6 am Flight “Manny, Say WHAT”??

Those of you who know me know that I am NOT a morning person. I have never been a morning person (thanks, Mom), but since being diagnosed with CML mornings are even more of an enemy now. Since my journey with CML, my mornings have become increasingly difficult; nausea, sometimes diarrhea (med side effects), brain fog, difficulty sleeping, and the old age issues of “getting the body moving” all make my mornings SLOW!

To make our 6 am flight, we had to leave our apartment at 4 am. Being up till 3 am is not a problem, but getting up at 3 am is not so much fun! Fortunately, I was able to take a Xanax (something I reserve for just this occasion) and fall asleep by 10 pm. I set my alarm for 3:30, but as luck would have it, my stomach woke me up at 3. 

I knew we were getting on a plane, and then a bus so I did not hesitate to pop a Zofran and an Immodium. Thank goodness they kicked in quickly. We made it to the airport with time to spare, and I was lucky enough to bump into Gabe and LeeAnn on my way out of the bathroom. Their flight was at 7 am and they dropped off the rental car; perfect timing for one last hug and goodbye!

Our flight was on time and I was so grateful to have this leg of our journey behind us; I had been dreading this leg of our journey since the moment I booked it. There are not a lot of options flying out of Geneva!

We landed early, found the X95 bus to Syntagma Square, and began that leg of our journey. Getting off at the bus stop we were not certain which way we should go to our apartment, and with Gabe and the GPS gone, we were left to our own devices.

I quickly spotted a hotel and a bellman. He was so very kind and gave us quick directions which led us a few blocks, right to our apartment. The apartment is small, clean, and has AIR-CONDITIONING and FANS!!! Score! 

It is centrally located and will be a perfect place to regain our strength before getting on a cruise in four days. I am exhausted, with a full heart, so some rest will be good.

After settling into our Airbnb, we headed out to find some food. Neither of us had eaten and were quite hungry. We quickly found Cafe Ami and sat down. They were still serving breakfast but did have a Monte Cristo sandwich on the menu, so that is what I ordered, and it hit the spot. I also had the most amazing iced cappuccino; the best coffee I have had since arriving in Europe. I will be back for that!

Afterward, we went and took a nap. Joe is a napper, I am not, but to my delight, I fell asleep and took a short nap. You know I was tired when that happened. When we woke up and got moving we went in search of dinner.

I keep thinking I am going to gain 50 lbs on this trip, as I feel like all I do is eat, but I suppose the 13k-22k steps a day will balance out the extra food intake. We found a lovely restaurant, Athena’s Cook, with seating inside, and air-conditioning. Did I mention that it is nearly 100 degrees? The Heat and I are not friends!

Anyway, I ordered the Sea Bass; seems to be my new go-to thanks to my son’s friend, Susie! It was AMAZING!!! Even better than the Sea Bass at the rose garden in Bern. It was perfectly cooked with fresh vegetables and a mayo-avacado garnish. The flavors were Devine! Perfect on a hot night.

Afterward, we took a stroll through the streets and found the Plaka area full of shops, restaurants, and tourists! Walking along, we could see glimpses of the Parthenon and the Acropolis, so we kept heading that way. High up on the hill, looking like a postcard, the ruins were right in front of us.

In hopes of a better view, we headed uphill on cobbled streets. We did not find a better view, but we did find many friendly kitties, and an adorable, old neighborhood.

With our early morning catching up to us, we decided to save our exploration for another day and headed back through the streets of Plaka. Things are significantly less expensive here than in Switzerland, so this is going to be fun!

Night y’all!

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