If It Says, 'Forbidden', It Means Forbidden!

We walked into the car-port area of the ferry where we dropped our heavy luggage and climbed the stairs to our economy compartment. At first, we just picked a spot, but soon realized that their seating sytem was assigned.... So we got to our actual designated area, but saw that people were in our seats...

It was a family with young kids, so we just took their seats... WINDOW SEATS BABEYH!!
I thought the ship was fascinating! We followed the Attica shoreline and I swear I spotted the temple of Sounion from its position on hanging cliffs... It was abnormally square-looking from afar to look like some kind of tall modern building!

We were skimming on the water like nobody's business!  We grabbed some breakfast --- good ol' Greek frappe --- so addictive!

Afterwards, we were both curious to going outside and feeling the fresh air on our faces... There was a sign on the door that read, "Walking on the deck is forbidden at all times", or something like this... We didn't understand at all what the sign meant because the verb tenses were off, so we just opened the door....  Well, I tried to, but it didn't budge when I pushed and pulled. (This reminded me of my Tobermory-Manitoulin Island ferry experience: Oh Boy!)
Lianne tries and SLIDES it open.  Ok, BUENO!

We take a few pictures and enjoy the moment until this ferry official yells over to us in Greek... We got the message, we'll come inside.

I guess we weren't allowed to go out AT ALL.

OOPSIES!

A few islands passed by and we arrived at the port of Ios for a second and there was a sick-looking 'pirate' ship heading off towards sea...Damn! I want to go on that ship!

An hour later:

WE ARRIVED IN SANTORINI!!

One Step Closer...!

Let me tell you, when you pull an all-nighter and you only get to sleep the following night... It's NO BUENO! (I don't regret anything at all, but damn... Not doing it again for a long while)

After the bus dropped us all off at the airport, my roommate, Lianne and I grabbed a bite to eat and recharged a little bit before taking a cab to Piraeus since our check-in time wasn't for a few hours still at our hotel in Piraeus.

Once we actually got going, the cab ride went smooth without any glitches.  At first glance, Piraeus looked like shanty town, but you get used to Greece's buildings and they do deceive the naked eye!  We reached our hotel, but was told once we walked to the reception desk that our room wasn't available...

The people who were supposed to check out form our room had to stay since one of them hurt themselves and couldn't walk at all.  The hotel took matters into their own hands:
They arranged for us to stay at another hotel *cough cough* The Savoy; to pay for our cab ride to that hotel; and to pay the difference in price for our room... So we paid the same amount as we would have at our original hotel.
All right, that's Bueno for me!

At the Savoy, we checked in, I opened my kerfuffled luggage and re-arranged everything since EVERYTHING WAS A MESS!  I did lose my necklace... I know exactly where I left it too.  (I emailed the hotel in Pylos and it's Bueno, we discussed it)

We had dinner at the hotel restaurant and I called home.  I was so exhausted at this point that I poured my heart out to my dad --- I was so damn tired and not having slept really screwed up my clock --- almost like some kind of messed up jet-lag, so I wasn't feeling the greatest and trying to process everything that had happened in the last 48 hours when I had absolutely no more energy to do anything, let alone process anything.
Anyway, after I had made my phone call, I took a shower and went straight to bed around 8:30 PM. 

5AM comes around and yep! Get up and get ready!  Although, I ignored my Iron Maiden 'Blood Brothers' ringtone and Lianne had to wake me up 30 minutes later... Oops. 
Damn, she's too good to me.

Our original hotel arranged for a free shuttle to come pick us up at the Savoy at 6AM and we got to the Piraeus port in no time.  The hotel had also received our tickets the day before we checked-in so we just headed straight for the sweet, red, huge-ass ferry waiting for us that was amongst many others congregating around the port.  WOOHOO!

Santorini: HERE WE COME!!

Don't Stop, Keep It Moving Put Your Drinks Up!

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.

Toskama Mu Ehi Plaka!

I've been trying really hard to learn Greek and it's been easier than I thought it would be.. All because of my friend Melina!

I've been practicing throughout dinner for a few days now and I've been making everyone laugh with my multi-language 'skills': english, french, greek, spanish and italian -- say what?!
So today, at the site, I was trying to speak Greek to my trench supervisor, whose Greek, and he thought it was so funny -- Woohoo!

I know little bits and pieces so for the most part, I just spit out random words and try to create some kind of conversation... Even the two workmen for our trench group think it's funny... they're great by the way --- One of them knows my name and says, "Allo Julie!" Also, sometimes, they speak in Greek and my supervisor will translate and we'll have a full conversation!
At one point, we were debating whether to get him to use the kasmah to get rid of the freaking clay and all three of us were crouched staring at the dirt... Until he said something which turned out to be, "We should dig it down to hell!"  Oh, he's so fun!
Today, Melina was in my trench and we conversed (I tried to!) in Greek... and my trench supervisor, again had a good laugh --- he would tell me things and i would say in Greek 'ok ok, I got it!' 'I understand!' 'good' It's a very hot day!'

The best one though, was when I told my supervisor, ' Toskama Mu Ehi Poli Plaka!'

MY TRENCH IS A LOT OF FUN!

The Hangover: Greek Edition

Our third weekend here at Pylos, and the good times just keep a rollin'.
Instead of a planned trip, we had the afternoon of Saturday off (after the dig and no classes) and the whole Sunday to ourselves --- WOOHOO!
I've gone out these past two Saturday nights with a small group of friends to a cafe/bar in the Plataea and let's just say that both nights have been epic, in their own little ways. What's great about the Plataea is that the cafes surrounding the middle square have their tables set up there, so that's where we've been sitting and 'chillin' the night away... Until they close shop.
It's great company; great friends with hilarious conversations... Although I think they become funnier as the evenings progress...! There are cats everywhere and there was one especially last night that I remember coming over to us and looking to see if we had anything to offer it.
We had planned last night, on checking out a club after chilling at the cafe, but we ended up staying where we were, since we had started our little party in one of our rooms beforehand and dancing to N'Sync's 'Pop' with Mas Tequila... Si Sammy Hagar!
One of my friends and I had tweaked our plans for the night at the last minute when we were at the dinner table, and so we booked it to the friendly store and bought some supplies... But then we had no little handy things to pour our friend in so we had to get some at the souvenir shop...
Plan B's? Nah, we just run (literally) in the moment.

All in all, my friend and I are the best buds ever. So many inside jokes that went way too far apparently... I've just caught up with her tonight and we've filled each other with moments that are somewhat hazy and ADIOS MIO we had an awesome second night that involved elevators and making up songs with only these words: 'Oh My God' in foreign languages while wearing a cowboy hat and sunglasses... THEE MU!

When in Greece, right?  Apparently some other groups of people went all out last night, so we got away scott free, fo sho homie g.
The day after, Sunday, I pulled another Olympia --- after we had gone out last Saturday, we had to get up bright and early for jolly Olympia so that day was great and rough...This time around, a friend and I went to visit the Palace of Nestor --- which was great, but damn, I love Greece!

Adio Thee Muuuuu MIO

The Intergalactic Revolution

I'm fighting another war, this time at the site with my trench mates. We paint our faces war-like with mud and clay and all have official titles: mine is 'Grand Master of the Arts' and 'High Enforcer'. Our workman is the General, our second workman is the 'Admiral', a fellow Canadian is the 'Captain', my roommate is the 'Ambassador' and it goes on and on for everyone in my trench. 
We fight daily battles with other trenches for tents (shade) and we control the whole site, since our trench supervisor, is in charge when the director isn't there. 

It's all in good fun, it makes digging in the sun for eight hours a whole lot of fun!

Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirate's Life For Me

Arr Mateys!
Get ready for this one because this one's a keeper!
Our third group trip was a boat cruise around the islands of Thickly Baba and Sfaktiria and a beach party on the Golden Beach for the rest of the day.

We rented two boats which once we were clear from the harbour, we were able to stand of its sides and enjoy the view .... Absolutely beautiful!

We briefly jump off the boats to explored Delikli Baba which is the part of Sfakteria with the gap in the middle (to the left of the picture.) It is breath-taking... 
We took pictures and jumped ship to the neighbouring island where we took more picture!
The boat ride was wonderful, the water was such a nice hue of blue and the waves! They were huge --- the boat was going up and down, up and down... The view was picturesque and it was so relaxing --- just sitting on the edge of the boat and taking it all in... I'm going to have a hard time leaving this place!

 At the beach, the hotel had arranged to bring our dinner there. It was great, eating at the beach, swimming and having a jolly ol' time! I even summed up my courage and went for a dip in the ocean! (FYI: I don't do water, unless I can see what's beneath me... And let me tell you --- the water is so nice and clear, oh my God!) Friends and I played monkey in the middle with a volleyball which turned out to be a freaking good time! 

After a day at the site, this boat cruise/beach day was a perfect way to finish another day in Pylos!