I didn’t grow up wealthy. My parents struggled, both in Togo and Germany, but no matter what happened, they always made sure we were fed, kept alive, and stayed healthy.
A couple of years ago, when my aunt was diagnosed with cancer, my mom naturally poured every little cent she had into helping her. After my sister and mother had visited Togo in 2017, my sister had grown even closer to our aunt, so she sent a lot of money to help cover the hospital bills.
I’m sharing this because, for most people in Togo — my family included — going to a restaurant just for fun is almost unthinkable. What many of us in the West have long used to deepen friendships or connect with potential partners is simply not part of everyday life there.
That’s why it felt so important to invite my family to a beach bar. We went to Marcelo Beach — all 14 of us. Since we were running behind, my cousin, our main driver, my partner, and I went ahead, and his family joined later. My cousin was flabbergasted when he saw the prices: 3000 CFA for a 0.5L Coke — about 4.50€. I’ve paid more money for less quality.
The food was fresh, the landscape breathtaking. I sat there laughing with the kids, who were happily devouring pizza, fries, and lamb. We laughed, we smiled, and the kids roamed freely along the beach. The littlest one even gave herself a sand bath, giggling the whole time.
In that moment, I realized something: sharing a meal, enjoying the sun, and simply being together — these small, ordinary acts were priceless. It wasn’t about luxury or money; it was about connection, joy, and the little adventures that bring us closer to each other.
When I first planned my trip, I had my eyes set on Girona. But with limited funds, I had to look for alternatives—and I’m glad I did. One of the most beautiful discoveries was Sitges, a small coastal town about 40 km from Barcelona, known for its welcoming village vibe and serene seaside views.
I didn’t have a set plan or a checklist of things to see. There are museums and a beautiful 18th-century sanctuary—at least it looked beautiful from the photos. Honestly, I went because I stumbled across the name somewhere. I didn’t even know it was such a popular destination, especially for those staying in Barcelona.
I bought a one-way ticket from Cerdanyola del Vallès to Sitges. The whole trip cost me just 8 euros—something that feels almost utopian in today’s world of post-pandemic inflation and geopolitical turmoil. But at that moment, I felt nothing but pure joy, the kind of happiness that makes you feel lightheaded and carefree.
The train was slightly delayed, but as someone used to Germany’s famously late trains, it didn’t bother me. When it arrived, I hopped on. The carriage was mostly empty, giving me space to relax, unwind, and take in the journey. And what a journey it was—rolling past cliffs, lush nature, and the endless deep blue sea. Just the train ride alone was worth it.
Once I arrived in Sitges, I just walked. I wandered through the little alleyways, illuminated by soft spring sunlight. It was quiet—calmer than Barcelona’s constant buzz—and I enjoyed the peaceful solitude without feeling lonely.
After a bit of exploring, I stopped at a restaurant and ordered cannelloni. I didn’t love it, but it filled me up. Sometimes, that’s enough.
I ended my visit by walking down to the beach. The early spring sun was gentle but warm. Families strolled with their children, kids laughed and shouted, couples held hands. I stood there, listening to the ocean’s familiar rhythm, feeling the cool spritz of sea spray on my skin. In that moment, I felt content.
I walked from one end of the beach to the other, soaking in every bit of it. My first little adventure was simple, spontaneous—and absolutely worth it.
Beach in SitgesOcean in SitgesView from the Stones at SitgesSunshine in Sitges
My colleague had raved about the Balos Lagoon and the island of Gramvousa — a must-see off the coast of the Gramvousa Peninsula. Gramvousa is home to a stunning 16th-century Venetian fortress, while Balos Lagoon is what I imagine heaven looks like: vivid blue water, endless skies, and the kind of heat that makes you feel deliciously alive.
Naturally, I was sold. I booked the trip online via Blue Daily Cruises. But—here’s a tip—double-check everything. I paid with my credit card (yep, that’s the only option I had), but never received the ticket PDF. Thankfully, it wasn’t a huge hassle. Those €30-something were absolutely worth it. But more on that in a bit.
To get to the ferry at Kissamos Port, I also booked a bus ticket from Chania via KTEL. Again… money withdrawn, but no ticket emailed to me. Strike two. I got up early, full of excitement, and started walking to the bus station—only to be sent on a wild goose chase by Google Maps. By the time I got there, the bus was pulling out, practically waving me goodbye.
I stood in line, sweaty and defeated, and bought a new ticket at the counter. Then I bought another one online just to be sure. Eventually, I was on the next bus, huffing and puffing but at least moving forward.
Onward to Gramvousa
After an hour’s ride, we arrived at Kissamos Port. From there, it was a quick walk to the ferry. I grabbed a seat in the middle—couldn’t really take great photos, but that didn’t matter.
About 30 minutes later, we docked at Gramvousa Island. The view? Breathtaking. But here’s the thing: for the first time in my life, I wished I was stranded there alone. A whole ferry-load of people swarmed the place, and it was a little overwhelming for my introverted self.
Some of them hiked up to the Venetian fortress. I wandered off in the other direction, chasing a little peace and quiet.
Gramvousa – alone timeGramvousa with people
As you can see it there were many people.
Eventually, I joined the crowd in the water. But like the beach in Chania, this one was stoney. And I mean, stoney AF. I fell on my knee twice. Fully embarrassed. Laughed it off. What else could I do?
The Magic of Balos Lagoon
After two hours on Gramvousa, we set sail to Balos Lagoon. And wow. The water was bluer than Aaron Pierre’s eyes — and if you know, you know. It was pure, visual serenity.
I walked, I sat, I floated. Around me: people laughing, splashing, living. And there I was, alone in my beautiful solitude, loving every minute of it.
Balos Lagoon
Excuse this pic, but the quality is bad because I snapped the pic in my water resistant phone case.
On the way back, I grabbed a spot in the sun and just soaked it all in. The sea, the heat, the wind — sometimes a little too much, but in Crete, even too much is just right.
Ending the Day Right
Back in Chania, I wrapped up the day with dinner at a restaurant near the harbor — my favorite spot. There’s nothing like good food after a day like this: messy, chaotic, beautiful.
I this is the penultimate day that I can tell you about. Then we will move on to my trio to the Elafonissi Beach before ending the Chania series.
Day 3 in Chania was as beautiful as my birthday on the 16th.
First thing I did when I woke up? Straight to the beach. No breakfast, no second thoughts. Crete is full of beautiful places, and today’s choice was Kladissos Beach — about 30 minutes on foot from the Venetian Harbor.
Recommendation number one: don’t walk in the hot sun. Apparently, 10 a.m. in August in Crete is hot enough to turn my usually sun-loving self into a sweating, disheveled mess. Not cute. Not even a little. But I powered through, because vibes.
Honestly, the walk was worth it. The beach was basically empty. Just one other person there. I spread out on my towel, let my body bake a bit, then eventually went into the water.
And here comes recommendation number two: if you go to a stony beach, make sure your feet aren’t sensitive little drama queens. Mine are. I stumbled and fell multiple times trying to get out of the water. Graceful? No. Entertaining? Probably. Also, heads up — once other people started showing up, there were a few surprise boobs and butts around. So yeah. Be mentally prepared.
Anyway. Cinematic moment time — look at this view:
Kladissos Beach
Who wouldn’t enjoy the pointy stones here?
I slept again, because? What the hell else would I do?
After a few hours, I made my way back to Chania, wandered around looking for a supermarket, got some bread and salami, made myself a sad little sandwich, and watched Modern Family.
Then I passed out. Because… what else is there to do, really?
Woke up later with a bit more energy — today was boat ride day! A sunset one. Fancy. I got ready fast, threw on a dress, and headed to the Harbor. Put the address into Google Maps, and of course, it sent me to the completely wrong side. Love that for me. By the time I figured it out and speed-walked all the way back, I barely made it.
Side note: stop using Google Maps for walking in Chania. I swear I get more lost with it than without it.
The boat ride itself was honestly beautiful. Warm air, soft wind, sunset glow, and even a little bit of history. The captain told us about how sailors used to quarantine on a nearby island before they were allowed into the Venetian Harbor. Kinda eerie, kinda cool.
Took too many photos. Felt like a movie.
Sunset on the boat rideBoat ride
Chania’s Venetian Harbor at night
When we got back, I went to get dinner and finally — Moussaka. The most Greek meal ever. And it was a full-blown experience. Layers of flavor, spices, vegetables, comfort, happiness — all baked together. I actually might’ve ascended for a second.
What luck!
The drink made for sinners – on a diet- Strawberry Daiquiri
Then came the final mission of the night: Strawberry Daiquiri. I searched. I found. It was half the price of yesterday’s and tasted like redemption.
That’s it. Short and sweet. Very well-fed. See you soon.
So, here we go! Second day in Chania. I woke up in my king-sized bed. I loved it. It was almost 8 a.m. on a Monday. The 16th, to be exact — my birthday. With immense pride, I made my way to the bathroom.
Sidenote: Did I tell you that you’re not allowed to flush toilet paper in Greece? Sorry, for the sidenote.
Anyway — on my first day in paradise, I decided to explore Chania a bit. But of course, it wouldn’t be a great holiday without a beach. So I Googled the closest beach to me and found…
Paradise…
I enjoyed it so much, even though I’d gotten up at 7 a.m., got ready, and walked there in 10 to 15 minutes. On the walk to the beach, I just took in the infrastructure, the houses, and the apartment buildings. So different, yet so beautiful. I loved every step, every flower — hell, even every dog dookie I found on the path to the beach.
I arrived around 8 a.m. and simply… chilled. After all the exams, the stress — and best of all, on my birthday — I just enjoyed my own company. No men, no friends, no family. Just me. Just what I needed.
I took in the sun and even went into the water. To make sure no one would steal my phone, money, or hotel key, I had bought a little phone case I could take into the ocean.
I stayed until around 10, when the families, couples, and other tourists started making their way to the beach. I quickly packed my bag and made my way back to the hotel.
Goodbye, Nea Chora Beach.
Fast forward
Fast forward. Hello, breakfast. After that amazing time at the ocean, I finally had to eat. I went to the hotel’s recommendation — Phyllo, located just a couple of minutes away. It was EPIC. I chose coffee, even though I don’t usually drink it, but since I got up early on not only my birthday and the first day of vacation — I deserved it.
What I also deserved? That lovely pita bread sandwich I had. The flavors were breathtaking. Just look at this:
I devoured it quickly and, honestly, left the restaurant as fast as I could. It was a small establishment with way too many customers. I was full, so what now?
Back to the hotel, of course. Because what else is there to do on holiday but sleep?
An hour later, I was awoken by the cleaning lady. She wanted to clean, so I had to leave again. Where to go now — half asleep at that?
I decided to walk to the harbor and join the rest of the tourists. I took as many pictures as I could, stood on the observation platform, walked a lot, and just soaked in the Vitamin D. I swear I could feel the sun building up in my skin. And I mean, who wouldn’t love all this beauty?
An hour later, I was awoken by the cleaning lady. She wanted to clean, so I had to leave again. Where to go now — half asleep at that?
I decided to walk to the harbor and join the rest of the tourists. I took as many pictures as I could, stood on the observation platform, walked a lot, and just soaked in the Vitamin D. I swear I could feel the sun building up in my skin. And I mean, who wouldn’t love all this beauty?
After about an hour, I made my way back to the hotel. The cleaning lady had left, I laid down, turned on another episode of Modern Family, and slept a little more.
A couple of hours later, I woke up to music and chatter from the streets. I got up, put on some makeup, and picked my most beautiful dress. I wanted to celebrate myself.
I walked onto the busy streets and found a restaurant that I quite liked.
My birthday dinner… Tzatziki
Greek Tzatziki
And the main dish was the meat-filled pita dish called Spanakopita. It was delicious fresh, seasoned and very enjoyable. YUMMY. I ate like a Queen and felt like it as well.
And for the main dish, a meat-filled pita — Spanakopita. It was delicious, fresh, seasoned, and very enjoyable. YUMMY. I ate like a queen and felt like one too.
Afterwards, I left the restaurant on a mission: to find my favorite drink — a Strawberry Daiquiri. My favorite bar back home didn’t have a mixer anymore, so they stopped making it. Sad. So I walked around the harbor and was talked up by a host — as is common in many Southern European countries. After he said they did have Strawberry Daiquiris, I sat down and waited for my favorite drink.
I got it. I enjoyed it. And then… almost cried. The drink was 12€. I will never sit down in a restaurant again and order something without asking how much it costs or at least checking the menu.
A very expensive birthday for a semi-broke student.
A very expensive birthday for a semi-broke student.
Here it is, the drink that broke my bank account. Red as the devil.
And that was it — my birthday, and my freedom day in Chania.
