On a Beach in the Sun on a Beautiful Day

"...our boats collide, we feel the breeze
we'd stay afloat and make the most of everything
the sun would set, the stars would shine..."
"Campfire Kansas," The Get-Up Kids

Day 4, Part 2: Patmos

After we left Turkey, we headed back to the Greek side of the Aegean to port in Patmos. At one point, we cruised through a slim margin of water between two large pieces of land- one side was Asia, and one side was Europe...it was pretty incredible. Once we arrived on Patmos, we pursued the streets and shops, and ended up stopping at a cafe by the sea to have wine, Mythos (Greek beer), and a cheese platter.



Tim and Chris purchased cheap masks and snorkels because the water was so clear. Tim decided it was necessary to "test" the equipment while at the restaurant:


After we ate, the boys decided to go for an impromptu swim in the Patmos harbor:


Once back on the ship, we attended a "Greek-themed" dinner in the formal dining hall. Because the Greek flag is blue and white, attire was supposed to match...Cheers to a good trip so far!


Our fabulous travel companions...(can't wait until next time!)


At dinner, our awesome waiter made us order only in Greek (no English allowed), and insisted that we eat everything on our plates. If there was food leftover, he considered it his responsibility to feed us...


Later that night, we went to the disco and had fun watching the kids dance (Marisa even taught a few of them the Electric Slide!) Chris rockin' the Bob Marley shirt and vest...

We Were Living Dreams

"Dizzy," Jimmy Eat World

Day 4, Part 1: Kusadasi, Turkey

On the 2nd day of the cruise we went to two separate ports, the first of which was in Turkey-- (meaning we were in 3 continents in 3 days: North America, Europe, and Asia!) While in Turkey, we opted to take the excursion into Ephesus, the best preserved classical city in the Eastern Mediterranean (5OO BC). The ruins were expansive and breathtaking-- and only 20% of the city has been excavated! This was the site of the Temple of Artemis, one of the 7 Ancient Wonders of the World.

The male lavatory, lined with toilets...this was the men's "meeting place" every morning. According to our knowledgeable tour guide, musicians played in the corner to cover any "inappropriate noise."


There are stray dogs and cats all over Greece. Before the Olympics in Athens in '04, many city officials were nervous that the high number of wandering dogs and cats would deter visitors and give Athens a bad name. It was recommended that these animals be put down, but Athenians were heavily opposed to euthanasia. Therefore, the strays were rounded up, spayed and neutered, given appropriate veterinary treatment, and kept in facilities until the Games were over. Honestly, these animals were the most affectionate and healthy-looking strays I've ever seen. Tim took an immediate liking to any and all felines:

The Celsus Library:

The Ephesus Amphitheatre:


After touring Ephesus, we were treated to Turkish apple cider and a Turkish carpet-making demonstration and seminar. Basically, it was a sales pitch. Each carpet cost approximately $1,000, so needless to say we didn't come home with any as souvenirs.


After the Turkish carpet demonstration, we set off to barter at the local Turkish bazaars. An experience to say the least...

Can I Just Be Here One More Day, Until My Sunburn Fades Away?

"Left Coast Envy," The Starting Line

Day 3: Mykonos

The island of Mykonos was our first port. It was stunningly beautiful, with a sharp contrast of sparkling whites and deep blues everywhere. We had a few hours in port to explore, shop, and meet Pedros the Pelican (the island's mascot). Before we got there, however, we had to partake in an emergency drill (you know, in case the ship pulled a Titanic on us):


Heading into the island:



Octopus tentacles drying in the sun. I hope this didn't give Tim any ideas...


We hiked to the top of the island, near a set of four windmills, to watch the sun set...


I really could get used to this...

A Picture of Perfection

"Holiday from Real," Jack's Mannequin

Ahhh...we're back from Greece, and I'm hesitant to even try to explain it in words. The trip was amazing, and Tim and I came home with over 1,000 pictures. I don't think I'll be able to cover everything today, so this is just the first part of the trip:
*The kids were incredible, although I'm not posting any pictures, because I figure that's probably illegal or something...

Day 1 and 2: Arriving, Athens, and Boarding the Cruise

Chris and Phil at the airport...since Phil had to work the night shift in Pismo on the 4th of July, these two drove through the night and didn't sleep once before our morning flight:


The coast of Greece: aerial view!


The outside of the Hotel Oceanis, where we stayed anytime we were in Athens. The mosaic on the wall was beautiful, and there were vespas everywhere...definitely made me miss my Honda Elite from college!

The Dark Knight...in Greek!


Roadside in Athens...

Boarding our cruise ship, the Aquamarine...

According to our Tour Guide, Rachel, our cruise ship was the "Honda" of the seas. While it supposedly isn't designed to be quite as decadent as an American cruise liner (think Carnivale or Disney), its purpose instead is to get passengers from port to port efficiently. With a pool, multiple bars, casino, 2 restaurants, a basketball court, shopping, a disco hall, and a dance lounge aboard, it certainly worked for us!


The unavoidable "King of the World" pose...

Bliss...

We Only Get One Chance at This; In This Life it's Hit or Miss

"One More Song," Every Avenue

In the final weeks of school, my iPod mysteriously went missing from my classroom. I never figured out what happened; I was entirely too careless and trusting with my material possessions in general this past year, and so this was probably a lesson a long time coming. In any case, rather than getting angry and frustrated at my students, I decided to make the (ignorant and naive?) assumption that anything could have happened...perhaps it fell out of my bag? Maybe a substitute janitor swiped it during the night shift? Maybe it will actually reappear somewhere down the road and I'll realize it had been underneath the passenger seat of my car all along? (It's not, I checked).

Being the thoughtful and generous individual that he is, Tim promptly ordered me a new, identical iPod off eBay. It's sleek and unscathed and perfect, and the I Love You Joshua inscription on the back is an added bonus. I have spent the last few days recreating various playlists and adding songs to my new iPod, and through this process have been using Tim's mp3 CDs and iPod to find songs. Generally speaking, Tim has good taste in music. We like a lot of the same artists and songs; finding a steady flow of music we both agree on during road trips is usually an easy task. However, in looking through Tim's iPod, I feel it is necessary to post some of the title highlights:

"Sippin on Da Syrup," 36 Mafia
"Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover," Sophie B. Hawkins
"Faded," Soul Decision
"Miami Vice" Theme Song
"Whoop There It Is," Tag Team
"She's So High," Tal Bachman

Really?

So. In an effort to equalize the embarrassment factor, I guess I should name a few awkward and pathetic happenings in my own life. To start, and speaking of iPods, mine has the NSYNC Christmas Album in its entirety.

AND, my new obsession is One Tree Hill...(HOW this show escaped my "terrible-night-time-soap-that-Chelsea-will-love" radar before, I'll never know!) I have watched hours of Youtube clips over the past week in an effort to get caught up for the next season premiere. Pathetically dismal, I know.

And finally, today I was out doing errands for a few hours, and I found a yellow Gobstopper at the bottom of my purse. And I ate it. I haven't had Gobstoppers in at least a year, which gives you a time frame when trying to figure out how long that thing had been in there.

I guess that probably beats out having a few bad songs on your iPod.

Despite your sometimes questionable taste in music...it's impossible not to love you.

Up Around the Bend

There's a place up ahead and I'm goin' just as fast as my feet can fly...
-CCR

3 DAYS!!!