More from the traveling journal

Though I should point out that all of this is scribbled out in my size 8 writing on the backside of pages in my sketchbook, because I wasn't sure if I was going to be writing this until I was (but at least it's not the Denial Until Past the Sixth Chapter, and Possibly Beyond scenario).

Right-o.

July 1, 11

Breakfast at Athens Studios consists of toast, tomatoes, boiled eggs and either instant coffee or Lipton tea, but it was still breakfast that our lodge provided. Considering the quality of our rooms, I'm not inclined to complain.

After a few leisure hours during which both Annie and I let our friends know that we were alright (via Facebook, of all things, because our internet is sketchy and does not like Gmail), we went on the walking tour (5 euros) offered by Athen's Backpackers, which took us past (but not through) Hadrian's gate, Temple of Zeus, Zappeion, Stadiou square (which was closed), and the National Gardens (closed due to strike & violence at the Parliament Building the day before), where apparently a popular president / king once died by monkey.

Interesting. Hearing it, then thinking about it, then writing about it, and then typing it up STILL does not make that particular story any less strange.

Shortly afterwards we had our first encounter with tear gas, as the streets between Syntagma Square and the Parliament Building was coated with the stuff from the stuff from the day before, and the residue alone was enough to make our noses sting and throats sore (though thankfully my eyes didn't water v. much compared to some of the others). After a quick vote, we decided to proceed through the temporarily open square (the entire area was blocked off yesterday), since we are in Athens, and we could see evidence of the disastrous riot from the night before everywhere. We went through the shaken downtown, Athen's "Fifth Avenue", and paused by Mitropoli before we were lead through the touristy area to Monastery Square, where we learned the existence of a delicious souvlaka kebab-sandwich for less than 2 euros each. (The fruit stands there also sold v. cheap fruits and so I got a kilo of nectarines.) From there we passed by Hadrian's library / Tower of Windws, Roman Agora, Ancient Agora, before ascending the hill for our last stop before the acropolis. At that point the sun was insane so we retired back to our hostels until we decided to venture to the cemetery by Ag. Theodori later, which was v. nice & tree-lined, but unfortunately also full of mosquito. That were overly fond of me. Whose bite, it turned out, I was allergic to. I'm afraid our visit there was cut short soon after. We returned to break, once again, in our hostel until early evening when we went out to hunt down the "traditional Greek cruisine" that our tour guide promised us and found that it was run by an Australian.

We wavered between hilarity and indignation.

The food was still good though, and we meandered over to Filopapou Hill after to see the Acropolis at sunset and I was persuaded

Yes, despite of my night-blindness.

to watch the lights of the city and the Acropolis come on. And I saw a shooting star.

I like cities at night, but Athens does not compare to San Francisco, but because I was not gazing at the city as much I was able to see my star, which, for me, made the entire thing worthwhile. So it worked out.

Exhausted. Sleep now.