Fashion Sense

Fresh Figs Finally Found - Athens Street Vendor

Adamas ~ Church Bell Tower

Packing.  I've never done it so carefully or taken so long.  My practice has been to toss things in a bag about 10 minutes before I leave on a trip and take mental  notes for next time.  Nice clothes for four days of convention, beach time, biking - who knew what all we would be doing on Milos - and then some city-living for two or three days - with all of that to be ready for, I did not want to carry around things I did not need or use.  I picked out my favorite clothes and then tried on every one of them.  This resulted in mostly changing everything...and thinking I need to pay a little more regular attention to my wardrobe.  My sisters know this, but the problem with shopping is it takes time and money, so don't mention it to my husband.  Even the suggestion of shopping seems to make him all jittery.  

I learned on my last trip to Arizona that black is a very nice wardrobe basic for traveling, and if you throw in a skirt (Cabi - thanks to one of my sisters), a couple of colorful tops -( thank you TJ Maxx), a lightweight blazer (shh-Goodwill), a couple sets of work clothes, some undies, toiletries (in a separate bag, sigh, so it's very clear I don't intend to blow up airplanes - why would I blow up a plane I'm on and why does a separate container make it harder to do? *shakes head - obviously I don't have a degree in chemistry and no interest whatsoever in making bombs) and three pairs of shoes, you're done and good. Everything goes together, so you are set.  Black, however, wasn't going to work for Greece.

An oppressive 40 degrees centigrade for Athens was duly noted upon a quick search over the internet. Although it was expected to cool a few degrees for a few days, black clothing was out and cotton was in.  Incidentally,  Athenian or otherwise, they did not believe this news when I delivered it. 

Besides my skirt and top combos, I also took two pairs of shorts and then noticed a lot of women wearing light, pretty sundresses everywhere, probably with swimsuits under. We saw a rack of sundresses, but didn't see anything that I cared to bring home - until Athens.  And from there, decided it would be easy to make one just like that Greek Goddess-type we saw.  One very skinny lady was dressed in black head to toe, with black and maroon colored hair in a huge frizz.  It oddly out of place in beach-y Adamas, but it might have looked out of place anywhere except in an 80's rock band.  That is a country girl born and bred speaking, of course.  Oprah, on the other hand, has an amazing 'fro for her magazine cover this month. Take a look when you're standing in the line at the grocery store this week!

After our wind-surfing lesson, we didn't have anything else planned but we noticed the bus headed to Plaka had just pulled in.  My eyes met Lisa's, we checked to see that Mindy was following closely and hopped aboard.  Plaka was inland and up the mountain, we learned.  We managed to fit in some quick shopping, good ice cream - maybe not quite as good as their competitors proceeded to demonstrate with a taste test a few doorways up the street- and a quick hike to the Kastro (castle).  I'm sorry to say  we caught the bus back to Adamas only two hours later, but one of us was still wrapped in the latest Greek island fashion: a blue and white striped beach towel, not quite as cool as the ancient citizens of the land.

The best choice and most unexpected win of the packing game was my blue athletic t-shirt.  As we became more and more beach bummy I used it constantly as my swimming cover-up.  I had missed my chest with sunscreen and had a sunburn that worried my co-travelers. Due to my elaborate use of vitamin lotion it was much improved after a couple of days, but I didn't want anyone to worry so I continued to wear the shirt in and out of the water just to make sure it didn't happen again.  It dried quickly.  Blue shorts were a last minute addition to my suitcase - literally the last thing in - and a great choice because they matched the t-shirt.  

Sand.  It was everywhere. In my bed, in my shoes, in my suitcase, in the shower, on the bathroom floor mixed with a shameful amount of water - clearly things were getting out of control! Beach hotels need to provide something for sand cleanup in the rooms other than single layer toilet paper, for heaven's sake. I emptied it out of my suitcase over the edge of the balcony, thinking sand was the only thing left in it.  There was one small item left in one obscure pocket and it fell out on the roof below us but was retrievable thanks to Mindy's agility. It was a net pouch with an exfoliating glove.  Never used it once - not sure why I thought I should take it along. One of those little mysteries of life.  I still brought home sand, but not as much.

In Awe of Sunrise - Pollonia

 Most Elaborate Sand Castle

We're All Tied Up Today

 The Point of Pollonia 

Do Overs   

• Eat more celery, fewer Cheetos and  less chocolate when I'm at home. Everything looks better, even head-to-toe all black, on slender people.  Well, maybe not everything, but definitely swim suits.  
• Let Mindy pack for me, or just follow her example.  She made it look easy 
• One white skirt is plenty.  Really. The one that is very light and versatile?  Take it.  But if you must, take two.
• One swim suit is enough.
• No more than four skirts altogether - they can be cycled for 17-18 days, including the time zone travel, quite easily, because we were in beachwear so much. Preferably three - one white.  It is Greece. 
• Five tops - but both purple and pink is overkill.  Once I was in vacation mode there wasn't anyone to try to impress except the cute young Greek teaching me to wind-surf but it was pretty clear that he was less interested in wind-surfing fashions than our balance and comprehension of wind direction. 
• New low-light camera lens was superfluous but would have enjoyed my telephoto lens that I left home because of its size.  
• Three picture taking devices made me feel well supplied, but one good, small camera is really sufficient. Be prepared to keep everything charged up.  After Mindy's new multi-plug adapter quit working we found a single plug replacement for a couple of euros on our mission to retrieve the next day's breakfast.
• Do consider bringing an extra SD card.  I forgot but had plenty of room on the three devices.  Someone on our bus to Paleochori was desperately trying to buy a spare one, though.
• One pair of shorts - but two is okay.
• T-shirt dress for everything including over wet swim suit.
• Room on your credit card for clothes shopping and gifts.  
• Greece is too hot for scarves.  Okay, one bright, very light cotton for adding color, but that's it.
• Pajamas are out.  So are sheets until about 3 a.m.  Then a wool blanket might even be nice.  Unless you're Greek, then you may want two wool blankets all night long.  Unless you are in Athens sleeping on a roof-top.  Then even a mosquito net is too much.
• Don't over-do flashlights -  I took two besides the one downloaded on my phone, but only used the one I got from Costco which wraps around the neck, kink of like a stethoscope.    Why did I pack three flashlights?  Um, well - that's a good question.  I wasn't counting?

Windsurfing Bruises, Dessert

What's left.  They don't build them like they used to.

It is not enough to conquer; one must learn to seduce. 

Voltaire 

Seen Just Standing Around Athens -  Significance To Be Determined.