And so my stay in Pylos has unfortunately come to an end... I'm really sad. I made myself some very great friends and the memories we've created will last a lifetime.
I can definitely say that my last night went down with a bang. The hotel hosted a farewell party, full of delicious Greek food we've grown accustom to this past month and traditional Greek dancing and music full of 'OPA!'
I don't know what it is, but damn, Greek wine is potent!
My trench supervisor took our trench group out for a glass of wine before the festivities and I was already feeling it --- on an empty stomach mind you...
The dinner was fanstastic: great people, food, wine, wine and more red wine. I decided a week or so ago that I would kiss and make up with a person in my trench, just because I suppose perspectives change once you are forced to spend your days with the same people... So coming into the night celebrations, we were both on the same (good) page.
The plan after the dinner was to hang out around our hotel, just a girl thing. But, we had all dressed up for this dinner and I didn't want to just go back and chill at the hotel! Our bus to Athens was scheduled to leave at 5 AM and I really didn't think I would get much sleep anyway, so what the hell, when in Greece, right?!
I decided to hang back with other people from the excavation project at a cafe/bar -- which lasted a good 2 hours and some workmen even came from the village near the site to celebrate with us!
By this time, it's midnight. Totally not worth getting any sleep at this point.
We finally got our acts together and went to a club... which looked more like a bar with loud American music. Bueno! We danced, and danced, and danced! Then we decided to bar hop to an actual club around the corner (literally) and the celebrations kept a comin'! By this time, it was 2 AM. Sleep? Bah, after a month of waking up at 5 AM every single day --- sleep is rarely used in our vocabulary.
At this club, we danced, and danced, and had a freaking good time.
One thing I did not expect was to spend the rest of the night (morning ?) with the one person who had irritated me from the get-go, a month ago. People slowly started leaving, until only four of us were left and hogging up the dance floor --- The Greeks must have thought something like, "freaking Americans". Oh well, it was so much fun, none of us wanted the night to end. We were dancing and laughing and dancing like nobody's business.
One person suggested we go to the beach. And that's what we did!
Being on the beach was absolutely gorgeous. Handsome and I spotted I think 3 shooting stars as we were star gazing... It was romantic, honestly, you'll never get something like this back home. It was out of this world.
And here I thought I wouldn't meet someone in Greece... I always joked back home of meeting a nice Greek boy... But, instead I met a nice American boy.
We separated from the other two people who were with us and headed back to our humble abode, after one of them was acting like a total dink-wad with me. Taking a stroll in the empty streets of the Plataea before heading back to the hotel --- that was really nice...
Except, what do we both see in the hotel windows as we get closer?
People congregating in the lobby.
OH SKATA!
I look at the front desk clock and what time is it???
4:30AM
DID I PACK ALL MY STUFF???
OF COURSE I DIDN'T!!!!
We run to our own rooms, I stuff everything in my bags and make it just in the nick of time!
Needless to say that once I hopped in the bus and finally spotted him ...right in front of my eyes, that we both napped (and talked) in the bus to Athens.
Pylos, you have been nothing but kind and welcoming. I will never forget my stay, the excavation project, the friends and Mr. Handsome --- they're memories, times and people that I will cherish forever <3
Next stop: Santorini.