CIAO Greece!

This computer is in Italian and I just shut it down by accident after writing a long post of my adventures...fun.

The top pic is my postcard shot of a beautiful little church on a hillside by Brian Gillian's. the second one is me with Brian and Gillian, the day I was leaving for Usha's for 2 weeks. The next one is me lounging at the beach...rough, and then me with Usha, Suzanna and Roli. Suzanna and Roli are artists who live at Usha's house while she travels. And the last one is me (very tiny in the bottom right corner) at the Acropolis! That, my friends, was amazing!

I have changed my mind about my original opinion of Athens. The part I stayed in before, was obviously a bad one. This time, it was a completely different experience. Still a little dirty, but I loved it.

Leaving Greece however was truly a Martzy experience. After getting on the wrong train to the Airport, waiting a half hour for the next train to come and wanting nothing more than to check my backpack, to get RID OF IT! I scan the electronic departure board to check my flight, and there is only one flight with the word "cancelled" next to it. Can you guess which one? Well, let me tell you...MINE! Of course the Alitalia counter was on the opposite end of the terminal and the woman there was not very nice. Apparently the flight was cancelled due to a strike and there were no other flights out that day...YAHOO! But she put me on a flight to Austria where then I could pick up a flight to Rome. Air Austrian, everyone, is quite possibly the PERFECT airlines. The Vienna airport, for that matter, is pretty great too. After a few hours there (my favorite thing in the world to sit in an airport), I got a plane to Rome. I won't get into the nitty gritty details, but let me just say that I don't think that EVER in my life have I JUST missed so many buses and trains and walked so far for absolutely nothing as I did yesterday. I didn't get to the hostel until almost 1am...Yikes.

Today, I'm in Rome! What a beautiful city. The modern hustle and bustle around an enormous ancient city is quite the sight. Of course, it's been pouring down rain since I got here, but I think that just adds to the romance. I will be here until Monday and then hopefully I am off to Tuscany. I can't think that far in advance because my brain is mildly fried today.

Just a few little things before I leave you. In Athens, I saw a car with Massachussetts plates-WHAT? On the plane they played episodes of "Home Improvement" and "King of Queens" in German, and Mickey Mouse is spelled Miky. Also, I don't like Ouzo. And one more little ditty (this is for adults only). Usha was complaining because the Greeks don't know how to make French fries. She said they are always too soft like a ...and she couldn't think of anything. So I taught her the expression "Limp Dick". It was fun going through the description both verbal AND with hand signals...just doing my part (Sorry Mom). I'd be a great English teacher.

I love and miss all of you. Ciao.