(no subject)
So here I am, drunk on absinthe, in the hotel lobby of the hotel Byzantino in Patras Greece. My third day in Greece studying abroad has been like the first two: I'm completely blown away by the beauty of the area. The weather is essentially the same as Santa Cruz on any other hot sunny day of summer: Foggy and cool (but not uncomfortably cold in the morning) and pleasantly warm in the afternoon. Today was my first day of class with professors Constantine Politis and Dimitris Trachilis lecturing on the future growth of technological advances, a brief overview of molecular phYsics, and the benefits of photovoltaic energy (all of which are done in a thick Greeck accent). The food has been amazing. I've tried to order a different dish every meal and I haven't yet found something that I haven't completey enjoyed. I've found that the gyros (which are only $2.00) are just amazing. They're pita wraps with tzatziki sauce, slices of lamb, onions, tomatoes, and french fries. Nearly all the women are perfect examples of that classic ideallic beauty that is carved in the marble statues, the weather is perfect, the people are extremely friendly, and my only complaint is that Greek is fucking impossible to learn (hence the old addage, "It's all Greek to me!"), -- So it's midnight, I'm shitfaced and now my super conservative, mormon professor is sitting at the table working on his laptop facing me, which I guess just makes things a little more interesting on my end of the line as I now have to converse in a rather casual, sober tone while typing about my less than impressive adventures thus far. But of course let's start from the true beginning of this adventure.
Let me say that KLM (a Dutch airline) has been the most accomodating airline I have ever travelled on. The seats aren't crammed so tightly together, the food is amazing (two three course meals on my flight) during which they serve free alcohol in between every meal. So while conversing with the rather friendly, elderly Dutch couple beside me, I drank a mini bottle of wine and coniac. After landing briefly in Amsterdam, I met a very friendly Romainian girl on the way to Athens, who later totally hooked me up on a ride straight from the airport to the hotel in the heart of Athens, over looked by the Acropolis.
Athens is fucking amazing. All this modern infrastructure and technology surrounds you while, after every other block, relics from the Byzantine, Roman, and Greek culture poke out to remind you of a heritage steeped in thousand year old examples of good fucking design. The people are, as I have mentioned before, extremely warm and friendly to your extremely retarded attempt at Greek.
So, after a day and half in Athens and a very amusing dash through the city, a mad dash through the city with all of my luggage, a lecture, a half a bottle of absinthe and some Ouzo later, here I am, about to fall asleep at 3 am in the morning and I bit you a fine "kalinochte" my friend, as I depart for bed and another two days in Patras before I board the ferry to Kefalonia for the duration of my three months abroad. (I will hopefully post pics in my next entry)
Let me say that KLM (a Dutch airline) has been the most accomodating airline I have ever travelled on. The seats aren't crammed so tightly together, the food is amazing (two three course meals on my flight) during which they serve free alcohol in between every meal. So while conversing with the rather friendly, elderly Dutch couple beside me, I drank a mini bottle of wine and coniac. After landing briefly in Amsterdam, I met a very friendly Romainian girl on the way to Athens, who later totally hooked me up on a ride straight from the airport to the hotel in the heart of Athens, over looked by the Acropolis.
Athens is fucking amazing. All this modern infrastructure and technology surrounds you while, after every other block, relics from the Byzantine, Roman, and Greek culture poke out to remind you of a heritage steeped in thousand year old examples of good fucking design. The people are, as I have mentioned before, extremely warm and friendly to your extremely retarded attempt at Greek.
So, after a day and half in Athens and a very amusing dash through the city, a mad dash through the city with all of my luggage, a lecture, a half a bottle of absinthe and some Ouzo later, here I am, about to fall asleep at 3 am in the morning and I bit you a fine "kalinochte" my friend, as I depart for bed and another two days in Patras before I board the ferry to Kefalonia for the duration of my three months abroad. (I will hopefully post pics in my next entry)