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Athens, Greece
Wednesday, October 31
Although buses do run to the airport we're looking at a 5:30 AM bus ride to get there from Plakias. We opt for a taxi instead, an unconscionable luxury at almost $45. The plane ride was uneventful and we arrived in Athens a short 30 minutes later. There's bus service into the city center, and fortunately there's plenty of room for us and our big backpacks. There's also room for the man who had a fever and threw up on the floor about twenty minutes into the hour-long ride. The hotel we'd booked turned out to be a flea-bag dump, so we wandered around a bit longer and found a room with a view overlooking the Parthenon.

Actually, the view was only possible if you leaned waaaay over the balcony railing (see picture on the right). The hotel is a bit on the expensive side at $46 a night, but that's about on par with most budget hotels in Athens that aren't flea-bag dumps. We're staying in Plakas, a neighborhood in the oldest part of Athens full of shops and pedestrian streets, and quite charming. We spend the afternoon wandering the region, and turn in after midnight.

Thursday, November 1
Our first full day on the Greek mainland! We begin with a brisk walk and some stretching exercises in the National Park, and wander our way back through the narrow streets. About two blocks from the hotel, we come upon a group of people crowded around a man lying on the sidewalk…his wife was on her knees beside him, gently stroking his chest and speaking softly while others around her were on their cell phones yelling something and looking worried. At first we were stunned; frozen by the horrifying event. The man had clearly had a heart attack and nobody knew what to do. Surely somebody is going to step forward and save his life! But nobody did anything. After about 30 seconds that felt like an hour, Joe broke out of his spell and pushed his way through the crowd. It's been 18 years since Joe learned CPR so he was worried he wouldn't remember how. But good training kicks in and he leans down and checks the man's pulse and breathing. Nothing. NOTHING! The man is dead. But Joe decides he'll do his best to bring him back. He kneels by the man and begins performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and also starts pumping the man's chest. Over and over he's breathing, pumping, checking pulse and breathing yet again. Meanwhile the crowd is shouting directions and ignorantly tying to help with bizarre actions like pumping the man's legs up and down. Joe keeps going as droplets of water begin to fall on the man' s face. They are either tears or sweat, but Joe's too caught up in the moment to know for sure. Finally, after what seemed like days, the ambulance arrives; puts the man on a stretcher and drives him away. To this moment we don't know whether the man lived or died…or if he ever had a chance. A woman gave Joe a beer and motioned him to wash his mouth out with it. The event has left us both a little shaken. What had just happened? Had Joe saved a man's life? Or watched him die? It's strange to know that it's possible the man's life had ended right there on the street with life just going on all around him. Athina street in downtown Athens never quite stopped bustling with daily activity. People just keep passing by an anonymous man's deathbed as they yammer on their cell phones about some business or other comparatively trivial item. We decide to keep our plans to tour the National Archeological Museum. But throughout the day we both continue to bring up the morning's event just to talk and recognize just how fragile life can be.

Friday, November 2
Another early day of morning exercise and a breakfast of fruits bought off the street. Today we are going to the Acropolis several blocks away on the hilltop. The entire complex is under construction, so our guidebook was a little confusing, but we just followed the crowds and found our way to the ticket office. It's such a historical place, so impressive with its longevity. Afterwards we buy picnic supplies in a nearby neighborhood and eat lunch next to the Temple of Jupiter in the company of a dog and some pigeons. By now we're ready for a rest of the feet, legs, and eyelids, so we head back to the hotel and take a mid-afternoon nap. It's starting to get dark before 6:00 now, so when we venture out again it's dusk. This time we wander north through side streets and markets, and wind up at the Internet café. For dinner we share a gyro plate since we're low of cash today, then proceed to go the wrong way to our hotel for a full 30 minutes before we realize the problem. No matter…it's a nice night and the walk is pleasant.

Saturday, November 3
We had good intentions, today, really! But the bed is too warm, and the air too cold outside to move very fast this morning. We eventually venture outside around noon, and walk towards the Cyclades Museum near the Parliament Building…but we never made it. The cold weather detoured us into a café for soup and olives, and then we wandered around until we ran into the original Olympic Stadium (original from 1896, that is…the REAL ancient original is in another city and we aren't going to get there this trip). Athens is hosting the Olympics for a second time in the year 2004. Anyway, after lunch we are sleepy again. Time for a short nap. Jenni has plans to meet a friend online at 6:00, so we get up in enough time to get to the Internet café, stopping off for baklava along the way. It's still early, but it's now very dark outside and bitterly cold with rain and wind. But we don't want to go home just yet…so we find a café mentioned in the guidebook and have a little snack, then wind our way home down the dark streets.

Sunday, November 4
Today is our last day in Greece, and we want to see the last few things on our list and get some shopping done. We get an early start and head for the Ancient Agora just a few blocks away, dressing warmly for the chilly wind and rain. It's free today - admission to the Acropolis and the Agora is waived, and the guidebook says crowds are usually thick on Sundays. But it's empty today, probably because of the weather, and we have the whole place practically to ourselves. Afterwards, we find the crowds in the flea market below the Agora, and attempt to shop for the few clothes we need to replace, some supplies, and a few good gifts to bring home. Unfortunately, we strike out and find nothing we need or want to buy.
There are however, large piles of beautiful antique junkfrom which we we would not be surprised if a genie popped out! The shop owners also seem more rude than usual, which leaves a bad impression on Jenni. We opt instead to find a warm place for lunch, and eat a salad. It's also time to update the Web site since we're a few locations behind, so we spend the rainiest part of the day completing it. Just before dusk we set off for the Internet café for the upload, and then search out a movie. It's really miserable outside, but we don't want to sit in a hotel room, and we don't feel like sipping coffee for a few hours. American Sweethearts is showing a few blocks away. There's only one movie showing per movie house, so Jenni just shoves 5,000 drachma under the ticket window and we get tickets. The writing is in Greek, so we simply assume it's for American Sweethearts, but something's wrong with the movie. It doesn't look like a sappy Julia Roberts film at all! And it isn't…we have to climb over knees and toes to get out of the theater and ask where our film is showing. Around the corner, we're told, so we race over there and grab seats just before the film starts. It's cheesy and predictable, of course, but good entertainment. And since it's our last day in Greece, we want traditional Greek fare for dinner. Unfortunately, many places are closed because it's Sunday and it becomes more trouble than it's worth, so we end up picnicking in the hotel room with slami, cheese and mustard.