Patras, Greece
After the most sleep I've been blessed with this trip arrived with beautiful dreams under three hostel blankets, Lars and I took showers (cold air, hot water) and I used his hair dryer in the bathroom while a young woman cleaned the bathroom and then braided her hair in my mirror. Then we changed money, and went to a cash machine and bought breakfast. The three of us ate on the hardwood picnic tables (just drying in the morning sun) outside Patra hostel. We shared a wonderful jam and peanut butter breakfast. Then we stored luggage at the hostel so we could wander through Patra all day. We wanted to get some home-brew wine like we had on Thursday. So, we walked around that area for a while, asking when it would open.
We ate lunch at a restaurant that was family fun, and the happy children smiled at us while they served us. They gave us a special item that we didn't order (but made us pay for it anyway). We walked back to the hostel to pack up our stuff after we found out that the wine shop would not open until 19:00. Lars made a wine run at 19:00 to buy that black wine before we got onto the ferry. It was very good, like port, but not as sweet. I loved it. It was mixed, but mostly black. The ferry was much more calm than the ride to Greece. We ate well at first: cheese, wine and bread. Then sleep.
POSTCARD: The three of us are in Patra, on our way out of Greece. We had very little time to travel here, because I must be back in Nottingham at 11:00 on April 20th. I don't want to go, but would rather continue finding out about Europe. Everything; people, buildings, landscapes, are all so much different I can't understand how they affect me. The sea and mountains are unreal to me, but I find them the most amazing things.
I made pancakes and bacon this morning for breakfast, Rachel made us yogurt parfait, and we had a leisurely morning together. Now we are both going to get work, me on YOOH taxes, and her on music for her recital in two weeks. She has to go to Decorah tonight at 17:00, and I went along to get the BMW from Chris's house, because Andrew has been sending pictures saying he's posted it on EBay already.
Rachel dropped me off at the bottom of the hill out of Freeport, and I walked to Chris's house. I was surprised how beautiful my walk was, along the roadside that had been cut deep out of the stone. I found a gas can off of some vehicle and brought it with me, to recycle it.
After a chat with Rhonda, Andrew and Katie, I sped home on the K75. It was a truly beautiful day for a ride. I joined Jill, Patty and Ole at Docs for a drink. Then I spent the rest of the evening doing the YOOH taxes, and happily, finished them shortly after Rachel returned home.
2010