Traveling

“ACH DU LIEBER!!!...” spat Fritz, the German metal detector agent, with obvious disgust in his eyes. I recognized that look, and as I stood there contemplating it, with my legs spread apart, waiting for Fritzes metal detection wand to prove my innocence, it came to me.. ahh yes... It was the same look that I saw in my guest mothers eyes as she kicked me out of her house the last time I was in Germany - “DU BIST RAUS!!!”... And it was eerily reminiscent of what I saw in the elderly German man's eyes when I had given a hearty belch in the line for beer at the beer garden - “DU SCHWEINE!!!” ... This time as my eyes followed the tip of Fritzes accusing pointer finger down it's length and across an imaginary one meter expanse, I realized what I had done this time to receive my dose of German scorn. Or rather what I had forgotten to do on completing my last trip to the restroom. And there it was for all to see.. I had thought it was a little drafty...

Our time in Germany was brief; limited to a few hours in the airport. I spent most of my time burying my face in a complementary newspaper and drinking a complementary cup of coffee handed out by Lufthansa. I really like Lufthansa and Germans. I'm not sure Laura feels the same way. She spent most of her time trying to sleep, curled up on a hard angular bench, which being designed for functional discomfort as only the Germans could, succeeded in its mission with supreme efficiency. By the time we finally made it to Crete we were very, very tired.

Cynthia picked us up from the airport. We spotted her holding a sign that said “John and Laura”. I've always wondered what type of people get their own greeting signs at airports... now I know. It's not as special as I thought it would be. There is much more to write, so much more of the adventure yet to tell. I want to write in depth about how Cynthia abandoned us to the mercy of the locals, how we got yelled at (Laura for the first time ever, me for the second) by a random Greek lady, how we met our first friends here and how they gave us our first real bit of discouraging news and how simply awesome Crete and our place is (how it looks like it's straight out of the Pirates of the Caribbeans ride in Disneyland), but I need to stop now. Here are a few pictures though that might better illustrate what it's been like so far...

By the way, we have a cell-phone. We would love to hear from you if you can figure out how to call Greece from America. Also, remember that Crete is 10 hours ahead of L.A. The number is: 6942807499

Laura's Feline Friends outside our window

Inside our apartment looking out

one of many dogs

at the beach

the alley on which we live, we're at the end

morning on top of the old fort

view of the city

the beach