ouzo is baaaad news-o my friends. actually... if you drink it correctly (on the rocks) it's not all that bad... plus, if a cute athenian is having trouble opening the little bottle she just bought from the bar, ouzo can make for a perfect conversation starter. i have heard it called mathematics, science, and music, but... is alcohol truly the ultimate universal language?
got home at 4am last night after a much more successful night life than the night before. Psiri appears to be the one district in athens with places open late. ONE?!?!? what the hell? hasn't this city been around for like... longer than lots of other ones? and they STILL haven't got partying right yet? ben and i are both confident the beach scene is going to drastically contrast this ancient, congested city. we have heard that ios will be party central. we are there longer than any other island. shucks.
the next 10 days are pretty well laid out (layed? lied? i never know), as we booked the last of our lodging/transportation needs yesterday in a travel agency. (no idea how they make money by the way, because the prices we paid there are the same i found online. weird. we leave for corfu tomorrow for three nights. then back to athens for a night for our 20-hour layover before getting to santorini. 2 nights there (only one full day but we will make it one to remember), then early morning ferry to ios for three full days there. the last night we take the 11:00pm ferry getting us to athens by 1:30am, taking the 2:00 or 2:30 bus to the airport getting us there around 3:30 for my 7:30 flight.
i. love. traveling.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Good mooooorning... athens.
10:30am - Tuesday.
Ben is taking a post-breakfast nap on our first full day in athens. After arriving in the afternoon yesterday, we took the rest of the day to explore the area around our hostel, absorb the city, and throw back a few Mythos (the only greek beer we've found... so far). The afternoon and evening were pleasant... we accidentally stumbled our way to the acropolis, but opted to not walk the entire height... we'll save that for wednesday. The night was a bit of a disappointment, as there seems to be only one part of town in athens with decent night life - a tidbit we discovered a little too late in the night. It'll be there tomorrow....
This city fits every description I've heard of it... times 10. Uber-crowded, tiny sidewalks, garbage EVERYWHERE, tons of scooters/motorcycles, graffiti galore, and a smattering of ancient ruins amidst half-finished construction projects. Oh, and be careful on the sidewalk- condensation from air conditioners in the rooms above provide a less-than-refreshing daytime shower. Thankfully the gyros make it all worth while.
We're making today a beach day, taking the metro to the south of athens where a string of sandy beaches is calling our names. Time to go buy benny some shades and a beach towel, and we're off!!!
Ben is taking a post-breakfast nap on our first full day in athens. After arriving in the afternoon yesterday, we took the rest of the day to explore the area around our hostel, absorb the city, and throw back a few Mythos (the only greek beer we've found... so far). The afternoon and evening were pleasant... we accidentally stumbled our way to the acropolis, but opted to not walk the entire height... we'll save that for wednesday. The night was a bit of a disappointment, as there seems to be only one part of town in athens with decent night life - a tidbit we discovered a little too late in the night. It'll be there tomorrow....
This city fits every description I've heard of it... times 10. Uber-crowded, tiny sidewalks, garbage EVERYWHERE, tons of scooters/motorcycles, graffiti galore, and a smattering of ancient ruins amidst half-finished construction projects. Oh, and be careful on the sidewalk- condensation from air conditioners in the rooms above provide a less-than-refreshing daytime shower. Thankfully the gyros make it all worth while.
We're making today a beach day, taking the metro to the south of athens where a string of sandy beaches is calling our names. Time to go buy benny some shades and a beach towel, and we're off!!!
Sunday, August 26, 2007
so long miller... hello ATHENS!! (and ben too)
well well WELL.... been a while. i was typing a quick mini-post on the first day in amsterdam, but my time ran out literally as i was moving the mouse to click submit. ANYWAY....
since i last checked in, miller and i cruised from berlin to kiel (north germany, port city, baltic coast) to amsterdam.
brandon and i spent WAY too much time deciding on which out-of-the-way coastal german city we would visit (we wanted some saltwater). back and forth between rostock, lubeck, kiel, puttgarden... the list goes on and it gets more obscure as you go. finally we decided on rostock. then we got to the train station to find out our train didnt exist. kiel train was leaving in 20 min. decision made. we had one helluva time finding a hostel. ate some dee-licious seafood- butterfish and mackeral. found a semi-pro beach vb training station. i love traveling.
amsterdam treated us well. the two of us stayed in a hostel near the city center on thursday night, and then switched places a little hike from the center (near the van gogh museum) to stay in a quad room with our boys a.t. and mike. checked out a few museums. all of us buckled down here and did some serious souvenir buying. i was the worst- getting gifts is so tough because everything you see looks like... a souvenir?! too predictable? cliche? whatever it is i don't like it. problem is... the souvenir shops are where all the stuff is. vondel park is a HUGE and beatiful park that was just a couple blocks from our room, so we spent a bunch of time there yesterday, tossin the fris and just soaking up the sun and the view (finally some damn SUN!!!). gorgeous canals, willow trees, zero clouds and a slight breeze- glorious.
now i am taking a relaxing night to recouperate for leg 2 of the journey. i had a competely stressful morning this morning, as i'd opted for the cheaper yet more complicated of getting my ass to the schipol airport for my flight to athens early this morning (i.e. not taking the 35 euro airport taxi, and taking the tram to train to airport route). after not taking the less-frequent tram times into account (sunday), i took the tram too far, only to have to turn around to reach the connecting stop for the train to the airport. luckily the layover was virtually nil, and i got to my check-in desk with 70 min. before flight time. but then, the group in front of me was this enormous italian family (not large people, but there were 10 of them)... their luggage weighed too much, they didn't want to pay, i'm pulling my hair out looking at the security line in the distance. nevertheless... i made it. i love traveling.
i'm finally in a city where people wear shorts. and sandals!! about time.
since i last checked in, miller and i cruised from berlin to kiel (north germany, port city, baltic coast) to amsterdam.
brandon and i spent WAY too much time deciding on which out-of-the-way coastal german city we would visit (we wanted some saltwater). back and forth between rostock, lubeck, kiel, puttgarden... the list goes on and it gets more obscure as you go. finally we decided on rostock. then we got to the train station to find out our train didnt exist. kiel train was leaving in 20 min. decision made. we had one helluva time finding a hostel. ate some dee-licious seafood- butterfish and mackeral. found a semi-pro beach vb training station. i love traveling.
amsterdam treated us well. the two of us stayed in a hostel near the city center on thursday night, and then switched places a little hike from the center (near the van gogh museum) to stay in a quad room with our boys a.t. and mike. checked out a few museums. all of us buckled down here and did some serious souvenir buying. i was the worst- getting gifts is so tough because everything you see looks like... a souvenir?! too predictable? cliche? whatever it is i don't like it. problem is... the souvenir shops are where all the stuff is. vondel park is a HUGE and beatiful park that was just a couple blocks from our room, so we spent a bunch of time there yesterday, tossin the fris and just soaking up the sun and the view (finally some damn SUN!!!). gorgeous canals, willow trees, zero clouds and a slight breeze- glorious.
now i am taking a relaxing night to recouperate for leg 2 of the journey. i had a competely stressful morning this morning, as i'd opted for the cheaper yet more complicated of getting my ass to the schipol airport for my flight to athens early this morning (i.e. not taking the 35 euro airport taxi, and taking the tram to train to airport route). after not taking the less-frequent tram times into account (sunday), i took the tram too far, only to have to turn around to reach the connecting stop for the train to the airport. luckily the layover was virtually nil, and i got to my check-in desk with 70 min. before flight time. but then, the group in front of me was this enormous italian family (not large people, but there were 10 of them)... their luggage weighed too much, they didn't want to pay, i'm pulling my hair out looking at the security line in the distance. nevertheless... i made it. i love traveling.
i'm finally in a city where people wear shorts. and sandals!! about time.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
absinth and bitch breakfast
1:30 in the afternoon... sunday.
we are just wrapping up a weekend in berlin with our friend a.t. and his friend mike from madison. they got in later on friday, leaving us not too much time for anything else other than checking out the weekend night life here. in a word... wicked. miller had apparently spent a good deal of his "studying" time in berlin perusing the night streets, because he directed us to a killer part of town on both friday and saturday nights. friday put us in a 4-story graffitied grunge club, with a bar on the top floor and various ecclectic art galleries and haphazard jam sessions in the art studios on the floors below (picture 3 guitars, a 3-piece drumset, and a tenor sax, smoke-filled room, fifth of vodka at everyones hip... like it was taken from a book)
last night ended at seven. yikes. we started the evening in potsdamer platz at the Sony Center-- this a part of town where all the architecture and commerce is post '89. after a traditional german meal (yes from a brewery, yes with a bock beer. the picture is amazing) we went from hookah bar to a foosball bar to an absinth bar to a dance club until 6am. the music was a pretty awful mix with a few decent tunes thrown in the mix (think high school dance... YMCA and all). got to chatting with a few locals in the trainstation at 6am, and got invited to breakfast. which i later learned was (some german word for) a bitchbreakfast- i.e. coffee and cigarettes (minus the nicotine in my case)
ok a.t.'s getting anxious to do some tourist stuff in this town before we head to hamburg tonight. hamburg until thursday, then amsterdam until flights out on sunday.
i love europe.
we are just wrapping up a weekend in berlin with our friend a.t. and his friend mike from madison. they got in later on friday, leaving us not too much time for anything else other than checking out the weekend night life here. in a word... wicked. miller had apparently spent a good deal of his "studying" time in berlin perusing the night streets, because he directed us to a killer part of town on both friday and saturday nights. friday put us in a 4-story graffitied grunge club, with a bar on the top floor and various ecclectic art galleries and haphazard jam sessions in the art studios on the floors below (picture 3 guitars, a 3-piece drumset, and a tenor sax, smoke-filled room, fifth of vodka at everyones hip... like it was taken from a book)
last night ended at seven. yikes. we started the evening in potsdamer platz at the Sony Center-- this a part of town where all the architecture and commerce is post '89. after a traditional german meal (yes from a brewery, yes with a bock beer. the picture is amazing) we went from hookah bar to a foosball bar to an absinth bar to a dance club until 6am. the music was a pretty awful mix with a few decent tunes thrown in the mix (think high school dance... YMCA and all). got to chatting with a few locals in the trainstation at 6am, and got invited to breakfast. which i later learned was (some german word for) a bitchbreakfast- i.e. coffee and cigarettes (minus the nicotine in my case)
ok a.t.'s getting anxious to do some tourist stuff in this town before we head to hamburg tonight. hamburg until thursday, then amsterdam until flights out on sunday.
i love europe.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
backpacker woes
Wow, this internet journal is turning out to keep than i'd thought it would. Too much stuff to do online in the few minutes we're caring to spend in internet cafes. Anywho we are minutes away from boarding the train to Dresden, making it to Prague by the end of day. Aside from the shite weather and high prices, Munich was a blast. Fantastic campsite, hung out with a boatload of great company, beer beer beer, wurst galore.
THE HIGHLIGHT...A completely ridiculous late night swimming escapade followed by an even LATER night bar (picture black leather and punk rock).
I think we'll be aiming to top the last highlight of every city from now on. .... Whodvethunk blogging comes in handy after all...
THE HIGHLIGHT...A completely ridiculous late night swimming escapade followed by an even LATER night bar (picture black leather and punk rock).
I think we'll be aiming to top the last highlight of every city from now on. .... Whodvethunk blogging comes in handy after all...
Thursday, August 9, 2007
MUNCHEN!!!!
Today was the first full day at The Tent, where one goes to sleep cheap in Munich. 100-person tent filled with bunkbeds, cafeteria, ping pong, tents, bonfires, cheap beer...glory.
Unfortunately we did a solid bit of travelling yesterday... which wouldnt have been unforutnate were it not brandons birthday. But we made it here after a pit stop in salzburg by 700 pm... just enough time to toss the fris with a couple of guys from Napoli, and then a long and roundabout ride to....HORBRAUHAUS. Naturlich. Took forever to get ein bier - a significant step up in rowdiness from the local (mn) biergarten. Had a few steins, and a shot of schnapps- which does NOT emulate american schnapps by any strectch of the imagination (think corn vodka and you've got it).
Today was a LOT of walking around the town- tram into the citycentre, and a long stroll to the chinese teahaus in the englishergarten. Saw a few gnarly surfers hittin a single wave in the river.
Unfortunately we did a solid bit of travelling yesterday... which wouldnt have been unforutnate were it not brandons birthday. But we made it here after a pit stop in salzburg by 700 pm... just enough time to toss the fris with a couple of guys from Napoli, and then a long and roundabout ride to....HORBRAUHAUS. Naturlich. Took forever to get ein bier - a significant step up in rowdiness from the local (mn) biergarten. Had a few steins, and a shot of schnapps- which does NOT emulate american schnapps by any strectch of the imagination (think corn vodka and you've got it).
Today was a LOT of walking around the town- tram into the citycentre, and a long stroll to the chinese teahaus in the englishergarten. Saw a few gnarly surfers hittin a single wave in the river.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Wilkommen!!!
Well after a weekend of nonstop packing up and moving out... i arrived safe and sound to vienna via dublin and chicago. A few technical\communication difficulties and hours of waiting in train stations later, brandon and i met up at the hostel. We immediately headed to grannys place, where we were treated to wiennese bier, ice cream, and some reminiscing before brandon said his goodbyes and we embarked on wien. Had a hotdog from myz very first wursterstand!!
We are now in Salzburg in a pit stop on the way to Munchen. Hoping our training does not get impaired by the DeutscheBan STRIKE which begins at midnight tonight. Its Millers BIRTHDAY today, so the hofbrauhaus will be welcoming us with open arms in a few short hours.
We are now in Salzburg in a pit stop on the way to Munchen. Hoping our training does not get impaired by the DeutscheBan STRIKE which begins at midnight tonight. Its Millers BIRTHDAY today, so the hofbrauhaus will be welcoming us with open arms in a few short hours.
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