Janice Weightman, Page 95

Day 5 of Cruise – Athens, Greece (Thurs., 7/11/19)

Athens was a bit overwhelming for just one day, so we opted for the “Hop On Hop Off” bus tour.  There was about 17 stops, including the Acropolis. 
It was fun riding at the top, having the shade and the nice breeze.

They gave us headphones so we could listen in English during the tour.

I thought it was interesting to see an Irish Pub in Greece.

Lots of graffiti in Greece, especially in Athens.

Don’t hold me to this, but I think that is the Olympic stadium in the background.  You can see the Peace & Friendship stadium in the far background.

Peace & Friendship Stadium
Learning Moment thanks to WIKI:  The Peace and Friendship Stadium, commonly known by its acronym SEF, is a multi-purpose indoor arena that is located in Piraeus, on the coastal zone of Athens, Greece. The arena is mostly known for being the home to EuroLeague team Olympiacos, and is the central venue of the Faliro Coastal Zone Olympic Complex.

This is how close vehicles are on the roads.  We were so close to the next Hop On Hop Off bus, that people were giving high fives between the two vehicles.

Marble is beautiful, but can be slippery to walk on.

They still hold concerts and events here.

You can see the Acropolis at the top.

Ladies bathroom at the Acropolis.

Truly “pinch me moments” to be so close to so much history.  Busy day at the Acropolis.  They said it was a record number of visitors the day we arrived, 100,000 for the day.

Athens, such a bustling city with a mix of history, shopping and a business district.

The smell of the strawberries when you walked by was heavenly!

Lots of little cobblestone streets for souvenir shopping.  Prices were very reasonable.

Our oldest daughter used to work at Starbucks in the states and wanted a tourist ornament, a coffee cup with Greece on it.  Fortunately, it was only 100′ from where we were.  They had an armed guard inside with a bullet proof vest.  When we paid we received a receipt with a four digit code.  The code was the number to punch in to use the Starbucks bathroom.

They smiled when I asked if they made the “pink drink”.  The barista compromised and made something as close to it as she could.

Most people in Greece speak English and were very friendly.  They learn English starting in elementary school.

Stay tuned tomorrow and I will share more from Athens.

FB Live tonight at 8 pm 
Stop on by the Stampahowlic Stampers FB group.
I will be sharing some of my latest arrivals from the Holiday catalog.

Winner for today’s drawing is:  Kathy Meyer
Look for happy mail!!!

Tuesday Smiles:

Back to sharing our SU incentive trip.  Day 4 (Weds., July 10) our ship stopped at Mykonos.  I think we felt it was one of those hidden gems.  We had no excursions planned that day.  The goal was to get off of the ship and wing it.

Before we got off the ship, we had to stop and get a healthy breakfast.  🙂  I only eat “Fruit Loops” on vacations.

We receive a padded vest for our pillow gift last evening.  SU stylin’!

Today’s Hospitality Suite prize!!!  A little sparkle is a good thing!

Our view of Mykonos after we got off the ship.  We only got a brief glimpse of one side of Mykonos, but I would describe it as a touristy fishing village.

Time to explore!

The water is so clear!

There is something about the doors that just capture your attention.

Paul playing tourist, checking out a map.

Time to stop for lunch.  This ended up being our favorite restaurant of the entire trip.  Love the cork menus.

Got to love being able to eat outdoors, near the water and all of the people.

I loved the entire ambiance of this place!

I fell in love with sparkling lemon aid in Greece!

Honestly, the best meal we had the entire trip.  It was unbelievably fresh and the cucumber dill was perfection.  Paul and I shared all of our meals off the ship.  It was rare we spent more than 20 euros on a meal.

Life is good!

Even the tables were pure art!

I would love to have a dining room table like this.

Even the bathroom was swoonworthy!

How fun is this tile?

Good thing they posted this sign. I could see how it could easily be mistaken for a trash bin.

We did a little souvenir shopping and then it was time for a gelato break.  My favorites are mango and coconut.

If I were to go back to Mykonos, I would visit the windmills and try a Greek cooking class.  I definitely would like to go back and see more of Greece.

Such a beautiful part of the world!

Time for dinner on the ship, shrimp alfredo.

Such lovely and delicious dinners!

Pillow gift of the night; a cosmetic or craft bag that coordinates with our DSP.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post, when I share our visit to Athens.

Paul and I took a quick selfie after yoga yesterday.  It was good to remember that there is so much beauty in our local area.  We love the wildflowers.

Winner for today’s drawing is:  Deb Hagberg
Look for happy mail!!!

Monday Smiles…

I love this one!!!

Yesterday was Stamp Camp at the Huntley Park District.  We had a great turn out.  Camp is an important part of summer!!!

Lots of displays!

My husband Paul helps to get everyone registered.

Some of our helpers and Stampahowlic teammates.

SO glad that Gale Meyer could stop by and be part of the day!

Our twelve make and take projects from the morning.

We had Willow’s burial yesterday afternoon out at family land.  Lots of woods. Very peaceful
We shared our favorite memories, each read of part of the Rainbow Bridge poem and said a prayer.  We planted one of Bumpa’s oak tree saplings on top of her burial site.  Earlier in the day we were talking to a friend and she said to pay attention to signs.  After some of her dogs had passed, she felt there were signs that gave her comfort and let her know her dogs were content and in a good place.  On the way home, we saw a mini rainbow, which made us so happy.

It is hard to see in this picture, but you can make out a faint rainbow in the sky above the “no passing zone” sign. 🙂

Another favorite memory…Willow licking the bubbles out of my bath.  Sweet girl!

Mark your calendars for the next camp, Sat., 10/19/19.  Focus will be the NEW Holiday catalog!

Winner for today’s drawing:  Diane Boenker
Look for happy mail!

Sunday Smiles…