Panama Jan.12-Feb.1, 2011

New Panama City from Old City


Why Panama? Why not Panama?
It all started with the idea of Clive wanting to see the Panama Canal, the great human engineering feat. So the possibility of a cruise existed - comfortable, easy...but only one day to go through the canal and experience the wonder. For me, cruises are about the cruise experience and not the destination, though in fact that may be changing a bit. I still think it is about the cruise and not the destination - all of these groups being shuttled around in tours and then returned to the boat.

So as per usual, I picked up from travel books from the library and took a look at what Panama might have to offer. Well, it looked to be an interesting destination - the biggest and most developed city in Central America, rainforests, mountains, two oceans not too far apart and all of this in a relatively small country. Then a world class surfing destination at the end of the road (when I came back I discovered that Jordie had spent 3 weeks surfing here and it had only changed somewhat in 12 years!) and an island that is an extension of the Galapagos only 20 miles offshore (1.5hours in a boat). So why not?
Then the added bonus that we had accumulated 37,000 air points with first North West, transferred to Continental and then to Delta. So it seemed we had Delta points that would evaporate in November. So those had to be put to good use!....and with the new online program it was easy to see that lots of flights were available for our points. Thus Panama!

We enjoyed Panama. The food was better than expected - it was not rice and beans all the time as Lonely Planet had suggested. There was an interesting array of various ethnic foods - one of the best pizzas at a Greek place, French food in the highlands at a creperie run by a Frenchman, a wonderful curried fish dish by a French Canadian with a restaurant in Bocas. Lots of good experiences including the night that it was raining and we ate at a table and bench under an extended roof right near our spot in St. Catalina (the nicest beach on the Pacific so they say - very tidal and grey sand and lots of surfers). A Swiss couple said that it was good. So we ordered fish (choice of grilled or fried) and the choice of chips or rice. We ordered a beer and he ran up to the shop to buy one. It was fresh and delicious and out of the rain. The next day I asked if he could do a coffee for us. It seems not. Only fish and fish or rice. Then I learned he did not even have a frige. So that was impressive that he could serve up dinner - and oh yes, at $3.00 a plate not the standard $7 or 8 for this kind of meal. A local being successful - and the Swiss couple there were all that we saw to entice us (and the rain) to stop. Seems that food is a pretty important part of travelling - from the food to the decor, location etc. We ate at a wonderful little restaurant twice in Old Panama and on both occasions he shortchanged us by the amount of $1. Why? White tablecloths, intimate, great service, reasonable food, awesome frappes. Then the blue cheese sauce on the beef tenderloin at our hotel in Bouquette, the only place that we had trouble finding accommodation. Lots of good food, but as always when you go out to eat, I never get enough vegetables. Enough to make us eat at home! Even the bus stations had reasonable food - fish and rice! But after nearly 3 weeks, food at home starts to sound better - mostly because of the veg. Certainly fun all of these settings.

Miraflores Lock

Through the Cut and the new bridge

We did the full transit of the Panama Canal - and it was very interesting and relaxing - starting in the Pacific going through 3 locks, through the Guillard Cut (we expected this to be narrow but it was wide open) and then across the manmade lake and through 2 more lakes but tying up in the Atlantic in Colon. The lakes put massive amounts of land underwater and even created an island with the mountain that did not get submerged. It took a few years to fill the lakes. We saw where they are making alternative channels to increase the size of ships that will be able to go through the Panama. A great commentary for much of the way. I am so glad that we were able to do the full transit as that only happens about one day per month. We tried to book through a travel agent in our hotel but he was adamant that there was no full transit this day. He told us this several times even when we named the company and so on. So we booked online and yes, the company and booking exist. You do have to get yourself to the starting point by taxi unlike the competitive company that has some kind of pickup service and does work through travel agents.

We enjoyed several days in the north east at Bocas and managed to rent a condo through VRBO - a change from a hotel. Up on the third floor 2 streets back from the water, we were able to sit and watch. A beach town with no beach! It was a bus or water taxi to the beach. Beautiful beaches when you get there!...except 3 weeks later I am still recovering from the sand fly bites. So I do not want to retire here! unlike others.

Beach near Bocas
Surfers at Santa Catalina

Canadians and Americans are retiring like flies in the highland region - no snow to shovel, pleasant climate year round, lots of flowers and plants, cheap housing with everything you could dream of (well granite counters and a gardener) seemed to be the formula, a community of expat friends from day one. Oh yes, cheap medical care, cheap beer, discounts on everything from hotels to restaurants... to who knows what with this residencial card. I guess that the theme is cheaper than home and a lifestyle for expats. Apparently gated communities are springing up in the highlands. The poor locals - who can no longer afford housing and land and who will one day be in the minority if this carries on. These Canadians and Americans are also choosing other places to settle depending upon their personal perferences. If they prefer the coast there are two to choose from - the Caribbean with the Caribbean influence (and sandflies) and the Pacific with great surf, etc., or the cooler highlands,or the developed city with restaurants and nightlife. Take your pick - but the decision as to where is personal but all like the price and apparent lifestyle. Think I'll give it a miss and just visit. I like home and family and that familiarity and those blue skies of Alberta (not today but then today is a warm winter day). We even stayed at a great B&B in Santiago on our way to St. Catalina (going from the east coast to the west coast). This 2 guys had a great place, great meals, good conversation and were great hosts. They arrived here (the only expats in the community) because they needed a place. One was Austrailan and one was American. They could not migrate to either country as the respective countries would not allow the other to stay. They managed for several years in Australia and several in the US but there time together had run out. They had explored Costa Rica on numerous occasions and apparently it is now more expensive than Panama. Then they found this place in Panama. You need a single income of $1000 per month or $1200 joint to stay. Other people explained bringing in so much money and staying, no land tax for 15 years, etc. Lots of incentives. Anyways these two found their new community of their landlord and a few people around. And then they set up the b&b. Everyone has a story as how they arrived or are going to arrive to set up in Panama.

Coffee Plantation Bouquette

Interesting money and development. We found that taxis may or may not want to take you for the designated rate. Often they attempt to increase it severalfold and when this happens they really don't seem to want to take you. For the standard $2 or $3 you could go locally. We paid $6 for a cab ride one way and someone from our hotel paid $30 for the ride in the opposite direction (and same distance). So eventually there will be a two tiered system (like Bangkok).
Another interesting thing happened at the bus station. Clive was in a long line to buy a bus ticket. I was scouting about and the bus driver said that there was space on the bus for me..and also Clive. So we went through the turnstile to the bus (the person there was angry) and we hopped onto the bus. Eventually the ticket person issued us tickets on the bus - so it all seemed to work out - and the bonus of no line. I never thought about it again until we were in another bus line and Clive was in the line that was not moving much and ever so long. I wandered about and then watched the ticket window for awhile. When I realized that neither ticket window was selling tickets (the agents were away from the window) so now I knew why the line wasn't moving. So I went around to the bus and the driver was organizing various single people without tickets to get on and so I got Clive and we got on (since the driver reassured me that there would be seats for us). We paid the correct amount and were issued tickets. We told this story to the guys at the b&b and they smiled and said that corruption was rampant in their experience. So many people had to be in the know for this to happen ...or was it legit?
I guess that there is corruption in most countries. It is interesting that we often seem something when we travel - mostly because people are poor.

We chatted with lots of people
- and the older generation ooutnumbered the youngsters travelling in this country. This is definitely a grey-haired destination - and so many thinking that this would be a good place to stay...and then some like us - just visiting.

toucan - only in a zoo though!













Panama Bus


















Bocas Del Toro

Island Beach Near Bocas


Capucin Monkey

Santo Domingo Day 9

I have counted the days on my fingers. ....mmmm the Frenchman, Antoin, left tonight and asked us to cover his shift. He is tired of the rules and the straw that broke the camel's back was the night that he could not get a key to a spare room. He usually sleeps in his vehicle due to the frige noise in his room and on this night we had a barking dog in the garden. Antoin was sleeping in his vehicle and the dog barked nearby. So he had a lousy sleep and decided that the controlling of a volunteer is more than he could cope with. A great fit guy at 71. ...but hey just take the key and sleep where you want. What makes the 4th member of our team so powerful...in the eyes of the others? So now that Antoin is gone we shall see how the chips fall. Clive is doing the late evening for Antoin tonight. There is a childrens' evening outside - they have all been given a cup of chocolate pudding and a sponge type of cake to dip in it. This is to celebrate St Juan, and the equinox. The children are dressed up as if Halloween.

Thinking about food, as I so often do..... In Greece, we had fresh salads of cucumber, tomato and feta cheese if you wished. Good heavy country white bread. The main dish was usually meat or fish and nothing else, occasionally french fries or fried potato. The cost of the entree was about the same as the salad or the vegetable (greens like spinach or the salad) and cheap wine, of course. A small dessert and a liquer, rakki, were usually on the house and then a euro charge for bread was standard.

In Spain so far, we find that the foods available are somewhat limiting. There are green beans in a jar, archichokes in a jar, pimiento in a jar, tuna in a can, iceberg lettuce, good white bread if you choose it. A lot of oil and a lot of fried foods. Salsa is the word used if there is a sauce and they are usually pretty mild. There is fried fish, chops (quarter inch thick), rabbit, chicken and sometimes tripe or cheek or foot. We pretty much choose familiar including rabbit which is pretty much like chicken. Not too keen on organs though they gave some for us to try and Clive like it! Ugh! I am surprised by the lack of fresh vegetables around especially since there seems to be so much good weather for growing grapes and wheat. These countries make me realize how ethnically diverse our diet is and how much of everything we eat and the huge variety that we have to choose from!

Day 11
Well, time is passing and it has been interesting. I love meeting the travellers and so many of them have walked for a long time and they never tire of it either. I like it best when it is busy....and that is not every day or not all of the time every day. As time passes, people adjust differently. Antoin is gone. So Clive and I said that we were not prepared to put in any more time (one of us is receiving guests from 11am to 10pm. The Spanish lady thinks that we need 2 on. Clive and I disagreed. She got all wordy and phoned the Confradia here. They obviously did not back her up so we now have one on all of the time (I would do more but there are not enough pilgrims to keep busy). She has totally withdrawn and now only does the minimum and is no longer running the show. I wanted an hour off tonight and she would not help me make a phone call to arrange this ( a musical group doing Gregorian chant is coming to the cathedral). So I did fine phoning on my own - but previously she would not have let me do something like that because of my poor Spanish. She is tired and has lost interest. Clive has found a book online for something to read during his spare time. He has adjusted well. I think if I was not so keen that he might be ready to leave - but he is making the most of it. I like it here....nothing is perfect and it is an experience. The guests, we both agree, are most interesting people. ....can there be that many interesting people around. ...and somebody else cooks our evening meal and we enjoy a glass of wine and a coffee everyday and sunshine and a comfortable interesting stay ...with some time waiting for new guests. We hear the cathedral bells every hour and sometimes every quarter hour, we hear the birds and we see the sky and the sunshine most days.

Today I met an Argentinan doing the Camino twice back to back. An infatuation on the first go round and so quick and a more reflective time this time with her cousin. A young fellow from Quebec and one from Florida walking from LePuy adding another month....and then I find that one of them ships his backpack on days like today. The German fellow with a sore foot is catching a bus to the next alburgue with a pool! Some people walk so far, all are enthusiastic about their experience, some have sore feet, all seem to be experiencing life on some intense level. The young French girl who said she learned so much practising her languages, meeting people and gaining confidence and realzing that the world is out there and ready to be explored. The Mexican today who said that he really finds Mexico City somewhat unsafe for Mexicans. The girl with her best friend her dog last night and sleeping in the garden in her simple European design tent. The 71 year old Frenchman who rode from Caen Rouen France averaging 125 km per day and a bike with 2 front panniers, a handlecar pouch, 2 rear panniers, stuff on top and a light back pack....so fit, so experienced...but why so much stuff. Today 3 Japanese, 2 Koreans, an English speaking group, last night a different group were enjoying each other. Every day is different. Each persons experience depends somewhat on the mix of people that they meet.

I have seen individuals, small groups, different languages, same language groups, couples, cycling from solo to groups and so on. Depending on the speed you walk or cycle will affect whether you stay with and continue to see the same group or if you travel different than the norm more different faces each day. I see that I travelled the average speed when I did and with a group that pretty much kept to themselves - friendly but not overly social. Interesting...

Day 13
Clive took a day off today and went to Burgos to see the the town and Cathedral





Burgos Cathedral



Burgos Old Town Entrance Gate

St. Domingo Day 6

The sun is shining. We managed to walk out of town a little past where I got my dog bite 2 years ago. Saw eagles, herons, wheat in various greens, poppies, other flowers and a few interesting people. Nice to share a bit of what I did 2 years ago with Clive. Then a day of work Clive and I taking turns as they seem to split up the languages. Boy oh boy does the Spanaird go on a lot about solving little problems. I do find it extremely challenging to hear the voice go on and on about very little - everything takes a million words and is extremely important to her - I don't care. it reminds me of a few of the people that I worked with at the Olympics - control is an important issue.

So funny the other night. I was looking forward to a group singing in the Cathedral. But I did not realize that miso means mass and so there I was at mass and hoping to hear a music group. It reminded me of our recent time in Bath when we thought that we were going to ballet but instead we heard the orchestra for the ballet.... All of the short Spanairds dressed up for churchand the church was pretty full. The women wear suits that are probably of wool or tweed with skirts below the knee and a buttoned jacket, black shoes, pantyhose, makeup and nicely curled short hair. The older man in front of me helped what must have been his mother up and down each time that you rise and sit. He whispered into her ear. Nice to see his care. I like the way the Catholics always shake hands in church. Anyways I was not disappointed - the rooster made his noise in the service (they are on display as part of a legend) and after the service the group did indeed sing!

Santo Domingo Day 5

Wow, Day 5 already....how the days start to meld together. Amazing that the world can have so many different people and so many people with such different responses and interpretations to things. So many people today...and sunshine. I definitely prefer working with the Frenchman as alongside the Spanaird woman. Antoin, 71, and very healthy and interested and Hunckl still caught up in managing and controlling and doing things 'her way'. Today I talked to Martha Gay, a professional harpist that plays professionally at Renaissance festivals in the US and she is pulling her harp behind her. She tells me that pulling behind halves the weight. She is 55 with a long grey braid out to the side and a beret. She and and Irish flute player played in the lounge here tonight. What a wonderful sound.


I used my teacher skills to quieten a couple of loud people. Wow, and then there was the architect, come pen drawing artist, drawing bridges from Texas - and they are going to walk together tomorrow. There was the fellow from Toronto who exists apparently on an inheritance. He has spent the last 18 months hand writing Shakspeare's original script (including flaws) and now is on to some project relating Wagner's music to math??? Anyways, I guess that it goes on display in galleries in Toronto. Then the 70 year old female Aussie who had her first experience in a foreign land alone yesterday. She was petrified but managed. As the younger fellow who brought them to the Camino experience said to me today .....we meet our baggage on the camino and relationships can be made or broken on the camino. For most people it seems that it is a very moving experience and intense and all seem to be gaining something. Then there was the German who managed to tell me - by placing his camino shell (the symbol) on the desk with the dates that he has been here before - 4 times. Not a single word of English, French or Spanish! Hard to believe - then he was annoyed that his bunk was near a window!...and the coveted lower bunk at that. Wanting to communicate and yet so unwilling to communicate. Three Japanese today, 1 and then 2. A South Korean yesterday spending time with 2 young American girls who like to catch the bus...because walking is too hard. Some people work so hard to do this....through weight on their back, blisters, pulled muscles, etc and then some who drive a car and say that they are walking. The French girl who sleeps out most nights but occasinally sleeps in an alburgue and cooks. The Irish gal who lost her vivacious husband to brain cancer last year. The Swedish gal who flies down every holiday break to do a few days and then continue next time.
All of the cyclists are on mountain bikes and well laden down.
Num bers seem way down this year on the camino.... a holy year....world cup soccer, the volcano or world economic slump.
So many people, so many stories....so many people enjoying connecting and living and enjoying today.

Santo Domingo de la Calzada, June 18

First things first....we enjoyed Crete - not unlike a holiday somewhere like Mexico....lots of tourist spots, tons of restaurants and tavernas serving food. Their livelihood is tourism or growing olives here and somewhere all the tomatoes and cucumbers must be grown. The interior is very mountainous and the roads are amazing. It was nice to be driven in a bus....especially for Clive as he does most or rather all of the driving abroad (in England, anyways) and we just enjoyed the scenery - very dry, hairpin turns and amazing condition of the roads. It is up one side and down the other. and sometimes up again and down the other side before reaching the next coast. Chania has a wonderful town centre built around the harbour, and the neighboring streets small and old with little shops and restaurants. You dine outside on the walking streets and they are not very wide. We spent 5 nights in a cute room overlooking the sea from our 150 year old room inside the city walls. As per usual, lots of walking and eating, a little beaching and a day out walking the famous gorge. I enjoyed the drive to and from the gorge and the gorge itself was a lot of walking down - nice to walk but not as good as so many that I have seen. So glad that Clive was able to do it. He enjoyed it but would not be keen to repeat....and neither would I. We walked to beaches and caught the bus on other days.

SAMARIA GORGE

We were going to rent a car for a couple of days but Clive got stage fright at the last moment. We arranged it all with a very nice lady and her daughter. When we came back the next am, the man working (husband?) left blank the amount of money due and then he wanted to increase the rental amount because we did not have an international driver's license. More bullshit to feed the tourist. Clive was not overly keen to drive so with this prank at the last second he and then we decided that we would continue on public transport (though difficult that day because of reduced service on a Sunday).

I liked the town that we stayed in and the restaurants and the being outside. I also liked when we found a small place to eat and spend time that was not full of so many tourists. A bit like leaving Banff and finding Field.

View from our bedroom Chania, Crete

All of our connections worked 100% from taxi to plane to plane to bus to bus to arrive at St. Domingo late evening. Another interesting bus ride through the mountains here and then arriving in a very flat area.

St. Domingo is a very cute town - an old cathedral and some cute old streets with old housing, part of the old town wall is still intact. Lots of little restaurants to eat in and nice to wander about in. Not much exercise as it is quite small and flat though interesting.

We have a great room in this alburgue. The hospitaleros are not in the dorms and we share a bathroom with each other. There is a Spanish (Basque) lady and a French man and the two of us. The Spanaird, Hunckle, speaks a lot of Spanish and we have no idea what she is saying. She is now getting that we have no idea what she is saying. It is probably good that we don't understand much as she is the control freak of the group. Everything is always 'in a moment' and someone always has to wait for her to finish talking or dealing with whatever she is doing...and everything seems to take a lot of words. And of course she manages and controls - pretty funny really as I see this happen constantly. The French gentleman is very interested in communicating, using the dictionary and learning a few English as well as Spanish words. He seems fun to work with. Clive really has not liked the bossy lady but I think that as he is feeling more comfortable in this environment that he is letting that go. Me, well I am perfect and get along well with myself! ...and then I have my judgements and heaven forbid my flaws! I see each coming with their own personality. I am not very good at listening to long explanations of things in a foreign language that are related to rules. In fact, I appear off hand and disinterested and sometimes just walk away and let her work it out or wait until she figures out her solution- that probably bothers her. She is totally inflexible in the bunk arrangement and the order that she does things. I would prefer to give people what they want providing we are filling up the room in a reasonably sequential order. I am happy to work whenever and do whatever. It is all good. I love talking to the peregrinos, trying to communicate in English, French or Spanish or hand language to the volunteers and a little to the people from the community who visit and socialize here as it is their confraternity (I guess that they own and manage it, especially the bottom line). There Spanish is very difficult as they are older and speak very fast for the most part. However as time passes and I have the dictionary handy that is changing. So many people with so many stories. Each one is different ...and from so many countries. Yesterday someone arrived who had walked from Germany and today someone who walked from Holland (2.5 months) and neither were tiring of it. Of course, the Camino is so much more social than walking in the countries outside this route in Spain. Then there are those who have sore and blistered feet and sometimes pulled ligaments or tendon issues. A fellow comes in everyday and treats people here.

Already I know that I want to do this again and next time it will be in a more intimate alburgue where I will have to do more cooking and cleaning and spending more time with fewer individuals. ( It reminds me of teaching school - I like teaching Home Ec but I really preferred more time with fewer students teaching whatever). I was really uncertain how I would like being here but now I know. As one of my quotes said we are now the stone in the river - that is the people come and go every day and we stay here to greet and settle new guests in. I am amazed how 2 years ago I could not visualize volunteering here and here we are. I find it hard to believe that I slept in dorms for 35 nights two years ago and loved it. I guess that you settle into whatever it is that you are doing at the moment. I wonder if I will choose to walk some camino experience again. The walking the Pyreees in France will give me another different experience and then I shall have lots to compare. I guess that the most important is enjoy the moment.

Plakias, laid back south coast, June 8

Just so you don't miss too much of our trip we finished up our time in Athens and walked many a mile. We had dinner near the Acropolis one night and watched a portion of a film being made. They moved all of the tables out of the restaurant as we finished dinner. We just moved towards the corner (outside) a little and tried to be patient. The lighting guys spent a lot of time checking shadows and moving lights and fixing glitches, sometimes covering the light with opaque or sometimes translucent paper. Then the hairdresser comes along and sprays water on these musicians to make it look like they were sweating - wet hair and wet shirts. Then they take two cuts of a scene miming a song that was playing quite quietly - compared to what will be in the real thing. Then the crowd scene. So many people being managed and following directions - from various people - all quite interesting to watch. But we too gave up in the end and left - at about midnight. So we are managing to keep quite late nights!

We caught the tram and metro to the ferry and managed to get a glimpse of the Olympic Stadium for the '04 games - all right next to the beautiful beaches of Athens. Another city with spectacular beaches!
We had a great lunch in a workmen's kind of taverna. They spoke no English and eventually some gentleman sort of encouraged us with his English. We do enjoy these down to earth experiences. Then onto the ferry which are pretty nice ferries - like a cruise ship but scaled down a few notches - and no real food.

Visited Knossos while in Heraklion, the beginning of civilization. Anyways, big and Clive was impressed more than I was.



Then on down the coast to Rhythmno and now Plakias. We love it here - very laid back, not busy, beautiful beaches - some sandy and amazing cliffs. Had a great hike around the headland today. We are still enjoying relaxing over meals and a drink.

Heraklion, Crete June 6, 2010

We're on the go again....born to travel....
Before we catch a bus west today thought that I would write a few things before they go into the delete tray of the brain - or the hodgepodge....

Starting at the beginning and quickly catching up to date. We arrived in Manchester to sunny weather - hurrah which we had for all but one of our days whilst in England. We, Clive, got to admire the Ironbridge with a pint on the way. An engineering marvel that has been on to the 'to see' list since we fly into Manchester most often. We enjoyed seeing all of the family (except Chris who was working)...pretty good. We thank them all for the opportunity to get together and see how they are all doing. The kids keep getting taller... and of course, us older people don't change....much. Laura is just back from New Zealand, Hayley has worked a year now, the boys are settled into secondary school and so on. Mark, Kerri and family enjoyed their unscheduled extra week in Abu Dabi.

Then on to Greece. We were on schedule in spite of the BA strike. I had booked us 4 nights in Athens thinking that meant 2 days???? Good thing - as there was a transportation strike for our last day there and we would not have gone anywhere. We settled into enjoying walking and seeing Athens. Good thing that Clive can remember where we have been and follow the map with all of the triangular streets and Greek writing to boot. I just do the walking. Not to say that we didn't walk a few extra miles as a result. One evening after we had been to see folk dancing near the Acropolis we thought that we would use the exit that the others were using. We got a little lost and it took 1.5hr. to get back to our hotel. As Athens is built on hilly terrain and everything is down and out from the Acropolis we went down the wrong side of the hill and so a long way back to the right bottom of the hill. A bit like an upside down ice cream cone with a flat top....have to use that imagery as on the day of the transportation strike we walked out to the Hellenic Cosmos, a sort of virtual theatre and saw the math exhibit and had a short geometry course laid out for us. Visualizing the area and volume of triangles, cones, etc.....oh so much fun.





The Acropolis can be seen from so many vantage points as you wander the city....a bit like a city tower but quite a bit more romantic. We wandered streets, ruins, parks and ate. From breakfast to mid-morning coffee (keeping habits) to lunch midafternoon with a beer or wine, to dinner at 9 or 10 in the evening we have adjusted to the schedule here. Food is available at all hours (unlike Spain) but we have managed to fit into the local custom of hours. We sample the foods and enjoy trying different spots often using our lonely planet for guidance. Lots of salads with cucumber and/or tomato and possibly feta cheese. Lots of fried foods, meatballs, fish and boiled greens. All very good and much to our liking however it does not vary a lot from place to place (no Chinese and few pizzas here). You always order your dishes and then eat Chinese style that is take what you want off the shared platter. I am amazed at how the Greeks have a table of food in front of them and sit for ages with it still there. Food is socializing and not just a time to eat. Lots on the table appears to be important. They charge for bread whether or not you eat it and they often throw in a free dessert of deep fried doughnots in syrup and a spirit called raki (like firewater). People are loud and talkative and having fun, often in groups. We don't ever seem to miss a meal even the day that we didn't have lunch until 4pm.

We have found the people to be mostly friendly and helpful though not always. Our first impressions were amazing but not always supported in subsequent encounters. On the metro in from the airport, we saw a couple of people give up their seats to elders. The tourist girl at the airport was amazing and the one in town did not want to be of any assistance! So it is all chance encouters that you draw conclusions from. We have seen the African migrants selling that handbags or sunglasses on a sheet - the same as Spain. There are people coming to the tavernas selling roses - just like home. So many people out late at night and all through the day.

The one day transportation strike seemed an inconvenience that everyone seemed to say was something that happens occasionally. No one seemed to want to dwell on it - at least anyone that we encountered that spoke English. We saw graffiti everywhere, everywhere. There are also blobs and smears of red paint in lots of places,,,on the pavement, etc. We did see the bank that had been bombed last month and 3 people died. The front entrance was entirely black and lots of dead flowers piled high there.