That is the slogan I will boorishly place on the motherland of all the Opolus’. I would struggle to take advantage of such anarchy because I had become institutionalized (USA, accountant, single and living in Midland Park) and am approaching age 30, but what an opportunity.
At the beginning it looked and felt like the other mountainous European “Sea” towns. It was as if there was no edge of the earth and start of the Sea, but rather the land was plopped right in the middle of the sea. It is how Cinqueterra looks in Italy and how Croatia looks on the Adriatic Coast. The weather was a bit too cool, but during the summer there are probably hordes of Greeks and foreigners swimming in the Aegean and Mediterranean sea, sun tanning like sea lions on the rocks (some of the Greeks were really quite big), and drinking Orzo, the summer Zambuca-like drink. There were mountains all around and lots of sails.
Next I was going to take on the city. I left the sea resort where I was staying and hailed a taxi who unashamedly and immediately began to rob me. First, he spoke about how he had lived in Philadelphia for the past 40 years. However, nobody from Philadelphia would order two lamb heads and talk about how his favorite part of the lamb to eat was the brain, eyes, and tongue (coming later). Then, he told me he played professional football, quarterback nonetheless, for the Washington Redskins. The man was 5 foot 6 and with his toes pointed out he was inept at walking. After a few more unbelievable lies he said “160 Euros and I will drive you around Athens for the next 5 hours”. My reply……….”Sure!”
Luke the taxi driver gave me 3 choices as follows: 1) the best nudie bar in town where if you put the right amount of money in the right spot there are no rules; 2) drive to the airport and fly to the Greek Island of Mykanos where you can do drugs and meet and greet single or married woman from dusk till dawn and back again; 3) visit the ancient ruins of the Acropolis. My reply……….…….”the Acropolis!”.
It may appear that I was 0 for 2, but the Acropolis was really unbelievable. The ancient Greeks knew how to pick their spots. While in Greece I swore that every picture taken, facing downward, was of the entire city of Athens. I wore my elf shoes (Birkenstocks), the steps were all of smooth marble, the winds were blowing at least 50 miles per hour, and I’m afraid of heights. So at one point, coming down the steps from the Temple of Athena I grabbed hold of a 65 year-old Chinese woman who held me up. She swore at me in Chinese, but I would definitely have fallen down the mountain.
After finishing with the Acropolis, I needed to see some more Panoramic views. Not really, but racing down one way streets, hopping curbs, and going through red lights I got into and rode up on a tram that went up through a mountain and I ended up outside on it’s top. There was one café on this mountain. It was all glass and I spent a couple of hours lounging and drinking coffee (with some Bailey’s in it).
About 6 hours after I had gotten picked up by the taxi driver (no longer only 160 Euros) I was starving and told Luke that I wanted authentic Greek food and drink. I ended up going to the restaurant of the best local lamb herder in Athens. Having adapted to tourism, I walked right into the kitchen and started taking pictures of rotating and cooking intestines and lambs that looked like they had been skinned about 10 minutes ago. Myself and Luke ordered some intestines, lamb, fried eggplant, some red wine in a carafe, greek salad with a block of Feta cheese, bread, and french fries. The fries tasted exactly like Great Grandma used to make in Sicily. The fries were not crispy and tasted like an oily potato. Very good though. I instructed Luke to eat only the intestines until I was full. (I told him! Nobody takes advantage of me!) To cap off the meal I had desert, which was vanilla yogurt topped and smothered in honey. The meal was a heart attack and I really only liked the french fries. Before leaving the restaurant I walked back into the kitchen, saw the butcher decapitate two lambs, place two heads in a bag and gave them to Luke the taxi driver for some good eatin. All in all, a good way to cap off the day. Har!
Here are some pictures. I’m in Croatia right now, then I’m off to Poland this weekend, to Slovakia and Romania next week, back to Croatia and then home to Czech. From October 15th to December 4th I will have been home in Prague for a total of 5 days. I have gone from wearing the same clothes everyday to wearing the same dirty clothes everyday.
I have made reservations for Mykanos in August if anyone would like to join me.
At the beginning it looked and felt like the other mountainous European “Sea” towns. It was as if there was no edge of the earth and start of the Sea, but rather the land was plopped right in the middle of the sea. It is how Cinqueterra looks in Italy and how Croatia looks on the Adriatic Coast. The weather was a bit too cool, but during the summer there are probably hordes of Greeks and foreigners swimming in the Aegean and Mediterranean sea, sun tanning like sea lions on the rocks (some of the Greeks were really quite big), and drinking Orzo, the summer Zambuca-like drink. There were mountains all around and lots of sails.
Next I was going to take on the city. I left the sea resort where I was staying and hailed a taxi who unashamedly and immediately began to rob me. First, he spoke about how he had lived in Philadelphia for the past 40 years. However, nobody from Philadelphia would order two lamb heads and talk about how his favorite part of the lamb to eat was the brain, eyes, and tongue (coming later). Then, he told me he played professional football, quarterback nonetheless, for the Washington Redskins. The man was 5 foot 6 and with his toes pointed out he was inept at walking. After a few more unbelievable lies he said “160 Euros and I will drive you around Athens for the next 5 hours”. My reply……….”Sure!”
Luke the taxi driver gave me 3 choices as follows: 1) the best nudie bar in town where if you put the right amount of money in the right spot there are no rules; 2) drive to the airport and fly to the Greek Island of Mykanos where you can do drugs and meet and greet single or married woman from dusk till dawn and back again; 3) visit the ancient ruins of the Acropolis. My reply……….…….”the Acropolis!”.
It may appear that I was 0 for 2, but the Acropolis was really unbelievable. The ancient Greeks knew how to pick their spots. While in Greece I swore that every picture taken, facing downward, was of the entire city of Athens. I wore my elf shoes (Birkenstocks), the steps were all of smooth marble, the winds were blowing at least 50 miles per hour, and I’m afraid of heights. So at one point, coming down the steps from the Temple of Athena I grabbed hold of a 65 year-old Chinese woman who held me up. She swore at me in Chinese, but I would definitely have fallen down the mountain.
After finishing with the Acropolis, I needed to see some more Panoramic views. Not really, but racing down one way streets, hopping curbs, and going through red lights I got into and rode up on a tram that went up through a mountain and I ended up outside on it’s top. There was one café on this mountain. It was all glass and I spent a couple of hours lounging and drinking coffee (with some Bailey’s in it).
About 6 hours after I had gotten picked up by the taxi driver (no longer only 160 Euros) I was starving and told Luke that I wanted authentic Greek food and drink. I ended up going to the restaurant of the best local lamb herder in Athens. Having adapted to tourism, I walked right into the kitchen and started taking pictures of rotating and cooking intestines and lambs that looked like they had been skinned about 10 minutes ago. Myself and Luke ordered some intestines, lamb, fried eggplant, some red wine in a carafe, greek salad with a block of Feta cheese, bread, and french fries. The fries tasted exactly like Great Grandma used to make in Sicily. The fries were not crispy and tasted like an oily potato. Very good though. I instructed Luke to eat only the intestines until I was full. (I told him! Nobody takes advantage of me!) To cap off the meal I had desert, which was vanilla yogurt topped and smothered in honey. The meal was a heart attack and I really only liked the french fries. Before leaving the restaurant I walked back into the kitchen, saw the butcher decapitate two lambs, place two heads in a bag and gave them to Luke the taxi driver for some good eatin. All in all, a good way to cap off the day. Har!
Here are some pictures. I’m in Croatia right now, then I’m off to Poland this weekend, to Slovakia and Romania next week, back to Croatia and then home to Czech. From October 15th to December 4th I will have been home in Prague for a total of 5 days. I have gone from wearing the same clothes everyday to wearing the same dirty clothes everyday.
I have made reservations for Mykanos in August if anyone would like to join me.
The raging sea in front of my resort.
I was looking into housing prices b/c of the fantastic view of the sea. I want to live up there and raise billy goats.
The Greek houses made it look like the middle east (as seen from movies such as the Bourne Identity)
Theatre of Herod Atticus built in 161 AD, however, recently used for the performance of Yanni.
Theatre of Dionysious, the first theater.
The Great Wall of Greece
This is the entrance way into the temples and to the right was the temple to Nike Athena. This is where King Aegus threw himself into the sea b/c he thought his son Theseus was murdered. There is no sea in sight so I was skeptical.
Athens
The Parthenon built by Pericles
Mount Lycabettos. I took this picture from a rounded terrace with a Greek flag. In WWII the guard at the Acropolis wrapped himself up in the flag and killed himself when the Nazis told him to take the flag down. That is two stories of two deaths and then I almost fell down the mountain but was saved by the little Chinese lady.
This is the Erecthion, where Poseidon and Athena had a fight to see who would be the Patron of the city. Athena won and I think that is why the woman are more successful in Central and Eastern Europe as compared to the men.
Full picture of the Erecthion.
Parliament
Parliament
Me and the guard for the unknown soldier. He was taller than me.
Picture from a small cafe
MMMMM, intestines.
No vegetarians in Greece.
My Croatian girlfriend Natasa.
