DAY ZERO. SEPTEMBER 2, 2009. TRAVEL DAY
Well, Samper and I have our passports in order and are awaiting take off. Our flight plan is from Detroit to Philadelphia (for a happy little layover) and then on to Athens, Greece for the "Trip of a Lifetime".
Samper has been wanting to go to Greece for 30 years and has been planning this trip for over a year. Can anyone say "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder"? She researched everything from every single hotel in two locations (Athens and Santorini Island) to the number of the United States Embassy in Athens. She did her history homework. She had a strictly laid out agenda for us so we wouldn't miss a single important thing. She even left a four page document on House Rules, Policies and Procedures (including the number to the local pizza joint) for Boyfriend, who was being cared for by the kitties. He can't be left unsupervised for 2 minutes or the house is in shambles!
LATER THAT DAY: We checked in with plenty of time to spare and Samper was beside herself, even on the verge of tears at times (what a CRY BABY!) that the Dream was now the Reality. The flight from DTW to PHL was uneventful, on time, and short enough that we barely finished our complimentary beverages before landing. YES! USAIRWAYS is back to providing COMPLIMENTARY beverages!
Whilst (everyone DRINK for use of the word!) in PHL, we managed to suck down a few cocktails and enjoy a few refreshing menthol cigarettes in the parking structure. Hey, it was 5PM somewhere! Besides, this was an OCASSION!
FINALLY! It was time to put our seats and tray tables in full upright position for the long haul! We got REALLY lucky with an awesome seatmate who let us take pictures over her and she even assisted! Here I am waiting for take off (but before that MEAN flight attendant made me buckle my seatbelt! A famous moose shouldn't have to do such mundane things!).
DAY ONE. SEPTEMBER 3, 2009. ARRIVAL IN GREECE!
The flight was long... over 10 hours. But we actually arrived in Athens an entire hour early at around 8AM! Obviously, the first thing on the agenda was getting outdoors for a smoke. We found a back staircase near the Metro and Ferry Ticket vendors and stepped outside to breathe the same air that Zeus, Herodian, and Socrates all breathed.
WOW! Welcome to Athens!
We bought our 3-day Metro Pass and Ferry Tickets at the airport and then began the adventure. The Metro is brand new there and very nice so we headed to the hotel via Metro (the Metro is the "Subway").
And the moment we've ALL been waiting for!
Drumroll, please!
Drumroll, please!
This is our very first, in person look at the Parthenon atop the Acropolis! Again, that CRY BABY, Samper, shed a tear. I feel a pattern beginning and it's gonna drive me nuts!
Our first view was during our long, hot walk from the Metro station to the hotel. But it was only long because the locals gave roundabout directions and Samper was all turned around on the map.
We finally arrived at the hotel and couldn't have been more thrilled to unload suitcases and dive into Athens head first!!!
The room was teeny tiny! So tiny that there was no place to put our suitcase while having access to it at the same time, except on the bed. We even slept with it there because trying to move it in this teeny tiny room was a feat of strength we weren't willing to experience. The foot of the bed came so close to the little vanity area that you couldn't pull the vanity stool out. We just sat on the end of the bed while using the vanity, but it was weird. The bathroom had all the basics and even separate buttons on the toilet for "Regular Flush" and "Turbo Flush". Samper found that amusing, to put it mildly. We didn't take photos of the room, but now wish we had. It was just so non-descript other than being built for Thumbalina, it didn't seem to warrant the effort.
Samper took a shower, and off we went to the New Acropolis Museum, directly across the street. Within it, there are displays that used to be in the Old Acropolis Museum, on the actual Acropolis.
By crane and painstaking effort to be careful in packing and moving the items, the artifacts were brought down the hill and put into this beautiful, new, contemporary building. Here I am looking at it the next day from atop the Acropolis.
They don't let you take photos inside, but the displays were incredible. From the smallest of ancient coins to the lifesized replicas of the Caryatids, the displays continued to awe us, one right after the other.
They DO let you take photos outside, though! While being built, they excavated more of ancient civilization and left it in situ with glass coverings that visitors walk over and view through to see the finds.
Here is one view through the floor of the entrance area that had barriers around it, but no glass over it. I don't know what it actually is, but you can tell it was SOMETHING back in the Ancient Day!
Samper's biggest fear here was dropping the camera 20' down into someone's house from thousands of years ago!
There is also a cafe at the museum, with a gorgeous view of the Acropolis. Here I am enjoying that view. NOTE FROM SAMPER: Many times, the glare of the sun wouldn't allow me to know what I was actually capturing on the camera. I tried to edit the photos to their best, but some will be a bit dark or blurry... sorry! I'm no AKM when it comes to photography, and since Brian wanted to be IN all the photos, he wouldn't extend his own expertise. 
After the museum, we decided it was time for the SECOND important view... that of a plate of souvlaki served unto us! We decided to do an experiment and order the same thing at several places throughout our stay and compare recipes, presentation, etc. The first one was the best of the whole trip at an outdoor cafe right across the way from the museum. The pork souvlaki (literally, meat on a stick) was perfectly seasoned and tender. The french fries in Greece put ours to shame and, of course, the tzadziki (a yoghurt/cucumber/garlic spread) was to die for! Here I am enjoying the wine before the meal. I have no idea what happened to the photo of the food, though!
We then decided to visit the rooftop of the sister hotel around the corner from ours. Wow! What a view! This is also the view from the webcam that we looked at every day before leaving on the hotel website.
It was getting late in the day, we were tired from traveling, and had quite full tummies, so we headed back to the hotel for a little nap and re-grouping. You know... tending to things like tearing the airline tag off the suitcase so you don't forget while going home and your luggage ends up in Athens again instead of Detroit.
All three nights whilst (DRINK!) in Athens, we took a drink to the rooftop to sit and stare at the Parthenon all lit up. Unfortunately, Samper took photos that LOOKED OK on the camera without her glasses, but sadly came out quite blurred once uploaded. Here is the best of the night shots. Night One, Samper didn't just shed a tear... she actually sobbed at the majesty and Dream Come True. Luckily, no one was witness to these CRY BABY antics besides me. I started to get used to it after a while, but others wouldn't.
DAY TWO. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
After a very good night's rest (By the way, no jet lag! We slept overnight on the plane and when we woke, it was morning in Athens, so it all seemed very natural.), Samper brought breakfast up to me because some people object to wildlife pilfering through the buffet. I had ham, cheese, a hard boiled egg, a roll and orange juice.
Here's what was left before we started the day.
Today was THE day. The day we climb the Acropolis and TOUCH the Parthenon! The day 30 years in the making! We got a litre of water and headed out. We drank TONS of water today!
The climb up the Acropolis was long and hot! I decided that, being the celebrity I am, I shouldn't have to exert myself. Samper carried me EVERYWHERE! It was great! We stopped to look at the Theatre and other things during the climb and to rest in the shade for a bit. 
Then... suddenly... we were there! MECCA! The Ultimate! Face to Face with the most awesome (term NOT used lightly here) piece of architecture in the world... The Parthenon!!! (Choir of Angels starts to sing). Samper, of course, had tears rolling down her face, but didn't openly sob, thank goodness! Here I am in one of the more stunning shots of the sky and architecture. I'm quite photogenic, yes?
There were some disappointments, however. According to Samper's Mommy, the Parthenon has been in "restoration" for 35 years since SHE saw it. The scaffolding and cranes were a huge distraction. Also too there, they have the Acropolis Gestapo who will NOT let you touch the buildings. They are all roped off and they found the angriest, loudest, meanest Greeks in the city to sit up there and yell at tourists to stay outside of the roped areas. They also yelled when I set my water down on a random rock to take a picture. Those Greeks are MEAN!
Enjoy our pictorial of the Parthenon from atop the
Sacred Rock!
And here are some other buildings on the Acropolis!
I am a handsome one, don'tcha think?
The views from atop the Acropolis are stunning as well. You already saw me looking at the new museum, but here are some other views... We've got the Temple of Olympian Zeus (background of 3rd photo), Mt. Lycabettus (spelled a thousand ways and this must be one of them!), and the other theatre.
Disclaimer: Photos do NOT do this place justice!
After filling our water bottle from the ONE drinking fountain on the Acropolis, which dispenses warm water that tastes like it flowed through concrete, we took one last look and headed down to the Agora under the Acropolis. The Agora was the Meeting Place/Market Place/Seat of Government back in the day.The Agora has lots of old stuff, too... we saw a church...
... and a thing called The Stoa, which is essentially the world's first strip mall. Each doorway was a a merchant's stall back in the day.
It's been restored and it has a bathroom! Yippee! Samper came out of the bathroom wielding tons of "Wet Ones" to get that "spring fresh" feeling back, but it didn't work. This day was going to continue being a hot and sweaty one.
Here is the other end of the strip mall... a cool little garden area. Talk about Zen! It was truly gorgeous, but, again, photos don't do it justice. It was just a small area, but very peaceful.
No Agora would be complete without Olive Trees! This photo was taken upon request of AKM. Evidently, she finds me particularly handsome amongst (DRINK!) produce in its original form.
Taking one last look back at the Acropolis, we left the Agora for other sites.
The next stop was the Temple of Olympian Zeus. Once we found the Temple, it was pretty funny because Samper had to carry me ALL THE WAY AROUND THE BLOCK to reach the entrance. Being a hot afternoon and all the walking already that day, this was simply HILARIOUS!
You just can't BUY fun like this!
Hadrian's Arch is on the way to the Temple Entrance and was erected in 132 AD as a gateway between the Ancient city and the Roman city of Athens. Facing the Acropolis, the Arch reads, “This is Athens, the Ancient City of Theseus.” On the other side, it reads, “This is the city of Hadrian, not Theseus”. Those wacky Greeks! And you would never guess from this photo that 6 lanes of traffic and congestion and chaos are zooming past just below the arch!
Here I am at the Temple of Olympian Zeus. The area is huge, but quite barren, except for the temple.
Here is a column that fell during an earthquake. You can see how the columns all over Greece were constructed - as discs stacked on top of each other. We have no idea how they pulled off all this architecture without the aid of modern machinery! We're guessing that thousands of slaves, blood, sweat and tears had alot to do with it. I can't even imagine dragging all that stuff up to the Acropolis, let alone at sea level for this temple! And I'm a strong backed MOOSE! These discs are HUGE.
OK...you asked for it! One last stunning view of the Acropolis. This was taken from the Temple of Olympian Zeus.
Hadrian's Arch is in the foreground.
Hadrian's Arch is in the foreground.
Time for a test run to the Port of Piraeus, where we would be catching the Ferry on Sunday. The route was easy enough... one Metro change, escalators to help with luggage, easy timing. This wasn't going to be a problem at all! We got there around sunset and the area was quiet.
Here's the sunset!
Back to the hotel so Samper could take a shower and then we hit the rooftop garden again.
DAY THREE. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
Today, Samper woke up wanting to get more use out of her three day Metro Pass, so we decided to go see a few things a little further away.
While touted in guidebooks as a "Must See", we found it rather dull, so we stopped for a glass of wine at an outdoor cafe after seeing it. That made the stop a little more interesting. For $10 USD, you'd think they would FILL the glass! The "people watching" here kind of made up for the gross lack of value in wine.
After our wine, we went on to Monistiraki, which is a marketplace with mostly just shops and cafes. We had a wonderful lunch there whilst (DRINK!) people watching and enjoying the beautiful day! Unbeknownst (DRINK!) to Samper, we were just a few feet from the taverna described as the "best" for souvlaki. Ours was very tasty, too, also, so there wasn't much disappointment in missing the recommended for the stumbled upon. Here I am with the FIRST 1/2 litre of wine!
He also gave Samper that double cheek kiss the Europeans like so much. We spent a long time there and he was really sweet, with a free 1/2 litre of wine and the desert. It was kind of like having your grandpa wait on you. He even let Samper use the bathroom when we were ready to hit the Metro again a few hours later. Again, with the double cheek kiss!
What is WITH those Greeks and KISSING?
The square at Monistiraki. Lookie there! Not a single tourist in the shot!
Whilst (DRINK!) browsing the shops and looking for "Dry Salted Olives" to bring back for a Mudpup, we found the new nameplate for my office door! Yes, I think I need an office now that I'm famous. It would be a good place to compose my memoirs. Samper thought it a little tacky, but I found it to be very descriptive.
Brian the Sexbomb. I like it!
We headed back towards the hotel and caught this museum quality exhibit in the Metro Station. It is statuary brought down from the Acropolis. Everything is marble and the weight must be incredible with not only statuary, but also the buildings, which probably contributes greatly to their longevity. This one is just a bunch of Greeks partying, evidently. Some clothed, some not. Those not clothed are... um... anatomically correct. The place was absolutely hedonistic back in the day.
After our last visit to the rooftop to view the Parthenon one more time (yes, Cry Baby Samper sobbed a little more!), we headed to bed early so that we could make the 7AM ferry.
DAY FOUR. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2009
This is where the fun REALLY started! Many of you know the story, but for those who haven't caught up, I'll try to streamline it for you.
After Samper dragged her luggage from the teeny tiny room to the lobby at 5AM to check out, she was met with a supposed "DECLINE" of her credit card to pay the hotel bill. OH NO! I pulled mine out, and that was DECLINED, also too! We were in deep doo doo, not being able to check out and having a ferry ticket for 7AM.
The hotel guy suggested we try the ATM around the corner. No go there, either. We returned to the hotel, they tried the cards again and no transaction would process. Uh Oh! Alone in Greece, with no way to check out, a ferry ticket, and a reservation on the island.
We called the card services for Samper's main credit card in the U.S. No, the card was not blocked. No, we are just a processing center, we can't make it work. It cost us $45 for this valuable information.
Frustrated, we called the U.S. Embassy and were connected with a fine fellow who was born in Samper's hometown. It was very reassuring to have an American advocate and fellow Michigander on the line. He did his research and called back with distressing news. He could help us with phone numbers to local VISA/MC offices, but being Sunday, they were closed.
Samper immediately got online with the cc companies and noted to the hotel that there was plenty of cash available on both cards, but he woudn't even take a look at the online balance information. She offered to write a check against the balance shown on line. They wouldn't accept it. More bad news.
Crying (AGAIN, what a WUSS!! Samper cries when happy, when frustrated, or just 'cuz' ... this is getting OLD and FAST!), frustrated and angry after promises up and down that her cards would work in Greece, Samper decided to get on line with the Pups in chat for more suggestions. It was about 6:30AM in Greece now (ferry is an impossibility at this point), making it around 11:30PM EDT in the States. Many Pups were in chat, having been listening to Shannyn's show.
Thank God! We had friends with whom to speak and brainstorm!
Traveler's Aid was suggested, but Samper couldn't find a local listing for any such agency. Being a Sunday and Labor Day following, contacting the bank directly was impossible. They don't have 24/7 customer service at Samper's bank, so that was shot down. Email wouldn't be seen until Tuesday.
Then a Pup suggested that she could donate to the cause. Other Pups joined in and $700 was raised within minutes. That gave us enough to check out of Hotel Hell with a bit of pocket cash for incidentals. It took a while for everyone to Paypal it to Nan and then Nan Paypal'd it to Jackie, who then had Sharon contact the hotel with Jackie's credit card number to pay the bail from Hotel Jail. During all this, I was getting O.J. from the breakfast buffet and adding a little rum to it for Samper so she could calm down a bit. It was tasty and managed to help. It certainly couldn't hurt in these dire circumstances. Samper was out of her MIND with fear!
The most comforting thing in the world was speaking for a few moments with Sharon when she called the hotel to process the transaction. We felt loved and cared for and suddenly, not alone.
You guessed it! More sobbing by Samper, this time in gratitude for the overwhelming generosity and "get it done" attitude of the Dear Pups. She almost couldn't compose herself to move on, but she did. Samper sent a thank you on chat to the pups and cleared out of Hotel Hell lickety split. Their lobby area had become a jail and release was sweet.
Having missed the ferry, we headed directly to the Port to get on the next one out. Little did we know the Metro system doesn't go all the way through on Sunday. We had to switch to a bus after navigating several staircases with luggage. It was a mess and NO ONE would help out. Millions of young strong guys and no one would grab our suitcase for a small flight of stairs while Samper managed the carryon.
Finally making it to the bus, Samper put me and the carry on on the bus at the doorway, turned to get the big bag and the doors to the bus closed. Absolutely in a panic, Samper BANGED on the door of the bus and jumped around wildly (like on a sitcom) as it started moving... ME, our passports, credit cards, cash, etc. were all in the carry on. But I'm kind of limited on being able to actually USE any of this without Samper (a lack of opposable thumbs is more limiting than you'd think), so I was far from 'golden' if Samper wasn't with me.
Mind you, she only turned for one second to reach for the other bag, which was RIGHT there. It wasn't like she was neglecting her belongings or being irresponsible.
You've never seen such a panic! I think the blood drained from Samper's face! Had she not been in mildly mediocre health, a coronary might have been in order. To have your hands directly on every important thing you carry and to see them potentially drive off 3 seconds (literally, no exaggeration) later in a foreign country is a fright we don't even wish on SP. Even WITH copies of everything in the other bag!
Samper could see nothing but despair in those 7 seconds between the doors closing and the bus stopping to let her on with the other bag. Jumping around and banging on the bus evidently was very helpful.
Off to the port.
Sunday at the port is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY different than the stunning sunset and quiet area of the night we visited, pictured above. It was now a chaotic ghetto (literally) in the light of day, with all kinds of people selling bootleg goods on the sidewalk. People EVERYWHERE, filth unbelievable. Evidently, the port is used as a shopping area for locals on weekends. It was horrible.
Samper bought a phone card and called the Embassy Guy, crying and begging him to help with arrangements to get us on the next flight home. It was too distressing for words... we were in a ghetto, missing our trip to Santorini, frustrated beyond belief. It was a scary place to be.
Samper felt it wasn't worth it to go on, while simultaneously thinking we had already come this far and we just had to buck up and take the trauma like the cry babies that we are. The Embassy Guy convinced us to move on and to get within the port boundaries (it's kind of cordoned off from the rest of the area, policed, less populated and cleaner).
The next ferry wasn't until 7PM. It was now like noon. We would be approaching the island by now, if things had gone right at the hotel. We decided to grab some lunch at the least icky place we could find and had a couple of beers and a gyro for really cheap. Then, we took the bridge over the street that leads to the port area. Here is my view from the bridge whilst (DRINK!) sitting on our luggage before descending into the port area.
Picture it if you will: 400 pounds of luggage in 2 items (carry on and suitcase), 85 degrees, a Diva Moose demanding to be carried and not helping with the luggage, in a ghetto, for 7 hours!
This was gonna finish up as a GREAT day!
We pee'd in a gross place that asks for donations for toilet paper, with signs begging users to not flush it (they have serious sanitation problems in Greece). We also had the worst peeing experience of Greece in that gyro place - Samper decided the best $5 spent on this trip was on pocket packs of toilet seat covers and toilet paper and was oh so grateful for them. They aren't big on clean bathrooms there. I would have just pee'd outside, but Samper demanded that I "respect" the Greeks and be more discrete than that.
Then, we walked around the port area a little. It was OK, not like the ghetto on the other side of the street, but not great, either. There were kiosks to buy beverages and snacks, kisosks with benches to sit in the shade, and a bus that circled the port area so people wouldn't have to walk long distances to the ferries. We decided to make our way to the ferry and wait there. There was NO WAY we would miss this one for ANY reason!
Upon arrival by bus at the ferry, we found it was in place, void of exiting passengers, and waiting to board. It was about 3:45PM now, and we could board as early as 4PM. What a relief! A relaxing, quiet, safe place to be that probably had clean bathrooms and a few bars!
We stowed the big bag in the garage area and went to the upper deck smoking lounge. It was quiet, we were basically alone for a couple of hours and we enjoyed the peace immeasurably. Finally, we were set to get to the island. You may have heard the heavy sigh of relief in the States as we found JUST the right table to engage. It was out of the traffic path, near the doors for fresh air, and a distance from other tables. Perfect!
We walked around a bit, exploring the boat (several cafes, bars, lounge areas, tv areas, etc.). Here's a bit of the ferry before people really started boarding. First and foremost, a rum and Coke Light from our carry on (way different than Diet Coke, but Samper is used to it from the Caribbean) and a smoke! Yes, I hold my smokes on my back... got a problem with that? I don't have opposable thumbs, you know!
And here I am looking at Athens off the back of the boat (just outside of smoking lounge, seen above). That would have been a LONG drop had I fallen. Luckily, Samper made sure I was secure! She's a GEM! She took care of me terrifically!
At this point, we were thinking that the bank and Paypal (other cc company) were at fault for our troubles. Here I am reprimanding the cc's.
"Bad credit cards! BAD, BAD, BAD!"
Finally, we were underway. It was very windy off the back of the boat, but here I am quickly taking in our wake, leaving the ghetto and nightmare of the past 14 hours behind. No, your eyes do not deceive you. There are no photos of the ghetto because Samper was afraid to take the camera out amongst (DRINK!) all the unsavory types until we crossed the bridge. What a wuss!
Only 5 more hours and we'd be on Santorini... the life long destination #1. WAHOO! Embassy Guy did us a huge favor by contacting the hotel about our late arrival. Samper just wasn't up for the language barrier and trying to call in the chaoos of the ghetto. When we called him back, he had the owner's name, and said that she would leave instructions for us on the reception office door. They were simple enough... "Please knock on the last door to the right". He also got her cell number for us, just in case.
We read, dozed minimally, and basically just sat around on the ferry without much incident. We had been "on the road" since 5AM and it was now approaching 1AM as we entered the port of Santorini. We were assured by Embassy Guy that plenty of cabs would be waiting and it wouldn't be a problem getting one even at that hour. They know when the ferries come in and plan for it.
After literal fisticuffs (don't even ask about the old Greek woman who was so RUDE by shoving me aside!) by folks trying to get their luggage out of the holding area below the ferry, we got ours almost last (first in, last out).
We made our way a block or so to the taxi waiting area and kept telling the drivers where we were going, without favorable response. Great. Just GREAT! However, one guy (cute young one!), trying to maximize his profit and help us out, threw our luggage on top of his car, roped it down (he's obviously done this before, as his action was quick and fluid) and we shared with three Americans staying well past us. Since we were on the way, they didn't object.
Plus, they were Americans with their own set of foibles... one of their pieces of luggage was still in Atlanta, GA! Given our experience, Samper considered this minor, but realized it was very major to this young gal and empathized fully, even offering up the last of the clean shorts and t-shirts if she wanted them, as we could do laundry later. (Say it with me! RUN ON SENTENCE!)
Suddenly, her plight was our plight. We wanted to be the good samaratins that others had been to us and gladly offered up. She could send the stuff back once home and it was really no big deal to do without to help someone else. It was graciously declined, as her carry on had a change of clothes and the airline provided a couple of t-shirts.
The dark, winding, scary, ride up the cliff in the dark was about 20 minutes to the hotel and it was about 2AM by the time we reached Poula's door. For those keeping track, that makes the day about 21 hours from first reaching the lobby in Athens to now. I knocked lightly and she immediately answered, throwing on a robe and leading us to the room. No check in formalities, just a key and the breakfast routine.
A little baby kitten that looks like a younger version of one of ours walked into the room like he owned the place. He kind of runs about the property, plays with the owner's children and is fed heartily by them, even though he is not officially "their" kitty. This was perfectly fine, as we were missing our kitties terribly and he was sooooooo cute!
We had our Kitty Travel Photo with us and even I got a little misty missing them. Having Island Kitty (official name, via Samper) sort of moving in with us helped. Oh NO! I was getting as sappy as Samper!
I was getting EMOTIONAL on this trip!
Samper brought some tuna snack packs and shared them with the kitty. Here I am trying to get some for myself. No such luck, the kitten ate it ALL.
The kitten then settled in on the couch with a full tummy for a nap. Samper covered him with her plane blanket. He would spend the next two nights on the bed with Samper, which she loved.
Mind you, we are now past 2AM on the day of arrival on the island. We had no business entertaining kittens or ANY thing besides going to sleep, but you don't just wind down immediately... it takes TIME!
Samper decided that since we were tired, but a bit wound up from the travel, we'd wind down with the complimentary wine. I drank mine really fast and then toppled the glass to play inside of it.
Wow! This was turning out to be a GREAT vacation after all!
Samper decided that this was as good a time as any to get some shots of the room. Cool decor... in keeping with Cycladic traditions... (we were in the Cyclades Islands of the Mediterranean, for those without an Atlas).
Cool Shutters on windows... The walls were as white as this page, so the photo might look weird.
Weird shower without a curtain (Samper had to use her towels to mop the floor after every shower!). The bathroom only locked (with a key) from the OUTSIDE, but I promised Samper I wouldn't peek or lock her in.
She promised I'd go blind if I did. I didn't take the risk.
To all of you hostesses out there, Samper thought this was a unique way to position 2 glasses (water and wine) at a place setting. This was taken on Day 2 of the island, after hiking up the caldera's pathway to buy some authentic Santorinian wine, but it's how the hotel presented them on arrival and reset them throughout our stay.
More of the room... self explanatory. The bed was up in the loft.
DAY FIVE. SEPTEMBER 7, 2009
And then, there was the VIEW. The VIEW Samper has waited for since she was 16. The VIEW that can not POSSIBLY be brought forth accurately in photos, but here is the best attempt. I'm just going to let you all drink it in, but know this... when Samper saw the view from our balcony in the daylight, she LOST it.
And then, there was the VIEW. The VIEW Samper has waited for since she was 16. The VIEW that can not POSSIBLY be brought forth accurately in photos, but here is the best attempt. I'm just going to let you all drink it in, but know this... when Samper saw the view from our balcony in the daylight, she LOST it.
This is one of God's best works. Samper has known this for years. It is awesome in the real sense of the word, and it was WORTH the agony getting here. The cliffs, the sea, the thought of this PERHAPS being the Lost Island of Atalantis... magical!
Here I am as we were enjoying the view with a glass of Santorinian Wine. I may have had a little too much "enjoyment"...
And here I am again, enjoying the view from the balcony.
OK... So Day 5 was a day of awe... but we knew that on Tuesday, we'd have to get in touch with the banks, and try to figure out settling up with the hotel and getting home. A cab was expected at 6AM on Day 7 to take us to the Santorini airport to go home, so we had to settle up on the night before leaving.
DAY 6. SEPTEMBER 8, 2009
There is no public access to the internet at the hotel unless you have your WIFI capable laptop. Sadly, I advised Samper against the added weight and will forever be in Access Hell for it.
We had to bus into the town of Fira and find the internet cafe to access the banks, and more importantly, Samper's Mommy, who is the only reliable source in Samper's world of regular email checking. BF and the kitties weren't checking in regularly, but Samper's Mommy is ALWAYS checking email.
The goal: Have Mommy call bank to correct what is wrong with primary card. Mommy had the number and name of direct contact with specific branch to avoid all that "We won't tell you anything unless you are verified as the cardholder" crap. I had emailed the branch with the typical SOS in hysteria, with notice that Mommy would be calling.
Everyone at bank declared nothing was amiss on their end. Therefore, since we were in town, they suggested we try the ATM's. We tried over and over and OVER again... as long as the card wasn't eaten, there was hope.
WOW! We'd get 80 euro and then a decline. Then 100 euro and a decline. Significant breaks between of at least an hour. This indicates that the card is working, funds are available as expected and all might work out. It's just that the Greek ATM's, like the Greek people, are tempermental and will do as they wish in their own time.
OK... so we have almost half of the hotel bill in cash. We have lunch at the internet cafe, logging into bank sites far and wide to figure things out. Madly emailing Mommy and wishing to know the results of her contact with the bank. Reports are that bank is looking into this matter.
After lunch, we walk back to the ATM. After several "declines" from Greek banks, spirits are medium, thinking we have about half of the hotel bill and the propieter of the hotel is SUPER nice, maybe even willing to take a check with proof of available funds.
We go back to the ATM and Samper hits the BONANZA! TWO 200 Euro transactions back to back worked! We now had enough cash to check out of the hotel and get us home in relative comfort! Wahoo!
We went back to the internet cafe and emailed Samper's Mommy and the bank to let them know all was now well and headed directly back to the bus stop to return to the hotel. 5 hours of stress in that town was more than enough!
We get on the bus and who is sitting right next to us? The kids we shared a cab with at the port! We chatted as the driver passed right by my stop and went onward towards their hotel in Oia. (Nope, their missing luggage hadn't arrived yet.) This was fine, though, because we got to see a little more of the island's stunning scenery. We were dropped off on the return trip back to Fira.
As soon as we got to the hotel, we paid our bill, thankful that we didn't somehow lose the cash that was so hard to get.
At this point, the owner of the hotel asked us to wait and when she returned, she had a glass of wine from her grandpa's vineyard and some nibblets for us to enjoy during our last evening. What a nice lady!
After the little appetizers, we decided that one more serving of souvlaki before going home was in order and went to the Taverna next door for dinner.
We pretended to read when we were really people watching and celebrating with a rum and Coke Light! We love people watching, as Greece is FULL of amusing characters!
We took one last stroll around the hotel, packed and got to sleep early with the kitten at the foot of the bed keeping us company until morning.
DAY 7, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2009. TRAVEL DAY.
The owner arranged for our 6AM cab, who was right on time and we got to the airport with plenty of time to kill. We met a nice military kid who was on vacation before going back to Kuwait. We talked alot about our President and what is going on back home and he pulled out The Audacity Of Hope. You could tell this guy was very involved, as the book was highlighted, underlined, and well worn.
We had breakfast at the Athens airport and strolled through the little museum they have there. The pieces are all what were found on the airport site when they were building it. They are thousands of years old!
It was finally time to board the plane back to the states. While Samper was, at times, convinced that God doesn't like her very much, all such doubt was put to rest as we settled into our seats. We had our OWN ROW OF TWO SEATS!!! No fat, drooling, snoring seatmate to deal with, extra room, and most importantly, a little privacy. This was a perfect way to fly home, if the people behind us would have stopped using our seats for balance and jostling us about. We guessed it was a small price to pay, though.
All in all, the trip was a very good one. Not perfect, but nothing ever is. We saw everything we wanted to see and can now cross Greece off the Bucket List.
Bye Bye, Greece!
EPILOGUE: It has been determined that the hotel was at fault for the financial mess, as they never accessed Samper's account during check out (card not "swiped" correctly). There's plenty of blame to go around, however, because Paypal was also at fault for declining the transaction arbitrarily whilst (DRINK) approving others simultaneously.
We await response from both about our losses.
And we miss the kitten,
but are happy to be back home with ours.
