Wednesday, June 20: The Festos Palace arrives almost on time (5:30pm), but takes almost a half hour to get turned around and get everyone off. We easily found the taxi driver holding a sign with our name on it. The truck with our luggage was already in place, and we joined the mob (they don't believe in queues here) at the lone opening, staffed by only one man. After a few minutes of jostling and some minor cursing, a second spot opened and two more men jumped up to handle the crowd. Rick managed to muscle up and get our two bags. Once they were loaded into the trunk of the taxi, we set off for the apartment on Athenious Street, with a short stop so Rick could hit the ATM. Just as we pulled up in front of the apartment, the driver noticed Mr. Harris from Athens Studios walking by. Our apartment is quite small, expecially compared to the others we've had, but the location is good and the price is very low (only 35E per night). There is actually a bath tub--we haven't had one since Cape Sounion (a tub, that is). The kitchen has a marble sink and everything except the air conditioner and TV looks like it was around in ancient times. At least the beds are comfortable. The lone DVD by the TV set happens to be one of our favorites: "Bandits". After getting settled, we're off to do (you should know by now the first thing we do when we get to a new apartment) a little grocery shopping. There's a supermarket about 4 blocks away which provides everything on our list except Rice Krispies (for Rick). A nice lady employee of the market helps us order some swiss cheese. The last thing on our list is to find a place to eat. The apartment is in a residential area, reminding us of Recoleta in Buenos Aires. We head toward the main street on which are located several hotels. There are several small tavernas and cafes opposite a small park only two blocks from the apartment. A couple of them look inviting and we settle for an Italian place. The food is good, but, of course, more expensive than anywhere else (since we were last in Athens). After dinner, we'll take a short walk through the park and then head back to the apartment where Bandits is waiting.

Thursday, June 21: We slept pretty well last night considering it was our first night in a new bed (AGAIN!). We got somewhat familiar with the neighborhood last evening. Today we want to visit the 1896 Olympic Stadium (now called the Panathenaic Stadium) which had been rebuilt on the site of the original Olympic Games. We walked all the way from the apartment only to find that the gates were locked. You can see into the stadium from the open end, but you can't go in anymore. Each of the last three times Rick visited, the site was totally open to the public free of charge. These Greeks are missing a bet--they've collected admission fees for just about every other site, why not this one? Oh, well... Rick had printed out some information on the Athens Sightseeing Bus before we left the US. When we were here earlier on our trip we tried to find it, without much success. Across the street from the old Olympic Stadium, is a bronze statue of a discus thrower, which reminded us of our friend (and 4-time Olympic discus champion) Al Oerter. We took a few photos and noticed a couple of policemen nearby. We asked them about the sightseeing bus, even showed them our printout. They tried, but couldn't tell us about it. We also wanted to know if there were any tours of the 2004 Olympic Games facilities. On our way to one of the local tourist offices, we found a sign for the sightseeing bus in Syntagma Square. It runs every half hour from 5:30am until 10:00pm. The next one wasn't due for 20 minutes so we found the tour office--no tours of the Olympic facilities are offered by ahyone! Another missed bet by the Greeks. So we caught the next sightseeing bus--a great deal: for 5E you can hop on and off the bus as many times as you want in a 24 hour period and the ticket is good on all public transportation (buses, metro) except to the airport, again, within a 24 hour period. We decided to relax in air conditioned comfort (the temperature was up in the 90s outside) and ride the circuit. By doing so we could see where all the stops were and also where each of the 19 sites were. On the bus we chatted with a couple from Iraq who are now Irish citizens living in Dhubai, and their future daughter-in-law, also Irish, but living in London. At the Monastiraki stop, we got off to find a place for lunch and to wander around the flea market and Plaka. One of our stops was at the shop of the famous sandal maker/poet Stavros Melissinos. He is 78 years old and has been making sandals and writing poetry for over 50 years. His best known work of poetry is "The Rubaiyat", a tribute to wine and life that is on the curriculum of several American universities. He has made sandals for the likes of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Sophia Loren, Jackie Kennedy, and Anthony Quinn among others. Interestingly, the price of his sandals ranges from 17-29E--very reasonable!. His son, Pantelis, has followed in his father's footsteps.

Rick wanted to take the train to the Olympic site and see what we could see. So we took the metro from Monastiraki to the Irini station, where the main venues for the 2004 Games are. Everything was locked up tight. You can walk around the facilities: indoor stadiums, swimming and diving pools, and the main Olympic Stadium, but you can't go in. All the while Rick is trying to figure out how to get in, especially inside the Olympic Stadium. We kept following roads, paths, etc. around the stadium, until we found a parking area with a few cars. There were a couple of doors, one of which was wide open. To Rick, an open door is an open invitation. There was no one there--no security, no one. A man came down the hall, and Rick asked if it would be OK if we went out to the stadium to take some pictures. He looked around and said, OK, but not to go down on the playing surface. That was fine with us, and we were able to get all the photos we wanted. After that we managed to get inside the indoor swimming facility (kind of like we did in Sydney last year). The really odd part about the entire complex is it appears that no one is taking care of it. There are weeds where grass should be and plastic bottles all over the place, and we wondered whether they held any events here anymore. They certainly could pay for the upkeep if they charged for tours.

So after an hour wandering around, we got on the train back to Monastiraki, where we boarded the sightseeing bus for an hour of cooling off in the a/c, finally getting off at the Acropolis. We plan to visit here tomorrow, but it was a convenient stop for dinner in the Plaka. First a stop for a rest and a cold beer, and then on to a taverna we'd spotted earlier up on the hill that looked inviting. Dinner was surprisingly good and we caught the train back to the Evangelismos station, the nearest one to our apartment. Since we'd never been to this station, we took some time with our map to figure out how to get back to the apartment.

Friday, June 22: Today we will visit the Acropolis. The Acropolis and the buildings on it, especially the Parthenon are very meaningful to Rick. His fourth grade teacher enjoyed Greek mythology and added it to the curiculum. So at the age of 9, Rick was well indoctrinated into the stories of the Greek gods and goddesses. When he first set foot on the Acropolis in 1978, it was such an emotional experience for him that he cried, wishing that his teacher could know that he finally got here. We've still got several hours left on our 24-hour tickets, so we walk back to the Evangelismos metro station, catch the train to Syntagma and then transfer to the line that will take us to the Acropolis station (one stop on each leg). From the station it's a long hike up the cobblestoned street to the entrance. We know there are going to be mobs of people, but there isn't much you can do about it. The Acropolis is arguably the most important ancient monument in the Western world. Admission to the site is 12E, but this also includes admission to the Ancient Agora, the Roman Agora, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Theatre of Dionysos, and the Kerameikos (ancient cemetary). All the sites separately would cost 24E each, so it's a pretty good deal. Plus, you have four days to complete your visit (although we can find no evidence of this limitation on the tickets). First we have to check our backpack. We enter at the Buele Gate and just before the Propylaia (main entrance to the Acropolis) we can see the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, a very well preserved theater which is still in use today. As we climb the marble stairs to the Propylaia we notice that the first building on our right (the Temple of Athena Nike) is covered with scaffolding, as is the entire entranceway. This is good and bad: good because the Greeks are finally spending the money to restore and reconstruct the buildings on the Acropolis including the Parthenon; bad because the scaffolding really takes a lot away from the sites. We would really like to come back when they're all done--we hope it will be in our lifetime....There is so much reconstruction work going on--there is no way to get a quality photo of anything except the Erechtheion, the most sacred of all the buildings. This building is famous for the six Caryatids (maiden columns). These are copies, added when the building was restored in the late 1980s. Of the originals, one is in the British Museum in London, the others are in the Acropolis Musuem (in the corner of the Acropolis opposite the Propylaia).

It's another hot day, but at least there's a breeze. In addition to the collection of antiquities found in it, the Acropolis Museum is an attraction because it is well air-conditioned. We spend some time looking at the statuary, especially the aforementioned Carytids. After the museum, we check out the views of the city which stretches out in all directions around the Acropolis as far as the eye can see. We can spot several archeological sites that we have yet to visit, and many that we already have. We can look down at the ruins of the Theater of Dionysos. We circle around the Parthenon trying to imagine what it looked like and how it might look again. Pretty soon we're back at the Propylaia, make our way down to the main entrance, collect our backpack, and walk down the hill to look for a place for lunch.

We find a taverna, "The 5 Brothers", in a shady (and breezy) spot just outside the Roman Agora--convenient because we can "recharge our batteries" on this hot day, and because we can visit another of the sites that our ticket allows us without walking very far. We have one of the better lunches we've had on the trip and after an hour or so, we enter the Roman Agora. The site is defined by the structures at either end of the rectangular area. Near the ticket entrance is the Tower of the Winds, an octagonal monument made of marble. It functioned as a sundial, weather vane, water clock and compass, each side represents a point of the compass and the top of each side has a relief of a figure floating through the wind. The weather vane has long since blown off. Between the tower and the opposite end (which was the original entrance to the agora) is the Gate of Athena Archegetis. Between these two structures are the remains of several columns on the long sides of the rectangle. Today they are setting up for a rock concert to be held this Sunday. From the agora we wander down one of the better shopping streets in the flea market/Monastiraki area, stopping at several places to look at small rugs. We're looking for something to fit in the elevator in our Columbia house. We see a couple we like, but the combination of color/design and price doesn't meet our criteria so we keep looking. We buy two cokes at a small store and sit down to eat some cashews we've got in our pack. Rick wanders into a t-shirt shop looking for one with a discus thrower on it. There are so many t-shirt shops with so many designs, he's positive one can be found--and he finds it here. He engages in friendly banter with the elderly woman who runs the shop and finally settles on the right size and color. A few minutes later, we return because Rick wants to take her picture. She remains in complete control of the situation by insisting that the photo shows her selling us a shirt (not the one we bought). We ask if she has an email address so we can send her the photo to which she responds that she's too old but wishes she were young enough and had the time to learn "all this new stuff". Her son, who has been amused by the whole incident, offers his email and we leave promising to send her the photo.

Continuing our stroll through the market we pass another rug store, one we've passed at least 20 times. This place has a good selection of quality rugs in the small size we're looking for. The proprietor is very friendly and not pushy. He offers us a small cup of wine and rolls out several rugs for us to choose from. Each time he rolls one out, he lowers the price. We've about settled on one when he lowers the price again and seals the deal. From the rug shop we walk up the street and stop at The Athena Ancient Art Gallery that we'd been in way back at the beginning of our trip. Abraham, the young man who runs the shop in the afternoon, remembers us and we spend a while telling him about our experiences in Greece. We'll come back on Sunday--he'll let us use his computer! By now we're tired, but not very hungry. We decide to return to the apartment and have a light dinner--pizza at the Italian restaurant we ate at on Wednesday night. We're back in the apartment just after 9:30.

Saturday, June 23: Today we'll visit the remaining sites from the comprehensive ticket we bought yesterday. It's another scorching day, temperatures will reach the 90s again. There is a light breeze, but we know we'll have to take it easy and drink lots of water. We'll also buy tickets on the Athens Sightseeing Bus again, but first we walk from the apartment up to the National Gallery. Diagonally across from it is a statue we've passed several times on the bus. It's called "The Runner" by the sculptor Costos Vorotsos and is made entirely of pieces of plate glass stacked on top of each other. The statue itself stands about 20-25 feet high (and could use a good washing). It's really quite impressive and we would have liked to know more about how it was created. It took the sculptor 6 years to finish it. The sightseeing bus stops just up the street from the statue and we wait only a few minutes for the next one.

The first stop will be the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Hadrian's Arch, both of which are located on a wide plain at the edge of the National Garden. We had been by here early in our trip, but saved the visit until we had the comprehensive ticket to all the ruins. The temple is the largest in Greece. The Corinthian columns of the temple are impressive for their sheer size, and, of the original 104 columns, 15 are still standing. A 16th was blown over by a storm in 1852; lying on the ground it looks like it was sliced by a bread slicer. (We'll spend some time at the temple trying for a "gag" photo of Rick holding up the columns.) At the opposite end of the site stands the remains of Hadrian's Arch, built by the Roman emperor to commemorate the consecration of the Temple of Olympian Zeus.

Next we'll visit Keramikos, the city's cemetary from the 12th century BC to Roman times. We catch the sightseeing bus across from Hadrian's Arch and take it from stop 9 all the way to the end (at the Archeological Museum) and then 4 more to Keramikos. We are not expecting much of this site, and are pleasantly surprised. Not only is the site extensive, but it is well marked by pedestals containing explanations and diagrams of what we are looking at. We wandered the entire site, read all the explanations, and took lots of photos. We wandered through the Sacred and Dipylon Gates, and along the Street of Tombs. At the end, we visited the museum and were quite impressed with the number of pieces and their condition. There were several large pieces which seemed to have been recovered mostly in tact. Keramikos has to be one of the most interesting and least visited of all the ancient sites in Athens! By the time we finished, it was after 2pm and we were both thirsty and hungry (mostly the former). We walked several hundred meters along a cobblestone street past the central train station and saw a taverna. We didn't even look at the menu before sitting down--how bad could it be? As long as they had something cold to drink and typical Greek fare, we'd be fine--and we were. The taverna was situated on a corner and we got the benefit of a nice breeze to help cool us off. The food was reasonably good and the prices were the lowest we'd seen in Athens.

About 3:30 we dragged ourselves out of the taverna and hiked up the hill to the Ancient Agora. The Agora was the meeting place for Athenians in ancient times and lies below the Acropolis. There are several monuments and buildings of which by far the most impressive are the Temple of Hephaestus and the Stoa of Attalos. The Temple of Hephaestus is the best preserved doric temple in Greece. It doesn't inspire the wonder of the Parthenon, but it is impressive in that it has remained so well preserved despite wars, storms, and neglect. The Stoa of Attalos was authentically reconstructed in the mid-1950s and houses the Agora Museum. In addtion to these buildings, there are numerous statues in various states of ruin and the remains of the walls and foundations of many of the other buildings from ancient times. We're sorry to say that after a while, we got "ruined-out". We stopped for a short rest in the shade near the byzantine Church of the Holy Apostles. We've still got one more site to visit to finish off our ticket.

The Theater of Dionysos is on the southeastern slope of the Acropolis. We'll have to hike up the hill from the Agora, which we are not looking forward to. About halfway, we pass the entrance to the Acropolis and a stand selling cold drinks. We buy a frozen lemonade for 4.5E--what a rip off!!, but we're that thirsty. The rest of the walk to the theater is downhill. The theater itself is not that impressive--it's in bad shape and restoration efforts are in process. It looked a lot better from the top of the Acropolis yesterday. We do note that it is a classical theater--the center stone on the stage area is still in place. The seats in the first row are almost all full seats (with backs) made of marble. On the way out, there's a covered area with some old statuary. As we're leaving, Rory notices a small land tortoise making his way across to a shady spot between a tree and a wall. We wonder where he gets his water.

We're thinking a nice ride on the air conditioned sightseeing bus might be refreshing and kill enough time before dinner. What seemed like a good plan goes awry when the bus is prohibited from completing it's circuit because of a parade which has resulted in the closing of several main streets in the center of the city. We wind up at the Archeological Museum again, the farthest point from the Plaka, where we plan to have dinner. After waiting for a half hour, we're told that the buses won't be running for a while. Sooooooo--we hike to the nearest metro station (Victoria) and take the train back toward the Plaka. Yesterday, we'd been given a couple of recommendations for dinner by the rug merchant and we check them out, eventually eliminating both. Another place looks good--it's in a small courtyard off the street. The prices are a bit high, but we're not that hungry and will order just a main course. Unfortunately it turns out to be the worst meal we've had in Greece, at least as far a Rick is concerned. He ordered swordfish and it was terrible (not to mention the most expensive of the dozen of so swordfish dinners he's had). When we left we politely explained to the owner that the dinner was poor and over priced. Instead of just apologizing, he started arguing that the food was good and the prices were reasonable. After more than 6 weeks in Greece without being "ripped off", we've been ripped off twice in one day! The name of the restaurant is the Erato Garden. Whatever you do, if you're in the Plaka of Athens, DON'T EAT HERE!! We returned to the apartment, cranked up the a/c, took a shower, and hit the sack.

Sunday, June 24: We slept in this morning and didn't leave the apartment until after noon. We had not planned anything special, preferring to take it easy after so much walking in the heat of the past three days. Today isn't any warmer, in fact, temperatures are in the high 90s, almost 100 (Athens in summer...). Even though we've been through the flea market before, Sundays is supposed to be the busiest day with every imaginable vendor selling everything from furniture to t-shirts. Most of the real flea market stuff is pretty junky--no bargains here. It's supposed to be a good place for the locals to buy clothing, shoes, etc, but the prices we check don't seem all that great--and it's HOT!!! Rory wants to return to the shop of the poet/sandalmaker, which is only two blocks from where we happen to be in the flea market. The shop is packed--all Americans, from FL, SC, CA, MA, among others). It's fun to see what each person selects--there are about 30 styles, some named for famous people (John Lennon, Sophia Loren, Maria Callas to name a few). Even though it's hot in the shop, no one seems to mind, least of all Pantelis (the son of the poet/sandalmaker). He sits on the floor, fitting sandals and cutting the straps if they're too long. Rick asks him how he likes handling feet all day. He says he doesn't mind; but is glad he doesn't have a foot fetish! He is very patient and somehow manages to keep all his customers happyy. Rory tries four different styles and eventually selects two. By the time we're finished, it's after 2:00. We head up to the Plaka to a taverna we've tried before. A Greek salad (for Rick; it's about his 30th in a row for lunch) and a mixed salad for Rory, not to mention cold drinks are in order. A couple at the next table is speaking English--we're not sure where they're from, so we ask. They're originally from England but are now retired in Bahrain. We'll spend a delightful hour chatting about traveling, retirement, and several other topics. When we leave we give them our little card. They promise to drop us an email when they get home.

We have a couple of errands to run: return to the sandalmaker to pick up extra leather strings for one of the sandals Rory bought and a visit to the i-cafe to check email and pay some bills. On the way we pass the Athena Ancient Art Gallery, stop to chat with Abraham again, and meet his boss, a very friendly man. The sandalmaker closes at 6:00, and when we arrive to pick up the strings, we find Pantelis lying down--quite a contrast from the hectic activity of just a few hours before. Having accomplished these tasks, we decide to go back to the apartment and relax for a couple of hours before dinner. By 8:30, we decide either we need to get something to eat, or not bother. We opt for the former, find a small bistro (like a Greek Applebees) and have an American meal of burgers, fries and a milkshake (for Rick).

Monday, June 25: It's another very hot day, but unlike the last few, it's also hazy. We're not in a big huury this morning--we're trying to stretch out the last couple of days in Greece. Rick admits he's ready to go "home": South Carolina, Florida, it doesn't matter. Rory's sinus infection has it her full force. On the way out, we stop at a couple of pharmacies, but they don't seem to be much help. She opts to press on, hoping she'll feel better.

The sites we'll visit today are all within walking distance of the apartment. First, we're going to the top of Lykavittos Hill, the highest point in Athens. The main street leading up the hill is only a few blocks away, but from there it's almost straight uphill. The street becomes a pedestrian walkway with a series of marble steps leading ever upward. At the end of the street is the Funicular--a tram/cableway that takes you to the summit (for 5.50E each roundtrip). The alternative is too many steps to think about. We've got a short wait for the 12:30 ride up, which will take less than 5 minutes. (We're still trying to figure out why, if they can charge 5.50 for this, they can't figure out how to charge admission to the 1896 Olympic Stadium or the 2004 Olympic complex. Maybe it has something to do with the IOC...) Anyway, the tram deposits us at the summit, where the views are spectacular, despite the fact that it's hazy enough to see the air we're breathing. Off to our right is a modern outdoor amphitheater built in the classical style, but with multi-colored seats. We are told that this is one of the best places anywhere to hear a concert. Just above us sits the pure white Chapel of Agios Giorgios. The chapel is filled with frescoes, paintings, and other icons dedicated to St. George and his dragon-slaying exploits. Outside we have a full panoramic view of Athens. Despite the haze, we can clearly see the Acropolis, which from this distance appears to be tourist-free. (Yesterday it WAS tourist-free--there was a strike and the site was closed. Imagine if you had only one day to see the Acropolis and yesterday had been the day!) We can also see the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the 1896 Olympic Stadium. While waiting for the 1:00 tram back down, we chat with a family of four from Dallas who have been on a cruise/tour that's taken them from Italy to Turkey to Greece and will take them back to Italy before leaving for the US.

From Lykavittos, we walk to Dexameni Square where we have lunch at a shady taverna across from an open air movie theater. The salads are good, the bread is fresh, and the drinks are cold; all the prerequisites for an enjoyable lunch in Athens. We take our time here and then walk down to Kolonaki Square along some of the most upscale shops in Athens (maybe all of Greece) and from here continue back to the apartment. We're in need of a grocery-fix, so we walk the few blocks to the market to replenish our supplies through Wednesday.

Tuesday, June 26: We're out late again. Rory slept in and Rick worked on the website and read. He's into his 6th book of the trip. We've saved the Archeological Museum for last, planning to spend several hours there. The easiest way to get there is by the sightseeing bus, so we walk up to stop #11 near the National Gallery and wait....and wait. The bus is running behind schedule. We've decided to get off at the University of Athens (in search of a t-shirt for Rick) where we hope to have lunch. You'd think there'd be cheap eats near the university, but we couldn't find any. After wandering around for a while, we found a small streetcorner cafe which satisfied our basic needs (a Greek salad, some fries and cold beer). We were amused by how close together the cars were parked, not to mention that they don't seem to care if they stick out into the intersection, or prevent the car in front from getting out. We've seen some incredibly bizarre configurations of cars and curbs, not to mention that they double park without a thought for anything or anyone else. Thus refreshed in both body and spirit, we enter the university and inquire where the book store might be. They point us to the library next door--not what we had in mind. The university is free to anyone who has the proper academic credentials and who can pass the stiff entrance exam. There are no sports teams....and NO t-shirts. We decide that since the students are admitted on merit without regard to financial status, that there's no point in offering things that only some might afford--t-shirts being one example. The main university building is an architectural delight, but there really isn't anything to "tour". Next door to the university is the Athens Academy, housed in what we think is the most impressive building we've seen. It's a modern replica of a classical building with columns, statues, frescoes and friezes--really beautiful if you're an architecture fan. Before jumping on the sightseeing bus, we visit a large bookstore across the street. Rory is in need of something to read as she's finished her 4th book of the trip and has nothing left. While we're browsing we think about the author that Linda and Allan recommended when we were hiking on Paros--Douglas Kennedy. The only title they had was "State of the Union" so we bought it.

Two stops on the sightseeing bus and we're deposited in front of the Archeological Museum. The word is that if you're going to visit any museum in Greece, this is the one. The entrance fee is 7E each and for the next three hours we'll be overwhelmed by artifacts, statues, ceramics, jewelry, etc. from as far back as 6800 B.C. We would guess that if you stopped and read about every item, you'd be in the museum for years maybe decades. There is so much here from all the ruins we've seen such as Mycenae, Crete, and the Peloponnese. By the time we're finished, we are definitely "vased" and "statued" out! Rory is irritated that the Museum Shop is closed. Coupled with the fact that the entire Archeological Museum in Crete was closed, she has never gotten the information she wanted about the Disc of Phaestos. Guess she'll have to hit the internet when we get home.

There's an internet cafe at the corner across from the side gate to the museum where we can check our mail, recheck our flights home and send the photo of Rick and the old lady from the t-shirt store. Back on the bus, we jump off at stop #11 and walk back to the apartment. We'll have dinner nearby tonight.

Wednesday, June 27: Today is get ready for the trip home day. Slept in, repacked, has a late lunch at the Italian place. Rory found a DVD in the apartment: "The Great Lebowski" that we hadn't seen in a while. We thought we'd watch it and go to sleep early. Our ride to the airport will pick us up at 2:30 in the morning. About an hour into the movie, the power went out. It's been very hot the last several days and we figured the Athens power grid was overwhelmed. The problem: we still weren't completely ready. Since it was only 7:30 and would still be light outside for another hour and a half, we decided that if the power wasn't back on by 8:30, we'd call and arrange to be taken to the airport then. Luckily, the power came back a little after 8:00; we finished the movie, and tried for a few hours sleep.

Thursday, June 28: The cab showed up on the dot at 2:30, alleviating any remaining stress with getting back home......or so we thought. Good thing we got to the airport 2 hours early. The line to check in at KLM wasn't too bad, but there was only one attendant to check everyone in. We used the self-checkin and all we had to do was wait to have our luggage tagged, and our passports checked. A second attendant showed up and we were checked through quickly because we'd gone through the self-checkin process. The line behind us went on forever and we couldn't see how they'd ever get everyone checked in on time. Somehow they did, because the flight left two minutes EARLY!! They must have added several attendants to get them all processed in time. The flight from Athens to Amsterdam was quite good--plenty of legroom, arrived on time, etc. We found our connecting gate and had about 2 hours layover before our flight to Atlanta was scheduled to leave. We were surprised to find out that we'd have to go through another security check at the boarding gate. Again, we thought this would delay things--but the Dutch must know what they're doing, because the plane left the gate on a few minutes behind schedule. It's a 9 hour and 20 minute flight. We went through several movies from KLM's extensive library of choices, read a little, slept a little and arrived in Atlanta only about 20 minutes late. We got through immigration quickly. We always enjoy the "Welcome home" from the immigration official. Our luggage showed up on the conveyor just as we were getting there. About the time we're thinking we'll be on our way in no time, the "fun" started. We had to clear customs and knew we'd have some duty to pay. First we waited about 20 minutes for our name to be called. Thankfully, they chose not to do a full inspection of our luggage and the customs officer determined we'd only owe $39 which we could pay at the cashier and then get our passports back and be on our way. NOT!! We waited 40 minutes and still, no cashier had showed up to take our money. This was quite frustrating to Rick who has a low tolerance for inefficiency. Finally, the customs inspector came over and apologized (the cashier had been sent home early). Since he could not accept the money, he waived the charge. We thought we were on our way. NOT!! Even though Atlanta was our final destination, we had to recheck out luggage so it could be sent to baggage claim AND go through another security check!! First time we'd ever had to go through security to LEAVE an airport. At baggage claim, we waited a bit and finally one of our pieces came in, but not the other.....another 20 minutes before the second piece showed up. In the meantime, Rick had picked up the rental car contract (for our drive back to Columbia). All told, we probably lost almost two hours from the time the plane landed to the time we actually drove out of the rental car lot. We arrived in Columbia a little after 8:00, decided against stopping at Publix for groceries, and had dinner at Yesterday's. We spent only a little time unpacking and were asleep just after 10pm. Despite how much we enjoyed our trip, it was good to be "home".