Greece Day One ((It's all GREEK to me!))

"What does that say?"
"I don't know! It's all in symbols!"

...this was the extent of most of my conversations with friends as we wondered around Piraeus looking for the Metro to make our way into Athens. Once we made it into Athens, we got completely lost looking for the Acropolis and the Parthenon...and you might think this is absurd, but I had no idea what I was looking for. I've never seen ruins before, and the Acropolis from the street just looked a bit like a run-down castle-like structure. Once we walked most of the way up...nothing like hiking Mt. Vesuvius, but tiring nonetheless, I cringed. Construction, everywhere. They were renovating the ruins, and it made me very unhappy to see men in construction gear, hammering away like they owned the place. I guess I was expecting to find Athena, or at least some peace of mind. Anything would have been better than metal poles and ladders stealing the beauty and intricacy away from those ruins.

We ate lunch at this cafe, our first Greek meal...and boy, did I eat Greek. Mousaka adorned my plate, and I've never eaten eggplant before, but it was quite tasty. Mousaka is this shepherd's pie-looking dish with potatoes, eggplant, ground beef, cheese, zucchini, and other interesting ingredients all mixed in. It was yummy. Michelle, Emily, and I split a piece of authentic baklava for dessert, which was heaven-like. It might be my new favorite non-chocolate dessert.

We met up with Paul after lunch and the four of us scoured the streets in search of...whatever people in Athens are looking for. On our way, Emily and I split a slice of coconut, and me being me, I bit into it like a piece of chewy candy. I've come to think I don't know much about anything, but it's a refreshing feeling sometimes, because everything is a learning experience. The coconut about broke my incisors and I recoiled, spitting out the shell and pure white coconut. It tasted very similar to a piece of cardboard. So much for refreshing.

The streets around the Parthenon are filled with street vendors trying to sell you fake Gucci sunglasses and Prada bags, while at the same time trying to cop a cheap feel. Nothing like Naples, though, and for that I smiled at these lonely men trying to make a living, and slithered on my way.

All this slithering and smiling brought me into a specialty music store down an alleyway with more vendors and many a tourist. Weird-looking instruments that looked like a cross between a guitar and something very phallic caught my eye. The dark-haired man behind the counter must have seen the gleam because he was in front of me, playing this beautiful-sounding thing. He also recited poetry to me after he found out I was a student studying English. Talk about slick.

In the end, after walking around Athens some more and eating gelato, I found myself back in this music store, purchasing the phallic-looking instrument. Bouzouki. That's its name. And for what it's worth, I already learned how to play the chords to "Titanic"...not that anyone on the ship wants to hear that song...I am still planning on buying my African Drums, no worries there. But this Bouzouki makes the coolest sounds.

I have never played a guitar in my life, or do I know how to read music, or do I know how to play a Bouzouki at all...but I will learn, and I am learning, and I am having fun. Eat your heart out, I told myself, because I may never return to Greece. So, I thought, why not?

Why not?

A.