More Athens

Hello once again from Athens,

We successfully checked into our hostel around noon and were pleasantly surprised to find out how nice it was. The ratings on hostelworld.com when I was doing some research were great, but we might as well be staying at a hotel. We have a room with a double bed that Elise and I share, and Alex has a twin. We have our own private bathroom as well as a kitchen.

After check-in, we went out to the main shopping street and spent our afternoon walking around in the nearly 100 degree heat. After this, we grabbed some water and then spent some time in the local Athenian flea market. Here, there are many jewelry shops as well as leather markets. After a while, we were so hot and tired that we came home and took cold showers. I took a nap and did some laundry (story of my life….but I am getting great at hand washing all my clothes, what a money saver!)

We met Herbie (our ex tour guide) in a square close to our hostel, and had a great Greek dinner. Andrew, the kid who was in the accident, showed up as well, a little worse for wear with a heinous black eye and scratches everywhere…but he’s alive and well and apparently able to fly tomorrow.

We have decided to live on the cheap for the next couple of days in Athens. Tomorrow we are going to take a bus out to a local beach and just lay around and do nothing. The following day, we have a tour out to Delphi, where the original Oracles (think the movie 300) were from. After one last free day, we will be headed to Rome.

My only complaint about Athens is that the heat is inescapable, as well as stifling. Having grown up in one of the hottest places in Texas, you would think I would be fine, but this heat in Greece is not something you cool off or recover from. The Grecian people have air-conditioning on full blast all the time, but it seems to not do much to help. I try to lie as still as possible, take freezing cold showers, and avoid the sun as much as possible.

The people at the hostel are very friendly, they have a rooftop bar that allows you to see the Acropolis, and the night guy gave us all free internet for tonight. The only downside is that we have to pay by the hour, (but I have one free hour tonight!)

I am starting to feel a little bit of travelers fatigue….I have been getting great sleep but I think the mental aspect of this trip has really started to take its toll. I am looking forward to seeing Evelyn in Germany, and possibly my cousin Rebecca, who lives on the army base near Frankfurt. I have about 5 billion things to do when I get home, so I am looking forward to getting everything started!

Hope everyone is doing really well and enjoying the summer Texas heat 

kate