So, after Dublin Jordi and I felt the pull to get back to London. I seriously think that's where my heart belongs. It is so fucking awesome! There is so much to do and it's so easy to get lost and enjoy yourself while you find your way back again! We spent a lot of the last week soaking the city up. We went to the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. One of my favorite things to do is play some Thievery Corporation or Nouvelle Vague on my iPod and just cruise around a museum to see every different form of art. We were fortunate enough to see Monet's "Water Lillies," Van Gogh's "Sunflowers," Manets, Renoirs, Rembrandts, Botticellis, da Vincis, Warhols and a fabulous Turner called "The Fighting Temeraire." It may all sound quite boring, but I fully appreciate a good piece of art, especially the impressionists.
We visited the London Aquarium on a particularly overcast day. It was so rad to watch all these kids (with the cutest British accents) asking their mothers if they could ride the seahorses and trying to touch the stingrays. I am fascinated by all forms of sea life (as long as it's behind glass) and was really glad we went to the aquarium. It was a great way to spend a few hours as the wind picked up and it started to drizzle.
One night we went out to a club called The Soho Review to go to a party Perez Hilton was hosting. I know, I know. But he's my guilty pleasure! Jordi and I went with our new Florida friend Allison, and when we arrived we were a little bummed. The line was filled with drag queens and emo kids. Now, don't get me wrong...I don't judge. Just not my scene. I'll leave that party to the kids who slit their wrists the wrong way and dudes that wear more eye makeup than me. I wanted to dance and laugh the night away, and this was clearly not the club that would make that happen for me.
We ended up at this club called Wax. It was supposedly VIP, but it was filled with more douche~bags than Sharkeez on a Saturday night. It seems like every guy out here loves an American girl and will do anything to get laid by one. Except brush their fucking teeth. WTF is up with Brits and their teeth? I don't get it. You would think they would make that extra effort. So getting hit on by guys who claim to work next to the Black Eyed Peas, Nelly Furtado and J.T. got really old really quick for us. I mean, you can claim all you want. But the truth is, what the hell would you be doing in a club as fucked as this one if you really know all these people? Buy some toothpaste and a new pick~up line.
On the brighter side, we were able to enjoy one of London's strongest selling points: the theatres. There are musicals playing on every corner, and we decided to take advantage of this very opportunity. What better play to see than "We Will Rock You" written by the remaining band mates of Queen?!? The play was soooooo fucking awesome. The humor, the song renditions and the acting was so great. Audience participation was a must, as we all know at least a handful of Queen songs. The best part was the tribute to Freddie Mercury, a true legend. He was a gay man who died of AIDS, but his legacy lives on through this incredible play. I was thoroughly impressed.
My absolute favorite part of London was Camden Town. Although some of you may have read that part of it burnt down, the streets are still thriving and are as lively as ever. There is soooo much good shopping, crazy nightlife, and people of all walks of life enjoying the whole scene. No judgement, no hate. Just a bunch of kids like us in one huge place, just out to have a little fun. Camden is a must if you ever make it out to London. I only wish we had discovered it sooner.
Amongst many pints and shots, lots of new friends, and a billion pictures, my days in London have been some of the best in my life. It breaks my heart to have to leave, but I know for a fact I will be back. Mark my words.
We are now off to Paris, the City of Lights. I can't wait to experience a whole new culture and more diversity. God...my life does not suck!
Miss you all! xoxox
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Pints in Dublin
Hi everyone! So we are in Dublin and it's out of control! The Irish can really put beer away! We took a train from London to Holyhead in England, then a ferry to Dublin. I cannot tell you how awesome it was to smell the ocean air and hear seagulls. It's crazy how easy it is to take the beach for granted, especially when you live 100 feet from it! The ferry ride was super smooth and we were able to navigate our way to our Bed & Breakfast (called The Parkway House) fairly easily. It was so rad: 3 different Irish people came up to us and asked if we needed help. I know how touristy you look when you're holding a map and lugging a huge suitcase in the rain, but I loved that we didn't even have to ask! I definitely will remember this when I get back home and see someone on the street asking where Balboa Pier is!
That same night, we went to Temple Bar to meet up with our Aussie friends. Temple bar is an area that is highly condensed with pubs and clubs. Our first pint was Guinness, obviously. Sooo good. Now I remember why I came home so fat from England...I drank that shit like it was going out of style. It gets you so drunk though. We watched an Irish band play while we drank and met locals. Dude, people get sooo pissed. Even the adult women have their arms around eachother, swaying their pints above their heads, singing along to the songs. So awesome.
After the pub, we went to this club called Purty Kitchen. We had a blast! We drank more and danced all night long. The guys our here LOVE O.C. girls cuz of the t.v. shows like The O.C., Laguna Beach, and Newport Harbor. When I tell them I actually went to Harbor, they trip out. They ask if we know the cast members as if there are 17 people that live in Orange County and we all know eachother. They love our accents and do hilarious impressions of us, making us sound like rednecks. Fuckin George Bush.
The next day, hurting from the consumption of 57 pints and 29 shots, we went to the Guinness Store House. Yay! More booze! The factory is really cool and they hook you up with free beer when you go. It's everywhere. Lovin' the black magic potion. This chick taught us how to properly pour a pint of the goodness, and we taught her how to properly down it.
Later that day, we went on a hop-on/hop-off tour of the city. It's a lot more industrialized than I pictured it, but that doesn't really matter when all you really want to see is the inside of the pubs! That night we went to ANOTHER pub to watch the Ireland v Brazil football (soccer) match. Dude, these people take their football seriously! Paint all over their bodies, head to toe green, white, and orange. Shouts, songs, chants. Pints and more pints. It was so awesome to see the camraderie! Needless to say, Brazil won and the Irish (and a few Americans and Australians) went out to get pissed at another pub and a club.
Why did God create beer? To keep the Irish from ruling the world. So true. I have a lot of Irish blood in me, but it's hard to keep up with these people. They drink A LOT, and while we can appreciate that, we are tired of drinking.
I love Ireland (even though you can only understand every third word the Irish say) but I want to get back to London. I feel this pull to be there a little longer. Cash is depleting, liver is barely thriving, it's time to do laundry, and I am the happiest girl alive.
xoxox
That same night, we went to Temple Bar to meet up with our Aussie friends. Temple bar is an area that is highly condensed with pubs and clubs. Our first pint was Guinness, obviously. Sooo good. Now I remember why I came home so fat from England...I drank that shit like it was going out of style. It gets you so drunk though. We watched an Irish band play while we drank and met locals. Dude, people get sooo pissed. Even the adult women have their arms around eachother, swaying their pints above their heads, singing along to the songs. So awesome.
After the pub, we went to this club called Purty Kitchen. We had a blast! We drank more and danced all night long. The guys our here LOVE O.C. girls cuz of the t.v. shows like The O.C., Laguna Beach, and Newport Harbor. When I tell them I actually went to Harbor, they trip out. They ask if we know the cast members as if there are 17 people that live in Orange County and we all know eachother. They love our accents and do hilarious impressions of us, making us sound like rednecks. Fuckin George Bush.
The next day, hurting from the consumption of 57 pints and 29 shots, we went to the Guinness Store House. Yay! More booze! The factory is really cool and they hook you up with free beer when you go. It's everywhere. Lovin' the black magic potion. This chick taught us how to properly pour a pint of the goodness, and we taught her how to properly down it.
Later that day, we went on a hop-on/hop-off tour of the city. It's a lot more industrialized than I pictured it, but that doesn't really matter when all you really want to see is the inside of the pubs! That night we went to ANOTHER pub to watch the Ireland v Brazil football (soccer) match. Dude, these people take their football seriously! Paint all over their bodies, head to toe green, white, and orange. Shouts, songs, chants. Pints and more pints. It was so awesome to see the camraderie! Needless to say, Brazil won and the Irish (and a few Americans and Australians) went out to get pissed at another pub and a club.
Why did God create beer? To keep the Irish from ruling the world. So true. I have a lot of Irish blood in me, but it's hard to keep up with these people. They drink A LOT, and while we can appreciate that, we are tired of drinking.
I love Ireland (even though you can only understand every third word the Irish say) but I want to get back to London. I feel this pull to be there a little longer. Cash is depleting, liver is barely thriving, it's time to do laundry, and I am the happiest girl alive.
xoxox
Monday, February 4, 2008
Truly, Madly, Deeply In Love With London
OMG, you guys! I am in love with London! Jordi and I arrived on January 30th and it has been a whirlwind of awesomness! It was hard to pack my whole life into a 20kg suitcase, but when I arrived at the airport, my bag weighed exactly 20 kilos. So perfect. When we arrived at Gatwick Airport a few hours later, we bought a train ticket to Vitoria Station which is a major tube station for the underground railroad in London. Upon arrival to Victoria, we bought tube passes to last us a few days. When we had lugged our bags underground, the tube was about to leave. Jordi made it on with her suitcase without a hitch, but I got caught behind this Italian family who didn't know to move over for me. The door started to close as I only had half of my suitcase inside and I could not push my way in for the life of me. Jordi was yelling, "Seester! Get on!" Suddenly this little British dude shoves my suitcase in, picks me up with one arm while the other was holding the powerful door open, and thrusts me into the train. It was so fucking funny! I thought it to be a humorous way to introduce myself back into the underground system.
When Jordi and I finally made it to our hostel (after getting very lost), we were so stoked. We walked into the Generator and were immediately made to feel at home. The staff is awesome and there are travelers our age everywhere. They make breakfast and dinner, have a club/bar with a resident DJ, a lounge, laundry, and a luggage room. We were a bit apprehensive about choosing a hostel over a hotel, but it was the best decision we could have made. We have met SO MANY people from all over the world. These are people we will be friends with for life, and who can be contacts should we decide to visit them in their home countries. Everyone is on the same page as you: living out of a suitcase, anxious about the unknown yet wide~eyed and excited to learn and travel, and just all around accepting of everyone. I love Newport with all my heart, but I feel so disgusted knowing I will soon have to go back to judgement and fake people. Here, it doesn't matter what you wear, how big your boobs are, who you know, or where you're from.
We are staying in a double, which is 2 beds in one room. It is much more expensive than the dorms (which house up to 16 people), but I feel safer leaving my belongings in a room that is just ours. We stay in a bunk bed, but they're really comfortable (especially after a night of pubs and clubs). The shared bathrooms and showers are well~kept and clean. And the staff are really helpful and nice.
We have been eating in pubs (which almost everyone does here), drinking and dancing our nights away to the best house music. The shopping here is fucking phenomenal, and I have put a dent in my credit card that will take a while to repair. The tube is so fun to ride! It's soooo easy to navigate around the city, and you feel so cool doing it! Aside from the tube, we walk A LOT. I have lost a ton of weight and my legs and ass look great. Haha! I feel healthy and I haven't been this happy in all of my life. Jordi is the best travel partner ever...we laugh all the time. Getting lost is so much fun, and looking for the next cool sight or shop is always an adventure.
We have seen Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, Big Ben, London and Tower Bridges and all of Picadilly Circus among other things. So amazing!
We leave for Dublin early tomorrow morning, and we are going to meet a couple of friends from Australia over there. I can't wait to go to the Guinness factory! We will be there for about 4 or 5 days depending on how our livers hold up! Our plan was to go to Paris directly from Dublin, but we opted instead to come back to London for a few more days. This will cut into our time we planned to spend in France, but it will be so worth it. I could live here! If only circumstances were different...
I really miss you all and hope life is good in the states! Gotta go pack for Dublin...
xoxox, Kati Grae
When Jordi and I finally made it to our hostel (after getting very lost), we were so stoked. We walked into the Generator and were immediately made to feel at home. The staff is awesome and there are travelers our age everywhere. They make breakfast and dinner, have a club/bar with a resident DJ, a lounge, laundry, and a luggage room. We were a bit apprehensive about choosing a hostel over a hotel, but it was the best decision we could have made. We have met SO MANY people from all over the world. These are people we will be friends with for life, and who can be contacts should we decide to visit them in their home countries. Everyone is on the same page as you: living out of a suitcase, anxious about the unknown yet wide~eyed and excited to learn and travel, and just all around accepting of everyone. I love Newport with all my heart, but I feel so disgusted knowing I will soon have to go back to judgement and fake people. Here, it doesn't matter what you wear, how big your boobs are, who you know, or where you're from.
We are staying in a double, which is 2 beds in one room. It is much more expensive than the dorms (which house up to 16 people), but I feel safer leaving my belongings in a room that is just ours. We stay in a bunk bed, but they're really comfortable (especially after a night of pubs and clubs). The shared bathrooms and showers are well~kept and clean. And the staff are really helpful and nice.
We have been eating in pubs (which almost everyone does here), drinking and dancing our nights away to the best house music. The shopping here is fucking phenomenal, and I have put a dent in my credit card that will take a while to repair. The tube is so fun to ride! It's soooo easy to navigate around the city, and you feel so cool doing it! Aside from the tube, we walk A LOT. I have lost a ton of weight and my legs and ass look great. Haha! I feel healthy and I haven't been this happy in all of my life. Jordi is the best travel partner ever...we laugh all the time. Getting lost is so much fun, and looking for the next cool sight or shop is always an adventure.
We have seen Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, Big Ben, London and Tower Bridges and all of Picadilly Circus among other things. So amazing!
We leave for Dublin early tomorrow morning, and we are going to meet a couple of friends from Australia over there. I can't wait to go to the Guinness factory! We will be there for about 4 or 5 days depending on how our livers hold up! Our plan was to go to Paris directly from Dublin, but we opted instead to come back to London for a few more days. This will cut into our time we planned to spend in France, but it will be so worth it. I could live here! If only circumstances were different...
I really miss you all and hope life is good in the states! Gotta go pack for Dublin...
xoxox, Kati Grae
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Goodbye, Sofia!
Hello friends! I hope your weekend was a good one! Our final weekend here in Sofia was awesome. On Friday night, Jordi and I returned to the Swingin' Hall (the first bar we saw here) along with Rachel. We had a few drinks, danced to the 90's American music, and chatted with some locals. Jordi even found a new love! Unfortunately, she doesn't remember his name, but from the pics, she remembers his mouth! Haha! My sister is the ultimate Makeout Bandit! We decided beforehand to leave around 1am because we were all attending a festival the next day, but when we jumped in the cab at 1:30, we were all pretty tossed.
The following morning was horrendous. I wasn't too hungover, but Jordi and Rachel were hurting. Several of the teachers from Mom's school, along with Rachel's parents and our own Mom, decided to rent a small bus to go to the famous Kukeri Festival that is held bianually just outside of Sofia. The 30 minute trek up the mountain was awful! I swear, Bulgarians do not believe in repaving their roads. They must have laid asphalt once about 300 years ago and then relinquished all responsibility from road maintenance. The roads are so full of potholes that the drivers either swerve sharply around them or just go through them. Oh, and shocks on cars? Meh! Why replace those either? Who needs shocks? You don't notice these things until your tummy hurts for whatever reason. Rachel and Jordi each had bags in case they had to toss their cookies. I don't even get carsick and I thought this was brutal!
So we finally get there, and it was a hangover's nightmare!!! The Kukeri Festival is an old tradition that brings people from all over the world together to mark the beginning of spring. There are bits about luck and fertility, but the main focus of the festival is to drive away evil spirits. Using VERY LOUD noises. I'm not kidding: the majority of participants were wearing row upon row of huge cow bells (which could have been funny any other day...can anyone say, "more cowbell, please!") and goat bells. They were beating on huge drums and were jumping around in order to sound the heavy bells as loudly as possible. They wear layers of animal skins and furs, masks, and elaborate costumes. They say it's an honor to be chosen to parade around like this, but those costumes must have reeked of animal death and sweat! It was a PETA nightmare! So disgusting yet so entertaining. There were thousands of people there to see the parade of costumes and participate in the festival, and I am really glad we went. I will just be sure to not drink the night before something like that. It was all very odd, and while you have to appreciate old tradition and culture, you have to also be thankful to be who you are. God, it's great to be American.
There were other things at this festival to be entertained by, and that was the Bulgarians themselves. Particularly, their fashion. Now, I'm not the fashion editor for Vogue or anything, but I know a fashion faux pas when I see one. And let me tell you, I saw more than one. Leopard print on top of tiger print under black pleather. Spandex on people who definitely should not wear spandex. Headbands from the 80's. Scrunchies from the 90's. Mom jeans galore. Knit sweaters your kindergarten teacher sported. Acid washed jeans, and not the ones from a bad music video. Oh, no. The Bulgarians are reinventing them, along with seams, zippers, and pockets all over the place. Thigh high stiletto patent leather boots. And the hair! Mullets are supposedly fashionable here! Business in the front, party in the back? I think not! Old ladies dye their hair every shade of red possible, from fire engine red to magenta. Let me tell you how glad I am that an American sang "I'm Bringin' Sexy Back" and not a Bulgarian. I cannot wait to get to London, one of the fashion capitals of the world.
All in all, we really enjoyed Sofia. Eastern Europe has it's own beauty and there are so many things to see and do out here. The culture is amazing, and the people are really nice once you get to know them.
It was awesome to be able to spend so much time with our Mama. Her spirit and desire to want to make this world a better place through teaching youth all over the world is admirable. My mom struggled through a bitter and ugly divorce, raising 3 kids on her own while putting herself through school full time. She attained her Master's Degree in the midst of custody and child support wars, all with superior grades. There were several people who told her this couldn't be done and who made her feel as though she didn't deserve happiness. She has loved and supported every single decision we have made, even when she hasn't agreed with them. She constantly tells us to fight for what we believe in and make sure whatever choices we make will ensure happiness and health. My mother is my hero, and she deserves every ounce of happiness she has and will continue to accrue. Although we miss having her just down the street from us, I now know that she is in a good place. She has great friends who care deeply for her and whom will protect her in all ways possible. And most of all, she is content. I am so proud of my Mama. I love you so much, Madre! We will be back to see you soon!
Goodbye, Sofia! Off to London!
Miss you all!
xoxox
The following morning was horrendous. I wasn't too hungover, but Jordi and Rachel were hurting. Several of the teachers from Mom's school, along with Rachel's parents and our own Mom, decided to rent a small bus to go to the famous Kukeri Festival that is held bianually just outside of Sofia. The 30 minute trek up the mountain was awful! I swear, Bulgarians do not believe in repaving their roads. They must have laid asphalt once about 300 years ago and then relinquished all responsibility from road maintenance. The roads are so full of potholes that the drivers either swerve sharply around them or just go through them. Oh, and shocks on cars? Meh! Why replace those either? Who needs shocks? You don't notice these things until your tummy hurts for whatever reason. Rachel and Jordi each had bags in case they had to toss their cookies. I don't even get carsick and I thought this was brutal!
So we finally get there, and it was a hangover's nightmare!!! The Kukeri Festival is an old tradition that brings people from all over the world together to mark the beginning of spring. There are bits about luck and fertility, but the main focus of the festival is to drive away evil spirits. Using VERY LOUD noises. I'm not kidding: the majority of participants were wearing row upon row of huge cow bells (which could have been funny any other day...can anyone say, "more cowbell, please!") and goat bells. They were beating on huge drums and were jumping around in order to sound the heavy bells as loudly as possible. They wear layers of animal skins and furs, masks, and elaborate costumes. They say it's an honor to be chosen to parade around like this, but those costumes must have reeked of animal death and sweat! It was a PETA nightmare! So disgusting yet so entertaining. There were thousands of people there to see the parade of costumes and participate in the festival, and I am really glad we went. I will just be sure to not drink the night before something like that. It was all very odd, and while you have to appreciate old tradition and culture, you have to also be thankful to be who you are. God, it's great to be American.
There were other things at this festival to be entertained by, and that was the Bulgarians themselves. Particularly, their fashion. Now, I'm not the fashion editor for Vogue or anything, but I know a fashion faux pas when I see one. And let me tell you, I saw more than one. Leopard print on top of tiger print under black pleather. Spandex on people who definitely should not wear spandex. Headbands from the 80's. Scrunchies from the 90's. Mom jeans galore. Knit sweaters your kindergarten teacher sported. Acid washed jeans, and not the ones from a bad music video. Oh, no. The Bulgarians are reinventing them, along with seams, zippers, and pockets all over the place. Thigh high stiletto patent leather boots. And the hair! Mullets are supposedly fashionable here! Business in the front, party in the back? I think not! Old ladies dye their hair every shade of red possible, from fire engine red to magenta. Let me tell you how glad I am that an American sang "I'm Bringin' Sexy Back" and not a Bulgarian. I cannot wait to get to London, one of the fashion capitals of the world.
All in all, we really enjoyed Sofia. Eastern Europe has it's own beauty and there are so many things to see and do out here. The culture is amazing, and the people are really nice once you get to know them.
It was awesome to be able to spend so much time with our Mama. Her spirit and desire to want to make this world a better place through teaching youth all over the world is admirable. My mom struggled through a bitter and ugly divorce, raising 3 kids on her own while putting herself through school full time. She attained her Master's Degree in the midst of custody and child support wars, all with superior grades. There were several people who told her this couldn't be done and who made her feel as though she didn't deserve happiness. She has loved and supported every single decision we have made, even when she hasn't agreed with them. She constantly tells us to fight for what we believe in and make sure whatever choices we make will ensure happiness and health. My mother is my hero, and she deserves every ounce of happiness she has and will continue to accrue. Although we miss having her just down the street from us, I now know that she is in a good place. She has great friends who care deeply for her and whom will protect her in all ways possible. And most of all, she is content. I am so proud of my Mama. I love you so much, Madre! We will be back to see you soon!
Goodbye, Sofia! Off to London!
Miss you all!
xoxox
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Dylan is leaving :(
Hey everyone! I have some sad news: Dylan is heading home to the states tomorrow morning. My poor brother has had issues with his celly, his bank account, and just about every journey we have been on has brought him misfortune. I just think he isn't cut out to travel with the three of us girls. Some people enjoy new experiences and take the good with the bad, while others feel better when in their comfort zones. It's unfortunate though. This may be the only time he has the freedom financially and emotionally to be out here, and he's choosing to cut it short. He's even forgoing Ecuador. I myself have been traveling since early college when I spent a semester abroad in Cambridge, England with Britty. We traveled a lot then, and over the past several years I have been fortunate enough to see a lot of this incredibly fascinating world. But there is one thing I've learned: if you aren't cut out to travel, you will be miserable the entire time. And when your bank is being shitty and your celly is being overcharged, that only adds to the misery. We will miss him dearly...I really wish he would at least come to Dublin and Amsterdam with us. Most of all, I just hope he doesn't regret this in the long run.
Jordi and I, on the other hand, are getting really excited to take off at the end of this month. Our plans keep getting better and better! I too have been having cell phone problems. They cut my service due to "unrecognizable activity" (even though they knew I would be abroad!) and tried to rape me on my texting charges, but it's all resolved now. They credited my account for ALL of my texts and roaming! Yay! My phone bill is still retardedly expensive, but it's worth it to keep a form of communicating with new friends we have made out here, and to text you all occasionally.
This last Saturday, Jordi, Mom and I attended a Chili Cook~Off at the U.S. Embassy here in Sofia. The security was incredibly tight, and they all looked at you as if you were a threat to the Embassy. When cars would pull up, they would even check under the hood and in the trunks for any possible danger. It was a trip. The attendants were mostly U.S. Ambassadors and their families, along with the teachers of AAS and some students and families. We tried a variety of chilis and there was a bar there where the U.S. Marines were bartending. There are only 5 Marines in Sofia, and they told us it gets really boring for them because they need to stay on base at almost all times. We met a couple who invited us out for drinks on Sunday, but Jordi and I declined, knowing how hungover we would be from Saturday night. This is because after the Chili Cook~Off, Rachel, Jordi and I went BIG!
We decided to go to this hidden bar called Alcohol (how creative!) that has a sort of secret entrance. We got there at about 10:30 (the time we normally head out to the bars), but it was dead! We were 3 of 6 people in the club...it was so funny! We met a Bulgarian girl who was waiting for her friends to arrive, and decided to start with shots and drinks. At around 11:30, the DJ arrived and it was suddenly packed! He was spinning really good trance and other mixes, and at about 3 spicy drinks deep, I was dancing as if no one was watching. It felt so good to dance and forget about everything else. Jordi met a really amazing dude we'll call Chester (for his attempted molester ways). He couldn't speak English so he had his friend translate for him: he was madly and deeply in love with Jordi. He didn't care that she had a "boyfriend" or that "her foot hurt so she couldn't dance with him." We had a couple of pictures of this dude, and he was a Creepy McCreeperson! Yikes! After he went away, we took a barrage of pics, drank more shots and cocktails, danced our asses off and finally decided to leave at around two, despite closing time being 6am. God, I remember partying and dancing all night in Tijuana when I was younger and not even feeling the effects the next day. But, to my chagrin, I am getting older and definitely do not have the resilience I used to. Sunday was a mellow day (thank God!), and Jordi and I nursed our hangovers with food Mom and Dylan kindly brought us. We had such a blast though, that the hangover was well worth it. They usually are, aren't they?
I'm bummed the Cowboys didn't make it to the final four, but I know this Superbowl will be an exciting one. I only have one request: please be safe! This Superbowl Sunday will mark the two year anniversary of the horrifying accident my brother and sister were in. They were hit by a drunk driver who was also on speed, and my brother almost lost his life. His arm is still really fucked up, but the emotional damage is worse. Our family has suffered greatly because of that stupid bitch who got in her car after drinking. Please, please, please do not drink and drive. Be smart and don't put yourselves or others at risk just because you want to get home. I love you all very much, and miss you dearly! Have fun and take a shot for me when the Pats kick some Giant ass! xoxox
Jordi and I, on the other hand, are getting really excited to take off at the end of this month. Our plans keep getting better and better! I too have been having cell phone problems. They cut my service due to "unrecognizable activity" (even though they knew I would be abroad!) and tried to rape me on my texting charges, but it's all resolved now. They credited my account for ALL of my texts and roaming! Yay! My phone bill is still retardedly expensive, but it's worth it to keep a form of communicating with new friends we have made out here, and to text you all occasionally.
This last Saturday, Jordi, Mom and I attended a Chili Cook~Off at the U.S. Embassy here in Sofia. The security was incredibly tight, and they all looked at you as if you were a threat to the Embassy. When cars would pull up, they would even check under the hood and in the trunks for any possible danger. It was a trip. The attendants were mostly U.S. Ambassadors and their families, along with the teachers of AAS and some students and families. We tried a variety of chilis and there was a bar there where the U.S. Marines were bartending. There are only 5 Marines in Sofia, and they told us it gets really boring for them because they need to stay on base at almost all times. We met a couple who invited us out for drinks on Sunday, but Jordi and I declined, knowing how hungover we would be from Saturday night. This is because after the Chili Cook~Off, Rachel, Jordi and I went BIG!
We decided to go to this hidden bar called Alcohol (how creative!) that has a sort of secret entrance. We got there at about 10:30 (the time we normally head out to the bars), but it was dead! We were 3 of 6 people in the club...it was so funny! We met a Bulgarian girl who was waiting for her friends to arrive, and decided to start with shots and drinks. At around 11:30, the DJ arrived and it was suddenly packed! He was spinning really good trance and other mixes, and at about 3 spicy drinks deep, I was dancing as if no one was watching. It felt so good to dance and forget about everything else. Jordi met a really amazing dude we'll call Chester (for his attempted molester ways). He couldn't speak English so he had his friend translate for him: he was madly and deeply in love with Jordi. He didn't care that she had a "boyfriend" or that "her foot hurt so she couldn't dance with him." We had a couple of pictures of this dude, and he was a Creepy McCreeperson! Yikes! After he went away, we took a barrage of pics, drank more shots and cocktails, danced our asses off and finally decided to leave at around two, despite closing time being 6am. God, I remember partying and dancing all night in Tijuana when I was younger and not even feeling the effects the next day. But, to my chagrin, I am getting older and definitely do not have the resilience I used to. Sunday was a mellow day (thank God!), and Jordi and I nursed our hangovers with food Mom and Dylan kindly brought us. We had such a blast though, that the hangover was well worth it. They usually are, aren't they?
I'm bummed the Cowboys didn't make it to the final four, but I know this Superbowl will be an exciting one. I only have one request: please be safe! This Superbowl Sunday will mark the two year anniversary of the horrifying accident my brother and sister were in. They were hit by a drunk driver who was also on speed, and my brother almost lost his life. His arm is still really fucked up, but the emotional damage is worse. Our family has suffered greatly because of that stupid bitch who got in her car after drinking. Please, please, please do not drink and drive. Be smart and don't put yourselves or others at risk just because you want to get home. I love you all very much, and miss you dearly! Have fun and take a shot for me when the Pats kick some Giant ass! xoxox
Monday, January 14, 2008
Travel Plans
Hi everyone! I hope your weekend was a good one! I know my good friends celebrated something special: Jeff's 25th birthday! I am so bummed we were unable to be there, but I heard it was a great time! Liz told me about the tiara and pink boa, and I know that some of you went up to Big Bear to stay at Hammer's cabin. I hope it was a great time! Happy Birthday, Molle! We love and miss you tons, and hope this is a great year for all of us!
Our weekend in Sofia was great! On Saturday we just relaxed, as my mom was not feeling well enough to go into town. It's just a minor cold, but being out in this weather guarantees even something small to worsen. It was nice to stay in and just hang out with our mama. We all have been helping her to cook and keep the flat nice, even though she has a maid who comes twice weekly. It's so great to be learning how to make new dishes and to be eating such fresh foods. I love the European way of grocery shopping: you basically make a trip to the market every day, or every other day, to purchase only the things you will be needing for specific meals. Nothing here has preservatives, so you can easily believe that there are no big box stores such as Costco or anything of the sort. And because we are walking everywhere and eating healthier, I feel so great! I have already lost 12 pounds (no lie!) and the thought of fast food makes me want to be sick (although I cannot resist french fries from Mickey Dee's every now and then!)
Sunday was super fun! We went to mom's colleague's house for an omelette brunch. Kendra has a lovely flat in the downtown area of Sofia, and there were about 20 of us there to enjoy eachother's company and the food. Jordi, Mom and I (Dylan wanted to stay home) went and brought a small supply of tortillas and salsa. These are considered delacacies in this country due to the fact that you cannot find these anywhere. Jordi and I had brought Mom a plethora of these, among other things on her wishlist, and it was funny to see people get excited over such simple things we take for granted. Don't get me wrong...Bulgaria is not anything like a third world country. But they do not have everything available in their markets that our local Albertson's supplies at home.
During the brunch, lots of Mom's friends asked about our travels so far and gave us lots of tips for the future trips we have planned. They were very helpful and definitely gave us a lot of insight as to how we should plan and the places we should visit. Here is our plan: we are going to get an absurdly cheap flight to London (only 93 euros from Sofia!), go to Wales followed by a few days in Dublin, Ireland. From there we will go to Paris and possibly the south of France. In late February, Ryan and Banner are coming out to meet us in Italy, and I am sooo excited! My mom is planning to come as well, and we're trying to get Dylan's friend Michelle out too. I am a quarter Italian and love the idea of traveling throughout this supposedly amazing country. We plan to see Venice, Rome, Florence, and Milan. It should be very exciting, although I know I will most likely gain at least some of my lost weight back from all the incredible authentic Italian food I plan to indulge in! From Italy we will go to Belgium and then on to Holland to visit the notorious city of Amsterdam. After that, maybe then I will come home! I have been to London, Paris and Amsterdam, but these are definitely cities that one can never get enough of and I truly cannot wait to see my sister's reaction to the sights and sounds of these incredible places. We will leave for our journey at the end of this month, and we are really looking forward to this! Although there are many places we had to scratch off our lists of Places to See due to budget restrictions (our eyes were definitely bigger than our wallets!) I feel that our plans are ideal. My only wish is that you all could be here to experience this with us!
We love and miss you all dearly and hope life at home isn't too boring without us!
xoxox, Kati
Our weekend in Sofia was great! On Saturday we just relaxed, as my mom was not feeling well enough to go into town. It's just a minor cold, but being out in this weather guarantees even something small to worsen. It was nice to stay in and just hang out with our mama. We all have been helping her to cook and keep the flat nice, even though she has a maid who comes twice weekly. It's so great to be learning how to make new dishes and to be eating such fresh foods. I love the European way of grocery shopping: you basically make a trip to the market every day, or every other day, to purchase only the things you will be needing for specific meals. Nothing here has preservatives, so you can easily believe that there are no big box stores such as Costco or anything of the sort. And because we are walking everywhere and eating healthier, I feel so great! I have already lost 12 pounds (no lie!) and the thought of fast food makes me want to be sick (although I cannot resist french fries from Mickey Dee's every now and then!)
Sunday was super fun! We went to mom's colleague's house for an omelette brunch. Kendra has a lovely flat in the downtown area of Sofia, and there were about 20 of us there to enjoy eachother's company and the food. Jordi, Mom and I (Dylan wanted to stay home) went and brought a small supply of tortillas and salsa. These are considered delacacies in this country due to the fact that you cannot find these anywhere. Jordi and I had brought Mom a plethora of these, among other things on her wishlist, and it was funny to see people get excited over such simple things we take for granted. Don't get me wrong...Bulgaria is not anything like a third world country. But they do not have everything available in their markets that our local Albertson's supplies at home.
During the brunch, lots of Mom's friends asked about our travels so far and gave us lots of tips for the future trips we have planned. They were very helpful and definitely gave us a lot of insight as to how we should plan and the places we should visit. Here is our plan: we are going to get an absurdly cheap flight to London (only 93 euros from Sofia!), go to Wales followed by a few days in Dublin, Ireland. From there we will go to Paris and possibly the south of France. In late February, Ryan and Banner are coming out to meet us in Italy, and I am sooo excited! My mom is planning to come as well, and we're trying to get Dylan's friend Michelle out too. I am a quarter Italian and love the idea of traveling throughout this supposedly amazing country. We plan to see Venice, Rome, Florence, and Milan. It should be very exciting, although I know I will most likely gain at least some of my lost weight back from all the incredible authentic Italian food I plan to indulge in! From Italy we will go to Belgium and then on to Holland to visit the notorious city of Amsterdam. After that, maybe then I will come home! I have been to London, Paris and Amsterdam, but these are definitely cities that one can never get enough of and I truly cannot wait to see my sister's reaction to the sights and sounds of these incredible places. We will leave for our journey at the end of this month, and we are really looking forward to this! Although there are many places we had to scratch off our lists of Places to See due to budget restrictions (our eyes were definitely bigger than our wallets!) I feel that our plans are ideal. My only wish is that you all could be here to experience this with us!
We love and miss you all dearly and hope life at home isn't too boring without us!
xoxox, Kati
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Greece
Hi everyone! We have been back from Greece for several days now, but rest and relaxation was needed before I could begin this blog. I hope everyone had a wonderful New Years Eve, and that your beginnings of 2008 have been as awesome as mine!
We originally wanted to spend NYE in Paris, as it has always been a dream of mine to count down a new year in The City of Lights. But due to recent rioting and transportation strikes, we thought it best to spend the turn of the year somewhere more mellow and much closer to Sofia. Greece sounded like the perfect destination!
We started our journey from Sofia to Thessoloniki, Greece by train early evening on the 28th of December. We shared a car with a man and his young son, and the trip was smooth and without consequence. We were all able to sleep easily, with the aid of our iPods, and we all considered this mode of transportation much more pleasing than the bus ride we took to Turkey. We arrived in Thessoloniki at about 1am to find the next train leaving for Athens (our final destination) wasn't until 8am. We weren't the only ones afflicted with this problem; there were at least 20 others who had payed for tickets in Sofia to take the train directly to Athens, but were told, albeit far too late, that this particular train was full. Although frustrated, our disposition was upbeat and optimistic. There were several benches available in the train station that would do as makeshift beds, and there were at least a couple of restaurants across the road still open and serving coffee and snacks. We walked over to fill our bellies with traditional ham and cheese pies (like a ham and cheese croissant, but not nearly as good as the ones at Sea Side Donuts in Newport!), and Dylan and I opted for beer instead of coffee. Why not begin celebrating? The small taverna (Greek cafe) quickly filled up with our fellow unfortunate comrades, as the other tavernas seemed to have closed around 1:30am. When we were full, we walked back to the train station only to find that it was closed until 4:30. This was not good. We were now tired and cranky, and just wanted to get to Athens. So we walked back to the taverna, put our sweatshirts on the tables as pillows, and fell asleep.
Before we knew it, the train station was open again and we were able to at least go to the benches and sleep a bit before 8am rolled around. We had our tickets ready when we were informed that we did not have seat numbers and that we would basically have to fight for seats on the train the whole way to Athens. When we boarded, there was a mad rush. It was crazy! People and luggage were everywhere, and there didn't seem to be one empty seat in all of the cars! Fortunately, all four of us were able to finagle seats and we settled in. This did not last. Not long after we were comfortable and on our way, we made the first of many stops, where people that actually had tickets with seat numbers claimed the seats we and others had settled into. Basically, the normal practice on this particular railway was that you buy tickets and can only hope for a seat after all the allotted seats are sold out. Unfortunately, the assholes at Sofia train station failed to mention this upon purchasing these bullshit tickets. So when someone stood up from their seat to deboard, there was a mad dash to that person's seat. If you got it, you felt like you had some kind of victory, only to have it taken away at the next stop when the person who paid for that seat claimed it. Inevitably, out of defeat, we succumbed to sitting on our luggage and trying to sleep amongst the other standing passengers. Poor Dylan was so mad that he sat on the train steps and fumed the whole time. This wouldn't have been so bad if it was a short trip. But this was a 7 hour trip! I couldn't help thinking, though, as I read my travel book, that this was part of the adventure and that this was something so normal to the locals, so why couldn't we accept it the way it was? Although it was uncomfortable and frustrating at times, I secretly languished this experience as something I will never experience in California. Don't get me wrong, though: there was never a time that I wanted my Audi more than I did now.
We (FINALLY!) arrived in Athens at about 3:30pm, and I was sooooo relieved to see that it was sunny. The sun, to me, is one thing I can always count on to brighten my mood and alter the way I view things. The power of sunlight is an amazing thing, and I thoroughly believe it has healing powers. When I stepped off the train, I almost immediately forgot the blight we had just undergone and was so stoked to be in the amazing city of Athens. I noticed it was much warmer here than in Sofia, so that added to my optimism.
As soon as we walked into the train station, Mom went straight to the counter to ensure that our tickets home guaranteed a seat number the whole way home. We weren't fucking around this time. Outside we caught a cab to start our trek to the city centre, toward our hotel. The drive there was fascinating. There were thousands of mopeds and motorcycles amongst the taxis and people were everywhere. I was so excited to explore this city that holds so much history, in both the lore and the biblical sense. It was exciting and new, and I knew immediately that the difficult trip there would be worth the time spent in Athens.
We got to our hotel, Hotel Myrto, soon thereafter and were disappointed to find it was NOTHING like the the website claimed. The pictures were as altered as a bad photoshop job on a myspace picture, and the rooms were like large hostel rooms. We considered going to the Marriot at this point, but we were so tired and Dylan was not about to travel any further away from a bed. The rooms were clean and the beds comfortable, so Mom and I decided to bargain with the man at the front desk. I had read that it is completely normal for people to talk prices down throughout Greece, even in hotel rooms, so I decided to try my hand at this. We quickly and successfully talked our way down from 150 euros to 100 euros, arguing false advertisement had led us to their humble hotel. The smiling clerk at the desk assured us it would be no problem, and we were relieved we were only staying in this hotel for one night. We went upstairs and passed out hard. I awoke at around 10pm to look out the window at the bustling city, and couldn't wait to get outside. Jordi and Dylan were practically dead to the world, so Mom and I set out. It was a brisk night and there were still lots of people out wandering the streets.
We set out to try to at least catch a view of the Acropolis at night, and found ourselves wandering the narrow cobblestone roads of Plaka, old town Athens. It was amazing! There were cute little cafes and bars everywhere, and everything was covered in greenery and twinkle lights. I was so in love. The people were so nice as we slowly walked with our coffees and looked at their wares, and people actually smiled at you as you walked past them! This is something I truly miss from Newport, as many appear to be cold in Bulgaria although this is mostly just the culture. All of a sudden, Mom pointed up and gasped. It was the walls of the Acropolis! It was beautiful at night, all lit up in it's magnificence. We couldn't take our eyes off it as we started to climb for better pictorial views. To think of all the history this one landmark holds. It has been the heart of Athens since the 5th century B.C. That is a loooong time! It was breathtaking.
When we got our fill of pictures, we went to this little bar donned with twinkle lights and had Irish coffees while talking to the bar owner named Harris. He was knowlegeable and kind, and seemed to have seen the look of admiration for his city thousands of times. After 2 drinks it was after midnight and we were tired, so we headed back to our quiet rooms and retired for the night.
The next morning was weird. When we went to check out of the hotel, the owner flat-out denied that his colleague had agreed to the lowered price, and basically called us liars. He told my mom that there was no way he would have agreed to it, so we told him to call the employee. Funny how he never reached for the phone. He fought with us, making himself look like a douche-bag in front of his other customers. He finally relented, telling us that we should feel guilty for taking money from his pocket. Unbelievable! We told him we would have never stayed there for 150 euros and that his website was a crock of shit. When we left I told my mom to get a receipt so he wouldn't charge her account for more than he was owed, and he refused. This guy was shady! A word to the wise: when in Athens, neve stay in Hotel Myrto!
Later that day we left for the Island of Santorini by plane. It was a 25 minute plane ride (as opposed to a 9 hour ferry ride) and it was smooth and pleasant. When we arrived, the excitement was obvious! The three of us are definitely beach kids, and being on an island felt comforting and close to home. When we got to our hotel, Porto Fira Suites in Fira beach, all four of us were super pleased. The suites lay on a cliff overlooking the Aegean Sea, and the room was lovely. It had plenty of room for all four of us, and the view was incredible. We dropped our luggage off and set out to explore. It was a beautiful and clear day. We immediately noticed that the island was really quiet and lacked the tourist population it normally has in the summertime. This was perfectly fine with us, as we had been spending all our time in major cities with lots of lights, noise and pollution.
We spent the next few days enjoying the scenery, meeting the locals, and trying the traditional cuisine. One afternoon we tried the traditional souvlaki which is a gyro (pita bread filled with vegetables, pork or chicken, and a sauce made of Greek yoghurt and cucumbers). Soooo good! The island is quite small, and although many of the shops and restaurants were closed for the season, we had a great time. One night, Jordi, Dylan and I went to Town Cafe, a little cafe that turns into a club at night. We went for drinks and wound up hanging out with some of the islanders. They told us what they did for fun (which mostly seemed to be causing trouble) and that there would be a party at the club next door the following night for New Years Eve. Although it sounded appealing, we all decided it would be best if we just stayed together for the stroke of midnight, and we had a quiet toast to a happy and healthy new year. This may sound odd to some of you, seeing as the three of us love to be in the center of the party, but we were all really content spending time together in a mellow way. We were just thankful to be with our Mama.
Soon it was time to leave the fantastic island and we flew back to Athens to spend one more night in Greece's capital. We got in a cab from Athens airport and went cruising along towards the Marriot Hotel. (You didn't think we would stay in Hotel Myrto again, did you? Ha!) While on the way, some old man cut off our cab driver and made an obscene gesture to show he was pissed we weren't going as fast as he thought we should. Upon stopping at the next red light, our cabbie threw his Mercedes into park, thrust open his door, marched up to the old man's window and began to scream at him in Greek, pounding on the man's window challenging him to a fight. The old man's wife was scared shitless while the 3 of us cheered our cabbie on! It was fucking classic! This guy was fearless and was not about to take shit from anyone! He got back into the cab gracefully, put his car in drive and apologized for the "crazy" man. So awesome!
We got to the Marriot, which was exactly as they are at home, and went to sleep for a few hours. After dinner that night, we went back to Plaka to show Jordi and Dylan the adorable town and to see the Acropolis one last time at night.
The next morning we slept in late (those are the best beds I have ever slept in!) and packed our things for the last leg of our trip. We had our driver take us to the Acropolis so we could see it up close for the last time. We took tons of pictures and admired the beauty of this marvelous architecture. It was awesome at night, but the way the sun shone on it made me see things I could have never seen at night. It was exhilirating!
Instead of taking the train home (even though we had assigned seats this time), we opted to fly to take all the heartache out of the ride home. The plane ride home was uneventful and quick, and before we knew it, we were back in Mom's cozy flat.
I feel so amazingly fortunate to be able to do the things we have done. Seeing these historic sights and visiting serene islands is not something all are able to do. I know we are all so blessed, and I truly thank God that He has allowed us these pleasures. Learning the things we have about eachother and other cultures affords us more education than any university could ever teach us. I can only pray that all you, my friends, will be able to feel the fullness of heart that I do when I travel. I hope you all are doing well! I love you all and miss you loads! Until next time, cheers!
We originally wanted to spend NYE in Paris, as it has always been a dream of mine to count down a new year in The City of Lights. But due to recent rioting and transportation strikes, we thought it best to spend the turn of the year somewhere more mellow and much closer to Sofia. Greece sounded like the perfect destination!
We started our journey from Sofia to Thessoloniki, Greece by train early evening on the 28th of December. We shared a car with a man and his young son, and the trip was smooth and without consequence. We were all able to sleep easily, with the aid of our iPods, and we all considered this mode of transportation much more pleasing than the bus ride we took to Turkey. We arrived in Thessoloniki at about 1am to find the next train leaving for Athens (our final destination) wasn't until 8am. We weren't the only ones afflicted with this problem; there were at least 20 others who had payed for tickets in Sofia to take the train directly to Athens, but were told, albeit far too late, that this particular train was full. Although frustrated, our disposition was upbeat and optimistic. There were several benches available in the train station that would do as makeshift beds, and there were at least a couple of restaurants across the road still open and serving coffee and snacks. We walked over to fill our bellies with traditional ham and cheese pies (like a ham and cheese croissant, but not nearly as good as the ones at Sea Side Donuts in Newport!), and Dylan and I opted for beer instead of coffee. Why not begin celebrating? The small taverna (Greek cafe) quickly filled up with our fellow unfortunate comrades, as the other tavernas seemed to have closed around 1:30am. When we were full, we walked back to the train station only to find that it was closed until 4:30. This was not good. We were now tired and cranky, and just wanted to get to Athens. So we walked back to the taverna, put our sweatshirts on the tables as pillows, and fell asleep.
Before we knew it, the train station was open again and we were able to at least go to the benches and sleep a bit before 8am rolled around. We had our tickets ready when we were informed that we did not have seat numbers and that we would basically have to fight for seats on the train the whole way to Athens. When we boarded, there was a mad rush. It was crazy! People and luggage were everywhere, and there didn't seem to be one empty seat in all of the cars! Fortunately, all four of us were able to finagle seats and we settled in. This did not last. Not long after we were comfortable and on our way, we made the first of many stops, where people that actually had tickets with seat numbers claimed the seats we and others had settled into. Basically, the normal practice on this particular railway was that you buy tickets and can only hope for a seat after all the allotted seats are sold out. Unfortunately, the assholes at Sofia train station failed to mention this upon purchasing these bullshit tickets. So when someone stood up from their seat to deboard, there was a mad dash to that person's seat. If you got it, you felt like you had some kind of victory, only to have it taken away at the next stop when the person who paid for that seat claimed it. Inevitably, out of defeat, we succumbed to sitting on our luggage and trying to sleep amongst the other standing passengers. Poor Dylan was so mad that he sat on the train steps and fumed the whole time. This wouldn't have been so bad if it was a short trip. But this was a 7 hour trip! I couldn't help thinking, though, as I read my travel book, that this was part of the adventure and that this was something so normal to the locals, so why couldn't we accept it the way it was? Although it was uncomfortable and frustrating at times, I secretly languished this experience as something I will never experience in California. Don't get me wrong, though: there was never a time that I wanted my Audi more than I did now.
We (FINALLY!) arrived in Athens at about 3:30pm, and I was sooooo relieved to see that it was sunny. The sun, to me, is one thing I can always count on to brighten my mood and alter the way I view things. The power of sunlight is an amazing thing, and I thoroughly believe it has healing powers. When I stepped off the train, I almost immediately forgot the blight we had just undergone and was so stoked to be in the amazing city of Athens. I noticed it was much warmer here than in Sofia, so that added to my optimism.
As soon as we walked into the train station, Mom went straight to the counter to ensure that our tickets home guaranteed a seat number the whole way home. We weren't fucking around this time. Outside we caught a cab to start our trek to the city centre, toward our hotel. The drive there was fascinating. There were thousands of mopeds and motorcycles amongst the taxis and people were everywhere. I was so excited to explore this city that holds so much history, in both the lore and the biblical sense. It was exciting and new, and I knew immediately that the difficult trip there would be worth the time spent in Athens.
We got to our hotel, Hotel Myrto, soon thereafter and were disappointed to find it was NOTHING like the the website claimed. The pictures were as altered as a bad photoshop job on a myspace picture, and the rooms were like large hostel rooms. We considered going to the Marriot at this point, but we were so tired and Dylan was not about to travel any further away from a bed. The rooms were clean and the beds comfortable, so Mom and I decided to bargain with the man at the front desk. I had read that it is completely normal for people to talk prices down throughout Greece, even in hotel rooms, so I decided to try my hand at this. We quickly and successfully talked our way down from 150 euros to 100 euros, arguing false advertisement had led us to their humble hotel. The smiling clerk at the desk assured us it would be no problem, and we were relieved we were only staying in this hotel for one night. We went upstairs and passed out hard. I awoke at around 10pm to look out the window at the bustling city, and couldn't wait to get outside. Jordi and Dylan were practically dead to the world, so Mom and I set out. It was a brisk night and there were still lots of people out wandering the streets.
We set out to try to at least catch a view of the Acropolis at night, and found ourselves wandering the narrow cobblestone roads of Plaka, old town Athens. It was amazing! There were cute little cafes and bars everywhere, and everything was covered in greenery and twinkle lights. I was so in love. The people were so nice as we slowly walked with our coffees and looked at their wares, and people actually smiled at you as you walked past them! This is something I truly miss from Newport, as many appear to be cold in Bulgaria although this is mostly just the culture. All of a sudden, Mom pointed up and gasped. It was the walls of the Acropolis! It was beautiful at night, all lit up in it's magnificence. We couldn't take our eyes off it as we started to climb for better pictorial views. To think of all the history this one landmark holds. It has been the heart of Athens since the 5th century B.C. That is a loooong time! It was breathtaking.
When we got our fill of pictures, we went to this little bar donned with twinkle lights and had Irish coffees while talking to the bar owner named Harris. He was knowlegeable and kind, and seemed to have seen the look of admiration for his city thousands of times. After 2 drinks it was after midnight and we were tired, so we headed back to our quiet rooms and retired for the night.
The next morning was weird. When we went to check out of the hotel, the owner flat-out denied that his colleague had agreed to the lowered price, and basically called us liars. He told my mom that there was no way he would have agreed to it, so we told him to call the employee. Funny how he never reached for the phone. He fought with us, making himself look like a douche-bag in front of his other customers. He finally relented, telling us that we should feel guilty for taking money from his pocket. Unbelievable! We told him we would have never stayed there for 150 euros and that his website was a crock of shit. When we left I told my mom to get a receipt so he wouldn't charge her account for more than he was owed, and he refused. This guy was shady! A word to the wise: when in Athens, neve stay in Hotel Myrto!
Later that day we left for the Island of Santorini by plane. It was a 25 minute plane ride (as opposed to a 9 hour ferry ride) and it was smooth and pleasant. When we arrived, the excitement was obvious! The three of us are definitely beach kids, and being on an island felt comforting and close to home. When we got to our hotel, Porto Fira Suites in Fira beach, all four of us were super pleased. The suites lay on a cliff overlooking the Aegean Sea, and the room was lovely. It had plenty of room for all four of us, and the view was incredible. We dropped our luggage off and set out to explore. It was a beautiful and clear day. We immediately noticed that the island was really quiet and lacked the tourist population it normally has in the summertime. This was perfectly fine with us, as we had been spending all our time in major cities with lots of lights, noise and pollution.
We spent the next few days enjoying the scenery, meeting the locals, and trying the traditional cuisine. One afternoon we tried the traditional souvlaki which is a gyro (pita bread filled with vegetables, pork or chicken, and a sauce made of Greek yoghurt and cucumbers). Soooo good! The island is quite small, and although many of the shops and restaurants were closed for the season, we had a great time. One night, Jordi, Dylan and I went to Town Cafe, a little cafe that turns into a club at night. We went for drinks and wound up hanging out with some of the islanders. They told us what they did for fun (which mostly seemed to be causing trouble) and that there would be a party at the club next door the following night for New Years Eve. Although it sounded appealing, we all decided it would be best if we just stayed together for the stroke of midnight, and we had a quiet toast to a happy and healthy new year. This may sound odd to some of you, seeing as the three of us love to be in the center of the party, but we were all really content spending time together in a mellow way. We were just thankful to be with our Mama.
Soon it was time to leave the fantastic island and we flew back to Athens to spend one more night in Greece's capital. We got in a cab from Athens airport and went cruising along towards the Marriot Hotel. (You didn't think we would stay in Hotel Myrto again, did you? Ha!) While on the way, some old man cut off our cab driver and made an obscene gesture to show he was pissed we weren't going as fast as he thought we should. Upon stopping at the next red light, our cabbie threw his Mercedes into park, thrust open his door, marched up to the old man's window and began to scream at him in Greek, pounding on the man's window challenging him to a fight. The old man's wife was scared shitless while the 3 of us cheered our cabbie on! It was fucking classic! This guy was fearless and was not about to take shit from anyone! He got back into the cab gracefully, put his car in drive and apologized for the "crazy" man. So awesome!
We got to the Marriot, which was exactly as they are at home, and went to sleep for a few hours. After dinner that night, we went back to Plaka to show Jordi and Dylan the adorable town and to see the Acropolis one last time at night.
The next morning we slept in late (those are the best beds I have ever slept in!) and packed our things for the last leg of our trip. We had our driver take us to the Acropolis so we could see it up close for the last time. We took tons of pictures and admired the beauty of this marvelous architecture. It was awesome at night, but the way the sun shone on it made me see things I could have never seen at night. It was exhilirating!
Instead of taking the train home (even though we had assigned seats this time), we opted to fly to take all the heartache out of the ride home. The plane ride home was uneventful and quick, and before we knew it, we were back in Mom's cozy flat.
I feel so amazingly fortunate to be able to do the things we have done. Seeing these historic sights and visiting serene islands is not something all are able to do. I know we are all so blessed, and I truly thank God that He has allowed us these pleasures. Learning the things we have about eachother and other cultures affords us more education than any university could ever teach us. I can only pray that all you, my friends, will be able to feel the fullness of heart that I do when I travel. I hope you all are doing well! I love you all and miss you loads! Until next time, cheers!
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