Snowcapped Andes behind Santiago this morning

Wow! Inspiring!

Beautiful Santiago!

Sun is finally out but it is cool, maybe 55 degrees. Listening to MSU
spank No Colorado on the radio here in my room thanks to the internet. Go
State!

Stranded In Downtown Battle Creek

Amtrak does it again! 1 hour delay due to freight traffic and rail work.
Then the train abruptly stopped outside of Kalamazoo due to a "near miss" -
a trespasser was nearly hit by the train. Legally an inspection required
before continuing.

5 hours later we get to.... Kalamazoo! Then finally a quick jaunt to
Battle Creek only to be delayed 500 yards from the station for another 10
minutes as we were not given permission to stop.
Of course my transfer bus to East Lansing long departed and the next bus
is... in 3 and a half hours! Needless to say the 20 or so kids going to
East Lansing with me are royally pissed for missing the partying that
awaits them.

Me.... I got a refund for the bus portion, took a walk to downtown and
plopped my ass on a barstool at the Arcadia Brewing Company. I'll put my
refund into lunch and a beer as I wait for my bro to pick me up.

If only the Spartan kids down the street at the station knew they were so
close to beer....

Folsom Prison Blues in Nashville

At a Honky Tonk in Nashville. Playing Johnny Cash and 80's country.

Fun!

A walk in Central Park

Finally it has cooled down in NYC, a great time for a quick lunch walk
through the park. Beautiful weather!

Home in a few hours... NYC was nice but very much looking forward to the
weekend!

New York! But can anyone explain why it takes a half hour to find an empty cab in a city of 15 million?!

What a sight to see!!

Ancient Delos... Immense and spectacular!

Very hot under the blinding sun. Takes a half hour by ferry and is the
isle adjacent to Mykonos.

Spectacular, it is an entire city. Many parts sufficiently intact that
you can close your eyes and imagine the ancient Greeks going to the
theatre, watch sport or even shop and live their lives.

At the very end off the beaten path I found a piece of marble etched with
Roman carvings... fascinating as it shows how the site evolved.

The site is completely overrun by weeds and you can walk anywhere, even on
top of the sides of buildings.

My favorite part was seeing the side wall of the stadium and the shops next
to the wall, you could see how people sold food and souvenirs back then.
I also loved walking to the top of the theatre and looking down, you can
totally imagine it filled with people watching plays...

Now on boat ride back to lovely Mykonos town where I will meet with Andrew
and have lunch!

Yes, that is a pelican walking through our restaurant...

Mykonos is amazing!

Having a beer in Mykonos... This is the view...

Wow!

Mykonos=€$£

Wow.

So we wake up and go downstairs to breakfast overlooking the stunning beach
and just see even more yachts the size of a small cruise liner. Then on
our way to the beach... By the way where many women are topless... We pass
by a taxi (1 of only 30 on the island) that was a gorgeous silver Mercedes
sedan with black leather interior.

Our hotel is filled with older people, some families but also many 30s
couples... Straight and gay... Very interesting, and lots of money.

About to head back to the hotel to shower, change and head off to Hora to
check it out.

Mykonos!

First impression .... Wow they have big yachts here!!!

Temple of Demitris in Naxos

Very interesting. This temple is a key in classic Greek architecture as it
was the first clear example of temples made entirely of marble and also
showed exact roof structures. Over time was converted into a church but
remains now are predominantly of the Greek temple.

Hot arid location in central Naxos. Reminds me very much of the
California Gold Country.

Now having lunch in the cute town of Piloti before heading up to the set
community of Apirathos...

Temple of Apollo in Naxos

Right off town center, amazing ruins that are really beautiful at sunset
and lit up at night.

Naxos is a very late starting, late night town. Dinner gets going around
10pm... Shops open until late...

Off to tour the island by car before ferry to Mykonos...

Tonights dinner in Naxos

Macedonian Beer in Naxos, Greece... Refreshing!

Paros from the ferry...

Next stop Naxos!

Ios from the ferry

Looks beautiful but we're not going. Tons of 20 year olds on our ferry
getting off and tons here @ port waiting to get on. The ferry goes next to
Paros then Naxos (our stop) before going to Mykonos.

I have a feeling the kids are on their way to Mykonos...

Last day in Santorini

On our way to Naxos. Yesterday we drove to Ancient Thira which was a 1000
foot steep drive up a cliff. The ruins were amazing from ancient Greek and
Roman times, but hella windy. At times we thought we would be blown over.

We had lunch in a little resort town with a black sand beach. They sell
water shoes so you can walk on the sand it is so hot, but lots of tourists
still. Very cute path along the beach with predictable beach stores...

Then we drove along the coast to Oia which is so spectacular Andrew kept
calling it "sick"... Stunningly gorgeous and certainly the highlight of the
island. Sweeping hotels going down the cliffs with pools and bars at
random levels, all in the typical white stone. Wow. Spread out are
little stores and cafes. A very hot day in the sun, maybe 90.

We ended up having dinner at a little restaurant at the bottom of the town,
which amazingly enough you can drive to. Fish and incredible views.

Drove back and collapsed in hotel for another 11 hour sleep. Now we sit
in our local cafe having wine and Greek salad overlooking the central
square before we head off to the island of Naxos by ferry. This time
staying in town at a pension... A far cry from the Relais& Chateaux
experience we just had but surely fun...

Beautiful Oia, Santorini

Stunning!