Oops! One more

Forgot the "going home" post.

This is what happens when one runs out of clothes on a trip and fails to pack a back-up outfit for the million hour plane ride home...

Turns out a blanket works in a pinch as a sarong and you only get a few weird looks using the plane window to dry the dress you handwashed in that thing they refer to as the "sink" in the aircraft bathroom. Unfortunately we simply could not get daddy's pants to hang well enough in the window so he had to endure the additional 12 hours of travel time in a state of soil-ment. Someone get that man an award already!

Greece! - Athens

Last leg of the trip! We enjoyed the last 4 days of vacation in Athens seeing all of the famous sites and spending some more time with cousin Blake. We drove to Sounio to see Poseidon's Temple, shopped at Manastiraki, spent a day in Vouliagmeni at the beach and explored the Acropolis. We also had some wonderful food, great laughs (was it a broach or a roach!? Feathers!?) and most importantly....tons of pagoto at the pereptero (I've no idea how to spell these in english and don't have a greek font!).

Greece! - Potamia

While in Gythio we drove down to the village where Yia Yia grew up. We spent the day with thea Rena, theo Costa & theo Taki. We walked around while Yia Yia pointed out places and things from when she was a kid. Theo Taki lives in the house that Taki's Yia Yia once lived in (with a few recent changes to the 3 room/1bath home). Off to the side was where the home that Yia Yia lived in with the whole family before she came to America. The area she mapped out is tiny. Most of us have kitchens or even bathrooms the size of the home that she shared with her parents and 3 siblings. It was very eye-opening!

Just about every tree in Potamia is fruit/nut/olive bearing. It was incredible to just walk up to a tree, pull off a pear and take a bite! Pomegranates, oranges, peaches, pears...to name a few. It was amazing to see olive trees on their property that are 300 years old with their beautifully twisted trunks and silver leaves. Thank you Yia Yia for sharing all of your memories and home with us and thank you thea Rena for the lovely lunch, theo Costa for the beautiful singing and theo Taki for all of the wonderful fruits and vegetables!

Greece! - Gythio

Gythio was the next stop on our journey and one that was familiar to all but the girls and I. It is a short distance from the village where Yia Yia grew up and one they have visited often. It was here that Sophia ate her first Octopus. For real. She did. I know! Oh and fish with the heads (& eyes) still on! Evi stuck to noodles but it was certainly a turning point for Soph.

We also swam at the beach and pool at the hotel as many hours as the day would allow. Gythio was also the site of Soph's first independent swim!!! She is now able to swim underwater without floaties for a good 4-5 feet unassisted. It was pretty exciting. We also celebrated her 4th birthday with an amazing dinner along with family and a cake topped with the biggest candle imaginable! I'm pretty sure it was actually a roman candle.

As you can see, Prince Eric came along for the trip and often accompanied us to the beach. No worries on his nudity...it's Europe and totally normal. I also had to include a picture of the wine. Yes, that is wine. Packaged in a water bottle. tee hee hee.

Greece! - Delphi & Arahova

Sick of these yet??? : )

We left the next morning for Delphi & Arahova as we made our way south another 4-5 hrs. As you can see, Yia Yia doesn't concern herself with rules or signage and posed with Sophia atop an ancient stone in Delphi : )

We stayed nearby in Arahova which was one of my favorite stops. Arahova is a charming mountain town that is popular for it's skiiing in the winter. Our hotel was one of my favorites (and it had a shower curtain! yay!) so I wanted to share some of the photos of the inside as well as one from our balcony.

Greece! - Meteora

After the wedding we traveled to Meteora and wow, just wow. The pictures don't do it justice, that's for sure. Meteora is made up of giant (400 meter tall) rock formations. Atop them stand 24 monasteries, 6 of which are still in operation. It is said that the first people to inhabit Meteora arrived in the 9th century. The views are breathtaking and the monasteries are unbelievable. Amazing....