A Few Years......A Few Changes

Here, There, Everywhere

Some of you may have noticed some minor changes to the look of my blog over the past few weeks. After 3 years I think I have finally figured this blogging thing out. Yeah, that's right, it has been 3 years to the day that I started this blog. These last three years have brought a whole lot of memories. Here are few reminders of where the last few years have taken me:

July 2008 - Remember when I hated wearing dresses and had a buzz cut? Yeah I hardly do either.

1.) I have posted over 250 posts on this blog with well over 600 pictures.

Jan. 2009 - Explains why I spend so much time in front of my computer.

2.) I have managed to live in 5 US states but only 2 Canadian Provinces (I know that doesn't seem right but hey, it's my life). In case you have forgotten that's Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Virginia (twice in fact), Maryland and New York. And yes, I also lived in Vermont but that was before this blog so it doesn't really count. And no I never lived in DC, I just worked there......plus it isn't a state.

3.) I have set my feet on the soil of 12 different countries. Canada and The US are a given but you also have to count the Cayman Islands, England, Egypt, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland and France.

4.) I have stood in the centre of a pyramid. A life long dream. A life long dream now fulfilled.

Sept. 2008 - What do you do when you've accomplished a life long dream?

5.) I have stood in the Temple of Zeus at Ancient Olympia. Another life long dream, also fulfilled.

Nov. 2008 - You head to another country and accomplish another one.

6.) I have stood beneath the Sistine Chapel. Still takes my breath away to think about it.

7.) I went whale watching in Nova Scotia.....and I actually saw a whale.

June 2007 - Yeah it might be June but it was really cold in the Bay of Fundy.

8.) I have stood a top the CN Tower, the Empire State Building, The Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Eiffel Tower. I got vertigo on them all.

Feb. 2007 - How I thought it was a good idea to visit the Empire State Building at night in February is beyond me. It was cold.

10.) I have felt my heart break in a foreign country and got over it by getting on a plane and heading to another one.

11.) I was sworn in as President of the United States......ok maybe not but how else do you explain this picture.

Oct 2006 - I guess the fact that this was in Philly should give it away.

12.) I have visited every Smithsonian Museum and the Louvre and the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Yeah.....that's a lot of museums.

Dec. 2008 - Outside the Louvre....in Paris. What a great day.

13.) I went skiing in Austria......and I didn't break anything.

14.) I went swimming with a bunch of sting rays in the Cayman Islands.

April 2008 - Yeah I chased the sting ray. It didn't like me.

15.) I have climbed a mountain in Greece...ok there were stairs but there were a lot of them.

Nov. 2008 - Still one of my favourite places on earth. So glad I made the climb.

16.)I took my daddy to a ball game at Wrigley Field.

Aug. 2008 - Best ball game ever!!!!

17.) I have met a whole lot of strangers, some of whom I can now call friends.

Nov. 2008 - Me, Paul, Eva, Reshmi, Monica and Winston in Istanbul. What a great group. What a great city.

18.) And although sometimes they seem like strangers, no matter how far I go my friends always seem to be there when I do make it home.

Sept. 17, 2008 - Yeah this is my 28th birthday....and the beginning of what has turned out to be an amazing year.

Although I tried, it would be impossible for me to summarize the last 3 years in one little post (hence the reason why there are 250 of them). I have come so far, yet I still seem to be so far from whatever it is I'm heading towards.

But don't worry.....I'll get there eventually and I will continue to take you along for the ride.

Julie

Welcome to Athens

Friday, November 7, 2008
Travel from Napflio to Athens, Greece

Well today I was not in too big of a hurry to get going but wanted to get a decent start on the day. Buses from Napflio run to Athens pretty much every hour so I was not too concerned about getting here today. I managed to drag myself out of bed early enough to hop on the 1000 bus. I ran into Lorne and Sue again (the couple from North Bay). They were also heading to Athens but not until much later and then they head back to Canada the next day.

I ended up on the bus next to this nice German lady…who now lives in Greece…..and also owns a home in Prague. She was off to Athens for a spa day and was all excited to hear about my trip. She spoke very good English so was very helpful and told me all kinds of interesting things…..I can only assume they are true. She showed me some pictures of the foster kids she takes care of in Cambodia. One of them just finished her nurses’ training and is now doing an international nurse training course so that she can work overseas (and I mean North America). Naturally I sent her to the Canadian Embassy to get info about her going to Canada to work.

A random street in Athens.

I made it to the bus station in Athens and tried to figure out where I was in relation to everything else but could not. That's my mad navigation skills at work once again. I decided to hop in a cab because they knew where to go. Funny though because the guy put my stuff in the cab and then put me in the cab….and promptly disappeared, and then reappeared with 2 other ladies going the same way. I guess they like to fill cabs before they leave on the long journeys south. I made it to the hotel just fine though. I mentioned that Athens was going to be expensive because it is one of the cities where I am using Deb’s family/friends discount at the Marriott. Of course discount means about half the price that most people would pay…..but still expensive compared to other hotels. I don’t really care though, I will be thoroughly enjoying the king sized bed over the next few nights. I think the bathroom in this room is bigger than the entire room in the last few hotels I have stayed at. Of course the paperwork from Debi was not there although Deb faxed it early so the hotel would have it when I arrived. They are giving me until I check out to get it or else my price will go up. I am sure Deb will send it again with no problems and hopefully this one will not get misplaced.

I have found many names for this structure including The Tower of the Winds (the most common name), Kyristus' Clock and horologion (timepiece). It was built in the 1st or 2nd century BC (depending on what you read and who you talk to). It is a combination of sundials, a water clock and a wind vane. It was a hydraulic clock and can be found on the Roman Agora.

The hotel is a little bit farther from things than I normally stay but I guess I had to trade the convenience for comfort somewhere. Transit is suppose to be really good here so I will have to check that out. Of course since I had no plans today I decided I would go for a walk. The weather is still nice (yes I know I say that a lot) so it will be nice to enjoy some more sunshine as I know it will not last forever. Of course it is me so I walked in the complete wrong direction. I was looking for the acropolis but found the Port instead. That would have been helpful had I needed a ferry but since I did not it wasn’t. So I turned myself around and walked back up the hill, stopped at an internet café to break up the time and then found my way to Plaka, which is just below the Acropolis and full of stores and restaurants and all that stuff. It was after dark by this time but everything is nicely lit up at night. The Acropolis looks very neat in the dark. I look forward to actually visiting it. I think this is the first time since I left Egypt that I walked by a store and someone tried to coax me into look at their “collection”. I got good at ignoring there and am still good at ignoring. I imagine I will need to use those skills again when I get to the bazaar in Istanbul.

Another shot of the Roman Agora.

So I had a great little dinner in Plaka and seem to have formulated a plan for the next couple of days. Tomorrow I plan to walk for a while and see what I can find.

One of the other ruins I found while wandering around after dinner.

Julie

A bit of a climb.....but so worth it!!!!

Thursday, November 6, 2008
Napflio, Greece

Looking up at part of Palamidi Fortress from somewhere on the staircase below.

So I got up this morning, looking forward to my climb up to Palamidi Fortress (or Castle of Palamidi depending on what you a reading). The fortress is 999 steps up. I did not count but I am sure that is what it was. It certainly felt like it. The stairs just kept winding back and forth across the mountain until you eventually reach the top.

The final steps heading towards the gate. I was very happy to see these steps as it finally meant I was at the top....... or so I thought.

Of course there is still more up hill and stairs to climb once you get there as you can wander around most of the fortress freely and the gate is not at the highest point. There are many different parts to the fortress including a jail and a church and some other things but really the reason you go up there is for the view. It gives you a great view of the city and the Argolic Gulf below. They say the colour of the water is a different colour every hour of the day. I totally believe it.

A few shots of Argolic Gulf from high above.

I wandered around the Fortress for a couple hours. Wasn’t always sure what I was looking at but I am learning more and more that you don’t always need to know its name to appreciate it.

A few of the structures along the outer wall of the fortress.

I hit a few dead end and tried to avoid the cliffs (there was a sign saying keep out but nothing else) but I could almost always find another way around.

One of the random pathways I found to follow.

The snake encounter in Mystras did have me watching my feet a lot but actually never saw much at all…not even those little lizards that drive me crazy (stop laughing Deb, we don’t all enjoy getting licked by iguanas). I opted for flip-flops today and it actually worked out really well. I don’t really like wearing shoes….ever and have been in them way too much the last 2 months.

Look, I found a track. Imagine that.

So the trip down the hill has me asking myself if I am paranoid. There was group of boys (well 3 of them…is that a group?) that found their way to me at the top of the hill. They then proceeded to follow me down the hill. If I slowed down they slowed down, if I stopped they stopped. At first I just thought, hey I am paranoid and they are just walking down the hill. That was until one of them walked up beside me on the stairs and started snapping his fingers and whistling at me. Really it seemed like he was calling me like I was a dog or something. I flashed him a really nice look (sarcasm again) and I think he got my point. I went a few more steps and then simply sat down and kind of motioned them to pass. They eventually did…but it was a slow process. I just hung out there for a while until the disappeared from my view down the steps.

A couple shots of the great view.

I am thinking that I am noticing the guys here more than in other places because I was expecting to have an issue with them. Maybe I just did a better job of ignoring it elsewhere…however, I know it can’t all be just me being paranoid.

Looking through the outer wall of the fortress. If you really look hard you can see the beach. No I did not head to the beach. It was nice today but not that nice.

Once down the hill, I needed to find a good way to spend a nice warm afternoon. I don’t know about you but warm weather, free time and vacations always means margaritas. So I headed back to my hotel to grab my laptop and made my way to a couch in a bar down by the water. A few drinks and a dead battery later it was back to the hotel to charge up and do a little packing before I headed back to one more bar (I had to pick a different one this time as the sun had set and the air really cools down once that happens and I needed to find a heater to sit under).

Ok one more shot of the great view....and me enjoying it.

Speaking of sunsets though, I have certainly enjoyed a few of those the past few nights here. I am kind of thinking I don’t want to leave tomorrow although I am looking forward to getting to see Athens. I will certainly be back here though a some point. There was many other little places throughout the area that I would like to visit and think this would be a great home base…especially this time of year when the weather is still warm but the place is quiet. So far Napflio has been the greatest surprise.

Another beautiful sunset in Nafplio.

Thinking about heading to Athens again has me thinking. Athens means the end of my time in Greece, which is sad, but gets me closer to my time in Turkey, which is exciting. It also means just that little bit closer to having to head home. This trip is just flying by and I am not sure I am ready to be back on Canadian soil just yet......but I guess I still have time.

Julie

A Day for Us All

Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Travel from Sparta to Nafplio Greece

Well today I got a nice 0600 wake up call. Mom was calling me to let me know that John McCain was about to concede and Barrack Obama was going to officially be named the next President of the United States (of course he will only be President Elect until January but whatever). Such a huge moment. I look back through history and think of the moments that other people have gotten to say “I was there" and “I remember where I was” and now finally my generation has a moment too. Something we can be proud of, something we can share with our kids. Today the world changed and you only have to be out of the United States to realize how much people really wanted this…...how great they feel it is and how great they think it will be. Today I almost wish I was still in DC so that I could be out front of the White House, partying with everyone else. But instead I will share this moment with perfect strangers, who don’t speak English but still feel the same excitement that I do.

Anyway, I got to listen to Obama’s speech over the phone with mom and dad. Had to share the moment with someone so I am very glad it was them. I know I will hear it again and again over the next few days but since I don’t have a TV here in Sparta I will have to hope I have one in Nafplio.

Of course there was a few hours of travel planned for today. I headed south and down to the coast to a little place called Nafplio. It was kind of in my original plans (but not really) but I met a very nice couple in Italy who told me I had to go there so I did (while in Tuscany....at the bus stop and then again on the wine tour). I managed to grab the bus nice and early out of Sparta. I know I have shared the story on Facebook already but I had to sit at the back of the bus. No malice intended just my ticket did not have a seat number so that meant I had to sit at the very back. I just found it a little ironic that on the day that the United States elected their first black president some Greek guy says to me “you.... sit at the back, at the back of the bus”. I know he missed the irony.

I had to head back to my favourite little bus transfer location, Tripoli (and yes that is sarcasm). A pretty uneventful trip and made it there in time for a bus to Nafplio that left at 1030......or so I thought. It actually left at 1000. I however made the walk from the one bus station to the other, in plenty of time to make it. The trip from Tripoli was absolutely beautiful. Basically I drove this windy mountain road...... down one side of a valley and then back up the road on the other side. Yes it could have been faster just to drive across the valley but that is not the Greek way. Sometimes I would look out the window and just see a drop off. No extra wide shoulders and guard rails or anything like that, but the bus stays on the road and that is what counts.

One of the random things I saw on my trip....ok what I saw when I was awake.

I got to Nafplio nice and early, found myself a cheap little pension (I have been saving a little money this leg of the journey, which is good since my stay in Athens is going to cost me a fortune) and set out to explore the town. Big draw here is the Palamidi Fortress that over looks the town. Of course it is on the top of a mountain and it is around 1000 steps up…..and I will do that tomorrow as it closes at 1430 (2:30pm) and if I am making the walk up I want to be able to explore something at the top.

The Palamidi Fortress. Should be a good hike.

Instead I followed the path along the water. Nafplio is right on the Argolikos Gulf and the sun is out. I made it all the way around and then ran into a very nice couple from North Bay Ontario. We got to talking and then we ended up heading for some beers.......and beers led to dinner. Been a few weeks since I ate with anyone and some dinner conversation was certainly welcomed. They helped me out by giving me an extra map of Athens and pointed out a few things to me so I can do some pre-planning.

So far Nafplio has been a pleasant little surprise. Such a great little town….and relaxed. The water front is full of little bars, many that offer free Wi-Fi access so I may be hitting that up tomorrow. It should be just a nice relaxed couple of days.

Out in the harbour is Bourtzi Castle. It was originally built in 1473 to protect the city from pirates and other invaders. It was eventually converted into a residence for executioners of convicts at Palamidi Castle.

So a big day of hill climbing planned tomorrow. Tonight I will review the past days' events…..with the help of CNN......and BBC.

The sun setting on another great day. Makes it hard to think about ever heading home.

Julie