Monday the 30th!

So here's the start of the third week. It's hard to believe it has already been so long. It feels like we just got here! There has been good news on the room front, Brett and I are going to move to a different building to share a 4 person apartment with two other girls which will save us a bit of money on rooms. Today was a usual sort of day at work. We sorted through and updated some old cataloging forms and starting to catalogue the next big locus. The afternoon was pretty lazy and mostly spent doing laundry. Tomorrow we move! Hope all is well at home!

Sunday!

So today Brett and I managed to find our way to the Bronze Age palace at Mallia. It was an interesting trip to be sure. We started out in the modern town of Malia which I suppose is something like Panama City Beach during spring break. Lots of young people and drinks and bars. It was very strange really and like nothing else I had seen in Greece.

But we eventually wandered upon the site with some minor directional aid and it was most awesome. Some sections were a bit overgrown or closed but the palace itself was fabulous.

A kernos! For offerings or games or maybe both!

Brett!

A lustral basin of debated use, but important as they are always located near large suites of rooms.

After bouncing around the site we stopped by a beach and lounged about for a bit. It was fun because it was a rocky beach, which is different from the plain sand or pebble ones.

Our walk back was exciting too as we accidentally walked past the town before getting directions back to the KTEL stop. But it worked out in the end! With our extra bit of time we tested out the novelty of an Irish bar on Greece.

But the beer tasted pretty much like it did everywhere else and the bartender was Greek, though, haha. We made it back to Pacheia Ammos and are set to roll into bed after a bite to eat so we can get up for work tomorrow. Hope all is well!

 

Saturday again!

Today was another short work day as it was stil rather warm. Everyone came up to the center to wash pottery rather than going to dig and Lizzy and I continued to work through our plaster. We finished up at noon and after a bit of lunch and some time spent letting things cool off, a few of us hiked to Vasiliki which is only about 45 minutes from here.

Last year Brett and I tried to get there but had bad directions and never made it. This time we did though! Vasiliki is an old Minoan town, and the namesake of Vasiliki ware, which is a type of pottery from this region.

We slipped in under this fence and wandered around the site which is well preserved and had a fabulously preserved house. 

House!

 

 

There was even a baetle stone, which is probably an object for religious worshi

  

I hugged it >>

But it was a good day all in all. The wind has picked up, things have cooled off, and tomorrow Brett and I are headed to the palace of Malia! 

Friday!

Whew. Today was a hot one and we only ended up working until 2 because of it. The day dawned oddly with this haze hanging over the valley for the longest time:

It persisted through the morning...

And even by 1 was still there a bit:

It's quite unusual, but is apparently a result of the winds carrying sands up from the Sahara, which isn't really all that far away. That's also the reason it has gotten so very hot. But other than that the work day went alright!

After work there was beach time to be had as the water was gloriously cool and clean with the lack of winds from the north. Now Brett and I will be off to dinner with our hot sauce (which is like gold!). A nice gyro, a beer, and a beach within a stone's throw is the best of ways to end the day. ^^

The evening we spent stargazing from out roof with a glass of wine and lots of random chatting!

Thursday!

So today I got a letter! 

That was fun ^^ Today was a long hot day at work, but it went well. Now I am lounging about before I shall be off to find a place to watch the game. Thank goodness the US isn't playing at 1am this time!

As far as lounging and letter writing goes, this spot is hard to beat:

Tuesday and Wednesday!

So yesterday Brett and I spent most of the afternoon in Ierapetra. 

We had dinner, watched the sea and then hung out to see the first half of Greece's World Cup game. Today was rather warm, but the work is going well, we've gotten a lot done which is a good thing for sure! 

This is my plaster buddy, Lizzy, holding up a form that took us 8 hours to complete. It was covering a lot of material but that was still a long time to only have a sheet of paper to show for it!

This is Ajax the Greater. He occasionally pops in to say hi. Not much else is going on though!

This afternoon I think I shall go read by the beach. See if the windsurfers are out doing their thing. Hope all is well!

The start of the second week:

So today started off pretty awesomely. The wind had stolen away 20 euros from my purse one evening but a kindly digger found it and gave it back, which was fabulous. But then Brett and my's (is that how that grammar goes?) third roommate, Julia, decided to take off. She's going to leave and go vacation for the next three weeks instead because she decided she didn't like it here. Unfortunately that means Brett and I have to cover a third share of the room between us for the next three weeks she was supposed to be here, which kind of sucks. But the day was pretty for all that and I think we shall enjoy it by the shore for a bit. Loves!

The sun rose prettily today too!

Sunday!

We took a stroll last night and visited this cute little church at one end if the village.

It's a fun thing to do in the evening because there is a gray view of the sunset, too.

Last night was also the glendi. It's a celebration where they have a coming of age for some of the kids, but I think it might also be a remnant of an old summer solstice celebration. It was fun and there was lots of music and Greek dancing. Today was mostly a lazy day of sleeping in and lounging about. We were going to try and see the palace at Mallia but forgot about the site closing at 3 until too late. So we will try again next Sunday and get up early.

Hope all is well at home! 

Saturday!

So today was a short day, and we just worked from 8 to noon. I did some boring things like laundry and cooking, and then it was off to a lazy day on the beach. Yay!

Under an umbrella of course...

Friday!

Today was another day! We started doing some organization and inventorying of the plaster as well as some more cleaning. Other than that the day has been pretty lazy. There is a Greek dance lesson tonight and tomorrow is the glendi, a little village festival which us always fun! Hope all is well!

Today is also reeeeally windy! Lookit these waves!

The dance lesson went well, though, we've mostly got the traditional twelve step dance down. And then we went to dinner and they brought us a "little raki" for afterwards...

It was a good day all in all!

Thursday!

All goes about as it should! Today was a bit hot but the evening has turned nice and it was pretty!

Tuesday!

This was supposed to appear yesterday, but now it's out of order and I don't know how to fix it :(

So today was our second day of work. Things are starting off pretty slow, but that's certainly not a bad thing. ^^ today was more of the same and another lazy afternoon.

The people are all nice. There's a handful of familiar faces and plenty of friendly new ones. Hope all is well back home!

Wednesday!

Hello all! Today was a hot day and our first full work day. Things started out slow in the center as there's always a lag between when the field gets started and when things actually show up to be taken care of. All is well, though! We're enjoying our time by the sea. Our room even has a reasonable view!

My big accomplishment of the week was octopus for dinner last night and it was most tasty!

I also had lunch with one of the center kitties yesterday.

Hope all is well at home!

First day!

The view from the center. So today we started work and I got to cleaning plaster. It was work as usual and we ended early in the afternoon. We figured out how to get hot water in our apartment, which was three days in coming! And now Brett and I are hanging out at a cafe on the beach using the internet and chatting with whoever drops by. Hope all is well!

Sunday

Hello all! Today's a lazy day, we had orientation this morning and are headed to the beach this afternoon. Lovely day as usual!

As an update the beach was lovely too! So toasty you could see the heat radiating off it! But the water was cold and the sun pleasant. ^^

Pacheia Ammos

Well, I made it! After some excitement of course. Lucky me, I was traveling on Friday the 13th and what should happen but our poor ferry had a Bomb threat. Not to worry, nothing was found and the rest of the trip went well, but it was exciting at least! But now I've made it here. Time to find some food and maybe a nap and laze around until the orientation meeting tomorrow. ^^

Today in Athens...

So today was mostly a free day, as my ferry isn't until tonight. I spent the day so far visiting some of the big sites:

The acropolis, of course

The temple of Olympian Zeus

And the agora museum to speak briefly with the head conservator there

Now I'm just whiling away the last couple of hours before I head down to the port to catch my ferry. Hope all is well back home!

Athens!

The stunning view from the hostel window, but at least it's in Athens! I think a nap is in order...

Amsterdam!

This is a shiny new airport I haven't been in before!

We left Atlanta...

Flew through the night...

And arrived in time to watch the sun rise over Amsterdam and the fog creep over the fields...

It was quite lovely all in all. I wish I had time to visit this country too! On to Athens next, so far everything looks to be on time!

Made it to Atlanta!

Those tasty noms are for meeee!

Yay airports!

So today is the start of another trip across the pond! It will take about a day to get over to Greece, so here's hoping the weather is kindly the whole way there!