Okay last night the Wife and I were flipping through the 3 channels that sometimes have shows in English when we came across this girl...
We thought it had to be a sketch comedy show so we watched her all the way through.
Only to realize that, nope, it was just the weather report. Her name is Petroula Kostidou and she is seriously the weather girl for a channel that we had thought of as the Greek NBC because of their logo and the fact they play old ER episodes.
I still can't get over it.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
travel stuff
i get a lot of questions about surviving the hotel life. what kind of things we can't live without, how we cope, etc.
so many of our friends have graciously offered to send things to us and believe me one day soon we'll start taking you up on it.
the one good thing about us being delayed is that we had a lot of time to plan what to bring. of course some things work and some don't...we're definitely learning as we go.
hopefully you're all planning a trip to come visit as some point...so be sure to check out our weekly "can't live without" travel item. link will be on the sidebar.
so many of our friends have graciously offered to send things to us and believe me one day soon we'll start taking you up on it.
the one good thing about us being delayed is that we had a lot of time to plan what to bring. of course some things work and some don't...we're definitely learning as we go.
hopefully you're all planning a trip to come visit as some point...so be sure to check out our weekly "can't live without" travel item. link will be on the sidebar.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Nafplio
We headed to the Peloponnese region of the Greece mainland this weekend. Our ultimate destination was Nafplio, a town that is supposed to be one of Greece's most elegant with a ton of ancient stuff to see on the way, so we were pretty excited.
I was even more excited not to be getting in a plane so I packed like a maniac...oh, that's right I brought as many over 3oz liquid bottles my short arms could carry. No need to worry about my stuff fitting in an overhead bin...of course I need these five sweaters and 2 coats! I'll be there for 2 days won't I?
Maria volunteered to drive us out of Athens and it really was lovely. Mountains, olive and orange groves, little herds of sheep...it was really nice. And better yet, our luck held out and it didn't rain. Which is apparently really good because Maria said she doesn't drive in the rain and we'd just have to sleep wherever we were when it started.
We got to our hotel without much hassle. Although it was here where my overpacking came back to bite me in the rear...2 flights of narrow stairs had to be navigated before getting to our room. Both rooms were very pleasant and with the help of the sweet woman from the hotel, also Maria, we headed out to the town square for dinner. Well, really we were headed out for snacks. Not even the elderly eat dinner at 7pm in Greece so our plan was to eat something light, have some wine then head to dinner by the water.
After our giant "cheese plate" (see the food blog for this story) and what I had thought would be a small cheese pizza we were too full to eat any dinner. We still headed down to the waterfront for some dessert and some of course more vino. We ended our night pretty early and had plans for a lot of sightseeing the next day.
Saturday morning arrived and it was clear Mother Nature had other plans so we hung in our rooms until the rain let up enough for us to venture out for a late breakfast. On our way out the hotel lady suggested taking the little train we'd seen out by the port to see a little bit of Nafplio.
Considering the weather we thought it was a good idea and climbed aboard. I'm not sure what we expected from a "miniature train tour" but when the kiddie music started we realized it was going to be a pretty painful trip. After this we decided to grab some lunch and try to salvage the rainy day with some massages and facials at the Nafplio Palace Spa.
Our late lunch allowed us to eat at a "decent Greek hour" and then we headed back down to the water to grab some drinks. We ended up in a little bar with decent music and a friendly owner that kept us entertained into the wee hours of the morning.
The sun returned on Sunday and after breakfast by the port we headed out to finally see some sights. We went to the ancient theatre of Epidaurus and the ruins of Mycenae. Both were beautiful, serene and definitely "must-sees" if you're in the Peloponnese region.
The wife did an amazing job driving us back to Athens and to our hotel. Although the rain slowed us down a bit on Saturday it was a nice weekend and a great way to start our stay in Greece.
After living in India for 2 months I can't tell you how nice it was to just be outside and enjoy such beautiful countryside. It really did our souls good.
Cuban, Greek = Same, Same, not so different apparently
Before departing for India I had thought my dark hair and complexion would have helped me blend in a little with the natives. I was very, very wrong. Without being dressed in full regalia (sari or full Punjabi suit) I stuck out almost as much as my red-headed wife…okay maybe not that much, but I did not in any way pass for Indian.
Coming to Greece I wasn’t worried about sticking out. Although our bit of celebrity in India could be amusing (I can’t imagine how many Indian photo albums we’re in by now- “hey look at these freaky foreigners we saw out today!”) I was ready just to be another face in the crowd, albeit a far less fashionable, non-European face in the crowd.
There is no denying that my Cuban genes are by far my most dominant. I look nothing like my mother and other than my short stature and easily rattled nerves I really inherited very little from the maternal side of my family. I am, as far as looks go, undeniably “not white”.
It seems my features of dark curly hair, dark eyes and olive complexion do, however, pass quite easily for Greek. I’m not talking about by tourists. I’m talking about each and every Greek person I meet. Whether it is an employee of the hotel, an instructor at the gym, a waiter at a café or just random people attempting to speak to me on the street I am spoken to in Greek.
Not so unusual right? It is the native language here.
It's after I give them a look of utter confusion and confess that I don’t have a clue as to what they are saying that I find funny. Each time I state that I don't speak Greek they seem so utterly surprised. Sometimes they even continue to speak to me in Greek as if I am pulling their leg. “No, no, really?” I confirm again in my plainly American (Southern American at that) accent and am almost always met with a look of defeat. Like, how could they ever confuse a non-Greek for one of their own…especially an American.
I may be far removed from my Cuban heritage but I’m more than positive there is no Greek blood running through my veins. Greeks aren’t the type to let lineage be forgotten.
I wouldn’t mind the confusion and actually find it a pleasant experience to not be seen as a bumbling tourist but I’m sure most of them believe I’m Greek-American. This of course is a title in which “true Greeks” find as offensive as “f&%k head”. If you are Greek you are Greek no matter where you live. And a Greek who doesn’t speak any Greek is even worse.
I had planned to really crack down on my Spanish lessons while here but now I’m wondering if I shouldn’t try my hand at some Greek…just enough to pass as a very shy and quiet Greek girl…although not too quiet because that and the fact I don’t smoke like a freight train might give me away.
Coming to Greece I wasn’t worried about sticking out. Although our bit of celebrity in India could be amusing (I can’t imagine how many Indian photo albums we’re in by now- “hey look at these freaky foreigners we saw out today!”) I was ready just to be another face in the crowd, albeit a far less fashionable, non-European face in the crowd.
There is no denying that my Cuban genes are by far my most dominant. I look nothing like my mother and other than my short stature and easily rattled nerves I really inherited very little from the maternal side of my family. I am, as far as looks go, undeniably “not white”.
It seems my features of dark curly hair, dark eyes and olive complexion do, however, pass quite easily for Greek. I’m not talking about by tourists. I’m talking about each and every Greek person I meet. Whether it is an employee of the hotel, an instructor at the gym, a waiter at a café or just random people attempting to speak to me on the street I am spoken to in Greek.
Not so unusual right? It is the native language here.
It's after I give them a look of utter confusion and confess that I don’t have a clue as to what they are saying that I find funny. Each time I state that I don't speak Greek they seem so utterly surprised. Sometimes they even continue to speak to me in Greek as if I am pulling their leg. “No, no, really?” I confirm again in my plainly American (Southern American at that) accent and am almost always met with a look of defeat. Like, how could they ever confuse a non-Greek for one of their own…especially an American.
I may be far removed from my Cuban heritage but I’m more than positive there is no Greek blood running through my veins. Greeks aren’t the type to let lineage be forgotten.
I wouldn’t mind the confusion and actually find it a pleasant experience to not be seen as a bumbling tourist but I’m sure most of them believe I’m Greek-American. This of course is a title in which “true Greeks” find as offensive as “f&%k head”. If you are Greek you are Greek no matter where you live. And a Greek who doesn’t speak any Greek is even worse.
I had planned to really crack down on my Spanish lessons while here but now I’m wondering if I shouldn’t try my hand at some Greek…just enough to pass as a very shy and quiet Greek girl…although not too quiet because that and the fact I don’t smoke like a freight train might give me away.
Friday, March 20, 2009
A little late but better than never...
While in India you can't help but be overwhelmed by the cultural differences. Working in India proved to be just as different..
Just a few of them...
1)Back home, if the power were to go out in the Coke building, I am sure we’d be in the midst of some catastrophic problem.
In India, the power goes out as often as I go for a bathroom break. Usually the backup generators kick in quickly, but today we were left with about 2 full minutes of complete darkness… so dark my computer didn’t even produce enough light to see my keyboard… earlier this week I was stuck in the bathroom in complete darkness.
2)Back home, the cafeteria is a pretty sophisticated scene… 10 different stations for food of all kinds…. salad bar, grill line, desserts, salad bar, meat and 3, deli, etc.
In India, the cafeteria serves free lunch to all Coke employees out of 4 big cooking pots. The dishes are split between veg and non-veg options, always accompanied by rice and Nan (local bread similar to pita). I really enjoy the authentic India food, which is not as spicy as I had feared (although a lot of my team can’t eat the level of spice). I have also turned about 95% vegetarian since being in India.
3)Back home, I typically don’t feel like I am going to die every morning on my commute to work (unless it is of course raining in Atlanta).
In India, I typically don’t feel like I am going to live past my 5 minute commute to work.
4) Back home, we enjoy going to a cabin on the weekends to enjoy getting out of the city, especially during the fall.
In India, I work in a “cabin”, along with every other employee that isn’t stuck in a cubicle.
5) Back home, I understand and am familiar with all aspects of the Coca-Cola restrooms.
In India, I have yet to fully understand (although I have some ideas) the complexities of the bathroom situation. Between the hoses and drains I’m not sure if I want to understand.
6) Back home, although I look somewhat different than most people, I tend to blend in okay with the other redheaded, fair skinned people (or at least fair skinned people).
In India, I sometimes seek reassurance from my colleagues that I have not turned into the red-headed devil that all of the stares lead me to believe. I just looked in the mirror a few minutes ago – no worries, everything seems to be okay.
7) Back home, we tend to lay off employees that aren’t essential to our business.
Here in India, they tend to employ people with totally nonessential tasks. No lie, there are two full time elevator button pushers and one guy that sits at the coffee machine to push the button for whatever you want.
8) Back home, when you park your car the most you ever worry about is maybe parking too close to someone else and getting a scratch or ding in the door.
In India the employees have to worry about the cows that hang out all day in the parking lot eating trash getting into a fight and ramming their horns into vehicles parked in their way. Seriously, I’m not kidding-two team members actually witnessed a full on cow brawl that led to some pretty nasty damage to some poor soul’s red jeep.
Just a few of them...
1)Back home, if the power were to go out in the Coke building, I am sure we’d be in the midst of some catastrophic problem.
In India, the power goes out as often as I go for a bathroom break. Usually the backup generators kick in quickly, but today we were left with about 2 full minutes of complete darkness… so dark my computer didn’t even produce enough light to see my keyboard… earlier this week I was stuck in the bathroom in complete darkness.
2)Back home, the cafeteria is a pretty sophisticated scene… 10 different stations for food of all kinds…. salad bar, grill line, desserts, salad bar, meat and 3, deli, etc.
In India, the cafeteria serves free lunch to all Coke employees out of 4 big cooking pots. The dishes are split between veg and non-veg options, always accompanied by rice and Nan (local bread similar to pita). I really enjoy the authentic India food, which is not as spicy as I had feared (although a lot of my team can’t eat the level of spice). I have also turned about 95% vegetarian since being in India.
3)Back home, I typically don’t feel like I am going to die every morning on my commute to work (unless it is of course raining in Atlanta).
In India, I typically don’t feel like I am going to live past my 5 minute commute to work.
4) Back home, we enjoy going to a cabin on the weekends to enjoy getting out of the city, especially during the fall.
In India, I work in a “cabin”, along with every other employee that isn’t stuck in a cubicle.
5) Back home, I understand and am familiar with all aspects of the Coca-Cola restrooms.
In India, I have yet to fully understand (although I have some ideas) the complexities of the bathroom situation. Between the hoses and drains I’m not sure if I want to understand.
6) Back home, although I look somewhat different than most people, I tend to blend in okay with the other redheaded, fair skinned people (or at least fair skinned people).
In India, I sometimes seek reassurance from my colleagues that I have not turned into the red-headed devil that all of the stares lead me to believe. I just looked in the mirror a few minutes ago – no worries, everything seems to be okay.
7) Back home, we tend to lay off employees that aren’t essential to our business.
Here in India, they tend to employ people with totally nonessential tasks. No lie, there are two full time elevator button pushers and one guy that sits at the coffee machine to push the button for whatever you want.
8) Back home, when you park your car the most you ever worry about is maybe parking too close to someone else and getting a scratch or ding in the door.
In India the employees have to worry about the cows that hang out all day in the parking lot eating trash getting into a fight and ramming their horns into vehicles parked in their way. Seriously, I’m not kidding-two team members actually witnessed a full on cow brawl that led to some pretty nasty damage to some poor soul’s red jeep.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
urgh!
seems my little 3 hour hike around athens was too much for the bum foot. for two days it has been swollen up like a freaking water balloon and burning like a house on fire. seems my tendinitis is back with a vengeance :(
yet again i find myself stuck. except this time i'm in an amazing city where i could actually go out every single day and enjoy my freedom...which makes it all the worse.
obviously i'm frustrated...i mean it has been 11 months of dealing with this and it seems there is no end (or high heels) in sight. i realize "chronic" means "chronic" but come on!
i'm giving myself until the middle of next week. if there isn't an improvement with the inflammation and swelling i'm going to have to go to a doctor here in greece. which i am sure is going to be an adventure.
at this point the only thing left for me is a shot of cortisone. my ortho in atlanta wanted this to be the very last option and told me it would "hurt like holy hell" and i "better pray the needle makes it to the right spot because the joints are so small it will be a miracle to find it the first time". can't wait!
please send some prayers and positive vibes my way.
yet again i find myself stuck. except this time i'm in an amazing city where i could actually go out every single day and enjoy my freedom...which makes it all the worse.
obviously i'm frustrated...i mean it has been 11 months of dealing with this and it seems there is no end (or high heels) in sight. i realize "chronic" means "chronic" but come on!
i'm giving myself until the middle of next week. if there isn't an improvement with the inflammation and swelling i'm going to have to go to a doctor here in greece. which i am sure is going to be an adventure.
at this point the only thing left for me is a shot of cortisone. my ortho in atlanta wanted this to be the very last option and told me it would "hurt like holy hell" and i "better pray the needle makes it to the right spot because the joints are so small it will be a miracle to find it the first time". can't wait!
please send some prayers and positive vibes my way.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
lost and found
I'm still a bit sick so I gave myself another day off from working out. I did feel well enough to get out a bit and had planned to go to the Museum of Greek Popular Instruments. Listen, I've never denied my dorkiness but it is supposed to be pretty cool and close to our hotel.
I checked out the map in our guide book, scrawled down some directions and set off. If you've never been to Greece you may not be aware of their lack of street signs or sometimes lack of English translations on the signs that do exist. Needless to say I missed a turn somewhere and found myself pretty lost.
The Plaka is full of shops and cafes so I was pretty okay with being lost. I'm fairly used to it considering my horrible sense of direction and after India was just happy to be walking around. I ended up going towards a main street to find myself directly in front of The Temple of Zeus. It was here I realized that although I had remembered my camera I had not remembered to put the battery in.
A little annoyed at missed photos opportunities I set off to go back to the hotel to retrieve it. I idiotically listened to my inner navigation system and took a left. I was more than sure that it would lead me directly back to Syntagma Square.
Of course, it did not. I walked for another 30 minutes or so and just as I began to feel concerned about how I would find my way back I looked up and saw...
(thank you camera phone)
At that point I wondered how lost I really was...I took a seat on some steps, listened to old man play the sax and enjoyed the view.
It took me over an hour to make it back to the hotel and I never did find that museum...all in all I think a pretty successful day.
I checked out the map in our guide book, scrawled down some directions and set off. If you've never been to Greece you may not be aware of their lack of street signs or sometimes lack of English translations on the signs that do exist. Needless to say I missed a turn somewhere and found myself pretty lost.
The Plaka is full of shops and cafes so I was pretty okay with being lost. I'm fairly used to it considering my horrible sense of direction and after India was just happy to be walking around. I ended up going towards a main street to find myself directly in front of The Temple of Zeus. It was here I realized that although I had remembered my camera I had not remembered to put the battery in.
A little annoyed at missed photos opportunities I set off to go back to the hotel to retrieve it. I idiotically listened to my inner navigation system and took a left. I was more than sure that it would lead me directly back to Syntagma Square.
Of course, it did not. I walked for another 30 minutes or so and just as I began to feel concerned about how I would find my way back I looked up and saw...
(thank you camera phone)
At that point I wondered how lost I really was...I took a seat on some steps, listened to old man play the sax and enjoyed the view.
It took me over an hour to make it back to the hotel and I never did find that museum...all in all I think a pretty successful day.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Dubai
On the way to Greece we stopped off in Dubai. We knew it would be a quick trip, with only one full day there, but it was almost the half-way point (at least the only point that two American girls would stop anyway) so we went for it.
Thanks to a stupid sick baby sitting in front of me on the flight back from Goa I have a pretty nasty head cold. After feeling as if my left ear was bleeding on the descent into Dubai I did not feel like getting up for the morning tour of the city. Luckily, we heard from others that after you've seen one big building you've kind of seen them all and the palm island thing doesn't look like anything when you're on the ground. I did get it together for our desert tour which is all I was really looking forward to doing in the first place.
Our tour began with "sand bashing" (think mud bogging with sand and over really high dunes) and ended with bbq and belly dancing. I've never really seen a desert much less gone an hour into one and I have to say it was pretty awesome. The nothingness was really just beautiful. The Wife of course loved the sand bashing. I, on the other hand, will mark it as a success solely because I didn't die from a heart attack or puke.
The bbq and belly dancing was pretty cool and next time I told the Wife I wanted to do the overnight desert tour. I think it would be a more intimate experience with both the guides and the desert itself...and the latter is a relationship I'm looking forward to exploring.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
the only thing i'll miss about india...
my indian bff...my trainer anil (who apparently refuses to smile for pictures)
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