The Final Chapter of the Amazing Race Through Greece

As we neared Chania on Crete, I decided to stop for gas, (1.29 Eu/liter-the Arabs are screwing more than just we Americans…) and a pit stop. It was a BP station & I directed him to put in 10 Eu. I asked for the WC & he pointed to the upper floor of the station & said they were closed! What a jerk he was..We headed on & found another gas station & put in 10 more Euros worth. I was directed to their WC on the side of the building.

As I entered, I noted 2 doors within the area marked “Women” & “Men”. Feeling like I didn’t want a man to walk in while I was in there, I pushed the exterior door mostly closed. The WC doors in Greece are never the partial doors as in the US. It’s a full door. After using the toilet, I opened the interior door, washed my hands, and turned to open the exterior door. THERE WAS NO DOOR KNOB INSIDE! My claustrophobia kicked into high gear immediately with panic. I clawed at the top, side & bottom of the door. I started to cry & then screamed over & over for Dick. No one could hear me, though. I attempted to settle myself down, telling myself that someone would come eventually…Then, I kneeled down and was able to grab the side of the door that finally opened with a groan. I stumbled out into the fresh air. Thankfully I hadn’t closed the door all the way or there would have been nothing to grip.

I came around the side of the building & the young man who had finished putting gas in the car looked at me quizzically. I must have looked a sight, because he kindly asked if I was OK? I explained the situation & he was very concerned. I then asked for directions to our hotel, but it wasn’t familiar to him. I made it back to the car, bumping into a mop & bucket on the way. As we drove off, I explained what had happened to Dick & had to pull over to calm down for a few minutes.

Nearing Chania, we passed through a tourist-looking area. We had only been given the address “Old Venetian Harbor” in the paperwork, with the name of the hotel. As we drove, we left that area and felt we had gone too far. I saw an auto repair garage that was open and parked the car. I thought of my own sons who had worked in shops in the past and figured they’d be like my sons and want to be helpful. They were unfamiliar with the hotel, but called the tourist agency that was assigned to support our stay here on Crete. The woman said there wasn’t any staff to come to us, but spoke with one of the young men to explain our destination. Hanging up, he told us how to get back to the Centre, & then indicated we should stop once there to ask for subsequent directions.
We headed back down the road & found ourselves on narrowing, busy roads like we’d just left in Heraklion, but going downhill this time. Again begging God for assistance NOW, we kept moving toward the Centre. I was glad not to have to work the clutch like an uphill road would have required. Eventually, we got down to the bottom of the road & found ourselves at the dead end where the beach crossed. We made a U-turn & went back up the hill a bit, turned right & pulled over.

A young man passing by knew that the Old Venetian Harbor was, “right down there” as he pointed over to where the beach continued on. We pulled off in the direction, but saw a bus driver relaxing outside of his parked vehicle. Dick was told to turn around to get to the Harbor area and a subsequent young man said to park at the lot right at the beach and walk over because cars weren’t allowed in the Harbor! Gee, that might have been nice to know with information given by the agency.

We parked in the public lot and started walking along the beachfront. About 4 blocks down, among the narrow looming buildings, a modern structure overlooked the harbor…our hotel was actually a “Best Western” hotel…the Hotel Port Veneziano! I came to the conclusion that the day’s events indicated I wouldn’t be a good candidate for the “Amazing Race” TV show after all!
Our room was a perfect view of the harbor from the 3rd floor with a private balcony to relax on. Relieved, we went & grabbed our suitcases from the parked car, lugging them over the cobblestone streets.

Back out to explore, we decided we were hungry and found a DELICIOUS gelato shop. Along the edge of the harbor were numerous shops, restaurants and rooms to rent. We found a Maritime museum near our hotel and made note of it’s hours to explore the next day. As we walked, we saw a sign advertising outside a restaurant that offered “free smiles”. It made us laugh and the young man who was host asked if we wanted to come in, but we told him of our recent gelato. He started chatting about the passing tourists & we told him about the “angel” that had beckoned us into the restaurant the other day in Santorini. I told him how we’d been so tired and hungry and that this man appeared just when we needed him…like an angel. This man’s smile broadened as he said, “That’s MY name…Angel!” Oh my goodness! Even if it was a come-on, it was fun. We said our goodbyes, but said we may stop back when a full meal was needed. Later that evening, we did go back & thoroughly enjoyed our meal with our new Angel, who comped us with a delightful cake & icecream dessert, followed by Raki shots. Relaxed, we returned to our room & slept peacefully.

Saturday – 9/20/08
Happy Birthday, Greg- We think of you dear brother.

The morning was cloudy & we went down for breakfast. Afterwards, we walk to check on the car. There was a fine mist in the air. The car was OK and no ticket! The reception attendant at the hotel had indicated that they would take any tickets and resolve the issue if we got one. We never did…
We headed back towards the hotel & went into the Maritime Museum to see the replica that had been built to prove the strength of Minoan shipbuilding procedures.

Afterwards, it was drizzling harder, so we stopped at the hotel’s café for a frappe & a coke. Dick asked for the bottle since it was labeled for the Greek market & it was given to him. Returning to the room, the rain eased up. So, we decided to roam over to the breakwater walkway. Halfway down, we ended up on the 2nd level of the walkway. It was cobblestoned & narrower at points. Unfortunately we observed the toll that tourism has taken on the area with loads of rubbish on the sea-side of the breakwater. Even along the way, there was an area that appeared a wasteland of old café chairs, sitting & rotting in the sun. What a shame.

We made it out to the lighthouse at the end of the walkway and took pix of the harbor from this different aspect. Then, walking back, we found an elevated gravel trail that took us to the biggest ant hill in history! There were thousands of anthills teeming with big, black ants covering so much of the area it made my skin crawl! We’ve noticed so few bugs while in Greece. Doors & windows sit open, without screening & we’ve only seen an infrequent fly. (As I sit here in the room and write, I can hear classical music swelling in the air, the sounds of the waves & feel a lovely breeze coming in from the water…)

After the ant farm visit, we return to put our feet up. After a bit, we are out exploring again, taking the umbrella with us due to the return of cloudy skies. We find a place to have lunch that serves a “mixed grill” gyro – not on a pita. It’s grilled meat served over French fries with a yougurt dill sauce. Most of the restaurants continue to bring bread without asking & then charge for it…About 1.6 Eu…It was quite delicious though.

Needing to walk off some of the food, we walked around the shoreline to the north end of the harbor, spotting where we had dead ended in the car the day before! A nice English man offered to take our pic together. We chatted a bit with he & his wife.

Then, more shops! My purse, that had been brand new at the beginning of the trip, had a strap that was nearly broken. So, I looked for a leather replacement. I found one, but it was 23 Eu at the shop which I felt was too much. I found the exact same purse in another shop for 15Eu! I bought it and a pendant in silver with the familiar “eye” style for casual wear. Along the way, we see a vendor selling a nut sweet that we had when on Santorini – a peanut covered by a sugar glaze and rolled in sesame seeds. We tell ourselves that it must be healthy since it’s a nut! We went in an advertised ice cream shop, but it really wasn’t as good as the gelato and WAY too over-priced. As we sat eating the ice cream, the rain returned and poured. Not subsiding, we gathered our purchases glad they were in plastic bags. The umbrella was minimal help as we headed back to our cozy hotel.

Putting on dry clothes, we relax. I journal and Dick does Sudoku…He’s addicted!
By the time 9:30pm rolls around, it’s the Greece time for supper. The wind is really whipping up a cold & crazy breeze off the sea. Thinking we’d stay in the hotel to eat, we find out that they only serve breakfast. We end up at a place that has removable glass enclosures for their outdoor restaurant. They are putting them in to protect the many customers inside. I had noticed this place was always packed with Greeks and so we followed Fodor’s suggestion by dining where the locals do. We are seated and don’t hear a speck of English being spoken. The waiter takes our order for “ the mixed seafood grill”. When it comes, I am surprised to find it all deep-fried and laden with tentacles! I said I felt like Anthony Bourdain, about to dig into the unknown entrée! Not a big fan of deep-fried food, I was pleasantly surprised at the fresh crunch & velvety flavors. A bread, similar to sourdough, was served with the grill & we ate until full. The meal was 20 Eu, plus drinks. The Greek people are interesting to watch in restaurants. They appear to love to gather, graze & talk very intently with each other. Afterwards, we were brought 2 slices of a gelatinous cake, watermelon & a carafe of raki, with the waiter saying, “There’s always room for dessert!” The watermelons have been WONDERFUL here in Greece. Finishing up with the raki, we fought the wind back to our hotel, full of food & fun on Crete.

Sunday – 9/21/08
Up to get ready for our transfer to Athens. We had asked directions to the airport & have our map ready. I’m so glad to get this last driving part over and done with! We will return our car at the airport. Anticipating the driving is like waiting for the dentist to do some major work without the benefit of anesthesia. I’ve prayed & begged God for help, reading my meditation in the morning to strengthen me!

At breakfast, we enjoy the food. Each hotel has offered what appears to be dry oatmeal in a bowl. I’ve enjoyed it a few times, with raisins and a bit of honey. I really enjoy it and will try to do this at home since I despise washing the kettle of cooked oatmeal!

The rain has stopped this morning, and there’s a coolness to the air. Out beyond the breakwater, the waves are higher & crash harder against it. Guess I’ll need the jacket today. We relax on the balcony, too early to go to the airport…Guess what Dick is doing???? Yep, Sudoku. I read & journal.

After a bit, we get our suitcases hauled to the car. Still no ticket! Coming back, we check out of the hotel and head back to the shop area to kill some time. We had thought we’d do a horse/buggy ride, but couldn’t find any this Sunday morning. Even the gelato shop was closed!!!!

Wandering back, we see Angel waving to us from his restaurant. We go over and tell him we’re leaving. We tell him he should visit the US. He says he has a cousin in Cleveland, Ohio and we let him know that is not too far from WI. I tell him he can visit & I would cook him dinner! We laugh and shake hands good-bye.

As we near the parked car, my heart begins to race & my tummy is loaded with anxiety. I tell myself, “Pray, breathe deeper…” We check the map before setting out. The clerk’s directions get us started, all the while ascending on those congested, narrow streets. At one point, I have to stop for a light while still positioned uphill. Yep, I stalled it trying to take off, but that was the only time all day.

Soon, clearly marked “Airport” signs guided us to flatter & wider roadways. I didn’t want to say “We made it!” until we’d gotten to the Airport in case there were more treacherous roads to come. Thankfully, though, that’s it! The highway widens & within 10 minutes we’re pulling into the Airport. We arrived 3 hours earlier than the Thrifty Car Rental rep was scheduled to meet us. Thinking their office would be off-site, we parked in the attended lot. Going into the airport, we find other shops and car rental outlets, but nothing for Thrifty. Another renter indicates that other agencies represent multiple companies and share responsibilities. Not one claimed Thrifty, though. The lot attendant had seemed friendly when we first pulled in, so we walked out to her booth as it began to drizzle. The kind girl listened to our plight; called the number we had, spoke in Greek to someone & then said, “Wrong number”. Then, she called a number she had & handed the phone to me. The man knew our name and he instructed us to leave the keys with the attendant. We were FREE OF THE CAR!!! Yay!!!! I didn’t have an accident, cause an accident or kill anyone!!!!! No more driving in foreign countries for me unless it’s Canada!

The rain poured down as we returned to the airport lobby to wait for our departure. We found our flight on the board, noting the time & gate. Now we veg & wait until the plane leaves at 4:05pm to Athens. We read that the hotel we’ll be staying at in Athens is the Hotel Sofitel & we decide that if no one meets us at the airport, we can get a taxi to the hotel.

Time to leave & we head toward the gate. This being a smaller airport, the planes don’t pull up to the building to board. We are all loaded on buses with SRO hand-hold straps. A quick ride to the plane and the boarding stairs, we find the plane is a three seats on either side plane & I grab the aisle seat. An older woman, from San Francisco, takes the window seat and Dick takes the middle. This is an Aegean Air flight & the trip only lasts about 40 minutes. The flight attendants still manage to serve the passengers drinks & peanuts in that short of time!

As we land in Athens, it is so much cooler than when we’d left, in the upper 60’s. We looked for a representative, but none had been indicated on the itinerary. Dick sees a sign saying “hotel”, and we follow it. The doors open & it’s right there!!!! The Airport Sofitel is a walk across the street! Certainly no taxi is needed…We laughed & head over to the modern 9 story structure.

Checking in, the desk-person tells us we’ve been upgraded. This is the 3rd time on this trip of 7 hotels that we’ve been upgraded! Up to the 4th floor, we open the door to a HUGE room with a view of the nearby mountains. The bath area is actually a glass enclosure with a tub, 2 alternate shower heads and a bench, with the toilet in a separate room. We decide this is the PERFECT bathroom arrangement. There’s even a speaker for the TV in the bathing area!

After settling in, we go to find a meal. The costs were quite ridiculous in the hotel “French” restaurants, so I suggest we walk back over to the airport & enjoy something from one of the cafes.

We find some sandwiches to enjoy. Another shop called “Chocoland” has pastries and sweets. We pick up an assortment box, thinking they were traditional Greek pastries. They end up being various nougats, cookie-cluster bits and crèmes all drenched in a semisweet chocolate.

We head back to the hotel to relax and enjoy some of the treats. I had purchased a “mini” ouzo in Chania, thinking it would be a shot, but found it was actually 200 ml. Dick doesn’t care for the ouzo, so I had been pacing myself to finish the bottle the last couple of days before we would take our flight home, knowing it wouldn’t pass inspection. So I finished it here in Athens. We slept well in our luxurious room.

Monday – September 22, 2008
We went down for our breakfast & were again pleased with the buffet items. Dick found dried figs & said his mother had served them to the family at times when he was a kid. I grabbed an extra honey since it was in a tiny glass jar labeled “Greek Honey”.

After filling up, we return to relax until our flight to Frankfurt on Lufthansa is boarded. It won’t leave until 1:50 pm. I’m glad to be going home. Coworkers have told me about their episodic depression when returning from vacations, but I don’t think their one week of vacation gave them the opportunity to get tired of being away! This 2 weeks is just long enough to show me how blessed I am to live where I do and have the people that I have in my life! An odd occurrence I’ve noticed while being here is that in the sea of faces, someone’s face will strike me as familiar; one of the kid’s friends, people from church or a coworker! It’s odd how someone’s doppelganger reminds me of home. I will gladly kiss my children’s faces & Olivia’s too! I wonder how much she’s grown since we’ve been gone. Ben & Jenn will be home for a visit by the time we arrive for Jenny & Sam’s wedding. Oh yes, many hugs & kisses…

The Athens airport is loaded with designer shops, but we’re tired of shopping! So, we sit & watch the people go by.

Getting on the Lufthansa plane, it’s an easy transfer to Frankfurt. Unfortunately, there’s no time to investigate the city of my birth since our transfer is due to take off in 1 hour. Dick takes one pic of me in the Frankfurt airport to memorialize the moment. We had noticed beautiful rivers winding through the surrounding countryside as we had flown in.

Boarding our final flight home, we find it’s a wonderful Airbus plane. Monitors allow us to choose movies & a couple of TV episodes, as well as observe a graphic of our progress along the way. The time passes more quickly this flight as we watch “What Happens in Vegas”, “Drillbit Taylor” & an episode of “Monk”. The WC area is actually down some stairs and is a bay of 8 WC’s.
We’re served a nice meal of pasta or beef. All during the flight, the attendants offer water, juice, soda, wine & beer. Given a pillow, blanket and comfortable head-rest, I catch a bit of a nap during the 9 hour flight back to O’Hare. With gaining 8 hours of time on the flight back, it is mostly sunlit & my body doesn’t want to sleep much. We are given a Customs Declaration form during the flight & find that US citizens are allowed to bring back $800 worth of goods without duty being necessary, which is a relief. We hadn’t known what the restrictions were.

We land & got in a long line to get through the checkpoint. It moved pretty quickly & we passed with just a couple of questions & a glance at our passports. Getting our luggage, we pass through the Customs checkpoint, with only a cursory glance at the form we had filled out. We mustn’t look like smugglers!
We just missed a scheduled Wisconsin Coach bus, so we sit for about an hour waiting for the next one. We board & within minutes, I’m sound asleep. Oh my, the exhaustion was really profound. We’d been up for nearly 24 hours, with only the one short nap on the plane. We made a couple of stops; Kenosha, Racine, Mitchell and then reached our 13th street station. I had called Mom from Racine & she was waiting to whisk us home. As she drove, she pointed out some new road construction & I realized I had NO IDEA where we were! All the traveling & exhaustion were very apparent. Soon, we were pulling into our driveway. A quick snack, a quick cleanup & we hit the sack….HARD!

Tuesday – September 23, 2008
Getting up this morning was such an odd experience. My body felt like I was still in Greece, but my rational mind kept saying, “No, you’re home!” I’m finally settling into “home” and have to say that I’ve got such a renewed appreciation for our life here in the USA! We’re so blessed with the available services & freedoms, all right at hand. Even something as simple as going to Pick ‘n Save, where anything I want is available for purchase at a reasonable price! One Greek island had a PINT of sorry-looking strawberries that cost $10 USD! It was a wonderful adventure to go to Greece, with many FANTASTIC experiences. I’m so glad Dick & I got to share this adventure. But it’s true, there’s no place like home!

13 days
7 hotels
5 airplane flights
5 ferry rides
4 islands
3 scary rent-a-car journies
2 people
1 trip of a lifetime
Innumerable memories!!!!!!!!