Andio, Athens! Yasas, Santorini!

Sorry Everyone! Our hotel on Santorini had no wireless, but no worries! I continued writing and posts about our island adventure will be here shortly!

Today, Sam and I left Athens for the small island of Santorini . Our ferry left at 9:00am, so we got up at 6:30. Sam is used to getting up early, and suited up for the journey. Unable to convince my body it was later, I look ever so slightly more haggard.

We packed up and moved out. We took the metro from Monastiraki to Pireus Port, then took a shuttle to Gate One. We were an hour early, but luckily, our boat was waiting for us. It was Blue Star Ferries, the most popular in Greece. Many moons ago, when Sam and I learned we would be taking a ferry to Santorini, we were plagued with images of the Staten Island Ferry with middle aged Greek men surrounded by a cloud of cigarette smoke. So, we chose to get a private cabin. Then, upon discussing it with Mom and deciding that we may want to stay in our cabin no matter what if the boat was too shady, we upgraded to a deluxe, which included two beds and a private WC. We would go for comfort and safety this once and cut corners later. Silly Americans….

The walls of the escalator to the ferry were shiny and wood paneled. I thought it was just a nice bridge sort of thing, not actually part of the ferry. But the wood paneling didn’t stop. Indeed the entire inside of the ferry was wood paneled. There was also a rule prohibiting smoking. Oh yeah! There was also a café, a gift shop, a conference room, a food court, and an ala cart restaurant. Some cheap seats indoors were airplane style. Others were comfy, upholstered chairs around small tables. There were arcade games and a TV area for children, complete with a fun mural. To top it off, we thought the ferry would have no food, so we bought packaged snacks in Athens last night. They went really well with the cappuccinos we got at the ferry café.

Our room was lovely. I had two twin beds, a nightstand, a desk and a full bathroom. Yes, a full bathroom. We had a shower. We were both really tired, so we slept for the first half to the journey (2.5/5 hours). Once we woke up, we decided to explore the boat. We went to the café and then sat outside to take pictures and marvel at the breathtaking view.

Around 2:04 pm, we docked in Santorini to begin the next leg of our adventure…

The Bucket List Moment

today was our first day in athens. everyone had told us that athens is not that nice of a city. they said it was dirty and crowded. at first, i found that to be quite true. the streets were crowded and it kind of smelled. it was downright intimidating. we went to an open market because we were told we could buy fruit and cheese there for breakfast, but we must have gone to the wrong section because all we saw was fish and meat. so, we wondered a little more, on our way to the plaka neighborhood, which is a very tourist section with lots of little shops and restaurants. on our way, we stopped in the national garden.

the garden was beautiful! first of all, there were palm trees, which sam and i enjoyed. there were also a lot of shady seating areas. the architect that planned it was a genius because in the heat (42 C, 100+ F), we just wanted to sit down. so, we did some sitting and some people watching. as we walked more through the park, we found a little zoo. although is was more just random caged animals -- turtles, goats, birds, and a donkey -- than an official zoo. finally, we came upon a small vine-covered cafe. it was perfect. sam had a "freddo cappuccino" and i had peach iced tea. we sat and chilled for a while before deciding to be on our way.


















so, we made our way to the plaka section. it was gorgeous -- definitely more touristy, but beautiful nonetheless. it was basically made up of dozens of little winding cobblestone streets filled with little stores. so so cool! we walked around there for most of the day just looking at everything. then, we made our way to the acropolis, with the help of one very nice shop owner.


i have to tell you, i really think i can eat anything for rest of the trip because i burned it off walking to the Parthenon. it's so high! and the stones to get up there are slippery -- i guess from being walked on so much -- so i was constantly worried that i would fall, thinking "omigod, what if i have to be carried down from the parthenon?!" but we both made it. at first, we walked through this small ruin, which i thought was impressive, but it was lincoln logs compared to what was past it. the parthenon is huge and completely majestic, even in the blazing sun. some nice irish women took our picture, but we look like the plastic people in the game of the life in front of the parthenon. sam commented that, whereas many things can be disappointing once they are actually experienced, this was exactly what she had expect and more. it was fantastic, and we both realized we had checked something off our bucket lists.




once down from the acropolis, we ate. neither of us had eaten for hours, so we were both starving and chose the first place we saw. it was a lovely place where we could sit outside. for our first real meals in greece, we went traditional. we got dolmadakia (rice in grape leaves) for an appetizer. she got chicken souvlaki (kebob), and i got a gyro, which a pronounced wrong much to the disappointment of my sister. for dessert, we shared baklava, certainly the first of many during our trip -- as the saying goes, a baklava a day makes for a happy trip!
and by the saying, i mean, sam said it -- but it's definitely true! also at dinner, we met some nice norwegians at the next table. they asked us a little about our trip and then taught us how they toast in norway. so we toasted to greece and rather than 'cheers,' we said 'skoal.'


later, sam and i had a quick drink at the upstairs bar and then went out in search of food that we could take on the early ferry tomorrow. we found that manastiraki, the neighborhood in which were staying, is quite alive after dark. turns out that nightlife begins with dinner at ten and partying into the early morning. good to know as we travel to santorini.

upon returning to our room, we had a long sykpe convo with my friend, jimmy, from school. he is also coming to rome for the semester. i haven't seen him is a while, so it was great to talk. we discussed our fears about going abroad. for some reason, his always end in hostage situations. i really can't wait to get to rome and experience the city with him. only 10 more days!!!

until then, i'll be traveling with my sister. tomorrow we sail to santorini. skoal!

Sam, I don't think we're in New Jersey anymore.....

it's hard to believe that yesterday, i was sitting in my room in bloomfield. now, i'm sitting in a hotel room in athens. yesterday was surprisingly calm. i just hung out with mom and straightened my hair before going to the airport.



once there, my family had a bon voyage lunch at chilis. it was delightful. then, it was time to say goodbye. i tried not to cry but couldn't help myself. how could i not see my parents for four months? it seems unthinkable. i can't possibly say how much i'll miss them -- walks and talks with my mom and tight bear hugs from pop. but i know that this is a step i have to take for myself, so sam and i turned and walked away.



to brussels, sam and i flew jet airways india. i'm not gonna lie, i was a little worried, especially because of the food. but im happy to say that my worries were for nothing. jet airways india was delightful! they had a good movie selection; i watched the full monty and the ghost writer. also, the food was really good. it was some sort of chicken in mushroom sauce. i don't know but i liked it! further, there was ample leg room and everyone was super nice. if ever you have the option, jet airways india is the way to go.



six hours later, 12:30ish NYC time and 7:30ish Brussels time, we landed. we had to wait in line for a while, but after that, i got the first stamp in my new passport. sam and i wanted to see brussels, since we had an eight hour layover, and figured out that the train was easiest. so we got on and it left -- only it wasn't going to brussels. we had ended up on the wrong train, on our way to leuven, a belgian town that sam and i agreed was the New Jersey of Belgium. Luckily, we recovered quickly and were in Brussels by 9:30. I said before the trip that I was super excited for our time in Brussels because I had no idea what to expect. Well, Brussels is wonderful! It had great architecture and a rich culture. sam and i decided to walk around and just chill when we could. so, we went to grand place (pronounced graaaaaand plaaa-se), a sort of piazza surrounded my beautiful buildings.





















then, we strolled down a small cobblestone road and found what we'd always been looking for -- waffles! we got them from this hole in the wall type place that had all different types. I chose one with strawberries and powdered sugar. sam opted for strawberries, whipped cream, and chocolate sauce. they were so so so so good. i wish i could have one every day! then, we walked a little more and saw mannequin pis. finally, we found a coffee shop. we had to go in, and for the next forty five minutes, we sat, drinking coffee and watching people. it was great! from there we walked to through this cool park, sat at the palace for a while, then sat in Brussels Park for a bit. by that time, we were pooped and headed back to the airport.

our flight to athens was less comfy than our flight to belgium, but it was much shorter. to greece, we flew brussels airways. it was average in leisure and legroom. we slept through the food. then, it seemed unbelieveable -- and it still does, but we landed in greece. finally the place we had been thinking about all summer! we made our way to our hotel, which was actually much further than we expected. the hotel is adorable. its tiny, but very cute. in spite of our exhaustion, sam and i went to the roof top bar for a glass of wine. i had a glass of prosecco, a very tasty fruity white. she had a traditional greek white wine. and we sat marveling at the view. the view from the roof of the hotel is unspeakable. we tried to take pictures but they did it no justice. from the roof, one can look straight on the Parthenon, all lit up at night. it's the absolute most amazing sight i have ever seen.

tomorrow, we see it up close....

two, one

on monday, i had to pack. to me, packing makes the trip completely real. i know the trip was going to happen no matter what, but packing turned it from something we were just planning to something we were actually doing. since i am still a tidge freaked out about going over seas for so long (and since i have a tendency to procrastinate), i put off packing for as long as possible. i made until two days before my trip. ashley came over to help me, which was amazing becasue ashley is a packing genius. i had to pack everything for a semester in one checked bag, one duffel, and a purse. wtf??? but somehow we did it. thank god for ashley and sam. i am a terrible packer, but with sams list and ash's know-how, i made it. evidence that you're nothing without your friends and family.



then, ashley, moe and i went to meet rachel at cafe electic. unfortunately, when we got there it was closed. that really sucked because it is one of my favorite places at home and i wanted to say goodbye, but no go, so we went to nevada instead. the four of us had a nice meal and followed by a teary goodbye between me, rachel and ashley.

yesterday was my last day at work. it was a good last day -- not too slow, not too busy. i really enjoyed working at the country club. i like the people i worked with and most of the members were really nice. i would definitely go back over winter break, although i don't think the clubhouse would be as fun as the pool. for anyone who watches greys anatomy, the pool is the dermatology floor, where everything is relaxing messages and lotion, whereas the clubhouse is serious surgery and stress. of course, my job wasn't always calm, but relatively, its the same -- one is certainly more fun than the other.


right after work, my mom and i went to see eat prey love. i wanted to make sure i saw as many movies in english-speaking theaters as possible. we left with mixed feelings. technically, it was a really good film. the scenery was amazing! obviously, i especially enjoyed the scenes of rome. bali also looked a little slice of paradise. the cast and acting were also very good. julia roberts was wonderful. the rest of the ensemble included james franco, billy crudup, viola davis, and javier bordem. i especially liked javier. ever since vicky cristina barcelona, i have found him very attractive. go figure! so, all that was good, but neither me nor my mom liked the main character. she seemed very conceited. she leaves her whole life to travel the world, but at the end she's no better than when she started. and, of course she goes on this world-wind adventure and everything just falls into place. she makes great lifelong friends and learns italian and pets a wandering elephant -- just like that. the lack of progression ruined it for me.



a couple hours later, i met billy and moe at...wait for it...the diner! this time, i was the one who was late, but they weren't upset. we sat and ate and talked. moe and billy talked about all the gossip they had heard. somehow, those two always know everything that's going on and i never know anything, so it always informative to hang out with them. a wrap, omlette, and french toast later, we were group hugging goodbye. of all my friends, i probably talk to billy and moe the most while at school. moe and i always let each other know what we're up to and i tell billy nearly everything. i already miss them.

three

went to work. not much to report there.

after work, i went to fridays with my family -- my sister, parents, grandparents, uncle and great aunt. it was a little bon voyage dinner for me and sam. its always nice to see them. i especially like it when i realize something that i have in common with them -- something that i have becasue they gave it to me. for instance, my hands are a lot like my great-grandmothers and grandmother's, so even it we don't really look alike, there are some physical traits that they passed down to me.



i also really enjoy seeing my grandmother and great aunt together. my aunt comes to almost everything and she and my grandma are super close. they're both great, but they're really different in a lot of ways. my grandmother is into academics and really witty, while my aunt likes sports and is really sassy. becasue they're really close, but can be so different, they remind me of me and sam a lot. i often see them and look forward to when we'll be two grandmothers still joking around with each other.





when we got home from dinner, pop surprised me with a new digital camera for my trip. the flash didn't work on my old one and i had secretly lost the cord to connect it to the computer, but i was set to deal with it. however, he went out and got me a new one. it's silver and shiny and i love it! although i truly believe that my parents are too good to me, i am eternally grateful for everything.


some fun stuff...

a while ago, my mom told about this site, www.jacksonpollock.org. it allows you to paint your own jackson pollock style piece. it's really cool, and a great way to kill time. the paintings always come out looking awesome.




also, my sister told me about this blog, catalog living (http://catalogliving.net/). its about the fictional couple gary and elaine, who live in our catalogs. its sarcastic and clever and hilarious, which are three of my favorite qualities. enjoy!

now i going to watch true blood with pop. tomorrow, i pack...

four

today was possibly the most beautiful day of the summer -- 80s and sunny, but with a perfect breeze. i went to work excepting masses of club members to come to the pool, but i was pleasantly surprised. apparently most of the members (and probably 90% of unoccupied New Jerseyians) went down the shore, so it was a slow day. we listened to music, talked, and made fried oreos, which were amazing. we used pancake batter and half & half oreos. they were deep fried heaven.

after work, sam and i went to see scott pilgrim vs the world. it was really good. michael cera was adorable as always and the concept and style of the movie were totally original. it was made to intimidate an old video game. it was unlike any movie i had seen before, which, in this age of remakes and sequels, was refreshing. it also had an awesome cast, which i love. the ensemble included jason schwartzman, anna kendrick, mae whitman, chris evans, and kieran culkin, among others. i particularly liked kieran
culkin as scott's roommate/bffl. he was very witty and sam and i both agreed that we're glad he was able to break out of macaulay's shadow. props, kier! also, ellen wong, the girl who plays scott's semi-crazy ex, knives, was really good. i had never seen her in anything else, but she was super cute in this. all in all, i highly recommend seeing it.



that's about all for today. til tomorrow...

five

this morning, i had to get my lazy bones out of bed early to babysit. usually, i would play outside or paint with the kids, but today, i suppose i was too tired, so i let the television entertain them. we watched a double feature -- mr toad's wide ride and the adventures of ichabod crane. both were enjoyable, though i quite preferred mr toad. the kids were fairly fascinated with both movies. the little two year old kept asking when the headless horseman would come on. he kept saying "when does the horseman come on? he has a mean horse and a mean headless horseman." his older sister is really hyper and adorable all the time. the oldest, a girl who wasn't there this morning, is the smartest second grader i've ever met. she's approximately ten years older than her age. all three of them are adorable.

then, it was a beautiful day at the pool. i thought is was going to be crappy again, but it was actually quite nice. still, it was a slow day. i was really tired all day, so the hours at the snack bar went really slowly.


after i got home, i went on a walk, then to barnes and noble to do some research on spending a day in brussels, since i'll be doing so in less that a week. i learned that central brussels is where the place to go. i also learned that belgian waffles are actually from brussels (as opposed to belgian just being a name like french fries). in brussels, waffles are sold on carts from street venders! how cool is that?! no doubt, sam and i will be stuffed with waffles by the time we board our plane to athens.







then, my best friend billy and i met at the diner for a late night hang out. over the summer, meeting at the diner at late hours has become somewhat of a tradition for me and billy. we usually go around midnight, just the two of us. he always laughs at me becasue i order strange things, like sides of rice pilaf or plates of toast. tonight, he was late as usual, be it was ok. i told him about my trip and we caught up on country club gossip. good times.....