Porto Palace Hotel Thessaloniki

... years ago.<br><br>Thessaloniki extends along the Aegean Sea. We walked up and down the board walk a few times looking out at the barges in the distance and the few small Greek fishing boats nearer the shore. Across from the boardwalk are all the really trendy cafes where only the young, snobby-looking fashionistas hang out with their $7.00 cappuccinos while listening to blaring American pop or Eurotrash techno music.<br><br>A really ...

... br><br>Bin um kurz nach 20:00 gelandet, und um 23:50 dann mit dem Nachtzug weiter nach Sofia. 18,50Euro fuer die Strecke, habe aber noch fuer 10 Euro auf den Schlafwagen upgegraded, da der eine Waggon ziemlich voll war (und ich ausserdem doch recht muede war).<br><br>Gruss<br>Ralf<br>

... galleries. Here we went to an art gallery whos exhibits which ranged from several hundred beer cans arranged in a spiral to a musical video about communism. Top fun!<br><br>We also went in to a photography gallery and a museum of cinema which was quite cool. A pretty awesome 3D film at the end as well!<br><br>This passed most of the time we needed to kill and we filled the rest with wondering the streets looking around.<br>

... t so we got on another train. This time we were told that the train was not going to Athens and then we'd have to get off and get on a different train. &gt;_&lt; Finally we were on the train we needed to be on having again checked if we needed to reserve and the conductor again informed us that we didn't have tickets so would have to get off. He then phoned the station and shouted at somebody in Greek and then everything seemed to be fine. Thus we arrived in Athens...<br>

... bag from the left luggage office, and went off to the docks to search for a bus to or on the way to my intended destination, Lapseki. There there would be a ferry across to the Gallipoli Peninsula.<br><br>No such buses were to be found. So I headed back into the terminal to find a company. But I was intercepted (the obvious foreigner) by a ticket tout, who happened to name a city beyond my desired getting off point. So I went with him.<br><br>The bus was actually late in ...

... of Greek girls with dyed blonde hair and stray dogs inhabited the arch, both basking in the burning heat (at times it was hard to tell the dogs from some of the girls- and these were very ugly dogs) I headed down towards the Aegean sea, through yet more crowded streets. Until I came to the white tower, standing on the coast with the bright blue sea stretching out into the distance. This entire area seemed more peaceful than the rest of the city ...

... and an exam this week in my classes.  It feels like we have done nothing so far and then all of a sudden these pop out of no where.   I am here again this weekend just organizing my life, studying, and trying to plan my trips for the rest of my stay here!  Danika and I are planning on conquring Mt Olympus next weekend so that should be really exciting!!  I can't wait! Hope all is well in the states!  Miss everyone lots!

... fine on their end. At 1:00 I walked down to the basement of the Bissell Library on campus where my Ecology 110 class was held. The teacher, Dr. Grekinis (which literally translates to "Greece"-I know this because he informed us about 20 times!), seems like a pretty laid back and easy-going guy. Our labs for the class are field trips around the city, so I am very excited for that, and the assignments are to summarize an article about global warming every ...

... is signed in Athens. I started to think we'd never find our way and decided to just start looking at building names. Looked way up to see what the places were called and there it was, the Golden City hotel! Haha Fluke is all I have to say. It took us a bit of circling around to get parked at our hotel, but we made it in no time at all. Checked in and settled in for three nights. On to some munchies and sleep and ready to explore tomorrow. <br><br><br><br><br>Day 14 - July 11th ...

... cars, not double, but triple parking as pedestrians bolt across the crowded intersections to save themselves leaving babies and old ladies behind! Hilary and I were definately stressed, radio turned down, map unfolded going every which direction, a bit of silence then honking mostly just to join in the noise. But, we made it to our hotel, which was more like a giant dumpster party we wish we were never invited to. This morning in fact, as Tara went to use the ladies/flies ...