Highlights from our trip to Greece (September 2009)

Featuring:

1. 
   
   Hollywood (Amanda)
   
2. Maverick or (Dave)
   
3. Alain Prost (John)
   
4. Coco (Melanie)
   

JK and MK met Dave and Amanda at the airport in Athens. When we arrived, A was wearing short shorts and high heels! Thus the creation of her nickname: “Hollywood”. We didn’t know how right we would be in assigning this name to her.

Other evidence that we chose the name “Hollywood” correctly:

• Not ordering from the menu (special requests for roasted potatoes Greek style)

• Zonar’s (Athens) 40euro coffee and dessert then wanting to fill up water bottle when it doesn’t cost more than 50cents
  
  
  
• 
  
  Going to the poshest café in town (see above – Zonar’s) for a “BM”
  
  
  
• 
  
  Wanting souvlaki everyday, even right before a big meal
  
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  Sunset coffee in Oia, order peanuts and proceed to eat both bowls
  
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  Fava obsession
  
• Fart heard around the world at Kamari beach in Santorini
  
• “Windy” car rides, especially the drive to Platanos
  
• Bringing enough luggage for two months (arrived with 3 x 23kgs for 10 days but left with 4 x 23kgs plus 4 carry-on bags)
  
• Greek accent contest (Hollywood wouldn’t believe she didn’t have the best accent out of everyone)
  
• Special 10 minute “I’m hungry” hand across stomach rendition
  
• Hollywood’s 10% “fat yogurt or bust” obsession
  

Other great memories include:

• 
  
  The vomit symphony on the ferry from Crete to Santorini, made worse because the ride went from two hours to four because of bad weather conditions. This ferry ride also included a “Rihanna” spotting. However, the most unbelievable of all was John’s 2 minutes to midnight boarding of boat to Santorini (he boarded drenched in sweat, only to find the rest of the gang oblivious to his travails and having fun drinking canned coffee).
  
• The "lobster index” was established on Day One in Crete. Left to their own devices because M&J had to attend a wedding, D&A proceeded to Rethymno’s waterfront for a late afternoon coffee. They were then convinced by the waiter to see the live lobster they had in the back of their restaurant. Despite having some suspicions, the couple relented, receiving a supposedly 1.3kg lobster filled partially with cheap crab meat! All that for a “discount” price of 60euros (just the lobster)!
  
• When we were pulling into Fira harbour Hollywood looked at the hilltops and thought she saw snow when in actuality it was the white-washed Cycladic houses atop the crater.
  
• Melanie finding planted olive pits and Amanda seeing pine nut maggots at Tamam restaurant in Chania. Crete.
  
• Maverick’s Rambo moment when he got stung by a wasp and pulled out the stinger with his leatherman knife.
  
• JK early morning drill sergeant.
  
• JK being consistently anxious and strung out. Evidence of this was noted when Hollywood bought 4 cans of Jacob’s coffee drink but JK thought MK bought them so got mad and yelled!
  

Memorable meals:

1. 
   
   Mezedes night at To Ouzeri in Fira, Santorini
   
2. Tamam in Crete
   
3. Meat night in Platanos
   
4. Fish lunch at Kamari beach, Santorini
   
5. Fish and mezedes late lunch in Messolonghi
   
6. Souvlaki (or pita) with gyros (Athens, Santorini, Galaxidi)
   

Memorable quotes:

• 
  
  “Melanie, noooooooooo”
  
• “Pere biologique”
  
• “Ochi Yianni”