Family Bonding!!!!

"Family bonding" is a popular phrase used in the Carr household. When said it holds a little sarcasm and a lot of love. Our 8 day trip to Greece was just enough time. We were able to see everything that I wanted to see and also have relaxing days at the hotel, a must in a Jenny vacation.  When I arrived at the airport, Mom, Dad, and Jenny were waiting at the baggage claim for me.  There were hugs and tears.  The rest of the day we just hung around the hotel.  We stayed at the Herodion, a very nice hotel with a comfortable lobby (we spent most of our evenings there reading by the fire).  We had our first dinner at the hotel restaurant because Mom, Dad and Jenny were tired from their trip; and the next day we all had to get up early.

Saturday we did a bus tour around Athens.  We saw all the highlights:

The stadium used for the first Olympic Games held in Athens. Our tour guide told us that it is still used today and there are concerts held there during the summer.

In front of our tour bus. Mom found it funny that the first form of transportation that I get on in Athens is another bus since that is the ONLY form of transportation that I use in Macedonia.

This is the new Acropolis museum. It was actually located next to our hotel so we could see it all lit up at night from the roof.  It was built on top of ruins and they had plexiglass floors so you could see all of the ruins as you were walking around and looking at the statues and exhibits in the museum. There were many historical statues there; but if you want to see most of them, we were told that you have to go to the museum in London because that is where they all are now.

Our tour group with our tour guide.  She knew everything! It was interesting listening to her talk about the history and also the stories that she told along with it. 

The Acropolis!!! There were a lot of people walking around that day. I could not imagine what it would be like during the summer since we went during the off season.

It took a few tries with a bunch of different people but we finally got the family photo in front of the Acropolis. The pictures before were all of us zoomed in but no one ever fit in the Acropolis also.

After our tour, Jenny went back to the hotel to rest and Mom, Dad and I went and checked out the Platka area.  It is full of restaurants and shops, most were the typical tourist shops.  After awhile, it got a little annoying because every time we would just walk in a store to look around someone that worked there would follow us around the store and tell us about the items that we were looking at. By the middle of the trip Mom said she was tired of shopping and would not walk into another store.  Also the restaurant owners, would stand on the street:as we passed, they would stop and tell us that their restaurant is the best, has the best Greek food, that there will be live music and that we should come back or eat right now.  They also handed us their card so that we would  remember where to come back and eat.  By the end of our walk, I had 6 restaurant cards in my purse and that was all just from one street. 

Sunday we took a one day cruise to see 3 islands.

It took us awhile to get use to the motion of the boat, and Jenny announced that she hates boats along with the other forms of transportation that she is not found of.   To make the list short, the only 2 forms of transportation that she likes are cars and horses; meaning that she will not be traveling anywhere far in her lifetime.

The first island that we stopped at was Hydra. It is know for 2 things: cats and burrows.

When we got off the boat there were about 8 cats sitting there right next to the dock.  As we continued to explore the island we kept finding more and more.  There was a bunch sitting by the fishing boats waiting for the fisherman to throw them some fish, which they did.  The island has about 1,000 cats.  It is due to the fact that cats in Greece, just like in Macedonia, are all outdoor cats; and the Greeks, like other Europeans, do not neuter their animals.  The result being that on this small island you have about the same amount of cats that you do people. The good thing is that the people of the island all take care of the animals and they all looked happy and healthy.

The only thing that Jenny wanted out of the whole trip was to ride a burrow. So I joined her along for the ride; and let me tell you it was not comfortable.  The saddles that they put on a burrow are meant to be riden  side saddle, but the guy throw us up like you would ride a horse; and it was not until halfway through the ride and some sore legs later that I figured the whole side saddle thing.

After walking around Hydra and doing some shopping, we all got back on the boat and it was lunch time.  Now as you can see from the picture I cleaned my plate, Jenny, Mom, and Dad were not that pleased with the food.  The reason why I ate it all is because in the Peace Corps you learn to eat what is put in front of you, without asking what it is; and you eat until you are full because it is free food.

The 2nd island Pordos, we just walked around and stretched our legs.  It was pretty and it was a nice day for our cruise.

The last island, Aegina, is know for the pistachio nut. There are pistachio groves all over the island and we even went to a factory that is run by a family and they produce the most pistachios.  We left with plenty of bags of nuts to eat and share with friends and family back home.

Monday was "Clean Monday."  It was the beginning of their Lenten Fasting.  Everyone goes to the top of a big hill in Athens to fly kites.  There was also music and people dancing the Oro. It was interesting to see part of the Greek culture. 

It was also the best day for me because I found a STARBUCKS!!!!  I went about 4 times while I was there. I needed my Starbucks fix.

Tuesday we relaxed and hung around the hotel; did some walking and some shopping.  A Jenny day of vacation.

Wednesday we went to the Jewelry Museum in the morning and then went on a bus tour to Cape Sounion.  We drove along the coast and then ended up at the ruins of Poseidon's temple.

 While Mom, Jenny and I walked around and took pictures, Dad wondered off somewhere.  Can you find him?

It was very windy and kind of cold that day and Dad found the perfect spot. He said it kept the wind off but left you in the sun so sitting there was not that bad.

This is where you could find us every evening.  We went to the lobby and sat by the fire, read our books and had our cocktails.  It was like being at home with all of us sitting in our own living room. The only thing missing was the kitties.

Thursday was our tour with Joe. Joe was our travel guide and we went with him to show us the "true Greece" and to eat "real Greek food" on a personal tour.   We went along the coast and saw all the nice beaches and the more quiet and non touristy side of Athens.

Joe's tour was more Jenny's speed. She said she would come back to Greece if we spent the whole time on one of the beaches or at a nice resort.

He took us to a place where you could see all of Athens. Behind us is the "Friendship and Peace" stadium built for and used during the 2004 Olympics.

This lake is 70 degrees all year long. And it is a place where people with diseases come to get cured.  They believe that the water can help and there is a resort next to it that has doctors and nurses.

Friday was our last day.  Mom and I went to the Archaeological Museum because we were told it was a must and that it is number 3 in the world. As I walked around and looked at all the pieces, Mom more or less took a picture of each one. So if you would like to see what is in the museum just ask to look at Mom's scrapbook, you won't have to pay admission. She had the idea in her head as she was walking around taking the pictures...." this is going to be a 4 page mosaic!"  Dad and Jenny hung around the hotel.  They were tired.   That evening we all had our last family dinner.  The next day Mom, Dad and Jenny woke up early and left the hotel around 4 am. I was able to go back to sleep and have a nice breakfast at the hotel before catching my flight.  It was a wonderful trip and I can't wait to have another "family bonding" experience.