Nov 11, 2009 - Our life in Ruins

A Life in Ruins Our day was spent in Athens. The sky cooperated and we enjoyed a day touring the ruins and sailing through the canal at Corinth. There are so many ruins in Athens the city is literally built on top of them so much so they cannot rebuild or build anything new in the city because of it. We were lucky and were one of the first groups to tour the Acropolis. We dumped our guide as soon as we could and toured the ruins. Our guide was good but she got in a little too deep for us simple folk we enjoyed looking at the ruins and...

Nov 11, 2009 - Island hopping outside Athens

Today was the last day in Greece. Maria, Paul and I took a 1-day three island boat tour. The first island, Hydra, only had donkey's for transportation. This was the most beautiful of all the islands. The 2nd island I cannot really remember and the 3rd island was very large with ruins and a very famous Greek Orthodox Church, where people come to be healed. This last island is called, Aegeana (sp?), and is famous for pistachios. We watched Greek dancers on the ship on the way back to port. Pretty fun last day. I would certainly visit Greece...

Nov 10, 2009 - Roaming around Athens

It mostly a beautiful day in Athens...It rained later in the day after I did all my exploring (and got lost). I walked all around the Acropolis, I saw the guards at the unknown soldier monument. I saw the famous water/wind tower. I ate in a small cafe and had the best latte I have ever had. I spent the rainy time at the Acropolis museum, I don't have any pictures from the museum (no photos allowed). It was built over a ruin and you can see through the floor to view the excavation. It was the most walking I have done the whole trip (totally...

Nov 10, 2009 - We be ridin the waves

Hey Folks We have not given you an update for the last few days as there isn’t much to report. Since our last update we have been in Corfu and were supposed to have been in Katakolon but bad weather forced us to abort our stop and we have spent the day at sea. Corfu was our first stop in Greece we spent the morning wandering the streets of old town and found it much the same as other tourist areas in Italy and Croatia. This city was occupied by many other countries over its history, the streets are small and tight like Venice and Dubrovnik....

Nov 9, 2009 - In Athens

In Athens...it is beautiful and clean and friendly here...I was thinking about my calf injury (which continues to linger) and a cold that I have been nursing for 3 days. I was wondering why I have manifested these physical problems. In my questioning I came up with an interesting (but sad) one that resonated with me. I have created these physical problems so that I don't enjoy this trip to the fullest because I have some guilt about going on this trip...Wow the power of the subconscious mind! Enjoy the photos.

Nov 4, 2009 - Athens, Greece

I would have loved to have a few extra days to explore the surrounding area of Athens, BUT since we did not do the isles I know we will be back anyway. Our first day we arrived we simply walked around the Plaka area as we did not want to see too much as Eric, Our friend from London, was to arrive later in the evening and we would see all the sights together the following couple of days. Our second day we went to the Acropolis, the National Gardens, The Ancient Agora and area. There was a lot of walking and by 5 we were ready to go back to...

Oct 30, 2009 - Athens, Greece

We visited the birthplace of democracy and trod the paths once frequented by Socrates: the Parthenon, the ancient Greek Agora (the center of government & central marketplace), the Temple of Athena ‪Nike....it is hard to get your head around the fact that these structures were built more than 2500 years ago! Of course, at the moment most are little more than piles of rocks, but they are impressive rocks! We were joined in Athens by Kelly Brown, an American from North Carolina, a mutual friend from our days in Shanghai. The three of us saw...

Oct 21, 2009 - Last stop...birth place of Democracy...Pnyx.

Today we made a special trip to the Pnyx, the location of the first legislative assembly, basically the birth place of democracy. This was a special trip because the anciant Greek democracy is part of Benjamin's grade 6 social program. Here the ideas that all citizens (all in the older sence of all....no women, not kids, no outsiders, must be born Athenian, must have parents born Athenian etc...) Anyway, this is where all citizens had the right to be heard and to voice opinions. Benjamin had to review his Social unit but that is not...

Oct 20, 2009 - Athens...many little things that fill our days.

Athens is turning out just fine. THE NEGATIVE: I shall get the negative out of the way. I try to include both as they are important to me and my future memories. If 5 years from now I am excited or down on a city, I should remember why..anywhay.... We have had some problems with maps, closed museums, wrong schedules, taxi drivers who don't know where things are or how to read a map but...these are just things travelers deal with, we just were hit with an unusual amount of them here. The result has been too much time walking, waiting,...

Oct 17, 2009 - Athens main attraction, the Acropolis

So we start out to see the big thing to see in Athens: the Acropolis. The day is a bit cloudy, and getting worse. We hesitate, thinking we can come back another day, but decide it will just add to the atmosphere. And it does. The day beats down on us - rain and sandy wind - which makes it almost impossible to look over the side to enjoy the views. The screams of the wind surround us (produced by the endless structures of scaffolding that surround various buildings.) We enjoy ourselves looking at things we wish we better understood. Then in...

Oct 16, 2009 - Piraeus - Athens

Piraeus is Greece's main port - the hub of the Aegean ferry network - ocean liners, hydrofoils, catamarans, car ferries, everything - very, very busy! I was in Athens two years ago and did all the touristy must do's, so decided to have an easy day. I booked some time in the ship's beauty spa for later in the afternoon and then strolled into Piraeus. A few coffee's later - some people watching - a bit of shopping - then a stroll back to the ship for a late lunch, before some time out in the spa - my kind of day!!! Up on top of the ship for...

Oct 15, 2009 - First days in Athens Greece

The lead up to Athens -We all looked forward to Athens as it is the center and symbol of so many myths. -We were discouraged by many who told us that Athens is "just a city". -We were discouraged by Greeks who said that 1-2 days is enough, see the Acropolis and get out. -We were discouraged by the Athenean on Naxos who said "Athens is Hell, just Hell." Well...Athens is just a city...yes...but... ...a city with the Acropolis, a city with Museums of pottery, Archeology, War, Maritime exploits and Musical instruments. Athens is just a city...