The Mediterranean Sea! If you look really closely you can see another island. I think maybe its Australia.
The Greece Crew: Anna, Kristin, Grant. Unfortunately I had just falled off the ledge right when the friendly Thai man took this picture for us.
Kristin's legs and me watching the Grecian sunset on our first evening.After our Eiffel-tastic time in France, we ventured to Greece.
Our Aegean Flight #617 (Boston What What) was splendid and more than I ever imagined. A very attractive stewardess brought us delectable mints before we even took off, and the flight was so sparce you'd have thought the Swine Flu was onboard. We moved to an exit row and indulged in copious legroom. During the flight we (er, rather I think I was the only one on the whole plane) watched Pink Panther II. The flick made me laugh so hard I almost needed my oxygen mask released just to get enough inhlation. The dinner was a great Greek pasta dish with a buttered roll, some crackers and cheese, chocolate cake, and my favorite- a simple Greek salad. It was so simple it didn't even have lettuce- just a tomato, feta cheese, and a tomato.
Because our plane was landing at 23.50 and we were to report at the port with port at 6.35 -after taking an hour long dark, public bus ride, the X96, departing at 5.00- we really didn't see much use in reserving a hostel room. Luckily, it is the off sesason so we were able to get a nice room ensuite at the aeroport. We scoped out the entire aeroport and debated between sleeping on padded chairs, the couches at McDonald's, or the carpeted floor of a little nook next to the complimentary Chapel. The aeroport museum entrance was also enticing due to the classical music being played, but some other vagabonds beat us to it. There were people-not a few- sleeping all over the place all night. We decided we live by the Church, so we might as well live by it as well. (That was a Shakespearean play on words, thanks to Twelfth Night.) We found a little enclosed room next to Chapel that looked the most appropriate for our mixed gender accommodations. We had our own bathrooms, altars, and four walls with great windows viewing the security checkpoint and the duty free shop. Unfortunately, despite our lethargic conditions, the floor of the cranny was reminiscent of sleeping on a stale piece of moldy bread; the mold being compared with the carpet, including color, scent, and comfort level. The ground was unbecoming and crumbly. In addition, the temperature of the room began warm and Athenian, but quickly turned cool, then even quicker to ice chest levels. I have never wished for 4.35 to come so quickly in my entire life. I think I got .5 hours of restless sleep in three hours of attempts. One of my travel companions decided to wrap herself in scarves like a mummy in order to avoid any skin contact with the carpet. She was the only one who woke up without Leprosy. The last fantastic experience of the evening/morning was the matudinal Christians who had to step over us to pray, as if Beelzebub himself were throwing dead bodies in front of them in an attempt to stop their worship. At least we didn't have to worry about our baggage being stolen.
When the alarm clock finally clanged 4.35 we were all already awake and thrilled to have an excuse to release ourselves from the buttery moss of the carpet. As we changed clothes and burned our soiled pajamas, my brother made the optimistic comment that made the whole night worth it: “Well, I sure am impressed with the Christian worshipers between 1.00 and 3.00 AM at the Athens Aeroport Church!” How true it was- there were several people that stepped on us to get to their Church during those brief, wee morning hours. Between sticky carpet, stiff beds, pedestrian traffic, and no sleep, our first night in Athens was certainly an adventure.
Because our plane was landing at 23.50 and we were to report at the port with port at 6.35 -after taking an hour long dark, public bus ride, the X96, departing at 5.00- we really didn't see much use in reserving a hostel room. Luckily, it is the off sesason so we were able to get a nice room ensuite at the aeroport. We scoped out the entire aeroport and debated between sleeping on padded chairs, the couches at McDonald's, or the carpeted floor of a little nook next to the complimentary Chapel. The aeroport museum entrance was also enticing due to the classical music being played, but some other vagabonds beat us to it. There were people-not a few- sleeping all over the place all night. We decided we live by the Church, so we might as well live by it as well. (That was a Shakespearean play on words, thanks to Twelfth Night.) We found a little enclosed room next to Chapel that looked the most appropriate for our mixed gender accommodations. We had our own bathrooms, altars, and four walls with great windows viewing the security checkpoint and the duty free shop. Unfortunately, despite our lethargic conditions, the floor of the cranny was reminiscent of sleeping on a stale piece of moldy bread; the mold being compared with the carpet, including color, scent, and comfort level. The ground was unbecoming and crumbly. In addition, the temperature of the room began warm and Athenian, but quickly turned cool, then even quicker to ice chest levels. I have never wished for 4.35 to come so quickly in my entire life. I think I got .5 hours of restless sleep in three hours of attempts. One of my travel companions decided to wrap herself in scarves like a mummy in order to avoid any skin contact with the carpet. She was the only one who woke up without Leprosy. The last fantastic experience of the evening/morning was the matudinal Christians who had to step over us to pray, as if Beelzebub himself were throwing dead bodies in front of them in an attempt to stop their worship. At least we didn't have to worry about our baggage being stolen.
When the alarm clock finally clanged 4.35 we were all already awake and thrilled to have an excuse to release ourselves from the buttery moss of the carpet. As we changed clothes and burned our soiled pajamas, my brother made the optimistic comment that made the whole night worth it: “Well, I sure am impressed with the Christian worshipers between 1.00 and 3.00 AM at the Athens Aeroport Church!” How true it was- there were several people that stepped on us to get to their Church during those brief, wee morning hours. Between sticky carpet, stiff beds, pedestrian traffic, and no sleep, our first night in Athens was certainly an adventure.
3 comments:
Dave I am so thankful that you're life is bustin in all of these places. Really, I am personally thankful-- which seems odd, but remains true.
It's also great that every 5 bazillion posts or so, I get to actually come read. This is the part where you're dang funny, something I'm really bad at, and I crack up by myself on the bottom bunk of my basement house. You rock.
really, really funny...Greek salad, buttery carpet, you have such a way with words and humor.
Dave, you look handsome. I like that shirt.
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