Okay, let me begin by saying that Day 4 was NOT a continuation of Day 3 and also that when things go badly, sometimes my sarcasm quotient is highly diminished!
That being said, “What a beautiful morning!” Until we opened the door!
Air Traffic Controller’s strike for Europe. Oh, sorry! Only for Greece and France!
Can you say scramble?
Fortunately our excellent receptionist (who does everything from getting us to our room, making breakfast, bringing us extra toilet paper !) informed us on emerging from our room about the air traffic controller’s strike. After several minutes of deer in the headlight shock followed by more minutes of mindless panic, waving of arms, turning circles in our room, Don remembered reading about a ferry to Athens. We wolfed down scrambled eggs, then scrambled ourselves out the door to get tickets before they were sold out.
Unshaven and unshowered we raced to the ticket office and managed to get our 80 Euro tickets via the 8 hour ferry to Athens, Greece.
On the return trip we realized there was no way we were dragging our bags across half a mile of cobblestones to catch the bus in the morning – at 6 AM mind you. (Yes, the early ferry is at 7 and then we get to relax on our 8 hour boat ride! There goes one of our Athens 3 touring days unless we’re stuck for extra ones due to the air strike.)
We’re fortunate that the wind has picked up to near gale force so that on boarding the boat, we may arrive early. (Can you say sea sick? Well, it won’t be the first time I’ve hung over the side of a boat!)
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Back to panicking for the afternoon and a trip to Oia (Pronounced EEEOOO) to see a sunset from the beach. And hopefully the sun will come out tomorrow, the strike will end prematurely and teleportation will become a reality and we’ll be whisked home before Thanksgiving.
So we arrive in Oia, Oea, Oae, EIEIO! We try to get to the best of 2 beaches down an amazing hill. We found the hill when our precious – and very cheap .75 Euro – giant water bottle was dropped down one of the steepest hills we’ve encountered since the volcano! It’s amazing the twists and turns a water bottle can take on it’s half mile journey and nearly get to the bottom!
Neither of us were in any shape to chase it so we sauntered down the half mile to retrieve it and were surprised to discover we were no nearer to the beach but next to a really nice new resort. “Follow my lead!” I said to Don. We went into the lobby dripping wet and happy to be in air conditioning and were soon being whisked around the new resort on a golf cart. Piece of cake, we’re getting a ride back to the top!
After examining a room – very dark and not facing the sunset – we were whisked back to the office, given a brochure and the bum’s rush out the door, business card in hand! Crap! Long walk back up the hill to find we’d gone in the opposite direction from the beach all along by our new friend we’d met at the airport.
We proceeded to find the Trip Advisor #1 restaurant to have a drink while we waited for our reservation time. We requested a table facing the the sunset which everyone had raved about on TA. In truth, it was very windy so the terrace was closed but we received permission to climb up on the terrace anyway for the view – alas, a building blocked the sunset view completely. Could this be a new building? No! So we got a slightly better table and ordered. Let’s just say the food was not up to number 1 Trip Advisor standards. Let’s just say a McDonalds would have been significantly better even if you were a Vegan! I must admit though that the price for our nearly inedible food was reasonable – had it been as good as advertised!
The bus ride back from EIEIO was indeed a highlight of the trip as the lights were left on inside the bus so all we could see was ghostly reflections outside against the glare on the windows as we were whisked back to Thira at what can only be described as roller coaster speeds on the numerous switchbacks up and over the mountain. I would have kissed the ground but then I’d seen it during the day. Can I just say that like Paris, no one curbs their dogs anymore?
We went to sleep secure in the knowledge that the next day, while planned, would likely be something from purgatory but ever the brave face! Such innocence!
The Greek Boys are really getting in their blogging groove here. I’m enjoying their posts as much as Les Cheap Girls. You guys are hysterical.
Yes, I worked closely with them. I know they won’t read this so I will take full credit.