supergreece2023

[supergreece2023]

Monday I think, like one day before our 25th, so that means it was 10/23, yet I think I’ve already posted that day, but that was a mistake, but it seems like that was soo long ago, but anyway…NOW that we have forgotten all sense of time and day, I guess we have finally reached VacayZONE. Let’s hashtag that. It’s definitely 2023…I’m pretty sure. And I’m definitely with my #ForeverLOVE ❤️

[supergreece2023]

[supergreece2023]

To Our Son, Div

[supergreece2023]

10/23/23: Yesterday’s post was actually 10/22, but WHO CARES, RIGHT?? We have reached Vacation Homeostasis, where we don’t know the day or the time, and we don’t care…Plus, we NAP several times a day!! Was it yesterday or maybe 10/21 that Claude bought me a big giant rock for our anniversary? Maybe, and it’s GORGEOUS ⬇️

Then yesterday, the real Sunday 10/22, we took a big hike from Fira to Imervogli. Rocky steps took us down the lava mountain and then up the bluff. Claude kept reminding me we had to do it ALL in reverse, so as to make sure I didn’t trash talk us up the last cliff. This trek shall comprise the exertive portion of the week, I think. I was wrecked; we were wrecked. Finally made it back to top—I gave it all I had. Then Claude says, “shall we walk into the town?” I really felt like I couldn’t move, but Claude lured me to an oasis with the promise of a cool drink. We downed a big bottle of Pellegrino, and the Mango (virgin) frozen daiquiri was Divinity in a glass in that moment. Shared a delightfully crispy grilled sea bass last evening. Claude ate the head 🐟

[supergreece2023]

10/23/23: Santorini! Staying at the Cosmopolitan Suites Hotel, all white bungalows built into the mountain on many different levels. Love the views, love the breakfasts on our front “porch”, and you know I love a pool…chilly though! Perfectly refreshing, perfectly far away, perfectly lovely sunsets with my special man. ❤️

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OUR TRAVELS: For Those Who Might Be Interested. Departed Athens Friday 10/20/23 via Aegean Air. We were invited to the Aegean Lounge but then quickly got a bonus (??) Gold coupon that entitled us (??) to the next lounge up (?) over (?) called Goldair Handling…I think they like to keep you guessing, because eventually we will all be packed into “Super” “Private” “VIP” “Premium” “Phat” (??) etc. of one sort or another… ALSO a couple pics from our EWR to ATH flight from 10/16 (Upgraded to Polaris Baby!!!). Me trying out the amenity kit on board. I NEVER, EVER, WANT TO TRAVEL ANYWHERE ANY OTHER WAY. Please?

[supergreece2023]

Apollo Palms Hotel, Athens: Arrived 10/17/23. Departed 10/20/23. Cute little hotel room on 4th floor, with a terrace that looks out onto the Acropolis (and of course, the rooftop bar right upstairs!) I got Claude to walk up and down the 4 flights of stone stairs a lot, just to keep him physically fit in between meals (me too). Our hotel was in middle of some gritty center city streets. Lots of lovely hotels, but just across the way was an older building with the roof caved in, completely destroyed. Our cab driver explained that some building owners could not be found, or ownership may be in “justice” (dispute), so repairs have not been made. This cabbie, Minas John Vericelli, is from Brooklyn, but has been living here for the last 28 years. He said he thinks he’s losing his English words…Maybe so, but he certainly was yakking it up about how great his city (of Athens) is, just like a true (expat) New Yorker. It feels like a city that is coming back, but not necessarily quite there yet. Some of the graffiti was kind of cool, and kind of a thing apparently, during Greece’s last financial crisis a few years ago. Minas John said, “kids didn’t have anything to do during that time…now they are all working, no time for graffiti anymore…” I also googled it, and somewhere it said, “we have a lot of walls…”

[supergreece2023]

Sat. 10/21/23: Blogging is tough, and I am already behind. A few more notes about Athens! First, THE LATRINES!! Ground floor at the Acropolis Museum - actual remains of a local community where people had to “go” up to 8 at a time! That is like, my deepest wake-you-up-at-3AM kind of night terror, where there’s no privacy, no doors on the bathroom stalls…Yikes. Possibly some TMI here, but…yeesh. On a lighter note, we had our first Fredo at Folk cafe where they are Promiscuous, but in a good way (see pic from last post). And right across the way from “Slits” department store—Just, yeah. Was a good shopping day, because I also found a Greek thrift shop and got me some 8 euro jeans that say “Feel Good. Enjoy. Happiness.” Allll down both legs. My daughter would be proud. And finally, we also managed to make it up Licabettus Hill, which had a superb view of the city despite the clouds.

[supergreece2023]

10/18/23: Made it up to the Acropolis today. After a super-lolly-gagging morning, sleeping in, European breakfast of 🍳 🧀 ☕️ 🍈, we burst out of the hotel…by noon. Plowed through the Central Market with all the fish heads and meat carcasses…bleah…and moved right on to mid day cappuccino and coffee. Further fortified, we walked over to the Acropolis Museum to learn us some visual history. I can’t speak for my husband, but I for one had NO idea that:

1. The ACROPOLIS is a former sacred hilltop (not a building), where the PARTHENON (Yes a building) was built as a temple for Athena.

2. Various folks toppled, chiseled, and/or vandalized statues and chunks of friezes over the years. Some of it currently lives in the British Museum.

3. The Acropolis was built (BC’s) destroyed (Persians) reconstructed (Pericles-Parthenon), bombarded (1670’s-Ottomans), reconstructed…I lost count but its remains remain standing after 2500 years, which is pretty amazing.

4. Remarkable and innovative architectural design included columns that thinned slightly at the tops, and bowed in the middle, making the Parthenon appear to be “living and breathing” structure.

“Let’s get up there,” says Sar at 5:15pm…(“how’d it get so late?!” says Sar)

We took off on an impressive trek straight up the stone steps as the ticket guys yelled after us, “you’ll never make it, don’t stop-go straight up, come back tomorrow instead you’ll have more time…”. Panting (Sar), we made it up in time for many triumphant selfies.

Cut to Apollo Palm rooftop bar 🎶 …. after all the smooth Frenchy hotel music and random cover songs all day (Greek singers doing Adele, Boy George) 🎶 we are now listening to “Ya Mama” by Pharcyde… 🎵 Ya mama so Fat, (how fat is she?), Ya Mama so fat she can eat 22 burriTOS at Taco Bell… 🎶 there’s more, but I’m gonna’ spare us all that memory. Maybe they mean ya Mama is PHAT…😎

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10/18/23: Claude & I finally flew the coop 🐓 and took off to Greece for our 25th wedding anniversary✈️ and what do we do as soon as we get there…? Text our daughter of course!! Our room at Apollo Palm Hotel has crazy clear view of the Acropolis, which is beautifully lit at night. Dinner with a cat. 🐈