Hydra, Greece
Hydra is a gorgeous picturesque island off the coast of Athens. It's basically what you picture when you think of Greece: white houses, colorful doors and roofs, the bright turquoise Mediterranean Sea. The island itself is just small enough that cars actually aren't even allowed there which I believe adds to the raw beauty and uniqueness of this piece of Greek paradise. I fell in love immediately, and continued to love it more and more with each turn down a different street or hike to a new beach.
In one day I had enough adventures to fulfill a lifetime! I snorkeled, cliff jumped, ate Greek food at an ocean-side restaurant, hiked up to see an incredible sunset, ate gelato, and took hundreds of pictures. My study abroad group got to the island by ferry around 10am, and we left at 9pm that same day. I think it's safe to say I had an unforgettable time...
One of my favorite moments from this "little" day-trip was after a group of us had hiked up to a monastery on the island just as the sun was about to set. I apologized for the number of pictures I was taking during the peaceful time we were having at the peak of our hike, and my my friend Grace (pictured below) shared with me her favorite quote:
"Food doesn’t taste any better or worse when documented by Instagram. Laughter is as genuine over skype as it would be sharing a sofa. Pay attention, take in nature, hold someone’s hand, read a book. But don’t ever apologize for snapping a photo of a sunset or blogging about the excitement of a crush or updating your goodreads account. All these things are good and should be celebrated. Smile at strangers, and like your friends selfies. It’s all good for the human spirit."
This quote reminds me of one of the main reasons I love photography so much. It is a way for me to capture and document my favorite moments in life, and I should never apologize for that. I love looking back at old photographs and remembering what I was thinking and feeling while I was taking the picture.
I am so happy I got to visit this wonderful island with my new friends. It's any photographer's dream, and I'm glad it came true for me!
Below are some more pictures from Hydra along with captions describing their importance (click to enlarge the image, or to read more).
