rknickme

 This is appalling. I mean, I always start these projects with the best of intentions. I seriously do want to share with you guys all the wonderful things I saw when I was traveling but my god, Greece was 5 bloody months ago and I still haven't gotten past Day 3 of the write ups. Shameful. Anyway, not to let that hold me back, when we last left off this travel journal I think Shane and I had indulged in too much fine Santorini wine and were suffering what you might call ... mild hangovers. 

We slept rather late after such an evening of indulgence so an executive decision is made to hold off on tackling Ancient Thira until Wednesday. Instead, we hoof it back down to Fira to find some gyros at a place recommended to us by some fellow travelers: Lucky's Souvlakis. Lucky himself is there and is a very sweet guy who asks us about our homes back in the states. His gyros are also as exceptional as promised. 

Food really helps with the hangover issue, and so we are energized enough to make some arrangements to rent a car for further exploring of the island. We opt for a Smart Car which sadly I appear to have not taken any photographs of. It is delivered to our hotel by an adorable older gentlemen who spends a great deal of time discussing politics. All I really gathered from this conversation was that women make better leaders because they are less likely to go to war. I'm not sure whether this is true or not. Eventually the car is paid for and our new friend shows us the particulars of using it. It is much as you would expect. 

It's a little late in the day at this point, but we tally forth anyway and take the Smart Car out to Red Beach. It is aptly named:

The terrain here is a bit more rugged than our other adventures so far. There are high cliffs in a deep red clay color and the beach itself is spotted with black sand, red and white stones along with chunks of black volcanic rock. I pocketed a few of the stones for keepsakes. They remain in my camera bag still. I should do something with them in my new house. The lighting at this time of day on this part of the island is a little hazy and strange. There are a lot of deep shadows and getting the photographs to come out right is more of a struggle here than it was elsewhere. 



When the sun begins to set it is an amazing site to see. A huge ball of fire sinking into the clouds leaving streaks of color in the sky. One thing I have to say for Santorini, it has offered up the most perfect sunsets I've ever seen in my life. 

With the sun down we make a valiant effort to find the wine museum we read about ... somewhere. In fact, we do well enough to find it but not well enough to find it while it is still open. A momentary set back though, for back in beautiful Fira we track down Naoussa, the place recommended to us by the fine Australians we met our first day here. This place, by far, is my favorite gustatory experience of the entire trip. Words can not properly describe just how tasty this place was. Appetizers included eggplant dip, dolmades, bread and some mystery spread that tasted heavily of olive oil. For my main course I had moussaka which was downright heavenly. This was followed by the flat out best baklava I have ever tasted. I am not kidding, I'd fly back to Greece for a day just to have this baklava. I'd probably fly to much less attractive places to have this baklava. I'd go to hell for this baklava. 5 months later I'm still craving more of it. The proprietor of Naoussa is a fantastic and generous guy who added to this already expansive meal complimentary wine and a second dessert. This one was a lemon cake served with a sweet, eclair-like pudding. 

Revisiting this meal in my memory is making the tuna croquettes I had for dinner seem like a pale attempt at food.

After dinner, nearing true food-coma states, we took a stroll through Fira and picked up some postcards before heading back to the hotel. The whole time we were trailed by a limping, but sweet, black dog. 

OI was much better about this last year. I have delayed writing up my thoughts and recollections of this trip for far too long. Thank goodness I wrote out the highlights including all the food I ate in my journal while I was over there, otherwise this would never happen. In any case, when we left off Shane and I were enjoying our first night in Santorini and lovely Dana Villas. The beds proved comfortable, and we slept quite well. Thus bringing us to Day 3.

The first order of business was a jaunt down towards Fira proper to seek out some lunch and take some photographs of the town.  The place is completely charming, full of cute little shops and restaurants, but our sights are set on getting to Mama's Place. This was recommended as a must try place by Annie and Tom, so it seemed like a good place to start our adventures in Greek cuisine. It did not disappoint. Mama herself greeted us at the door and was boisterous and entertaining. She's fond of teasing her primarily tourist-based customers and it's a real treat. She was very amused with my hair color which we all agreed was, of course, natural. Also, I've never heard a middle aged woman use the term "sex bomb" quite so much.

But onto the food. I had the fresh fish, which was exactly as advertised, very fresh fish. I'm relatively certain it came straight from the sea. It was somewhat complicated to eat, being still with bones and little fish heads, but the effort was worthwhile. Very tasty. 

Lunch thus consumed, we went off to do some quality wandering about in Fira to kill time before catching a bus to the top of the island and a visit to a city called Oia. As already stated, Fira is a beautiful town with some great views of the sea. Here is a quick sampling:






 
It is the off season though, so there are quite a few places that are closed up for the winter. This is my favorite:



Yea, when you take off for the season, you really do need to make sure that your shark is bundled up in bubble wrap and masking tape in order to protect it. 

After some quality time in Fira, we catch the bus up to Oia hoping to catch the sunset from there. The trip is quick and in only about 20 minutes we are safely dropped off in Oia. Much like Fira the town is lovely, with lots of bright white architecture and buildings stumbling on top of each other. Cats are everywhere. Stray dogs follow us around.


 
After rambling about taking pictures of abandoned buildings and scenic vistas, we make it up to a decent spot to watch the sun go down. There are several other tourists about planning on doing the same. Everyone snaps photos as the sun sinks below the horizon. Here are some high points:


 


Once the sun has disappeared and everything has pretty much gone dark we set back to wandering, hoping to find something to eat before bussing it back to Fira. While wandering, we stop in at a gallery and take in some art. A dog follows us as we walk, and even patiently waits outside while we suck up the culture. We encounter some great views of Oia's cityscape as we wander, lit up in it's night time glory, and it's all really lovely.

 

Eventually we manage to locate what is apparently the only open restaurant in Oia. They serve a wonderful assortment of hot chocolate, and I happily partake of some white chocolate, hot chocolate, a personal favorite. It's heavenly. For food proper, I have a pork filet, served with fresh vegetables and fries. It's completely delicious and the restaurant even offers up entertainment in the form of an adorable kitten that begs for scraps and somehow finds its way into my lap, purring all the while. 

Here he is:

 

After that, much too much wine is enjoyed and we go to bed way too late. Needless to say, we got an extremely late start the next day. Still, I'd do it again in a heart beat. It was seriously good wine.

 Last year after my trip to Germany I found it helped solidify and commemorate the occasion to write the whole thing up for my friends to enjoy.  It's taken me more time to get back to going over my journal from the Greece vacation, but it's about time I engaged in the same activity. After all, Greece was amazing, and you guys should hear all about it.

( So, here it goes! )

In contrast to the Germany trip, Shane and I did a lot more preplanning for Greece. We used a great local travel agency that I'd recommend to anyone looking to take a similar vacation: www.fantasytravelofgreece.com/. They are super helpful and very knowledgeable about what a reasonable itinerary will look like. They also arrange to for transport to and from the airport, which takes a lot of stress out of travel.

Anyway, as usual, the first day of a vacation overseas is taken up with airports and airplanes. We woke up at 6am on Saturday to catch our flight out of DFW. The first leg was a tiny plane heading to JFK, and for some reason our seats in the exit row were freezing. I kid you not that there were ice crystals on the visible screwcaps on the door. This fills me with comfort, clearly planes are totally well engineered and safe. There was time during our layover at JFK to enjoy a surprisingly awesome meal at this place called Todd English. We drank beers:



It occurs to me that with my red hair I look like a drunk leprechaun in this picture.  I am surprisingly ok with this.

Thankfully, the plane ride to Athens International is uneventful. The movies were not memorable, but they must have been decent enough that the 10 hours went by relatively quickly. It wasn't long before we found ourselves meeting up with our travel agent in the lobby of the airport in beautiful Greece (not that the airport was that beautiful, but it was nicer than the Frankfurt airport!). We gathered up our travel documents, and then hunkered down for an hour or so in order to catch our next flight, this time to Santorini. 

Most people when they think of traveling to the Greek Islands plan on hopping on a Ferry to get out there. I'm told this is a great experience, but it's also time consuming. The typical ferry to Santorini takes 7 hours. We were aiming to maximize time on the actual island, so Fantasy recommended taking a flight instead, and this turned out to be a great idea. The views from the plane are pretty spectacular (not that any of my iPhone shots came out all that well). Still, the flight is an hour, and they fed us these tasty little sandwiches too! 

Once on Santorini, a friendly cab driver was waiting for us to carry us up to our hotel in Fira, the main city on the island. We stayed at a great hotel built right into the cliffs of Fira offering a flat out spectacular view of the ocean. Again, if your gonna be on Santorini I'd say this is about as good a place to stay as you'll find: www.danavillas.net/.

Now, as I was saying, there is quite a view...



I was able for the one and only time to prove that Shane and I were here at the same time by making use of my tripod and remote shutter release to capture a few shots of us with this backdrop. This is my favorite, and the first of many many photographs of cats:



It was tempting to just stay here and hang out on the balcony enjoying the view and the company of the many hotel cats, but we are intrepid adventurers if nothing else. Also, jet lag is best conquered by staying up until at least 9 or 10. Thus, we set out to do some exploring. There is a pathway along the cliffside leading from our hotel's location at the top of Fira down into the city proper. It's a lovely walk and gives you the best views of the coastline of the island. This was when we really learned just how ... healthy ... the cat population of Santorini is. They are literally everywhere. I could not walk without nearly tripping over yet another cat. Needless to say, I was thrilled. This is perhaps my favorite cat photo:



After hitting the point of near absolute exhaustion, we headed back to Villas to check out their hot tub. This was a great decision, because the hot tub is not only excellent for massaging your weary bones, it also has an amazing view of the ocean, and we timed it just right to enjoy the sun setting. I don't have any photos of this particular sunset, but the ones you'll see from other days are good examples of how spectacular the site is.

We also met a nice Australian couple while enjoying the sunset who proved very helpful in directing us to some good local restaurants. However, for this evening we found ourselves too tired to venture back out, so it was down to the hotel restaurant for dinner. Shane and I split a relatively tasty plate of Chicken Carbonara and a sandwich before retiring to our room when the night air shifted from cool to plain cold. 

And that was the beginning. Later there will be real, authentic Greek food, more sunset, more cats and too much wine. Stayed tuned.

Awhile back I was discussing potentially hauling off and moving to Seattle. Since that entry I sort of tabled the idea for awhile, generally just living life and only occasionally revisiting my state of restlessness. In this time I have come to very few actual answers and opened up for myself a general bottle of worms as far as what I actually want to do with myself. So, what did I figure out?

1. I am currently suffering a sort of quarter-life crisis manifesting itself in general ennui and a sense of restlessness. What does this actually mean? I'm not sure. Half the battle is in the knowing though right? I'm not actually sure there is a cut and dry solution to these sorts of moments in our lives. Would going someplace new and restarting help? Maybe. Maybe not.
2. I have no real idea where I want to go. I started with Seattle I think simply because it was where I had most recently visited. Looking back, it occurred to me that I almost always feel the same way after going just about anywhere. A year ago when I visited with Nicole in Atlanta, I was convinced for a week or so that I desperately wanted to move back there. Even after my sister's wedding in North Carolina I briefly fantasized about what living there would be like.
3. I'm still pretty sure I don't want to be stuck in Dallas forever, and if I don't make a move soon, that is exactly what will happen.

Where does all this self knowledge, such that it is, leave me then? At the moment, my tentative decision is that I need to make a move, but where? I have something of a short list in my head, but even that doesn't cover all the myriad and exciting possibilities that are out there. I'm gonna randomly walk through them now though, just to help get my head around it a little bit.

1. Atlanta, GA: I loved living here, so it has a certain existing comfort level associated with it. I've still got a few friends hanging around there too, so again, comfort. In fact, Atlanta, when I bring it up in my head exudes a kind of comfort mentality. Good southern food, hospitality, that wine shop where they still know my name even though I only go once a year when visiting friends.
2. St. Paul, MN: I spent a large number of summer vacations in St. Paul when I was growing up, and thus it's a place I'm very fond of and that I always associate with family. I also have a huge soft spot for Midwesterners and heck, this is the state that bred Prairie Home Companion, how can it not leave you feeling warm and fuzzy even if the winters are a bitch.
3. Madison, WI: This is a town I've only sort of breezed through in the past, but I just really like it's vibe. It's always topping those lists of nicest places to live, and I read once that it is the happiest city in the country. Can't go wrong there right? It's also a smaller city than either Atlanta or St. Paul, more a middle sized town than any of the other places I've lived as an adult. It's also got that Midwestern flair and mentality and has the bonus of being situated midway between my Grandmother in St. Paul and my Parents near St. Louis.
4. Seattle, WA: I've already talked up the major bonuses of Seattle. It's a famously awesome town, liberal and open, lots to do, etc etc. A downside here is it's pretty far away from my family units.
5. Austin, TX: This is attractive because it feels utterly manageable. I'd still be near Dallas and all the friends I have here. It'd be trivial to make trips up to see people. Austin itself is a city I generally enjoy more than Dallas. It's more my size, and my speed and I think it easily trumps Dallas in terms of natural beauty as well.
6. Baltimore, MD: This one I'm actually less certain of. I absolutely loved it while I was there in college, but I think this had more to do with that time in my life than the inherent benefits of the city. Thom is still there, which gains it points, but returning to Baltimore, the City that Reads, still feels like a retread way more than going back to Atlanta does for reasons I can't precisely pinpoint.

I'm not at all sure how I'm going to make a decision here. But it helps to talk it out, and get a little perspective. I'd be happy to hear the thoughts of my friends and associates, particularly if you want to try and sell me on your city of choice. One of the things I think I want is to live someplace that I can say without hesitation I'm proud of. Whenever I talk about Dallas, I only ever seem able to drudge up a grudging kind of consideration. "Oh, Dallas isn't that bad, it actually has a lot of pretty decent restaurants". So there you go, that's the update on the great moving debate. It's less forward motion and more chaotic consideration. I guess I still have yet to get over the flaky aspect of my personality.

Most of you are probably aware that I've been seriously contemplating moving away from Texas. Nothing against the state, it has been particularly good to me really. However, there is a restlessness in me, and a need to try something different. Also, I promised myself once that I wouldn't die here. No offense. Really.

That said, I have not made up my mind. There are lots of things here that make me second guess my impulses. Quite frankly, I'm comfortable here. Comfort though, isn't necessarily the greatest of selling factors. So, in an effort to think this out. I'm writing here for the first time in ... a really long while actually. I need a place to ramble and do some vague out loud thinking about my options.

It boils down like this:

Option 1: Stay in Dallas

• Dallas does have pretty great sunsets
• A wide and comforting and really very cool collection of friends
• Pig Races
• Austin is in driving distance
• The State Fair + Fried things
• Flights to visit my various family members are pretty cheap
• Again, with the friends
• Working locally with the Verizon team. I move, I still get to work with these awesome folks, but they'll be at a distance
• Friends
• Southern Food and Sweet Tea
• I really like my hair stylist, and it is a bitch to find a good hair stylist
• My coffee shop where the owner knows me
• The cost of living is ridiculously cheap
• I can afford to live in a veritable palace here
• Friends

Option 2: Move to Seattle

• Seattle and the Northwest in general ... totally gorgeous
• A more liberal and open minded city might be a nice change of pace (sorry Texas)
• Is driving distance to Portland, where I can get VooDoo Donuts
• Water, I miss living by real water
• Trees, I miss living by real trees
• Seasons (no, "summer" and "not summer" don't count as seasons, Texas)
• I know a couple people up there, so I wouldn't be totally lonely at first
• Better music scene (my favorite bands always play there, and yet never here god dammit)
• A chance to reinvent a little bit. Not totally, but change might be nice
• Is a more eco-friendly locale
• Really, its just new, and that's probably the biggest selling point
• Chance to meet new people, expand horizons
• It's not unbearably hot in the summer. I might be able to go outside.
• Did I mention it was beautiful up there?

Right, so. It isn't an easy decision obviously. And while these lists are a bit tongue in cheek, I'm looking at some real, important considerations here. Thus, my friendly following of friends, I'd really appreciate some candid thoughts and advice. Gentle encouragement? Harsh criticism? Have at it. I don't have to decide today, but I need to decide eventually or live on in a state of "what if". Obviously, my biggest concern, the thing holding me back, is that I really really like the friends I have here in Texas. Seriously, you guys are great, and I've found that as you get older, the making new friends thing seems to get harder and harder. Keep that in mind too, I'm certainly not taking this lightly. Moving is serious business and a major life change.

Comment away. Soothe my anxiety of decision making just a little bit.

Our last full day in Germany starts with yet another yummy German breakfast. This one came with a current concoction that was very tasty. After eating, we decide to take a little more time to catch the sites in Freiburg before checking out and heading north to Mannheim.

( We start by wondering through a small park and up to an interesting building. )

The morning of our second day in Freiburg starts like most other mornings in Germany, a breakfast of kiwi, cheeses and meats. It's yummy. Then, sadly, we have to go hunting for a new hotel: this one being pretty much booked up. Actually, there is one room, but it only has one bed, and also it is in a closet.

The wave of tourists (mostly German) has pretty much flooded the town, but we do manage to find a free room without having to use the local Best Western.

Room found, it's back to the HBF with us for a trip to scenic Titisee. According to our friend at yesterday's hotel there is a lake this way called "Paradise" which abuts to a place called "Hell's Valley". Both are supposed to be lovely.

( With our transit tickets, we get a free trip. )

On Day 6 of our vacation, we opt to leave the Rhine Valley and head south towards the Black Forest.

( We take the ICE. )

We start off our second day in scenic Cologne with another hotel breakfast. More Kiwi! Then it's off to the Cathedral for a walk to the top.

( It's really less of a walk and more like, climbing a mountain. )

Morning breaks at Rheinfel's Castle, and I'm still pretty wasted from yesterday. I certainly do not make a habit of walking this much back in the States. Still, breakfast is again a thing of absolute beauty. I love that they always have Kiwi.

( After food, we traipse down to the Train Station. )