Two days ago we left the port of Brindisi on the Italian coast and hopped on to the ferry for Greece. Both Chris and I were really surprised at how nice these ferries actually were. It was basically like taking a little cruise ship across the Adriatic Sea. The trip took approximately 18 hours and gave us all a chance to relax a little. We have had really good luck with the weather in Europe so far. The days have been sunny and warm while the nights have been clear and cool with a quiet breeze. Because of this, the Adriatic Sea was so calm that it seemed like the boat was sailing on glass. A couple hours after we left the port, we watched the sun slowly plunge into the endless sea. While watching this breathtaking sunset, you couldn't help but appreciate life and all the moments that have led you to that one.
I really feel like I'm starting to understand the mindset of both the Italians and Greeks. They truly know how to live and appreciate the small things in life. I think that's something all Americans can do better. Slowing down every once and a while and really taking time to appreciate the journey we are all taking through life together is something that should be cherished and encouraged. After all, each of us is defined by a series of moments that make us who we are and determine who we will become. If we are always thinking about the destination without really appreciating the moments along our journey, true happiness will end up evading us our entire lives.
Throughout the boat ride I spent most of the time on the deck under their covered veranda reading and relaxing. We had a small cabin with an even smaller bathroom, but the only thing we really did in there was sleep. Most of our time was spent top side enjoying the ride across the sea. There was a small cafeteria on the ship and the food was surprisingly good and not too expensive. We had some decent mousaka for dinner. The breakfast was a little lackluster, but that has been our experience across europe so far.
After the boat ride we hopped on a bus and arrived in Athens at about 4:00 P.M. After unwinding a little at our hotel, we walked around the city. Our hotel is right downtown which is really fantastic. We walked through the streets of Athens appreciating the little shops and cafes. There were definitely a lot of people walking about and enjoying the nice day in the city (random sidenote: One thing that I learned which surprised me is the main industry that supports modern day Athens is tourism). We walked by the ruins of the original Athens city wall and admired the Acropolis from a distance. The Acropolis is truly the core of Athens. It's perched on one of the highest hills in the city and you can see it from everywhere you go.
That evening we had dinner together with our tour group at a traditional greek taverna. Our group is a lot of fun and as we are nearing the end of our trip, I feel like we are all connecting as we share this amazing experience. They served mousaka as the main dish at the restaurant along with wine, salad, and gelato at the end of the meal. Afterwards we wandered around the city with a few people from our group and found another quiet taverna outside some more ruins of the city wall and grabbed a few drinks. Athens is amazingly beautiful at night. The Acropolis is brilliantly lit up and there is this quiet excitement in the air everywhere you go. After taking it all in and enjoying good conversation with some of our tour mates, we ended the evening at around 1:00 a.m. and walked back to our hotel.
