Half Century (Posted: 12/23/16)

Shifting gears once again, this post comes from Florida. Our recent (and near-future) itineraries have been so confusing that it's going to be difficult to make sense of it in a blog post. But I'll give it a try, and start by saying that everyone's doing fine. No suspense here.

Hiking in Crete

     

Fun Family Photo

On Halloween, we took up occupancy of our great "winter apartment" in Pitsidia, Crete, which we rented through March 2017, when the tourist season begins again. We fell in love immediately with our 300 Euro/month accommodation, complete with separate bedroom, kitchenette, reliable heat and hot water (!) internet and satellite TV (!!) and sea view (!!!) The original idea, however, was to find an inexpensive place (check) to use as a base where we could leave our things/bikes while we traveled back to the USA for a bit to attend a very special event, visit family and friends and take care of other "business". So after just ten days in the new apartment we weren't quite ready to leave, but it was comforting to know that it would be there when we got back.

View from our apartment

My laundry enjoys an even better view

We really do love just about everything about Crete, except how difficult it is to get anywhere else from there. This is quite a pain in the ass for wandering souls like us - particularly for Matthias (hates complicated connections, long flights, etc.) and me (always looking for deals that generally involve complicated connections, long flights, etc). This time, our route to the US involved a bus to Heraklion, an overnight ferry to Athens (where we spent the night), and an early morning flight (via Frankfurt) to NYC. We treated ourselves well, however, with an actual bunk on the ferry (slept well!) and a hotel right in the center of Athens (budget, but very clean and super-central with a balcony).  I could even see the Acropolis from the balcony, if I leaned over the railing. On the evening of November 8th in Athens (election day, but still early morning in the US), as I leaned out to look at the Acropolis, I contemplated the birthplace of democracy and hoped that I wasn't heading into the twilight of another one. Our flight was very early the next day, so we were on our way to the airport as US election results started to roll in - the pilot announced the final outcome during our descent into Frankfurt. Shock, tears and an unsettling encounter with a fellow American on his way to Houston were all part of that day.

Glimpse of the Acropolis from the hotel balcony

In New York, we had reason to celebrate! We walked and ate our way through familiar neighborhoods, hung out with Andrew, Lindsay and Laurene, and attended Stu and Lorenzo's wedding! It was a beautiful, moving ceremony and a fun party! The celebration of love between two such special people, surrounded by wonderful friends and family was just what we all needed. And it was great to finally (!) meet Lorenzo (and even better to get to know him later). Next, we met mom in Highland Falls where we had a great visit with family before flying down to Florida. That's where we took care of business. We succeeded in selling the truck and trailer in just two weeks - yep, the glamping life is behind us (for now, at least).  

Soup dumplings in NYC!!

Meeting Laurene at GCT

Stu and Lorenzo's wedding!

Family visit in Highland Falls

Thanksgiving in Sarasota
 side dishes - Matthias style

Next, I put what's known in my circles as Judy's crazy plan (and birthday wish) into action. Matthias and I flew back to NYC - he continued on to Crete, and I stayed on in NYC to start my friends and family tour. My plan was to reconnect with people I haven't seen in for a long time. Luckily, at the onset, Sue and her boys were in town from California, and even Matthias got to hang with them since - due to a Lufthansa strike (right?!) - his stay in NYC was extended an extra day.  After that, and a lovely evening with Stu and Lorenzo, Matthias took to the air and I got down to business.  It was a whirlwind journey, which included couch-surfing in Manhattan, New Jersey, Albany, Maryland, DC, Norfolk and Atlanta, along with tons of walking, buses (yay Megabus!), public transport and riding in cars with family and friends who so kindly shuttled me around! Seriously, it may sound hard to believe, but I had the time of my life reconnecting with people and doing things like watching awesome shows on cable TV, playing scrabble, picking up kids from school, going to medical appointments, listening to podcasts, and (oh yeah) eating and drinking and TALKING.  I can't even begin to write about how awesome it was and how grateful I am for all the fabulous hospitality - even though I didn't get to see everyone on the list.  I'll let the pictures (click to enlarge) do the talking.

Andrew, Sue, Noah, me, Michael and Eli

Barb dropping me off to catch my bus

Linda and her family -
Dylan, Cassidy and Bo (the dog) 

Out to dinner with Matt, Dean, John and Lara

Out to lunch with Susan and Dexter in NYC

I can't believe they opened my favorite store
in my old apartment building!! Literally next door!!

Lunch with Keith and Alice!

Visiting with Lauren and meeting Eli
for the first time!

Chinatown dinner with Andrew, Lindsay,
Stu and Lorenzo

DC visit with Jennifer and Brenda!

Everyone sent me off with
goodies for my journey - these
amazing cookies are from Jen and Brenda!

Sampling beer with Josh
in Norfolk, Virginia

Elisha and tyypo

For the last leg of the trip, I flew to Tampa from Norfolk and met my mom so we could drive up to Atlanta together to visit cousins there.  Though it went completely against my sense of order (and direction), it turned out great.  My mom picked me up at Tampa airport,  we donned our best Thelma and Louise attitudes and even stopped at a roadside motel and "Texas Roadhouse" for dinner (okay, it was a steakhouse chain and not a real roadhouse - but still!)  In Atlanta, Gloria, Fred, Danny and Florie rolled out the red carpet for us, and we really enjoyed the visit.  Then we listened to almost all of season one of the "Serial" podcast on the way back to Sarasota  - two episodes to go! 

Hitting the Road, Thelma and Louise style!

Solving the world's problems over refreshments with Danny

Danny and Florie's gorgeous family
(not pictured: Kemp)

Happy Hour at Gloria and Fred's

Back in Sarasota, I got to experience one more very very JOYful reunion - a virtual Hallmark movie Sunday where Olivia, Yvonne and I drank so much wine and had so much fun that we never even got around to watching the movie!  During the rest of my time in Florida, mom and I got things organized, played with Maju, and ate, drank and made merry with the Sarasota crowd.  I even spent an evening trying to understand/talk sense with some supporters of the new administration. Alas, our respective "truths" bear so little resemblance to each other that it was a wasted (and somewhat depressing) effort.  I guess I'll have to think of something else to try, besides getting the hell out of Florida, which I'm going to do tomorrow.  Driving with mom down to Fort Lauderdale (finishing the Serial podcast on the way, I hope) to catch a flight out.  I'm heading to Crete by way of Copenhagen (spending the night in town) and Athens.  Matthias' parents are visiting and we'll spend new year's with them.  Can't wait to say goodbye to 2016!!!  AND THEN, we're heading back to Florida in mid January to go on a FAMILY CRUISE in the Caribbean.  Yes, it's been a very poorly planned, yet eventful year of travel.  I guess I'm ready for the next half-century.

Virtual JOY!

Lunch with mom and Maju

Lunch at O'Leary's in Sarasota
(not pictured: Maju - under the table)