Off to Mykonos via 10-hour ferry ride! - Thursday, September 5, 1991

Thursday, September 5, 1991

We woke up at 0700 because the ferry to Paros was leaving at 0900. We had the front desk guy knock on our door to wake us up. I went downstairs and paid the bill (26,000 DR). After that, I went upstairs to wake up Anne so she could get ready as the bus was leaving to the port at about 0810. As she got ready, I remembered a dream I had the night before. It was awesome because Mom, Dad, Aya, Pepin, and Pe and other family members I could not figure out were preparing for Abuelo Pepe’s anniversary visit. It was going to be the first time since he died in 1986 as we were excited. A big meal was being prepared at Aya’s house and we were just waiting. He came through the door and he looked so young. I know it was him, but he didn’t look old. He looked like how his father looks in the picture in Aya’s room with the dark glasses and all. It was freaky, but we were all so happy. He talked about what he did up in heaven. He looked for things to eat, to do, etc. It wasn’t hard because everything was there to be had, but he loved to look. Aya was sitting next to me and he in front of her. She had her head down and she was holding his hand. She couldn’t believe he was in the same room with her. I then woke up and had this incredible feeling of peace and a feeling that Pe or Aya had had the same exact dream. I will ask them when I get back.

After Ana packed, we went downstairs and the same old couple who took us to the port yesterday took us again. They spoke no English (and us no Greek), but she seemed to be telling us through hand gestures and grunts that they were married and happy. They smiled a lot and he honked and said hello to everyone. I guess he was very popular and she seemed proud that he honked and greeted everyone. They dropped us off and we sat down to have breakfast: nescafe and croissant.

As I sat in the café, Anne bought postcards and stamps and was told the ferry was delayed until 1030. All the ferries we had taken on this trip so far (2) have been delayed. It’s not such a good sign. Maybe someone does not want us to leave. I love this place. I would buy a house here and live the summers in it. Imagine a villa in Oia and everyday waking up to the most incredible views in the world. I have now named this my favorite place in the world for two reasons: peacefully beautiful and dirt cheap. It seemed like I didn’t leave since the first time I came. Everything is the same except that I am with Anne which is better. She looks good with her honey golden tan. I said to myself, I will come every year for the rest of my life. If not, at least every couple of years. This place really gets to me in a good way.

The ship finally came about 1045. We boarded and said in the comfortable Pullman seats. It’s 1130 and we’re about to begin our first game of scrabble. I predict that I will WIN WIN. Ha! Ha! Ha!

Ana	Alex
1            CARD – 14	1.    TRAINED – 16
2            TIE – 3	2.    FUNK – 13
3            TAX – 20	3.    REPENT – 14
4            QUIT- 24	4.    LEAN – 8
5            OUZO – 42	5.    HALO – 21
6            RUSH – 7	6.    NIP – 10
7            PEW – 16	7.    MAYOR – 20
8            MOVE – 36	8.    DRAWL – 26
9            EEL – 6	9.    EGG – 15
10         GRAY – 36	10.  PASSED
11         DO – 7	11.  DYE – 8
12         ALSO – 12	12.  EVE – 18
13         SNIP – 12	13.  BRUSH – 20
14         BAD – 12	14.  ICY – 16
15         GEL – 12	15.  HEY – 10
16         OF – 5	16.  OIA/ID – 8
17         STRAINED – 18	17.  BINS – 18
18         BUNT – 21	18.  TROT – 5
19         JET – 10	19.  NO – 4
20         TIE - 6	20.  MY – 11
21         IT – 4	21.  WIT - 12
TOTAL:  327	22.  C - 3
	TOTAL:  273

Anne won! We finished the game at 1324. The game lasted almost two hours. We haven’t arrived in Paros yet, but we are patiently waiting. I am back and we’re not going to Paros today! The ferry stopped, but we waited too long and it was too late to get off. We thought the boat was still moving and thought we had more time. Anne and I ran downstairs and we got there just when the ship was pulling away from the port. It royally sucks, but what can you do. Anne felt bad and wanted to wait to not get stuck in a line in the car holding area where it is really hot. The ferry is going straight to Athens and we have not decided on what we are going to do. All I know is that we’re going to play yet another Scrabble game.

Ana	Alex
1.    FIB – 16	1.    PINTO – 11
2.    AT – 2	2.    SHIP/IF – 26
3.    PASSED	3.    ELATE – 9
4.    LASH – 11	4.    GEMS – 14
5.    FIBER – 22	5.    VIXEN – 30
6.    BURY – 133	6.    WASH – 18
7.    MOVED – 22	7.    YIELD – 18
8.    QUIZ – 44	8.    SET – 4
9.    VOW – 18	9.    ERA/OR – 7
10.  DAB – 12	10.  KNELT – 10
11.  DUG – 10	11.  INK – 14
12.  RIM – 6	12.  ACE – 10
13.  LEND – 10	13.  TONED – 8
14.  NAP – 10	14.  DOPE – 14
15.  TO – 6	15.  TRIM – 7
16.  RINK – 16	16.  CAR - 9
17.  CART – 10	17.  ON – 2
18.  GURU/ARE – 16	18.  SHRINK – 24
19.  LID – 4	19.  AWARE – 16
20.  OR – 4	20.  JAR – 11
21.  TOY - 3	21.  OAT – 9
-3 for G & U	22.  IN – 4
TOTAL:  281	TOTAL:  274

Ana won again. I have no comment, but that this was boring because the words were short and all the letters were bad. Well, we arrived in ATH at 2000. We ran to the ticket office and bought a cabin (#106) on the next ship to Mykonos. We bought food and coke and went on the ship. I cannot believe we are going on another ferry in the direction where we just sailed from, but life is good! The cabin was great: nice beds, pilllows, shower, etc. The ship’s name was DIMITRA and it stopped in Silos, Tinos, and then Mykonos. We slept the whole way.

Fab's Ferry Ordeal and Vomit-Man Cab Ride - Wednesday, September 4, 1991

Wednesday, September 4, 1991

We woke up at 1000 and got ready. We had continental breakfast at the hotel restaurant, Fab bought a ticket for the 1915 ferry back to Athens (she was going back home for her cousin’s wedding), Ana and I bought ferry ticket to Paros to leave tomorrow at 0900, Ana called home, we changed to a double room (#39), and we all went to the beach. It was a short three-minute walk from hotel and the day was awesome.

I am sitting on the beach writing in this journal. There us a mountain to my left and I am laying on a sun bed on top of black sand. The wind makes the heat bearable so it’s not so bad. The water is freezing and at exactly 1527 we are leaving to go eat something. We ate the usual Greek fare: gyros, fries, and coke. I could live on this gyros. After a late lunch, we went back to hotel so Fab could shower and leave for the port. She was going to Piraeus (ATH) at 1915, but the hotel was taking her at about 1730.

A while later, I asked Anne if Fab had taken her credit cards from the money belt we all shared. Anne opened the money belt and realized that Fab had forgotten everything: passport, Pan Am ID, credit cards, and self-write ticket. The girl had nothing so Anne and I got dressed and asked the hotel people to take us to the port as fast as they can. An old husband & wife took us speeding down to the port. Anne and I were rushing out of the car and onto the ferry to look for Fab, but there was no sign of her. We even paged her on the loud speaker. She was NOT there!

After not finding her on the ship and in the port area, Anne realized she must have gone back to the hotel. As we were going back to the hotel, we see Fab getting out of a taxi. She finally showed up and it cost her like 2200 Drachma and we had to give her another 700 DR so she can take her stuff out of the ATH airport storage. We were quite tired of the running around.

After this ordeal which was straight out of yet another movie, Anne and I took a 2000 Drachma cab ride to Oia to watch the sunset and go to dinner. We got there just in time. After we wondered the streets looking for a café, nothing peaked our interest. We found a place and after sitting down, we realized they did not accept credit cards. We felt embarrassed and ordered OJ and a beer. We left to find a credit card accepting restaurant in the form of a place called Neptune’s.

It was on the roof-top patio of some shops and it was freezing cold. The service sucked because it was so slow. It reminded me of Egypt. I ordered spaghetti with veal and Ana ordered a Greek salad. Ana was surprised I ordered veal, but I wanted to try something new. After dinner, we left to catch a 2230 bus back to Thira to go to Perissa. Anne was scared to go on the bus because the old man driver seemed drunk crazy and we had to travel on narrow cliff-laden roads. She wanted to take a cab. I was a little upset because the difference in price was a lot (2000 DR compared to 600 DR for the cab). Not much of a difference, but we were counting pennies at that point and the Fab ordeal did not help, but I later understood where she was coming from as she was just plain scared of the drivers.

We took a cab and on the way to Thira, we had unexpected guests in the cab with us. After we get in the cab, the driver advises us that he had to pick up two other people at a house off the main road. We waited outside this house for like 10 minutes. Suddenly, this man and woman come out of the house and the man did not look very good. He was slouching over and the lady had a glass in her hand which was probably a drink. She got in the back seat with Anne and I, and he got in the front. She was directly behind him holding his head up as he moaned and groaned. We thought he was drunk sick and ready to throw up. We were sort of grossing out at the thought of huge chunks flying around inside the car like a blender.

Suddenly, the sick man told the driver to stop the car and asked Anne or I to get in the front seat so he could sit next to the woman. Anne got out of the car and sat in the front. As the ride continued, the woman started asking me questions about where we were staying, where we were from, etc. I asked what the hell was wrong with him. Here’s the story: He had gotten sick the night before and had been throwing up blood ever since. They thought it would pass, but it had not. So, he had to go to the hospital in Thira because the one doctor in Oia was working his 24-hour shift in Thira. I then turned to the glass in her hand and it contained a sample of his bloody vomit. I was like great if the car tips over or swerves a bit I will get showered with his ultimate back wash. I was not happy. Silence filled the air until we got to the hospital. They ran out of the car as fast as they could and we wished them luck. We got to the hotel, showered, packed, and zonked. In the middle of the night, I woke up with the biggest stomach pains and threw up my whole dinner inside the bathtub and had gobs of liquid diarrhea. It reaked of veal. I would not eat veal for a long time. I hope my body stabilizes and that will not happen until I am stable and eating consisent meals.