Love at the Aegean Sea — A Record of Our Honeymoon and Wedding Dress Photoshoot That Year

In 2013, we got married! We planned to go to the Aegean Sea for our honeymoon and wedding dress photoshoot during summer vacation.

The originally scheduled August honeymoon in Greece finally took place after a series of twists. We originally planned to conceive a baby during the honeymoon and name it Chen Xi, but we got pregnant before the honeymoon. When we set off, the baby was about 7-8 weeks old. We went to the hospital early to establish a file. The doctor encouraged me, saying: 'Traveling can help alleviate various discomforts during pregnancy.' So I strengthened my determination and set off!

1. Pre-trip preparations: 1. Visa

(1) Greek visa: I read some tips online and prepared the materials accordingly. The two of us went to the embassy in person in early July to submit the materials. Later, there might be a random interview, which would require going to Guangzhou again for an in-person interview. But we were very lucky—the visa came through directly (the visa even had a Greek stamp on it, very special).

Tip: When applying for the visa, you can allow some leeway in the dates. We strictly followed the actual itinerary when writing the materials, which turned out to be a bit risky. Because the embassy will not give you even one extra day; they strictly grant the number of days according to the itinerary you applied for. (As a result, we almost got denied boarding the plane.) A close call!!

(2) Russian visa: We applied for a visa on arrival at the Russian consulate in Guangzhou. In reality, we only had 18 hours of transit time, but we still managed to take a look around—it was worth it.

(1) Flights: We booked the flights one month in advance with Aeroflot. Round trip cost 6,200 RMB per person, which was reasonable, with a transfer in Russia. The actual flights were: August 13 Hong Kong-Moscow 10:55-17:05, Moscow-Athens 19:30-22:05; August 21 Athens-Moscow, Moscow-Hong Kong.

(2) Ferry tickets: Booked in advance online. We chose a fast ferry that took 4 hours, but we still got seasick—both my husband and I. I recommend preparing medication in advance.

All accommodations were booked on Booking.com, mainly based on ratings and friend recommendations.

(1) Accommodation in Oia: Marcos Rooms (recommended)

Originally built in 1880 and later renovated, it is located in the center of Oia village, only 20 meters from Santorini’s famous sunset viewing spot. You can see the Oia sunset and the Aegean Sea. The breakfast was very hearty.

You can see the Aegean Sea from the rooftop.

(2) Accommodation in Fira: Ptolemeos Pension (recommended)

My first impression was that it was very clean. Knowing we were on our honeymoon, they gave us a pair of cups as a gift—very thoughtful. The hotel is close to the bus station, offers rooms with private balconies, a large panoramic lounge area, and a rooftop terrace with Aegean Sea views.

Wedding photos taken at the hotel.

The pair of cups given by the landlord (still in use now).

(3) Accommodation in Milos: Danaides Apartments (recommended)

Huge balcony with sea views. You can also cook your own meals. It is only 400 meters from the port of Naousa. The room has three beds, suitable for families too.

(4) Accommodation in Athens: Acropolis Select (recommended)

Excellent location, close to the Acropolis and Plaka, only 50 meters from the metro station.

Day 1 August 13: Hong Kong - Athens

We took a direct ferry from Shekou Port to Hong Kong Airport. The 7:00 AM ferry took half an hour to reach Hong Kong Airport. However, a small incident occurred—when checking in, we were almost denied boarding because the visa start date was August 14 (tomorrow). But we explained that since the plane arrived at 23:00, we would wait until midnight to exit customs. The two of us carried only one backpack and one large suitcase, which also contained the wedding dress, haha! Because I had a poor appetite, I brought some powdered mixes for nutrition. Fearing being stopped, I brought my prenatal checkup documents. But no one stopped me, so I didn't worry. For the wedding photos, I brought a bouquet of fake flowers.

The total flight time was 18 hours, which was really tough. Airline meals.

We flew Aeroflot. When we landed successfully, everyone clapped, haha.

Transfer in Moscow halfway.

After arriving in Athens, we waited until midnight to exit customs. Then we took a bus directly to the port, as the ferry was about to depart.

Bought a bus ticket to go to the port.

Day 2 August 14: Athens - Oia

We took a fast ferry, arriving in Santorini in four hours. We reached Oia around noon. We took a bus and got off in Oia, then followed the map to find our accommodation. The host gave us two glasses of orange juice and asked if we were sure about checking in. We said, 'Of course.' At that time, it didn't seem as common to pre-charge to confirm bookings. After resting a bit, we went out to explore! Overview of Oia—any random shot is a beautiful view. When I was in graduate school, a Taiwanese teacher told me that the Aegean Sea has many lazy dogs, and I took a picture of one too. Hehe.

We chased the sunset all the way. The sunset in Oia is truly unforgettable.

There were many people watching the sunset.

A dazzling array of small souvenirs.

There was a power outage at night, which happened several times during our stay in Greece. Hard to believe. Fortunately, it was cool at night. Candlelight dinner.

Woke up early to watch the sunrise. The second floor of the guesthouse offered a sunset view and also a view of the Aegean Sea.

Day 3 August 15: Wandering in Oia

Hotel breakfast:

The main task today was to take wedding photos. Here come the wedding photos:

Day 4 August 16: Oia Island Tour - Fira

After breakfast, we started a half-day tour. We signed up for a half-day island tour at the tourist spot yesterday to see volcanic ash,

and also ride a donkey to a small island.

It wasn't very interesting. The Greek islands are built on volcanoes, which is really amazing, but they look kind of ugly from this angle.

We couldn't get used to the food here; French fries were our lifesaver.

Arrived in Fira in the afternoon. Departed for Fira at noon.

Fira is another small town, also very crowded. In the afternoon, we rushed to take photos at sunset.

The photo below is of the blue-domed church made famous by National Geographic.

Local specialty: white eggplant.

Dined at Mama's Kitchen in the evening (near the blue-domed church).

Day 5 August 17: Fira

Today's main task was to take wedding photos. We got up early to take wedding photos. Along the way, many people kindly blessed us. My undergraduate roommate was also in Greece these days, but unfortunately we never managed to meet.

After waking up from a nap, we went out to explore and watch the sunset.

Day 6 August 18: Fira - Milos

We got up in the morning and set off for Milos.

This was our candlelight dinner.

Day 7 August 18: Milos

In the morning, we made a heart-shaped breakfast and then strolled around the small town. The town was very quiet, with few people.

At noon, we set off for Athens. In the evening, we climbed a hill to see a panoramic view of Athens.

Day 8 August 20: Athens

Today we visited some classic attractions in Athens.

Odeon of Herodes Atticus

Erechtheion - Temple of Athena Nike - Temple of Poseidon

Day 9 August 21: Moscow

Our flight that evening was very late, so we rested at the airport waiting for the plane. After a 5-hour flight, we arrived in Russia, just in time for morning.

The Moscow Metro signs were all in Russian. My husband printed out a reference sheet in advance to check when to get off. The Moscow Metro is really deep—I heard it can be used as a bomb shelter.

We visited Moscow's most famous palace, the Kremlin, GUM Department Store, and Red Square.

Back in Hong Kong, we finally had a good meal—so much better. It's always good at home.