rubialoca

Searching for Greek Gods is exhausting. I mean, not that I'm complaining, afterall I'm in Athens! It's a history and travel lovers dream, an intellectuals paradise, and on top of all that its crawling with boys on motorbikes...you just can't go wrong in this city. But it doesn't mean I don't get exhausted, and the day after island hopping I just didn't feel like doing much of anything. And so I did precisely that, since this technically is my vacation, I took liberty to lounge around in sweatpants watching really bad Greek TV, reconnecting with friends via facebook, indulging in some Greek wine and doing a whole lot of absolutely nothing. But my day of non-European leisure was just that one day, because everyone knows you can't find a Greek God sitting around at home all ... read more

I remember the first time I ever saw the acropolis. It was second grade social studies class and the teacher had one of those old fashioned slide projectors. We were learning about Geography or something, and one of the slides was a bunch of falling apart white stone columns, which apparently represented the country of Greece. I didn't get it then, but believe me, I certainly get it now. I may never meet a Greek God in Athens, but it doesn't matter anymore, seeing the Parthenon live in person was a sensation way better than falling for some greasy Greek God, of this I'm sure. My third day in Athens, New Years Eve of all days, is one I will never, ever forget. We got off to a slow start, waking up a few hours behind ... read more

So when I first told my friends of my family vacation travel plans to Greece, the most common thing they asked for? A Greek God. Yes, I know that according to Greek Mythology all the Gods live on Mount Olympus and have now been abandoned for more morally concious and practical religions like Orthodox Christianity, however, this doesn't stop me from at least trying to find them what they're looking for. After all, you've all seen the Disney movie Hercules...Who isn't looking for a man with those bicepts? I must admit though, the task of finding 10 brooding, muscular, statuesque Greek men is not nearly as easy as it sounds. Anyways we'll revisit my Greek God search later, for now we'll get to the City of Athens. I'll be as honest as I can here, Athens ... read more

Let me start by saying Europe never ceases to amaze me. It's been 10 years since I last visited Europe, but the wonderment that paralyzed me then still holds me hostage today as I stare out my hotel window at the lighted towering blue turets on the blue Mosque. Istanbul, Turkey..while not considered classically Europe (many classify it as a part of Asia or even Middle Eastern)...has me absolutley lovestruck, although I must admit it took a while to grow on me As with every cross continental trip, this one started with plenty of monotonous airports and plane flights. The journey started in a very cold, very snowy Saint Louis, Missouri. Icy roads, long lines and delayed flights made for a rough start. However, even amongst the long wait times, there managed to be a lot ... read more

So as my time in Mexico comes to a close, I realize how much of an adjustment going home is really going to be. I'm sure it'll be just as...if not more difficult than those I had to make when I first got down here. At some point, although its incredebly unclear exactly when, this city really did become like a second home to me. While the first few weeks were something of an adventure, exploring new streets, new foods, meeting new friends, I can honestly say (partly with pleasure and partly with sadness) that the everyday adventure of Cuernevaca has nearly dissapeared. I've mastered the public transportation, and the language struggles that once plagued me, now seem almost silly. These people who I barely knew as friends a month ago, have become nothing short of ... read more