ready to get back to it and I have the motivation I had lost.