Home is Where we Hook-up

Every Sunday morning at 11 am there is an elaborate ceremony, the changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown soldier in front of the Parliament building in Athens. The duo of Presidential Guard are relieved every hour on the hour, every day of the week, but the Sunday change is a big to do, and I wanted to see it.

I talked Keith into what fun the ceremony would be, and we headed into the city. Having arrived well ahead of 11 am, we sat at an outside cafe drinking cappuccinos (mostly so we could use the W.C. without feeling the need to sneak…water closets are for customers only). A large crowd appeared out of nowhere, a tour looking group, heading for the stairway leading to the Parliament building. What caught my attention about them, beside the sheer volume of the group, was they seemed to be following behind a “tour guide” that just so happened to be a stray dog. I kid you not, this dog walked a good 30 feet ahead of the crowd, every few moments it would turn to look at them, turn again and continue forward. So frequent was the dogs review of the group, I couldn’t shake the feeling that they really were being guided to the event by this very “in the know” looking canine. Boy was I in for a great surprise.

Once up on street level, we immediately saw the mistake in lounging around over coffee. A huge crowd had amassed and we were going to be stuck behind several rows of onlookers (the tallest people in all of Greece, of course). This coupled with the fact that it was a sweltering 105+ degrees…and well, I’m not telling to many secrets if I say that crowds are not Keiths favorite thing – an ideal start this was not.

Then the band started up. We could hear them long before we could see them. They marched along side the Parliament building, turned and marched along the front, closing off two very major intersections in the downtown. Just seconds ahead of catching my first glimpse of the band itself, I saw the lead dog. The very same dog leading the original group of tourists to the correct location, was now leading the band as they marched along the front of Parliament, turned and walked into the square where the ceremony would be held.

As any good canine companion, this pooch quietly laid in the shade while the men in funny outfits kicked their legs high into the air with very deliberate steps, as the 11 o’clock Guard came onto shift.

When all the pomp and circumstance was complete, the dog raised up and led the band back to the street, along the side of the building and disappeared with his crew.

I’m fairly certain when I go back on another Sunday (when it cools a bit) that I will once again see this same dog leading the humans through their rituals, behaving (and being treated) every bit as important as anyone else involved.

This is one stray who’s not only dialed into freedom in the city, but has been handed a key.

The Greeks first coined the phrase, “Live free or die.” That may be a good philosophy for most of the dogs living here in Athens. Athenians do love their pets. Pet stores outnumber sports stores about 10:1. The problems with dogs as pets, is that most people in Athens live in apartments or multi-family buildings. There isn’t much in the way of green space and dog crapping areas. I notice most Athenians pick up after their dogs. Exceptions are the elderly who despite their intimate knowledge of their neighborhood never walk on the sidewalks at night. When given the choice of picking up dog crap off the street or getting run over by a speeding car most elderly have not attained old age by being foolish.

Dogs of every size and mixed breeds are found in our neighborhood of Lykovrisi. Like most people there are responsible considerate owners and a few others who shouldn’t have an ant farm.

When we lived and worked in Athens prior to the Olympics there were dogs everywhere. Dogs were sleeping in front of any shop that had food, lazing under trees and darting into traffic or crossing responsibly at the lights. Just prior to the Olympics, dogs and cats were rounded up in huge numbers. The dog population was decimated while the cats have repopulated to the same levels. Only the quickest and cleverest canines are still running the streets. Its a state secret where all the dogs went but sausage sales dropped off in Athens dramatically in 2004 I am told.

In Lykovrisi the area is almost all multi family upscale small apartment buildings with little or no yards. Everyone knows each other and their pets. A few doors down from us a lady lives in a ground floor unit with some citrus, olive and fig trees, a few flowers and a little patch of grass. She also has a cocker spaniel that smells like a popular local perfume and is groomed like a super model. Across the street a beagle spends about 12 hours a day on a 5′ wide balcony. Sun hits the balcony at least 4 hours of the day and the dog barks at passers by while sipping water from its bowl on days when the temperatures exceed 100 Fahrenheit. A beagle should be sniffing out new trails instead of sitting smelling its own urine on hot concrete .

I have several dogs in my life now. As you may know, our dog Zoe is enjoying a vacation of her own living at Pat’s house in Bishop. Days of swimming and sleeping in the shade of the spacious backyard agree with Zoe. When dogs age, they find traveling more stressful and start exhibiting unusual behavior. Zoe has given up her manic dirt eating and is acting the same as she did on the mini farm in Washington, relaxed and happy. Travel is stressful for elderly dogs and humans but we hope Pat and Zoe are still looking forward to a few more trips with us.

I have some other dogs too. At our air base we have about 25 strays. Three packs of about 7 or more dogs. A creek forms the territorial boundary for the packs. The east creek pack lives on the runway control tower side of the base with us and is made up of smaller and younger dogs. The West creek pack are mostly larger mature dogs and the North pack is made up of outcasts and newbies. When I cross the bridge over the creek walking west in the early morning I frequently encounter the west pack. It’s necessary to walk by the west pack like the alpha dog. One of the pilots crossed over to the other side of the road approaching the pack and got a nip on his Achilles for his show of weakness. The east pack dogs range in size from 10 to 40 lbs and its leader is a female long haired Dachshund. The ladies who work the control tower and meteorologic office often feed the dogs. A couple of sad specimens with damaged legs are the ones I feed. Dog packs share food, but its a hierarchical system and the lesser dogs often find that when the food is short, their share comes to zero. The Greek pilots, interpreters, mechanics and even the fuel truck drivers all take exception to me feeding the dogs. I find their criticism curious and one day I asked a few of them why they object to my charity. The dogs limp over, chow down and leave without a wag of tail or show of thanks. They never get underfoot, with the exception of the dachshund who is tolerated.

“So why the dislike for my feeding the dogs.” I ask the assembled Greeks one day.

“To a man,” they tell me “these dogs should be gone. They have no life and would be better dead.”

“Well!” I respond, “So, the country that invented democracy believes that you are better off kept, than living free? No wonder Greece is embracing socialism. You all want the government taking care of you from the cradle to the grave.”

The Greeks have witnessed my debating style previously and don’t jump up and beat me to a pulp.

I continued the dog debate with my Greek coworkers. “Its August,” I said “vacation month in Athens and we will see more abandoned dogs as vacationing families leave their dogs to fend for themselves. The European Union pumps a million dollars a year or more into Greece to aid in the domestic animal problem.”

“The base commander should get rid of the dogs” the Greeks tell me. “The dogs have no life here!” I argue that they have a better life than many of the dogs I see apartment bound in Athens. They have a free run of the base, once a week they have a good old fight on one of the bridges crossing the creek, they eat what they can, sleep where they want, have an unrestricted sex life and answer to no man.

I get the one shoulder shrug from my audience. They don’t agree with me. Debating with Greeks is like facing the pack, never show weakness. Perhaps the charity I bestow on the dogs is viewed as a weakness? Not leadership conduct becoming the Captain perhaps? Well a good leader makes his own choices and like my favorite bumper sticker states, the more people I meet,the more I like my dog.

One of the best reasons to travel, read and investigate other cultures is to get a different look at life. If you happen to live in North America either Canada or the U.S.A. your views on life while politically different have similar values perhaps.

We have had the good fortune to work and live in several countries. The U.S.A. is the new big dog on the globe and it is natural that most Americans have reason to be proud of the quality of life they enjoy. History has shown however that all successful societies have tended to collapse under the weight of their own excesses. The old world countries have all had their time in the sun. The U.S.A. is almost universally regarded as a spoiled child with more money than brains.

I used to think that the old world disdain for the new world power was simple jealousy. We have the money and the good life and countries like Greece, Italy, France, Great Britain are just has beens. I am not so sure anymore. Like George Carlin once asked, “what the Hell do we need all this ‘stuff’ for anyways?”

My Greek pilot interpreter, Kostas, was asking about our work schedule. He was curious to know if most people worked 3 weeks on and 3 weeks off in the United States and Canada as we did here in Greece. “No, not hardly” I said, explaining that most married couples are both working. The average length of work week has increased and while personal wealth has increased we have become a nation of consumers. What did I mean by a Nation of Consumers he asked?

We have learned that buying “stuff” and accumulating toys and belongings will make us at least temporarily happy while appearing successful to our neighbors.

The problem is the average North American has a credit card debt of something in excess of $6,000. per person. Most families spend less than 40 minutes per day together. That same family gets one short two week vacation (sometimes three weeks) a year, the cost of which is amortized over the next years credit card payments along with the excess Christmas spending and the boat and RV that’s hardly used. By the time we retire or are able to, we hit the road traveling the world and realize our life has been consumed with consumerism. We find that most people in other countries are unusually content even though they lack the same material wealth we have become obsessed with obtaining. The shock of this revelation makes us bitter and we return to our home and buy an even bigger RV and travel North America showing everybody how well we have done financially.

Kostas knew my story was an exaggeration. He said “we have a saying that asks the question, ‘what are you going to do with your money? Stuff it in the pants of your funeral suit?'” I agreed, we have a similar saying, “you can’t take it with you”.

“Yes” he said. “The difference is that we have had about 4,000 years more than you to understand what makes it a life worth living.”

Yeah, we are a young spoiled society. We will learn. I hope.

Things were not off to a smooth start for us this week, from the very beginning. Monday morning Keith called and said to me,

“I just wanted to tell you, in case you see it on the news, one of the Ducks crashed this morning – both pilots are dead. The news is showing footage of the Crane, and then the wreckage, and I didn’t want you to think it was us.”

And he was right. News reports were running a loop, footage of the Crane and the Ducks (there are four Canadair planes here) on a fire, and then panning down to smoldering wreckage, explanations all in Greek. Devastating, just devastating. I’m filled with enormous relief that Keith is safe – at the same moment I have such heartbreak for the survivors of the two pilots. The next day another Duck crashes in Italy, two more fatalities. A third crash report comes through our web news, this one in the States – just outside Klamath Falls and Happy Camp. Kathryn, you have to know I was holding my breath when I read the words Happy Camp…and the conflict is very slight within me that I was, again, filled with major relief not to read Wade’s name…still I am heartbroken for Dennis’ wife – doesn’t matter that I don’t know her.

So, it’s been a tough week of in-your-face, “this work is dangerous” and “life is short” sort of soul searching and renewed perspectives. It’s the sort of week that really gets me thinking (A LOT) about what’s important and what matters. I don’t worry about Keith each day he goes off to work, and he and I make the very most of each day we have to spend together when he is not working. I think the two of us do a pretty darn good job of appreciating all that we do have, right here right now.

This week also marked the passing of one whole year since my dad died. To be specific, it would have been about 365 days and 2 hours ago (10 pm PST July 25th). I don’t really think of that as an extra factor to the bad week thing, it just is what it is. I think of him so often, with smiles and good memories – remembering him always feels so good to me.

Alright, so, any idea how a person might be rescued from a tragic an emotional week such as this? Keith and I had just the solution – he and I really are two very lucky people…Continue on to the next post for a follow-up of happier times…

This is the first trip to Greece that I have made during the summer months, July in particular. What this means is, I have opportunities available that I have missed in the past, for example, the Athens & Epidavrus Festival which runs from June-August (you must switch from GR to EN if you hope to read this site) To see a live performance, of any genre in the Ancient Theaters in Greece, well, that just REALLY does it for me – it’s been one of my wishes since the first trip here in 2003.

Dreams do come true.

By the time I found out that Norah Jones would be performing at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, tickets had already been on sale for 5 days. In a matter of minutes it became clear that for the most part, Norah Jones is not as well known in Athens as she is back home. I happily secured our seats in Row 5 (row 5, row 6, row 7 – you name it they were available up until just days before the eventually sold-out performance was scheduled)

I wondered how the acoustics would be in this two-thousand year old venue, once enclosed with a cedar roof – specifically designed to enhance such issues. And, I was right to wonder about it – the sound was absolutely affected by the open air, ancient stone surroundings (ha – what problems!). We saw Norah wince a couple times, but she still enjoyed herself, and we sure did too!

Before I go all gaga on how wonderful it was, I will quickly say that it was also hot as hell. Crammed together in the nightfall dropping temperatures of 90+ degrees, the entire dark mass of people fluttered with hand fans, real or makeshift like mine…a greek brochure that I’ll never be able to read, but was sure handy to use for cooling. As Norah bounced from one instrument back to the piano, she sighed into the microphone, giving herself a quick little hug and said “boy, I’m cold, are you cold….it’s chilly” Laugh, laugh, laugh

She was absolutely just the cutest thing, in her little Wizard of Oz-like ruby heels. She learned to say “Thank You” (Efharisto) which was a hit with the crowd – and even spoke in Greek to tell the audience “I don’t know how to whistle” as an explanation why her bandmember handled the important whistle portion of a song – the crowd LOVED it, and she said, truly surprised, “You understood me?!” Of course, I did not, and only put two and two together when she followed with “Well, I can, but only by breathing inwards, and that’s awkward, so…” ha ha ha!

When she left the piano to stand once again behind the mic with guitar in hand (she is one heck of a talent) her gaze could not help but fall beyond the walls of the Theater – and she said, “Wow, this is one heck of a view we’ve got here,” talking about the corner portion of the Parthenon hovering beyond, beautifully lit in spectacular contrast to our dark surroundings. I get the feeling she anticipated a more enthusiastic agreement, and when there was little response she quickly followed with “Of course, you already know that…” She also commented, getting nodded agreement from the Handsome Band, that “this is the coolest place we’ve ever played” I got a kick out of how absorbed she was in how totally cool playing this venue was. She’s played in the Greek Theater in L.A, and in Berkley – and now she’s got the real thing on her list.

She was adorable and put on a fantastic show, it really was the best event I could have hoped for to finish out this week.

Summertime and the living isn’t always easy, here in Greece. My assignment is firefighting with a SkyCrane based in Athens. The flying we do with this impressive aircraft is called I.A. or initial attack. It is a simple program, get to the fire as quickly as possible and put it out.

You may think that this is the case for firefighting aircraft and personnel everywhere but I assure you it is not. It has been a very busy season protecting the City, the Attica region and the Cyclades Islands. By some accounts it has been a failure.

Our critics have been screaming on television for a couple of weeks now about the Hellenic Fire Brigade’ s inability to stop a wildfire that burned much of Parnitha, a National Park and Mountain overlooking Athens to the North West. I can take some satisfaction in knowing that I did some of my best flying on that fire and other fires in the area. The talking heads on the T.V. and so called experts can analyze, criticize and belittle the efforts of the firefighters on the ground and in the air. It is their democratic right and in a pre-election year I would expect no less.

It is probably a good thing that I can not understand most of what is being said on television. In more than 20 years of aerial firefighting in 6 countries I have seen a lot of firefighting operations but none more aggressive than the Greeks. The following is a recent example of a fire in Athens. To say that Athens is a concrete jungle with just a few green islands in the city is no exaggeration (picture from Webshots)

An afternoon dispatch call comes in for a fire in the south east side of Athens. We could see the smoke as we quickly got our flight suits on and jumped in the Crane. Our usual crew of two pilots and a pilot/interpreter in the back. The pilot/interpreter has the unenviable task of sorting out calls from three radios in two languages from numerous ground personnel, 6 other aircraft and cell phone calls from SKED our controlling agency.

The fire was quickly running through a tree covered hillside within a residential neighborhood of primarily apartment buildings. In the 15 minutes since we had launched, the ground forces had begun their defense with numerous pumper trucks and more personnel on the ground than we could possibly keep track of down in the tress.

We would have to make our drops with enough force to be effective on the crowning fire in the trees but not get a direct hit on any personnel. In Greece that is an even bigger challenge than elsewhere in the world. Along with keeping track of 4 Canadair water bombers, A Mil 26 with a 200′ line and bucket and another SkyCrane sent to help just minutes behind us we also had the citizens of this Athens community pitching in on the fire line. It is a common sight to see local residents with wet towels and T shirts pummeling the flames on the flanks and even the head of the fire in some cases. We hit the fire and the residual spray wets down the people and their fire towels and they run back into the fire line. I have never seen that any where else in the world. Its both impressive and frightening. We carry about 6 tonnes of water for each drop, the Canadair water bombers are about the same, the Mil 26 is a bit more. At any rate its enough water to flatten a car let alone a citizen in a pair of shorts and a soot blackened T-shirt. On this day the locals were working on the flanks of the fire only. The Fire Brigade was fighting the head of the fire and we were doing our best to get under the column of smoke, clear the numerous wires and drop on the fast advancing front. It was not going good and the Fire Brigade had been forced to back away from one road to another as the fire jumped each successive road. The fire was on the lee side of a hill crowning in the tree tops with 20′ to 30 ‘ flame heights. The Hellenic Fire Brigade had leap frogged their trucks and personnel to the last fire break before the apartment buildings. The line had been drawn. It was a little 14’ wide dirt road at the bottom of the hill. Behind the fire crew and their trucks stood about 100 people between the tree line and their apartments. Many people stood with dripping towels over their arms and I could tell by their hand gestures that they were shouting down to the Fire Brigade below. If you think for a second they were shouting encouragement to the fire crews, you don’t understand Athenians. They were probably shouting, stop that fire *#*^+# or we will be beating out more than just the fire!

Time for one more drop along the front then back to the sea for another load of water. Our return time would be about 9 minutes. The Fire Brigade stood along the road wetting down the close vegetation and waiting for the flames. The other aircraft were also heading to the sea for water and I said to the other pilot that I thought we would be fighting the new fire line at the apartments. The fire brigade would stand their ground but I was fairly certain the fire would spot over them or burn over them. I thought about what it would be like to see that flame front coming at you as you stood with a water hose and waited.

It occurred to me as we returned with our load of water that some of these people on the fire line may have had ancestors that had fought at places like Marathonas. Back in about 490 B.C. a hugely overwhelming force of Persians had landed on the plains of Marathon prepared to kick some Athenian ass. They did. The Persians killed almost 200 Athenians and lost about 6400 Persians doing it. That took the fight right out the world conquering Persians and they sailed for home.

We got over the fire a couple of minutes later. A black line stopped cleanly at the little dirt road and no fire spotted over the line. People at the apartments were waving towels and blankets, a few citizens on the fire flanks were waving their shirts. The fire Brigade was picking up tools and hoses and moving away. The job wasn’t over yet and there would be areas to mop up and wet down.

We spent another two hours flying the fire perimeter putting out flare ups and keeping things cool. Mission accomplished and back to our base. At the base we sat in front of the t.v. with a cold drink watching the news channel and listening to the experts scream at each other about the fires.

“What are they mostly saying?” I asked the interpreter. He just waved his hand in the universal back hand of dismissal. More bull shit.

The talking heads can have their say. I have been flying on fires for a lot of years and I’ll fight fires with these folks any day.

On Thursday morning, July 5th, we took my mom to the Athens Airport. Her visit to Greece had come to an end. I’d hoped to get her to write as our “Special Guest” once again, but as happens so easily, we just ran out of time.

I really enjoyed watching her absorb the life and imagery of being in Greece. I absolutely remember what it felt like to see, smell and hear this country for the first time. It took several days for the graffiti to blend a bit better into the background. Mom is horrified with graffiti anywhere, and here it was especially upsetting to her. She was pleased to note that the ‘taggers’ might have some respect for the churches and the ultra clean metro stations.

The fact that Oleander is cultivated in mass as an easy to care for decorative shrub was shocking to her – and I don’t know if it was the time of year of my previous visits or what, but I don’t remember seeing nearly as much as is around now. Our across the street neighbor has a palm tree and a “Christmas” pine tree growing side by side, that really tickled her. The bougainvilleas were a special treat, especially when found growing on one of those bright white washed stuccoed homes, with the classic dark blue painted doors. For the first time in both our lives, we’ve seen pistachio trees, full to the brim with pods of the tasty nuts, almost ready for roasting.

The fact that we endured a heat wave for a better part of her trip turned out to be just something to put up with. It meant a little less sightseeing, and a little more exploring of our own little neighborhood. One night we ventured to get out of the apartment for a walk and ended at the local park, teeming with kids of all ages, laughing and playing – it was just the sort of image she’d hoped to catch, real life in Greece – not just touring around old rocks. She got a kick out of walking to the grocery, produce, bread shops, and having her hair done in a little salon one block from the apartment.

I asked her what her favorite thing of the trip had been. The day trips to both Hydra and Aegena Islands ranked at the top. With a whole lot of sitting around with gorgeous views, cooler temperatures and island breezes, I was not surprised.

And now for the food reviews. She tried so many foods here, and enjoyed most everything. I shared some grilled calamari with her on a beach in Marathon, and she said that for the first time in her life, she could say squid was actually good. We ate meats on sticks, gyros and lots of tzatziki. She tried moussaka (lasagna type dish with eggplant), bifteke (beef steak patty with hard cheese), bulgatza (custard filled pastry) and even took a sip of ouzo with me on the island of Hydra. The main plate consumed while here was, of course, the Greek Salad. There is probably no other dish that is such a simple combination, but can come in such a variety.We could have a 10 minute conversation about what ordering a Greek Salad might mean. Sometimes it will be served on lettuce, other times it may have sliced egg (only once did we see that). One time it was served WITHOUT olives, we didn’t like that one, ha ha. As many ways as there are to prepare the salad, there are equally as many types of feta cheese. Not being a big feta fan, my mom was pleasantly surprised when twice she ate a salad with ‘soft’ feta, and announced that as her favorite. She went as far to say that, had she known how good the cheese was going to be on one particular salad that she’d offered to share with me, well, she would have fought me for taking any more of the feta than I had. We ate well, and healthy – and with all the walking and stair climbing we did (at the very least she did 200 stairs a day), I think her scale is going to give her a good reading….and she was excited at getting home to ask for the new number!

The apartment was empty without her, and I was even a little lonely that Thursday she left. I know she takes with her some great memories, some cool pictures and a time between the two of us that we will both cherish forever.

Thursday afternoon my mom and I took a bus tour to Cape Sounion to explore the area around the Temple of Poseidon. The bus ride made us both woosey, the heat had exhausted us and the climb around for views was crossing the line for doing too much, again. Just that morning I had struck up a conversation with a young woman on the metro, out of curiosity we wanted to know if any of these apartment buildings had fire escapes, she shrugged her shoulders and said

“We don’t really have fires in Athens”.

My first attempt to respond was with the question, “Well, what if, though?” Again, she smiled and shrugged her shoulders – it was the only answer she had.

At the end of the day our tour bus deposited us in front of the Parliament Building, where the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is guarded by the Evzones. Here we took a few minutes for photos and a rest before climbing on the metro to head home. I wrapped the straps of the camera around my neck, took the lens cap off, began to position the eyepiece – and stopped. “Those aren’t clouds”, I thought to myself and then out loud I finished with,

“Mom, that’s smoke!”

By the time we finished our 35 minute train ride home, smoke plumes filled the sky – assisting the sunset with a spectacular finale. Once home, we tuned into the news and managed to catch footage of Keith flying the skycrane making a water drop on a sloping hillside just below a large building – turned out to be a casino and not one in much danger, either, Keith said later. Every channel is covering the massive fire, there seems to be much discussion and some arguments, but I am reminded that this is really just the way Greeks talk, there is no disagreement.

Evidence of just how nearby this fire was burning was revealed the next morning, everything was dusted with a fine ash and the acrid smell of smoke hung thick in the air. In the two days since the fire began, we have seen massive activity in hoeing overgrown lots down to dirt, pulling deadwood from trees in neighborhoods, and clearing entire hillsides of anything less than green shrubbery.

And I wonder about the girl on the metro who thought they don’t really get fires here in Athens – and what is the big escape plan for these apartments…..my mom says we could always tie ‘good ole’ sheets together!

We were warned, more than once, that traveling out of Athens on a Sunday was maybe not the best of days. I understood that Athenians leave the city for the islands and beaches on the weekend, and return Sunday night. So, when inquiring about passage to the Island of Hydra – I was not at all terribly surprised to discover all the return “fast boats” were booked solid. Well, we couldn’t go if we couldn’t get back, so we had to scrap that plan and move on to the next – which was to get back on the metro and just see what we could see.

A quick glimpse of what we began to see after exiting the Montistiraki train station, taking one right and then another

I have read that the structure on the top of that hill in the background is the most recognizable in the world – second to McDonald’s Golden Arches!

Athens is in a heatwave right now, just perfect, uuugh! I’d rather not know exactly how hot it was, but most definitely it was Death Valley hot – as in 110+ (117 at the airport) Mom and I sought the shelter of an air conditioned taverna (restaurant) before continuing our adventures around the Parthenon. The adorable host of the taverna nearly flew off the stoop towards us, grabbing both my hands in his shaking them warmly, smiling and telling me “welcome back, it is SooooOo good to see you again” Competition among eateries around here is fierce, acting as though we have familiarity is nothing more than a tactic – but I tell you, in that heat he really didn’t need to put any act on – he had a sign for Air Conditioning, we were IN!

We relaxed, re-hydrated and enjoyed a nice lunch for nearly 2 hours. During that time a little open aired electric train passed by twice, carrying passengers on a slow tour of the districts – immediately we knew, that was for us! The Happy Train departed just around the corner from our restaurant, and for 5 Euro each we rode for more than 40 minutes around all the districts of Athens, up to the Acropolis, back down into the city – all the while listening to Zorba the Greek over the loud speaker. The departure point for this ride is right in front of the Metro station, meaning when the ride was finished we had about 100 steps to walk to get our tickets for our return train ride home….on an air-conditioned train.