September 06 / 07 - Halifax to Montreal to Athens to Paros (Hotel Petres)
"Happily on Our Way Again"
Our travel day began at 10:45 am with a drive to the airport by Bill and Linda. Best limo service ever! Thanks guys!
We have arranged for Assisted Service for each leg of our various flights. And now in retrospect are very glad we did. Travel was pretty seemless and non stressed.
In Montreal our aging airport assistant knew everyone … like the immense airport was a small village. I was so glad it wasn’t me pushing Norm up those steep ramps. We arrived to the non crowded AC lounge with no wait time at the bar. For part of his ‘exercise program’ Norm brought me back a delicious bubbly Prosecco. The other part of his ‘exercise regime’ was back and forth to the different food stations. Food is always good there! A relaxing few hours passed so quickly. By the time we left the lounge was now packed with a long queue of people waiting to get in.
Our flight to Athens was packed, not many children this time. All very quiet except for the little fella who kept calling for Yiayia! Yiayia! Yiayia! So cute! Our seats were nicely located, just a few rows back from the washroom. Space or the lack of it was as expected, no surprises. I had to laugh when the woman in front of me who asked Norm if it was alright to recline her seat . She asked the wrong person, or maybe the right person considering his answer was “yes, a little”, lol. The air quality on the plane was not the best for me. And it was very cold. The entertainment choices weren’t great this time and nothing was appealing unfortunately. Every plane is different. We arrived 20 minutes early to Athens.
Unfortunately we are now only able to check into Aegean two hours early instead of three which meant we had a few hours to kill with no where to go.
We were lucky enough to snag the few remaining chairs outside the Assisted Services area. We watched armed ‘guards’ with heavy duty assault guns pass by in addition to patrolling Policia. We judged ‘the fashions of the day’ sort of like the critics Statler and Waldorf of the Muppets. There were a few get ups that were even a bit shocking in what they revealed. Like maybe(?) wearable at the beach or a strip club, lol. Time passed slowly. We struck up a conversation with two Americans from California, Deanna and Rose who were awaiting for a flight to Samos to attend a wedding! We couldn’t help but feel a bit envious … what a celebration that would be! Rose is visually impaired and as a result requires special assistance too. Finally our assistant arrives to take us to check in and then for a half hour visit to the lounge. It was busy but as luck would have it a kind fellow Canadian traveller, Colin, offered up two seats together while he moved to a single seat not far away. Turns out he also is going to a wedding, but in Crete!
We have to separate to board our flight from Athens to Paros. As I am driving away on our crowded big bus I only hope Norm will be joining me, lol. And there he was already sitting in his seat awaiting for me to arrive.
We arrive in Paros 30 minutes later, pick up our rental car and in another half hour or so arrive at Hotel Petres. Sotiris is waiting for us. Like a young man despite his advancing age he lifts our luggage effortlessly. We had a choice of rooms and after initially picking the upper room decided it was a few too many stairs. Our room on the first floor overlooks the field where the crickets sing and sing. The water views are amazing as ever. The land in front of Petres is in limbo … a hotel will go up there If allowed. More about that tomorrow.
Norm crashes before we head out for our welcome drink and a bite to eat. So nice to see sweet Eva again! We sip on a white wine for me and a Mythos beer for Norm while we share some tzatziki with bread and a Greek salad! So good to be back, so nice to just grab a small bite to eat without going out. Shortly after the sun set fireworks went off across the bay. Snap, crackle, pop … welcome back to Paros, Poppy and Yiayia!
Just before heading back to our room, Clea appears. Hugs and more hugs! Norm and Clea share their stories of recent surgeries. Clea had ankle surgery recently in July. She looks very well except for a bit of continuing shakiness. As a result the offerings for light dinners are less than usual. But still there are lots of likely tasty light choices available.
It took no time at all to fall soundly asleep, with a lovely evening breeze blowing through and a chorus of chirping crickets. Kalinichta!
