Sifnos, Saturday

Sifnos is my favorite island. Everything here is very laid back, and all of the locals ensure they get a few hours of beach time every day. Why shouldn’t they? The beach here is fabulous, soft white sand, shallow water for about 200 meters, and not too crowded!

Of course, en route for Sifnos we had a layover between ferries on Folegandros. The island was described as barren, and indeed it seemed small, barren and hot. There wasn’t much in the port villa: a couple of groceries and a couple of tavernas... not really any eating worth reporting about, but the hospitality still holds to what we expect from the Greeks. Folegandros has the most beautiful beach of the trip. The beach is surrounded by a cliff, and looking off the cliff you can see all the way down to the bottom of the ever-so-slight blue/crystal clear water. Only a small smattering of golden sun worshippers lying out, and a few swimmers in the water add some activity, yet compliment the serenity of the scene rather than disturb it. There’s even a small island within swimming distance of the beach! The true highlight among the cycladic beaches and truly a hidden treasure in Greece... not overrun with tourists, at least this time of year.

We shared the flight from Philadelphia to Athens with another university group of about thirty students on a five week tour of Greece. On Sifnos, our paths crossed again. Their journey started with the islands and will finish with the mainland, almost the perfect mirror of our trip, but instead of visiting Crete, they spent a few days on Naxos which we did not.

I enjoyed sharing a few drinks with a spirited girl named "M" and her sorority sister "C" from Ball State in Indiana, and exchanged contact information so we can exchange photos of what we missed. Tomorrow, there is a Donkey Cross event involving both enduro motorcycles and donkeys, but we will be long gone on our slow ferry by then, so I’ll have to count on M to tell me all about it.

One observation I’ve made is there are a lot of foreign girls working on Sifnos. Our lovely maid, "F", is living here from Romania. She is a university student just wrapping up her exams, an avid soccer fan and clearly takes in a couple of hours on the beach every day. After meeting a few of F’s friends, I discovered one was from Australia, and there were many from Romania.

Then there was, "K", the bartender at the captain was a lovely blonde from Tulsa who’s lived on the island for nine years. We talked for quite a while over a few drinks.

I finally experienced some Greek nightclub life in Appollonia tonight at a club called Bliss. I love the music played at the clubs here, as it is an eclectic mix of the club music I would expect to hear at the Moon in the Palms in Vegas, rotated with international club music that is amazing, but stuff I’ve never heard before.

The drinks were a bit pricey (10€ each!), but getting to know "J", a Greek/Thai lass, and "A-M", from Albania, more than made up for the price.

However, the most amazing experience on Sifnos was renting a scooter. I’ve been anxious to get out onto the road since arriving in Greece, and Sifnos is a relaxed enough environment where I figured I could putt around and not get killed. That doesn’t stop me from wanting to drive a scooter in Athens, but Kamares is a good place to start!

While scooting around the island during the day felt extremely liberating, the experience was even more enhanced on the ride to Appollonia at night! Just me, the road, and what’s illuminated in my headlights! This island, I could live on!

Yesterday, we toured the other villas in small groups: Artemonis, Kastro and Platys Gialos. A couple of girls and myself wandered around the donkey trails of Artemonis, looking at the old churches, wandering in and out of shops, and munching on some local baked goods. Later, we met a couple of other groups and shared a meal. The chick pea soup definitely lived up to its reputation!

Today, I ventured over to Kastro to examine the town which is “like walking into a sculpture.” It truly is! The roads of the villa are just wide enough for two donkeys to pass each other.

The highlights of the trip were the silver shop above the church on the water, the view of the open sea, the baked goods which I forgot the name of but were exclusive to Sifnos, and the serenity of the villa itself. It was so peaceful as the residents avoided the heat in the coolness of their homes. Before leaving the villa, I shared a relaxing lunch with a couple of the lovely ladies from the group.

One thing so amazing in Greece is that one actually feels cooler standing in the shade. Back home, the air is so sticky and humid that it just hangs in the shade as well as the sunlight, but here, shading is almost enough to create the illusion of air-conditioning!

Tomorrow, we start for home. We’ll be spending one last night in Athens, and I hope to have the time to pick up some last minute gifts, make some last minute friends, and hopefully fit everything into my dilapidated luggage. I only hope my bags make it home... they are looking pretty rough.

Flickr: Folegandros | Sifnos | Greece

Santorini, Wednesday

The last day in Rethmynon was truly amazing! I would have never guessed parasailing would be such a profound experience. Ok, maybe the parasailing in itself is not profound, but there is just something about letting go, about feeling fear and doing it anyway! Challenging your perceived dangers and survivng them!

Belynda, Betsy and I ventured down to the beach and paid €50 to parasail. Whoever runs this operation must be making some major bank! Anyway, the beach boy ran us out to the speedboat on a waverunner, where a couple of German girls were waiting to parasail for the first time as well.

After getting geared up and waiting for another customer, we were underway. The German girls went first, and I must admit that watching them get swept off the back of the boat and way up into the air alarmed me... I really wasn’t sure I wanted to do this. The girls were watching as well.

Several minutes later, the winch was operating to pull the Germans back onto the boat. They sat down confirming it was amazing and it was time for Betsy and I to get into the harness.

Getting whisked off the boat was a bit scary at first... then it was truly amazing. Looking around at the island, the sea, and the boat below was breathtaking! I’m not sure words can relay what we were experiencing at that moment. All we did was look around and talk as we soared over the sea for several minutes. Everything else went away... and it was so peaceful. I may have even found my smile up there!

Finally, we noticed we were descending... our turn was up. However, I must admit the beach boy was right, I definitely wanted to go again. Would it have been worth a second €50 bill? Perhaps, if I had the money to invest.

After Belynda and the Swedish girl went, the speedboat headed back towards shore.

We later road the banana behind the boat and spent the rest of the day together with Emily and Annie. Everyone ate Cantonese food, the girls did some shopping and we all agreed that our break was worth any wrath we might face for missing class.

Hopefully journaling about the experience will help. I believe I learned something about myself by actually facing both my fear of heights and fear of water in one fell swoop... and finding out that the experience is awesome!

What can I do next?

Tomorrow, we leave Santorini. This is a nice island, but far from my favorite. Part of me would find the volcano awakening beneath the island exciting, but I imagine most people in the group might not. Being on a volcano reminds me of my fascination with Sir William Hamilton and his obsession with Vesuvius. I suppose being so close to something that can practically erase a spot of the map is awesome. Surviving it would definitely provide something to talk about!

I managed to spend some time on the beach. This beach isn’t quite as nice as the one on Crete... there are rocks instead of sand, and beneath the water is a mossy stone floor. Nothing terribly impressive, but the lovely sun worshippers manage to distract me from this beach’s downfalls.

Last night, a group of us hung out at a taverna to watch the Greek soccer team play. It was a fun bonding moment with the consumption of beer, nuts and gelato (this stuff is everywhere!). Sadly, the Greeks lost the match, so there was no local madness to partake in. After experiencing Lawrence, KS after one of the March Madness wins, I was curious to see how crazy the Greeks get... but tonight wasn’t the night to find out.

The walk home was amusing. A small dog adopted our group, and appeared to be leading us in the direction of our hotel. The highlight of the walk back was when it darted across in front of a car, which braked and the dog barked at it... as if to say, “See, you’re not so tough!”

This morning began with the hike up to Ancient Thira. Of all of the sites we’ve visited, this one was my favorite... and quite literally blew us away. As we passed the ¾ mark scaling the mountain, the wind was gusting well enough to dry our sweaty clothes and keep us cool. Jets were landing at the Santorini airport, and we were getting some amazing shots of the tops of jets over the ocean and the city of Kamari.

The civilization at the top of the mountain was spectacular. To think of the ancients moving so much stone and building an entire city... complete with a movie cinema and a pita shack. Ok, maybe not, but we had fun imagining. The “city hall” had carved stone that resembled the poster frames one finds outside of a movie house.

Unfortunately, a few people didn’t get to see the entire site... a combination of fear of heights and the fierce wind at the top. However, plenty of pictures were shot, so we’ll have to share.

Finally tonight, we took the express bus into Oia for the legendary sunset on Santorini. Since we arrived about 90 minutes before sunset, many in the group wanted to find something to eat. I think the plan was to find a restaurant with a view of the sunset and the sea for some people to watch from. So, again, we find ourselves wandering through an old city as a group.

Somehow, Betsy and I were separated from the group, and I notice she has stopped to read a menu. Her, knowing my cravings for Thai food, told me I needed to check the menu out at this place called Karma.

Needless to say, we stopped at Karma, ate Shrimp Phad Thai in their dining garden... complete with goldfish pond and gorgeous flowers. The group eventually walked by, so we knew which direction to find them after dinner.

After we picked a spot with Linnzi and Annie, I popped over the hill to shoot some photos of the Caldera. Finally, I managed to get a photo of my own that resembles the first photo I saw when image searching Greece. I still cannot get over the way they build their cities into the hills and mountains.

The sunset was nothing short of spectacular! The way the sun just simply disappeared into the sea as if being extinguished was very beautiful. It was an awesome ending to a pretty great day!

I do have to wonder if I could live like these people. As Americans, we are so spoiled and have acquired so many things, to which we have becomed very attached. What would it be like to give it all up and live a simple life in a simple flat.

Flickr: Santorini | Greece

Rethymnon, Sunday

Rethymnon is amazing! The beach seems to run for miles, and is dotted with blue and green umbrellas. The room is the most modern we’ve seen yet, but there is only one outlet in the room for charging devices. The view from our boxed balcony is tremendous though... although several of the girls have much larger balconies. Such a treat after the dreadful ferry ride.

Traveling from Mykonos on the rough sea took a lot out of everyone, including those who didn’t spend a great deal of the voyage in a little baggie. The stressful voyage left everyone fairly shredded the following day. I suppose my sea legs were better than I expected, but I cannot say it was an easy voyage for anyone.

Saturday, we were left alone with plans to meet in the afternoon to depart for our feast, but it was a low activity day due to sea voyage recovery. Belynda wants to go parasailing and has approached me about joining her. It is something I’ve never considered doing, but I think it sounds fun. Emily and Betsy are interested in going as well. We’ve been running a pretty tight schedule, so we’ll have to ask to miss an activity to do it. As much as I am enjoying the sites, I wish we had more free time to experience Greece as it is today. I, for one, would be interested in seeing how Greece of the past has influenced modern day Greece. Of course, there is the double-edged sword called tourism, which gives Greece its much needed revenue to do what they are doing, but at the same time all of the people and shops and street vendors and wandering gypsies really pollute how tranquil it must have been.

Tourism aside, I’d like to go into the everyday stores where the Greeks shop, and maybe visit with a contractor or home builder (perhaps their version of Home Depot?). Since we landed, I’ve been fascinated by all of the marble used in their construction, their interior designs, their fashions (it is good to be a guy here... the women all look amazing, and I’m sure their sexy little dresses aren’t cheap!), and the nightlife. Naturally, I could live in a club.

The Saturday night feast was an interesting time. Lampros was our host, and showed us all around the area. We toured some old churches and his family met us at one of them with fresh fruit (the cherries were yummy!) and some Rakhi (sp?), which I can only describe as tasting like jet fuel. Sure, I had a couple of shots and ended up finishing Betsy’s. Later, Lampros led us down to the pens to milk the goats, and Shanna was lucky enough to play the role of milk maiden carrying the pails back. One of our Germans, Peter, experienced the joy of herding goats... at least insuring that the older goats eat feed and the youngers stay away.

I’m afraid I’m a terribly spoiled American. There are some elements of a simple life I would enjoy, but I’m not sure farming is one of them. Of course, I have no way of knowing unless I try, right? I must admit I feel an extreme admiration for Lampros and his family for their zest for life... it is enviable, I must rediscover my zest for life when I return home. Hmmm, I wonder what that will entail.

The feast consisted of several courses: Greek salad, some wonderful bread, goat meat, potatoes with an amazing herb seasoning (which I am told can only be found on this island), lamb meat, fresh fruit for dessert, and finally wine, pressed from his own grapes. We did not get to participate in any grape pressing, so no “I Love Lucy” anecdotes..

Personally, I did not care for the wine, although I was amused as Betsy was trying to convince me it got better, followed by a face that betrayed her words. I did, however, appreciate the meal and the experience. After the meal was the Greek dancing. I had so much fun photographing it I did not participate... a mistake? Perhaps, but regardless a fun time was had by all.

Today, we toured the Venetian fort at Heraklion, which was amazing. These Venetian forts never cease to amaze me: the amount of stone that had to be harvested, carried and stacked to create these massive structures which still stand hundreds of years later. Quite simply amazing!

Tonight, we finally enjoyed food at a wonderful Cantonese restaurant next to the hotel. Odd I would come to Greece and consume some of the finest Oriental food I’ve ever had. Now that I’ve had that fix, I’m beginning to crave Fig Newtons. So far, I haven’t found any at the stores here.

Tomorrow, we are going to opt out of the group activities in Phaestos, for it is our last chance to parasail on this trip. I am deeply conflicted about this decision, yet I believe that the experience of doing something I would never have done before is equally as valuable, perhaps even more.

Flickr: Crete | Greece

Mykonos, Friday

Traffic continues to amaze and amuse me as we tour Mykonos. Greek drivers seem to have a keen awareness of all the other drivers and obstacles in their path... and are so courteous. Why? Because, unlike Americans they pay attention to their driving! What a concept! Clearly these drivers feel safe, as I even noticed a kid texting while speeding through the narrow streets on a scooter.

We visited the island of Delos on Thursday, which made for a fun discovery of the island. The ancients really did have quite a development on the entire island, and the view from the highest point was pretty amazing. We achieved our goals of finding the birthplace of Apollo and the lions heads, which were quite cool. However, I must admit I’m not much of a museum person. Occasionally an artistic piece will hold my interest and I’ll just look and look, but otherwise I just take everything in at a normal walking speed. Sadly, the museum on Delos was largely closed off... so there wasn’t much to see. The best mosaic tile work remained on the site.

There is a Thai restaurant here, and I hope to get my fix... but Mykonos isn’t the simplest island to get around. I might be better off with a taxi. For the first time on this trip, I’m beginning to feel weary of the many steps and hills. Perhaps the other islands won’t be as bad. The hotel/villas with five levels and so many stairs are responsible for the calves of steel!

Unfortunately, I’m finding I don’t have enough energy to enjoy the Mykonos nightlife. A group of us planned to hit the Paradise Beach after Delos, but the heat got to S and the group finally dwindled to three. A couple of others and I shared a cab and enjoyed the roller coaster ride to the beach... all agreeing it made us happy we did not walk.

I was amazed that the beach scenario played out very much like the movie Euro Trip. Sure, there were a lot of sun worshippers, both male and female... but towards the “nude” end of the beach, it was mostly people that not everyone wants to see naked. No surprises there, but it was amusing.

After playing in the frigid water and enduring the gravel beach, I happened upon a couple of lovely brunettes, and sat down. They were a pair of New Zealanders working in London, but in Greece on holiday. After talking with them, my next Greek holiday will follow their example. They were staying in flats for as little as 10€ a night, basically going from beach/hotspot to beach/hotspot. If only I could have stayed on the beach and enjoyed the Ministry of Sound show that was playing later that night.

If not for that unfortunate jellyfish, a bit of hypothermia and a pissed taxicab driver, it might have been an ok beach adventure.

Now, we’ll see how the ferry to Crete goes.

Flickr: Mykonos | Greece

Somewhere in the Aegean, en route for Mykonos, Wednesday

Well, I have consulted with the oracle in Delphi, and now I have a riddle to assist me in my journey. Now, if only I can decipher the obscure "fortune."

Even after leaving Delphi, I'm unsure which was more amazing: ancient Delphi or modern Delphi. I toured ancient Delphi with "S", and we had a great time! Part of the fun was placing ourselves with our modern-day wit back in the age of the ancient Greeks. As we viewed the ruins between the Bank of Athens and the temple of Apollo, it became a bit of a game as we guessed where the Greeks enjoyed their cheap pita sandwiches, where they met for their weekly games of Texas Hold-em, where they rented the latest new releases and where the magic happened with the lovely Greek ladies... which if today is any indication, there were plenty.

We also commented on the ancient Greek obsession with the erect penis. While, I understand their reverence of the root of all male power, applying today's stigma on male nudity it is impossible to even imagine such artwork as socially acceptable. This led to our discussion of wondering just when it was the shift took place making the nude female the most beautiful. Sure, there are always artists that glorify the male body, but there are so many more that pay homage to the lusciously curvy female. That was even true long before the internet.

Modern-day Delphi is nothing short of remarkable! The structures are built into the side of a mountain. Clearly, this is ski country in Greece... and I cannot help but wonder what the skiing here is like? How long is the season? What's the base/powder ratio? Is it warmer than it is in Colorado? How easy would it be to find out? Can I still find a 2€ gyro in the winter? How will it taste with hot chocolate?

Our hotel's front door opens onto a street four stories above the street the back door opens onto, due to the steep grade of the mountain slope! It makes hiking through the city an actual climb, but I would think I would stay in shape if I resided here!

I love the Greek food, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm craving Oriental and Mexican food. I wonder if we'll find any here? Someone, I don't recall who, made the observation that we haven't seen many Mexicans here in Europe... which I'm inclined to attribute to their sense of family and their closeness to their families. I could be wrong.

After being in Greece for a bit over a week, I have to admit I find the hotel's control over the power usage of the guests brilliant! In the room, there is a main switch that controls all but the fridge, and you must either insert a key card or the keychain attached to the room key. It is in place to insure a guest doesn't leave the lights, A/C, and whatever on unnecessarily when not in the room. The only minor inconvenience this poses is the necessity to recharge all of our modern-day conveniences overnight and while we sleep. It would be nice to be able to recharge the iPod, digital camera or laptop while out on the town.

I suppose it is the thinking like that, combined of course with the American need to have an ice cold or cozy warm room *waiting* for them upon their arrival, which makes such brilliant management inconceivable in the US.

The ferry ride is taking sooo long, but the ferry is comfortable. Titanic references are being thrown around, and who can blame us? The lounge is very luxurious, although it looks like a lounge that the early seventies forgot. At least the seating is comfortable and we can move about as we please. And to think, I was concerned after S's horror stories about a previous ferry trip. This isn't so bad!

We are looking forward to our short stay in Mykonos, which has quite the reputation in my guide book as a party island. I hope so, I need to get my dance on, my drink on, and find someone fun to party the night away. Of course, S wants to hit the nude beaches too. How can I say no!

Flickr: Delphi | Greece

Nafplion, Tuesday

Yesterday, I ventured away from the group. There is a venetian fortress overlooking the town I just had to see. Legend has it there are 1,000 steps to the top, I didn't bother keeping track. However, I was happy to have had an early start. Later, when I was descending the hill, I encountered many tourists making the trek upward in the full sunlight. I had been protected by shade for climbing much, much earlier.

There was so much to see in the fortress. Many rooms, many steps, many nooks and crannies. Spending the entire day up there cannot even ensure seeing all of it!

There were many steps. In addition to the steps along the bottom, there were even more going along the top of the wall that were accessible to the tourists. Curiosity overcame my fear of heights, and I took the stairs less traveled... at least as far as I was able.

The view of the beach and the neglected resort looking over it was phenomenal! Many photographs were taken of the island, the sea, the passing ships... all in the same frame, yet the day was so clear I could almost make out the conversations on the beach several meters below.

An observation: For the most part, I've been content to stay with the group, there are many sites to see and I'm appreciative of the work to guarantee I see so many things that I would likely have missed on a trek of my own. However, I'm noticing that the adventures are more rich and fulfilling whenever I wander off on my own. Perhaps it is the freedom to interact with people, both locals and fellow travelers, without the rigid time constraints the group must adhere to.

I'm somewhat sad I missed the ruins of Mystras, but the architectural wonder of the fortress simply couldn't be missed.

Food in Nafplion has been largely unimpressive. Not to say it wasn't filling, or even good, there just hasn't been anything to stand out as exceptional. The lone exception is the crawfish, which was outstanding! I've enjoyed crawfish back home after a friend threw a crawfish boil party shortly after returning from a trip to Louisiana, so I knew I had something to look forward to... and the crawfish tails were even better than I remembered! Pure heaven! However, I imagine some people find the entire critter delectable, I am not one of them.

Now, on the road to Delphi, I am being acquainted with our tardy traveler, who's passport went through some mysterious disappearance... perhaps some adventure of its own. We've hit it off quite well... I enjoy her wit and sense of humor. She's a theatre major and free-spirited, which is refreshing! Until now, I've been afraid most of the group is a bit closed off, and not willing to make the most of the trip, which I fully intend to do. We shall see what Delphi has to offer!

Flickr: Nafplion | Greece

Nafplion, Sunday

Friday, our itinerary took us away from the city of Athens towards the Pelopennese. During the bus trip through Athens, I was amazed at how much influence America has had over here. Not unlike any typical city in the states, there is either a Subway, Starbucks or McDonalds within each mile radius. We even saw a Pizza Hut.

Leaving town was refreshing, however, as we ventured through the gorgeous Greek countryside. At the time, I had Simon & Garfunkel playing on the iPod, which created a zen-like feeling within—quite relaxing! I imagined speeding along the same country roads in an MG Midget towards my own Greek villa. Someday, for sure!

En route to Nafplion, we made a stop at the ancient theatre of Epidaurus. The Greeks clearly saw the value in theatre, and I, for one, am glad... as someone who's *almost* obsessed with theatre myself. The Greeks saw theatre as cathartic, as a way to purge emotions. Read any Greek tragedy, and the extreme lows will trigger an emotional response in anyone!

Ah! If only there were some way to see one performed, complete with the masks, the aura. Or, perhaps performing onstage, in front of 10,000 people who hear me, un-miked, as clear as if they were sitting and talking with me one on one.

And, how many butts sat in the same theatre seat as I? Thousands? Tens of thousands?

The theatre was truly amazing... and up to this point is the highlight of the trip! I have no roots in drama, yet it seemed like some sort of Mecca for me... perhaps confirming my hidden desires to take the stage, and act in front of an audience, to get over myself and shed the inhibitions holding me back.

Nafplion is quite possibly the most beautiful place in the world. This picturesque city is filled with narrow streets of stairs, connecting fabulous villas with a port on one side, a beach on the other and a Venetian fortress overlooking it all.

I must admit that the investor inside is enthralled with these abandoned and condemned resorts overlooking the beach. What potential money makers! What could have happened for these to close? Management would have to be extraordinarily bad with a LOT of money skimming off the top to make a resort here go under. Definitely money just sitting... waiting for the right investor.

I would love to be that investor. Imagine, having a valid reason to visit Nafplion once or twice every year, just to check in on my investments... and perhaps to make new ones.

Friday evening, instead of taking the afternoon siesta (to which I've become accustomed to), I ventured down to the beach with three others. For my first swim in the salt water, I had a lot of fun. The beach was a bit rocky, but the stones were smooth enough so walking on them wasn't terribly unpleasant. Perhaps it is finally time to relearn how to swim.

Saturday included a visit to Agammemnon's old stomping grounds, Mycenae. More ruins. At least there are no restoration efforts in effect here. My feelings about the ruins here are terribly conflicted. On one hand, I'm not impressed with the restoration efforts going on at the parthenon/Acropolis, but these sites are so "ruined" that it is sometimes difficult to visualize how things must have looked.

Flickr: Epidaurus | Nafplion | Greece

Athens, Friday

Yesterday, I finally laid eyes on the ancient ruins of the Acropolis. I must admit I was somewhat disappointed. I suppose I was looking forward to seeing what was left, complete with missing chunks of marble and rock, but what I saw was a restoration in progress. They are working to fill in the missing pieces with white marble, making it obvious what is new v. what is old, but I think the phots are much less pleasing as a result, and will be for many generations to come. And then there is the scaffolding.

The highlight of the ruins tour today was the Temple of Hephaestus in Agora Park. For such an ancient building, it is in remarkably good shape. Apparently, when Greece was in the process of being Christianized, the Greeks destroyed all of their pagan temples... except for this one, which was converted into a church, perhaps because it was (at least near) the site where Paul spoke about the unknown god.

What is amazing about this temple to me is imagining the amount of work, both engineering and slave labor, involved in creating so much architecture. The few pieces that remain are quite simply amazing. I look forward to seeing more!

Today, we toured the archaeological museum in Athens, which is an amazing collection of what has been found all over Greece. There is one piece that really spoke to me, I could have stared at her all day. And then of course, there were the statues.

While touring, there was a guide leading a group of his own who seemed very knowledgeable of the subject matter. It was unclear as to whether he worked for the museum or was leading a group of students or tourists not unlike us, but it was apparent how passionate he felt about the pieces and the era they represent.

Favorite pieces: the bronze of the African child riding the frightened horse in the red room, and the figure of Aphrodite which the horse was facing in the room.

Flickr: Athens | Greece

Athens, Thursday

Admittedly, I haven't been writing here much. However, that should not be interpreted as uneventful. Quite the contrary!

Today, I wandered around Athens on my own... looking for a replacement cell phone charger since I had left mine behind. However, finding one in Monastiraki was more difficult than I had imagined. I enjoyed asking the people in the shops where to find a cell phone charger, even if no one knew.

I happened upon this rug shop, where a fellow named Yamas offered to help. He sent one of his workers, Roberto, off to see what he could find from the "black guys" because he would be able to find a deal. I gave Roberto the information for my new LG phone, and he went out.

While I was waiting, Yamas poured a glass of Greek wine and began to show me the beautiful Greek rugs. His sales methods were very intriguing! He began by asking me what kind of floors I have, to which I answered hard wood. Then he asked about the colors used on the walls in my house and of the furniture. Finally, he showed me the first rug... and it was beautiful. A mixture of rich greens and blues and beiges that shimmered in the light. Quite breathtaking actually. Then he unrolled the second, which impressed me even more than the first. That rug was beige with a green border and blue shapes inside.

He continued to show me several more rugs, but I kept going back to the second I had seen. However, while he was showing me the rugs, I insisted I didn't have the budget for such an extravagance, nor any way to get it home. It was then he showed me the bundles they roll the rugs down into for travelers, and then he shot me a price. The rug was listed for €180, but he offered it to me for €80. Of course, that was outside of my budget, but Yamas wasn't finished. He pulled out a rug with the same design as the one I liked, but it covered a smaller area. This one was priced at €80, and he offered it to me for €35. We had a deal.

While the monetary part of the transaction was taking place and he was rolling/wrapping my rug, Roberto returned with a cell phone charger. The charger was purchased on the black market for €3. Unfortunately, the charger was for the LG Chocolate phone, which mine is not... but it wasn't a problem, they didn't pass that cost on to me, and Roberto thought he could return it.

I moved to leave the shop, and it was apparently time for Roberto to leave too. Before I could leave, they asked if I was in any sort of hurry, and I wasn't in too much of a hurry to return to the group. It was then that Roberto slid forward on his scooter seat and told me to hop on. After a quick second of apprehension, I figured I had nothing to lose, so I hopped on. I was longing to ride a scooter or drive a car through Athens anyway!

While we sped through Athens, occasionally just missing hitting a car with my knee, Roberto was making conversation. One thing he said stuck out, and I recognized it as a variation of something I once read. He said, "A brave man dies only once having lived, but a man who is afraid dies many times everyday." Powerful words!

Anyway, after hopping a few sidewalks, running several stop signs and stoplights, and waiting where there were traffic cops, we found a charger at the second store we tried. Since it was near Roberto's flat, he dropped me off at the Metro, purchased my pass, and told me which stop was close to his rug shop. After a short subway ride, I returned to my group with a tale to tell during dinner.

Flickr: Athens | Greece