Rhodes

We finally arrived in Athens on Friday the 15th after a very long and uncomfortable ten hour plane ride. We got our first taste of Greece on the plane, because everything was said in both English and Greek. I tried sleeping on the plane, but it wasn't at all comfortable, so by the time we landed in Athens my circadian rhythm was very confused. Back home, it was three in the morning and I felt like I should have been sleeping, but it was a beautiful sunny morning in Athens and I was too excited to do anything but explore. After dropping everything off in our rooms, we took a little tour of the city to learn where everything we might need would be (restaurants, markets, ATM, etc.) and had our first Greek meal!

Shortly after our short tour of Athens we got on a ferry boat to go to Rhodes. It was overnight and I was incredibly happy to have an actual bed to sleep in. When we arrived in Rhodes the next day, it was late morning.

We put all of our luggage on a bus and headed straight to Lindos, where we grabbed a quick snack and headed to the Acropolis. On our hike up to it we walked through a cute little town full of shops and restaurants and it was very hard not to spend all of the euros I brought with me. The Acropolis was absolutely stunning, and it had a great view being the highest fortified point of the city.

After visiting the Acropolis we walked around Lindos for a little while before going to our hotel. While I didn't ever want to leave Rhodes, I wouldn't have hesitated to leave that hotel. It seemed fine at first, but you had to pay for air conditioning! We all thought that was outrageous, but it seems to be normal in Greece. The weather is usually so beautiful up until July, that if you want it before then you have to purchase it. We slept with the windows open to keep from being uncomfortable. However, it was right across from the beach, and the beach was absolutely beautiful. We got to watch the sunset over Turkey every night. It was unlike anything I had ever seen. The first night we were there we all went out to eat at a restaurant called Mezes and the food was spectacular. They even threw in free dessert! Luckily, Rhodes is touristy, so most of the people who live and work there are also fluent in English, which made our lives a lot easier. We then joined the Greeks while they cheered their soccer team to victory over the Russians.

The next day we went to Old Town and explored all of the history that was there. I wish I could explain in words how beautiful it was, because even the pictures don't do it justice, but I'll post one anyway.

There were many more places to shop and blow euros along the street. We also went to a Jewish Synagogue and learned a little bit about the Jewish community in Rhodes and what they went through. After that we grabbed some lunch and headed back to the hotel. That night we went to a pirate themes restaurant called Blue Lagoon (very touristy, but the food was good) and they had live music and dancing. Once I started dancing, I didn't want to stop. I found my Kefi, and it was a great feeling.

The next day we could do whatever we wanted, so some of us joined the Kaplan's on their excursion into New Town. I finally gave in here and spent some money on souvenirs. Unfortunately, we had to get back on the ferry the next day at four in the afternoon, but we got a full days worth of excitement before that. The first place we visited was the archaeological museum, which was full of beautiful art work and rich history. Filerimos came next with its monastery. If there's one thing Greeks love it's their God. After Filerimos we visited Kamiros, which was a giant archaeological site of an ancient city. For our last stop we visited the Valley of the Butterflies (even though they were really moths). It was a beautiful hike, and at the top their was a little restaurant of sorts where we could by fresh food and juice. This is the view from the top.

After the Valley of the Butterflies it was back to the ferry and back to Athens, where we had to get back to a real life situation and clean, grocery shop, etc. So far it's been a lot of fun. I have great roommates. There have been a few moments where I've felt very uncomfortable, and they all deal with the language barrier. Sometimes even the Greeks who are best at English don't understand the slang, and then there are some who hardly know any English at all and it's very difficult to work through. I felt bad because I shouldn't expect them to know my language, so I felt as if it were my fault. It really reminds me of being back home when people say things like, "I don't want to have to press one for English on the phone!" Well, I'm all for it. Anything we can do to help new comers or those who are only spending a short period of time should be done, because it is difficult and frightening to be in a place where you can't communicate with anyone. I have learned a few phrases, and they get me through, but there have been a few awkward situations. However, those slight moments of discomfort cannot ruin the beautiful experience that is Greece.