If it’s Tuesday it must be Athens
Good morning, everyone! Today I’m having breakfast in a whole different square in a whole different city. I’m in Omonia Square in Athens (Greece, not Georgia) and along with my frappe I’m having a peach-jelly donut. I chose peach because the woman described the other one as “it’s like cherry.” No sale. This one’s a little bizarre but not bad. As I type this, two elderly ladies approach me with religious materials but although they have passable English skills, there’s no sale there either.
I arrived yesterday afternoon and got immediately lost. Again, this was not my fault as it seems that several of the main streets have two names and my map designers evidently decided to go with the less common one in each case. I did ask several people and although I actually showed them a map and we were literally 5 blocks away it turned out, no one could help me. An hour later, I found my hotel, which I nicknamed Big Brother Inn because you can’t turn on any electricity without their permission, you must leave your key when you go out and retrieve it upon your return, you sign for a remote control, and the free Internet is only servicible in their one IE window (I brought a USB drive with portable apps – useless). They also gave me 10 minutes of instructions at check-in which I promptly forgot.
Anyway, I spent the afternoon exploring the city and today I will attempt the Acropolis and Parthenon before heading to the airport en route to Jerusalem. So far it’s been fun and interesting except everyone forgot to tell me that Athens is full of stray dogs running in packs. Marvelous! In case you’re worrying about me having a heart attack, they’re actually kind of comical, really. They wait at lights right next to the people before bounding across the street. Nice.
Oh, and after a pleasant long weekend in the country, we’re back to chain restaurants, especially the Greek ones, Goody’s and Everest, but McDonald’s and Subway too. I popped into Starbucks just to see if they had frappes but they did not. Just frappucinos and music from Starbucks Records. Bleah.
Lastly, just a reminder: only a few short days till my birthday so get your song-gifts in, should you want to. Nothing from Zorba, thanks!
So, I’m starting to plan a trip to the Mediterranean next summer, and will be hitting you up for some do’s/absolutely do-not’s for Grecian travelers.
Efcharisto!
I already sent you a song, I don’t know if you can listen to it from your exotic locale or if you’ll have to wait until you get home.
Watch out for those dogs. And remember, thoughtcrime is death.
~smooch~
I’m trying to send you a song but apparently I’ve got an old credit card in iTunes. (It’s been awhile since I’ve purchased songs, and in between we had our card number stolen and used to purchase some cruise out of England, shutters for someone’s house, and a whole bunch of online video game add-ons.) (Yeah, shutters for someone’s house. If you’re going to steal a credit card, why not order shutters to be delivered to your home address??? STUPID CRIMINALS!)
So anyway, I’m hoping one of these days I have my computer AND my new credit card in the same room together. When that happens, you’ll get your song. 🙂
nevermind. iTunes is being stupid.
Someday I’ll gift it to you. Apparently today’s not the day.
~kb
GND, yassus! I will be happy to advise upon my return.
Maureen, you did indeed and although I can’t pick it up from here, I can’t wait to listen to it at home. Thanks!
Kb, hm, I’m not sure I understood all that but thank you for the thought and future song.