Ugh.  Sometimes, traveling blows.

We missed our ferry from Bari, Italy to Greece on the day were shooting for (due to a train departure misunderstanding from Naples), so we took a free night train back to Rome to save money and waste time rather than shacking up in an expensive hotel in Bari.  Once we got to Rome in the morning, we then caught another train back to Bari to catch our ferry that night.  Little did we expect that the train ride would be straight outta hell.  Imagine the most jam-packed, overflowing train ever.  Then mulitply by a thousand.  No joke, the train ride was six hours long and people were standing in isles, in hallways, in bathrooms, in the areas by the doors…anywhere someone could fit their body.  Everyone was pretty much bathing in each other’s body odor and personal bubbles were definitely invaded for the entire six hours.

Picture how two train cars connect.  In the space between the sliding doors of each train car, there is flimsy rubber around the ceiling and walls to keep most of the rushing air out when someone is walking from one train car to the next.  To walk on top of, there are two constantly shifting metal planks that turn and creek when the train goes around a bend.  You can see the ground passing below you and it is freezing, especially in December.  This miniscule area is where I stood (and tried to “sit”) for six long hours.  Just me, my huge backpack (which took up most the darn sitting space) and my iPod.  Praise God for iPods.  Ha, it was absolutely miserable!  Zach was standing in a tiny hallways with dozens of other passengers, and Ben was able to grab a coveted floor position by the bathroom.  It was pretty hilarious when all was said and done.  But we really needed to shower.

We ferried to Corfu, a small Grecian island off the west coast of mainland Greece.  We weren’t even planning on going to Corfu at all, but we met a couple nice American young ladies from Oregon and they convinced us to spend Christmas with them.  We are always suckers for kickin’ it with fellow Pacific Northwesterners so we couldn’t say no.  Next thing we knew, we were heading for Corfu and a small hostel (but really more of a bed and breakfast) on a gorgeous beach in the middle of nowhere.  Just what the doctor ordered.

Ferry 

The family we stayed with has been running their “hostel” for 16 years, but it was much more the equivalent of a summer vacation resort.  She cooked us free breakfasts of French Toast and omlets and also made massive suppers of tantalizing original Greek entrees.  They were some of the most hospitable and most welcoming families we’ve met.  They had two small sons; one who was a talkative 10 year old and an autistic 8 year old.

 

Pelekas Beach: the view from our hostel’s balcony

We had a bonfire on the beach our first night and a few of the Greek guys jammed on their instruments

Zach posing while 12 inches from raw, unadulterated death below

Probably one of my most vivid and fulfilling memories of our entire Europe trip was on Christmas day.  After a hike into the hills and a hefty nap, we got a knock on our door and an invitation to come up for a special meal.  Little did we expect that this was THE big Christmas dinner bash, complete with the extended family, fancy attire, and enough Greek food to satisfy an army of puberty-ridden male adolescents in the midst of sporadic growth spurts.  Toward the end of the dinner, our host mom got up and turned on traditinal Greek music and began Greek dancing with her family around the table.  People would grab hands, some lifted high into the air, and dance around the 20 ft. dining table with an occasional Greek ”HEEEY!” yelp.  Soon more and more people were grabbed into the dance-train and soon Zach and myself were coaxed in as well.  They had some fancy Greek footwork going on, but I just did my best to keep up with the flow of the dance. 

I can’t describe the feeling – I felt so honored and blessed to witness such a unique, foreign tradition happening.  Of course I felt wildly awkward and out of place, but as we circled the table at least a few dozen times with the sound of Greek music blaring, I realized that this is the essence family: everyone celebrating, participating and enjoying each other in their customary ways.  Next, all the men circled up, took a knee and clapped to the music as the women and small kids would twirl around on the inside and dance.  It was a night I will never, ever forget.

Dancing around the table

No doubt, the best meal we’ve had in months

Some of the Greek guys wanting in on our photography session

After three nights in Corfu it was time to pack up camp and take another awful 7 hour long bus ride (8pm-3am) to Athens.  We literally got into Athens at 3am and ended up sleeping on a sidewalk until we were awakend by the cops at 7am and were told to get up and move.  So we found an available hostel and settled into downtown Athens.  Athens was a mediocre city: it was quite dirty and was still stuck in the 2004 Olympics mentality, but rich in fascinating history.  We toured the Acropolis, which was under massive restoration so everything was pretty cluttered with scaffolding and construction tools.  It’s hard to comprehend that the Parthenon was built in 500 BC and still stands as it does today.  Incredible.

Jumping the Parthenon with stoic pizazz

The Odeon of Herodes Atticus: the famous ampitheatre built in 161 AD.

Next, we decided to ditch the clogged metropolitain Athens area and retreat to another small island, Aegina, a couple hours from Athens.  We just couldn’t get enough of the island atmosphere.  We rented mopeds and tore up the entire island for 4 hours.  Praise God, we were blessed with outstandingly warm weather as we let loose on our bikes. 

We made Hell’s Angels tremble with fear

Verdict: we loved Greece.  It was one of my favorite countries right up there with Ireland, Scotland, Spain and Switzerland.  Next up: Israel, Jordan and Egypt.  This is where things might get a little sketchy, folks, so apologies in advance if it takes me a while to post an update.  We might be in the middle of a desert somewhere.  Praise God for keeping us safe, for providing our daily bread, and for placing people in our paths to direct us.  Jesus has blessed us considerably on this trip and is continuing to draw us closer to Him.  Thank you, anyone who reads this blog, for all your continued prayers.

Cheers!

- I Love you all and here’s to a VERY HAPPY 2008 -

Matt