Mar 18, 2005 - Athens

Because we did so much in the week we were in Athens and Istanbul, I can not possibly include all of it in the website. I will give you the highlights and a bunch of pictures! Our first day in Athens, we enjoyed a sightseeing trip of the Peloponnese. We drove over the canal of Corinth on our way to Ancient Mycenae, once one of the most powerful cities in all of Greece until 1200 BC. The ancient city's entrance, the "Loin's Gate", is Europe's oldest monumental sculpture. Surrounding the city are a number of tombs, built underground and...

Mar 13, 2005 - Athens

We have spent the weekend in Athens. Happens to be Carnaval here, so after pretty much missing it in Spain, thanks to the Greek Orthodox calendar we get another chance. The mood is happy and spirited. Wait for the next entry for more. It has been good to stay in the Plaka, the old centre of Athens. All of the hotels were spruced up fot the Olympics, so we have found ourselves quite comfortable here. The Plaka is old and picturesque, narrow streets at the base of the Acropolis. Ancient ruins intersperse here and there (no I don't mean us.)...

Feb 28, 2005 - Leaving the Land of Myths and Legends.

Have spent three nights in Athens, after two nights on the island of Crete, and three on the island of Santorini. All three places were beautiful in their own right, although I suspect they would have been more so had I been here a month later - spring sounds marvelous here, particularly on the islands. Both islands reminded me much of the southern/central CA coast, in landscape, temp, vegetation type and overall look. All-in-all, the landscape - both natural and towns - has been a pleasure. And that's where the pleasure ends. My...

Feb 25, 2005 - Athens, Greece

Athens is the only place in Greece that I visited. It is a huge, sprawling city. Ancient Athens outranks Rome and Jerusalem for its glorious past and mighty influence on Western civilisation. Most people just visit the small ancient area. The Acropolis is the hill overlooking the city with all the temples on it. The most famous is the Parthenon, built in 438BC, this building is unsurpassed in grace an harmony. It is a archetechual wonder. The building is being restored, it is always surrounded with scaffolds. It was dedicated to the goddess...

Feb 18, 2005 - Athenia and the introduction to the Euro

We left Bangkok after a few days spent lazing around buying last minute things and laughing at Lars every time he said "wisa". We hopped onto the plane and spent a good 11 hours listening to screaming kids and getting fed to the point of bursting. We arrived in Athens at six am and spent a few hours sitiing in a cafe listening to a guy tell us his greatest memory of Australia was taking enough drugs to even make Marradonna go weak at the knees. After hopping on the bus we got into the sitting and suffered yet another bout of what we call...

Feb 10, 2005 - The Long Flight

We left Sydney yesterday. Here's a brief description of our timetable over the last day and a half. 2:45pm - Phil drops us off at Sydney Int Airport. 3:15pm - We get through security and go to the gate (good thing we left so much time...). 5:15pm - We take off for Bangkok (Melissa takes a sleeping pill and sleeps for part of the flight. I am determined to stay awake and sleep on the next leg). 10:30pm (2:30am SYD time) - We land in Bangkok. 10:45pm - We find a hand written card somewhere in the airport that tells us that our flight is...

Dec 31, 2004 - The Acropolis and New Year's Eve

It was so nice to see Lisa in the airport when I arrived in Athens. Even her lost luggage could not dampen the mood. We hopped a taxi and arrived in the Plaka area of Athens and found the apartment that we had booked. It was so nice and quaint. I couldn't wait to start cooking!!! After 2 very relaxing days shopping in the Plaka and waiting for Lisa's luggage we ventured out for some siteseeing. First stop...the Acropolis of course! You could see the Acropolis from our street and it was only a 5 min walk. The loftiest point of the Acropolis...

Dec 16, 2004 - Greece

We spent about three days in Athens, Greece. One of the days we spent exploring the Acropolis, the Parthenon and Ancient Agora. Ancient Agora was first developed in the 6th century BC, but then destroyed in 480 BC by the Persians. It was rebuilt almost immediately and in the 5th century was the center of Athenien life for culture, economics and military power. This is also the center where our current democracy was formed with a Senate representing each tribe and a House to represent the people. There is also a location where Socrates used...

Dec 7, 2004 - Last day in Europe

Stop at Corinth for evening and just make it in time to view 'Alexander the pretty mediocre'. Long drawn out affair with (for me anyway) too much needless dialogue between Alexander and his lovers/advisers. I can only assume that hearing Nigel Beachs exploits from working on the set of the movie (in both Morocco and Thailand) for 3 months built up my expectation a little too high. In morning I Drop Zoe off at port - she bound for island of Egina for some Wolfing (volunteer farm work). After returning sewing machine I spend rest of day...

Dec 5, 2004 - International flavours

Hello Everyone!!! Well, we are now in Athens and have had quite a fun ride over on a 18 hour ferry. We met up with a 37 year old Canadian from up by us in Vermont, four really fun Mexicans, and 2 Greeks. We all sat downstairs in the Ferry lounge and played movie charades, which i must say was very embarrassing for me (just have a mental picture of me trying to act out "To infinitity and beyond!" by Buzz Lightyear, complete with take-off actions, in the middle of a really luxurious lounge with lots of olds people smoking). But we had tons of...

Dec 2, 2004 - Ancient Athens

Another voyage, this time Athens calling. Arrive late and make-like-a-student in a "student-style-chillout-bar" and discuss philosophy and theoritical physics with Zoey. She later exlaims that she could punch a hole through the whole, if she wasn't so very very unlucky. Go figure. Next day we spend taking in highlights of ancient Athina, including the Parthenon and the big guys temple (Zues). After more enlightening discussions with Zoe, I am convinced I am need of a arts-n-literature awakening, so I buy myself a copy of "The Iliad" and...

Dec 1, 2004 - Hellenistic Odyssey

As soldiers on deployment, one of the "perks" that we have available to us is to have two R&R (rest & relaxation) passes of 96hrs each and one HLTA (it's a two week leave pass). I say "perks" as your leave is what one makes of it. Some people decide to travel just a short distance away from BLMF, while others, like Don, Hugh & I decided to travel further afield. Leave is not only what one makes of it but also what can be arranged. Sometimes getting out of Bosnia can be difficult or, once out, making a connection with either a train, bus or...