We left in the evening on a double-decker jet -- It was an amazing experience, as the attendants were all bilingual and extraordinarily friendly. Hailing from the U.S. was an oddity. The journey through Paris' airport was an odyssey in its own right -- trying to find our gate, navigate customs and security all within a half hour was nerve racking, even without the 2 km trek across the airport. The different faces and languages were a pleasant change, however, and we made our gate just in time to board. The take off provided a distant view of the Eiffel tower from the east, and tracing the sinuous sage ribbon of the Seine we were able to find Notre Dame.
Our arrival in Athens came with all the chaos of finding ones way without speaking the language. Through 17 metro stops on two different lines and a sudden downpour, we found the simple and charming hotel just off of Omonia Square (Future reference -- not the place to be, though our hotel was nice). Our windows looked out on a courtyard shared with a tall narrow apartment building and a flock of spotted pigeons.
The city is hot and beautiful and intense, the pride of its people shining through whatever hardships they face, whether national or personal.
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