The Acropolis, Parthenon, Lunch, and Setting Sail

How much luggage do 50 guys need for a week at sea?

Have I mentioned that Athens was hot? Like over 100F (38C) and very humid. I can see why those with the means leave the city in August. To beat some of the heat, we had an early start for a tour of the Acropolis and new Parthenon Museum. John, the instigator for the previous evening’s fun, decided to skip the tour in favor of a massage to settle a pinched nerve. He also wanted to get a haircut in order to be especially handsome for his boarding pass picture. So it was just me and Jay on the morning tour along with about 15 others. We left our luggage in the lobby and set off into the city.

Faye: our tour guide

Our tour guide, Faye was a delightfully sarcastic language instructor who spent nearly as much time teaching us that “we all speak Greek” as she spent explaining that nothing is new, it has all been done before by the ancient Greeks. She reminded me of the father from My Big Fat Greek Wedding. However, she was eager to share her country’s rich history – the good and the bad – as we slowly made our way through the winding streets towards the Acropolis. 

Jay: Gorgeous with only a few hours of sleep....

 

The first time I visited this site was in 1996 during a nine hour layover on my way to the island of Mykonos. We had no guide and we had to find our way by bus and foot up to the ruins. This time, I had a much better understanding and appreciation of how and why the buildings were made – i.e. no slave labor. There was a brisk breeze at the top of the hill and we spent our limited time clicking as many pictures as possible before being led back down the hill to the new Parthenon museum. 

Entrance to the Odeon

The modern side of the same wall with the modern city of Athens in the background

Jay at the Amphitheater

Where in the world is Glenn?

Jay at the Parthenon

Parts of the original frieze that were not taken by Lord Elgin to the British Museum

The other side: Original sculptures (from around 500 BCE)

Jay in Greece

The Temple of Poseidon

The Temple of Athena

Ahh – air conditioning. The museum is very modern and is constructed over an archeological site. The glass floors allow visitors to catch a glimpse of ruins from 2500 years ago. You can see a portion of the ancient city and how it was organized around fountains, benches, and curving streets. With a little imagination, it was easy to see that cities have not changed much over the millennia. The rest of the museum included the remaining marbles from the top of the Parthenon building as well as some of the original columns and frescos from the inner part of the building. Luckily, the last time I was in London, I made a point of visiting the British Museum to view the originals, which are stunning. The copies, are not very well executed, and are intended mainly as a means to highlight that many of Greece’s cultural treasures reside outside of the county in other European museums. 

Following the Museum tour we rejoined our ship mates for an al fresco lunch of stuffed tomatoes, dolmatha, spanakopita, moussaka, chicken kebobs, and braised veal in tomato sauce. After a few bottles of water and a couple jugs of wine we were all happy, refreshed, and eager to board our buses for the ship. I am guessing the slim physique I work so hard at maintaining will be expanding over the next week or so – but fitness and vacation are not two words that I often say together.

Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

After a rather long bus ride to the port – complete with a short nap, we were dockside and ready to board the ship around 2:30. The process was not nearly as efficient as that used by Holland America to get 2500 people on board, but we were eventually all processed and welcomed on board.  I was looking forward to getting to my cabin for some quick unpacking, to be followed by the raising of the sails, dinner, and a welcome aboard toga party. I am already worn out and the day is only half over. 

Frieze on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Eat, Sleep, Drink, and Be Merry in Athens

Our travel agency, Concierge Travel, not only set up this trip, but also arranged pre and post cruise packages for the 150+ travelers on this trip. Upon arriving at the Athens airport, we were all greeted by an enthusiastic tour guide, who wrangled us and our luggage onto a bus for the ride into Athens. I was desperate for a bed and a long nap after last night’s seemingly endless series of tortures that seem to be only experienced in economy class seating. 

Coincidentally, the hotel in which we were staying, was the same as the one we were in 16 years ago – The Electra Palace. The hotel has an old world charm, complete with pool and rooftop restaurant. All I really cared about was assuming a horizontal position and closing my eyes for a few hours. Before bed, however, my new friend John B from Wilmington and I had a quick brunch at a café up the street from the hotel. 

John and Jay were scheduled to arrive in Athens around 4:00 PM. That gave me five hours of slumber and an hour to clean up before meeting them for cocktails. Everyone was on schedule and after a few vodka on the rocks beneath the garden gazebo, we headed up to prepare for dinner. Part of our package included a five course dinner, paired with wine, served on the hotel rooftop in sight of the Parthenon. The view was exquisite. 

Roof top welcome dinner: Acropolis to the right

Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, I was unable to sit with John and Jay for dinner due to a mix up in communication. So, I joined another table of shipmates, settled in with a glass of wine, and began to get to know some new people. Our table consisted of John B. from Wilmington along with several guys from Toronto, and Gary from Concierge Travel. I put my technical writer skills to work and began interviewing everyone, trying to get some conversations started. My table was a bit stubborn when it came to making small talk, but eventually everyone settled in and warmed up to the challenge of making new friends. 

 

Acropolis at sunset

After introductions, the food began arriving and I was in heaven. It was quite exquisite for hotel food. Although, I am not a big fan of cantaloupe or honey dew melons, the chilled melon soup with pancetta was rather refreshing, the salad was crisp and perfectly dressed, the seafood course was rich and yummy. Although the beef was a bit overcooked, it was still tender. An exquisite chocolate torte topped off an evening in which new acquaintances were made and old ones resumed.

 

After a few pictures by the pool, John suggested we head into the city and hit a bar or two. Since he and Jay had been in Europe for a week already, they were much more acclimated to the time change than I was, but after my nap, I was up for it. After all, when will I have a chance to experience bar culture in Athens again? We had a quick costume change and headed out into the streets in search of a taxi.

Our first destination, Big, was in the Gazi district near the university. This area is full of cafes, bars and restaurants. The locals were enjoying the relative coolness of the evening with some alfresco dining. There was lots of energy and laughter in the streets. This is my type of place.

Follow the magic iPhone app

After a bit of searching and with the aid of an iPhone, we finally reached our destination. Mind you, It was 11:00 PM when we walked in the door to discover that we were the only patrons, giving the term “first whores in the door” a new meaning. However, the bartender was super pleasant and hooked us up with a few shots of tequila and some Greek Mythos beer. After a brief chat, we learned that the bar doesn’t really get busy until after midnight and that many Athenians vacation in August due to the high temperatures – so it could be a really slow night. We were also treated to a few shots of Mastika, a Greek liqueur that has a slight taste of Ouzo but with a caramel finish. 

Big Bar - This is how it looked to us, minus the bartender

A few more early birds showed up including a guy named Phil from the UK and a few Americans. We all sat around the bar chatting and laughing it up until around 2:00 AM. As we were leaving, we realized the bar had really picked up, but we had a long day ahead of us. So we resisted the urge to linger over another beer, and went out into the streets in search of a taxi. Fortunately, we found one rather quickly. Unfortunately, the driver’s English consisted of “Hello, Where you go? and Yes!”. He had never heard of the Electra Palace Hotel. Fortunately, I had thought to tear off a page from the note pad in my room that included the address. So after a few minutes, the address was put into the GPS and we were on our way back to the hotel.

Fancy Athens McDonalds

Everyone knows that a fun night out can’t just end by going to bed. Upon arriving at the hotel, we realized that we were a bit peckish after all that drinking. We asked the desk clerk for directions to a souvlaki stand or sandwich shop that would still be open. What we got instead, was directions to McDonalds – late night food of the gods. And the Greek Mac (two all beef patties, lettuce, tomato, tzatziki sauce on a pita) hit the spot, along with some onion rings and soft drinks.

When we finally returned to the hotel, I slipped between the covers, and slept like a baby. Happiness!

The Airplane Karma Fairy Really Hates Me

While I was at work the week before my departure and packing (and repacking) my bags, my friends, John and Jay, got a head start on me. They planned to stop off in Munich for a visit with our friends Frank and Andre before setting sail. Their itinerary included a few days in Munich, then Salzburg (Austria), Verona (Italy), and Venice (Jealous? Anyone?). Since this is one of “those” cruises where a different costume is required each night, I suggested they have their packages delivered to my address. There was no need to schlep wigs, hats, costumes and boots across Europe. I would simply pack them and bring them over.

Just like Christmas....

As such, the weeks before my departure were a bit like Christmas. Every day new packages arrived: togas, jumpsuits, sandals, singlets, tutus, and disco boots – yes, high-rise disco boots – but, more on that to come. Needless to say, one of my suitcases was full of fun – meaning I would have just one other for toiletries and clothes.

And surprisingly, one bag for nine days was actually enough room for all I needed. Who would have thought it possible? Unlike our last cruising adventure, I was a bit more clever and discriminating in my clothing choices. Rather than planning for all contingencies and moods, I went with a mix and match approach of a few plain tee shirts, a pair of jeans, 4 pairs of shorts, a variety of swim wear, and 5 collared shirts for dinner. Off course, no man worth his salt can get away without several pairs of shoes – hiking boots, sneakers, a smart high top deck shoe, and the mandatory pair of sandals.

Me and Carl: July 4th Golf Cart Parade

The days leading up to my departure were rather uneventful and somewhat relaxing. It was not as hectic as before my last journey when I was trying to finish up a project and interviewing for a new job, but it was much more emotional. Carl and I tried to squeeze in a few extra nights together. It seems I have formed quite an attachment to my new beau. So much so, that I refused to let him walk me into the airport for fear of a tearful scene. 

My friends know that deep within my crusty exterior lurks an emotionally expressive alter ego.  This alter ego is usually kept in check by sarcasm, cynicism, wry humor, and wit; however, when I am alone or slightly vulnerable, it bubbles up to the service and the water works flow freely. I am always the silly man crying at every wedding, birth, play, movie, sitcom, concert, and even some commercials. I am a sap. On the reverse side of that, I think that I display an exuberance for life as well as a tendency to laugh loudly at the slightest provocation.

 Therefore, at the airport, I adamantly refused to allow Carl to park and walk me in because I knew there would be a scene. So we hugged and kissed in front of the airport with my luggage looking on. Then I went inside and sat for a minute until my tears dried. Of course those tears returned in the security line, making a return at the gate, again in Philadelphia, and several times again throughout this trip.  What can I say? I’ve got it bad.

All flights were on time and relatively uneventful. I was lucky enough to have an empty seat beside me on the nine hour flight to Athens. Unfortunately, the airline Karma fairy was feeling a little mischievous, because no sooner did I rejoice over this stroke of good fortune, than the rather large and “athletic” woman in the seat in front of me reclined her seat to its fullest horizontal position and began rocking back and forth as she loudly conversed with friends in both her row as well as the row behind me. Remember when flying was a joy and people were kind and considerate? 

After six hours of raucous revelry, she announced during breakfast that it was her birthday, resulting in her friends buying more rounds of drinks. My Buddhist teachings instruct me to keep things in proper perspective, so I made every effort to remain calm and remember that this person was celebrating an event with her friends. To her, it was an important occasion; a time to celebrate with loud gusto, to flirt with the flight attendant, to ask for pastries from the first class service to supplement the stale pastry served in economy class, to repeatedly standing in her seat while riffling through her carry-on bags, to bounce with excitement, and incessantly rock back and forth as if spending a day on her front porch rocker.  Yay for her…..

I closed my eyes after the breakfast service, assumed the position, and found peace from the following mantra:

In order to be of benefit to myself and others, I must constantly strive to reach a state of enlightenment.
I am aided in this effort through meditation, from which I gain wisdom, insight, and compassion for others.
As a result of meditation, I will be more focused on today’s tasks, mindful of today’s activities, and thoughtful when interacting with others.
My hope is that anyone who sees, hears, speaks to, touches, or remembers me will in that instant be free from suffering and abide in happiness forever.

As it does every day, losing myself in this mantra helped me find my peace of mind. I was able to put the situation into perspective. I arrived in Athens with very little sleep and slightly bruised knees, but I was eager to join up with my friends for an exciting voyage. 

Once through customs I began chatting with some of the people who had been sitting around me on this flight. They too were a bit peeved by this lady’s behavior. Their comments, however, were a bit less charitable – most of which involved hopes that her ship sinks somewhere far from land. 

Keeping it all in perspective, I was annoyed by her thoughtless behavior, but karma can be a bitch sometimes. All I knew was that I was standing in a place I loved 16 years ago, missing the one I love in 2012. Let’s see what Greece has in store for me this time.

Back to the Future: Journeys to Greece 1996 & 2012

Mykonos 1996: John, Kristin, Keith, Janice, and me

Way back in 1996, a group of friends from Raleigh heard about a party being thrown on the Greek Island of Mykonos called the 12 Gods Party (I forgot how simple and innocent the internet was back then…). So about 10 or so of us bought our tickets and jetted over to the Aegean Sea for a week of parties, food, drink, dancing, and fun under the deep blue Aegean sky.  It was a whirlwind tour – much of which was lost in a haze of drugs and alcohol and parties that lasted into the wee hours of the morning.

Sadly, many of the memories of happy times shared together that we did retain were soon overshadowed by our arrival home to a city devastated by Hurricane Fran. We were lucky in that we missed the storm, but we returned home to the aftermath. Luckily for me, my dear friend Clodagh was able to prepare our home for the storm accompanied by only the pets we had left in her care.

At that time, I lived in an old, established neighborhood. The streets previously shaded by old growth oak trees near the University were, upon our return, entangled with the remains of 50+ year old tree trunks, limbs, and electrical wires. Our freezers were filled with rotted food, and for some of us, our roofs had been caved in by felled trees. Five days without electricity in the sultry summer sucked away much of the joy and happiness we retained from our time in paradise.

Sixteen years later, John and I are closer than ever as friends and we are returning to the Aegean Sea older, wiser, with more appreciation for the life we have been blessed with and love we have for partners, friends, and family. Many things in our lives have changed, but our friendship has never been more solid. As John would say, “We are fiercer than ever!”

Rather than spending our entire time on a single island, this trip will be an adventure that I will hopefully never forget. We will be setting sail from Athens on a clipper ship with 150 other passengers. Our itinerary will bring us back to Mykonos, a place where our lives seemed to change for the better so many years ago. We will also be visiting the Greek Islands of Patmos, Santorini, Menomvasia, and the Turkish port of Kusadasi. The history geek in me is giddy with excitement. The enthusiastic tourist in me can’t wait for new experiences. My taste buds are tingling with the thought of new eating adventures and my feet are itching to be dancing again with friends under the Aegean stars. 

Opa! 

Coincidentally, just as in 1996, as I prepare for this journey there is a hurricane brewing in the Atlantic. We are all hoping and praying that Isaac either turns north heading out to sea or comes ashore as a tropical storm providing some drought relief for the Midwest.  

Reading the Best Novels in the Some of the Worst Hotels in America, England, Canada, and Mexico

The Novels List: Page 2 of 3

 Someone asked a few weeks ago about why I challenged myself to read the 100 Best English Novels of the 20th Century. To be honest, the answer lies in my fascination with lists and counting and marking things as complete. But, enough about my neuroses... See picture at right for evidence (pink highlight = books read prior to starting this challenge).

About 10 years ago, my brother or sister-in-law sent me a link to Hillman's 100 Wonders of the World, which could be accessed from a site dedicated to lists: http://www.listsofbests.com/. I printed it out and checked off the "wonders" I had seen at the time and thought it would be great fun to try to see them all. Today, I am a long way from completing that list (74 to go), but I have started thinking about vacations with the list in mind. After all, I only have so many good travel years remaining.

I bookmarked the site and would reference it occasionally. A few years later, I changed careers and started traveling for work, which meant I was spending a lot of time in airports, on planes, in hotels, and eating dinner with only the company of a book. Over a period of two years, I tore through all books of interest in the airport bookshops. My bookshelves were bulging, but I could barely remember the plots of any of these cheap thrill rides. Airport books are a bit like porn - you enjoy it while you are watching it, but the plot points all tend to blur over time and the endings are somewhat predictable.

So, I figured if I am going to spend so many hours staring at books, I should read those books judged to be among the best written - particularly those written in the century in which I was born. So, I returned to the lists and printed out the pages for the 100 Best English Novels of the 20th Century. Since my second degree was in English, I was able to cross off 20 books before I even got started. I thought, I would make quick progress and that this would be something I could complete is a few years.

After some thought and a quick calculation, I realize that I have spent seven years plowing through this list. There are times when I have strayed (The Dragon Tattoo novels, Jonathan Franken), but for the most part, I have been rather faithful to the reading list.

My thought was that I would read them in order 100 to 1. One would think that if a book is among the 100 greatest it would be easy to find, but many of the books are out of print and difficult to locate, which added to the challenge. For the last 7 years I have carried a sticky note with the next eight books on the list in my wallet - marking them off as I find them. I am now completely unable to pass a used bookstore without ducking in to see if they have some obscure book that I have been unable to locate, that is next on the list. In many ways this challenge is as much a scavenger hunt as it is a reading marathon. Since purchasing my Nook, however, most of the books are a few clicks away.

Along the way I have discovered some new favorite authors (Nabokov, Doctorow, Faulkner, DH Lawrence) and some that I dread to see looming ahead on the list (Conrad and Joyce). Some books have been surprisingly enjoyable and easy to read (Tobacco Road, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Of Human Bondage, A Farewell to Arms), some have fanned the desire to travel (The Alexandria Quartet, Kim, A Room with a View) while some have been a slog from start to finish (Finnegan's Wake, The Movie Goer, Lord Jim, Nostromo). I have also realized that I have an equal interest in Costume Dramas (Edwardian) from the turn of the century as well as modernist works - novels about war, not so much of an interest, unless the war is simply a backdrop for the work (From Here to Eternity, Sophie's Choice)

So with 25 entries left to complete the list, I have to start thinking what will I do with my time once I have completed this monumental task. Perhaps I should write a book about reading all these books. Something similar to Julia and Julia. Who knows, there could be a happy ending in there somewhere (wink wink).

Note: The 100 Best American Movies list is much easier to get through - thanks to Netflix.

Thoughts from the Dungeon

Warning: Some may consider this entry as TMI or to be mildly offensive to your high moral standards. Just saying....

Carl and I took another trip up to the mountains this past weekend - our second weekend trip. He has a permanent campsite in eastern Tennessee, which has all the comforts of home, plus the promise of slightly cooler weather. Luckily, we were both able to head out early Thursday afternoon, and we worked from the campsite (mobile trailer home) on Friday. So, it was almost like a long holiday weekend.

Throughout the summer, there are various weekend themes at the campground. There are the patriotically themed weekends for Memorial, Independence, and Labor days. There are campy themed weekends, such as the Sordid Lives trailer park trash celebration and parade, as well as biker weeks. Those folks with permanent camp sights roll with the themes, while the tent and temporary campers are treated to a quirky weekend experience.

This past weekend was Domination themed. Do I even need to provide more information on that?  It was hosted by the Western North Carolina Leather Association as a fundraiser for their local charities. As you can imagine, there was a decidedly fetishy feel to the weekend. Much different from our last visit over the Independence Day holiday.

So, after Carl and I finished up our work day on Friday, we attended an afternoon cocktail party hosted by the group, followed by a cookout hosted by our camp neighbors (Doug and Jerry). We then had a nap and later headed over to the tavern for a few drinks and dancing. As part of the weekend, the host group set up a shielded area behind one of the guest houses in which there were quite a few apparatuses (apparati?) designed for bondage activities. On the way home from the tavern, we stopped into this makeshift Dungeon to see some demonstrations - after all, who can resist a little light bondage before bed?

There were several demo stations set up and people were milling around. One station was a St. Andrew's cross, which is like a large X with shackles for hands and feet. A person was bound, blindfolded, and gagged on this contraption and there was a leather flogging tool draped across their shoulder. 

I experienced a moral dilemma. What should one do in this situation? Here was someone patiently waiting to be flogged. The scene was set. The tools were present. No one was stepping up. The submissive seemed eager. So...... I stepped forward and firmly grasped the implement. It felt good in my hand. I gave a few experimental whacks, which the sub seemed to find pleasurable. I felt encouraged. I asked for a safe-word, because "safety first" is not just a slogan. I then assumed the role and let loose.

I must have tapped into some previously undiscovered 50 Shades of Gray part of my personality because there was something strangely pleasurable about the experience. And, as a crowd gathered around, I left my inhibitions behind and let my imagination take over.

20 minutes later:

• As someone who avoids physical violence at all cost, I felt oddly contented.
• The dungeon master referred to the session as a master class in flogging (I blush).
• Carl, on the other hand, was horrified. On the way back to the "trailer home" he simply repeated: "I don't know you. I don't know you at all. Who are you?"

Luckily, neither of us won the St. Andrews cross given away as a door prize the next night.....LOL