How is it the end of February already?
I suppose if you've only been home all of 7 days in the month, that's how a month would fly by. So I'm done with my crazy traveling for a while... I won't return to Athens until late May, and I am planning to go back to Denver in April. However, I've learned that I am just not meant to travel in February. In one week, I managed to get delayed out of Athens for 24 hours (due to snow on the East Coast), delayed in New York for four hours (due to missing connection and more delays because of weather), and delayed due to weather everywhere except DC and rerouted to Denver via Phoenix.But after 10 really great days in Denver (some of the best times in a while), I'm home, safe and sound... and after unstuffing my full mailbox of boring bills and junk mail, I found the cutest thing - an adorable 2-year-old had made me a Valentine! Thank you, Jackson (and Sarah and Chris)!Next up... can I be ready in two weeks to run the St. Patrick's Day 10K? I've never run more than 4 miles up to this point, and have been inconsistent with running with all my recent travel. I guess the weather in DC also needs to be consistent in the next two weeks in order for me to be ready. So let's get some warm (and dry) weather here!
When in Greece...
28 hours later than originally scheduled, I'm back in the States. Some things I've learned in the past 8 days in Greece...1) Greeks are loud and they love to smoke. Pedestrians do not have the right of way, and the Greeks will create parking spaces anywhere they can (including on sidewalks). And I'm not sure how any work gets done in this country when they start late in the morning, nap in the afternoon, and stay out really late too. 2) Do not go to Greece in February. There aren't a lot of people, the weather is unpredictable (snow, rain, cold, sun) and you have to use your imagination a lot if you're doing an event later in the year.3) You have to have a coffee multiple times a day. At breakfast, mid-morning, after lunch, before dinner, after dinner, after drinks... I can now order a chocolate viennois very well (that's hot chocolate with whipped cream).4) There is no such thing as a gyro to the Greeks. It's called a souvlaki. No wonder it took me all week to find one.5) An ouzo (a Greek drink) delivers a pretty powerful punch! If you don't like the taste of licorice, I highly suggest you stay away from this one.6) The pedestrian street Ermou, in the heart of central Athens, has 3 Zara shops alone. Heaven!7) The most common question I got all week was "Where are you going?" Do I look lost to you?8) The Metro station Syntagma is a museum all its own... and the new Olympic stadium is just gathering dust. It's a shame they're not putting it to better use.9) My Greek vocabulary consists of tzsaziki (a yummy cold meze (starter) made of yogurt, cucumber and garlic), kalimera (good morning), efharisto (thank you), and "neh" (yes).10) I'm going to have a kick-ass event in May!
Yes, I climbed to the top of the Acropolis! 
Czech me out, with the city of Athens behind me...
Temple of the Olympian Zeus, with the Acropolis in the background. It looks like a postcard, doesn't it? I promise you, I took this picture.
On the other side of the Atlantic...
Given that it is almost 3am in Athens, I should be in bed, but instead, I thought I'd post some pictures from the past couple of days for y'all faithful readers (you rock!). I arrived in Athens on Tuesday (in snow, which is unheard of here!), after the world's worst landing... only to stay at the most fabulous hotel in Athens - the Grand Bretagne. I haven't been able to get a good shot of the hotel yet, but you can check them out here. The hotel is just unbelievable... and the picture from my balcony doesn't do much justice, but it's the Parliament building in Athens.
This is my first time in Greece, so I can't compare Athens to what it was before the Olympics, but it is absolutely lovely. I just adore the city - the architecture, the history... so much to see, and so little time!Rhodes is a Greek Isle with amazing history... the main city is located at the northern tip of the island, where the Aegean Sea meets the Mediterranean Sea. I promise to post more pictures when I return... Meanwhile, I hope you all have a great weekend! I'll be checking out the Acropolis! :o)
The view from my balcony at the Grand Bretagne...
Rhodes, on the Aegean Sea side...
The greatest t-shirt store ever...
So after Otter and Greens wrote the funniest postings I've read in a while (I busted out laughing this morning during my run as I was thinking about it), I thought I'd post this picture for Punch Apparel. The Cream Machine is how Punch Apparel got started, and Delawhere? is one of their most popular shirts. I'd been waiting forever to preview their 14 new designs online, but I guess good things come to people who wait - I got to see the whole new line in person over the weekend (which was much more entertaining than it would have been online).Look for one of their new designs here soon... that shirt is going traveling with me next week. Hopefully I'll remember to wear it on a day where I'll be standing in front of something you'll recognize. If anything, at least PA will get some international advertising. :o)
We're Punch Apparelers!
