Athens

Here's an attempt at summing up my entire trip in one blog, should be very long....I did keep a journal while I was there, so I'll just copy that down here.
10/31
It started out pretty comical, as things usually do with me. I decided not to buy another train ticket, you buy one to London Bridge, then you have to leave the platforms, get another ticket, then go back in, which I didn't do, I just went right to the next train. Apparently they actually check your ticket at the airport, so I got charged 20 quid. I'm going to do my share of sneaking on buses and trains until I've made up that 20 quid. I found the airport easy enough, but when I got there I realized I hadn't written down what bus to take where after I landed. So, of course I accosted some poor defenseless stranger for use of her laptop. For some reason her internet wasn't working though. She was going to Ireland to go horseback riding. I actually slept most of the flight (about 3 1/2hrs), I had only gotten four hours of sleep the night before and had a 9:30 lecture (I had to skip my other lecture to make the flight). I had texted my host (Akis) for the bus number earlier, and found it no problem. But they don't display what stop you're at, and it was night and the signs weren't illuminated, so I had no idea where I was. I ended up squishing into an empty seat so I could see out the window, but that didn't help. Eventually I asked the guy in front of me (by pointing to the text on my phone), who asked the driver, who told me when to get off. My host met me at the bus stop, then fed me Greek salad, very appropriate. He is very nice, he's cooking dinner at the moment, and his brother is making dessert.
Greece isn't exactly what I expected, but I still like it so far. I think if I had come straight from the States to here I would have been disappointed, but coming from New Cross is much different, I guess it's "hardened" me, haha. It is and it isn't what I expected, but then again, I didn't come here with many expectations. I'm here on a whim, and hoping the city will unfold itself to me in a unique way.
Oh and it's freakin cold here, colder than London!
11/2
Yesterday we went to Acropoli and wandered around central Athens. It still hasn't really set in that I'm here and I've seen the Parthenon. We went to a couchsurfers meeting last night, I really enjoyed that. I met people from Athens, Turkey, Russia, France, Italy, and India. Kind of sad though that I'll never see any of them again (actually since I wrote this two of them have found me on couchsurfing). There was one French guy my age who had finished Uni and had just started his world tour, he's going everywhere! Soon we'll head off to the National Archaeological Museum. If I have time I'd like to go shopping, we'll see what happens. Frankie is out of class at 5:15, so I'll be meeting up with him around 5:30 in front of the first modern Olympic stadium.
We got to the museum around 2 and stayed until 5, I met with Frankie around 6 (was supposed to be 5:30, we were late). Went back to Frankie's place to drop off my stuff, then got some food. I was starving because all I had all day was toast, Greeks don't eat! We hung out with some of Frankie's friends, all American. Tomorrow I'm going off exploring on my own, hopefully the temple of Zeus and then some shopping. I'm really looking forward to getting food in the morning, still hungry. Now I'm going to try to sleep on a tiny couch, more of a loveseat, fun times traveling!
11/3
Today was a great day! By the time I got up, Frankie was already back from his first class, he made me fried eggs for breakfast. I borrowed his map and went off exploring. I was a little nervous at first, but somehow I always ended up in a familiar place and it all worked out. First I went to the Byzantine museum, which was really interesting. Then I found Parliament, but it was raining so hard there was no point in trying to get pictures. I knew where I was because of previous wanderings with Akis, so I found all the back road and touristy shops and spent a ton of money (well spent though). I got myself a shirt, a hand painted vase with Poseidon on it, and an original painting by a local artist. (I did get other things, but they're presents and I can't mention them on here!) I need to figure out how/where to mail postcards, I keep getting postcards then realizing I need more. The lady where I got the painting was SO nice, she loved my hair and proceeded to talk to the shop owner about me in Greek, I love Greeks, haha. She asked where I was from then said she's a journalist and wants to go to New York. She explained the painting to me, of course I can't remember the story. But it was a love story and she told me that she hopes I will meet the perfect romantic man and have a similar love story, haha. The owner of a music shop said he wished I'd come earlier and he would have given me a tour of the city (it was absolutely down pouring by then), he said come back in May or September and he would. Another shop owner let me try on about fifty shirts before I chose one, he said "you make beautiful". I then went to take refuge from the downpour at McDonald's and got a happy meal. It was still pouring when I finished, and I got absolutely soaked to the skin from the walk back. I was going to go to the war museum but it was closed. I have never seen streets so flooded in my entire life, I don't think my boots will dry for a week. I still had about an hour to kill before Frankie got back so I couldn't get inside. I found a pub and wandered in drenched, tired, and with only 4 euros on me. I looked rather pathetic and the 3 or 4 guys at the bar found it pretty funny. The bartender took pity on me and gave me an Amstel for 4 euro. I took a picture of him before I left and we chatted a bit, he said beautiful girl in Greek but I don't remember how to say it. Good times, good stories, great day.
11/4
Last night I went to kareoke night at an Irish pub in Athens with Frankie and his friends. There were two guys who kept doing traditional Greek music, which was really boring. It was hilarious when Greeks sang songs in English, there was one guy who kept pulling out classics. Frankie's friends went up a couple times, they were pretty hilarious. The bartender knows them and gave us all free shots a couple times.
I'm on the plane right now, too uncomfortable to sleep, still have over an hour to go! Today was another absolutely amazing day. First Frankie and I went to the temple of Zeus, which I actually found more impressive than the Parthenon, it's a lot less manicured by modern society. Then Frankie had class so I was on my own again. I got an ice cream and wandered around the National Gardens (finally got some nice weather). Then an old creeper named Rick tried to get me to go for a walk in the gardens with him, not threatening though. I saw a church I wanted to go in, but it was closed. I was wandering around and some guy started talking to me in Greek. Turns out he was a tourist too, but he thought I was Greek! (even though I was holding a camera and a map) That actually wasn't the first time that happened to me, haha. I decided I needed to go back to the Acropolis to take Fabio's picture (the purple globe trotting lobster). You can see it from practically everywhere, so I just wandered in the general direction. I ended up in these crazy winding strereotypical Greek neighborhoods right at the foot of the Acropolis, it was amazing. I think I got some great pictures. I have no idea how long I was back there, I only encountered people once, and just heard them, didn't even see them. Eventually I went to the main entrance of the Acropolis and climbed to the top. I just quickly took Fabio's picture and left, I hadn't planned on going back, so I definitely was not properly dressed. It's REALLY windy up there, and I was wearing a dress, very awkward. Next I went to the new Acropolis museum. It was built because the British Museum has columns from the Parthenon and they said they wouldn't give them back because the Greeks didn't have a proper place to put them. They still won't give them back, there's a big empty part in the museum. I took the metro back to Syntagma, hoping to catch the changing of the guard, but no such luck. I had time to kill so I got a sandwhich and fries and ate it as I slowly made my way back to Frankie's. The war museum wasn't open, but I checked out all the planes and guns outside, which were pretty cool. Then I decided to go ALLLL THE WAAYYY to a church at the top of the hill Frankie lives on, man, that was a workout. Poor Frankie, I think he rushed back from class to be able to let me in and I wasn't even there. But the view was worth it. Frankie walked with me to the bus, but there was this crazy protest going on, complete with mobs and tons of armed police, so I had to take the metro (they were marching up the street my bus would have taken). It was pretty simple, had to buy a special airport ticket for 6 euro though.

Overall, absoulutely amazing experience. If I ever get the chance to go back it will be to do some island hopping. Great thing about Athens is everything is free for students! I think it's only supposed to be free for EU students, but I just showed my University of London student ID card, and if I had to talk luckily they couldn't tell the different accents. Weird thing about Greece is that you can't flush toilet paper, you have to throw it away, weird, I guess they're plumbing systems pretty bad. I went in 6 different churches while I was there, I love churches. I love all of the bright colors in Greek Orthodox churches. I'm going to do a church tour of London soon definitely, I've only been in one here so far.
My flight landed in London a bit before 11, but it takes so long to get through customs in you're not British, not because they're strict but they just don't care for your time. Then there was a problem with the train, so I had to wait forever to get to London Bridge, by then it was too late for trains to be running to New Cross Gate, so I had to take the night bus. I finally made it back to my room around 2:30/3am. I can't just go right to bed, I had to unpack and check my emails or I wouldn't be able to sleep. So I went to bed pretty late, and slept pretty late today. Then went to the ATM and got some food and change to do laundry. I'm still doing laundry, and I need to write and essay and maybe do some reading, plus edit the 400 pictures I took in Greece. Then I'm packing and off to Scotland tomorrow!