Athens, Greece with Rachel

Hello Everyone,
If you are studying anthropology, as Rachel is, a trip to Athens and Crete is probably a neccessity. In any case it seemed like the thing to do. In some of my previous blog entries I have been criticized for being too much of a food critic. Too Bad. The food in Greece made the travelling even more interesting. Yes, I wanted to see the Acropolis, the Athens' archeological museum, the various archeological museums on Crete, and the ruins of Knossos but to visit Greece and not enjoy the lamb, the pastries, the sardines, and the rabbit would not be my idea of travel. The museums were magnificent and the food was excellent. The food was even better when you had a surprise guest. (see the photos) Ted was in Athens on a separate trip and joined us for a delightfull evening at a small outdoor restuarant. As you can see by the empty plate, I devoured the rabbit. The restuarant's name is Daphne's and I highly recommend it when you are in Athens. We stayed at the Ledra Marriott which had a pool on the roof with a view of the Acropolis. Ted stayed at the Royal Olympic Hotel which had an excellent location next to the Temple of Zeus and was walking distance to the Acropolis but did not have the roof top pool. It also had a nearby ATM with an unusual "guard" dog. Athens has numerous dogs just like Rome has its' numerous cats.

The Acropolis must have been magnificent in ancient times because it is still quite impressive. However, visiting it on free museum day can be like walking through Times Square. The view down into the old but now renovated amphitheater shows the last of the stage being removed from the "Kiss" concert which was the previous night. Hmm. I guess whatever pays the bills is OK. We rented a car for one day in Athens to drive to the Temple of Poseidon which overlooks the Aegean at the end of the Attica penisula. It was well worth the trip. This must have been truly impressive to ships approaching Greece from the Aegean during the days of the Athenian empire.

It seems that the picture are in reverse order to the commentary. Sorry

Honduras, the Danese/Medina wedding

Congratulations and best wishes to Davide and Nicole,

The trip to San Pedro de Sula, Honduras for the wedding of Davide and Nicole was wonderful. Most impressive was the hospitality of the Medina family. From the plantation visit, to the coffee factory tour, to the wedding and reception, it was the most relaxing four days that I have had in a long time. The day by the pool also contributed to the relaxed attitude. Obviously the focal point of the trip was the wedding and it was fabulous. The ice sculptures, the food, the music, and the company made it an evening to remember and thank God that cameras allow us to remember things that the drinking prevents.