Greece ~ We are back on the Road to Residency

If all difficulties were known at the outset of a long journey,

most of us would never start out at all.

                    -- William Buckley Jr.

That Road to Residency was a trip to be sure. We were determined to live full-time in Greece and the twists and turns it held didn't deter us from setting forth two years ago.

Roadway in the Greek Peloponnese

Over the months that journey spanned, we went from being tourists who owned a home in Greece to card-carrying full time residents here. Our Road to Residency led us on a winding route from the Greek Consulate in San Francisco, California . . .to  the Secretary of State in Olympia, Washington . . ..and then to immigration offices in Kalamata, Greece.

As result of that journey, we are now live in the Land of Kalamata olives. 

And we aren't the only Americans to have taken the journey. We  have three other couples from the United States among our friends here who've all traveled their own Roads to Residency in recent years and are full-time residents in our area.

How quickly the two years granted us in that first journey have passed; our permits are set to expire in April. Many of you have been with us and recall that at the time of issue we said two years was a good test. We'd give it a try and decide at the end of that time if we wanted to live here longer. However, the time has gone so quickly the decision was simple: we are back on that Road to Residency again. 

If our permits are granted, we will be allowed to stay for another three years.

The initial journey's end - a day of celebration

I am writing this post on February 28th. It was exactly two years ago today that we appeared at the Greek Consulate in San Francisco to make a case for why we should be allowed the opportunity to apply for residency. After gaining the much needed 'Entry Visa,'  that only the San Francisco office could issue, we were off on our  journey. 

Like passports, no smiling allowed!

So many of  you reading this were with us back then and cheered us on as we dodged potholes on that zig-zag road to full-time life in Greece. And to all of you who encouraged us, we still thank you. 

'But, why Greece?

We are often asked that question by Greeks and American's alike.  And we have a list of reasons why with which we respond.

I think the only time we ask ourselves, "Why Greece?" is when we are embarking on this application process.  It is not for the weak of heart or the impatient.

It isn't an easy process. It is an expensive endeavor. And I've said before it is very humbling to be trying to convince someone of your worth; why you should be allowed to live in their country.  Making an application for residency in Greece as an American requires proving your worth as a human being both literally and figuratively. 

Apostille - a worldwide outcome of the Hague Convention, Oct. 1961

The Renewal Application Packet

The amount of documents we needed to provide for a renewal has - thankfully - decreased from that initial application when we had to have everything from our US doctors' certifying  that we were healthy to  FBI fingerprint checks to assure we weren't criminals.

Those two items weren't required this time around but this time we did have to include proof of our births and that we had married.

As we are considered 'financially independent' immigrants, we must make an application for residency. We are retired and not seeking a work permit, so must prove we have an income. We are old, so must have proof of health insurance.

The Apostilled documents must be translated into Greek

Our renewal application packet contents:

Documents from the United States that had been Notarized and then Apostilled by the Secretary of State's office in our home state, Washington.  All of these documents are then translated into Greek.

* Birth certificate - This document is a new requirement.

* Marriage certificate -  This document is a new requirement.

* Proof of income - Bank statements that show a monthly income of 2,000 euros per month per individual 

* U.S. Tax return for previous year.

* A photocopy of our U.S. Passport (every page must be copied).

The initial application required an enormous amount of documents

Greek documents included:

* Proof of residence (the contract for the purchase of our house. Those who rent need to provide a rental agreement.)

* Proof of insurance (we have purchased Greek health insurance with coverage to match the thresholds set out by the Greek government).

* Our current permit cards. 

*Other documents we choose to submit. We added proof of the property tax we pay each year.

We don't receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey

that no one can take for us or spare us.

                                              -- Marcel Proust

The Costs of the Journey

The application process is 1,000 euros per person, plus 16 euros per person for the cost of the identity card itself.

Attorney and translation fees can fluxuate, but are around 500 - 600 euros.

The Secretary of State's office charged $20US for each document apostilled, plus an additional $50 because we walked up to the window and had it done in person (would have been less had we mailed them in.)

Cost of notary work and copying costs about $50 US.

On the Road Again. . .

The new journey began again - not by design, but coincidence - on February 28, exactly two years to the day that we met with Dimitri in the Greek Consulate, San Francisco. This time it began in a village up the road when we handed over the packets to our attorney who will represent us in this process. 

I might add our Greek attorney, Voula, who kept us on a steady course the first time, has become a friend since that first journey of ours. So, our appointment with her was at 6 pm at a local café in the village of Kardamyli. She outlined our road map and timeline and reviewed our packets. We sipped wine as we reviewed the process. When business was completed, we dined together as good friends do. 

It was the most pleasant start to the journey.

And it provided yet another answer to that question of, 'But, why Greece?'

The Stone House on the Hill - the place we call home

As always we thank you for being here and the time you spend with us on our journeys. While in the U.S. we were asked many questions about our life in Greece so next week we hope you'll return for a report about what is new at the Stone House on the Hill in the Greek Peloponnese.

Until then, our wishes for safe travels to you and yours.


Linking this week with:

Through My Lens
Our World Tuesday
Wordless Wednesday

Travel ~ When Mother Nature and the Travel Gods Clash

Time flies whether you are having fun or not.

-- Mary Engelbreit

The Travel Gods and Mother Nature are not in agreement  – you might even say, they are having a major clash in some parts of the world.

And wouldn’t you know? We’ve been in two of those places in recent weeks and experienced the clash first-hand. In fact I am writing this from one of those places now. . .

Off to sand and sun and tropical temperatures. . .maybe 

[For those new to our blog: January/February is when we leave our ex pat life in Greece and spend a month in our Hawaiian timeshare condo. After more than a decade of making this annual sun-and-sand escape to O’ahu from the U.S. Pacific Northwest, we’ve continued to keep this tradition alive by traveling from Greece.] 

Clouds were always somewhere on the horizon - Blood Moon

With the addition last fall of a new home base in Washington State, this year’s travel plan had us flying from Greece to Hawaii via Seattle. By doing that we could squeeze in a trip to our new place in eastern Washington as we made our way back to Greece.  

And we all know what can happen to even the best laid travel plans - especially when the travel gods and Mother Nature aren’t getting along. (I've also been reminded why hotels, when asking you to evaluate your stay, also ask you to rate the weather. Weather is a major factor when traveling.)

Wind and waves were strong - Ko Olina

Part 1: Mid - January ~ Hawaii

While in the taxi from the Honolulu airport, we had a foreshadowing of what was to come when our driver explained that a ‘cold front’ had arrived just ahead of us. It brought intermittent stiff breezes, rain and lower than usual tropical temperatures. We did have some nice periods of sunshine but always commented it was a 'bit cooler' than previous visits.

Plenty of lounge chairs on those chilly days

The real surprise was that the cold front settled in for the four-weeks we were there. . .in fact it is still there. It snowed in Maui this week and there were heavy rain and flash flood warnings on O'ahu issued as I was writing this post. 

Wind gusts uprooted a tree the day we left Ko Olina

The good news is that the winds and waves didn’t really kick up until after the crew, stars and contestants of  American Idol had come and gone. 

Let the show begin. . .

This popular talent-search show filmed a segment in late January (to be broadcast on March 3rd in the States). It was a flurry of activity for a day or two at Ko Olina, the resort on the west side of the island where our interval home is located.

But as if on cue, as the crews finished dismantling the stage and supporting structures, the winds picked up and heavier clouds appeared and kept making cameo appearances.

Storm clouds often ate our tropical sunsets

We don’t recall a time in recent visits that we’ve turned off interior fans and air conditioning but we definitely did this trip. The heavy rain – we had a few showers -- thankfully held off until the weekend we left. Sunday morning, as we departed, sandbags lined our open-air lobby and staff worked to keep the chandeliers braced against the wind.

 In time, this too shall pass.

            -- Proverb 

Out of the frying pan. . .into ‘Snowmageddon’

You know that old phrase, 'Out of the frying pan and into the fire. . .'?

Our flight from wind-whipped, rain-drenched Honolulu to Seattle – much to this white-knuckler’s amazement – took off despite the gusts bouncing us around for the first couple of hours we traveled over the Pacific. We safely landed nearly six hours later on a runway paved with compacted snow. 

A compact snow carpet greeted us at SeaTac

More than 200 flights were cancelled last weekend at SeaTac. Saturday evening conditions were so bad the airport announced a ground closure – it closed to all incoming flights except those already in the air with Seattle as their destination. Our Sunday evening arrival was to a snow-covered facility, the likes we’ve never seen before in our near 40 years of transiting SeaTac.

‘Snowmageddon’, as the storm was named and forever will be remembered, brought Seattle and most of Washington State to a standstill two days before we arrived. So much snow falling so fast and so late in the season had crews scrambling to clear streets and keep facilities operating. Schools, businesses and government offices basically shut down. Snow accumulations brought down powerlines leaving many without heat or lights for more than 24-hours.

Temperatures were below freezing.

To Go or Not To Go. . . .

The plan had been to head to Lake Chelan on Monday. We’d reserved an all-wheel-drive SUV ‘just in case’ there was snow to be dealt with on the mountain passes we now need to cross to get to our Washington home. Often times in the winter conditions on those passes are so mild that travelers need only heed a warning of 'snow tires recommended'. The two passes Snoqualmie on Interstate 90 and Blewett on Highway 97 are among four used by motorists to cross the Cascade Mountain range.

Luckily we had rented an all-wheel-drive vehicle

Monday morning arrived with news of another storm heading toward the state. To go or not to go  was the question. We weren’t looking forward to a 10-night hotel stay in or near Seattle especially when we have a new home calling out to us from Manson.

Summit - Snoqualmie Pass

We've both driven in the snow – it has just been many years since we had to do so.

The Scout, was driving and cast the deciding vote: We would go. Snoqualmie which was closed for several hours for avalanche control opened just as we reached it. We later learned it closed a few hours after we crossed it and remained so until Thursday morning. It received a record-breaking 31.5 inches of snowfall on Tuesday and a Seattle television station reported:

The pass received 68 inches over the three day period from Sunday through Tuesday -- and an incredible 80 inches (nearly 7 feet!) over the 5 day period from Friday through Tuesday. And it hasn't really let up -- the pass reported an additional 16 inches on Wednesday and Thursday. That makes a full 8 feet of snow in a week!

Streets of Chelan - we had made it home, almost

Road conditions on Blewett pass were also compact snow and ice but it was not closed during the storm.

Home again! Five hours after leaving SeaTac we pulled into our Manson neighborhood. A light snow fell here all day Tuesday. On Wednesday the sunshine was glorious. 

Mother Nature wasn't grumpy on Wednesday - a glorious day at Lake Chelan

We begin our journey back to Greece next Thursday. We'll head back over the passes earlier in the week though as reports are that Travel Gods and Mother Nature just might start throwing punches again next week.

Our road home on Wednesday

As always, we thank you for your interest in our travels and the time you spend with us reading our blog.  Many thanks for recommending TravelnWrite to family and friends – that is the ultimate compliment for a writer!!

Welcome to those new readers! We hope you’ll be regulars. Bear with me as I get back in the swing of the blogosphere. I took a few weeks off while traveling and during that time Google Blogger, has changed its format thus the new look of today's post.

Until next week, safe travels to you and yours ~

For those wanting some back story to references made in this post, follow these links:

Moving to Manson: https://www.travelnwrite.com/2018/10/the-new-chapter-begins-life-at-lake.html

Life in Greece: https://www.travelnwrite.com/2018/12/greek-life-our-trip-around-sun.html

Linking this week with other writers and photographers at:

Through My Lens
Our World Tuesday
Wordless Wednesday

Doin’ Dubai . . .Differently

I can’t think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder 

than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything.

                              -- Bill Bryson

Maybe that is why we ended up liking Dubai.  

Skyline from freeway interchange - Dubai

We’d once had a four-hour layover in Dubai and saw nothing more than an airport concourse. It was interesting, but still, just another airport.  

Reviews from traveling friends were mixed: love it or hate it, but there would be no in-between. Or so it seemed, before we arrived on a bright December day aboard the Celebrity Constellation. Our itinerary called for an overnight stay in this high-rise mecca of modernity and opulence.

A Marina Bay Sands like that in Singapore is under construction - Dubai

That’s the sum of what I knew about Dubai when the ship docked.  The city was waiting to be explored.

The one thing I knew I wouldn’t do while there would be to travel to the top of its tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, which at 828 meters (2,717 feet) and 161 floors, is the tallest building in the world. A trip to its top can be done for a price, a rather hefty price for an elevator ride at that. (It is that spire building in the photo above.) My dislike of small enclosed spaces -- like elevators -- and heights like this tallest building in the world, removed that outing from the ‘to do’ list. 

And neither of us were too excited about visiting ‘the Dubai Mall’ (its the one with the aquareum in it and and ice skating rink). It is also one of 73 malls at last count in the city.

Hop on, Hop off tour bus - Dubai

With nothing in particular in mind to see we opted for a Big Bus, hop-on, hop-off tour of the town. The bus company wisely has started serving the cruise port here, so we could walk off the ship and board the bus.

It might have been the best cruise-tour decision we could have made as it gave us independence to stop where we wanted and provided a full-day’s overview of this rapidly expanding city.  (They offered two-day packages as well and one that included a trip to neighboring Abu Dhabi, located just down the road and across the desert.

Traffic, traffic everywhere

Our tour guides -- real humans -- provided lots of tidbits of information:

We were cautioned not to take photos of government buildings, military establishments, airport or cruise ports (too late for the latter when you arrive on a cruise ship). 

We were told not to take photos of Emirati (those wearing traditional dress) without their permission and certainly not to take photos of policemen; unless they were near their new fleet of cars which includes Maseratis, Jaguars, and Ferraris (in which case the officer would likely agree to a photo by the car if permission was asked first).

Among the things we learned is that of more than 2.5 million people in Dubai only 15 percent are Emirati.  The remaining 85 percent are ex pat and migrant workers.  Of those folks 71% are Asian (the majority coming from India). 

While oil production is credited with putting this area, settled by the Bani Yas tribe back in 1833, ‘on the map’; today oil production makes up less than 5 percent of its gross national income.

What a difference a decade or two makes - Dubai

The tribe settled along what is called Dubai Creek, although the ancient Greeks called it the River Zara. Back in the 30’s and 40’s the cityscape looked like the poster above and its main industry was pearl diving.

The Old Souk, once called the Textile Souk

Old Dubai, that which was constructed in the mid-20th Century, is clustered around that creek and its old skyline has been preserved by city codes forbidding major changes in building height and design. It was this old area that we liked best.

Textile vendors line the streets near the Old Souk

It is still home to a very active souk, once called the textile souk for good reason we learned as we explored its side streets.

We dined

We dined at a restaurant Bayt Al Wakeel, overlooking Dubai Creek. The meze plate was delicious and the setting spectacular as the restaurant is housed in the building constructed in 1935 to serve as the headquarters of the Gray MacKenzie shipping company. The bottom of the building was the shipping company office and the manager and family lived upstairs.

From the table we sat at on the wooden porch extending over the creek we watched the marine traffic that plies the water, hauling goods and people from one point to another.

The wooden dhow transports tourists as part of the Big Bus tour

We joined other visitors on the dhow pictured above and spent an hour traveling the creek as part of the Big Bus tour.

Water taxis shuttled people back and forth across the creek

We also rode one of the many water taxis, a cheap way to get to locations along the waterway.

This area of the city seemed a bit more real than the high-rise area

A kaledescope of scenes from the working ships and live aboards to those a bit more opulent:

It would have been fun to see this one's interior 

It was also fun to see the city from the water as our dhow took us between the old and the new areas.

Scenes along Dubai Creek

Dubai, we’ve decided, may not be a place we’d rush back to as we would to Abu Dhabi or Muscat, Oman (both were also ports of call on this cruise) but a cruise stop was an excellent way to see this Middle Eastern megalopolis.

Cruise passengers were welcomed with long stemmed red roses - Dubai

I suppose I technically wasn't supposed to take the photo above, as you recall, no photos in the port. But when the welcome is warm and the place worth remembering, I'll risk a reprimand for taking a photo (there wasn't any, btw)

Thanks so much for the time you spent with us in this port of call. When we left Dubai we headed for the Gulf of Hormuz and then the Arabian Sea and our next ports of call on India's west coast. Hope you’ll join us as we explore those cities in future posts.

Safe travels to you and yours.

Linking with:

Through My Lens
Our World Tuesday
Wordless Wednesday