Vacation Bible School

Sean and Kyle have attended VBS together since they were in first grade, I believe. So this year was a little sad and nostalgic for me, and I think it was for them a little bit, too.

VBS started July 22, just after we returned from our honeymoon. It's been a crazy-busy summer.

The boys are both going to be fifth graders this year, and it was their final VBS year at our church. I don't know if there are other VBS programs in our area that offer classes for olders, but ours doesn't.

Each year I've had both boys in the back seat, and driven them to VBS week. Kyle lived across the street from us in our old neighborhood.

When I mentioned VBS Sean hesitated, but when I explained it was his last chance, he was ready to go. Both he and Kyle seemed to have a pretty good time, but they told me they missed a couple of things that were offered before. Science had been their favorite thing about VBS, but they didn't offer it this year.

It was a circus theme this year, and our pastor always enjoys getting in on the action.

Sean and Kyle were in the Mexico group.

Each day they studied a different country and the culture. Sean has been studying these countries and cultures since he was 4 years old through the Montessori curriculum, but he loves it. Plus he got to study them in a new way, through a Christian and Biblical view.

They had a few teachers, but their main teacher was LeAnn O'Neil, and we love her. She is a retired teacher, and she did such a great job of bringing in foods and things to help them experience the country they were studying. She made sure to communicate with me about how things were going for them, and shared little tidbits. Sean was given the nickname, "Terrific Thinker." She said she sometimes wasn't sure he was even paying attention, and when she would ask a question he would be the one to have a really in-depth answer, revealing something more than what she even expected.

And the week after VBS we received a packet in the mail from Mrs. O'Neil. It was so kind of her. She included two bookmarks, one to keep and one to give to a friend. And a personal note. She is so sweet.

I will miss taking Sean and Kyle to VBS. It's so much fun to watch Sean grow and mature, yet sad in some ways, too. Maybe we'll come up with our own thing to replace VBS for them next year.

Another wedding

We returned from our honeymoon and immediately set to work getting ready for Alex and Cass' vow renewal.

They wanted to use the gazebo, so we knew there would be a lot of yard work to do to get ready. We had someone come and weed, and Sean and Chuck did a bit of pressure washing and mowing.

It was a beautiful day July 27, and everyone had a great time. Cass used a lot of items from our reception, so it made it easy and economical for them.

We were so happy to host the event, and everyone had a great time.

We added some hanging baskets, and the white lace bunting flags we had for our reception to the gazebo.

Chuck performed the ceremony.

This isn't the best shot of it, but I was honored and overjoyed when Cass
asked me if I would construct her bouquet. She brought some of the flowers
she wanted to use, and then I cut some that she requested from our garden.
The big white dahlia from our garden was front and center, and I cut some butterfly bush and lavender.
She used green and purple succulents and white carnations and baby's breath.
It was beautiful.

The event was a backyard barbeque, and they requested the bouncy house
for kids. A lot of the big "kids" enjoyed it, too.

Food: Amazing Honeymoon

I'm not really a foodie. I can take food or leave it, and really most of the time I eat because I need to. But as we traveled I wanted to experience and taste the local foods.

Once we got settled into our hotel in Athens, Greece, we made our way out to find lunch. Our first meal there was a Gyro. It was good, but not that much different from the Gyros I've had here.
However, the Greek salad I ordered for dinner was amazing. It was so good that it has ruined me. I can't eat a Greek salad in America. And it frustrates me when I go to a Greek restaurant and still they try to serve me a Greek salad with lettuce. Americans just don't know how to make one. I've tried to make them at home, and I get really close, but there's something I'm missing.

Plus, in Greece, the Kalamata olives are so much better and milder, and the goat cheese is delicious. It's mild, the texture is firmer yet softer at the same time, and adds just the right amount of flavor to the salad.

This is what a Greek salad really looks like. No lettuce, and drizzled with olive oil. This one was at the restaurant in Athens that was nestled just below the Acropolis.

It was so hot, and I didn't want anything hot, so I stuck with the Greek salad in Greece. Except for the dinner cruise in Santorini, which included a warm meal with really good food as well. That meal included a Greek salad, and some potatoes.  Greek potatoes are really good.

Dinner on the dinner cruise.

I've already raved about the breakfast, and it was great in both Greece and Italy. It was buffet style at the hotels, and all of the foods were high quality and well prepared. There were lots of meats, especially in Verona. And there was cheese, fruit, muffins, breads, and the most amazing croissants. I'm surprised I didn't gain weight.
We ate a lot of yogurt, and the yogurt in Greece and Italy was very creamy, light and tasty. It didn't have that yogurt twang that I taste in the American yogurt, even when it claims to be Greek yogurt.

Breakfast at the B&B in Venice included toast with butter and jelly, fresh fruit, yogurt, and juice and tea.

In Italy we ate pizza a couple of times, and they do not cut the pizza. They don't even seem to know what it means to cut it. At least that's how it was in Verona and Venice.

Good pizza, but I don't eat sausage and thought I could just pick it off. Plus it was big enough for both of us. We saved this one and had leftovers the next afternoon for a snack.

I had spaghetti one night, that was super good. I ordered it special without meat, and I couldn't even believe how tasty it was. We were in a neighborhood restaurant in Venice that was really good. The menu was in Italian and we had to ask the waitress to explain the menu items. This was not on the menu, but the waitress asked the chef if he could make this for me.

Soooo good.

And while we were at the Bed and Breakfast one of the guests told us about gnocchi. I decided to try it and it was really good, too. It's a potato dish, made with mashed potatoes the consistency of potato cakes, and I think it is boiled like a dumpling and served with tomato sauce.

Gnocchi is pretty tasty. 

The snack foods are also different than American snacks. In Europe we noticed a lot of milk chocolate, and Nutella. It seems to be used in a lot of snack foods. We even bought some packaged croissants at the grocery store that were filled with Nutella.

The potato chips are so good. They are made with a different type of potato, and are buttery tasting, and the salt content is much less. They have just enough salt to make them perfect.

We bought a small box of cookies in Greece. I don't know what they are filled with. They are sort of like a chocolate covered oreo, but the filling isn't the same. Chuck said they have a definite Greek taste.

Overall the foods we had were much less intense than American foods, and I liked them much better. Especially the yogurt, the olives, goat cheese, and the potato chips. Soooo good. I wish I had taken a picture of the bag. We fist found them in Greece, but also saw them in the Coop in Venice.
I drank a lot of Coke because I wasn't so sure about the tap water in Greece, and when we ordered water at restaurants it was served in large blue bottles to share. Then when we got to Venice I wasn't too sure about that tap water, either. I preferred bottled water when it was available.

Venice, Italy, Stop No. 4: Amazing Honeymoon

Venice.

Art installation in a church, Venice Biennale. 

How do I begin? Well. We didn't ride a gondola. Criminal, I know. On a honeymoon in Venice and we didn't ride a gondola. But it's not really like it looks in the movies. In fact, I watched the tail end of a Rick Steves' Europe segment today on Venice and wondered where in the world he actually was. Our Venice was so crowded with boats and people you could barely move. His was serene, with his gondola the only one in the canal. He suggested a late evening ride, and that is probably a good idea, but by evening we were done. And we were out in the evening and it still wasn't that serene.

See that motorboat behind the gondola? Yeah. It was like that everywhere and didn't seem like the most romantic and relaxing ride to us.

I'll start with some positives. First of all, we encountered lovely, friendly people in Venice. Not quite as friendly as Greece, but still friendly. Everywhere we went the people spoke some English, but seemed to appreciate the fact that we could speak a few words of Italian and that we were trying. We picked up a few words here and there. Quanto, prego, pronto, allora, grazi are a few.
We were able to see quite a few art installations for the Biennale. We didn't make it to the main exhibit area, but encountered a few of them as we walked around and went into some churches.

There are some interesting things in Venice, and we found a few of them. One was "The World's Most Beautiful Bookstore." I loved that place.
Venice has absolutely no vehicles. The only wheels are found on carts that are used to transport goods from storage areas to shops, or the trash carts. And they work hard to keep the city clean. They do a great job.
The whole city is just one beautiful building after another. Even the old residential areas are really cool.
We had some really good food in Venice, but it's because we were directed to authentic neighborhood restaurants. The one time we plopped our tired asses down at a restaurant in the touristy part of town we paid more for lunch than we had paid for dinner the night before, and that lunch sucked. Hard. And our dinner had been AMAZING.

And while we ate at a tiny table in that amazing restaurant a sweet old man made me a paper gondola from his receipt.

I usually try to soften my language, but the Venice part of our trip was the worst. I don't want to sugar coat it. It's a long way to go, and it's expensive, and I wish that we could have taken more time to truly plan this part of it and figure out exactly where to go and how to get there the quickest. Despite my attempts to get advice from a couple of friends who had lived there, and to read some books, we just didn't have enough time to plan successfully.

As hard as we tried, we were never able to fully avoid the crowds of people that filled the narrow streets. It was really hot, and it was difficult to get anywhere in a timely manner. And the canal smells awful in some places.

Although this was my least favorite of all the places we visited, it did provide plenty of beautiful photos.

Our Bed and Breakfast was nice, and was tucked away in a residential neighborhood. Our room was on the canal side of the house, and it was definitely a new and quite cool experience to hear a gondola passing by our window.

The windows were able to open several ways, and open fully. The shudders were on the outside, different from the shudders in Santorini. In the morning we woke to the sound of neighbors across the small canal and beyond opening their wooden shudders with a clunk-clunk sort of sound. I tried to notice small things like this so I could redeem this visit in some way. Just when I would become enamored with something, there would be a string of bad experiences to test my mood.

 It was really hot during the day. I estimate the high 80s, and just like the other places we visited, the shops closed at lunchtime and only the restaurants opened in the evening. Our B&B was not air-conditioned, which doesn't really bother me, except they don't believe in screens in Europe and the mosquitos come in full force if you leave the windows open. And we had a fan blowing on us, but it was stifling hot. I hung clothes on the line at around 8 p.m. and they were dry the next morning. The beds in Europe are different. A full bed is two twins pushed together. Not comfortable.

We explored a lot, walked forever, found some beautiful architecture, and there was never a place to sit down. To sit we had to go to a restaurant. My biggest complaint was the bathroom situation. There were bathrooms in the restaurants, but the public bathrooms cost 1.50E. I felt like I was always thirsty and always needing to go to the bathroom, and we were constantly dodging someone, walking quickly to avoid being trampled, or trying to find a back alley to escape. It really felt like an adult amusement park or something. The streets were narrow, and there were so many people that we couldn't just stroll around. It was a single file, don't-stop-or-you'll-cause-a-traffic-jam type of situation in most areas.

While we were at our B&B several people came and went, and as we arrived back at our B&B one evening after dinner I thought I recognized a lady sitting at the table in the garden area. But I dismissed it because after all, we were on a honeymoon in Venice. How could I run into anyone I would know?

Next morning we were eating breakfast and I saw a little girl I recognized from the school in Tacoma. I was sure it was her, and asked the owner of the B&B if the girl was from America. Yes. What state? Not sure, maybe Washington, D.C., and his wife said no, Washington State. I couldn't believe it. I called to her and asked her if she knew me and she studied me for a moment and slowly began to nod. We connected with that family a couple of times while we were there.

Chuck and I were not really thrilled with Venice, so we decided a break would be nice. Our second day there we hopped a boat taxi to Lodi, an island with a nice beach. We stayed there most of the afternoon. It was really hot, but nice to lay in the shade. Once again, no public restrooms, so we stopped at a restaurant as we walked through town to the beach and bought a juice so I could go to the bathroom. Once we got to the beach we paid 20E for a spot with an umbrella and two lounge chairs. I guess we weren't in the best spot, but the nice ones were farther and I was so hot and tired I didn't really want to walk anymore. That spot was fine for us. And that 20E got us into the bathrooms for free at the beach.

Although overall our experience was not what we hoped it would be, there were some highlights. One was the Ai WeiWei art installation for the Venice Biennale, and lots of other art installations throughout the city. We also enjoyed hopping on the water taxis to get around the city to different spots, and although those were not the most comfortable of accommodations, it was still a great experience. I enjoyed watching the whole process of everyone crowding onto the boat, the uniformed workers who didn't wait for anyone, and when it was time to go they closed the gate and we were gone. Even if someone was a step away from boarding. I really enjoy watching how people live, so the everyday mundane things appealed to me. We followed a couple of cops for a while one afternoon. They were walking with a purpose, but we eventually gave up and turned back.

The locals are always dressed sharply. Everyone from the little kids to the elderly believe in looking good. I took a picture of an older man carrying a "man bag," Louie Vuitton. And Birkenstocks like the ones I bought for myself.

Our experience with mailing our package was quite interesting to me.

By the third day we were feeling like locals, and we were so done with that tourist trap. I remember saying "If I see another *&;^%$ mask I'm going to go ballistic."

The day before we were scheduled to leave we decided to walk the distance from our B&B to the bus station to clock the time. Our flight was early, and we had to catch the bus to the airport, and the bus was leaving at 4:20 a.m. or something crazy. We had a few things we wanted to mail home instead of taking them in our backpacks, and just outside the area of the bus station was a post office. We stepped inside and found a nice box to purchase. We went back to the room and packed it up and headed out to find another, hopefully closer, Post Office.

It took a while to find the Post Office, and several times of asking people for directions. Thankfully we bought the box, because this post office didn't sell boxes. Interesting to me how bureaucracy is the same there, and so obvious that some of the people working there were helpful and others didn't really want to help at all. We had to take a number, and you had to watch the display screens above each window because if you didn't jump up and run to the counter when your number flashed, they were on to the next.
A couple came in behind us, English speaking, and needed a box. They asked their postal worker if he spoke English and he said, "No. NO English." They asked us if we spoke English and asked us where we got our box. Our postal worker was helpful and told them they had to get a box at another Post Office.
I actually really enjoyed this exchange. Crazy, because it was a lot like going to the DMV or DOL here in America, but I found it so interesting to be in another country trying to navigate it.

So my advice is to definitely go to Venice, but go in the off season. I don't really know when that is, but find out. Stay in one of the nicer hotels if you can, and be prepared to walk, and walk, and walk. And not sit down. And not use the bathroom. And prepare to pay dearly if you do.

As we walked to the bus in the dark and no one was around, I saw things I hadn't seen in the three days we were there. My favorite moment was when we were boarding that bus to get the hell out of Venice.

From Venice we flew to Athens and stayed one night at a Holiday Inn. I booked that hotel believing we needed some American-type comforts on our last night. We had already been to Athens, and although there were more things I would have loved to do there, we had no plans of doing anything that last day. We took a lovely shower in our wonderful bathroom, pushed our air conditioner button as low as it would go, climbed into the most comfortable bed we had so far, snuggled into the most awesome pillows, covered up with a wonderful duvet, and took a nap. We woke up, ventured down to the hotel restaurant, had dinner, and a margarita that was almost pure toquilla, came back to the room and turned on the television to watch an American movie.
Next morning we boarded our plane to Philadelphia, and then home to Seattle and married life.

Verona,Italy, Stop No. 3: Amazing Honeymoon

Our Greek trip was through a travel company called Mediterra Holidays. They were great. They accommodated us well, made all of the arrangements for transportation to and from the airport, arranged the flight from Athens to Santorini, and we have absolutely no complaints.

They also were very helpful in answering all of my questions, were really quick to respond to my emails, and put my mind at ease when we were wavering on the Egypt part of the trip and ultimately asked them to cancel it. (Just our experience, and they in no way gave us a discount, nor are they paying me to say these things.)

Because we had already booked our flight for July 12 from Athens to Seattle, we had some extra days to fill. Our last day in Greece was July 5, so after we cancelled the Egypt tour Chuck suggested that we could go to Italy for the last part of the trip. We decided on Venice. I quickly got to work booking flights from Athens to Venice, and back to Athens for our trip home.

A friend of mine, Alice, is from Italy and had lived in Venice for four years. She had great advice and suggestions for our time there, and also had friends who suggested a Bed and Breakfast for us. At the last minute, and I mean last minute while we were in Athens, I was in contact with the owner of Allo Squero to book the room in Venice. He couldn't take us until July 7, and we were leaving Greece on July 5, so we had to figure out what to do. Chuck decided it was a perfect opportunity to see some other part of Italy, and we began looking online for hotels in Milan and a couple of other cities that are close to Venice.

We decided on Verona. If you ever get the chance to go to Verona do not hesitate. It is so much fun!
Here are some highlights from our journey to, and our stay in, Verona:

July 5

I am sitting in the Santorini airport waiting for Chuck to come back with our slushy or smoothie or whatever it is that he ordered for us. The veranda is filled with little blue tables and woven chairs also painted blue.

There is so much smoking here. Lots of different Europeans, and they love their cigarettes.

We are flying back to Athens to then catch a flight this afternoon to Venice.

Night of July 5

We are sitting in the bed of an apartment in Verona, Italy. We decided to take our chances and hop on a bus from the Venice airport to a train station, and then catch a train to Verona and look for a hotel once we arrived.

The bus ride was a learning experience. We got on a bus going to Verona, but another passenger who was from London told us we had to get tickets. The machine just outside the bus wasn't working, so we had to go back inside the airport to find the ticket counter.

We were too late for that bus once we got our tickets, so we waited for the next one. We were able to buy tickets for the train inside the bus station at a machine. Lucky for us Chuck chose the correct station. There were two for Verona, and he happened to pick the one that took us to the main town.

We met a very nice young man as we stood on the platform waiting for our train to arrive. His name was Francesco, and he was very helpful in telling us how to get about town.

He also warned us that some trains are better than others, and some don't have air conditioning at all while others work sporadically. Ours had air conditioning, but it wasn't very strong.

He sat with us a little later in the ride when some chairs opened up as people got off at stops along the way. Our train stopped at every train stop.

Before the seats opened up, we met a young man from Ethiopia who had chosen to move to Italy to find a future for himself. He specializes in body repair for wrecked cars, he said. He is still looking for work.

He said he has brothers in Greece, and they aren't treated well there. 

Francesco is a doctoral student doing his thesis on computer imaging. 

He has aunts in New York and used to visit there every summer as a small boy, he said. He talked about the way the US uses air conditioning and how it is too strong. We talked about a lot of things, the whole way.

Our train ride was made easier by our conversation. We asked him questions about Verona and he was very kind to help us.

He told us where to go once we exited the train, and how to find a place to stay in the city.

Once we were off the train I noticed a small monument that I thought was the one he was telling us about, and he said that the main square was beyond that. But there was a much larger one that Chuck said he believed was the one, and then some family came along and directed us to follow them when we asked where to find a hotel. Chuck was correct.

They live in the main square, and we stopped at the first hotel we saw. A Best Western. The only room available for the night was an apartment, $180 per night. We said OK. It was a discount from the normal $259. It is Opera Season, and there were no rooms available. We figured there weren't any in the city.

The apartment is very nice, with a small balcony, kitchen and seating area. 

There are electric buttons to raise the shade of the balcony, and to turn off the lights near the bed.

The bathroom is different. It has a jacuzzi tub, but is  pretty small. The shower is nice, with glass wall and door. The commode is too high for me, and the seat is shaped such that it presses into my legs when I sit down. 

There is a bidet as well. I have used it a couple of times. I think I might want one.

We have a refrigerator and dining table, oh, and the breakfast here is amazing! It's free, and it includes a lot of pastries, eggs, so much meat, cheeses, it's just crazy. In the US I don't usually bother with the free breakfast at a hotel because it's never that good. Here in Europe the breakfast is major.

Evening of July 6, we are at Hotel Firenza for one more night.  It's easier to just stay here, and we love it.

We spent our day touring Verona. We bought a 2-day pass to see a whole list of things, but only got to 3 of them today. We won't be here for very long tomorrow, so not sure if we will venture to any museums before we leave for Venice.

My allergies are bad here in certain spots. I think some of the trees bother my allergies.

We tried to get to the Farmacia, but it was closed. 

Maybe in Venice I can find a pharmacy.

Things close here at around 1:30 or 2 p.m. and the restaurants open back up for business at around 6 p.m., but everything else seems to stay shut.

I like it here, but it is very warm.

We have eaten Italian here. Our breakfast is Italian, the lunch we had today was pizza and Chuck had a pasta seafood dish. For dinner we tried to find a local restaurant to enjoy authentic Verona cuisine. Chuck ordered a sausage pizza and I had spaghetti with neopolitan tomato sauce and a mixed salad.

It was good, but as usual I couldn't eat much. I didn't save it since we will be leaving tomorrow.

We are having a great time.

We saw the Verona colosseum today, a castle complete with rooms that still had some of the frescos on the walls, and a room with weapons from the 15th-17th century.

That was a real highlight because it was like a fairytale castle with a mote, courtyard, balconies where you could just imagine the King and Queen addressing a crowd.

We also visited some museum that held a lot of marble sculpture and things from graveyards. It was housed on the grounds of some really old building, but we couldn't go inside. It is in use, because we peeked into the windows and saw modern chairs arranged as if there were an event or speaking engagement there.

It is so warm that my hands are swollen.

We visited those places and then came back to our apartment to cool off and took a nap. We got up and ventured back out to find the pharmacy, which was closed, and look around some more. We mostly just wondered around, but we did take a little tour on a "train" that looped around the old city and had a guided info recording about various sites in Verona. 

It is the home of Romeo and Juliett!! Shakespeare wrote it partly from real accounts of the tragedy, and also from local poets' poems and prose.

We are enjoying all of this city. The culture, the bicycles everywhere for rent, the mopeds zipping down the streets and alleyways, the different cars that we've never heard of, the language being spoken. 

We stopped into a sweets shop this afternoon and had wonderful pastries. The owners were very authentic Italian, and I enjoyed listening to them engage others in Italian conversation while we were there.

Everyone has been very nice here in Verona.

And Chuck just said we got an email from Francesco! Such a sweet young man, and who knows how this new friendship will play out for our families.

Santorini, Greece, Stop No. 2: Amazing Honeymoon

Of course neither of us had been to Santorini, and we didn't know what to expect.
Here's what we saw when we arrived:

The view from the lobby of El Greco Resort.

We loved it in Santorini! It was really hot, and a little touristy, but so relaxing and beautiful! Our only complaint was that the food at the hotel was not that great. But breakfast was pretty good.
Chuck loves archaeology so we planned to go to a museum there. We walked a very long way in the heat, and stopped at a little kiosk along the road to get juice. After a long walk, and after asking several people for directions, we finally found the museum.
So Santorini is though to be the lost Atlantis. There are artifacts that date to 7,000 + years ago in that museum. All very interesting, but we had just come from Athens, and I was really hot and tired. So I looked, but wasn't quite as excited as Chuck was.
Some of the people who were on the island were renting four wheelers, or motorcycles or mopeds. We walked. The driving was crazy.
The local food was so good, and we enjoyed lunch at a restaurant not far from our hotel called, Ladokalla. The seating was outside on the sidewalk, as it was in Athens. The seating is not really divided, so you sit next to people everywhere you go.
The sea really is that blue, the sky really is that blue, the buildings really are that white, and they do paint a lot of things blue.
There are quite a few highlights of this trip.
One is that I went to a spa to get a fish pedicure. We loved the local grocery store, and a little store that was kind of like a general store. There were art supplies, books, packaging tape, some Greek flags, and just about anything you could imagine in that store. We shopped there two days in a row and got some stickers and then packed our box there to be mailed home. They had bubble wrap.

Here are some journal entries from our time in Santorini: (This one is kinda long)

July 3, Wednesday

We left our hotel at 7 a.m. after a pretty hearty breakfast in the hotel restaurant. We flew to Santorini today. Our driver arrived at 6:45 a.m., just as we were going to the dining room. We and the hotelier communicated that the time on our sheet for pickup was 7 a.m. and we wanted to eat breakfast before our flight. He left us to have our meal.

It was free, and pretty tasty. 

Both mornings we arrived early for breakfast and asked if we could eat anyway while the other foods were being prepared. our schedules are wonky, and we both have been waking up super early, and wanting an afternoon nap. Heat? or time difference? Not sure.

This morning I had a dark round bread sort of like an English Muffin, but super crusty and hard, topped with diced tomatoes and crumbled feta cheese. I spooned on some black eyed peas because they were there, but they were served cold, and didn't taste the best. I waited for the eggs to be delivered to the hot plate area, and spooned a good portion onto my plate. I was really hungry.

The scrambled eggs are prepared very wet, but good. I hollowed out a wonderful croissant to stuff with the eggs and a piece of Canadian bacon in case I had to eat on the run. By this time it was 7 a.m.

Off we went to the airport just after we had both cleaned our plates. Upon arrival we were helped by several people there who instructed us on how to get our boarding passes for our flight to Santorini.

Lovely people in Greece. Really great. One of the airport employees who helped us insisted that we should see the sunset in Santorini. The best in the world, he said.

We have met some interesting people on this trip. Today, as we waited for our flight to Santorini, we met an older couple whose only son was working for American Express at the time of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, and the only reason he was not at work that day (in one of the towers) was due to laryngitis. The mother described that day, and how it took all day to get in touch with him, and when he called he couldn't speak and she was not sure what was happening.

That couple was from Detroit, but were both born and raised in Greece. They were coming to Santorini for their son's wedding. He and his fiancé both live in Manhattan, but the girl wanted to get married here.

Our arrival in Santorini was amazing. As soon as we stepped off the plane we knew it was going to be a beautiful trip. But it was the bus ride from the airport to our hotel, El Greco Hotel, that showed the beauty of this island.

I wasn't sure what to expect for hotel accommodations. Our experience in Athens was fine, and the room was larger than I expected. Water pressure was good, the room was adequate and comfortable.

Our stay here in Santorini is amazing. We are at a resort hotel. Our room includes a seating area, which is very nice. The doors and windows are shuttered, but different from US windows. They are like side-by-side doors, and each one opens. The knobs are horizontal, brass, and the door is the same. The shutters cover the glass on the windows and doors. We opened the windows last night to allow the cool breeze to fill our room. It is stifling hot here.

We've encountered a lot of English speaking people from all over the world. We sat beside a couple at Ladokalla ( a restaurant near the hotel) who were from Philadelphia, I believe. I really can't remember. They were here for their daughter's wedding. Her husband is an archaeologist and is working on the site near here where they have found the ruins dating older than any found before. Manoans I believe. Chuck would know because he is so very much into it.

Their son-in-law does research on obsidian, they said. 

Today is July 4, and I didn't even realize it. I thought it was July 5 until this afternoon. We walked into town this morning after a breakfast in the hotel restaurant. The food is not that good, and I prefer the local spot called Ladokalla. We had our lunch there yesterday and it was excellent. I am living on tomatoes and feta cheese. The Greek salads are so good here. 

We were on a mission to visit the Archaeology Museum today. It took longer than we anticipated, and we had to navigate very narrow streets and a lot of traffic.

Many people here are renting cars, which means the drivers are from all countries and follow their own rules, if they have any. Santorini is much more hectic and impatient than Athens for that reason.

In Athens the traffic is heavy, but flows easily. The streets are just as narrow, but the drivers are skilled, and seem to anticipate the next person's move. Although most of the cars have many scrapes and dents down the sides. 

Our walk this morning was long and arduous. The streets and sidewalks are rocks in cement, and they jut up so that walking can be treacherous. If you snag the toe of your shoe on one it can make you trip.

Along our walk we stopped at a little kiosk for a drink. The streets are what we would call allyways in the US, and everywhere along our route there were kiosks selling all sorts of things. I wanted a local drink, their version of a sprite or coke, or whatever. We got a drink called "Life," that was a strange combination of apple and peach juice. I was up to try it, but it was not a good combination.

The walkways are twists and turns of rock steps, and the width is barely enough for several people to walk through. There is constant stop and go, and stepping aside and such to make room. But everyone is patient and kind, and goes with the flow here.

After walking a long while and climbing a couple of hills, we finally realized we had gone too far and needed to turn back. And as we did we encountered yet another amazing view from atop a hillside.

We also were able to visit the local church of Saint John the Baptist. It was beautiful. I wanted to take pictures, but didn't. 

We asked a few people about the museum and finally did find it. It was unmarked, so we could have looked all day if we had not asked around.

For Chuck it was a great thing. For me it just seemed like the same stuff we've been looking at since we arrived in Greece. I understand the significance, and that these finds are even older than the ones found in the 1800s, but they just all look the same to me. They are cool, and interesting, but it was a stretch for me today. I was so hot, and my back was killing me, and I needed to sit down.

On our walk back we sat down at a cafe. The cafes here and in Athens spill out into the sidewalk and storefronts. Two cafes side-by-side can seem as one because there is no separation between the chars and tables of the two.

So we sat down because I was dying, and as I looked at the menu I just didn't want anything at all. Nor did Chuck. So we got up and kept on moving. We came to a gelato stand and he ordered a cone, but I didn't want anything. I felt almost sick.

Along the walk we stopped in shade a couple of times and it helped me a lot. 

We came to the local grocery store where we have bought a few items for a lot less than the tourist stands, and we went in to get some olive oil and water. We are shipping a box back home so we don't have to carry it to Venice.

When we got into the store, called Carrefore, I suggested that we just get some lunch meat, cheese, bread, etc. and make our lunch here.

July 5

Chuck is gone to the Hellenic Post to send a package home so we don't have to cary it. We traveled super light for this trip, and only have backpack and carry on bag. It has worked out so well, I much prefer traveling this way if possible. I think if  we had gone to one destination and were staying for two weeks it would make more sense to bring a suitcase. 

In our box we put a package of Greek green olives, olive oil that we bought at the local super market, souvenirs we have picked up along the way, as well as the gifts I've bought for the kids and some friends.

It is very early. Only maybe 7:30 a.m. Our free breakfast begins at 8 a.m., and we leave for the airport at 9:30. 

In the beginning I was growing weary from all of the transfers, pick ups, scheduling and such. I was starting to wish I had chosen one place for us for the two weeks. But I believe it is working out just fine.

Upon our arrival here at the El Greco hotel in Santorni (Fira) Chuck booked us an evening cruise to see the sunset. We had been told by an airport employee in Athens that we must see the sunset in Santorini. He was so right. I'm so glad we did it.

It started out a little rough. We thought we had missed our bus by about 20 seconds. We were to be across the street in front of our hotel by 6:10 p.m. and the bus was to arrive at 6:15 promptly. We walked out at 6:10 and a bus was pulling out of the hotel drive and wouldn't stop for us. It turned into the next hotel drive and we thought it was coming back for us, but it kept going.

We sat and waited, thinking it would come back. Then we thought maybe it wasn't our bus after all. We sat and waited a few more minutes and a large tour bus pulled up for us. That was our bus.

But when we got onto the bus I handed the ticket to the tour guide and before I could get my ticket stub the bus lurched forward and we were off, and it threw me backward and I slammed my leg into the arm of a seat. It lurched again just as I was getting my footing.

I was irritated the whole ride, and then the ride down to the water was very treacherous. The steep cliffs have a road that winds down to the bottom to the sea. Hairpin turns I believe they are called. And if you make a mistake you could plunge to the bottom.

The boat ride was great, and they served a really tasty Greek dinner aboard the ship. It was not fancy. There were no tables, so we were sitting with our plates in our laps, but they were real plates. 

The sunset was amazing. I have never seen anything like it. I've seen some nice sunsets at home, over the water, but here it was just breathtaking. The sun was so huge, and no clouds in the sky, and it was like an orange glowing ball sinking into the water. We were able to watch as the last little sliver of it disappeared.

We took lots of pictures, but I'm afraid they aren't going to do it justice. And really, I am fine with that. We will remember it anyway, and we will always have that as a special memory of our honeymoon trip.

Our voyage back to the dock was lovely, but I was so very tired and fell asleep resting my head on Chuck's back as he sat in front of me on the bench. We sat in the front, on the right side, which I don't know the official name for because I don't remember it. It was lovely to feel the spray of sea once in a while as the waves crested on the side of the boat. 

The Mediterranean Sea, or Aegean Sea, is so blue, and so gorgeous. I think I could live here for a while. A bohemian lifestyle of a reporter or corespondent or such. Not anything serious that would require a lot of rat race kind of daily life.

I hate to say goodbye to Santorini. This island is gorgeous. There are a lot of things to see here, but there is also so much beauty just sitting and lounging in a chair. We've enjoyed doing that each day. The first two days we slept a lot. The heat is impressive in the afternoons, and we didn't really want to move a lot. We aren't used to this kind of heat, so we wear out quickly. The walk to the museum did me in.

 We slept out in the chairs the first day, and yesterday we lounged in chaise lounges by the pool, under a shade umbrella. 

That is hard to come by. People here stake their claim to a chair and umbrella and won't move all day, or if they do, they leave their towels there for hours while they go off to do something else and no one can use their space.

Hoggish, really.

So we haven't had a good spot the whole time we've been here. The first day we had to sit in the covered area in the chairs that are at a large table. It was still fine. We slept, and it was nice to be in the shade. In the shade it is completely comfortable.

This is definitely at the top of my list of places to come back to. I would love to make this a yearly journey for our anniversary, even if just for a few days.

The people here are so friendly.

Athens, Greece, stop No. 1: Amazing Honeymoon

We booked our honeymoon way in advance, and originally planned to do a tour of Greece and Egypt. It was going to be a 12-day trip. But almost immediately after I booked that trip things in Egypt got shaky. We were watching it closely in the newspapers, and about a month or so before the trip I talked to Chuck about changing it so that we omitted the Egypt part of the trip.

He was completely in agreement, and I contacted our travel agent, Kamal, and got it changed to a Greece-only trip. It was cut down to only five days in Greece, and then we had all of this extra time because our fights home were already booked from Athens.

We talked it over and decided we could add something to fill up those days in another country and decided on Venice, Italy. (This got changed slightly mid-trip, but I'll go into it later.) Because we knew we were going to Venice, and I have a couple of friends who have lived in Italy, and one who lived in Venice, I knew we needed to pack light. We decided to only take backpacks because we didn't want to be rolling luggage through the streets of Venice.

But for now I'll focus on getting to Athens, and the great time we had while we were there.

We stayed in a little hotel in Seattle the night before our flight because David and Jewel were leaving that night, and because our flight was so early in the morning. We got to the airport by about 4:30 a.m. We went from Seattle to Philadelphia, and then on to Athens. Loooong flight.

I slept a lot on the plane going from Philadelphia. Neither of us had ever been to Greece, and I wasn't sure what to expect. I had asked for 4-star hotels all the way through our Greece trip. Chuck warned me that in Europe the 4-star is not like an American 4-star. So I wasn't expecting much. It turned out to be beautiful and just exactly what we needed.

Lobby of the Hotel Parthenon

Our travel agent arranged everything, and had a taxi pick us up at the airport to take us to our hotel. He was holding a sign with my name on it as we walked out of the customs area.

Brown. It was very brown, and reminded me of California at first. We even saw an IKEA as we sped down the highway in out taxi. But as we took in the scenery we knew we were definitely in Greece. The streets are very narrow, and cars park on both sides of the street, leaving room for barely one car to drive through. Chuck and I thought we would surely scrape a car as the taxi driver traveled up the hill to our hotel. Most shops close at around 1 p.m. or so for the afternoon. It's so hot that people just want to go inside and rest. They open back up later. I loved walking around in summer clothes and feeling comfortable at night.

Here is a journal entry from our time in Athens:

Technically July 2 - sometime in the morning.

I am sitting on our balcony at  Hotel Parthanon with a fingernail moon decorating the sky behind me. It is situated between two apartments that jut up along a roofline. 

It feels like mid-day to me, but at home it is 5:30 p.m. Here it is middle of the night and I should be asleep.

My patterns are all awry. Sleep, eat and bathroom times are inconsistent.

I love it here. The sounds and sights are all so different from home. Upon our touchdown on the tarmac I noticed the scenery was much like California, however the culture here is completely different. 

We have had wonderful broken English conversations with some locals. The first was our taxi driver who met us outside of customs at the airport. He knew enough English to tell us some things, but didn't seem to understand our English very well.

He talked about the poor economy here, and lack of work for taxi drivers. He told us the population is 6 million in this city, and in all of Greece only 10 million, so everyone lives here. ( I think his numbers are a little off.)

The next local who engaged in conversation, but had very little English, was an older gentleman we met walking along the pedestrian street that leads to the Acropolis. That street was recently deemed pedestrian only. We were strolling around and had just followed a large group of people in a hurry to get some place. We wanted to see where they were going. It was a concert at the amphitheater. THE amphitheater.

We didn't have tickets, and turned around to walk back toward our hotel. We stopped in a local church and I took a few pictures there. Some people came in and out, made their donation, lit a candle and made the sign of the cross and kissed pictures of the Virgin Mary. 

There were small children playing tiny accordions as we walked out of that church, and along that street.

The older gentleman tried to talk to us after Chuck dropped a coin in the cup. He said the mother was crying and gestured to a place over across the way. I wasn't sure if he meant she was across the street crying, or if the children had been taken from her, or if she was in an institution. 

He was so friendly and eager to communicate with us. What I got from the conversation, which was in Greek, was that he loves America. He has been to America, New York and Washington, D.C. and has traveled around the world at least 10 times. He worked as a tailor years ago, but met a girl with money, so they traveled. He spoke in Greek, but was good with hand gestures and I figured out the bit about being a tailor because he was using Chuck as a model and looked like he was measuring his arms and pointed to the buttons on his shirt.

July 2, 

We went to the Acropolis today. It was part of our tour. First stop was many hotels to pick up others on our tour. Along the way the tour guide pointed out many of the landmarks, etc. We got off the bus at the colosseum and took some pictures. Chuck bought a book and the man gave him a small book of pictures for free. We stopped at Parliament and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We took photos with the guards there dressed in traditional Greek clothing.

Then we went to the Museum of the Acropolis. We had our bus tour guide as our tour guide there, and we had a very fast bite to eat at the museum cafe before heading over the the Acropolis. 

It was VERY hot today. The sun was intense, and by the time we got to the top of the Acropolis I was feeling a bit queazy. I was able to find a bit of shade to sit down, and then made my way to the bathroom, and splashed water on my face to cool off. It worked wonders. I believe I made it just in time before being overwhelmed by the heat.

There were so many people that the tour wasn't really very enjoyable for me. It was amazing to see, but I spent most of my time looking down so as not to fall. The rocks are slippery limestone and marble, rubbed smooth from thousands of years of wear, and they are very difficult to walk upon.

The men were working on the restoration of the Parthenon, and it was interesting to see them in action.

We didn't stay long. We were both so hot and so tired, and we rested several times on the way down. At the bottom was a trap of frozen lemonade, orange juice and strawberry for sale. Of course we bought two, but I would have preferred water. And the price was too much. And the people behind the counter were pushy and trying to get people to make their orders fast and not stand to decide.

We made our way back to the hotel and I stood in the shower for a couple of minutes to cool off, and then Chuck did the same. We both fell asleep right away, and slept for at least 2-3 hours. 

It was so hot outside we didn't feel as if we were missing anything.

Upon waking, we ventured out to find some food, and then strolled through another part of Athens we didn't see yesterday.

We found some neat little tourist shops, but tried to pick through to get authentic items. I found a few things. One bracelet for Lilly, some hand lotion that I LOVE, and want to get more of but I'm afraid the airline won't allow it.

We found some postcards yesterday as well.

Today we found a neat antique shop full of Greek items. Greek typewriters, old telephones, irons, jewelry, all kinds of things. We bought a Greek eye that is to be hung in the entry of the home to gather evil energy. And we bought a wall hook that I will use for the new lamp shade I got for the living room. Chuck got some old drachmas and realized he had gotten a great deal from the shop owner we found last night. That old guy basically gave them to him, saying they are totally worthless. And they are, except they are interesting to have. 

Our tour guide explained how when the euro took over it was difficult for everyone. She also explained the economic situation, so basically everyone's salary has been cut. The average Greek takes home about E500-E700 a month. Everyone is suffering, but we didn't see a lot of angst and bitterness where we were. Maybe it is bad in other places.

There were so many things there I would like to have, but it is difficult to carry it in the bags. Plus, we are only 2 days into this trip and will have lots more to see.

Tomorrow we are off to Santorini by plane and will be there for a couple of days.

Wedding Day

Chuck and Marsha West
June 29, 2013

It's kind of a blur, but our wedding day was absolutely beautiful. Everything that really mattered was exactly as we hoped it would be, and those little things that weren't quite what I had planned worked out anyway. They really did, and we have some beautiful memories of our wedding day, and the reception. We were so happy that so many of our friends and family shared the day with us!

Just for those who are preparing for a wedding, and are detail people like myself, I'll get those pesky little flub ups out of the way first. If you are one of those detail people, you need to know that these things do happen, and at the end of that wonderful day you are married. And that's what the day is really about.

I little disclaimer before I begin: We were blessed to have so many friends and family members who were willing to help us with the preparation and set up of the reception. They did a great job, and we couldn't have pulled it off without them!
But I wish I had stuck with my original plan of paying for a wedding day coordinator, or as I like to refer to the position-- Stage Manager. That person could have been the one directing, and taking care of any crisis or questions and helping all of those family members. That person could have helped us get organized ahead of time, and I think it would have made everyone's job easier. But it still worked out. However, if YOU are thinking of hiring someone to do this job, it really needs to be someone who is not family or friend, because they need to be someone who won't care if they are attending the wedding. They need to be a person who can stay focused on the many details, be assertive in carrying out your vision for your big day, and insulate you from the stress of it. But those people don't come for free.

So, here it goes~
We had some snaffoos with transporting the flowers to the church. We needed them by 10 a.m. because our photographer was shooting the pics at that time. In hindsight I should have paid the $100 + to have them delivered, but by the time I was paying for the flowers I was ready to start cutting back wherever we could. Delivery was one place we cut. Our plan A for flowers became problematic, and we had to go to a plan B, with Chuck driving to Tacoma to pick them up. The flowers arrived slightly late, but it was still OK.

OK, except that the color of the orchids for the boutonnieres and the cake was wrong. I was tempted to put that sentence in all caps. (That is how I felt at the time, but I've calmed down.) It was very pretty as long as you didn't know that the color was off. I don't know if anyone else noticed. But I did.

Also, there were chairs at the reception venue that I didn't want to use, and so we rented white chairs to be used there. We had Robert, Chuck's nephew, drive to pick them up and deliver them to the reception venue. But as Chuck and I arrived for the reception, I spotted our white chairs in the back of our truck in the parking lot, and when we walked in I saw those ugly chairs I didn't want to use at every table. It was no one's fault. They didn't know what to do, because there were those ugly brown chairs already in the room when the set up the tables, and there was confusion about whether the white chairs were coming, etc. (Again--I should have paid a stage manager who could have cleared up the confusion about the chairs.) I'm still trying to get over that one, folks. I know that in the big scheme of things it doesn't matter, but it really sort of does, to me.

And I'll tell you why. And then I'll stop with the Negative Nancy bit. It still sort of matters to me because I worked for so long on planning, and searching for the best deals so we wouldn't have a $30,000+++ wedding and reception, and because in my mind I had visions of what our photos would look like with all of these little details in place. And we didn't spend a fortune on the chairs, but they weren't cheap either. And it made me frustrated that they sat in the back of a truck.

So there. All of you detail people will understand, and now I'll say once again that at the end of that wonderful day what matters is that you are married to the person you know is the right one.
And, if you're as lucky as we are, you have wonderful people all around you who are eager to help you, and you get to share that day with all of those AMAZING people.

Now I'll get back to how incredible the day was for us.

I had wonderful friends and daughters who helped prepare food for the reception the day before. We convened in the kitchen and got to work cutting and balling melons, and slicing cheeses. Gwen, Jewel and Lilly were on melon duty, and Shane was working with her food processor slicing cheeses while Karen was bagging those slices into gallon-sized ziplock bags. I was the runner, going to the extra frig to retrieve melons and digging through my drawers for whatever gadgets were needed.

We worked for a couple of hours here, and then the girls (Jewel and Lilly), Karen and I went to get our nails done.
(That's another story. But I will save it for another day.)

The day of the wedding we had family members working hard to help us get everything where it needed to be, and making sure that we pulled off a beautiful event.
I loved my dress, my hair, which Jewel did for me, and my makeup, which was done by a local Mary Kay rep. And I was very pleased with my veils. I was wishing for a full length mirror while I got ready, but there wasn't one at the church and I didn't think of that detail ahead of time.

Our photographer, Don West, was great. He worked so hard to get as many shots as possible before the wedding, and then during the wedding and the reception as well. We appreciated his time, as well as his wife, Shannon's. (P.S. He is a professional photographer, but he doesn't do weddings anymore. It was a favor for us because we are family.) He was patient as Sean had a meltdown and didn't want to have his picture taken. We took a lengthy break to wait for him to come back around, which he did. We just allowed him to skip some of the photos.

My brother, Marty, saved the day by answering his cell phone when I rang with a request to stop by the house to pick up a special bracelet. Sean had made a blue yarn bracelet for me to wear for the wedding. I had forgotten to pack it in my bag, and Marty happened to be near the house and was able to get it and deliver it to the church in time before the ceremony started. I have sweet pictures of Sean tying it to my wrist.

We had a very beautiful ceremony filled with God, love, family, and some laughter. Our vows were so beautiful, and I plan to get them printed and framed. Our guests were all people who are important to us, and we appreciated each and every one of them sharing that day with us.

The car that transported us to the reception was so much fun, and Chuck's friend, Mike, was so generous to give up his Saturday to attend the wedding and to drive us. Our car was a LeMay collection car. It was a 1937 Packard Touring Limousine, and we loved it!!

The silver trays I purchased for the food for the reception looked great, and I loved the way the food was displayed.
I loved, loved, loved my lace bunting flags. They looked beautiful, and I was so thankful to have my soon-to-be husband willing to hang them and spend time at the reception venue to be sure it was all coming together.
I loved all of the flowers in the vintage vases and bottles that Chuck and I chose to use. (I'm still trying to track down all of those jars and bottles. They are here somewhere) The cake was beautiful, and exactly as we wanted it to be with lovely details. And it was DELICIOUS. A local baker, Tortes and Tarts, made the cake.

I was really happy that I took the time to do some of the detail work ahead of time. For instance, I had a borrowed wooden box with a hinged lid on it that was perfect for cards. I printed the word "cards" on some card stock and cut it as bunting flags and hand sewed the letters onto a ribbon to hang on the open lid of the box.

Our chalkboards turned out great! I was so happy with the results. Wendy, the artist, did an amazing job. That room was fun, and we had some vintage props for people to use and a little space created in front of the chalkboard for a photo booth.

We were so happy to have so many great people around us that day. I felt so lucky to have a connection to a makeup artist at the last minute. Karen and Jewel helped to keep me calm and they took care of all of the little details~ Things you don't think of until the final moments. I was so happy they were able to be here to help make the day that much more special.

Karen took tons of pictures, and I so appreciated that! I'm currently still trying to organize photos on Shutterfly and I'm trying to create a site for our wedding photos.

It was a spur of the moment request when I asked that Jewel and Robert do the speeches for our toast. I was on the verge of tears as they each spoke.

Behind the scenes, Chuck's sister Cindy was in the kitchen making sure the food was replenished on the table, and my brother Marty was back there making sure the champagne and wine were being uncorked. Robert and Jewel were pouring, and taking orders for the sparkling cider for the kids and folks who don't drink alcoholic beverages. Our vintage, glass beverage dispensers worked out perfectly for that event, filled with organic lemonade. (It was a hot day, and that lemonade was a hit.)

Once people started leaving and things were winding down, we all headed out. We rushed home, grabbled our backpacks and David and Jewel grabbed their luggage and we all headed for Seattle. They were both catching flights that night back to Tennessee, and Chuck and I stayed at a hotel in Seattle so we could be at the airport the next morning at about 4:30 a.m. for our flight to Athens, Greece.

Look for posts about our amazing honeymoon coming soon...