OFF TO ATHENS, part two
(Note to my readers: It seems I have sent the first installment of this tale to you twice. Sorry about that)
The bar scene didn't go well with Louis but after a simple explanation, all was well. My luggage still hadn't arrived so after leaving info as to where we would be staying, we got a taxi and went into the city of Athens. ...and drove through the city whereupon I learned we were not staying there but in a small hotel called Cavo d' Oro in Pireaus. Pireaus is where Onassis kept his ships and there were a couple of them in port at this time.
After a good night's sleep we made plans to meet two Greek couples at the gulfside. In those days, (1975) we really had no money for extras and buying clothes would have been considered "extra" so I had to wear the same outfit worn previously. Fortunately, I had enough sense to rinse out part of the ensemble the night before so I was fairly presentable when we joined our hosts.
They took us to a seafood market across the street from the Gulf of Orinokos where we were told we should make our choice. They asked me if I had tried scallops and I said "oh yes, I really like them" so we ordered that and various other seafood and then went across the road to find our table. Picture walking across a four lane street with flowing traffic and no light. Shortly after getting settled at a table by the water we looked up to see a waiter balancing a huge tray of food and wine while trying to dodge that traffic to get to us. And that's how it was for those waiters all day and night long! Okay, so there we are with bottles of Santa Helena wine and plates of food when I noticed that the scallops' antennae were waving at me. When I said something to the others about the fact that the scallops were obviously alive, they said that was the way to eat them. Not this little old girl from Beeville! Rattlesnake paste is one thing, but this is entirely another prospect! I decided to solve the problem by drowning them in lemon juice. It worked but I sure would have preferred that they were cooked! Anyway, after several glasses of Santa Helena, it didn't seem to matter.
My luggage had still not arrived but that didn't stop us from going dancing in an open air restaurant the next night after a day spent walking around the Acropolis and seeing Athens from the Parthenon.
We left the morning of the fourth day and flew to Geneva where we rented a car and drove around the lake to the aformentioned Montreux. And that's another story.
The bar scene didn't go well with Louis but after a simple explanation, all was well. My luggage still hadn't arrived so after leaving info as to where we would be staying, we got a taxi and went into the city of Athens. ...and drove through the city whereupon I learned we were not staying there but in a small hotel called Cavo d' Oro in Pireaus. Pireaus is where Onassis kept his ships and there were a couple of them in port at this time.
After a good night's sleep we made plans to meet two Greek couples at the gulfside. In those days, (1975) we really had no money for extras and buying clothes would have been considered "extra" so I had to wear the same outfit worn previously. Fortunately, I had enough sense to rinse out part of the ensemble the night before so I was fairly presentable when we joined our hosts.
They took us to a seafood market across the street from the Gulf of Orinokos where we were told we should make our choice. They asked me if I had tried scallops and I said "oh yes, I really like them" so we ordered that and various other seafood and then went across the road to find our table. Picture walking across a four lane street with flowing traffic and no light. Shortly after getting settled at a table by the water we looked up to see a waiter balancing a huge tray of food and wine while trying to dodge that traffic to get to us. And that's how it was for those waiters all day and night long! Okay, so there we are with bottles of Santa Helena wine and plates of food when I noticed that the scallops' antennae were waving at me. When I said something to the others about the fact that the scallops were obviously alive, they said that was the way to eat them. Not this little old girl from Beeville! Rattlesnake paste is one thing, but this is entirely another prospect! I decided to solve the problem by drowning them in lemon juice. It worked but I sure would have preferred that they were cooked! Anyway, after several glasses of Santa Helena, it didn't seem to matter.
My luggage had still not arrived but that didn't stop us from going dancing in an open air restaurant the next night after a day spent walking around the Acropolis and seeing Athens from the Parthenon.
We left the morning of the fourth day and flew to Geneva where we rented a car and drove around the lake to the aformentioned Montreux. And that's another story.
What a fabulous adventure! I love the awesome 70's pics too!
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