So after we got back from Aegina on Tuesday we went out to dinner at this really pretty outdoor candlelite restraunt over-looking the harbor. Ordered a greek salad and fried shrimp. Recieved 4 large fried animals and a tomato-cucumber-onion salad with a block of feta the size of 2 decks of cards. Hahaha I was dying trying to eat this fried shrimp. I was totally mislead by my premonitions of American food. The shrimp were about the size of my hand and still had heads, eyes, "things" inside, etc. It was horrifying but I didn't want to waste their lives so I fought through it.
Wednesday (yesterday) was the day we were going to try to go to Olympia on our own.
Ok.
So alot of Greeks don't like Americans very much. Everyone we asked for directions acted like they had never heard of Olympia befor in their lives. Others just pawned us off to "an information desk just 200 meters down the street". Others said that they had no more bus tickets to sell even though it was 9 o'clock in the morning. So Kaleigh, Abby and I started just talking to everyone in British accents. BOY did things change! Someone followed us on their motorcylce to get us to the right station, people all of a sudden had tickest to sell, we got things for free, people let us use their bathroom and wrote down names of exact places we had to go to get to Olympia.
Still didn't make it there because in part of the taxi strike (we had to take a bus), our bus driver (who was not wearing a uniform and I'm pretty sure was a hooker), and the fact that by the time we figure out the British accent trick, we wouldn't have made it there in time. (Olympia is about 4 hours away and Abby and I were so paranoid that we'd have another Rome experience and get stranded overnight)
But we had an amazing day anyways. Basically we just explored Athens as British / Canadians and everyone loved us. Its incredible what an accent can do for you! We looked the exact same and had the same attitude, just people thinking we weren't American changed everything. We almost got ourselves into a pickle though when we found out our waiter was from Canada...just like us! ;)
We also got to know a group of the taxi drivers on strike, very friendly people and we all talked about how much we hated Americans and why.
Really interesting day!
That night we just hung out in the port terminal where there is free internet. Not sure if I've mentioned this or not, but my computer is working for the time being! The IT people worked a small miracle and I got to get all of my files off my computer. They said it was definitly crash again and next time, they won't really be able to do anything but as long as I save everything to my flashdrive, I should be good! The free internet was wonderful - I got to skype Chris for an HOUR! Yay!
Today was another long, good day! I went to Delphi - the oracle up in the mountains 2.5 hours away that used to give advice to leaders and such. It was also thought to be the center of the world and is probably one of the most beautiful places I've ever been.
ALSO AH - I know what Bisio means in greek! It was part of the story of Apollo and the founding of Delphi. Bisio was the name of a certain month around February / March back in ancient Greece. And we also learned where the term "lesbian" came from.
Then we toured the museum and then got lunch! Lunch was amazing but so much food! I definitly had "the itis" at the next place we visited - a monestary. We didn't get much time at the monestary but it was really neat and had mumified remains in it.. hahah
We got back to the ship just in time for dinner, took a nap and now were about to head out to the harbor to get some baklava!!
Bye!
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