Greek to Us

We often hear "announcements" from megaphones on trucks going around the neighborhood, but we captured it tonight from our balcony-- fresh produce anyone?

Aegina and Agistri

After work on Saturday we took a cab to the port at Pireaus, a boarded the Flying Dolphin highspeed boat to the small island of Aegina, the pistachio producing island of Greece. It was great to get away, but we quickly found that the small port town was a little overrun with people. Perhaps it was just too accessible to Athens. It seems that harder to get to islands are more pristine, and maybe worth the trip. Only if we had more time... But, it was really nice to enjoy some hot weather by the clear, still cool, sea.

Egintiko Arhontiko (an old mansion converted into a hotel in Aegina Town)
This one was not quite as sweet as the one we found on Syros. But still characterful.



The "arhontiko" aka tumble down ol mansion was lovingly adorned with plants amoungst which Teri posed.


Feesh


Vegetable stand with abutting taverna tables. The Greeks love to have tavernas everywhere. We are beginning to love it too.

Teri waiting for Posidon Hellas to take us to Agistri, a small island near by with supposedly better beaches for swimming

Jaws for cars. Amazing that it floats.

Escaping from the tourist madness on Aegina going to Agistri

The hydroplaning Flying Dolphin ferry which connects many small islands

Nescafe on Ice

Finally a chance to catch some sun



Sunburned

The tourist madness followed us to Agistri

Yes!!

I figured it out!
It's the little victories, really.

Something Great

Some of you may be aware of Teri's penchant for all things Blue Grass-- blame it on growing up in Bakersfield or going to school in Texas, but this girl is a sucker for a banjo and steel guitar. Ahh, Patty Griffin, Emmylou, Alison Krauss (Thanks Mama G), ... but yesterday she happened upon this beautiful ensemble and discovered Gillian Welch. How had I not heard of her before?

Anecdote

Last night at a restaurant in our neighborhood that we frequent maybe once-a-week:

Owner: Yasas! 

T&M: Yasas, how are you?

Owner: Good. How are you?

T&M: Good. It was hot today! We're hungry!

Owner: Yeah.. (looks at Teri), You don't cook?

Almost forgot about gender roles here.

Happy Birthday Matt

For Matt's 37th we took a ferry to nearby island of Syros. It was amazing! Definitely, one of the best things about living on this side of the world is being so close to places like this. We decided to make a real effort to get out of Athens more often. Matt usually has to work on Saturdays which makes it hard to go anywhere on the weekends, but, hopefully, we can make it work somehow.

Here are pictures of our Syros sojourn:
Ubiquitous stand of fried and seseame'd goodies at the port of Piraeus

Our "fast boat" to Syros

Matt amongst fishing boats in Syros

One of many swimming slabs around the island

Our Neo-Classical Mansion Hotel (Our room is top, left window)

Syros shoreline

Street views

Teri didn't plan on swimming in her clothes, but a rogue wave soaked her on way to lunch!

Nun on way to Saturday mass

Lazy lunch on a quiet beach opposite the port town

Island taverna

Hotel lobby with gracious host Yannis

From bedroom window

Someday

We were talking the other day about how this time in our lives is sort of like retirement--we have the time to do many of the things we save for "someday." Well, we certainly have been doing all sorts of "someday" activities including: writing poetry (Teri is taking classes online and Matt collaborates with her), learning the guitar, learning to cook and bake (even trying our hands at homemade pizza and pasta), and learning the ebb and flow of everyday life in Greece. We know that this time won't last forever, but it's nice to be able to enjoy it right now.