WED Got a meal on the flight again (I am loving Turkish Airlines except for that crash in Amsterdam recently...)- never in the states would a one hour flight come with a full on meal! The airport staff was nice and directed me to the metro and I confirmed with someone on there that it would take me to the stop I needed to change to the Acropolis stop . Didn't take too long and switched at Syntagma for a short ride to Acropolis. The hostel is near a lot of things so that was convenient. Took some time to find the hostel since the directions they gave were unclear- really close to the metro exit actually. The city is so pretty lit up at night- very romantic sigh. Checked in and relived to take a break! Hostel run by Australians and learned that Isla Fisher's brothers or something own it (wondered why there was a signed pic of here up in there). Also signed up for the Delphi tour on Saturday- first one! Where I stayed was the studios so they are like apartments with a living room, balcony, kitchen. It looked like only 2 other people were there out of 6 beds total. Much quieter and I hear nicer than the hostel hostel part. Only thing was shower curtain wasn't big enough and we had to squeege the floor every time we showered. Showered and wore a t-shirt and SANDALS for once since CA!! Got some cheesey thing and fruit and yogurt at the grocer and went on the internet at the hostel (1 euro for 15 minutes!! but the guy was nice and let me use it this time for free). I was going to take it easy and relax in the studio but felt obliged to be social so I headed to the hostel bar. Met a couple of Brazilian guys studying in Dublin (but they didn't know each other before then). Learned cheers in Portuguese- saüge? Got some beers and went out with the hostel staff and other hostelers to a place called Spirit which was DEAD. Met a couple of Americans too from the East Coast. Got some free shots- the lady said red vodka? and some vodka cranberries yay! Ended up getting sick back at the studio and had the worst hang over the next day (or at least one of the worst I have had in a long long time!). I felt so lame bc I was in Athens in bed for most of the next day (oh yeah, the sites close at about 3pm in the winter!).
THU Chatted with my studio mates a bit in the morning (one from the states and one from Austria) and almost went out a couple of times but didn't feel up to it. Eventually made it out almost at 5 to see the city and not sites- saw the National Library, Athens University (but quiet when I was there), Athens Academy, Parliment with the guards, and of course random little ruins as I meandered home on the cobbley streets. Met a girl from Argentina who just got in and walked around a bit with her and invited her back to our studio. Hung out with the studio mates too and another girl checked in from the states as well. No drinking tonight for me haha.
FRI I had to be super productive today and Lindsey (the newest addition) asked me to wake her in the morning to begin our Athens adventure. Was a nice day but turned out to be a little chilly and rained for about 20 minutes. Only had a scarf and sandals again :)
The ticket covered a bunch of sites- saw the Acropolis, Ancient Agora (marketplace), Keramikos and cemetary, Hadrian's Arch and Zeus' Temple from the outside. Hike up to the Acropolis was not bad at all and we were there early so the crowds hadn't formed yet. The dogs that hang out around the hostel came with and were like our own tour guides! The Parthenon had some ugly construction going on so we tried to avoid that in pics. It was so crazy to be up there! And the views were amazing especially on such a nice day. Did some souvenir shopping in the Plaka area. Funny how at night I saw things and had no idea what it was and in the day I'm like oh that's what that was! I definitely wandered through the Plaka area last night but didn't know it! 
So nice to have someone to eat with- Lindsey and I ate at this really cute, good, and well-priced place near the studio. We got the most delicious grilled/fried calamari, garlic bread, and straight from the oven mousakka mmmm it was so good! Went out with hostel staff and hostelers to the Psiori area again (where we were the first night where the bars are- reminds me of Spain where the tables and people spill onto the street except there weren't many lights on the street). Had Rakomelo which is warm raki with honey- not bad tasting but def interesting. Lindsey and I felt a little out of place bc everyone already drank a lot at the hostel bar and knew each other from staying at the actual hostel. The final destination was this after hours club called Kaluha where some DJ was spinning (ended up being technoy and no one was dancing so that was kinda lame) but we had a fun time with the hostel bar girl and the Australian guy that was there too (we lost everyone else at the first bar). It was 15 euro to get in but we got a free drink, they had a delicious bar snack (popcorny cheesy goodness- forget peanuts!), and the coat check was free which was way nice. Met some Greek guys (so diff from Turks I feel like bc no one came up to us to talk or anything). Ended up leaving around 4 or 5? Lindsey went off with their Greek friends and I wanted to sleep cuz we had Delphi tomorrow- ended up seeing the changing of the guards! Really wanted Mexican food or some snack :( SAT Got up early to see the old Olympic Stadium. Think you can go in but I just wanted a peek before the tour to Delphi. Went to the hostel for breakfast- not very good and glad I hadn't been going. Mishap with the number of seats on the mini bus- tour guide hadn't counted herself so we had one extra person and the bus driver would not drive like that cuz he could get in major trouble so we waited around, wondered if someone would be kicked out, but eventually went to get another bus- one of the big ones. Thought the guide was being funny when she said this but it was the guy's first time driving a big bus as the driver and some other guy walked around the bus. We passed by the new Olympic Stadiums on the way there which was cool. So we head off in our spacious bus and noticed the driver was taking all these side and residential streets. At one point he couldn't make the turn so he backed up with the assistance of our guide. Then we blocked a street as he backed and turned some more to get out, branches scraping the windows, bumping the curb, sometimes going onto the curb. People at this point are honking their horns, leaning out the windows of their home, coming up to the bus and trying to help the guy...eventually a mini cooper type car was physically lifted so that the bus could get through! What an ordeal! The drive to Delphi took about 3 hours. Talked with an American guy for a bit who's been traveling the world! Wow. Actually one of the Brazilian guys I met the other night was doing pretty much all of Europe. I'm jealous they have the money, time, and energy to do that!! We drove through the countryside which is always neat to see- such a contrast to the big cities.
We drove through the cute town of Arachova to get to our destination. There was snow in the mountains- guess it snowed in Delphi last weekend. Town reminded me of Italy a bit. Delphi was considered the center of the world and we saw exactly where! We walked along the Sacred Way, hiked up to see the stadium where the Pythian Games games were played, saw the ancient theater, the Temple of Apollo, the old gymnasium, Treasury of the Athenians, Tholos at the Sanctuary of Athena. We headed to the village, whose street was about as wide as our bus (we must have looked funny). There's a cheese they make only there similar mozzarella called formaella which people usually fry or grill- who doesn't like fried cheese?! I really wanted to get some but they were all so big. This French guy bought some and I was jealous! I was able to taste a bit at the shops and it was pretty good. Walked around town, got some small souvenirs, and boarded the bus back to Athens. 
It was a much quieter ride and I think everyone napped from our long day. It also got dark and cold as we headed home. Funny thing- at one point the driver got out as we were in the city and disappeared for a few minutes- no one knows why haha thanksfully he came back! Lindsey and I were going to head back to the studio and shower and rest but some people went to get food so we went with. I got a delicious Greek salad. I don't like feta at home but in Greece I love it!! We got some free ouzo shots at the hostel too yum. Lindsey had never had it before- she grew to like it :) Got ready for my last night in Athens...or so I thought. I set my alarm and was all packed and Lindsey even asked if she should set her alarm for me. We headed to the hostel bar where I consciencely made us drink water every other drink and kept my water bottle full. It was a guy from Northen Ireland's 25th so we had shots for that plus shots from the hostel bar girl we made friends with the other night. Went with our hostel friend Andreas and a ton of people to a bar but it seemed so far especially from where we had been the nights before. Definitely tried to remember how to get back but luckily he was around to lead us back...with a pit stop for the most absolutley delicious gyro ever with tons of tzatziki sauce mmmmm. I know we were drunk but it was for sure the best gyro we had there or even ever. It started raining on the way back too and I heard from birthday boy the day after it took him a few hours to get home!! The bar was loungey with a cafe in the back, no cover, no coat check, but pretty cute bar tenders and the best snack ever! It had cheesy popcorn plus other things which we did find one part of it at the store but not the others. The French guys at the hostel were fun to dance with. Everybody was smoking though but I got to dance to good music- although it turned technoy near the end of the night. I don't remember what time we left but I guess we were the last ones there! It was a really fun last night and way to wrap up the day and Greece! SUN Buuuuut either my alarm didn't go off or I just completely didn't care and I woke up almost at 9:30 and my flight was at 10:55 and it takes about an hour to get to the airport. I figured it wasn't work the rush since the next flight wasn't until the evening. All in all, I took the morning flight Monday and everything was fine (I had to pay a fee anyways for either day unfortunately). Lindsey and I did a mellow shopping lounging day and we hung with the people left at the hostel in the bar that night- really low key (although her and I were dressed up a bit since most of our clothes were dirty!). Lindsey wanted to pick up some ouzo and wine and I recommended the place I went- the guy was really nice and let us try a bunch of stuff but I mostly declined cuz at this point I wasn't sure if I was able to get on the 7pm flight to Istanbul or not and didn't want to get pissed at like 1pm so poor Lindsey had like almost 2 glasses of wine (I helped a bit there), ouzo, and some rakomelo liquor haha. It was the beginning of Carnival and we saw little kids dressed up (and all the women were wearing heels and designer sunglasses sheesh!). I finally made it to the bar happy hour (7-8pm) and then we got some ok food from nearby. Everyone just hung out and chatted and it was a really nice time. Unfortunately, the bar closes around 11/11:30pm and they kick you out- we just wanted to sit around and chat- we weren't even loud. We had been talking to the Irish guy- loved the accent but sometimes had to have him repeat himself. This Colombian guy (with a latina mom and german dad I think he said- only in Europe do you find someone like this and I love it!) living in France was leaving for the airport around the same time so we agreed to meet up in the morning and go together on the metro.
MON Got horrible sleep- kept waking up every hour or so probably bc I was paranoid about missing my alarm and flight again. Saw some people up for whatever reason that eary at the hostel and said good-byes. Saw one of the Brazilian guys I was supposed to meet up with (he went to the islands for a few days which is why I hadn't seen him). We started our journey to the airport- but I forgot you can't pack liquids on carry-ons and I had some small ouzo bottles!!! Ah so stupid. Luckily the place was going to be a bit late and I walk fast so long story short, I couldn't mail them after waiting in line behind a guy with a ton of freaking letters, but ended up checking my carry on and it turned out fine whew I did not want to throw them out! The staff were really nice at the airport I must say and I appreciate them letting me go back out and come back in (my passport has 4 Athens stamps for that one day haha). So glad to get some food on the plane but unfortunately didn't nap. Ended up taking a taxi back bc I didn't want to wait an hour for the shuttle- not too expensive. It was rainy boo. I guess Mert missed me; we had pide delivered for dinner cuz Emre and Özlem were going to be late so it was fun just the 2 of us having dinner. Whew what a long day and great adventure!
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