Berlin and Amsterdam

WHOA- fast 5 days! Now that we have officially begun backpacking, times flies...mostly due to the fact that the majority of your time is spent in transit. I really enjoyed Berlin and wish I would have had more time there. We stayed in the most lush hostel. It Felt like the four seasons of the hosteling world, large rooms, feather pillows, swanky reception and cafe. OH MY GOD you should have seen the spread they had as a brunch buffet. My mouth was watering just from looking at it. The best part was that it was only 19 euro a night, oh and the buffet...5...for all you can eat! Oh I was a happy girl. 

We had a very rough night the evening before we got to Berlin- this was in due part to the fact that I got reprimanded for sleeping in the airport. I understand certain places has certain regulations in place, but i still have no idea why I was the one chosen out of the thousands sleeping amongst the stinky floor and uptight chairs to be told of these said regulations. The security man basically told me he would be watching me from cameras to make sure i do not 'make a bed' for myself, whatever that means. Anywho the Sarahs (2 girls that I am with the rest of the trip till Thailand) and I sat in McDonalds all night. I would have rather slept outside. 

We fought back our needs to collapse in bed to join the hostel for a 6 hour walking tour of Berlin. We saw all the main sites and enjoyed the crisp fall air ( it was 35'C in Athens when we left, 15'C in Berlin...)  We had a great dinner of Brats and big soft Pretzels. It was great to have a change of cuisine, I was rather sick of Greek food.

The following day I went and got all my tickets situated (I am coming home 20 days early, too much fun = spending too much money :) Then we went to the topography of terror exhibit that was set up in old Gestapo headquarters. It also happened to be right in the West side of the Berlin wall and the last remaining bits of the wall are right behind the exhibit. It was quite powerful. We also went to the Reichstag- we wanted to go in, but the line was as long as the line for Splash Mountain circa 1995. I left early the next morning for Amsterdam.

I went from the Four Seasons to the most unsanitary place ever. It was disgusting. I procrastinated a bit on reserving my hostel so was left to bare minimums. The location was key so that was ok. One of my roomates was a hippie from Spokane, and was studying in Tel Aviv (sp?). I was in Amsterdam by myself so wanted to acquaint myself with someone quickly. He was great, his entire bed was spread with food. Granola, Raisins, Pita, Peanut Butter, really typical. Oh and he had one pair of underwear for a month...

We went to the Anne Frank house that night. Words really can;t describe the deeply profound effects that that house had over me. I distinctly remember in the 5th grade going to Mrs. Fox's reading closet and selecting the Diary to read. I have been waiting to see that house since then. 

I popped a few sleeping pills to distract my mind from thinking too much about my surroundings and passed out.

The next day it was absolutely gorgeous out! I signed myself up for a bike and boat tour of the city (free Heineken included). That was a great way to see the city. I met some awesome people and really got to enjoy Amsterdam on my last day! Now I am in Staines, England right outside London with my two good girlfriends from Mataponi. Steph hasnt left for Uni yet so we are at her parents house. I AM LOVING IT. Her mom is so nice and is cooking lovely meals and I get to do my laundry and sleep in a real bed. Today we went to Windsor Castle. It was nice, but just nice. Next is London, Edinburgh and Glasgow then on to meet up with the Sarahs in Paris!

Arrival Back in Athens

I fell. In a Metro station that would be equivalent to the subway stop at 42nd street and Times Square. Totally packed. I hopped off the train with my Ruck Sack, Day Pack and purse tightly secured. You see as I was trying to make an effort to fit in I bought a pair of authentic hand made gladiator Greek sandals. They have no friction on the sole which is not a good match for perfect seamed marble floors. I took one step and bam, into the splits- but because I had so much weight on my back, I flew backwards and was upside down like a turtle. Flayling, in a packed subway. Cecelia was too far in front of me to hear me and there I was left to my own devices. No one was helping me. It took ALL my ab strength to pull myself up. Which obviously was a stretch considering my fabulously fit physique. With that embarressment behind me we headed to our hostel.

Today we visted our old school and saw all our old teachers. They are fabulous and made me miss this place. I have no idea why I have such a fondness to it, but I cant help it. I guess its really just the people that makes Athens feel like home to me...even though no one helped me up.

Mykonos- Party Central!

After our night under the stars, we arrived in Mykonos. Mykonos is the 'Party' island and didn't disappoint, even considering we were there late in the season. We met up with Heron, Sarah and Sarah the first night at Paradise Beach. This is where we would call home for a very LONG 5 nights... The other girls left there Tent (yes they stayed in a canvas abode) the next morning and Cece and I spent the next four days by ourselves and the 300 other guests at paradise.

I have never camped. Shasta is the closest I had been before this experience. I have been becoming exceedingly less 'high matience' these days in an effort to prolong my trip (yes i think I have to come home earlier than planned:() and save a few pennies. We opened our "Beach Cabin" door to find, four walls, two beds and mosquito smeared blood on all the walls with the accompanying shoe prints from those past guests trying to get rid of the nesty buggers. This is what you get for 15 Euros. I had made it a point to only spend 10 Euros a day. This is hard on the most expensive island and still have fun, so, I had a 2.50 Euro and budgeted the rest to booze. No I am not an Alchoholic. We went into town and I bought Carrots and a Nectorine. that was 1.50 and dinner night two. This however was a segway to a conversation with some Australians (dear god i think there is more of them in Europe tha actual Europeans!) They were great and we became fast friends.

That night we did some more people watching at Club Tropicana. This place starts blaring the music at 5 pm and stops at about 12 am, so people can go get rid of there day fade, or go and primp for the eveing out. I dont really consider Portland to be a place that has many clubs or at least I dont frequent places like Tropicana. Women and Men of many ages in thongs dancing there hearts out while there are countless sloppy makeouts at 5 pm. All i could think about was the fact that my parents would be so proud that this is where I had ended up on my Around the World trip...Oh there was also a great tranny who LOVED dancing on a table in nothing but a luxurious one piece with a fanny pack strategiously placed over his/his unmentionables. I followed her into the bathroom to confirm. Minute her mouth opened...

We had a few great nights out, late night swims and met lots and lots of foreign guys, despite Mykonos reputation for being predominantly gay. All in all I dont think I need to do Mykonos again for a long time. At least till I have my own Yacht and can dock there...

Purse or Pillow?

After we left Rhodos and I left my future husband Claus, we headed to Mykonos via Syros. We promptly arrived at the port at a lively 2:30 am and had nowhere to stay till our 11 am ferry to Mykonos. Marble slab slightly covered? Why not looks pretty comfy...Cecelia and I spent the night outside. Like bums. I propted my big backpack up, opened my sleeping bag, slid in and used my purse as my pillow and I slept, surprisingly well considering the environment. I find this quite interesting considering I never really felt that I could relate to any bums before. This was also in a way quite comforting considering the world markets ;)

Rhodos

I am currently awaiting a very torturous night ahead- ferry to syros till 2 am, then i wait in the harbor for 8 hours and await a 11:30 ferry to Mykonos. Hell. Especially after the last 2 days and nights Cecelia and I have experinced here on Rhodes, the 2nd biggest greek island.

We arrived at the what we were thinking was going to be a 'splurge' at the cosmopolitan Hotel Europa. No this was 'Hotel Shitropa '- literally smelled of it. I wore flip flops always and our room was an old janitors closet. We were room 101, the only room on the 1st floor...We watch 90210 here everyday a 6 pm, it is a ritual and thus can not be sacrificed. This proved to be a big difficult with the ancient bunny ear antenaes. Literally had to rig the device to try and eliminate some of teh fuzz. It was hanging from the wall with varying levels of books at different angles and still i had the pshhhhh in and out. Oh well at least Donna Martin graduated.

SO leads me to the Danish boys we met night one at a bar called Ibiza. Initally Cece and I were just chilling milking the free drinks from the very attractive male staff. Then Cecelia was mistaken for the one and only Paris Hilton herself. So long story short had a lovely conversation and they insisted that we go on a scooter ride with them the next day. I woke up after a late night gyro and wondered if that would actually happen. We walked out of Shitropa and there was Claus. We scooted around the island all together and had a blast. Peter, who thinks Cece is Paris is a real kick in the pants, Claus is the well mannered, manture friend and Jacob is inevitably the 3rd wheel. We spent our entire time here with them- really remined me of my guy friends back home (they even wear botton down stripped shirts...trav, Sman, Dan...matchy matchy). They taught us some Danish games and insisted we were from California...

SO off to Mykonos, the final Greek destination!

The Dominator!

Rented a Quad today with Cece- SOOOO fun. We managed to do the entire island and later we are going up to the highest point to watch the sunset, I know romantic. I plan on seducing her ;). My butt is suffering from perma vibrations and i am just getting all the scum off my feet, which leads me to my next point...my Chacos. These are my 'sport' sandals. I look like a hippy and would never be caught in public in them, well that is anywhere where i would actually know someone. I say this knowing that I plan on meeting my future husband while abroad and should be caring about my appearence, but for some reason I LOVE wearing my Chacos. Maybe its because I feel like a real travelers, not one who packed 7 pairs of shoes and already had to leave 2 pairs behind...anywho this is just so ya know, my fashionable family members and friends dont think I turned to the 'darkside' after seeing pics with my oh-so fashionable, manolo look-alikes, tan with pink flower CHACOs.

SJP

Yes, Sarah Jessica Parker has sailed into Kos. Accompanied by her wonderful husband and aborable child- they arrived on a yacht into Kos town yesterday. We were lucky enought to be in town that night and got a minor glimps. She ordered in Greek and was not bad- u go SJP!

Tingaki, Kos

Been in Kos now for about a week. Have one more week left. We just said good bye to one friend, Laura Carroll, who lives in Seattle and had to go back to work, and Sarah Sumpter just got here. Basically on vacation at the moment. This island reminds me alot of eastern Oregon. Flat, then lots of moutains. The beaches are amazing and we took a all day cruise to 3 of the neighboring islands last Friday. That was a blast and Cecelia and I went snorkeling and nearly died. Today we went for an all day bike ride, trying to find a natural hot spring but failed miserably. This may have been because we were getting into the moutain region and NONE of us are fit enough at teh moment to be moutain biking. This is probably in due part to the fact that all we do is eat. We immediatly wake up, wondering and planning what we are going to consume in a mere 8 hours for dinner. This normally after our morning Nescafe and various bakery items. My favorites are...Tyropita (feta filled philodough), chocolate crossiants, Spanikopita, and I have been dying to treat myself to one of thier many Scrumcious massive donuts.
We had a lovely night out for Laura's last night and ordered a veritible schmorgaesboard, fried octopus, stuffed tomatoes, fried cheese, Moussaka, Baklava and a few liters of wine, this brings me to our night following dinner.

The previous night we frequented a 'club' called Mascot, we drank over priced Mythos (Greek beer) had a million free shots of apple pucker ( why they and those i have no idea??) and sang a beautfil rendition of Liek a virgin. So fittingly we went again and signed Sarah up for a solo round of Karoeke to Backstreet boys. I just told her cecila was getting the DJ to download 'Paperplanes'. Anywho, she ended up totally dominating and rocked the cordless mic. The 'strip' of Tingaki where we are staying is a guess a favorite of older Brits. These clubs, if not filled with sketchy Albanian's are then filled with 40 and 50 somethings getting massivly drunk and dancing likeools. AKA probably me and cecila on hiliday in twenty years... We went to a few more bars in teh area and were then given the customary free shots, even though we were told to avoid anything we didnt see opened...we are all alive and kicking so i guess we're ok. So baically dominating the D floor everywhere we go and being the youngest people by far is basically what the night out's here are like ( mascot has a stripper pole, man can those mama Brits get down ;))

Anywho- from here, Cecelia and I are going to Rodes, Ios, ect... then off to Berlin, Amsterdam and then off to the UK to visit alot of old friends which i am very excited about!