(26) Kai dropped me off at the airport in Oslo at 10pm so I could wait for my 7 am flight. I met a nice Dutch boy, Gan, and a character of a lady while we waited out our flights. First she goes to sit down and starts exclaiming and shaking her head and was disgusted by the germs probably covering the chairs we were sitting in. After she finished wiping her chair down for five minutes, she went on about how you shouldn't be able to get a government job anywhere in Canada unless you speak French. She didn't like it when I told her France is my least favorite country. Then she kicked off her shoes, which were completely rank. Then, she took these sleeping pill things and offered them to us along with wine/whiskey. We were kind of weirded out, politely declining. THEN - she told me to get up and go for a walk so she could 'stretch' out on the bench. She was very insistent. I complied, allowing her to stretch her smelly feet out on my seat (she didn't care if THAT got wiped off!). Geez. I would have moved if all the seats weren't full. She moved when I returned and an empty mini bottle of wine fell out of her pocket! She bossed me to move her luggage cart closer. Let's just say I was happy when my gate opened! No more Mrs. Nice Guy!

Before I boarded the plane, it cost me over 100 kroner (roughly $20) to buy a breakfast of two bananas, water, yogurt and a tiny bag of nuts.

I took my backpack as hand luggage. It weighs only 20 pounds! I left 'lots' of my stuff back in Norway so I can actually buy a couple things this time 'round! To my delight, I got a window seat. The novelty of cutting through the air with a bird's eye view will never grow old for me.

I caught the 1 hour bus into Athens from the airport. I don't know what I was thinking - normally I wouldn't think twice about walking 5km to my hostel with my backpack - I GPS it with my phone. Maybe the 38 degree temperature got to my head. Normally I wouldn't listen to cab drivers when they tell you a metro ticket is €8 and quote you a taxi for €12. He 'pounced' me as soon as I got off the bus, telling me my area was sketchy and verrry far. Convincing. Then he tried to charge me €15, but I stuck to my guns. Ugh! My hostel was only a couple km's away, the area is fine and the kicker - a metro ticket is only €1.40. Just helping to support people in a crisis, I guess...

It was so hot! You would sweat just sitting there. After siesta-ing, I decided to take a gander around Athens and headed to the most obvious place - the Acropolis. It was splendid - my first view of the Pantheon; perched on the limestone amid the grandeur of ancient ruins and temples. I live for amazing 'wanders', when you don't really have a particular plan or destination. I wandered up a hill close to the Acropolis (and saw these men wearing dresses, knee tassels, and shoes with Pom-poms on the end. Traditional military wear...but in my opinion they looked more like clowns!), and stumbled upon this humongous rock (Aeropagous - Mars Rock, I later discovered, and was so excited to learn I walked in the footsteps of Paul the Apostle!!! This is where he introduced the Athenians to Christ, the 'Unknown God' in Acts 17:22!) - I climbed the stairs and was greeted by a breathtaking lookout over all of Athens! I caught the glorious sunset over a hazy city, the shoreline in sight. At my back - the Acropolis, all lit up. Leaning against the same boulder was a Kiwi, Rebekah. We were together in our aloneness, and decided to grab a bite at a restaurant close to Monastiraki square looking up at the Acropolis. I felt like I was in Granada again. I had an interesting meal - a pie thing with eggplant, tomato and goat cheese. And FREE water! Woohoo!

(27). In the morning I joined the free walking tour from my hostel. It ended up being a 9-4 tour in 40 degree weather on pavement! Very good though - went to the Acropolis and witnessed the Pantheon, learned about Mars Rock, saw the changing of the guard, the Olympic Stadium and the National Garden, Temple of Zeus, Temple of Hephaestus, ate 'Mystique' frozen yogurt, a gross Greek flavor with fermented grapes on top...

I met Daria from Poland and Hung from Vietnam on the tour. We toured 'round together for the day, caught sunset from Mars Rock with Rebekah and ate some GOOD frozen yogurt!

(28) Highlight of the day- while touring the Acropolis Museum, I saw a guy wearing a speedo with a shirt. I found it so hilarious. The serious security guard and I looked at each other and both laughed. I'm sure it was comfy...and airy. The museum was cool too haha - I love seeing all the artifacts from the acropolis and all the sculptures they excavated from the top of the Acropolis. I think the coolest thing is the glass floor in the museum. When they built this new museum a few years ago, they uncovered a city, so it is built on top of the ruins and is worked in all the time.

I went to a Trip Advisor five star cafe called "Smile" for lunch, and for €10 I had a glass of white wine, Greek salad, bread and moussaka, a famous Greek dish with eggplant, beef, potato, tomato and feta cheese.

I ventured to the top of Filopapau Hill for a better view of the Acropolis at a high point. After, I bought a pair of handmade Greek leather sandals at the Flea Market!

My favorite things
1. Free water at restaurants and water fountains everywhere.
2. Everyone speaks English
3. They have student prices here for everything, and attraction tickets are cheap anyways.
4. My hostel has an 84% rating and is €11/night.
5. People are friendly, yet reserved
6. Greeks really take pride in their appearance. Most Athenian women wear heels. Again, we are on cobblestone streets!
7. There doesn't appear to be a lot of poverty. But, if I am correct in my assumption - Greece is like Croatia. Even if people don't have money, they will skip food and have one nice outfit instead.
8. Cheap shopping! I bit the bullet and actually bought a couple cute things!

Til next time!