Alina: Hello everyone! This is Heads and Tails. Meet your Apollo and Aphrodite.
Kolya: What? Who?
Alina: We came to Mykonos Kolya. This is the beloved place of gods.
They would always rumble and squabble here.
Kolya: Excellent. Let us stick to a tradition of this island and have our own tussle.
Let us see who will spend this weekend like a god and who will live like a slave.
Heads!
Alina: Tails!
Kolya: Just the way you wanted it – antiquity tragedy with a modern twist.
Alina: True.
Kolya: Apollo and Alinka. Take the backpack.
Everything that you need is inside.
Alina: Oh well. I will go now.
Kolya: It contains nothing that I need.
Alina: A $100 in Greece? How?
Kolya: Well, the gods are in the town!
Mykonos is a granite titan that appeared from the abyss of the Aegean Sea
and ancient legends.
This used to be one of the poorest islands in Greece.
Today Mykonos is a magnet for millionaires,
movie stars
and party animals.
How could we not come here?
Alina: Not all is bad – I am on Mykonos Island.
The center is only 2.5 kilometers away.
Why not walk? It is summer after all.
Every girl is a goddess anyhow.
There, I said it.
I did not take the heat into account. It is almost +30C!
A walk to the center proves to be quite a test.
Should I hitchhike?
Kolya: Going to the city?
Alina: Jeez! You scared me!
Kolya: This is where I am going too. I can give you a lift. Get in.
Alina: Why did you only get a half of a car instead of the whole thing?
Kolya: All right. The initiative is punishable.
Alina: Wait up! I want you to give me a ride! Wait!
I did not realize how nice this car was at first.
Kolya: Thank you.
Alina: What is it?
Kolya: This is a collector's edition Smart. They only made 1,200 of them.
This one is #205. Do you see the number over there?
An exclusive!
Smart Crossblade. I chose a truly unique car for this weekend.
It does not have neither a roof nor a windshield. It features funny-looking hurdles instead of doors.
That is the whole point. This car is a whim.
This is a toy for the local rich who can afford to pay 24,000 euros to ride it to the beach on a few sunny days.
Alina: How many horses does it have?
Kolya: Listen, this is a different breed of car. You cannot measure its value with horsepower alone,
but it has 72 Pegasus under the hood.
Alina: This is cute girly car. I'll let you borrow my lipstick.
Kolya: Where do you need to go Alinka? Straight or right?
Alina: This is just so your lips do not chafe.
Kolya: Straight or right?
Alina: Right works better for me. Turn please.
Kolya: Too bad that I need to go straight. I am taking a small detour.
Alina: What kind of favor is that?
Kolya: I will take the longer route just because.
Alina: Oh well.
Kolya: I hope you enjoyed your ride. I did not kick you out. The car did it.
It rejected you because you do not have good taste. Women don't know jack about automobiles.
They do not feel the soul and elegancy.
Mykonos is a small granite island that is splashed by the waters of Aegean Sea.
They call Mykonos a Four Seasons Island because it gets 300 days of sunshine per year.
The rain is very rare.
They say that Mykonos landscapes were the inspiration behind the Greek flag –
blue curves of waves and white lines of sand.
History and mythology are the most valuable attributes of this land.
Here is how it all started – Poseidon hit the rocks with his trident and created a myriad of islands.
The island rests on the shoulders of titans that were defeated by Hercules.
You can hear their snoring shaking the ground at night.
People here lived extraordinarily lives.
Antiquity heroes and Greek gods used to lounge on Mykonos. These days this is a playground for the rich.
This island is considered one of the most expensive resorts in Greece for a reason.
There is nothing off limits here for a wealthy tourist.
I can feel like any god that I want this weekend.
Alina: All I can do is pray for the gods' mercy and hope that Mykonos will greet me
with trademark Greek hospitality even with a $100 in hand.
Tourists find a few things interesting on Mykonos.
You can tell that we are next to the foremost landmark on Mykonos judging by the number of tourists –
the windmills!
Each of them is 500 years old!
Strong winds are always blowing from the Aegean Sea.
The locals decided to use wind to their advantage and process grain. Thus, they built these windmills.
There used to be a few dozens of them on the island. That is why Mykonos is also known as the Windmill Island.
Another key landmark is the Church of Panagia Paraportiani.
It is over 600 years old! There only used to be one church here, but as the island's population steadily grew,
they soon built the second and third churches and two more years later – five in total.
Nowadays it looks more like snow piles that united over time.
She is an elder of Mykonos. Nonetheless, the numerous artifacts are not the main attraction on the island.
Meet the large and pink Petros the Pelican! He is a local celebrity.
I have never interacted with a bird like this one.
Howdy.
Shocking! Do you see the pelican?
Woman: Pelicano! Pelicano!
Alina: Locals barely notice him.
A local angler found this wounded bird and nurtured it back to health.
Over time, it became a local pet and still lives on the city streets.
People take pictures with you, but not many of them give you a rub. Good boy.
This bird is so huge! Gigantic!
Finding a beach is not a problem for a rich tourist with a ride.
You can even experience what it is like to be Poseidon if your pockets are deep like mine.
I like diving and swimming, the sea and water! My nickname has been Poseidon since the kindergarten.
Since I wore diapers. I think I found my place at the Olympus. The daddy is back mermaids!
Greeks considered the sea to be Poseidon's residence. It is about time I paid him a visit.
You realize that ancient people were not far off with their guesstimate as you go underwater.
The bottom of the Aegean Sea is like a parallel universe with its own marvelous fields, mountains and azure sky.
Myriads of amazing creatures inhabit this world. Here is huge starfish.
Here is an angry moray eel and a pack of hungry barracudas.
Yet this is not the main reason to go diving on Mykonos.
The local shtick is an underwater city. Do you see these hills that look like pyramids?
Those are the remains of an ancient city. The sludge and sand buried the city over time,
but you can still see amphora fragments here and there. This was a real city indeed.
According to the legend, the gods fought over some vessels with ambrosia.
They drowned an entire city during their scuffle! I do not know whether this is true or it is just another local fable,
but it does not make diving here less interesting.
I finally made it to the beach by noon.
The name of it is Super Paradise Beach.
This is the hottest hangout spot on Mykonos. Population density – I have to look for a spot to lay down.
The crowd is mostly young, but there are a few older heads who also came here to party.
The infrastructure – sunbeds for 7 euros, umbrellas cost six. I really liked the safe boxes inside the umbrellas
where you can keep your valuables while you are swimming.
The sand looks industrial. It is like kitty litter.
The water feels like warm milk. I did not think I would ever say this, but I wish it were a bit cooler.
So hot! All in all, this beach definitely deserves a grade of four-stars. A perfect place for a beach party.
Since I decided to spend this weekend like a Greek god, I might as well live in heavenly chambers –
Cavo Tagoo Hotel.
It includes a few dozen snow-white villas. They glimmer with luxury right on the shore of the Aegean Sea.
They say that this is one of the best hotels on Mykonos.
This door looks like the golden gate.
I got a Mediterranean design suite for 3,500 euros.
Woodwork, pastel tones and unusual interior items.
My luxury features this golden door. I will have to see what is there later. A full-body mirror with mosaics.
This is better than any antique statue. You do remember who is the Greek gods' representative here is, right?
An expensive suite has to have a terrace with a stunning view!
What a view! I feel like squeezing that view tightly.
Such a firm and pleasant view. I wanna rub my cheek all over it.
Sorry about that.
I apologize.
My private swimming pool inside of the cave is the marquee feature of my suite.
I have never had one like that.
Wow! I can swim while enjoying the shadow even in high noon. A cave with a swimming pool!
You dive into the view straight from your suite! A thing of beauty!
I am in utter awe! I am not sure how the gods lived, but I am entirely satisfied with my accommodation.
Alina: It is late in the afternoon. That means it is time to have dinner.
There are plenty of cafes and restaurants of course.
This is a super touristy place as you can see, so the prices are steep. Twenty-four euros, twenty-two.
There is even a plate for a hundred. Not at all cheap, but I know a good place that is affordable.
It is called Sakis. They sell popular local street food.
Aphrodite is starving. Hello.
Vendor: Hello.
Alina: Ah, okay. I want churros with chicken.
Vendor: Yes, please.
Alina: Need to have the proper Aphrodite posture.
Well,
churros AKA shawarma has everything inside – fries, salad, pita, chicken and mayonnaise.
Where should I start?
I tastes like three sets of crunches in the gym.
A few push-ups and sit-ups. Lots of sit-ups!
That is what the Greek shawarma tastes like.
Only the rich could afford meat like chicken and lamb back in the day, while the seafood was extremely cheap.
Nowadays the tables have turned – this chunk of meat is a lot cheaper than shrimp or lobster.
This is every backpacker's magic stick – a large sandwich that will keep you going for the whole day.
Kolya: It is time for the evening sacrificial offerings! Let us see what the mortals prepared for me.
I selected Kalita Restaurant because it is famous for its traditional Greek dishes.
Hello.
Waiter: Good evening. What would you like?
Kolya: What a selection of sacrificial offerings! I felt like seafood that night
so I ordered jumbo shrimp, seabass and a desert. Wowzers!
It's not for me. Two portion?
Waiter: Two portions. With sweet and sour sauce inside the dish. Enjoy.
Okay.
I like this area. They brought me two portions instead of one. They wanted to make sure I was full.
Genius! Thank you.
Dish #1 – king prawns fried with thyme and sour lemon sauce.
The shrimp has no shell.
This meat is so tender! The sweet and sour sauce is perfect with this.
Now I understand why they got me two plates. Excellent. Good thinking.
Done with the shrimp. Time to taste the second entrée – seabass with orange sauce and ouzo air.
Such a gorgeous seabass! An Aphrodite among seabass that also came out of sea foam.
Let me taste the foaming.
This is anise. Interesting taste.
Let us try the seabass.
So many undertones! This is a perfectly cooked seabass. The flavor could not have been richer.
Fish gave all the tang it had to the chef and he passed it on to me.
Last but not the least, the dessert – ice-cream with baklava.
What an aroma!
Is that carrots?
Carrot ice cream? The taste is very peculiar. It tastes sweet, salty and bitter all at once.
Definitely an acquired taste. That one flopped badly. I should send them drought for this one.
Let them rethink their cookbook for about six months.
The seabass was so good though. So were the prawns. All right. We're good.
Can I get a check? I would like to pay now.
The sacrificial offerings these days ain't free.
Even if you are a god.
Waiter: Thank you very much.
Kolya: Thank you too. It was amazing.
Alina: Mykonos turns into a one big party at night.
The music at the beach is blasting as the club lights go on.
Good thing that most clubs at the beach have free entrance.
You can dance and get your groove on for as long as your soul desires.
Kolya: Gods with gold cards do not party at the beach clubs. I went to a club that charges for entrance.
This should have been way better.
It turned out that the music and the crowd are the same. The level of fun here and at the beach club is identical.
I smell party sadness. None of the girls are dancing.
I will go straight to sleep.
I have not danced like that in a while. Time to find a place to lay my head.
Good thing I do not have to go anywhere far for that.
I will keep it one hundred with you – I cannot afford housing. The cheapest room costs around $100 here,
which is my entire budget. Thus, tonight is a tent challenge night. My first tent ever.
Do you think I will not be able to setup a tent? All right. Please do not fly away! I beg you! I have nowhere to stay.
What do we have here? Chopsticks?
I just want to lay down and cover myself with it. Honestly. Do not fly away.
This has to be the top. Or the bottom.
What kind of hospitality is this? This is how I will sleep and fight off wild animals.
Enough!
It is impossible to pitch a tent in this wind!
I will just sleep like this.
On the other hand, I can hear the sea.
This cloth helps from the wind. This is my first time. I should make a wish.
A wish to never pitch another tent ever!
Let it be morning!
It actually worked! Good morning.
I will kick my crisp morning off with a breakfast. What a terrific breakfast I got here!
This breakfast is great. I am an unusual breakfast world champion. I had all kinds of them all over the world.
I ate it all. Lucky guy.
This one is on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea though. One leg in the pool. Incredible treats.
This has to be in my top-5.
As weird as it may sound, I think this was one of the best nights in my life.
Top of the morning!
Whoa.
I am not out here by myself. I got neighbors. I did not even hear them come.
He could not put up his tent either. I completely understand him.
I thought I would go swimming in the morning, but getting in the water is the last thing that I want.
Getting out of there in this wind would be…
That is an incredible beginning of the day in my book!
I decided I would become god Zephyr now.
What are you laughing at? Zephyr is a god of the loudest and most violent gusts.
Zephyr means that on Mykonos, not marshmallows! The functionality is all that matters.
Hello! Nice to meet! I'm Zephyr!
George: George.
Kolya: Nice to me you. Right now George and I will cruise these islands and explore all of the local winds!
You are staying here though. On the other hand, who will tell the world about my heroic deeds? Come aboard.
Take your shoes off!
This breeze feels great. Sea breeze.
All the moneybags on Mykonos rent yachts and head out to Rineia Island.
There are plenty of inlets and lagoons where you can swim like a rich person should,
without the hordes of tourists around.
Warm and clear water is just what I needed!
I needed to recuperate after swimming so I ordered a small lunch – some fruit, snacks and a bottle of wine.
Ain't life grand!
A tourist on a tight budget can afford a ferry ticket to see landmarks of Delos Island.
One ticket. How much? Twenty.
The ferries leave every hour.
I made it! Thank you!
A journey to Delos only takes about twenty minutes.
Nice.
Awesome. I can admire Mykonos from sea thanks to the ferry.
The best part is enjoying the breeze and astonishing Greek landscapes.
The city looks like pearls from here. White houses with blue storm windows. Like the sea.
The best compliment for a blue-eyed girl would be to hear that her eyes are the color of the Aegean Sea.
The blue color is so sated! Very rich!
Yacht sailing – check! Swimming – check! It is about time I did something extreme!
Mykonos offers an implausible option for those who like watersports – kitesurfing.
You need a board under your feet and a kite.
This is how it works – you hold the rope and try to catch the wind that will allow the board to sail.
This is so cool! This is just like controlling a kite as a kid! I feel like I am twelve years old right now!
I am elated! The wind dominates this dialogue. If you can listen to it carefully
and react to its whims, you will thoroughly enjoy kitesurfing.
Your job is to tame the wind as it pulls you and remain standing on the board.
The dudes who are performing tricks on the waves make me look pathetic.
In reality, taming the wind is really hard. Practically impossible for a beginner.
You need more time to learn kitesurfing. If I spent two days doing just this,
those viewers who are not interested in kitesurfing would be disappointed with this show.
I have to keep moving. Does not matter if I liked it or not.
Here it is – Delos!
The first temples dedicated to Greek gods appeared here fifteen centuries ago.
The entire ancient world would come here to pay homage to gods and participate in a huge celebrations.
People would not hold back on wine, spending money and sacrificing cattle.
The island boasts temples dedicated to almost every Greek god.
Here is the Temple of Apollo.
This one is Gera's.
That is a home of Hermes.
A shrine to Dionysus and three dozen other structures in glory of Olympus. It is difficult to tell them apart now.
Time, wars and nature cataclysms did their work. Today the island and the formerly magnificent temples
look like a large ruin.
These ruins would be very boring if it were not for mythology. Zeus' concubine gave birth on this island.
Let me start from the beginning. Zeus had a wife – Gera. Once upon a time, he got a side chick, as all men do.
Namely Leto, a goddess of summer. I don't blame him. I like the summer too. Then Leto became pregnant.
Zeus' wife was furious. All hell broke loose after that.
Gera cursed Leto and promised her that she would never be able to give birth on land. It was quite a family feud.
Then Zeus got involved and asked his friend Poseidon to help a brother out.
Poseidon had mercy on them fools. He scooped some sand from the sea bottom and created
a floating island – Delos. The island would swim the waves just like a ship.
Leto came to the island and gave birth to two famous gods – Artemida and Apollo.
Gera found out about it, as any wife would.
She nailed that island to the ground and sent in hordes of snakes there.
That must be the reason why this place is still deserted.
Thousands of people still flock to this island to see temples and to hear legends about gods.
Mykonos is not a large island.
I have tried just about every expensive entertainment option that was available to me during these two days
besides one –
Did you know that Poseidon created horses? I mean I created them when I was Poseidon.
I hit my trident on a rock. Poof! Horses created! I love my creation so much that I try to see it as often as possible.
Hello! Nice to meet you. I'm Nikolay.
Guide: Nice to meet you.
So, can we go to the mountains?
Guide: No. We can't go in the mountains because it's steep and full of rocks.
Kolya: There was a surprise waiting for me. A local guide is very protective of his horse
and he would not let me take it to the mountains. Photo shooting it is then.
Okay, we need to do the best photos for my Instagram.
Photo shooting for 300 euros! It's fine. Those will be the best photos on my Instagram.
Let's go! First shot – "A knight"!
Second photo – "Once upon a time in the circus"!
Let us do the third one real quick – "The Centaur".
That looks nothing like the centaur. Photo #4 – "He who fell off a saddle".
"The dudes are chilling out"!
That was definitely not the best money I ever spent, but it is what it is. I hope I got some decent photos out of it.
This exciting moment is here at last. The moment when I am hiding $100 for you to find.
That money is chump change on Mykonos. Just ask Alina. We're not doing it for the money though.
We are doing is for the sake of adventure!
Trying to find a bottle with $100 is an awesome adventure! You can feel like Indiana Jones or Odyssey!
So windy here.
One clumsy move and that $100 bill will be flying!
A hundred bucks in the bottle. I will hide the bottle behind the wheel.
Should you be in need of $100, know that our bottle cannot wait to meet with you.
Head to CheckPoint Hotel at Paradise Beach, Mikonos 846 00. Walk northwest for 210 meters
and look for our treasure behind the derelict bus.
Well, best of luck! Find $100 and may your own legend begin from here!
Alina: Mykonos is a place that harmoniously combines antiquity history and…
Kolya: …modern-day entertainment. This is so awesome!
Alina: Nice!
Kolya: A spot where both the rich…
Alina: …and the budget tourist will feel comfortable.
Kolya: You will never regret visiting this resort!
Alina: The water is so warm!
Kolya: Such a nice breeze!
Alina: This bird is so humongous!
Kolya: The dudes are chilling out!
This is beautiful.
Alina: Every girl is a goddess!
Kolya: This meat is everything!
Alina: This might sound strange, but this was one of the best nights in my life.
Why did you only get a half of a car?
Kolya: All right. The initiative is punishable.
Alina: Wait up! I do want to ride with you!
I am so cold!
Kolya: Why are you freezing?
Alina: Are you not cold?
Kolya: Not one bit.
Alina: That is your hot blood. I am freezing. There was no way of escaping that wind the whole time!
Kolya: That is Mykonos for ya babe. This is where the winds hang out. The winds and the gods.
How was your weekend?
Alina: I came to visit the gods, but I did not meet any. I met a pink pelican.
I went to an island where Apollo was born. Oh! I was at this amazing party!
Poseidon would not let me pitch a tent though. I had to sleep like…
Kolya: What do you mean I did not let you pitch a tent? I simply sent a test your way and you failed it miserably!
Alina: See friends? This is what a gold card does to people. Behold god Nicholas!
Kolya: See friends? This is how having $100 does to people! They become mean, moody and envious!
Alina: How so?
Kolya: How am I wrong?
Alina: How am I envious?
Kolya: I know how to heal you. Come with me. I will buy you a candlelight dinner.
The candles will warm you up. Those candles will be huge!
Alina: Great idea!
Kolya: Dinner by the campfire. Let us go. Bye friends! We will see you soon!
Alina: What did you see? You did not even tell anything.
Kolya: Why would I? You have plenty of memories of your own to worry about someone else's.
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