Week of Nov. 10 – Let’s see…. in my world of bureaucratic red tape, I did get my temporary residence permit which allows me to leave Greece and reenter without my permanent residence permit over Christmas. Good thing! I went to the taxation office on my way to work yesterday AND got the taxID# which I desperately need to do anything in this country! With this I can get internet at home – which of course takes about a month to install. Maybe right before I go home for Christmas I will get it! So patience is a virtue, right?
Thursday, I decided to go up the hill; the hill on which I live on. And lo and behold, there is a lot up the hill! I found a German “Oktoberfest” restaurant, dry cleaners, more restaurants and two internet cafes (which are much closer than the one I’ve been going to – although they are still filled with boys/guys playing video games and smoking like a chimney) but closer! Maybe later this week, I will continue up the hill!
On Friday, Leigh Jahnig came for a weekend visit. A Stone Ridge graduate and now a junior at the University of Chicago, Leigh is in the middle of doing a semester in Rome, Italy. I have known Leigh since she was 5 years old! I’ve been waiting to the touristy sites and so I can now say I have climbed the Acropolis (Acropolis Rock, Propylaia, Temple of Athena Nike, Parthenon, Erechteion, Herodes Atticus Theater, Dionysus Theater), climbed the Filopappos Hill, walked through the Agora (twice)(Temple of Hephaestus, stoas), seen Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian’s Arch, Kerameikos (ancient cementry), walked through the National Gardens, Roman Forum & Tower of Winds, Benaki Museum of Islamic Art – to say I was tired is an understatement!