Weekend in Athens

   Weekend started off with coffee as usual and planning to spend the weekend at John's parents.  After packing the essentials in a back pack we headed out to catch a bus for the port, from there we hopped a train to Omonia Square in downtown Athens.  From there we caught bus 54 that took us to our destination.

   Once we arrived Vasso had prepared baked fish, minced squash patties, and salad for dinner.  We had a nice dinner and visited for the evening with John translating, watching Greek Idol and Greek Dancing with the stars.

  Sunday morning started with coffee (english for me, Greek for them) then I went to the shop with John's dad to pick up the English to Greek translation book.  While there we stopped across the street to have a cup of coffee, but the Greek church next door was SO loud we couldn't visit, so we had our coffee and headed back to the house.  John's mom had started first thing in the morning preparing the afternoon meal which would be homemade Mousaka, Rabbit, potatoes and salad.  I watched closely so I can prepare the mousaka at home.

  Then we headed out for Sunday afternoon sightseeing.  We went about 50 miles southeast of Athens where there was a tall ships regatta going on with ships and boats from all over the world.  We visited the large ships from many of the nations but of course my favorite was the Russian ship.  I couldn't remember the phase for "Hello" in Russian, but I was able to 'sign' my way through my meetings.  I of course had to have a picture taken with on of the Russian Sailors, since Russia has been an interest to me since the days of Atom Bomb drills in elementary school.

 After visiting the ships we stopped for a Gelato and picked up a "Sun" for John's balcony, then headed down the road to Sounion, site of Athena's temple and home of Posidon...Greek God of the Sea.  Took many pictures there and heard the story where the son was off fighting the Phonecians and his crew was told to fly a white flag on their return if successful, and a black flag if he was killed.  Well they forgot and the black flag was flying so the father jumped off the cliffs and killed himself thinking his son had been killed.

   Couldn't help but notice a reminder of my "Lil Girl" as we were walking around the grounds...of course she isn't NEAR as cute and sure she couldn't be quite as sweet as MY Lil Girl, but still took the picture cause she reminded me of her!!!!

  We headed back to Athens...me in a car with three Greeks...for some reason Greeks always seem to all talk at the same time, of course I couldn't understand any of it anyway, but enjoyed the scenery on the way back...all the beaches and high end homes on the southern edge of Athens.

   Once home it was time for the Mousaka (um-um-good) and the rabbit...which I hadn't had since my Grandpa Headley brought one to the house for Thanksgiving one time...of course Mom cooked it.   John would have nothing to do with the Rabbit cause it reminded him of Lil Girl...so ONLY Mousaka for him.

 Later in the evening there was dessert, TV, visiting, then time for bed.   Well before bed, John's mom made some homemade "Cheese Pies",  initially I said I was too full to eat anymore, but once they came out and I saw them and got a smell....I think I had three!!!  UMMM, so simple but so good.

   There were several Smart sightings...I decided to get an interesting view of one....

   Oh, and while at the Regatta there were several boats for sale.  I think I found one I liked and that would fit my budget!!!!!