GREECE MAY 2025 (from the 11th to the 30th) Athens, Thessaloniki, Komotini and Veria.
Left Atlanta (May 11th) headed to JFK and then Athens, arrival in Athens (May 12th) around 1:00 PM. Great flight. Took a taxi from the airport to the flat Mary had helped me get (address was: Chremonidou 43 Pangrati (section of Athens) (only about a mile from the Acropolis)). Directions were to find the lock closest to the ground and what to do to unlock it and retrieve the key that unlocked the front door and the apartment. Once I did enter I wanted to shower and removed the power disk from the key to the apartment and put it in the hole to turn on the power. I then went to find something to eat, also Mary told me about where to go that she grew up in this area so on to Hondos (department store), to buy a tooth brush. (LOL) and Nikki at Stamatakis bakery: (so very nice) spoke some english. Mary's power was out for 6 hours and her phone was just about out of power. Mary was making tentative plans for us to meet on the morning of the 14th so I needed to be ready as the taxi picked me up. Mitera is located at Leoforos Dimokratias 65 Lion 13122, just to be ready. (have passport and id ready took my drivers license and military id.
Andonis was so excited to talk with me by phone I soon would be able to see him. I took a nap and went to the find something else to eat (fruit). Almost 10 PM I took two 10 mg melatonin to sleep and went right on to sleep. Woke the next morning and decided to go to the Plaka (antique district to find music) old music. I took a taxi only 12 euro and walked some to find nothing much. A lot of cds but not antiquity of music.
Some maps showing the Plaka versus the Acropolis versus where I was living.
Home by 6 PM was tired and crashed awaiting a very busy tomorrow at Mitera with Mary to have the taxi pick me up at 8 AM. (took 2 melatonin for sleep)
MAY 14th (Mary to pick me up at 8 AM to meet Patrick and Mckenna at Mitera) Mary was right on time with the taxi, picked me up at the front door, I was ready. We arrived several minutes before Patrick and Mckenna arrived, their taxi took them to the wrong place at first and Patrick made sure he did not mess up again. They finally arrived and we were introduced to Georgia (our case worker and went in to the meeting about Sandra), Patrick and Mckenna got all of Sandra's records and Mary wanted to leave quickly before city hall closed to get Sandra's original birth certificate (which we did, but before doing so), Patrick and Mckenna wanted to go to the room Sandra and I were adopted from. Very emotional, I had been twice before so I let Patrick and Mckenna go by themselves. Then we took a taxi down to the city hall of records where Mary did her Greek thing and got Sandra's original birth certificate. Once finished there we went to have lunch at Ladokola located just down from my apartment on ...... Once we finished lunch Mckenna went to her bathroom and me mine, I was still sick stomach and that rich souvalki I just ate didn't help. So Patrick and Mckenna went to get a coffee, Mary went to check on her husband and I struggled to the apartment. I took a long nap, called Andonis and walked down to get jock itch cream. I was embarrassed when I found out that the girl actually spoke English as I was jestering what it was I needed.
May 15th (made plans to go see Effie and Andrew), we had a great hug and Effie went to finish getting ready as Andrew finished showering and came out to talk with me about music. It was wonderful. I had brought some sweets I was not going to eat, from the bakery down from the apartment. She asked me where I wanted to go eat, of course Bobbi's (the place I wend in 1996, and 2010 with David) still my traditional place to go. Effie didn't want to go there but was willing to since I wanted to badly.
May 16th (FRIDAY) in bed early last night, to get up early to catch the plane to Thessaloniki) to arrive at 1:35 PM) Mary had the taxi at the apartment at 6 AM) Taxi picked me up at 6:10 AM) I didn't have to rush but once at the airport I had a 2 hour wait that went pretty quickly. I found my gate number (one hour before the flight) and boarded when they called for active or retired military and I had my military id). Flight was on time to leave and land, soon I'd get to see Andonis (at 1:40 PM). Once I arrived at Thessaloniki, Andonis was right there to meet me with a sign that read "SKOT" it was to precious. I gave him a big Greek kiss on both sides of the face.
I told Andonis I needed to go to a Pharmacy for the big D, he took me to Alexandria to where I met Jordan and Christina (Christina spoke fluent English and Jordan spoke broken English but good enough to communicate) Christina explained to him about the D and what I needed. Jordan also a novice in classical music showed me things on his computer that I will take back to the US with me. (see my phone for details) went to the bank got money and put money in the bank.
May 17th (Sat) (Komotini) up not so early. Tea shop, pharmacy to get meds for my knee, I took a bad fall last night in the shower; talked Andonis into going to Athens and got his ticket at ?? Travel in Komotini (I thought it was Malina, he says no, ??) anyway it was about 100 euro cheaper going through the travel agency for Andonis ticket also we were able to sit together) went to Coupa for orange drink and cookies with raisins, sight seeing around Komotini, water fountains, sword statue, Coupa is located at (Makedonias 21, Komotini 691 00, Greece) etc. lunch at a place Antonis picked out in Komotini (get name)** Tea shop was ** Andonis took me to his college where he will graduate in June and get his diploma in Political Science. The mountain range was incredible to see. Absolutely breathtaking.
May 18th (SUN) up not so early, headed to Paley Ohrodi (Old City), I had to stop on the way at the WC that by the way does not have toilet paper. Once there Sakis and Erini had lunch prepared for Andonis and myself. I got out of the car and Sakis had playing my Impossible Dream song from the you tube on his big speaker, it was really cool to hear it like I blast it in the studio. Sakis and Erini had been cooking all day. Kalamari, sea bass, red fish ?? pasari, shrimp, a real banquet. Salad and bread included.
Hung out and gave Sakis 20 euro for helping translate then we headed to Cryssa's. I asked Chryssa if Andonis could stay and not travel back to PH. She said yes and he stayed. I had pastichio the next morning and then toured her beauty shop. We would tour Thessaloniki in the morning.
MAY 19th (up and headed to buy music in Thessaloniki) Up ate pastischo Chryssa had made (I ate for breakfast) then she showed me Del'Art her hair styling salon. I needed a brush and she gave me one they sell. We toured Veria which last night was beautiful from the overlook and today with sunlight. We were ready for our trip. So Babbis and I in the front and Chryssa and Andonis in the back seat heading to Thessaloniki. Lunch was at a taverna in Thessaloniki, we went to Jumbo and got the kids things on the way to the airport we would stop in PH once more. I threw up at Jumbo still sick for something. Andonis helped as much as he could. I think it still was the water.
Music places visited were:
May 20th (Tues) up ready to drive from Cryssa's to Thessaloniki to turn in car and prepare for the flight to Athens) our flight was at 1, at 12:50 we still had not checked in. BUT then the guy showed up to check the car and we headed to the gate to fly to Athens. We cut it very close but were able to board when military guests were invited to board. We were able to sit together, I gave Andonis my seat (it was a window seat) I wanted him to have it.
the apartment Andonis and I stayed at was Plateia Mesologiou 2 Athens 116 34 Greece.
May 21st (Wed) up to visit acropolis and have lunch. There were Greek men playing instruments as we left the Parthenon heading the back way out heading into the Plaka. I was exhausted after climbing the Acropolis the wrong way, coming back down and walking back up the right way only to walk the Parthenon and then walk down to dinner. So by the time we got to the Plaka, Andonis was trying hard to get a taxi and we asked and got info where they usually are but then we stopped at a gift shop in which the girl helped us get a uber. I bought the boys gifts and we headed to the apartment.
May 22nd (Thurs) up to head to Effie's house to go to Sounion. A 45 minute drive but very nice. There the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion (history details) it was unbelievable, the temple was incredible. Once we finished there we headed to the Fish Restaurant north of Sounion and then back to Athens to a coffee shop near Effie's house. I had tea, Andonis and Effie had coffee and we all split an apple crumb cake the was wonderful.
May 23rd (FRI) up early to head to the Acropolis museum and Maria Callas museum. First the Acropolis museum. It was absolutely mind blowing how this marvel could be pulled off. So many artifacts. During lunch Andonis got a text from his boss saying "the time away from work" with his uncle he was fired. I told him to tell his boss "OK NO PROBLEM" that will give you a better time frame of when to come to America", next Andonis gave me a gift. Then we were off to the Maria Callas museum. It too was a work of art within itself. Andonis got me a Maria Callas coffee cup and t-shirt and I got him a t-shirt. The museum was fascinating because of all the artifacts of Maria Callas; then I don't know how Andonis knew, but he took me to the top floor which overlooked the road behind the museum which next door was a church, so beautiful and looking upward was the acropolis with the parthenon sitting atop. That night we had dinner next to the apartment at CIAO CIAO, very good pizza without tomato sauce.
MAY 24th (SAT) I was up crying, I didn't want to leave Athens or Andonis as we had such a great time together. We got a taxi at the corner and loaded our luggage and ready ourselves for the trip to the airport. Andonis flight was on the other side of the terminal (with a four hour layover) mine was only one and a half more hours and I was crushed. I made the best of it with text and ...About half way on the 13 hour flight I started couching and when I arrived in Atlanta, I had already booked the Motel 6 where I stayed and went to the Family Dollar. I had bought meds and thermometer. I had 101.4 took meds and went to sleep. Told the front desk I was sick last night and needed until 12 noon to check out. They allowed it. I arrived back to Columbia, stopped at the Carter's to tell them I was back and home to rest.. I went to the doctor on that next Tuesday. Took me a while to get over the cough but I was able to with drugs.
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