Last day in Athens

Today was our last day in Athens. It was more low key. Dad stayed home so he could work and the rest of us took off. We visited the ancient cemetary and then the National Art Gallary. After this, we visited a large mall and enjoyed lunch at a small cafe with inexpressible burgers, French fries, and desserts. We are now back at the Claasens, resting and packing. Tomorrow we are off to Istanbul!!!!!!

Aegina!!!!!!! Day 3

This morning we enjoyed, what was supposed to be, sausage rolls for breakfast. Quickly after biting into them we discovered that they were actually hot dogs in a croissant. After leaving this small cafe accross the street from the Metro, we hopped on and traveled all the way to Piraeus. An hour trip aboard the Metro. After arriving in Piraeus we got some tickets and were well on our way to Aegina by way of the ferry. There were some beautiful views leaving the Athens harbor. When we arrived we snapped a few photos of the indescribable senary... and then went to get some brunch! Mom found a cute little place that we, at first were a little worried about, but ended up to be one of our favorite experiences in Greece. We were seated on a tiny veranda overlooking the bustling streets and beautiful ocean. Every couple of minutes we would cease our chating and just stare into the horizon. Moments like these are the ones you never want to end. This feeling cannot be described. We explored some of the back streets, but soon after found Moped renting. Unfortunatly, mother could not ride because she had left her driving license at the house. However, Lissy and I hopped on one, and dad and Abby on the other while mom hiked to a near by temple. We rushed by sparkling beachs, peered over towering cliffs, enjoyed the cool wind, explored small Greecian neighborhood streets, and admired Aegina in all its glory!!! The views were incomparable, and the feeling of independence incomprehendable.

We Mopeded for approximatly two hours. Then we met up with mom and enjoyed a cappucino and some cokes before boarding the ferry back to Athens. We also bought some worry beads or kompoloi. These are traditional greek passtimes or finger trinkets that are a must buy when visiting Greece. Lissy, Abby and I went for the cheap ones so that we could play with them. However, mother got the expensive coral ones. She says it was a buy out of stress and dissapointment, of course referring to not getting to ride the Moped, and being worried about us on them. When the next ferry arrived we jumped on it and rewinded, ferry then Metro. We ate dinner at the same, pettite taverna that we, all except Elisabeth for we ate her food, enjoyed two days ago. Here is a blurry snapshot of the taverna.We are here again about to sleep, for we have a full day tomorrow at Sunion, Posiadons temple.

Day 2 -Athens

I was woken this morning extremely early only to find that there really was no reason. We wandered through Kifissia and found a small bakery where we got some sausage rolls for breakfast. After we quickly hopped on the Metro and traveled very far, we reached the Acropolis! The first exciting site we saw was the Theater of Dionysous. It was incredible. In fact, it was so incredible I don't know what to say about it besides that it was incredible. Next we hiked farther up the Acropolis where we marveled at the massive ancient Stoas. When I asked if I could climb on one of them Elisabeth replied, "Sure, it's not like it's ancient history or anything." Then dad found the perfect oppertunity to add his joke of the day and said "Emily, NOA STOA!!!!" LOL! We then continued even more up the Acropolis until we reached the famous gate! It was so amazing I once again don't have an adjective. Past the gate was the PARTHANON!!!!!! Even though you have probably read about it and thought WOW! It is even more WOW in real life! Also on top of the Acropolis was the old Temple of Athena and the famous olive tree. After we found our way back down the hill, we found a quaint, family owned, greek restaurant for lunch. Then we did some shopping. Mom saw a shop that was underground and made us enter. We soon found out that the man we had been talking to was the maker of the pots that mom was extremely interested in. We all had to pick out one for our rooms, and help her decide on which one to get for her. This process took appoximatly one hour and fifteen minutes. Subsequent to this little rampage, we stumbled upon Hadrians arch and the Temple of the Olympian Zeus. Zeus's temple was stupendous!!! Only fifteen of the original columns still stand today, but even only with these few, it is possible to imagine how massive the temple must have been. Then we realized that we only had thirty minutes to get to the changing of the guard at the Parliament building, or we would have to wait another hour. We pushed, shoved, squeezed, asked, and finally arived with ten minutes to spare. The changing of the guard would have been overrated had the outfits not been so entertaining. So, overall it was worth it. We were all very tired but dad thought that we would explore more of the local area and joined in at one of the festivals. We wandered down a long, narrow street to dads enjoyment and our misery. As we went through the street I stopped and got some roasted chestnuts, (I tryed them for you Nikki, since you couldnt believe I had never even seen one). I liked the taste better than the texture. We then finally and tiredly made our way back to Kifissia on the, what seemed like, neverending Metro ride. We ate at an italian restaurant and then went to see Maraisa, our greek friend who works at Starbucks. She loves us, and knows what we like so we don't even have to order. Now, we are back at the Claasens house, I am so tired so I'm gonna have to go to bed. Until tomorrow!

Day One in Athens

Our day began in the home of the Claasens deep in the neighborhoods of Kifissia, Athens. After eating a light breakfast of Starbucks muffins we set out to explore the National Archeological Museum of Athens. Yes, I understand that it was ancient history but by about the fourth hour, I was tired of looking at heads without bodies, and bodies without heads. There was the occasional famous statue or relief, but that was pretty much all it was. Then we wandered accross the street to find a small family owned cafe where we enjoyed a cappucino and some greek pastries. After, we indulged in some mouthwatering gelato despite the extreme weather.

"We're off to another meseum!" Elisabeth mockingly uttered. I said that I couldn't take another, at least until tomorrow. So the museum was vetoed and we strolled to the Plaka, a traditional bazaar, and shopped there for a little while. Then we saw the Tower of the Winds, a water clock built in the the 1st century BC, the Roman Agora, and the Greek Agora.

The Tower of the Winds is in the background, that is the Roman Agora.

A snapshot of the Temple of Hephaistos

After this incredible experience we rushed to the railway station to buy our tickets. We probably spent about an hour and one half there due to the long line, the attendant who was as slow as jello, mollasses, turtles, snails, PE class, international flights....I could go on forever, I've got a million of these! Oh, and then we were cut in line. We then felt our day was over because we were ready for dinner even though it was only 4:00. We traveled back to Kifissia and ate at at tiny greek resaurant with food good enough to eat!!!!!! So good in fact, that we ate Elisabeths salad by mistake, thinking that it was conmplimentary with our meals.

We then treated ourselves to a Starbucks, and made a trip to the local supermarket, where I was almost killed by an automatic door, but thats another story. So ended our first day in Athens, Greece.

Doricy or Dorky?

We have just completed our first day of touring Athens. Although we have only been here a short time I have already have an interesting theory on columns and our modern day vocabulary.

In order to be well informed on my annalysis, I advise you to first reread the definition of dorky- An insult of ones intelligence ar appearence. In this case, appearence. Now please study the Greecian Doric column in compare to the Greecian Corinthian column.

Doric

Corinthian

So, as you can, i'm sure already tell, there is a relationship between the word doric and dorky. I believe that in ancient greecian times an insult in ones appearance was to call them doricy. This of course, eventually evolved in to our modern day insult, dorky.

See, I can be deep!!!!

P.S. I did figure that out on my own!!!!!!!!!!

Told Ya So!

"Don't do it Lissy! You'll regret it!!!" Pause......Well I had better go back farther in the day so you can get a better picture of whats happening.

Those of you who know me also know that at times like these I am not usually the most helpful and I am definitely not the one to discourage risk taking. Well, it all happened one warm Doha morning. I had just returned from a dance rehearsal for The King and I (the production I am currently involved in). Lissy greeted me and without hesitation shouted "I going back to blonde!" I, the wise one, cautioned her sensibly. "Lissy" I said, "both you and I know you'll regret this!" She was quick to notify me that she knew what she was doing and it would all be fine.

~

"AHHHHHH!!!!!!" I'm sure you know who this is! So I'm going to skip to the boring part of the story.

I think we all learned a valuable lesson today.......Awkward Silence.........don't change your hair color if it looks fine the way it is. Who knows, you might end up like Lissy, bright orange!

So Elisabeth, simple, naive Elisabeth, I can honestly and sincerely say, "I TOLD YA SO!!!!"

Christmas a la Doha

Marhaba friends and family across the world! Yes its Christmas again, and your probably busy cooking, decorating and enjoying your time off. Here in Doha, our quaint compound is preparing for the traditional Christmas festivities of gingerbread-housing, white-elephanting, and caroling. While we are flitting around trying to get ready, Doha is trying to indulge us. In the grocery stores cheap, oddly colored and not exactly christmasy Christmas ornaments are sold. In one of the malls a Christmas tree so tall you can barely see the top and so bushy you could get lost in it was set up. However, it has only been decorated a third of the way up and with the cheap, oddly colored and not exactly christmasy Christmas ornaments.

We may be far away from you this Christmas but we are thinking of all of you! We are having Christmas in the sand. Its not much of a christmasy Christmas but I guess Christmas is what you make it and how you keep it. So MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!

P.S. I'll try and remember all of you when I'm sitting on the Acropolis looking at the Parthenon.