*Beautiful days in Athens*

FINALLY!!!! My long awaited athens post... :P

Alicia finally have time to seat down and write a proper blog entry... (though I'm still so tired) ...sigh~

Anyway... :)

GREECE CHARMED ME!

The scenery is simply breathtaking...

The air is fresher...

The smile is brighter...

The clothes lighter...

The people friendly and cheery...

The food ...a simple meal of seafood... by the seaside... amazingly refreshing~ :)

(think: freshly grilled fished... beer battered calamaris... healthy salads in Olive oil... yummm)

ALICIA HAVE SIMPLY FALL IN LOVE IN MY VERY FIRST COUNTRY!!!

...so beautiful...beyond words... :P

so... Let the pichas do the talking~

WELCOME TO ATHENS!!!

We had our very first meal at a small cosy restaurant along the streets of Plaka... :)

It is a rather "touristy" place...

You can see people from different part of the world streaming pass...

Think: A group of giggling american teenager in shorts and t-shirts... walking pass us in stylish sunglasses ... probly on a holiday break... digging into ice-cream in the sunny yet HOT weather..

A pair of Japanese cutie-pie girls in bikinis hidden under cheery sundresses, large sunhats... big straw bags... and patform flip flops.. streaming past...

Some European family... with a cute topless daddy... and sexy mommie wearing a white flowy dress... with their equally stylish babies.. (A pair of twins) ... in a pram... (^.^)

A pair of old british couple... doing their round of the world tour... hands holding tight... walking slowly... simply enjoying the sights... (^.^)

...and many more...

*The touristy side of Plaka*

After a VERY sumptous meal... we headed off to explore the heart of Greece...

Gladiators are a big big thing in greece... :)

You can get a very nice pair of Gladiators in good leather anywhere!!!

...and apparently... this one here outshines all others!

Then we chance upon this monument, which probly meant something... ? or maybe nothing... but we jus thought it looks rather special... (u know u dun get to see old rustic monument like this in Singapore) ...haha... so we... decided to camwhore with it... :P

...and we did a great deal of walking under the scorching HOT sun...!

It's no wonder my dear friend here grabs every little opportunity to rest her tired little feet and some shade!

Bumped into a local church which looks ... oh so... magnificent~

*Alicia heart rustic charming places*

Just like Beauty and the beast in their charming little castle...

Random shots of Plaka... :P

OMG~ I look so SHORT... beside this shorty toy soldier~ *hmmmphh*

We bumped into this very interesting car... PARKED RANDOMLY ON THE STREETS...

It is not some monument ok!!!

But the people actuallie drive this around... (^.^)

very innovative~

*Alicia trying her very best to take a good picha~ *

...and then she realise... someone is taking pichas of her... so the camwhorer in her... every ready for a picha... poses~ *winks*

*Painting by the locals*

From my short stay in Athens... I concluded that the locals are pretty artistic... :)

NICE and cool graffitis are everywhere~

and... this one here is pretty cool yeah?

we found it along one of the back alley with loads of rubbish...

And then... we trek up the Acropolis of Athens!

The "Trekking up part" was reallie tiring...

we were panting... perspiring... thirsty... under the blazing HOT HOT HOT SUN!!!

No shelter... no smooth pavements...

OMG... singapore reallie do pampered us loads...

(think: smooth pavements everywhere)

Anyway... do you know... The Acropolis of Athens is the best well known Acropolis in the world? :)

It is actuallie a temple in the old old old days... in athens... :P

Here you go...

...a picha along the way up to the Acropolis...

...and there... we almost reaching le~

Alicia with the gorgeous background... :)

YEAH!!!! WE HAVE FINALLY REACHED!!! :)

Can you actuallie believe this was once a temple... ?

Where are all rooftops?

...and I wasted no time in my camwhoring spree...

SEE YA UP THERE~

This is proof we stepped on this ancient sacred place ... haha... on the slippery smooth floor... that weather hundreds of decades... :P

YoooHooo... Group picha again~
The girls~Beautiful... isn't it?

US AND THE RUINS~

One last picture with Acropolis...

You are such a magnificent figure... my dear acropolis...

and I'll be back~

Till then~

I'm sure hundreds of tourist will enjoy ur unique charm~ :)

xoxo...

We finally trek our way down the Acropolis...

and we decided to rest our feet a little before embarking on the long journey... by foot again... back to our cosy hotel... :P

A stray dog who might just be suffering from heat stroke... :P

The stray animals here are mostly lazying around... due to the almost 40deg celcius weather... :)

I totally heart lazy animals... they seem so tame and huggable plus lovable...

....even if they are stray... :)

(but of course... we gotta becareful when we touch stray animals overseas... due to the different diseases , such as rabies they could be carrying... sad...(-.-) )

...EARLY NEXT MORNING....

We had breakfast in the hotel... and then we headed out with much anticipation and excitedness.

To one if the many beautiful island in greece... :)

*Aegina Island*

Along the way to the ferry terminal, as we needa take a ferry over to this gorgeous islan... you see... :)

I spotted another stray dog...

*Napping*

*My heart goes out to it a little*

It is approximately 45 minutes away... thus with so much time on our hands... we decided to grab the closest person sitted next to u ... and ...

...click click away... :P

We travel via the "flying dolphin" ferry...:)

...and we finally arrived ~ *excitedness all over again* :P

Group picture beneath the deep blue sky~

As... we were winding down the alleys of Aegina...

I couldn't help but keep exclaiming: " I'm so happy !!! "

(Like a little girl all over again...)

Major decision-making time!

Look at everyone's serious facial expression...

Transportation!

"Should we rent a car or scooter...? "

(while a carefree Alicia... decided to stay out of it by snapping pichas away... (*.*) )

...and we finally reach our conclusion ...

one car and two scooter... :)

(Alicia is grinning happily... as she has never been on a scooter nor a bike before... )

...and we went to see the happy car rental owner... :)

...who seems busy calculating his earnings from us... (^.^)

(untill he 's salivating...? (#.#) )

My first time donning a safety helmet... :P

...and I look so happy!...

My "ah beng" driver for the first half of the day...:P

I have always wanted to ride a bike as a pillion driver...

It jus seems so romantic on movies...

but... in singapore, riding a bike jus doesn't seem romantic at all but hot and stuffy with irritating fumes around you... causing pimple break out... *yucks*

...my very first bike experience is... simply wonderful!

The wind in my hair.

The wind blowing at my flowy blue top.

The liberating carefree feeling.

The adrenaline rush from the speed that we are going at.

The surge of fresh sea air brushing against the apple of my cheeks.

The beautiful coastal sea view.

AWESOME!

Just look at the clarity of the water... and the two tones of the sea~

Being here... just brings me peace and contentment~

Alicia and Baizura~

Paradise~ :)

Tourist sprawled all over ... playing with the water...sun-bathing...

LOVING THE SUN, SAND AND SEA~

Feeling a little hungry, we stopped by a small little cosy cafe... :)

Look at the jolly owner with us... :P

I bet working doesn't feel like working here...

but a holiday all year round~ (*.*)

...haiz... think I kena mosquito bite! *hate*

Alicia and beatiful Fion~

...then... our scooter went low on petrol...

Thus we gotta stop at this uniquely old petrol station...

Though it's a little run-down... but somehow... I find it pretty charming!

Fion tryin to take a picture of on the scooter.. haha~

...and... I manage to snap a pic of a cute local on his scooter... with a sailor hat... on my scooter... haha... :P
Endless beautiful scenery~

Is this heaven...? :P

Alicia trying out this ol' scooter~

My driver...for the second part of the day ... :P

...and then, with time to kill...

Alicia had her very first driving lesson! :P

It wasn't the least stressful at all... :P

In fact, I can see myself driving this prowerful vehicle, travelling thru endless crossroads...

Time to get my licencse? :P

My instructor teaching me patiently... :)

He's instruction is clear and precise...

and ME... taking his instruction with ease...

He said I have "Sense" ... good student~ :P

*Let's try one round~ *

Here's my very first driving instructor... DARREN!

After a short break... we were on the road again~ *peace*

and... we stumbled upon this beauty~

somebody screamed: MAMA MIA!

*Endless rows of sundeck chairs along the coast*

Perfect for a sip of pina colada... and a teeny weeny bikini~

Pretty Sophia laughing away~

Two ALICIA'S smiling away~ hee~

two Alicias gossiping away~ :P
One Alicia camwhoring away~ :P

One Alicia without sunglasses winking away~

*OH SO COMPLICATED!* :p

In love with the clear water~

How I wish I can jump in in my "birthday suit" and swim like a fish among the wonderful corals~

(think: Brooke Shields in "The blue Lagoon" ...)

Can u see the cheery orange and white shades :P

*I didn't know contentment felt so liberating*

Just to see the people playing under the sun...

Just to hear the lapping motions of the tides...

Just to smell the fresh sea air...

Just to feel the warm ray of the sun on my skin...

Just to feel the caress of the merry wind...

Just to be still...

Listen and feel~

Sweetie-pie in diapers~

Sincerely hope the diapers in not too absorbent~:P

SUPER HUGE WATERMELONS~

...and I can't believe the craziness in us decided to buy it and lug it all the way back... haha~

NO JOKE! It's reallie heavy!While we are struggling with out love for da melon... Our dearest Baizura is happily slurping down her ice-cream... *BLISS*

Darren decided to be the melon man with sunglasses~ haha...After hours under the scorching hot sun...

The Biker chics goes crazy~

haha~

So bored on the scooter... I decided to snap away randomly...

...haha... believe me... when I say I can even camwhore on the scooter!

...and it's moving ok!...

*The rows of endless cafes along Aegina Island*

Another beautiful beachside in this little island~

ALOHA~

The girls jus can't help it anymore... and finally give in to our picture-taking urge~ and "zhi lianness...." haha!

Love the below pictures.. loads~

These two little girls are simply adorable!!!

haha... they even gave me a hug before we left... *Love love*

And we had our very last meal in Athens ... :)

Carbonara.Calamaris. Grilled fish. yum yum YUMMIE!!!
As we are walking back to catch the last ferry, we saw many boats docked by the jetty... :)

Loving couples... family .... enjoying quality time together in it~ :P

And we manage to snap one last picture of beautiful Aegina Island at sunset...

*much contentment*

My dear Aegina ...

The moment I stepped into your land...

I fell in love at first sight (which is rare for me... ) :)

You have brought me so many beautiful memories...

...so many unique experience...

...I gave so many of my very first time to you...

One day with you...

feels like a week... to a month... to a year....

I explored your every moves...

The intimate secrets beneath your beautiful soul...

My dear Aegina...

Please wait for me... as I will be back...

and... I will bring my most beloved one to see you~

and spent beautiful days under beautiful sky...

with you~

Love,

Alicia