Dedication - and another ticket

I guess I'll start with the ticket, because without it today would have been different. (WARNING, this is a long one)

We went to The Mall last weekend to see a movie (loved Gran Torino!) and while walking to our car, Vasilis noticed that all the cars along the road (evidently a no parking zone) had been ticketed and the license plates pulled. This is the 2nd time we've been ticketed there (see previous related post). As before, we parked where dozens others did there, and thousands do every day in Athens - in an illegal spot. The Mall management is peeved that no one uses their parking structure, so they call the local police to get snappy in doling out tickets.

This business of taking the plates is a new move, however. With no plates you aren't supposed to drive. And to get your plates back, you must pay your ticket. Ok, bad move on our part. We'll never park at The Mall again.

So, as soon as I could, 3 days later when the post office was open again, I paid the ticket. The next day I went to the appropriate police station (driving illegally mind you, but I had no clue how to get there otherwise), to get our plates back. Fun news! They hold onto them for a MONTH. No way was I going to go without a car for a month. So I quick-like decided to play the helpless wife and plead that it is our only car (true) and how was my husband supposed to get to work? (he drives a motorcycle, but they don't need to know that). After joking a bit in Greek with a fellow officer in the room (assuming I didn't understand too well) the captain was kind enough to drop it down to 10 days.

The funny thing is that the ticket was issued on the 28th, but issuing officer's writing makes his 8's look like 6's so it looks like they've had our plates 2 longer than in actuality. Nothing like having incompetence work for you. Anyhow, we pick them up tomorrow. Thank god.

And why am I so anxious to get them? Truthfully, I don't mind walking to do most things here in town. But going to class can be another story. This is where the dedication comes into play.

Having missed two days already this week, one due to trying to sort out the ticket itself, and the 2nd essentially housebound due to the rain, I felt it was important to make it to class today. Usually, when I go to class w/o the car, it first involves walking about 25 minutes to the metro station. What with the hard rain keeping me in yesterday, I decided to more closely scope out the local bus lines so I can avoid that 25 min walk when necessary. (I usually walk because I enjoy it, not out of necessity.)

What with south winds blowing from Africa and bringing the Sahara with them, I figured today was a good day to try the locally running line. Great news, works like a charm and the stop is only a few blocks from our home.

However, to finally get to class today I took the one bus to the metro station, another express bus to the nearest open metro station, and then walked down the street hoping to catch what I hoped to be my final bus. Once at that next bus stop, I didn't see my bus listed, so hopped a different bus to get to the stop where I knew my bus was listed. So far, 3 buses.

I got to the last stop sufficiently early, and assumed my bus had not passed. After waiting 35 minutes (and not seeing it the other day either), I am starting to think that line isn't running any more. So I finally hail a cab to go the last few kilometers to class.

The return home isn't always easy either. I usually count on a classmate to drop me off at one of two metro stations where I can make my way back with metro and walking. No one was going my way today and I was not in the mood to take the only bus left to me (30 mins on that, then metro 5 stops down, then express bus, then walking). It being a Friday, with the Sahara continuing to blow over Athens, and me generally pooped, I hailed yet another cab to the metro. Took the metro one measly stop, jumped on the express bus to the metro station near our home, and Vasilis picked me up on the motorcycle.

To recap:
- getting to class: 3 buses and a cab
- getting home: cab, metro, bus, motorcycle

If I had taken part in the recent prison break via helicopter here in Athens, I would have nearly all modes of transportation covered!

Clean Monday

Clean Monday is the next day on the religious social calendar. Aside from giving everyone a 3 day weekend, what is it about? It is the beginning of Lent for the Greek Orthodox calendar - and the fasting begins. No food from animals that bleed, so no meat, poultry, fish, dairy products. What does that leave? The more expensive sea food like lobster and octopus, lots of vegetables and fruit, and bread. The ouzeri's (which traditionally serve sea food) make a killing in business on this day. While at the grocery stores, they are advertising sales on beef and feta. Ah, the deals a non-faster can get right now!

So what did we do to celebrate? Vasilis found out that our municipality was having a "do" at a theater up on the hill within walking distance of our house (if you don't mind hills). We hiked up there to find many people already gathered, eating the free food that had been supplied. You find that, aside from fruit/veggies, the allowed food is pretty colorless. They were serving a kind of bread that is really only made for Clean Monday (not sure why), halvas (it's made from semolina - there's a sweeter juicier version that is ok, but this I am not a fan of), pickled veggies and olive mix, and taramosalata (a sauce/dip made from fish roe - pretty fattening).

None of the food looked very enticing, which I suppose can be the point when you are fasting. We decided to go to our favorite ouzeri, handily placed on the other side of the hill. But first wee sat around a bit at the theater, waiting for the band to start playing. Unfortunately, they started with some modern music (I wanted to hear Greek folk music) and it didn't start well. So off to the ouzeri we go!

Thank goodness the band wasn't so hot, for the ouzeri was rapidly filling up when we got there. Thirty minutes later and we would have had a hefty wait period. One of our favorite dishes are small uncooked (marinated) filleted sardines, so we didn't quite make the fasting program. It's a bit odd to talk about fasting, knowing how full I was when we stepped away from the table!

After a delicious meal, sipping some ouzo in the sun, we went back down the hill and to possibly buy a kite. For the day or so before Clean Monday you see kites on sale all over the city. It is practically the only day you'll see kites flown here. Not being impressed with the quality, and a little full/tired, we took a pass. We'd like to buy a nice kite in the States next time around - something you can break down and use again.

After enjoying a cup of coffee at our local square, we called it an afternoon.

I know a number of people that escaped to their family village home for the 3 day weekend, but for those that stick around our agenda is what many do. Happily we avoided using the car that day, for those we saw stuck in traffic looked to have all holiday spirit sucked out of them already. We were lucky to have had things to do locally that we would enjoy!