The Adventures of Grover and Tylene: Greece takes the cake!

Well, here I am, settled nicely in my apartment after a long days work. I know there are many of you who are snickering that you still have a full week of holidays and perhaps, I'm just a little jealous. Nevertheless, I don't mind having to work a three day week if it means I get to holiday in exotic locales like Greece!

Grover and I returned from Greece on Sunday night. It was an amazing trip. Jessie, my neighbor, colleague and friend traveled with us (us being Grover and me...he gets pissy if I don't include him). We arrived in Greece around 6:30 Thursday morning after flying through the night. It was so nice to arrive. The flight itself was fine too...just about 4 hours long and the plane was pretty much empty.

When we arrived in Greece, we stayed at the airport until after the sunrise so that I could see the beauty of the little piece of paradise I was entering. The taxi ride to the hotel, as most taxi rides, was an adventure. It's quite the experience when you don't exactly know where you are going or how you are going to get there, but somehow it always works out in the end.

The hotel was beautiful...photos are posted on my Picasa web album and I will put that link up for you all...anywho, we arrived at the hotel and were able to check into our room...a loverly treat. We had a nap, followed by breakfast. At this point in the story, I must say that I had bacon AND sausage. I had bacon AND sausage EVERYDAY that I was in Greece. You see, when you're not allowed to have bacon or sausage for months at a time, when it is present, you take full advantage. Perhaps the same applies to alcohol, but it was too early in the morning to drink, therefore I shall talk about the bacon and sausage!

Thursday afternoon was spent in Athens...we took the hotel shuttle to Glyfada. Then we took the tram to Syntagma Square. A visit to the Byzantine and Christian museum consumed our afternoon. Then, we caught the shuttle back to the hotel and called it a day. Keep in mind that, with the exception of a little nap, we'd been awake since Wednesday morning.

Thursday night dinner was at the sister hotel, overlooking the Mediterranean. A loverly dish of Risotto was the entree...all 28 euro worth. There may also have been beer at this endeavor. Delicious beer. I know, I know, when in Greece drink wine...but I don't like wine, so I had beer!

Friday was our hotel day...a full day of relaxation. Got tan lines that day. I also have freckles again...tee hee hee. Although it was only about 20 degrees, it was so loverly to sit by the pool/sea and take in the beauty of our surroundings. At times I'd forget about the book I was reading and get lost in the landscape. It was just breath-taking.

Friday night we went to the ballet to see Don Quixote. It was just beautiful...an adventure to get there, but beautiful nonetheless. The ballet was followed by more beer (yum) and a good night's rest.

Saturday was the sight-seeing day in Athens. We saw, of course, Acropolis. I am still astonished by the architecture that has stood for centuries. I am in awe of how it was built all those years ago...no cranes to lift the materials. It's really quite amazing. Saturday afternoon had us checking out the shops in Plaka...I like to shop when there are fun souvenirs to get. I didn't go too overboard, although I had every intention to do so. Just means I'll go back to Greece. At any rate, I got my Starbucks City Mug...now i have two. So exciting, I know. We had lunch in this little restaurant...sat in the gardens...ordered a little bit of everything...including SOUVLAKI...and guess what...it was PORK! We also ordered Irish coffee...when you think Irish coffee, do you think coffee with Irish cream or coffee with Irish whiskey? I'd like to tell you that I think Irish cream but was sadly disappointed. Tylene doesn't like Irish whiskey. She couldn't, however, let it go to waste...those would have been some funny pictures as I grimaced with ever gulp.

Whist frequenting the shops in Plaka, we came across one that had many traditional Greek treats. While there, I also picked up a bottle of Bailey's, and after some suggestions from the lady at the store, some Ouzo that might have found it's way back to my apartment...shhhhh. I am a rebel. The Bailey's found it's way into my belly. It required a morning drink on Sunday...but it was Easter...reason to celebrate. Oh how I look forward to my daily routine of Bailey's and coffee. Yummy.

I forgot to mention that on Friday, Saturday and Sunday I also ate bacon AND sausages. The breakfast buffet was AMAZING. If you can think of something you'd like to eat, it was there. So yummy. Even the scrambled eggs, which I forced myself to eat everyday, tasted "good"...well, as "good" as eggs can taste.

Our last day in Greece was spent on a private tour of the coast. We hired a driver who took us from the hotel to the Temple of Poseidon and then around the other side of Greece to the airport. A four hour drive allowed us to see even more beautiful countryside, as well as tradition fish markets, and quaint Greek towns.

We were back at the airport and ready to return home...okay, maybe not ready to return home, but came to the realization that traveling requires income. Income is earned when one works...therefore, until I marry my rich, oil tycoon, I will have to work to afford my travels.

And that is life in a nutshell. Well, the travelling part of life. The other part of life has been quite hectic, but is starting to look up. As I've mentioned in numerous blogs, I've had a hard time with my allergies. Recent weeks I have discovered that my laryngitis is not actually laryngitis, but a paralyzed vocal cord caused by a horribly enlarged thyroid that is pushing on the nerve to my vocal cord. As a result, I will spend much of the next 6 months to a year having not much of a voice. I am under very specific orders to not sing at all...something that is very difficult to imagine. There is also to be no shouting or loud talking...also a challenge when one's profession is addressing the needs of 25 yappy children. I must admit that my students are being super. They are quiet when I need to talk...so much so that everything stops. They really understand that I need their help if I am going to stay in the classroom.

Surgery will be scheduled in the upcoming months. A few hurdles still to address...most importantly my thyroid is too vascular to cut right now. Not sure if it will happen here before I leave, in Canada over the summer or in Kuwait when I return in the fall, but one way or another, sometime within the next year or so, I should have my voice back. If all goes well, I'll even be allowed to sing again.

So, I realize that is not the most cheerful news to end a blog with, but all in all everything is okay. I had a fabulous time in Greece. Some of the women are throwing a "You don't have cancer" party for me on Friday. I am very excited for such an adventure. I have made some really terrific friends here. I am starting to feel more and more at home...home for now, anyway. I'm still coming home in 8 more weeks. Tee hee hee.

Well, now that is officially all the news. Our Grade Five exhibition is just around the corner. Hard to believe how quickly the time is going. I am certain that, just as the next two weeks will fly, so will the rest of the school year.

Looking forward to seeing you or "talking" to you in the summer. Off to tutor tonight...need to save up for the next grand adventure...but this adventurer will definitely return to Greece.

Much love to each and all!!!

G & T

p.s. here's the link to Greece pics
http://picasaweb.google.com/tylene.desfosses/Greece2009?authkey=Gv1sRgCJHG-L2lmdvmvQE&feat=directlink