Part 2 Greece and a little more Paris

We learned about the good kind of nothing. See when you are on holidays, you need to plan even if it is plan to do nothing. You can see the culture, hit museums and sites like that. You can shop! You can just wander, take in a new city, take pics and enjoy yourself OR you can do the good kind of nothing. Go to a coffee shop and watch the world go by, then maybe head to another stop for a glass of wine and people watch some more. That's the good kind of nothing. Doing nothing but relaxing. However if you don't plan for one of these things you will end up doing the bad kind of nothing. Where you can't make up your mind what you are doing and end up doing nothing but wasting a day. I will be honest, we didn't do the good kind of nothing. We didn't really have time to, if I get back...when I get back I want to spend a day or two doing that. The lesson though is don't do the bad kind of nothing or you will hate it! You will be filled with regret or annoyance that you didn't do anything and maybe dislike the place when really it is your own fault.

Jumping back into where last blog ended... This was to be a travel day, we would head to Milan and fly to Athens. Our flight was delayed first thing in the AM so we had a few extra hours and that gave us an unplanned stop in Verona. Verona I feel is another one day city. You can probably see most of it and do some shopping in a single day. We took a pic of Juliet's balcony, they have a museum to Romeo and Juliet but we didn't go in. There is an amazing nerd shop with so much band and Harry Potter paraphenial it was awesome. Also I was introduce to Prosciutto and cantaloupe, it was such a tasty snack. The salt and sweet mixes together so good. I really need to do this at home. Also they have a mini coliseum and there is a square on it. The square is a great place for lunch or a drink. I am not sure, maybe it was because it was just a beautiful day or good food and wine but this was one of my favorite places to sit and have a snack. It was almost the good kind of nothing. Then onto Milan's airport. This tour used to take a ferry at night at wake up in Athens. They don't do that anymore after so many mistakes. They were almost always late and people got angry losing a day of the tour. My favorite story is how they went to bed at night and when they woke up they weren't in Athens but still in the same port....  It is honestly closest thing to a western airport. We had dinner at Roadhouse, which really is just a steak joint, I thin kit is a chain over there. Anyhow we flew, our plane was delayed before we got there. It was delayed as we waited in the airport, so by the time we landed in Athens, got luggage and got to hotel it was closer to 1AM. So it was late bed and then up early as per normal and on the road. It was too bad, because this was again one of the nicer hotels and we didn't really get to enjoy it. Beds were still shit.

I often joke if I ever won a few million I would build nice hotels. Maybe a couple little boutique ones, but a few like the Fairmonts around Canada. That is all I can think that has a tiny drop of the grandeur of Europe. First the size of everything is mind blowing. Like pictures don't do it justice to how big things actually are. Also if things were meant to be beautiful over there, they are. Personally when I walk into a hotel or something I find the old, grand style of doing things so much more inviting and impressive. Arches, round staircase, gold. Here we build cold "modern" which is boring. While I am on it, the art is the same. Walk through the Louvre and while I honestly no nothing about art the paintings and sculptures are undeniably magnificent. The shit that  passes for art now is  a joke. Honestly we get this hipster bullshit, with such "deep meanings". Nah its just a bunch of crap compared to what they used to do. Plus the fashion, I feel like an old man saying this but they do it right. People don't have clothes that don't look good. It isn't torn up, or too big and sagging. Everyone seemed to look good and take pride in their appearance, which is nice. On top of that it is affordable compared to here. The tailors also know their shit. You can walk into a clothes store, they look at you and they know your size by sight. Of course they still measure you but the skill is amazing. Most of my teen years and early twenties, I like the "grungy" look. It actually can still look good, if it is done on purpose. I thin kI have kind of outgrown it. It is insane to me though how much better they are at any kind of fashion

So we headed to Kalabaka. Maybe you have to google it, it is the right by the monasteries on the mountains. Holy Meteora, that's where we were actually headed. It was by far the rainiest day and I honestly didn't have a good rain coat, so on one of our gas station stops I bought a cheap rain coat. See these giant fancy gas stations do have a use! I need to say something about Restaurant Meteora Gkertsou Family. This place was insanely good for lunch. I said I was going to try foods that the countries were known for and in Italy I did have pizza and pasta, Greece I figured I would try lamb. I find lamb here I either kind of like or hate.... I am not exaggerating at all when I say EVERYONE said how amazing the food was. I would say it is probably in the top 3 meals I have ever had. On top of that it was one of the cheapest I have had. We had 4 glasses of wine between wife and I, appy, lamb dinner and she has souvlaki and it was barely $40 in Euros. Ill get to the reason everything in Greece is cheap but this was insane. On the off chance you are ever in Kalabaka, eat here. Don't miss it. If I was ever rich I might fly to Greece once and awhile just to eat here...... So the actual site of Meteora is amazing. The monasteries on the mountains. I won't lie, I don't like heights AND crossing some of those bridges I was white knuckled and not looking down. I guess I will never be Batman. The sad fact was it was overcast and socked in so what should have been amazing views were grey. Though I would have been even more nervous a clear day would have been amazing. If you haven't google it, these places on cliffs are beautiful and terrifying. Inside when you see the history of how it was built and how people got up there, I could never do it. The chapels inside are tiny, but absolutely amazing. Also it is kind of funny to see nuns on Iphones.  That night we went back to our hotel, it was nice enough. Nothing special but clean. We had a dinner there that was pretty average but an amazing dessert. The funny thing this time was the only other building on the way to the hotel was a "strip club" Now it looked like a 2 car garage maybe. The only reason I say it was a strip club was it said something like live strip show on the side. It was the scariest looking building ever though. I wouldn't be surprised if they made snuff movies there..... We joked if you enter you get sent up to live with the nuns for awhile until you don't sin!

So I have some first world problems or at least thoughts on a bus tour or a tour in general. First even on a brand new bus, it isn't super comfy. We found a few seats with a bit of extra leg room but in general, its a bus your not going to be super comfy. ALSO they did not really have an on board washroom. Yes that had one but it was always locked and you had to ask the driver to let you in, that's kind of a joke. I mean as adults we should be able to use the washroom. We should also try our best to hold it, no one wants a smelly bus, just saying there are times it can start to suck and the first thing you want to do when you get off the bus is find a bathroom. It sucks to pay that much money and sit and be uncomfortable. The days can be long! Typically breakfast is at 7AM and you are going by 8. So chances are if you are like me you are up at 6. Some people earlier to get ready, that isn't bad but some nights are late nights. 10PM doesn't sound bad to get to the room, 6AM is a long time away but when you are going all day, you do get tired, now do this for a couple weeks straight, you need a holiday after a holiday. I flat out will say, I didn't think it would be that bad, I was wrong, you do get tired. It all adds up. You think you paid for your flight and your tour and sure you need a few bucks for a few meals they aren't providing but it wont be much. It will! Your going to want to spend more than you realize and if you are going that far, don't skimp. Try the good shit not the cheap shit! Yes some souvenirs for people will be cheap BUT for yourself spend the money. Also eat your damn breakfast. I am not a breakfast guy here. I might wait 5 hours from when I wake until I eat my first meal. Even if it is small get some food in you, being busy you will want it! Make friends! I said already my wife and I were going to be just us over there but within a couple days chances are it will just naturally happen. Make some friends, have others to talk to an explore with. Sure you can split up whenever and take time apart but chances are it will be nice to meet new people. This is kind of repeating myself BUT go over every excursion they offer. Again you are travelling that far, take it all in!! On our honeymoon in Mexico I could have repelled into a cenote and I didn't. It still pops in my head, why didn't I? Do all you can. Take pics, journal, do whatever keeps memories. Also look into the power outlets! I didn't know they were different in Europe and would have been mad as hell if I couldn't charge my phone and such. Like try everything, taste everything. Italy I had the pizza, the pasta. Greece the lamb, Takaki, veal. In Paris the escargot and the wine everywhere! Was it all good, hell no. Sorry Paris but your wine and food wasn't good really at all. Or at least where I tried wasn't but I tried it! In Italy saw people at a pasta and seafood dinner have the steak. WTF! First you know the steak probably wont be as good as at home. (I am from Alberta and they were from Texas. We know our beefs) Second just why? Why not take in the culture you are in. The beds won't be as good, the showers might not either. TV is going to be in another language but deal with it. You will have so much more fun and a much better time going with the flow. Like I opened this, enjoy the good kind of nothing.... Most important, don't be a douche. Be respectful, MOST people you deal with on a tour, know your on a tour and are trying their best to make sure you enjoy. So don't fuck it up by giving us all a bad name!

Greece is gross. I say that only because you aren't supposed to flush toilet paper. I mean I don't like my mess going in a bag beside me on the floor... Other than that it is amazing. Okay it is poor. It is a nation that declared bankruptcy. The people make about $20,000 on average. The food is mostly amazing though. The people were all friendly, it is a good place to visit. The way our guide described it, they were the cradle of civilization. Its true and all these other places making that claim, your wrong. But then they decided to take 2000 years off. Now to be fair I guess Greece hasn't ruled itself in a long time, once Rome took it over. Then they fell and the Turks did until about 150 years ago. I guess as an actual nation they are younger than even we are and I thought we were young! I do wish them the best, I would like to see them get back on their feet an honestly be a bit more like Italy, even though I don't know they want to hear that. Also Athens is pretty much as far East as you can go and still be considered in the West. It is true, in many things you can see some of the Eastern designs and it clearly has a lot less of the Catholic influence you see in Italy. That is something else to keep in mind. Also mountains! They have a lot of ranges, that are impressive. I know I didn't think of Greece as a place to go skiing but they do. 

So our second last day started with another drive. This time we got a fairly cool side trip to the "Hot gates" if you remember 300. It was were Leonidas fought and died. I guess it wasn't 300 but closer to 70,000 and they lost and Greece was taken BUT then they all allied and retook their homeland. There isn't much there, a statue and a plaque. Then we were off to Delphi. First we ate in the town. It was average but the price was good, it was when I had my first Ouzo. Getting a little wined out. This is a place on a mountain range, parts of it are just hanging off cliffs. Our view from lunch was amazing, cause literally we were on a cliff face. After lunch we saw some French kids hassling a street dog. I really thought one of the ladies we were with was going to start throwing hands. Maybe you Delphi as the place with the oracle and that is true but there is a lot more to it. It used to be massive to come there. They had a track for games, an amphitheater and a market that ruins all still stand. The only thing that really sucks about ruins is, as cool as they are, they are all roped off and you can look but not actually wander around. It is neat, sadly track was closed so we didn't see that. It also has a decent museum. I say decent because it is kind of small and crowded and without a guide it may be hard to understand everything. Then back to hotel. So this was the worst hotel of the trip. They shut off AC in the night, beds are hard, I had a bath cause my back was killing me and when I drained the tub it backed up into the bathroom. Just a note to travel groups, upgrade the hotel. It did have a nice pool I wanted to take a dip in but no one else did so I backed out.... That night we had a cooking lesson in a Greek restaurant. It was funny because they premeasured out ingredients but told you to make it by taste. In the end the premeasure was the right measure not to taste. We made tzatziki and some sort of cheese pastry thing and that was good! We had to be out of place by 930 because they had a wedding at 10PM. So I guess weddings start at 10 ish and go until between 5 and 7 AM. They did say we could stay and watch and part of me wanted to but part of me thought that was super creepy. I guess cultural differences but they were okay, I would not be into randos sitting at our wedding

So our last day we drove to Athens. Now the drive was kind of nice. Greece is actually very mountainous. We went thru an amazing mountain village. It was like Banff or Jasper but in Greece where you don't think about skiing. Then it was on to Athens. We did the Parthenon. This is the biggest and most complete ruins we travelled to, again cant actually go in. Then a city tour on a bus, which again is cool but meh at the same time. To the track for the first Olympics and to the hotel. Now it was a beautiful day so we did go to the roof top bar and pool. Even though no one else jumped in I had to, couldn't go a whole trip without a pool! A couple of ouzos up there and then we got ready for our last night. So first they dropped us at the Plaka. Which again is the shopping district and to be fair we did grab a couple last minute things. It is very nice, feels clean and safe. Then it was on to dinner. The food was far from amazing, but the live entertainment was good. My wife got up and danced. We sat with friends and it was a nice way to end the trip. It was dark when we left and wandered back to the bus, made us all realize would have been nice to see more of the cities at night. I am fairly certain a lot of the squares would have been beautiful after dark. We did a final group photo and then sadly the "trip" was over

So the next day was rush down to the bus and out to the airport. It was a bit stressful as the bus only gets you there a bit early not the usual 3 hours for international flights. Also the Athens airport is lame, no sit down places to eat breakfast. Then it was a flight to France. We had 1 pretty much full day in France so we went to the Hilton airport hotel but our room wasn't ready. Had a drink in the bar and then it was good to go. I hate to say it but this was the "best" room on our trip. An actual comfy bed, a tub and shower. I could flush toilet paper again and English TV! So we got ready and took a cab into Paris again. $100 but you don't want to spend your last day sitting in a room. It was later in the day so we had an early dinner at a café, finally got to sit outside as it was sunny. Was exactly like I pictured Paris. I said Rome was my favorite and it is but this was nice to. Just how I wanted it. IF you want the honest truth a VERY naïve me 24 years ago thought this is what Edmonton would be like. The service and food wasn't amazing but just sitting there was. This for a few minutes was the good kind of nothing. Then we went to the Arc De Triumph. We paid and actually walked up the 284 stairs. It is a work out lol. The view is worth it and inside are some prtetty neat facts on it and France itself. Then honestly we wandered, it is a decent hike to the tower again but we went back hoping to see it light up. It said it started at dusk which was 850 but we waited until 930 with nothing, then we said screw it and hopped into a cab. Another hour to get back to hotel. I wont get into the shit show the next day to make our flight. Like we were 3 hours early this time and made the flight by 22 minutes, what a shit show!! I hate Charles De Gaule airport. 

But thats it, thats all. It was a great trip. Already trying to figure out next one. I mean we will hopefully get a small one somewhere in and try to do something like this every 2 - 3 years. I will say it sure opens a persons eyes up as to how big the world really is. How much we don't actually see or know. How others live very different but still love life.... I know people have jobs there but for some reason it seems like we chase the dollar a lot harder here, while they live life. The food is better. 3 weeks I ate there, I didnt get pimples. A week back here and pimples. On that note eating over there is an event. You take time out of your day to eat with people, spend time together. We talk about the break down of the family, spending time together would help that. I am honestly at a loss for words, which isnt great for a blog but when you are there and settled in. Not rushing from airports or anything, it is just peaceful. If you love history and art, Italy, Paris and Greece are great places to go.