Greek Wrap-up

Greek deserves more than 3 posts, but in order to keep up with my life, I must wrap things up. The days are moving quicker and the to-do list is getting longer. As I am sure Dionysis would have said (had the expression exist in his day), 'The show must go on'. My show has less nudity and wine, and therefore, could seem a lot less exciting but I do have a few things to say these days. Surprising, I know.

I will sum up the finest parts of Greece (according to someone who has been in the Middle East far too long):

1. An artist's paradise.

Axel found inspiration at almost every corner. It was fabulous to be in a country that appreciates art and doesn't limit it to the Koran. Sometimes naked bodies are just plain beautiful.

Axel appreciating a painting on this Grecian door. Where can one find these in Doha?

Axel finally visited a country with real cypress trees since he painted them. He was far more interested in the composition of these trees than the amphitheater right next to them.

2. Insanely delicious and fresh food!

Grecian food reminded me of how Middle Eastern food is so bland. It isn't the food so much, it is the veggies and fruit. By the time they make it to the desert, the flavor is all gone. I was amazed at how delicious real tomatoes taste (you know, ones that haven't sat on a boat for several days). Even the onions were sweeter than candy. I am such a fan of Greek salads now. We have made several since we have been back. Even though they contain all the same ingredients, it lacks all the goodness that is in Greece.

Oh, and every single meal contained pork of some kind. I believe we ate two pigs--each.

Even the hot coco tasted incredible when there was rainfall outside. Have I mentioned how much I miss the rain??

3. Green, green, green.

We have been in the desert WAY too long. Every chance we could get, we would follow the trees. Oxygen, and living organisms, how I miss you.

4. Christianity

It was fun to see all the Byzantine Greek Orthodox churches. I am so programed to see mosques I was slightly surprised when I saw my first painting with Jesus in it. It is nice to remember that there are others of us out there.

5. Museums

We got our fill of various museums in Athens. It is slightly mind boggling to look at artifacts that can withstand the test of time and weather. I mean we are talking thousands and thousands of years! The houses in Doha have a hard time standing if they were built over 5 years ago. I know you think I am joking, but I am not.

Axel's famous getting-in-trouble-for-posing-from-the-old-man-sitting-in-the-right-corner photo. Apparently, you cannot pose. It is forbidden. Maybe they assume that if he poses, he may just be tempted to drop his pants in order to make the picture completely accurate.

I did not get in trouble for this photo, but then again, maybe they thought I wasn't posing.

My favorite

Axel finding his inner Greek god and feeling hairless.

Just a random, sexy shot of my hubby. Ugh, I love this guy.

6. Love, love, love.

When Axel and I are at home, we are in constant motion. We always seem to have a cause whether it is the kids, moving, church, etc. We have date nights often, but even then the bustle to get out the door and the fatigue that hits us when we are finally out, often overtakes the enjoyment of each other. This trip was all about us. Our conversations had almost nothing to do with the mundane activities we have at home. Instead, we became reacquainted with the Terah and Axel that we are. The conversations never ended and I remembered why I loved talking to Axel so much when we were dating. I love how he thinks. I love how he is. I love him.

Thank you, Greece. I'll be back!

Greek Islands

My favorite part of the trip was cruising to the Greek islands. It was reminiscent of our time in Croatia. Just 8 months after Axel and I were married, we moved to a small city in Croatia. We had a home right on the coast. It was the honeymoon we should have had. While living in Croatia we island hopped often and explored most of the major cities throughout Europe. It was magical and solidified our relationship as a couple.
This trip reminded me of those days. Several of the photos we took during this trip are almost exactly the same as the ones we took while exploring the Croatian islands--only with a few more megapixels and wrinkles. Even the scent of the pine trees and salt water brought back those innocent and adventurous days.

I always dreamed about visiting the Greek islands. The blue and white combination nestled next to the side of a mountain always drew me. Our first island was Hydra, which was very similar to Brac, Croatia. It fulfilled my dreams, plenty of blue and white with clear blue skies.

The streets were so fun to get lost in. Periodically we would pass a fruit stand or a wondering donkey. I could have easily spent several days there.

The next island we visited was Poros. It was also lovely. Probably the least my favorite of the 3 islands we visited, but honestly, still very beautiful.

The final island we visited was Aegina. We explored the Temple of Aphaea, which sat proudly at the top of the highest peak of the island. The temple was built in 500 BC dedicated to the goddess Aphaia. Scale wise, it was much smaller than any temple on the Acropolis but somehow the setting was more romantic and mystical.

On our way back from the temple, we stopped by the Church and Monastery of Saint Nektarios. Saint Nektarios was canonized and placed in a beautifully decorated room within the church. A heck of a lot of people were kissing his coffin while Axel and I were far more interested in the intricacies of the art within the room. It was far more interesting and more hygienic.

The hum of the cruise ship made me revisit a very passionate time of our marriage in Croatia. I was so thankful for the trip back in time knowing that the Terah and Axel of those days are not only married and happy, but more passionately in love than when we lived in that small, quaint city those many years ago.

Acropolis and Temple of Zeus

One of the most picturesque sites I have seen is the Acropolis. The large citadel in the middle of Athens is placed on a rocky mound with some of the most spectacular views of the city, hills, and coastline. The Acropolis was burned in my memory from my first visit to Greece in 93. However, since my visit, it has been better preserved and more tourist friendly.

Our boutique hotel was situated on the highest hill in Athens, Lycabettus (a word that we never mastered during our time there, which costed us a few dollars in wrong turns by taxi drivers) This meant that we had the best view of the city, Acropolis and Aegean sea. When I reserved the hotel I quickly looked up what was the best in the city and our hotel came up. When we arrived I wonder why there was all the hype. It wasn't until I opened the window and saw this that I understood. It was like waking to a painting every morning.

The view from our hotel

The Acropolis is a fascinating place full of history and beautiful architecture. The earliest artifacts date back to the Neolithic era (6th millennium BC). Since that time, various temples were built, mostly from the archaic period.

My very own Greek god in front of the Parthenon

The Propleala

The Temple of Athenia Nike

An accurate carving of Axel and me

The Erechtheum- Why is it when I see this, my head hurts?

Theater of Dionysis Eleuthereus

Its nice to have an artistic husband who can make me look way better than I am in photos.

Every evening, this was the view from our hotel. If I could have wrapped it up and taken it home, I would have. Think of all the destruction Asa could do on the Parthenon? All those weathered years have nothing on my 2 year old. Just give him 5 minutes.

Temple of Zeus

The Temple of Zeus is placed right in the middle of the city of Athens. It was built between 473 to 457 BC. It was placed in the ancient city of Olympia. It contained the famous statue of Zeus, which was one of the seven wonders of the world. It was over 40 feet tall. It is in the classical style of the Doric order. For some reason, there is nothing sexier than seeing my husband stand in front of this massive building. Seriously.

Several fragments from the temple were sent to The Louve. Its horribly tempting to head over to Paris next weekend. Ugh, I forgot how much I loved Europe.