Middle Aged Drama Queen's Eastern Med Review: Serenade, Pics, Surprises & Fun!

[bbbearden]

I have been reading this review all week and have enjoyed it alot. You are doing a great job. Can't wait for the next installment.

[KansCocoa]

This should be number one in the tips department. :) Just being flexible and keeping your sense of humor is so critical because no matter how much you plan (we planned for over a year) something is not going to go the way you planned. If you can laugh it off and go with the flow, you can guarantee a fun, successful trip. :D

 

SO true! And I'm tickled to know you're a closet Evanovich fan. ;) (We'll keep your secret)

[KansCocoa]

I agree!! I think Turkey was my least researched port, and it ended up being our favorite! This itinerary is full of tours of ruins, and all are different...but we were so impressed by the ruins in Ephesus! We would love to go back and explore more of Turkey.

 

Thanks for your review! I'm reliving our trip all over again!

 

Turkey ended up being one of our favorites, as well...I hope you're having a good time, reliving your own trip! :)

[KansCocoa]

I've been a stalker to your review ever since I stumbled upon it - loving every moment! Also a fellow Kansas Citian (Olathe area) and I completely agree, love the ambiance and experience of Arthur Bryant's but the Z-man at OK Joes will always have my heart!

 

Hey - a fellow KC'er! (I'm in Lake Winnebago...south of Lee's Summit). And you saw that I'm partial to OK Joe's, myself. I worked for many years at Saint Luke's Hospital on the Plaza, and it was just a hop, skip & jump over to Joe's for lunch. :) And I'm glad you're not just stalking me anymore, but have decided to step forward out of the shadows. :)

[KansCocoa]

I have been reading this review all week and have enjoyed it alot. You are doing a great job. Can't wait for the next installment.

 

 

Welcome aboard! The next installment is about ready to post...more Greece! :)

[mchcruiser1000]

Jealous.

 

Hey - a better idea - why don't you just take me along as your personal guide?!

 

So long as someone else is doing the nagivating, right...:D

 

Seriously though, you have set me up with a serious dilemma. I was going to talk my wife into an Arctic Circle cruise for my daughter's graduation in a few year (next two years cruises are already decided), but now I'm thinking a Med cruise. Already been to all of the countries listed and between my wife and I most of the places, but those have been land vactions or work related. On the plus side, can't go wrong with either trip :rolleyes:.

[KansCocoa]

 

If you're tagging along...you'll remember that our travelers have spent the morning at the famed Acropolis, and have made brief stops at the Temple of Zeus, as well as the original Olympic Stadium...they're now in route to their next stop....

 

 

Our goal at this point is to be in front of the Greek Parliament building by 11:00 am, so that we can witness the ceremonial changing of the guard in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I have to admit to being a bit nervous about going to the Parliament building, as the numerous Greek protests and riots have been occurring there in recent months…however, Greece had had an election on June 17th (11 days prior), and things seem to have quieted down.

 

We arrive at Syntagma Square with about 15 minutes to spare before the ceremony. The Square has more pigeons than barbarians, and I learn later that the pigeons have been at the Square for as long as anyone can remember. You can buy food to feed the pigeons, or you can just wait…and have the same experience that we did.

 

As we were standing in the Square, a little old Greek man shuffled up to Mickey, and before any of us knew what was happening, he’s dumping a bunch of pigeon food in her hand. Well…naturally, the pigeons swarm…and one brave pigeon lands on her outstretched hand to begin eating.

 

Mickey was more scared than anything about the pigeon in her hand....

 

 

The little old man whips out a Polaroid camera (which I’m pretty sure my Klingons had no idea what THAT was, hee hee) and takes a photo of Mickey with the pigeon. Then the little old man holds out HIS hand and demands $5E. WHAT?! Sighing, Hubby pulls out his money and pays the guy, realizing that what’s a mere $5E when we’re having the trip of a lifetime….and I’ll confess right here that we’ve already lost that little Polaroid picture. Yup. Gone. I have no clue where it ended up, what with all of the suitcases and souvenirs and other crap we brought home with us. Sigh.

 

 

 

Promptly at 11:00 am, the ceremony began…and it was really interesting. From somewhere off in the distance (I found out later it’s a barracks just behind the Parliament building), the two incoming sentries and one supervising “Corporal of the Change” (all known as "Evzone") came marching up behind us…the crowd parted and they marched by us and up to the guardhouses.

 

 

Check this out...pretty cool, huh?!

 

 

It’s not only the ceremony itself that’s fascinating…their uniforms are worth the watch. Dressed in their summer uniforms, the 400-pleats in their skirt represent the years of the Turkish occupation. (and the Evzones have to steam iron their own uniforms in the barracks…better them than me!). Their leather shoes, with the giant pom-poms, certainly attract attention. The pom-poms were there to make the shoe nose waterproof. This SITE has some great information on the entire uniform.

 

 

The Evzone are supposed to be 6' or higher...so Taylor doesn't look TOO tall in this photo....

 

 

 

While on guard, they are expected to be on constant alert and show no reaction to anything…and yes, it’s okay for tourists to approach and have their photo taken next to the guard. Because some tourists like to engage in silly antics, to get a rise out of the Evzone, a Presidential Guard in normal uniform is always around to make sure things don’t get out of hand. In 2001, a Molotov cocktail was thrown at one of the guardhouses during a demonstration…and soon, the little wooden building was engulfed inflames. The unfortunate Evzone who was standing there was engulfed in smoke, his uniform getting scorched – and yet he didn’t move a muscle until the Presidential Guard came in and gave him the order to move. Now, THAT’s dedication!

 

 

Around the Square, I do notice an abundance of television news vans, as well as riot police in full gear…which, of course, led to some nervousness, wondering if a demonstration was expected. Athanasia explained that it was because today would be the swearing in ceremony for the new Greek parliament members, after the June 17th election. I'm happy to report that all was peaceful this day in Athens...no rioting OR demonstrations...whew.

 

 

After leaving the Parliament building, we board the van for our next stop, which is the Plaka area…and along the way, Athanasia points out various sites from the van, including the all-green glass sculpture, “The Runner”, which is honor of the marathon race, originating in Greece.

 

Isn't it cool??!! All marathons ran in Greece go by this statue...for inspiration...

 

 

Arriving in the neighborhood known as The Plaka, we all disembark from the van. The Plaka is a charming district that has numerous restaurants, jewelry & tourist shops, and cafes. Athanasia gives us a choice…we can head to the Agora area for more ruins, and then go to lunch…or we can skip the ruins and spend time shopping and dining. Whatever we choose, we are to be back at the van at 2:30 for our next stop, which will be the New Acropolis Museum.

 

 

Some of the group opts to skip the ruins of the Agora, while others (including us) decide to go with Athanasia for the visit to the Agora. We climb up a short hill to first visit the largely intact Temple of Hephaestus, named after the patron god of metal working and craftsmanship.

 

 

MUCH bigger and more impressive than my poor little photo shows....

 

 

We spent quite a bit of time here, not only learning a lot about this particular Temple, but exploring the numerous other ruins over the site. I’m glad we chose to spend that extra time here, as I felt it was well worth a visit. However, I can’t stress enough how important it was to have a guide with us – without her, the ruins would have meant nothing to us.

 

 

Just one of many interesting things to explore at the Agora...and remember our mantra? Anything in yellow? Original. Anything in white? Restoration. Anything on the ground? Slippery. Note that the Acropolis is visible in the far distance...always looming & watching over Athens....

 

 

Of course, exploring ancient Greek and Romans works up an appetite, so it’s not long before we’re heading back to the Plaka to indulge in some authentic Greek food…will be able to find it? And will it be good?

 

 

[KansCocoa]

So long as someone else is doing the nagivating, right...:D

 

Seriously though, you have set me up with a serious dilemma. I was going to talk my wife into an Arctic Circle cruise for my daughter's graduation in a few year (next two years cruises are already decided), but now I'm thinking a Med cruise. Already been to all of the countries listed and between my wife and I most of the places, but those have been land vactions or work related. On the plus side, can't go wrong with either trip :rolleyes:.

 

Bwahahahaha....I seriously spit out my Diet Dr. Pepper reading that...you're right. Someone ELSE can navigate; I'll just be your tour guide with all of the fun tips, trivia and useless information that you need to know. ;)

 

Wow...an Arctic Circle cruise? That would be awesome! But...hopefully, if you choose the Med, I've given you some new & fresh ideas of things to see and do. ;)

[KansCocoa]

Well, shoot...the Agora had so many neat things, that I can't just stop with what few paltry photos I posted...I feel COMPELLED to post just a few more photos. I really, really want to convey how cool this place was...not only historical, but also...pretty.

 

 

Not sure what this is...but it's pretty...note the Acropolis in the background....

 

 

 

I do know what THIS is...more of the Temple of Hephaestus...now, you can get a sense of how big this is...and in what good shape it's in, as well....

 

 

 

 

More pretty stuff...note the Christian cross waaaaaaaay up there on the hill, to the right of the Acropolis....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The statue of Emperor Hadrian...looking at his breastplate, you'll see Athena standing over the She-Wolf, who's feeding Romulus and Remus...it signified that Rome supported Greece, but Geek culture dominated Rome....

 

 

I guess what I wanted to convey was that the Agora is beautiful...what with the ancient ruins mixed in with the green shrubbery and flowering plants...it was peaceful and serene, as well, as we were THE ONLY BARBARIANS on site. Yeah. Soak that in for a minute. We were the ONLY ONES there. No crowds. No armies. No swarms to fight your way through....it was bliss.

[KansCocoa]

As I said before, conquering Greece can give a barbarian a pretty good appetite. We were hungry. We were thirsty. We needed to just sit down and rest for a bit, and recharge our batteries. (And speaking of thirsty…let me interject here…you can find bottled water in Greece pretty easily…there’s even a vending machine of bottled water at the entrance to the Acropolis. All bottled water in Greece is .50E; the price is mandated by the Greek government – so no extortion on water!)

 

 

Walking through the pedestrian-only streets of the Plaka, we see some other people in our group dining at a little open-air Greek café, Kotili. It looks delicious – so we’re soon seated and presented with menus. Based on what our fellow Cruise Critic group members recommended, this is what we dined on for lunch:

 

In Greece, one MUST have an authentic Greek salad…this did not disappoint…

 

 

Our group members raved about the fried feta cheese, drizzed in honey:

 

To die for...

 

 

And yes. I could have made a MEAL off of this...it was creamy, delicious and tasty. A definite winner….

 

 

 

Of course, when dining in Greece, one must have the gyro, the traditional Greek sandwich served with pita bread. In our case, Hubby Mike and I split the chicken gyro:

 

 

Build your own gyro...

 

 

Yum. The chicken was seasoned perfectly…and the dill sauce was heavenly. The French fries? Eh…not what I would think to have in Greece, but oh well. Not the best part of the meal, for sure.

 

To drink, Hubby Mike ventured forth to try the Greek beer, Mythos, which he proclaimed to be quite tasty:

 

 

 

Much to our surprise, after lunch, the waiter brought over some complimentary little cheesecake-thingies for dessert…which were cool and refreshing and hit the spot.

 

But the restaurant wasn’t finished with the complimentary stuff…they brought over shots for all of us…the Klingons got something that looked like strawberry lemonade, and they all deemed delicious:

 

Mickey, enjoying her aperitif...I think it made her feel very grown-up....

 

Hubby Mike and I got shots of muskat, which, although good, kept reminding me of “muskrat” – and so I had a hard time with it. But that’s just me. If I could have gotten past the name, I would have enjoyed it. (And we had to giggle when Brainy Brad was presented with the "kiddie" drink - although he will soon be 23 years old.)

 

Sorry. No complimentary ouzo. Drat.

 

Taylor, enjoying his drink....

 

 

 

When we got our little shots, we raised our glasses high and gave a toast to Uncle Gene, knowing that he was with us in spirit. Cheers, Uncle Gene! May you keep the angels laughing....

 

 

Lunch was a huge success...it had helped that, prior to our trip, we had taken the Klingons to some local Greek restaurants to "prepare" them for Greek food. We had also watched several movies about Greece, including "My Life in Ruins" - which helped, as well...it was the perfect movie that showed off some of the Greek ruins. The restaurant provided a delightful view of the bustling street behind us, and the fresh air was wonderful. The service was prompt, quick and friendly. And the food? Yum.

 

 

[leeselee]

Sherri,

 

still totally loving the posts!

 

I have two things to ask - the first one is somewhat silly:

 

Is there a white night AND a black and white night?

 

We will be going on our 3rd RC cruise and it will be our third time to Santorini - usually that evening is white night.

 

I have not heard of a black and white night - and we like to join in as much as we can - although 70's clothes are a step to far!

 

Secondly (I do get there in the end)

 

Plaka - third time again for us this year (did you guess there we like the Greek ports???) - where is this restaurant - could you sort of point me in the right direction?

 

Any help is much appreciated!

 

Thanks

 

Lisa :)

[KansCocoa]

Sherri,

 

still totally loving the posts!

 

I have two things to ask - the first one is somewhat silly:

 

Is there a white night AND a black and white night?

 

We will be going on our 3rd RC cruise and it will be our third time to Santorini - usually that evening is white night.

 

I have not heard of a black and white night - and we like to join in as much as we can - although 70's clothes are a step to far!

 

Secondly (I do get there in the end)

 

Plaka - third time again for us this year (did you guess there we like the Greek ports???) - where is this restaurant - could you sort of point me in the right direction?

 

Any help is much appreciated!

 

Thanks

 

Lisa :)

 

Hi, Lisa!

 

With regards to the Black & White night, that was a total surprise for all of us onboard...we'd never seen it/heard of it, either...most passengers were just lucky that our formal clothes fit the theme! We had all packed assuming there would be a white night...for Santorini, as you said. However, no...there was not an official "white" night...but since we had all planned for it, we dressed for it, anyway! I'm not sure if this was all due to the Cruise Director...who seemed to have a mind of his own, if you get my drift....I'd say you'd be fine going in with a white dress - so you fit the theme no matter what they decide to throw at you! (Actually, for 70's night, I just threw on one of my maxi dresses - that had a wild, paisley print - and I fit right in!)

 

The restaurant...if you're familiar with the square that is right by the Plaka neighborhood...walk through the square like you're facing the Acropolis, and head to the right...it's right down the street...it runs right by the railroad tracks. The actual address is 41-45 Adrianou Street, in the Plaka.

 

Hope that helps!

[kcscrapper]

What items did you put together for your KC gift basket?

[KansCocoa]

What items did you put together for your KC gift basket?

 

Good question!

 

I had a Christmas ornament that was from the KC Jazz museum; a deck of cards with the Kansas City Plaza lights; a Christmas ornament showing the KC fountains; a (very) small bottle of Gates BBQ sauce; chocolate-covered sunflower seeds; in a Hallmark gift bag.

 

I was going to put in a small box of Russell Stover chocolates...but I'd eat them before they'd ever make their way over to Europe. :D

[ollienbertsmum]

are they super strict about the basillica about knees being covered, etc./ i see that your daughter had a short dress on, just want to know how strict they are. thanks.

 

Always make sure that you are covering shoulders and knees in the Vatican. We found that churches in Rome were not as strict with men and knees - DH wore typical middle aged male shorts last week in the pantheon and Santa Maria en trastevere and he had no problems. I wore a long dress and kept a Cardigan in my bag for inside the churches. I saw people who were not appropriately dressed wearing scarves and disposable cover ups that they had to purchase, but I felt they looked silly.

 

I think it is always better to have an extra cover up in your bag and not use it.

[ollienbertsmum]

Lol

The Trevi Fountain….one almost stumbles upon it' date=' as tucked away and hidden like it is…a little hidden oasis in a city of concrete. The dancing and gushing water is refreshing, and just gazing upon it somehow refreshes your soul and spirit.

 

Before we began our adventure, we had the kids watch the 1954 movie, “Three Coins in a Fountain” – so they would understand the significance of the tradition.

Of course, I also downloaded the Academy Award-winning song, “Three Coins in a Fountain,” sung by Dino himself – and played it on my iPhone as we took our turns tossing our coins. The Klingons thought that was rather cheesy, but I thought it was a nice touch, myself. <shrugging>

 

Lol Sherri my kids think it is just me. I played Wonderful wonderful Copenhagen when we were sailing into that city on the Jewel - and I insisted that they listened to I have a dream speech whilst we stood at the Lincoln Memorial on our land tour the following year. Sound is important

 

 

 

 

[img']http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g423/KCSherri1/4D.jpg[/img]

 

 

Barbarians are in ample supply here – no matter what time of day you arrive. You just have to suck it up, Buttercup, and plunge in – figuratively, not literally – by finding a somewhat “empty” spot in front of the fountain to take your photo.

 

 

 

An estimated 3,000 Euro are thrown into the fountain each day, which is used to help the city’s poor.

 

By the way…there is a small bit of scaffolding in front of the fountain at this time (you can just see it in my first photo – towards the left). Apparently, part of the fountain has been crumbling; some blame the damage on the freak snowfall that hit Rome this past winter…some say the Italian government has not been protecting their famous landmarks. Whatever the case, the fountain is large enough, that no matter the scaffolding, you should still be able to enjoy it.

 

I know we did.

 

After we head back to meet up with Alberto (and yes, in case you're wondering, I walked by my Italian George Clooney boyfriend one more time - on purpose - just to have him smile at me...because I'm easy like that) - it was time for further conquering of Rome. We still had much to see...and time was running out....

 

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[KansCocoa]

 

And now…the story of how we singlehandedly jumpstarted the flailing Greek economy (as promised in the 3rd paragraph of my opening post, waaaaaaaay back on Page 1):

 

After lunch, we have about 20 minutes for shopping before we need to meet up with the group back at the van. Mickey and I begin strolling down the little street, while Hubby Mike and the boys settle the check at the restaurant, when a beautiful tri-color choker in the window of a jewelry shop catches my eye. Curious to see what else the shop offered, Mickey and I wander inside, where we get caught up in looking at the little charms, pendants, and rings that were on display. It’s only a few minutes later when Hubby Mike and the boys find us, and they, too, peruse the little shop. Not two minutes later, I hear Hubby Mike say, “Hey – honey – look at this choker. I think it looks like something you’d like.”

 

Well. It was EXACTLY the choker that had, indeed, caught my own eye initially. This is too coincidental to be anything but a sign that says we need to investigate this choker further.

 

It was kinda' like this one...not exactly...but close enough....

 

 

The little tiny Greek shopkeeper, who didn’t speak but a few words of English, takes the choker out of the display case and wraps it around my neck…where it looks…stunning. Of course it does.

 

“You must buy,” she says, looking at Hubby Mike with a gleam in her eye. I took one look at the price tag on the choker, and about choked. Literally.

 

“No, no – it’s too much, “ I doth protest. But not too much, I must confess. I hadn’t bought a single, solitary souvenir for myself on this trip (if you don’t count all of the gelato), and I HAD just celebrated a big birthday…right? (Listen to me still trying to justify the purchase of this choker!)

 

Glancing at my watch, I tell Hubby Mike, “Well…it’s up to you…but if we’re going to do it, we’d better do it quick…we’ve only got five minutes before we’re due back at the bus.”

 

Hubby Mike, bless his heart, decides to do it…and reaches for his credit card. The little Greek lady takes the choker and veeeeeerrrrrrrryyyyyyyy slowly, begins finding the velvet box to display it, and wrapping it in tissue…all while I keep looking at my watch, getting a bit nervous.

 

 

 

 

Do any of you remember the “Old Man” that Tim Conway did in sketches – particularly on “The Carol Burnett Show”? That was how fast this woman moved…it was almost comical.

 

She then takes Hubby’s Mastercard, and swipes it…then peers at the little swiper machine, a serious look on her face…precious seconds ticking by….After two minutes or so, with her eyes never leaving the swiper machine, she announces, “No. That card no take. Try different one.”

 

So, Hubby Mike reaches in and pulls out the RCI Visa card…she swipes it….then peers at the little swiper machine, studying it intently. At this point, I almost say, “Just forget it – we’re late!” and go off without the necklace, but we’ve already been swiped. Right? We’re now committed. Right?

 

Two minutes go by, and the little old lady says, “No. It no take. I try again.” And she swipes it AGAIN. Ay yi yi.

 

By now, knowing we’re going to be late to the van, I send the Klingons on ahead without us, to explain to the group what’s happening. As they’re leaving, I catch Hubby Mike’s eye, and mouth, “How much you wanna’ bet we’re going to get charged TWICE for this? If not THREE times??!!”

 

Well…a few more minutes go by, and the lady then smiles triumphantly, says, “It take!”, hands us the little credit card receipt to sign, and I breathe a sigh of relief, thinking, “Yes! We’re going to be a tad bit late – but at least we’re finally finished.”

 

Or so I thought.

 

Hubby Mike signs the receipt, and as he’s handing it back over, the single, solitary telephone on the counter in the shop rings….and it’s the bank. Of course it is. The lady says, “It is bank. Wait.” The lady holds up a finger, indicating that we shouldn’t leave just yet, and she goes off into a wild conversation in Greek, waving her arms, looking at us, and getting more and more flustered. As are we.

 

We’re standing there…flummoxed. Do we leave? Do we stay? Are we in trouble? WHAT IS GOING ON???!!!! We don’t understand a WORD of what’s being said.

 

About that time, Athanasia walks into the store; she’s obviously come to retrieve us, because it’s now 2:45 pm and we are very late. We whisper to her what’s transpired, telling her we’re not sure what’s going on, but we can’t leave – or can we? Athanasia listens to the conversation, and tells us that it’s the Greek Visa bank…and they’re concerned about the use of the card. I tell her that we’d cleared everything with the Visa bank back in the US before we traveled…so what should we do? If I’m being charged for the necklace, I want to take the necklace home with me. Is it mine yet? Is it not mine yet??!!

 

Of course, I start apologizing over and over to Athanasia, telling her we didn’t mean to be such a problem, and we would never have started this transation if we’d known how long it was going to take. Athanasia says that this is not uncommon to happen in Greece; they just want to be very careful about large purchases.

 

After another few minutes, the Greek lady hangs up, smiles, and says, “All okay now. Bye bye!”

 

We do the “Walk of Shame” (love that expression - I have to borrow it!) back to the van, because once again, we are THAT family. Sigh.

 

 

Can you see it? Proudly wearing The Choker on White Night that wasn't officially White Night....

 

 

And yes. We got charged not once, not twice, but THREE times for that choker…and it’s been fun dealing with the credit card companies, explaining what happened in that little store in Athens. Bank of America asked if I had tried calling the vendor to resolve it, and I had to laugh. I can only imagine trying to talk with this little old lady in Athens who didn't speak but a few words of English. And yes - I feel for the people of Greece and their economy; however, I didn't want to be the one who singlehandedly jumpstarted it with a choker purchase in the Plaka.

 

 

Edited July 26, 2012 by KansCocoa

[KansCocoa]

 

After slinking back onto the van and muttering profuse apologies to everyone, we are on our way to the New Acropolis Museum. It’s now approaching 3:00 pm (and Back Onboard time was 5:30 pm). Throughout the day, I had taken the very back seat of the minibus…and for whatever reason, every time I disembarked, I had an awkward time of it. I just couldn’t seem to figure out how to place my feet on the little steps that lead you out of the van – and I’d bash my left knee into the back of the passenger seat. EVERY time. (“Grace” is not my middle name). When we arrived at the New Acropolis Museum, I thought I’d position my feet in a different way, to avoid bashing my left knee…and before I knew it, my left knee brushed up against something sharp – and I was now bleeding.

 

Lovely. I have a huge old gash in my left knee, and I’m wearing white capris…so, I hobble up the sidewalk, trying to keep my capris above my bleeding knee, all the while searching for a BandAid in my purse. And since I carry a Mary Poppins bag, thank you very much, I, of course, had a BandAid in there. Among other things.

 

This is actually LEAVING the museum...but it's the only picture I have of the facade...

 

 

Anyway, while Hubby Mike took care of our admission tickets ($5E for adults; children 12 and under, free, and students with an ID, free – and yes, if the boys had thought to bring their college ID from the United States – that would have counted), I quickly played doctor and took care of my bleeding knee. Of which I still have a lovely scar – I just consider it a “free” souvenir from Athens. I get to have a BandAid for the rest of the trip in our photos – how cool is that?! <groan>

 

 

 

We started on the 3rd floor of the Museum, and slowly worked our way down. Photos are allowed in some areas of the Museum, but not in others…and they have very observant, very watchful guards to make sure you don’t take the errant photo. The museum is absolutely stunning – it’s not all that old, just opening in 2009 – and has over 4,000 objects exhibited in over 14,000 square meters. The building itself is on pillars, as there is an active archeological site underneath…so the entire bottom floor is glass…allowing you to see what’s going on underneath you.

 

My suggestion? Don't wear a dress...there are some parts of the floor that are glass that you walk on, and anyone below you could get a GREAT view....

 

 

The Museum is only about 310 yards from the Acropolis, and the wall closest to the Acropolis is made of all glass…giving you an excellent, air-conditioned view of the Acropolis. The uppermost level, Parthenon Hall, has the exact same dimensions of the Parthenon, so it really gives you an idea of just how large the Parthenon truly was.

 

 

 

My thoughts on the Museum? Heck, yeah. Definitely worth $5E to visit…and then some! We were there 90 minutes, and I think that was the perfect amount of time to explore. And use the much-needed facilities. And it was air-conditioned. BONUS! And once again, can I mention how invaluable it was having a private guide with us in the museum, explaining what we were seeing??

 

We leave the Museum at approximately 4:30 pm, and a short 30-minute drive later, we are dropped off at the pier. And waiting for us at the pier is Paul, himself, the owner of the private tour company we'd used for the day…although he’d had a previous engagement and couldn’t drive our van, he’d made a special effort to come to the pier and introduce himself to all of us. I thought that was a very special touch, and I was most impressed!

 

 

So…my thoughts on AthensByTaxi? They far exceeded my expectations for the day. They were prompt and courteous in all of my emails ahead of time, and our day today was fantastic. We got to see EVERYTHING, and still had time for a sit-down lunch. The services provided by Athanasia were invaluable. A definite A+ for the company…and they were extremely affordable, as well. Especially when divided by 16 of us!

 

The ship is due to depart at 6:00 pm…but for some reason…we don’t leave on time…. Wonder why that is???

 

 

At one point, our driver took us up to a super high-in-the-sky spot to take a beautiful photo of Athens...so, From Athens, With Love!

 

 

Tips for Athens:

1. Go to the Acropolis as early as possible to avoid the heat and the crowds.

2. Wear sensible shoes.

3. Dress for the heat - white, cotton clothing...it can get hot on that rock.

4. Enjoy the delicious Greek food.

5. Definitely see the Changing of the Guard ceremony...have a video camera, if possible.

6. Spend some time at the New Acropolis Museum...perhaps in the hot afternoon, and enjoy the a/c.

7. There ARE facilities (and water) available at the Acropolis.

8. If you do a private tour, DO get a guide (as well as the driver). It helped tremendously.

9. Sit back and enjoy Athens...it's truly a wonderful city, and I hope you feel it's beauty, culture and charm, as we did....

 

 

Edited July 26, 2012 by KansCocoa

[Steppy08]

I had no idea that you got charged 3 times for the necklace! Yikes! :o

[KansCocoa]

I had no idea that you got charged 3 times for the necklace! Yikes! :o

 

Yup. THAT was costly! :D

 

I think it's all been resolved - finally - just this week. It's so obvious that it was a duplicate charge - but it's been a problem with it on two different cards. Two charges on Visa and one on Mastercard. Visa quickly removed the duplicate, but the MasterCard was a little harder in dealing with. Lesson learned. :(

[Cat54]

Hi Sheri,

 

Did you get the charges on your credit card straighened out yet?? :eek:Yikes what a nightmare..

[Cat54]

Hi Sheri,

 

Did you get the charges on your credit card straighened out yet?? :eek:Yikes what a nightmare..

 

I posted this while you were posting your reply to Amy..glad to hear that things worked out.

[Steppy08]

Yup. THAT was costly! :D

 

I think it's all been resolved - finally - just this week. It's so obvious that it was a duplicate charge - but it's been a problem with it on two different cards. Two charges on Visa and one on Mastercard. Visa quickly removed the duplicate, but the MasterCard was a little harder in dealing with. Lesson learned. :(

 

Good to hear.

 

And btw, buying jewelry is always an acceptable excuse for being late on a tour. :)

[EMED2010]

Ha, ha - glad you liked "walk of shame"!

 

Really enjoying hearing about Greece. Your first three stops were the same as ours (France was Toulon though) but after that we hit Venice, Dubrovnik and Corfu. I considered the Greek isles but I had to go to Venice.

[alreadypacked]

Upon returning to the Plaza de Catalunya, Carlos concludes Part 1 of the tour. We have about a 90-minute break for lunch, and we’re told to meet back up again here for Part 2.

 

 

The family strolls down Las Ramblas, dodging the many cars, pedestrians, street performers, trinket booths, bicyclists, etc…and always keeping one eye open for the potential pickpocketer. We eventually find a small little café, El Mos, where we enjoy the cool air-conditioning, as well as some tasty sandwiches.

 

 

My picture is bad...but the food was good. Trust me.

 

 

In full disclosure, I have to insert here, though…this was not our best moment as a family. No, sometimes our family life is not always sunshine, rainbows and unicorns. You're shocked, right? I KNOW. But honestly...we have squabbles sometimes. Especially if we’re hot. Which we were. And if we’re hungry. Which, we were ravenous by this point. Yup – if our blood sugar drops, and you compound that with the heat – we’re pretty much acting like spoiled two-year olds, snipping at each other and losing patience all-around. All five of us.

 

Run-on sentence alert:

The kids couldn’t understand the menu, which was in Catalan, and so were frustrated, and Hubby Mike was trying to be the Menu Dictator, ordering for everyone, trying to save us time, but which was upsetting the kids even more, because heaven forbid they’d end up with something…gross…and I was trying to be the peacemaker, and our poor, flustered waitress was looking at us like we were straight out of a horror movie.

 

Sigh.

 

 

We’d become THAT family. The family no one wants to sit by in a crowded restaurant.

 

 

The good news is, that our food was good...I guess Hubby Mike can be the Menu Dictator more often. And after our tummies were full, and our blood sugar was somewhat back to normal, life became sunshine, rainbows and unicorns again...except for a sulky 12-year old daughter who is slow to return to sunshine, rainbows and unicorns.

 

The promise of gelato quickly cheered her up…so we ventured forth, back out on the hot streets, to find some gelato.

 

And along the way…we found something even way cooler than gelato.

 

Yup. We found THIS:

 

 

 

 

Why is this cool? Because being a volunteer in Disaster Services with the American Red Cross, I’m always looking for all-things Red Cross. Not to mention…we have a FB photo contest for pictures of Red Cross while on vacation.

 

This could be the WINNING entry! You never know!

 

 

Then again...maybe not.

 

 

We ambled some more, and stopped briefly in a shoe store, as Mickey’s one wish for a souvenir on this trip was a pair of shoes. {shrugs} I don’t get it, either. I’m not one for shoes, so you can’t blame this on ME…that she’d be obsessed by shoes…but there you have it. Really???? Shoes???

 

After fifteen minutes of perusing, and trying various styles (like I was going to let her buy a pair of shoes with a 5" heel???!! I don't THINK so....) we didn’t find any here, so onward for gelato.

 

 

We were heading back to Plaza de Catalunya, as it was getting closer to our meeting time for Part 2 of our Gaudi Tour…and that’s when we found Farggi…a gelato shop right there on the Plaza. Yes, it’s a chain. Don’t judge. It was still tasty and good on a hot day.

 

 

Conveniently located a mere 10 steps from where the bus was picking us up for Part 2...

 

 

 

Too soon, it was time to head back over to the Orange-Umbrella people and begin Part 2. Who knew that lightning could strike...? Twice???

 

Loving your review!:)

 

You're like my DH, who's in law enforcement--we have his picture in front of police departments and police cruisers wherever we travel.

Edited July 26, 2012 by alreadypacked
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