Athens- Day One. I wake up at 4:50am Athens time, and fear that I have become a victim of Jet Lag… this is unacceptable, so I did a little sleep yoga and passed out till 9am- that’s more like the Greeks! I cannot wait for my feet to hit the ground running outside. Alas, the Metro is on strike today, so by foot it is. I set out with the goal of getting lost so I walked about 4 miles in various directions, usually dictated by where the best looking clouds were. Yes, I chased clouds– I can do whatever I want!
After stumbling through some of my favorite ruins, Hadrian’s Library and Kerameikos I landed in the Plaka area, which is this quaint few blocks within the city, that feel nothing like a city. Groups of people sitting outside their island style homes, cats & dogs meandering the streets, and friendly Greeks shouting at one another from their windows.
Time to stop for a while; I decided on a Greek coffee. Lucky for me, Greek men are always there to guide you to *their* restaurant, which is always touted as “ze very baist of ALL ze restaurant…come, you sit.. come now”.
Who am I to say no to that?! I sat down below the Acropolis with my new best friends, Takis & Lakis who made me a “medium sweet” Greek coffee and regaled me with tales of their manliness & travel spoils.Yes, Takis & Lakis, rhyming names for best man friends.
Takis is a professional Greek dancer (be still my heart) and Lakis is the owner of the restaurant Zorba’s (of course) in the Plaka area. Somehow during the course of the conversation and crude jokes Lakis snuck behind me and began giving me a neck massage. “ohh you wear ze backpack you needs ze massage”
I was about to protest when I realized he was right – I was a little sore in the traps… massage away, Lakis! I spent a few hours outside, soaking up some sun, drinking the glorious coffee and laughing hysterically at the men.
I was invited back tonight where they will be putting on a dance performance for 400 people where I will take photo & video for their new website… wish me luck.. and maybe a massage…
'Athens, S’Agapo. I love Athens Greece' have 5 comments
March 5, 2010 @ 12:15 pm Mom
This is going to be so fun for me, following you around the world. “Listening” to your days typed out for our “vicuriousness”. Ahhhh…like reading a book as it is being written. Thank you Miss Brandy for sharing.
March 6, 2010 @ 12:13 am livevicuriously
well since one of my life goals is to write a book, I suspect you are quite correct Mom 😉 Off for more adventures and photos now! xoxo
March 5, 2010 @ 12:17 pm Amy Jo
not the weirdest travel massage you have ever gotten 🙂
March 5, 2010 @ 12:27 pm Paula Swenson
LOVE IT! 🙂 If you are wandering around Plaka up past the Tower of Winds and the Folk Instrument Museum, look for το φεγγάρι they have the BEST stifado! and are also amusing … I’m SO jealous that you are in Athens– it snowed again here today!
XOXO ~ P
March 5, 2010 @ 1:00 pm Suzi
Ahhhh – the memories you have invoked! (Except for the massage part, since my DH stuck suspiciously close to my side the whole time! 🙂 ) Loved the Plaka! Thanx for the memories!!