Athens

First and foremost:  Shout out to my number one son-in-law Steve for providing me with the nifty Mac-plug that makes this internet connection possible in Greece.  You are the man!!

Flight was easy - exit row and ambien made for an easy crossing.  Like good little tourists we were ripped off by the cabbie on the airport-to-hotel trip -- I think it's part of the Athens experience.  Upon checking into our delightful hotel, we were advised by the Israeli-Ukrainian-Georgian (as in war not as in peaches)-Greek (really - I could not make up a heritage like that) desk clerk that we were NOT to take taxis because the cabbies drive tourists around in circles to inflate the fares.  She gave us Metro instructions to visit the acropolis later, have dinner in the good dinner area, and transport ourselves to the ship tomorrow all for the 3 euros per 24 hour subway fare.

Investment advise for today:  BUY Philip Morris (there is a lot of smoking going on here) and SELL Proctor and Gamble (there is no deodorant being used outside the 48 states!)  We are dispensing with the use of deodorant for the rest of the trip so we can fit in with the locals and not distinguish ourselves as "tourists."  

Athens is a booming metropolis and the people are friendly.  Marc says it's not nearly as gross and smelly as when he visited in 1966.  They even have three way recycling garbage cans.  It's a bit challenging to distinguish what to put in each section of the garbage can.  To the best of my understanding, the sections are :  rock, paper, scissors.  I just threw my gum on the street -- that seems to be where most gum ends up.

Marc is passed out on the bed ( as you can see in the photo below) since he decided to go drug-free on the flight over.  Hopefully he will awaken soon and we will be off to the subway for our jaunt to the acropolis.

Having a great time - wish you were all here.