The Pigeon War

Although I absolutely love the room I'm staying in, I will say this one thing:
I have the crappiest neighbours in the history of neighbour-befriending.

They are the most annoying, ugly-looking, awful-sounding little shits I have ever lived with;  everybody, meet Mr. Awful.
He and the Mrs. are the most vile creatures on this whole entire planet.
Because we live on the top floor, our room's ceiling slants on one side and is next to the chimney.  These damn birds coo, hoot, chirp, flap their wings, move around CONSTANTLY as if they have A.
D.D. and just wont shut up!

On my first night, I slept with my head closest to the slanting ceiling and I almost had a freaking heart attack --- the wall/ceiling stuck to our cupboards have a huge gaping hole and I thought for sure one of these damn birds would fly into our room!

You can hear them so well from where they're always perched by chimney that when you say, 'SHUT UP'  They stop flutting around for a couple of minutes and when you least expect it, they coo and chirp and flap they're damn wings and the whole nine yards. 

When I took this picture, it was the first time I peaked out from the ceiling window in our bathroom --- and this damn bird was staring directly at me with its putrid red eyes.

Freaking pigeons.

A Town Than Came Out Of A Postcard

After the visit to Mycenae, we drove down to Nafplion, a beautiful town in the Eastern part of the Peloponnese. We didn't stay long, but had enough time to muck around and stroll the cobblestone roads.  A small groups of us went to a fantastic gelato place, which was Italian. The lady who worked there asked me if I spoke French... why yes!  She knew about Montreal and Canada a little bit... that was refreshing!  This little eatery was very cute and had such a homey feeling to it: I loved it.

It had every little trinket imaginable, including a fabulous liquor wall!

Then, we went for lunch at a Greek-Italian restaurant.. I know, I had dessert before my actual lunch.  A little light shopping in the jewellery shops and we were summoned back to the bus... It's a shame we didn't stay longer.  It's the very reason why my roommate and I will go back for a day trip in a couple weeks. 
All in all, my first week was excellent.  I had settled into my new humble abode, became good friends with my roommate and had fell in love with the town of Pylos.

Through The Lion's Gate

Every weekend, a field trip somewhere in the Peloponnese is planned.  On our first weekend in Greece, we visited the ancient site of Mycenae ---  very appropriate, considering we are excavating at a Bronze Age site ourselves!
I had only a slight idea of what this site would look like because of the pictures I've seen in my textbooks.

It is OUT OF THIS WORLD!
The Cyclopean walls that surround this site are amazing --- and to enter the actual complex, you must walk through the Lion's Gate --- UNBELIEVABLE!

Once you reach to top of the complex, you feel like you are on top of the world and surrounded by mountains!

There is a cistern as well which people can go down and reach the bottom where it is nice and cool... Yes, I went!

It was pitch black and thank goodness my friend had an extra flashlight!  We reached the bottom and took a bunch of pictures goofing off with little there was to goof off with --- Good times!

We toured the museum at the site afterwards and saw impressive and beautiful artifacts.

Then, we toured the shaft graves which are colossal -- holy crap!

We were also scheduled to visit the nearby town of Nafplion later in the afternoon, and so after our visit to Mycenae, we headed over to this very picturesque town that looks like it came straight out of a postcard.  More about Nafplion when my roommate and I will spend a full day in a couple of weeks!

Welcome Home

Yia su my peoples!

I know it's been a while since I posted a good update, but I've been wicked busy!  Next few posts will hopefully give you a low down of what's going on.

My first week in Pylos was incredibly amazing!  The way the excavation program works is everybody gets up at 5 am to eat breakfast and catch the bus at 6.  (We have a coach bus that drives us everywhere we visit).
The first day was a simple orientation day, but the second day is when things got interesting... very quickly!
My roommate and I went up to our room after breakfast to grab a few last things before the bus arrived.  I looked out on the balcony and heard a rumbling noise ... I looked down and the bus is driving away...

Shit.  We missed the bus.

We ended up spending half our day in the lab, which is pretty cool and is where all the cool finds end up for analysis and cataloguing. The dig director came around noon and gave us a ride --- Greek style.
I thought I drove fast... You cannot compare my driving to the Greeks.  They are maniacs!  Let's just say it was a quick drive!

Anyway, after the dig, we went to one of many beaches around the Bay of Navarino (which Pylos is part of).

We went to another beach the next day called the Golden Beach, which is this picture.

We  usually get to choose whether or not want to go to the beach, but on some days, we go directly ater the excavations because we would be wasting more time on the bus than actually on the beach or back in town.

We get back by 2 pm to Pylos (or to the beach) and have three hours of free time --- which usually consists of showering the 50 lbs. of dirt blotching your body (!), then either catching up on notes or a walk down to the Plataea for a frappe, gelato or a visit to my Greek lady friend --- or all of the above!

The flowers usually bloom in the spring here (duh), but there have still been full of life until this very day.  Here's my favorite that I pass by everytime I head down to the Plataea.

Around 5pm, there's a class or lab session until 7:30 pm and then we feast until 8:30-9pm.  From the beginning of my third week here, myself and two friends usually go out for a walk after dinner to the pier and watch the sunset... And the sailors (I'll write more about that later)!

That is essentially a day in my life in Pylos!  More specific stories to come --- PROMISE!

There once was a Canadian who began turning Greek

On my first official day in Pylos, wake up call was at 7am --- No sweat.
We had an orientation of the site and headed back into town early in the afternoon.
My roommate and I went to the Plataea -- the town square which is 2 mins from the hotel. We got ice cream --- BEST ICE CREAM EVER--- and a frappe (cold coffee with foamed milk and sugar --- SOOO good.)  Across the street from where we were sitting was CALICO cat sunbathing underneath a table.. Oh my word,  we were both THIS close from kidnapping it!!!!!!!!!!!  sniff sniff.. sadly, I didn't. I see cats all over the place and gosh darnit:  I want them all!!!

After I was initiated into the wonderful world of Greek delicacies, we stepped into a touristy shop where the owner said, "yia sas."
I thought that that was what I heard, but I wasn't sure, so I just smiled.
Then she said, "I said hello!"
I respond, "I thought so!"
So then she said, "if you want to say this...and that...."
Then I said, "and thank you is 'parakalo'?
She said, "YES!!!!"
She was all into teaching us words, it was so cool --- To this day, I visit her everyday after dinner and buy one postcard from her shop --- It gives me a reason to go visit her.  She loves it!

Later in the evening, two friends and I (all Canadians) discovered a small shoe store filled with SHINY SHOES!!! OH LORD.
I did not buy anything, but God knows I will eventually... It's just a matter of time... Everything is so close by!

Dinner is served: Greek style

Dinner here is something that is out of this world.
Four course meals that include an appetizer, a salad, an entree and a dessert. IT IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!

On the night I arrived, we had a cheese pie to start us off.  This delicacy consists of hot cheese --- presumably Greek cheeses sandwiched between layers of flaky pastries --- Can I have a OMG anyone?
Afterwards, a fantastic Greek salad full of...yes... olives, were served, followed by chicken and potatoes.  A fruit salad finished off the night and holy cow, was it ever good!

Our dinners are served out on the terrace --- directly across the street from the hotel --- the roads here are pretty narrow so you just have to walk (without getting hit by a car! haha) about 15 metres to your table.  By the way, did I mention the terrace is right on the water????  Yeah man, I'm eating seaside!

Other dinners have consisted of various other salads, but ALWAYS with huge tomatoes and CUCUMBERS!!! --- olives of course.  And yes --- I've tried the olives --- I'm not a huge fan, but I can say that I've tried them in Greece!  We've had pork, beef, chicken...or should I say kotopulo?! 

This past Saturday, the hotel hosted a BBQ for us and roasted a lamb. 
Now this was a grandest buffet that I have ever seen:
Our server told us that whatever she brings out will be put in the middle of the table for anybody to dig in.  And the food kept a coming.
Salads, cheese pies, sausages, tzasiki, Greek beans in saltsa domatas(!) it just kept coming until we were stuffed!  The thing is, our dig director then announced to us all to keep some room for the main course: LAMB.  Oh my goodness.  Every laughed --- yeah right, like there's more food coming.....
And the lamb arrived.  It was very good! But we were so stuffed at the end, dear god.... And then the dessert came!

Oh Lord, CAKE.  I couldn't resist --- the cakes here are mostly mousse style with little actual cake like we have in Canada --- IT IS DELICIOUS.

Last night was seafood night and I finally got my seafood fix I've been waiting for sine I got here:
First, smoked salmon
Second, seafood salad which included crab, clam and squid
Third, octopus
Fourth, fried fish and potatoes
FIFTH, fruit salad

DEAR GOD WAS IT EVER GOOD.
A friend and I were so scared to try the second dish, but we dug into it together and mmmmm --- it was GOOOOOOD.
When the octopus dish came to our table, we both stared at it and the tentacles and we weren't really sure what to do.  When in Greece, I suppose!
"On the count of 3: 1,2,......3, EAT"

It was VERY tasty and delicious... But the minute I felt the tentacles .... I couldn't do it anymore.  It grossed me out more than anything else....

At least I tried everything!!!

Stairway to Heaven, From Hell

Once we got to our hotel, we both went to our own rooms and settled in. The hotel's elevator was interesting:
I had never seen an elevator with a swinging door before.  I couldn't clue in for the life of me that that I was on ground 0. I waited, and waited, and waited, until the owner at the desk finally said, "You can go in! Open the door!"
...Oh.

I drag my suitcase of bricks, my cement carry-on and my "purse" which is the size of a bag, really and barely had enough room for myself in this TINY elevator!
I noticed my roommate had left the itinerary on her bed and saw that the first class was in progress.  I went down to the reception desk and asked where my Professor was, or anybody for that matter.  He directed me to the meeting room where our class are held and caught the end of orientation.  I spotted my roommate and we went back upstairs to our room, before heading down for dinner.

Now, the hotel consists of five stories, four of which are actual guest rooms.  However, the "1st" floor is where the meeting room (and where classes are held) is... So technically, their "1st" floor is actually the SECOND floor.  Does this make any sense?  The room numbers end in the 400's, but really, they end on the FIFTH.  Therefore, every single time we have to go back to our room, my roommate and I curse those damn stairs --- a never-ending spiral staircase.  UGH.

These stairways do indeed lead to heaven, but they are from HELL!!

The upside though is that we are gonna have wicked legs after this month with all this climbing up and down --- SUPERWOMEN!!!

The Greeks Are Not Feeling It...

There have been riots in Athens in the middle of the week and the police have localized it. The prime minister shortly resigned and if I understand correctly, it is a divided government... Like the Conservatives and NDP maybe..?  Anyway, no sweat, it's all good now and this all happened in Athens only.
When this happened, I was on the computer in the lobby where there is a great flat screen TV. The Greek equivalent of CNN was covering this breaking news and Prof. Cosmopoulos' wife passes and asked, "Following the news??:

Haha, I'm trying to I supposed!

Who Run The World... ME!

Let's just start with this:
I have toured Athens' sketchiest neighbourhoods and I hope I never EVER see them again. NO BUENO! Chiu Yee and I took the x9 to Kifissos Station where coach buses (like Greyhound terminals) were parked for destinations to the Peloponnese (Yes, Pylos is in here).  We bought our tickets and waited in a restaurant since we were an hour early. 
Because I waited for Chiu Yee, whose flight came in at 10:30, we  decided to take the bus to Kalamata and then take a taxi to Pylos (which is about an hour away). No sweat.

At the terminal,  I wished REAL BADLY that my brother was there because he would have knocked the teeth of this guy I'm about to talk about... Or rather, 'lui en clocker une dans tete.'
A gypsy, I presume, came up to me and tried selling me an iphone that was already FUNCTIONNING.  I fought this guy nail and tooth -- "No thank you." "No thank you.""No thank you.""No thank you.""No thank you.""No thank you.""No thank you."

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NONOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

He then tried selling me a watch, put it on the table in my hand.... NOOOOOOOOO.

I was so scared and this jackass had sunglasses on and was yelling to me in Greek.  As much as I was horrified, and kept saying NO, and he finally left.

An old woman tried to sell me kleenex' and signed to me that she was poor.... and then a kid did the same.  Get the hell away and get me the f@*k out of here!

FINALLY the bus came and we were finally on our way to Kalamata.
I managed to catch a glimpse of the Isthmus (Google it!).  Then, outside of Corinth, I spotted the AcroCorinth (Google it!) on the top of one of the Greek Rockies. Yes, this 'hills' are just as high as our beloved Rockies... Oh, Canada! <3
We had to take a detour because they had closed off the highway from Sparta onwards --- that led us into the backroads.
Backroads here = SWITCHBACKS. I swear to god, I sat in the very front seat and I had the side window; The friggin cliff and a tiny guard rail is inches from the bus!!  I felt like I was in an episode from Ice Road Truckers: Himalayas.  Good GOD. EXHILARATING but MORTIFYING.

Once we got to Kalamata, we both discovered that we took it for granted that there were English signs in Athens, because NO ONE UNDERSTAND A LICK OF ENGLISH IN KALAMATA!!!! haha, you know you're in a foreign country when...!!!

Anyway, we see a huge sign reading 'TAXI'.  Ok cool.  We walked over and a bunch of old geezers are staring at us and congregating around us.  The girl with me is clearly not a talker and didnt look like she was gonna say something because she kept looking at ME. Oh boy.  Ok.
I say: taxi?
They say "TAXI!!"
I say "Pylos?"
One says, "65 euros."
I say "That's fine."
(I guess they had no clue what that meant because I spent the next 10 minutes just staring at them in silence...)

So finally, "I say Pylos????"
The guy says '60 euros."
I give him 2 thumbs up and "yeah, that's good!"

He says, "GOOD?"
(God, YES!! BUENO FOR FRIG'S SAKE)
I say "GOOD!!!!"

A guy steps up and he seemed very nice and polite and take the girl's luggage first and put it in the trunk.  Then he sees mine and I swear, I think he swore lol, because mine was bigger and larger and he then took the girl's bag first and put mine in first, and then crammed hers afterwards.. 

The taxi driver CRUISED down to Pylos and in no time, we got to the hotel.  No sweat.
May I mention that the scenery is OUT OF THIS WORLD!
But, more details to come :)

And The There Was A Greek Boy...

Once I landed at 6 pm, I went straight into a business center offering wifi, fax and the whole kit and kaboodle for tourist.  I emailed my mom and we exchanged emails for a while.  she helped me out to figure stuff; all the while I just wanted to cry and come back home to KANATHA.

This girl at one of the airport travel agencies suggested possible options for my friggin situation:
One, stay in the airport until 6:30am and head downtown by bus to then catch the Pylos coach bus.
Two, stay in a hostel for dirt cheap an get on the coach bus in the morning... She really advised against it, but it was an option nonetheless...

I decided, screw everything, I'm racking up the bill and staying at Sofitel.

And so I walked 50 meters across the hotel road towards the 5 star hotel airport called Sofitel.

I was so exhausted, flustered and full of anger lugging my suitcase and trying to lift up the curb that I didn't even notice that a very handsome Greek boy was coming towards me.

He was a bell boy and he asked, "Miss, would you like some help with your luggage?"
I was so bewildered that someone on this planet was n.i.c.e. that I almost lost it.
I replied, "Yes, please."
"Do you have reservations with us?"
My heart sank, "No... I was wondering if you had a room for the night."
"Yes, of course!"
Mr. Handsome shows me to the reception desk and I ask for a room.  The lady was extremely nice and upgraded my room for free to a luxury suite... After I told her that money was not a problem.

I ask for help with the buses for the next morning and the concierge helped me.  Then, Mr. Handsome -- he never left my side -- showed me to my room and lugged my luggage filled with bricks.
He was so nice -- sigh -- the only good thing that came out of this situation.
After he made sure I was fine, he left and I took the longest and nicest shower.  I ordered room service and had a nice dinner --- and went to bed, only to wake up at 2 am still hungry.  And so, I watched German MTV airing "Scarred" and ate the most delicious fruit salad EVER... Honestly, who cares if the show was in German because the idiots on that show were so stupid it made me laugh regardless.  Note: second time I laughed since leaving Canada.

I arranged for breakfast to get to my room for 6 so I tried to get some more sleep.  The food is EXCELLENT -- the hugest omelette EVER, and a double espresso came right on time and I started feeling like a happy person again.

I checked out after checking my emails again and when I was walking out, Mr. Handsome was there and after immediately recognizing me, said hello and good luck.
*Sigh*

At the entrance, another employee started talking to me.  Unlike Mr. Handsome who was my age, this man who turned out to be very nice as well said, "You're from Canada?!"

Yeah...I sticked out like a sore thumb because I had a red and white belt around my suitcase that read CANADA.

He says, "Where in Canada?!"
"Ottawa,"
"Oh nice! I lived in Toronto from the age of 4 and came back home when I was 18!"

We chatted for a while and I then headed to the airport again, for I managed to contact another girl through facebook who was arriving late as well and was going to land in 2 hours.  Once she got in, we took the x93 to Kifissos Station in Athens, and this turned out to be some adventure...

Air France? Air Farce.

Yia su my homeslices!!

Many things have happened since I left my beloved (and I truly mean it) Canada on Sunday.  I've decided that I will divide each adventure or story into difference posts, or else it will be never-ending!
Here's what happened first:
I flew out from Montreal with Air France.... Only I was grounded for an hour and a half because of the weather. We finally took off and I landed in Paris with just enough time in my opinion to make my connection... HOWEVER, that is not the case homie Gs.

Im stuck in this God-forsaken country for another 6 hours and the keyboard is not even right.

 
I told the flight attendant over and over again that I absolutely HAD TO MAKE IT AND COULDNT SHE HELP ME (no question mark apparently on this keyboard)  She said she could do zip.  I run outside the plane when it lands and go ask someone else.  She points me to the Air France connections desk where I tell them my situation and ask for help.  The dumbass gives me another ticket FOR 1;30 PM.
I run to try to catch my connections and don't even realize that I am at customs, until the guy looks at this short pissed off girl and asks where shes going. I.e.  Customs= no sweat (seriously -- the least of my worries).

I keep going, but slow down when I encounter military peoples patrolling the terminals with bazookas -- seriously.

I ask Air France at the 2D terminal this time what the hell I am supposed to do and where can I make a call to my dig director. Im a fresh Canadian, not even supposed to be here this long and I have no clue what the hell I'm supposed to do now that I wont make it on time for the shuttle in Greece BECAUSE I LEAVE FRANCE AT 1;30 PM and the shuttle is AT TWO PM.

The ladies shuffle me like a deck of cards from one person to another and then I had had enough.  I explain my problem for the 20th time and the lady can tell that I cant deal with this anymore. She gives me a calling card with 10 dollars on it and tells me how to use it.

I try calling the director whose numbers I copied down the day I left... Just in case (sick friggin joke) and nothing works.  I go to the Air France lounge which the NICE lady explained to me that I had the wrong European area code and I finally reach him.  I tell him I wont make the shuttle and well, what do I do?  He tells me unless I want to pay a couple hundred euros for a taxi, that I bus it or something tomorrow; and that I stay in Athens -- I'm not going to Athens after I land in Greece... not at this hour.   
Needless to say; I lost it for real after that and went back up to the lounge to the lady and asked her if she could be my sound board because I needed a moment without the world looking at me.  She took pity on me and let me stay in this fancy lounge for FIRST CLASS people where it is cutoff from the busy traffic and normal people -- fully equipped with free food and computers with free wifi.  So this was my safety net until 1;30PM.

I emailed my mom and asked her advice because I was a wreck with no friggin sleep.  Because she had purchased insurance, I am covered for Air Farce's huge mistake and so I stayed at the hotel airport which is a 5 star.  What do I care -- they are going to pay anyway.

I slept for an hour on the plane to Athens and woke up to the Adriatic Sea/West coast of Greece. I knew exactly which island was which and it was truly magical.  Amidst everything that had happened --- I had a very happy moment.  The plane landed and us passengers had to disembark outside!! Like you see in the movies --- never done that before!


And so, that is the first chapters of many to come --- I just don't have enough time at the moment to type more.  Early day tomorrow.

"Anybody Seen The Popo's?"

For those of you who aren't familiar with the lyrics of a certain rapper icon who goes by the name of Ice Cube... Well, here's your initiation.  Although not being a famous or note-worthy single, this song was featured in the 2005 action flick soundtrack: (which may I add was pretty damn good) "xXx: State of the Union."

With a little less than a week to go, I am nowhere near being nervous nor I am packed and ready to go.  I still have the whole week left to get my s*!t together anyway... Right? Bueno.

I thought I would write a little something, seeing as I do have an... Entertaining story and I haven't left the country yet... Oh Boy!

And so it goes like this:  I was driving around town with my brother.  We hit a couple of malls, grabbed a drink at Starbucks and were having a jolly ol' time listening to the radio and the ridiculous music invading the waves. Now, as I was driving back home from Place d'Orleans, I decided to take the scenic St-Joseph Blvd. instead of the highway.  Little did I know what was coming...

A cruiser was on the opposite side of the road, speed-gun in hand, waiting for his next prey.  Ok cool, good luck to the next sucker.  *ERRR* Wrong!  Next thing I know, the cop ends up in my rear-view mirror.  A minute goes by and my brother says, "uh... Julie, you've got a cop behind you." Yeah, I know.
The cruiser stayed right on my tail for a good 10 minutes. I know he was gunning for me because he kept looking at his handy computer and NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE ROAD.  Oh boy, I thought I was in for it...  But when I steared into a turning lane at a stopped intersection, the cruiser kept to his lane.  All right!  I'm in the clear.  A sigh of relief and a 'little'  "kiss my butt cop" was heard inside of my trusty Ooplander van and my brother and I were finally heading home -- now listening to what I think is so ironic, Bruno Mars' Lazy Day Song.

*ERRR* Wrong again!

Five minutes later, as I turned into my neighbourhood street, the same cop appears out of NOWHERE.  He came up so fast behind me, I honestly thought he was going to crash into my bumper... Straight out of a movie, I tell you. Oh boy, here we go again.  My brother then says, "I'm sweatin' right now Julie."

You're sweating??  Boy, I can't feel my legs! When adrenaline kicks in... Eesh, NO BUENO.

I keep going. I'm doing the speed limit and the cop's still looking up Tony the van (yes, I name my parents' cars).  A four-corner stop comes to view and for anyone who knows me... I'm a roll-stopper. A few cars are in front of me and when it's my turn to stop, all I hear is my brother saying: " full stop Julie.  FULL stop."  And so I did a full stop.  I'm positive that cruiser was dying for me to make the slightest mistake to bust my butt. 

My street finally comes up.  HOME! 

*ERRR* Not quite yet.

I had to make a left to turn onto my street. Well, of course ---  car, after car, after car in the opposite lane forced me to wait in order to turn onto my street. And of course, this gave more time for the cruiser to look us up.  COME ON.

FINALLY I get to turn and the minute I rolled into my driveway I cut the engine and just sat there.  For the love of Poseidon... That was close. 

************************************

As if that little adventure wasn't enough for one day...

I finally saw the movie Fast Five with Amanda, my homeslice tonight... Can I just say that it was off the friggin hook??? CHYEAH!  Oh, don't get me started, it was friggin amazing!

So what's the special little story?  Here we go:

I'm waiting in my faithful Mario, the sweetest, slickest, fastest, little blue car which is not really mine, but I like pretending that he's mine... Teehee.  All the while listening to the Backstreet Boys and New Kids On The Block (who I WILL go see perform in August... SO friggin excited).  Amanda shoots me a text saying she arrived at the theatres.  I get out of the car, take no more then five steps and I almost swallow my heart...

My keys are still in the car. 

To be more precise, the keys are half-way in the ignition --- not enough for the warning-beeper cars have for people TO NOT FORGET THEIR KEY IN THE CAR.

Now why were they half-way you might ask yourself... Well, like anyone who knows me...
I was rocking out to New Kids and the Backstreet Boys.

I hurry back to see if any doors were left unlocked... OF COURSE NOT!
So I go meet Amanda and simply say, "Well, this evening just got more interesting."

All was fine and dandy in the end.  Amanda gave me a lift home, I got a spare set of keys from my house and went back to get Mario...

Still rocking to the New Kids and the Backstreet Boys.