Parents, grandmas and people with an angelic image of me, do skip over (Steve and Marc, after family Christmas this year I think you're out of that). I feel like Great Gatsby. Mixed with Spring Break. And a warrior, for surviving the past 7 days and nights of an unbelievable, non-stop party exactly as crazy as we were warned it would be.
Our time in Athens was a mix between ancient beauty and the more slummy areas that poke up in the city. We searched through giant flea markets, mom it was a bargain hunters paradise, and climbed to the top of the Acropolis during the 45 degree heatwave. We did the museum, as well as the Parthenon, Helenic library ruins, and other ancient sites. It feels like Rome in ancient glory and high speed pace, but with some Croatian natural beauty. We ate incredible souvlaki and handmade tzatziki, while making friends with the owners who kept giving us more free food and Greek dessert. We went out on the town with 2 hostellers in our room, drank lots of wine, and saw street dancing and fire eating. Next night chatted up the bartender on our hostels rooftop bar, who turned out to be the manager and artist of the place, which sports huge Greek god cartoons on the walls and Spartan quotes. Stayed with him till he decided to close, got lots of free drinks and tried Greek shots.
To get to Ios requires a ferry we didn't book ahead. So we had to flip for the one business class left and VIP! Sadly no free stuff or real extra treatment for me in VIP. Getting off the giant hundreds person ferry hours later I was zoned out from our late night and early wakeup. So I missed the get off call. Until I realized new people were coming and "Jessica! Report to port, it is Ios!" Came on loudspeaker...to which I stumble ran downstairs with my backpack, rushing over the boat bridge ready to rise, while the staff yell into walkie talkies "wait! She's here!" Ios has the white houses and blue roofs in the main drag, but most of it is mountains and barren, with the beautiful ocean. We stayed at Far Out Hostel Resort (10eur) in a tent with concrete walls, right on the water. It has one pool area with jazz and cushiony sunbeds, competing with the earth shaking bass of the young main resort. The day drinking turns the poolside into an electro club by 6pm. A 6 pack, bikinis, and beach babes appears to be the criteria. There's a stage (I danced my butt of on), a high scaffolding stage, and then the entire resort and busloads of islanders take up the rest of the poolside and cafeteria.
Spoiler: I took absynth shots while chasing with very goose. I took tequila slammers while the bartender slammed a fire extinguisher into my helmet covered head. I slightly fell down a mountain and may be a bit scraped up on my left side. I danced on top of bar tables and in the center of circles, belting out top 40 and pumping up the crowd. I skinny dipped. I jumped hotel fences that looked fancy so we could try the lifestyles of the rich and famous (or so it felt). I have lost god knows how many years off my life to live the most unbelievable party and become "the crazy dancing Canadian chick." During the day we would hit up the poolsides, tan on the beach, swim, or walk into town. But here, the island wakes up at noon or 2, and we walk home from the bar at 5-7am. Any night of a casual drink or a coffee turned into meeting people and "it's Ios baby!" The islands catch phrase. We saw fire tricks at another bar, and live music with an OK guy singing and guitar playing, while the other beach babe in little shorts jumped up and down like a caveman to slam on a box drum. Final day two Canadians took us dirt biking up the huge mountain, beaching, and Keelin and I got to drive back! Its this family group making our trip awesome. They all insisted we come to midnight supper with them (for the 2nd time), where we are refused to chip in. A genuinely awesome time was had by all, and this is how I ate my greatest meal all trip. Lobster pasta, calamari, octopus, wine, shots, and a main of feta & veggie stuffed squid. Taste bud explosion of a lifetime.
Resort staff assured us we would make our 840am ferry even though public busses only started at 815, and were always away. There are only 5 cabs on the island anyway, and they said no chance of that. A mini bus pulls up at 820 able to take about 1/4 of our waiting group. A panicked flurry of activity got the far out staff calling to stall the ferry as one drove a few in his car, and the other stuffed 23 of us into his car/shuttle bus, throwing our luggage on the roof. We careened down the mountain cliffs at hairpin turns, losing one suitcase, as we fell in piles shrieking "opaaaaaa" that we were still on the road. They managed to rush us on board, but transportation is going to kill my heart. I'm recognizing that we have something special going on in that we can enjoy ourselves easily. It comes so naturally and thankfully because were aware of how few people get to experience what we do. To see so much of so many countries, to be the energy bunnies and crazy party Canadians we so often get called, and to have the raw, emotional excitement of a child, with the intense appreciation of someone a bit more mature. We keep feeling, to borrow from Chbosky, that in that moment we are infinite.
No comments:
Post a Comment