Pinch me!! (Mom)

Monday September 26, 2011

My first glimpse of Europe was the patchwork green fields bordered by ditches and neat farmsteads. Then we over Amsterdam with lines of red roofed row houses and lovely green spots with a river winding through. Unfortunately I didn't have a window seat so my curiosity was peaked but not satisfied. After a bit of delay, we landed and walked into the huge airport. Schiphol airport makes the Calgary airport look like Lethbridge County airport in comparison. These two, not so savvy, travelers were thankful for friendly info help and very useful signage ( in English), that even told us how many minutes it would take to walk to various spots in the airport. So fun to people watch and hear the chatter in languages that I couldn't understand but wished I could. Why didn't I learn a few different languages in my youth, when the brain could catch onto and hold such in it, much easier than this sightly worn out and outdated memory card?

Amazing !!!! Not only did we make it to Athens Airport in one piece but our luggage did also. :) The whole "first" airplane flight was great... very friendly service and pampering. We were brought hot towelettes three times during the flight and fed pretty good food. I was impressed with KLM airlines.

Athens is a huge city of apartment complexes. It looks like a city built in a hurry and then rethought and rethought again. No high rises that we saw today on the way from the airport to our hotel. some of the apartments are real nice, many are older and some just empty buildings with no windows -- all in the same few blocks. Most of them have the roof covered with solar energy collectors. I love the olive groves, palm trees and regal cypress trees. Mediterranean beauty in little pockets everywhere. We had a lovely salad bar with Greek salads, smoked salmon and lovely little dessert sweets in our hotel restaurant. Tomorrow we are checking out the old downtown: Plaka, ancient Agora, shops and Syntagma Square - where the striking transportation workers may be hanging out. No buses are running but the hotel has a shuttle. :) Pinch me. Am I really in Athens?!!!!!!