4/27 - Arrive at Phoenix airport around 10 pm - ominous start with the Delta employee telling me she can’t check my bag all the way through to Athens, not because it’s a different airline or a security issue, but because I’ll be taking 5 flights and her system ‘doesn’t have enough slots’. She then mocks my travel planning ability, or lack thereof.
Depart for Atlanta at 11:50. Empty middle seat. Score.
4/28 - Touch down in Atlanta at 6 am. Depart for Cincinnati around 7. Empty middle seat again. Is this a sign? Maybe I should write a movie version TV's, “The Middle.”
A short time later, on the ground in Cincinnati. Pick up bag, check it again for the next 3 flights and make another trip through security. Around noon I meet the generous giver of this trip - one Stacy Bartlett - back outside the gate area at a Chili’s/Damon’s/Applebees. Then it’s back through security for the 3rd time. In the last 6 hours I’ve put clothing back on more times than a working girl on Van Buren. Hiyoooooooo!
A short, cramped flight later we’re in Charlotte for a brief layover before boarding another plane bound for Frankfurt, Germany. You’d think US Air would give passengers more legroom for an 8-hour, international flight. And you’d be wrong.
4/29 - Mostly flat, farm-looking terrain outside as we descend. To quote the gentleman sitting behind me, “Ahhhhhh, Deutschland!”
The local time is around 7 am. First stop - an airport cafe where breakfast consists of a croissant with egg and German cheese and what is, hands down, the best morning beer I’ve ever consumed.
A little later we board a Lufthansa jet for Athens. I have no idea how to say ‘legroom’ or ‘customer service’ in German but it’s apparent the good people at Lufthansa do.
Touch down in Athens and for the first time in the last 28 hours I’m not on a plane or in an airport. Met by a British ex-pat more than a little upset that she’s missing the Royal Wedding who takes us to a hotel downtown. She points out local landmarks and tells us of her experiences in Greece. Despite the recent financial turmoil and a health care system that has taught her the meaning of the expression, ‘at least I have my health’ she likes it there.
An hour later we’re transported via bus to the ship - the Seabourn Spirit. It’s a private charter - the Abbott group makes up the entire passenger list. Stace and I each have our own cabin - both suites. Mine alone is larger - and nicer - than my first apartment out of college. Live entertainment by a local dance group on deck and the opening of a bar that will see a lot of business over the next week. Two passengers have trouble with their flight from the states so we wait. It’s good to have your own ship.
At midnight we set sail and leave the lights of Athens behind.
4/30 - At 8 am we dock on the isle of Mykonos. Quick breakfast on deck where we meet Mike and Gina - two of the travel agents in charge of the trip. Later this proves to be a very valuable connection.
A peppy cab ride into town followed by some sightseeing. It’s thirsty work so we have the first of many Greek beers and then cab it to popular tourist spot Paradise Beach. Later that night we learn that another beach nearby is the ‘real’ Paradise Beach - the nude one. Locals don’t know how lucky they were that we didn’t discover that nugget earlier.
We stay after the group leaves and discuss life over drinks, cab it back to town, stroll through local shops and then make a mad dash back to the ship as we lose track of time. Safely on board we set sail again and start to enjoy the many amenities on board.
5/1 - Early am we dock in Santorini - a city perched atop sheer cliffs comprised of thousands of years of volcanic layers. A pumice-mining town until volcanologists (no relation to Star Trek) informed locals that mining might not be the smartest thing to do on an active volcano which erupts geologically often, the last time less than 60 years ago.
Like every island we’d eventually visit Santorini is surrounded by brilliant, crystal blue water and is home to 300+ churches - roughly one for every 20 residents. We tender from the ship to the dock, board another boat and start a archipelago tour - including a visit to a sulphur lagoon and a nice hike up the live volcano mentioned earlier - with the first of what would be many wonderful tour guides.
Back to the dock where we board a tram for the town. The beautiful blue & white structures Greece is known for surround us. We have lunch at a cafe overlooking the island and surrounding ocean. The food is incredible - probably sufficient to ruin all Greek food back home for me forever. Those pitas you get in the US? Yeah, those kind of suck. This is also where I fall in love with Greek coffee.
Back to the ship where we enjoy the age-old cruise ship tradition of eating like it’s the last time you’ll have the chance. The food is wonderful though - and the service is completely without flaw. Well done, Seabourn.
5/2 - Arrive in Katakolon - a small town known primarily for it’s proximity to Olympia - birthplace of the Olympic games. We have some time to kill before our tour begins so we walk through the crowded downtown area. Mostly shops and cafes. And cats. Cats love Greece. And why shouldn’t they?
A little later we board a bus bound for Olympia. Let’s call this particular section, “Never Underestimate the Ignorance of Americans on Vacation in a Foreign Country at a Thousands-Years-Old Historic Site.”
I’m still wondering what color they could have made the ropes around the ancient stonework to prevent some in our group from climbing over it to stand on - that’s right, not just by but ON - what’s left of these ancient monuments to strike some ignorant pose they assume is somehow historically accurate. And what noisemaking devise they could give site employees to use when they see these idiots as whistles obviously aren’t enough to get the message across.
The grounds - or what’s left of them after Christians came along and, not wanting any religion but their own to exist, tried to destroy everything in sight - are simply amazing. What there is left to see comes courtesy of a giant mudslide. Archeologists have done an amazing job uncovering and reconstructing some of the giant stone pieces and you can even walk on the field where athletes from all over the world competed as early as 776 BC. They frown upon stripping down and running naked - as the original athletes used to do - though. Our guide had to tell us that because more than one group of Americans have done this in the past. Sad.
The nearby museum holds various statues and artifacts - all equally impressive and worth much more than the 45 minutes we had with the tour.
5/3 - The island of Corfu greets us in the wee hours of the morning. The lack of sleep is starting to catch up with us and we almost pass on the next tour. What a huge mistake that would have been. A bus ride through a rural section of the island gives us a glimpse of some of Corfu’s hundreds of thousands of olive trees en route to Paleokastritsa - a centuries-old monastery on a mountain overlooking the sea.
In such a good mood leaving I actually buy a couple of the photos a local took as I was entering. Hey, you can’t take those Euros with you.
Back on the bus and into the old section of the town of Corfu - sandwiched between two massive, impressive-to-this-day fortifications built by the Venetians. Our tour guide walks us around town, pointing out the impressive variety of British, French and Venetian architectural design, city buildings and more churches. Though I’ve never been to Europe it feels very much what I’m guessing a European city might feel like and I love it. We hit a sidewalk cafe for some grub before heading back. Once again the food/drink is fresh, ample and simply delicious.
We catch the last shuttle back to the ship and don the costumes given to us earlier in the week. Traditional ancient Greek attire - required for the company’s awards ceremony that night.
At 7:30 we’re back on the bus in full costume and headed to the Achillion Palace - built for an Empress, bought by a Kaiser, birthplace of a Prince, hospital of soldiers and now rented for private functions. The view, the sculptures, the paintings, the history, the entertainment - all amazing. The entire night is incredible - even with the somewhat awkward moment when we’re called up on stage as a couple. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
5/4 - Sadly, sometime around 6 in the morning we leave Corfu. The day is spent at sea - relaxing, reading and even getting a workout in.
5/5 - Second day at sea. More of the same, sans the workout.
5/6 - Venice
Up at 5:45 - showered and on deck by 6:30 as we sail into the ancient city. The views are incredible and succeed in making me want to return as soon as possible. A fitting end to an amazing trip as I eat breakfast on deck watching the sun rise over cathedral domes, canals, bridges, etc.
Out of the cabin at 8, disembark shortly thereafter and catch a cab to the airport. US Air seems to be in some kind of contest to see who can give the least leg room on international flights - and I’d bet that if they’re not winning they’re certainly in the race.
They show three movies - True Grit, Chronicles of Narnia and Gulliver’s Travels. If you haven’t seen any of these let me summarize by saying that going from True Grit to Gulliver’s Travels is like going from a trip to Greece to a trip to McDonalds - which, in a sad way, is kind of appropriate.
After 9 hours of travel bliss we land in Philadelphia. No layover in Philadelphia’s airport can be short enough but we manage to make it out 90 minutes after clearing Customs and then take an even tinier US Air plane to Cincinnati. Mercifully, my shortest flight yet.
5/7 - You know, I really miss those triple-digit temps. That’s what I try to convince myself as I sit aboard a Delta flight home. Direct flight, more leg room and an empty middle seat. Been truly blessed on this entire trip. I have a feeling my next one won’t be 1/1,000th as good.
Ev callisto is Greek for thank you. I’d share more Greek terms but it’s not an easy language to learn. Even my Greek/English dictionary which I purchased before the trip was essentially useless. That said, a large ev callisto to Seabourn - a world-class cruise line. To Madison Events - the company that put everything together - you guys know your stuff. To Abbott Point of Care - for allowing one of their employees to haul my fat ass along with them. And mostly to Mr. Bartlett for giving me the chance to tag along. And to his wife - who didn’t kill me in my sleep for taking her spot when she was unable to go.
No comments:
Post a Comment