Not Even an Ocean Can Cool Our Feet
Trip Start
Sep 07, 2008
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134
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Trip End
Dec 09, 2008
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Glyfada,
Attica,
Greece
Friday, November 28, 2008
Godiva needed to change some U.S. Dollars into Euros, so we began the quest to find a bank. The first bank wouldn't help us because neither of us had an account there, and they sent us into the middle of the city. On our way to the second bank, we stopped at the grocery store so Godiva could get some bottles of Coke. As we hoofed to the Plaka neighborhood, stray doggies came up to us at two different intersections. They wanted to cross the busy streets, but they've learned they can't negotiate the cars and crazy motorcycles on their own. So they come up to people who look like they're about to cross, and they cross with them. We helped two doggies across the streets, and then they bounded away on their own agendas.
The second bank made the currency exchange, and then we made the mile-long trek back to my place for the Friday street market. We grabbed some fruit and veggies, dropped it all off in my refrigerator, and then headed back out. I needed to pull money out of the ATM, so we walked to the neighborhood square. ATM out of order. Why I didn't pull money out at the second bank where Godiva changed her currency I do not know. But now we had to go to the THIRD bank of the day to find a functional ATM for me. We had bought artichokes at the farmer's market, so we also needed to go BACK to the grocery store for the real butter Godiva required to prepare the artichokes.
I inexplicably brought the package of butter with me on the hour-long tram ride down to the beach so that Godiva could cross "dip feet in Aegean Sea" off her wish list for her visit.
Private sailboats docked for the season
As we sat at the tram station, I felt confident I could get myself and Godiva there and back with no problem purchasing the tram tickets, getting on the right line, validating the tickets, and jumping off at the right stop. Flashing back to the day of pandemonium Mary Lou and Wedding Belle and I had trying to get to the beach that balmy Saturday in early September, I grinned at the difference three months has made.Tourist season is now firmly over and the weather is cool, so there were more stray dogs on the beach than people. But Godiva had a great time splashing around in the surf and digging little ingots of marble out of the sand as the sun went down. Geesh. In Greece, even the sand is made of marble.
We ate dinner at an Italian restaurant overlooking the beach, and then we found a little store where finally, after three months of fruitless searching, I found the perfect souvenir to bring home for the Bear. But it's a secret.
I did indeed get us back to the city successfully on the tram, but we weren't done yet. We then walked around the shops of Plaka looking at jewelry, clothes, and acres of kitsch. The walk home was a slow and sore affair, but we stopped to take pictures of the ancient monuments lit up in the dark, and to grab some vitamins at the pharmacy. Methinks I need to go back to the ocean to cool my sizzling feet.
Fun fact: After six days, Godiva departed Athens without ever preparing those artichokes. As I don't know how to cook them or how to eat them, I gave them away to Mary Lou, who I trust will do them great honor.
Comments
No comments?
Sheesh. I blow out the lights at your apartment, stop to gawk at so many things that we never make it to the museum, and purchase artichokes that I promptly forget to prepare, and nobody posts comments? LOL. But anyway, the trip was AWESOME. And my feet still hurt, but it was totally worth it. -DianeS
That perfect souvenir...
And this is for Tiara's Bear - *I* know what your souvenir is, but I'm not telling! Hee-hee! -DianeS