Butler Family Travels

So, the ferry people decided to strike for another 48 hours. Amazing little story of how God protected us once again. I tried booking cheap, non-refundable tickets from the Santorini Island to Italy 3 times, but it wouldn’t work. That is because we weren’t going to Santorini afterall. We’ve rented a car and we’re on our way to see a different side of Greece! Rebekah is navigating very well despite that it is all Greek to her. We’re making our way around the Peloponnese, camping along the way.

First, run out and grab 2 gyros for the kids from a stand around the corner. Leave them in the hotel room with a laptop and those 2 gyros. Then you leave hand in hand and stroll down the tiny marble streets that cascade down from the Acropolis. Cafes are everywhere, literally falling down the steps. Look for the one that has the most people laughing and talking loudly (in Greek). Sit down under a heat lamp and join the party. It may take 15-20 minutes for a waiter to show up. When the beer still doesn’t arrive, wait for the next waitress. Order a very dark beer and plate of Dakos. Dakos is barley bread soaked in olive oil and topped with finely chopped tomatoes, feta cheese, more olive oil, olives, oregano, and capers. Split that since there will be more food to try. Enjoy the mood and lights. It’s probably colder by now so ask your hubby and then waitress if you can move inside by the fire. Next, order a spaghetti dish with white sauce, bacon, mushrooms, and cheese and an aptly named jug of wine. Sit by the fire for 1.5 to 2 hours and eat very slowly. By the time you leave at 11:15 you’ll see that EVERY last table and chair is full of happy Greeks. You’ve picked the right place! Before returning to the hotel, make sure you take a walk to enjoy the view of the Parthenon and other relics lit up like light bulbs. Whatever you do, don’t be in a hurry!

I was taking a picture of Levi standing in between 2 pillars on the Acropolis (with his Kendama in hand) when out of the blue a lady in a suit whistled and yelled at me to stop. “Not allowed. Be respectful!” I hadn’t gotten the memo. In Greece one is not allowed to pose with statues and pillars. Busted!  A few hours later we were walking along in Ancient Agora and, like any one with tired legs, both Jeb and Levi sit themselves down on blocks of stone. Uh oh. They were the bottoms of columns. Whistle again. This guy was bit nicer about it and gave the thumbs up as soon as they jumped up. Busted again! After walking through these amazing places, however, and seeing the damage done by invaders and thieves (including governments), it is no wonder they are so protective. I would be too! Note to future travelers to Greece: It is also illegal (with seriously huge fines) to pick anything up and take it away. Hands off, people!

The downloads are for freeeee. They are informative and very well done. “Now walk down this lane about 100 feet and you will see on your left side a statue of Athena… As you walk, let Rick describe to you a typical scene of that day… Music… ” As you look through these pictures from our 3 days of touring Athens and all future great cities in Europe, please know that we really are a happy, well-adjusted family. The headphones and I-pods in are no way a sign of us being anti-social. We start the audio-guides at the same time even. Cumbaya… and the rest is history.

We flew from Tel Aviv in the middle of the night and arrived in Athens, Greece early in the morning on Thursday. Sunny and warm with clear blue skies! Wanted to hop on a public bus into the city, but, guess what? They are on strike! No can do. A 30 minute taxi ride later and we were walking through the squares and streets looking for a place to stay. Our strategy worked this time. Got a super duper deal at the first hotel we walked into. It’s a great place, centrally located and has a killer roof-top garden with amazing views. Skip ahead… Our plan was to hop on a ferry tomorrow morning to Paros Island, but guess what? They are on strike. No problem. We’ll go to the Archeological Museum tomorrow instead of today. It’s free on Sundays. That saves us $50. Maybe that was part of the strategy?!  The strike will end sometime and then we’ll go. Or, who knows, maybe we’ll end up somewhere else entirely. The only other result of the political unrest that has affected us is the amount of political/slogan graffiti on the walls. Such a shame…unless of course it is done artistically and then it makes great pictures. Travel Tip #16: (You missed the ones in between since I’ve been kinda busy.) Have a no-stress strategy and absolutely no agenda. Oh wait, I think that was tip #2?