Category: Travel

We weren’t fully recovered from the sick day but felt that we could venture out.  We checked our Athens City Ticket and decided to try something not too strenuous.  (Debbie said that she still had to get up early and that probably Joyce needed more rest for her cold. )

The first stop was Kerameikos.   History Moment:  Kerameikos was actually the cemetery of ancient Athens and was  in use from the 9th century BC until Roman times. The area took its name from “keramos”, which means pottery in Greek, from the numerous pottery workshops that existed in the area before it was turned into a cemetery.  Yes, we went to another cemetery.  (Debbie thinks she is turning into her brother).  This cemetery was nice and shady with a museum, some olive trees and a bathroom.

One thing that we have noticed is the number of stray cats.  They were everywhere around the ruins.  Debbie’s Interpretation:  There are a lot of cats and Greek people are cat people.  The cats don’t jump on your table or lap so that is okay.  (Debbie for the record is a dog person.   Joyce has the potential to go full blown cat lady. )

Our second stop was the library of Hadrian.  History Moment: The library was built 132-134 AD as a gift to the city of Athens from the Roman Emperor Hadrian.   We liked the library because there were not that many tourists and we could a better view of Hadrian’s wall.   The wall views showed how some of the later houses incorporated the wall as part of their house.

After the library, we stopped to eat.  Jerry ordered the meat platter and was not able to finish it all.  (It was surprising that any meat was left in Athens after that platter was cooked).   He brought home meat for the whole village that night with take-away.   Jerry and his backpack were very popular with the cats in the afternoon.

Our final destination was the Roman Agora.  History Moment: The Roman Agora consists of a large, open-air courtyard surrounded by colonnades on all four sides. On the eastern side, there were also a series of shops. On the southern side was a fountain. The main entrance was on the west (Gate of Athena Archegetis), and there was a second entrance (or propylon) on the east, leading up to a public latrine and the “Tower of the Winds.”  The nickname “Tower of the Winds” was derived from the personifications of the 8 winds carved on the 8 sides of the building.  The Roman Agora became the main market of the city, taking over many of the commercial functions of the Greek Agora.  What is nice about the Roman Agora was very few crowds and everything was fairly open.

We noticed some direction issues that day and suffered bouts of irritability.  These bouts included the following.

• Yelling at motorcycle riders to get out of the way and let us cross.
• Stink eyed (Yes, it is a word) other patrons in the restaurant for acting incorrectly
• Quacking at people
• Shoving a man onto the train to make room for their sick colleagues (The colleagues pretended that they did not know anyone else on the train especially the shover)
• Room clearing coughing fits

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For the good of our health and Athens, we called it an early day.  Plus Jerry was building a following with the strays.

If  you are current with the blog, then you know that Debbie was teetering on the edge of being sucked into the sick dimension .   The symptoms were sore throat, couching and hacking.    A few professed to fever.  Each person diagnosed themselves.  Sinus, allergies, a cold (Debbie calls it the crud as an all encompassing compromising term. ). Debbie tried to distance her self but it is difficult when all the people at the table are hacking and coughing away.  She dealt a few drugs from her medicine kit to different members but had started considering a hoarding plan.  Debbie had been to the pharmacy with various members of the party and her trusty “Itranslate” application.  “Sore throat medicine?” Italian ” medicina mal di gola?”

So as you might have guessed, Debbie fell kicking and screaming into the Sick Dimension to join Jerry and Joyce.  Larry had already emerged on the other side although he did refuse to give up his toilet paper roll used as tissues.

We all woke up and sat glumly on the couch each clutching their tissue of choice.  Toilet paper, paper towels and disposable tissue packs.  Debbie enlisted Larry to walk to the pharmacy with her since she had no sense of direction.  There was fear that she might get lost  and  be found sniveling on the streets with no tissues.  Joyce sent a shopping list of drugs with them.  They stopped at the grocery store and purchased a real box of tissues for Joyce and Debbie plus their own box of decongestants at the pharmacy (Everyone lived in fear that on the next plane  their head will explode upon descent.  Debbie noticed that people started to whimper when discussing the upcoming flights).

Back they glumly sat again but this time with real tissues.  Everyone considered how the day was going to go.  No one could imagine walking several miles until someone suggested a break for the day.   We don’t remember who suggested it but everyone wanted to say it.  Suddenly people perked up.  “We could have a TV binge day”.  They all disappeared to reappear in different clothes with blankets.  (There is a rumor that Joyce never changed out of her pajamas the whole day.
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Thus began the Helix binge with Jerry and Larry sent for take-away lunch.  Questionable Cultural Moment:  The sci-fi thriller follows a team of CDC scientists who are headed  thrust into a potentially life-or-death situation after being deployed to a privately run research base in the Arctic to secretly investigate what could be a disease outbreak. (Debbie’s review – show gets weirder as it goes.  It has everything – Zombie, Frankenstein character, slime, twins).

Thus our day ended with no pictures ,everyone clutching tissues, decongestant for everyone and a coughing contest of who has the worst sounding cough. (Joyce had the “I am bringing this up from the bottom of my toes cough” while Debbie had the “I am choking and can’t stop without throwing up on someone” cough as people fled the room yelling “She’s going to blow!”.)

 

Today was the day that we visited the Acropolis.  History Moment:  The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel located on an extremely rocky outcrop above the city of Athens and contains the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historic significance, the most famous being the Parthenon. The word acropolis comes from the Greek words “highest point, extremity”) and πόλις (polis, “city”). The Parthenon is a former temple, on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, dedicated to the goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered their patron.   If you go to Athens, this is the sight that you want to see.

We started out early to try to beat the crowds and with jackets and coats. (Actually, Debbie kept her sweater on the longest.  She told the others she needed the sweater because that she wasn’t huffing as much as they were.  There was a response about Debbie going slow, blah, blah)    The higher that we got the harder the wind blew and colder it got.   Once on top, the group began to drift apart.  Debbie and Joyce listened to descriptive podcasts (intellectual)  while Jerry and Larry took pictures (let’s say artistic – Joyce actually did both.  Debbie’s cell phone shots don’t count – although they were magnificent).

The Acropolis included another temple, the Erechtheion.  Joyce had told Larry and Jerry to meet at this temple.  They found Debbie at the Erechtheion because she was huddled by the wall and a tiny worker’s building for wind protection.  This little building had a door with a window that said private where inside a man sat looking out the window at the temple.  The building looked like someone sat a large man on a stool and then built 3 walls and a door around him.  We don’t think you could turn around in the room.   Larry, and Jerry joined Debbie huddling by the wall.   The man in the room kept looking at them suspiciously (actually, there was only way to look out of the little building) so they decided to go stand downwind behind the Parthenon.  (It was really because they were just cold.  This proved to be a major mistake.  Really?  How hard could it be? ) They kept checking by the temple but never saw Joyce.  They  encountered the first whistle blower.  As they were headed for the new waiting area, a lady blew a whistle.  It was a bit like yelling “Freeze” in freeze tag.  Everyone on the Acropolis froze.  Everyone looked around trying to figure out who blew the whistle.  We finally decided that it was one of the Japanese tour guides that was rounding up her group. (We didn’t know what everyone else decided but they started moving).

We could not find Joyce so, Debbie decided to circle the entire top of the Acropolis (no small feat – her scarf blew off and she had to chase it around the Acropolis) and Larry and Jerry were gone from the  place that she had left them.  After a while, Larry, Debbie and Jerry, found each other and decided to travel like a pack of dogs.  We received a text message from Joyce that asked if we were at the steps so we answered “No, we are behind the Parthenon but we would come to the steps”.  Only part of the message went through so we changed places.  Finally, everyone stood on the steps waiting for Joyce until she appeared.  We did hear the whistle blower again.  (The tour guide must be having trouble.) The total search took 45 to 60 minutes.

Once reunited the group proceeded down to the Areopagus (Mars Hill).  It is a bare marble hill next to the Acropolis .  History Moment:  It was here that the Apostle Paul delivered his famous speech about the identity of “the Unknown God.”  There was a nice path up and around the hill but Debbie and Larry got so excited that they scrambled up and down the hill.  (Debbie doesn’t know what happened to them, other tourists were shouting “Watch out for the slippery rocks”  but no they were all over it.  What happened to Safety first?)
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After standing in the wind for a couple of hours and having been exposed to 3 weeks of the crud, Debbie started to cough.

As they descended the Acropolis, they found the Greek Agora.  History Moment:  The word Agora  is Greek for ‘open place of assembly.  It was an interesting place with little wind, shade,  many different buildings and fewer people.  It included a Greek stoa which is a covered walkway or portico, commonly for public use, (The open shopping center), a drainage ditch,  museum, a temple, Church of the Holy Apostles, and lots of ruins.  While we walked through the Agora, we heard the whistle again.  This time it was a different lady sitting in the shade except she yelled at people.  We realized that when you did something incorrect in the historic sites that the guards blew a whistle.  (Debbie is thinking that this would be a good retirement job.  You sit in a chair in the shade and when someone does something wrong, blow a whistle.  The group is also thinking of getting a whistle for Joyce to direct the group.  The whistle would have helped everyone find Joyce much quicker).

We had lunch and scored another free dessert!  Debbie was thrilled.  However, both Joyce and Debbie were both coughing and Joyce has slowed down considerably so they called it an early day.

Athens Walk

We spent the first day in Athens getting acquainted with the city.  We were in a great location but it took us awhile to figure out where we were.  The first landmark that we found was the Panathenaic Stadium.  Cultural Moment:  The Panathenaic Stadium hosted the 1st Olympic Games of the modern era in 1896 and is entirely made of marble.  It was also used in the 2004 Olympics.   Once we found the stadium, it was easy to get back on track to take a city walk of Athens.  Below are some of the sights that we saw:

• Athens National Gardens – We like to go to Gardens in every city that we visit.
• Greek Pharmacy  – Third pharmacy stop this trip.  Ask us for our trip advisor status for pharmacies in Athens, Venice, Rome and Naples.
• Hellenic Parliament building – Parliament building of Greece
• Evzones –  The greek elite guard who guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  There is a ceremonial changing of the guard every hour.  Larry was thrilled that he got to have his picture taken with the Evzones  especially since he had to rush to get to the front of the line.  He also wants some of those spiffy shoes.
• Church of Kapnikarea –  a Greek Orthodox church and one of the oldest churches in Athens.  It sits in the middle of a pedestrian mall.  This is a really small church.
• Athens Cathedral – “Mētrópolis”, is the cathedral church of the Archbishop of Athens and all Greece.  In other words, this is the Vatican of the Greek Orthodox Church.
• Church of Agios Eleftherios – is a Byzantine-era church located at the Mitropolis square, next to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens.  This is a really, really small church.
• Adrianou Street – Pedestrian mall Shopping street (We like this street)
• Hadrianopolis – The Arch of Hadrian divides the Greek Athens and Hadrian’s planned Roman area.  (Debbieopolis has a nice ring to it.)  We saw the remains of Zeus temple.

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We went back home and were thrilled that we could watch English Netflixs.

During our stay various members of the party have fallen out with sinus, cold or allergy.  Today was Jerry’s sick day.  Of course, he spent the day in the fabulous Roman Flat.

The other three decided to visit a church built on top of another on top of something else.  They visited Chiesa Basilica di San Clemente al Laterano riding Bus 64 on the worst ride yet.  The bus was stuffed full of people and suitcases.  They had to yell at the driver to let them out. (Really, I am not kidding)  Church Moment:   Archaeologically speaking, the structure is a three-tiered complex of buildings: (1) the present basilica built just before the year 1100 during the height of the Middle Ages; (2) beneath the present basilica is a 4th-century basilica that had been converted out of the home of a Roman nobleman, part of which had in the 1st century briefly served as an early church, and the basement of which had in the 2nd century briefly served as a mithraeum; (3) the home of the Roman nobleman had been built on the foundations of republican era villa and warehouse that had been destroyed in the Great Fire of 64 AD. (Is that a lot of history or what?  )

The three bought their tickets and proceeded down the stairs.   There were frescoes and different levels.   Plus it was really dark (Debbie kept pulling out her flashlight to read the signs and then other people would come over to read with her.  It became awkward when you had to take their light away.).  The directions were not always clear especially if you were running to beat a tour group.  Overall, the group was disappointed.  (This church does have the distinction of having the only make out session  seen in a church during their trip.  The participants were kicked out of the church in case you were concerned).

It started to rain again.  (Luckily, Joyce had convinced Debbie to bring her raincoat and that it would not impact her fashion look.  Debbie thinks Joyce might just be telling her that).  They were wet and cold when they decided to get lunch at an American themed restaurant.  Joyce won the award for the largest BBQ plate ever – She got ribs, chicken wings and a BBQ sandwich.   Debbie got the best deal with an 8.00 Euro burger and fries.

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They came back early to check on Jerry and make sure that he and Fausto were not meeting for coffee and dessert without them. (They weren’t but they suspect Jerry of watching TV without them).

Tomorrow is move day!

Oh joy! Strike canceled!  We woke at 5 to get ready for our ferry ride and joyously found that the strike was now a thing of the past, we had hours to get ready…Oh wait a minute!  The man for our luggage, coming especially thanks to our wonderful receptionist!  What have we packed for the boat trip that cannot go on a plane?  What have we packed for the plane trip which we might need on the plane?  Cookies!!!

We raced to the airport with 2 hours to spare only to find ourselves with an 8 hour wait to board the flight to Athens.  Turns out our flight had been at 8:45 and the strike was over at 9:00 AM!  We could have stayed at the hotel until 12 o’clock checkout!  We are definitely NOT happy campers.

It’s a tough call to say which might have been better, sea sickness and paying to get from the Athens Port then paying for a taxi to our hotel or whether the plane is better getting in approximately the same time but getting to the hotel with a $20 Euro pass good for our 3 days including all metro and trips to and from the airport.  Either way, the 80 Euros spent on the ferry is a thing of the past as will be our stay in Santorini after 4 more short hours or so we thought!

Did I mention that the Santorini airport is pretty disgusting, especially outside where we’re compelled to wait in heaps of garbage, jet fuel and more diesel fumes thanks to the many lines of people waiting for flights?  Then we have to constantly change our seats to avoid the smokers?

We finally went through the line to get checked in only to find that somehow we were booked to travel bagless! Only 70 more Euro and we were on our way yet again!

Nice to say that once in Athens, the Metro system is fairly easy to navigate.  We did live in fear for the 40 minute ride into the city as we neglected to validate our 20 Euro pass.  The fine is 100 times the price of your ticket or 2000 Euro!  Escaping unscathed and validating our pass as we left, we were then ensconced a beautiful Athens  hotel although the A/C was iffy and internet is only free for a day.

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Then there’s the man at the hotel desk who gives you last week’s activation code for the internet and never calls you back after saying he’d do so right away.

That behind us, we’re now atop the building’s rooftop garden sucking down gin and tonics like we’ve just arrived from said third world country at 18 Euro per glass!

What will tomorrow bring we wonder as we gaze at the Acropolis?

P.S.  Who throws mayonnaise bottles in a toilet?

Now that the weekly Metro pass and the museum passes were complete, the group was not sure what to do.  First, they slept later (Many of the group liked this and could have slept even later).  They decided to go for a walk in Parc de Monceau, a Paris public park.

Debbie convinced the group to visit one more church, Saint Augustin.  It is nice that you can find churches to visit as you walk around the city.  Some of our members are more enthusiastic than others about visiting churches.   (If they are there, you should visit right?  Per Les Cheap Girls “If it doesn’t cost anything go inside.)

Greg directed them to Triadou Haussmann for lunch.  Debbie had been hitting the bread products hard all week so decided to order a hot dog French style in order to cut down. (Did not go as planned)  Joyce was still trying to eat as much duck as possible in one week (she may start quacking soon) and Larry, a salad.  Check out the food pictures for some French cooking.  The group suspected that Greg gave a high number to Trip Adviser but he kept the numbers close to his vest.

Next stop – the department stores at the biggest department stores ever. (Jerry couldn’t take  shopping so set off on his own to go back to the apartment.)   Each store is over several buildings.  The group visited Printemps Haussmann and Galeries Lafayette Houssmann.  The shopping was so exhausting that everyone except poor Jerry (we think he was snoozing at home) had to get ice cream.  Apparently, the ice cream hit the spot for Larry, Greg and Don.  They were able to continue onto another shopping center.  Debbie and Joyce set off on their own walking and were happy to report that they walked home successfully. (Too cheap to spring for Metro tickets).

But, what I see and hear on consistently (and remember, this is middle school) tells a different story. purchase viagra online With kamagra available online now, ED cialis cheap uk treatment has become easier for the ED sufferers. Though it is unfortunate to live with ED issues fervently seek for an effective and erection oriented treatment to improve their cialis cost australia condition. It is most certainly important for a potential customer to be aware of the assorted categories that these cheap generic levitra products fall into and what each is supposed to evolve because of impotency actions. The final shopping expedition did not go as well as planned.  The three came home with the story that they bought Metro tickets but then got kicked off the train and had to walk much further than anticipated.  (Larry says that he walked almost 10 miles that day.  Debbie would like to point out that this is what happens when you don’t plan although she is suspicious of this story.)

 

 

I hope that you enjoy the blog.  We will be updating as we travel through Portugal and Spain.  Larry, Charlotte, Charlie and I will begin our adventure in a few days.  It is exciting to go to a place that actually takes naps in the afternoon and people stay up late at night.  It could only be a dream come true if sleeping late in the morning is added.  Debbie  may never ever be able to return.  She has been asking if they will have nap time built in for the tours.  However, Debbie was also told that the red, green and yellow of the traffic lights are  viewed as optional for the driver which may making sleeping stressful.  Larry, as Debbie’s frustrated driving instructor of many years, may have issues with Debbie being exposed to a new driving culture.

When  asked where we are going ? The reply is “Oh, Spain and Portugal”.  People almost always start raving about Barcelona.  Okay, people we are not going there.  I have learned to mumble “Spain and Portugal but not Barcelona”.

Of course, the next question is “Well, where are you going?’.  So here it is.  We begin our tour in Lisbon (you would have guessed that).  Then on to Evora which no, I do not have a clue about what or where it is other than Portugal.   Next is Seville.  I am thinking Barber of Seville so yes, I realize that we are now in Spain.  Ronda, thinking cliffs, and don’t get too close to the edge followed by Ubeda – no clue.  We complete our tour in Madrid!  As you can tell from the description of where we are going, Debbie has a lot to learn.  (Really, did you really know all those places?)

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