First Weekend in Athens

Saturday, Sean and I headed out to Athens to see the sights of the city. We started on the train (metro) and got about 4 stops down before they herded us off the metro and onto the waiting buses. Apparently, they are working on the metro, so if you want to get anywhere effectively, you'd better figure out the bus system. Well Sean and I don't know the system, so 2 hours later, we finally found someone to help us figure out how to get to the Acropolis.


We got to the Acropolis and started the trek up to the top. Along the way, we passed the theatre of an ancient Greek god, whose name I can't remember. But apparently this theatre seats a few thousand people and plays are still performed in it today. I might try to go see a play there before my time in Greece is up.

The following pictures are of the Parthenon and the view of Athens from the top. It's cool because you can look down from the look-out point at the top of the Acropolis and see down into Hadrian's Arch and the Temple of Zeus. I also included a picture of a Greek native napping in the sun at the top of the Acropolis.






After we climbed down from the Acropolis we headed over to the arch and temple to get some closer shots. Seriously, I don't understand how these things were built. They are ginormous are made of marble so they weigh a metric ton! Those Greeks were so talented!



I also took Sean to the Plaka (plah-kuh), which is like the big touristy/street market area of Athens. It's full of all kinds of wonderful goodness. And then I took him to Ermou (heir-moo) Street. We got to Ermou Street after the shops had closed, but the street vendors were out in full force. There are certain areas where they have permission to hawk their wares (aka knock-offs), but Ermou Street is not one of those places. If they are selling in an area where they are not supposed to be, and the police come, the police can confiscate all their stuff. So they spread their wares out on blankets, that way, when they see the police coming, they can fold it all up in the blanket and take off running. This is actually quite entertaining to watch.

Anyway, Sean stopped to look at some some belts and wallets so I was looking at a watch, but mostly just waiting for Sean to hurry up with his bargaining. When my vendor realized I wasn't going to buy anything, he engaged in the following dialogue with me:

Vendor: So where are you from?
Me: The States
V: Oh, do you know acorn?
Me: Like the little nut?
V: Yeah, acorn.
Me: Sure I know what an acorn is.
V: He's from my country.
Me: The acorn, the little nut from trees???
V: No, acorn, the singer.
Me: OH, Akon, the pop artist, yeah I know him, well not personally, but I know who he is...?
V: He's from--names some S country that I still have no idea what it was--, that's my country.
Me: Oh, cool?! So did you know him?
V: --laughs--Oh no. So is he (pointing at Sean) your boyfriend?
Me: Nope, he's my coworker.
V: So, do you have a boyfriend?
Me: No...?
V: Why not?
Me: Umm, if I knew why I didn't have one, don't you think I would have one?
V: Well, if it's no problem, could I have your number? If you want to?
Me: I don't really want to, but thanks.
V: Well let me give you mine, if it's no problem and you can call me Friday if you want, it's no problem.
Me: Sure, that would work.
V: 694-141-3118, Casilas is my name. Call me Friday, don't forget.

So I got his phone number and his name; he got no phone number, no name, I didn't buy a watch and I'm definitely going to forget to call him Friday. Huh.

Sunday, I headed to church. I didn't have anyone's contact info, and I had decided it would be fun to surprise everyone at the church, since they didn't know I was coming back. Turns out, I have the WORST timing every when it comes to surprising. When I was here last year, church started at 11, so I got to church at about 10:50. This year, church starts at 10, so yeah, I was late... Last year, I tried to surprise my family by coming home a few days earlier. I surprised them alright. My flight was delayed coming back into the States so instead of getting home in time for Thanksgiving dinner, I got home at 2:00 a.m. Moral of the story, I'm not surprising anyone anymore.

So anyway, Crossroads Church of Athens has a very diverse congregation. There are actually very few Greeks at the church, and a lot of Filipinos, Africans, Indians and South Americans. A lot of these people work in-home for their employers and so only have from noon Saturday til 8 a.m. Monday of their own time, so Sundays are a pretty special day to them. So each Sunday they have a morning service for everyone in the congregation. Then following the regular service, a different nationality holds their own service in their native tongue. They rotate Sundays and this Sunday it was the Filipinos' service. One of my good friends in the church, Bea (Bay-uh), is Filipino. So I stayed for the service and she tried to translate for me, but gave up after a while. I recorded a video of them singing. The song loosely translates to say,
"I am happy, are you happy?
We are happy when we're in God's presence."



After the service, they also had a baby dedication, which is where they pray over the new baby and parents for protection and for a good life for the family and baby. Anyway, they had this little girl come up and sing while the parents and family were gathering around the newborn. I recorded a little bit of the girl singing. Not gonna lie, I kind of teared up a little bit and found myself wanting a baby, but then the moment passed and I decided that I'd rather just have plants, isn't that right, Amy? P.S. I've been waiting for the recording to upload for over an hour, and it hasn't uploaded, so you guys don't get to tear up.

And that pretty much sums up my week and weekend.

Naxos/Santorini

On Thursday I went for a walk along the coast. At one end of Naxos island is the remains of Apollo's temple, so I climbed up to pay my respects, or take pictures. I shopped around for a little bit and then went back and read another book by the water.

Friday I headed to Santorini island where I would meet up with my coworker, Sean. When I got there, we decided to rent ATVs (4-wheelers) and go exploring around the island.

The receptionist at the hotel told us we needed to go to Oia (pronounced Ee-uh) to see the sunset. She told us there is only one road and so we wouldn't have any trouble find it. Yeah right. Sean and I started off, with me in charge of directions. Guess what, we got lost. We wound up going to the top of the island, close to the hotel to a spot called Anicent Thira.

So we headed back down and after asking directions 3 times and turning around a couple more, we finally made it to Oia in time to see the sunset. It was very beautiful and quite a popular attraction to the tourists.

Saturday we were going to take a cruise around the island and to the volcano near Santorini, but Sean never set his alarm and I slept through mine...So we got back on the ATV and did some more of our own sight-seeing. There was an airport close to our hotel, so by the time the planes got to the shoreline, they seemed really close to the ground, I tried to take a picture to show you how close the planes were, but I don't think the one I have shows it very well.

Today Sean and I got back on the ferry and headed for the mainland. It was super windy and the water was really choppy and it was basically pretty cold, but we managed and made it back to the hotel, where I have since unpacked and made myself at home.

Tomorrow we start work and I highly doubt I will have anything more exciting to tell you all til the weekend. Sorry this is such a long post. Enjoy the pics, love you!

Ferry to Naxos

Last night before I went to bed, the guy at the reception desk asked if I needed a wake-up call. I said, sure, please call me at 6:00. This morning I woke up startled by the loud banging on my door, BAM, BAM, BAM. Three times. All I could think was oh, no, some creeper is on the other side of the door. So I called out, "yes?" The response: "Six o'clock!" Apparently wake-up calls at this hotel are very personal. haha

I left Piraeus Port at 7:25 on the Blue Star Ferry and headed for Naxos. The ferry makes three stops, Paros, Naxos and Santorini. On the ride, I met a couple from the States whos are currently stationed in the Middle East for his job. I also met a girl from Austria headed to Santorini for a quiet vacation. They kept me company along the ride and also took my picture for me a couple of times. I also read a book on the ride over. Kandis, I don't think I packed enough??!

When I got to Naxos, I checked into my quaint hotel and headed out to explore the area.

My hotel is right along a beach, so that was my first stop, I walked the length of the beach. This is what I discovered:
1) Going topless is common

2) There is no skinny-minnie body image over here. I saw WAAY too much skin of some people

3) If you stop to sit in one of the lawn chairs and you fall asleep for an hour and a half, you get charged 4 euros...

First night in Greece

I made it safely to Greece after 17 hours of flight and layover. When I boarded the plane in Chicago, I was fortunate enough to score a seat next to a guy whom I will always refer to as a drunken Chester the Molester. When Chester sat beside me, he was chewing and spitting into a clear cup, so incredibly appetizing and aromatic! He sat the cup in the seat pocket in front of him, not exactly the most secure holding place, so of course it spilled on the floor midflight.

Each time the stewardess came by to offer something to drink, Chester got a beer. I obviously did not bother to engage in conversation with this man. Somewhere along the flight, I started dosing off into one of those deep sleeps that when your head starts to nod forward, you jerk awake? Apparently I had jerked awake a couple of times, because Chester tapped on my shoulder and told me if I needed to, I could rest my head on his shoulder, he didn’t mind. I politely declined and shifted my position, so my head wouldn’t drop forward anymore.

The next time I woke up, it was because Chester’s hand was creeping up my leg! Apparently Chester had also fallen asleep and his hand had found its resting place on my thigh. Startled and disturbed, I removed his hand from my leg and placed it in his own lap. I started dosing off again when I felt his hand fall back on my leg. I shifted in my seat and he moved his hand. After this happened a couple more times, I was getting VERY irritated. I finally got smart and moved a pillow between us and then set one of my bags on my lap so that there was no way his hand could find my leg again. I was very grateful to arrive in Munich.

My flight from Munich to Athens was slightly delayed but I still arrived in good time. I took a cab down to Pireaus where I was staying at Hotel Faros http://www.faros-hotel.gr/gallery-en.htm for the night. I went into the hotel to check in and was told that somewhere along the confirmation process, my arrival had not been confirmed and there was no room in the inn for me. The receptionist referred me to the hotel next door, telling me, “It’s old, but very clean.” She was right. It was old and seemed clean to me. However, if you look at pictures on the Hotel Faros link and then at the pictures I took of my room, I think you’ll agree that Hotel Atlantis leaves something to be desired…

T - minus 6 days til take off!

Hey all,

This is just a test blog post to make sure the site is working fine and easily accessible to each of you. I leave on Monday, Sept 14th at 5:45. I'm very excited and have a "To Do" list that's not getting any shorter. Wish I could take you with me, but hopefully this blog will allow you to live vicariously through me...Enjoy the posts to come and thanks for stopping by.