**From Hostels to Five Stars!***

 While booking this trip and researching costs, we I decided it'd be best to stay in hostels.
We've stayed in a hostel before, in South Korea, and it wasn't a HORRIBLE experience... but we also weren't married...
So, we booked this hostel in Athens, The Student and Travelers Inn, right in the heart of Plaka (major area in Athens where basically everything is) and we were on our merry way!

We arrive at the airport in Athens around 9:00pm and find our way to the subway (it wasn't that easy, but you get the jist!).
We're lost.
We can't find the hostel.
These directions are HORRIBLE.
Who WROTE THESE?!?! 
oh and... we're carrying all our stuff in packs, so our backs hurt, its 130 degrees outside and its freaking midnight (no, no it's not...).

Finally! We find the hostel after a kind, taxi man shows us the way, free of charge!
via

 We didn't take many (2) pictures of the hostel. It was bad. We vowed, never again. We cherish privacy far too much to do hostels again.
We had our own room, it really wasn't THAT bad, but the bathroom deal was what killed it.
We didn't bring shower shoes, so we had to use our flip flops, which...mine are leather...so, that sucked!
The bed was rock hard, like most places in Europe, but still! We're spoiled by our pillow top at home!
Baby AC that barely worked.
Our room was right off the courtyard...aka BAR.
Now that last one could be awesome... to some! But we are over the 'get wasted, party hard' life and want to sleep. So bass at 2 am for us was bad. Just...bad. 

We stayed three nights and it was like $150, not the GREATEST but reasonably cheap.

Then we got to Santorini!
We agreed to cancel the hostel booking and book an actual hotel. Cayman was in charge, since I failed with the hostel idea...

Splendour Resort.

Need I say more... (just check out our pictures... we were geeking out hardcore!)

Big smiles from us!!

Holy Crap. SO NICE! And SO CLEAN! (and that wall, totally marble...)

Our view from the balcony!

These two pictures (above/below) are the reception area. WHAT!? It's styled like a traditional Santorini cave house... a cave house.

Cayman did good, don't you think so???

This was the perfect way to close out our one year anniversary! Relaxing in our own room. With our own bathroom. A high pressure shower. No shower shoes. A comfy bed.

...you get it, right?!

****disclaimer: No, it isn't our 'one year anniversary' yet!
It's in August.
But we won't be together since we live thousands of miles apart.
So, we are celebrating early.
Don't hate.****

--Also, these pictures are unedited, so this is the REAL beauty. Sorry, I'm too lazy to edit pictures lately!--

**From Hostels to Five Stars!***

 While booking this trip and researching costs, we I decided it'd be best to stay in hostels.
We've stayed in a hostel before, in South Korea, and it wasn't a HORRIBLE experience... but we also weren't married...
So, we booked this hostel in Athens, The Student and Travelers Inn, right in the heart of Plaka (major area in Athens where basically everything is) and we were on our merry way!

We arrive at the airport in Athens around 9:00pm and find our way to the subway (it wasn't that easy, but you get the jist!).
We're lost.
We can't find the hostel.
These directions are HORRIBLE.
Who WROTE THESE?!?! 
oh and... we're carrying all our stuff in packs, so our backs hurt, its 130 degrees outside and its freaking midnight (no, no it's not...).

Finally! We find the hostel after a kind, taxi man shows us the way, free of charge!


via

We didn't take many (2) pictures of the hostel. It was bad. We vowed, never again. We cherish privacy far too much to do hostels again.
We had our own room, it really wasn't THAT bad, but the bathroom deal was what killed it.
We didn't bring shower shoes, so we had to use our flip flops, which...mine are leather...so, that sucked!
The bed was rock hard, like most places in Europe, but still! We're spoiled by our pillow top at home!
Baby AC that barely worked.
Our room was right off the courtyard...aka BAR.
Now that last one could be awesome... to some! But we are over the 'get wasted, party hard' life and want to sleep. So bass at 2 am for us was bad. Just...bad. 

We stayed three nights and it was like $150, not the GREATEST but reasonably cheap.

Then we got to Santorini!
We agreed to cancel the hostel booking and book an actual hotel. Cayman was in charge, since I failed with the hostel idea...

Splendour Resort.

Need I say more... (just check out our pictures... we were geeking out hardcore!)

Big smiles from us!!

Holy Crap. SO NICE! And SO CLEAN! (and that wall, totally marble...)

Our view from the balcony!

These two pictures (above/below) are the reception area. WHAT!? It's styled like a traditional Santorini cave house... a cave house.

Cayman did good, don't you think so???

This was the perfect way to close out our one year anniversary! Relaxing in our own room. With our own bathroom. A high pressure shower. No shower shoes. A comfy bed.

...you get it, right?!

****disclaimer: No, it isn't our 'one year anniversary' yet!
It's in August.
But we won't be together since we live thousands of miles apart.
So, we are celebrating early.
Don't hate.****

--Also, these pictures are unedited, so this is the REAL beauty. Sorry, I'm too lazy to edit pictures lately!--

Two for the price of ONE!

Cayman and I do our laundry together. Well, except when he leaves me to get his hair cut... but anyways! Our washer/dryer isn't hooked up in our house here in Italy. I'm sure it's super easy to do, but Cayman insists we are missing a piece. I have no idea.

So we go on base to do laundry.

It has become almost a ritual to get one piece of candy each from the shoppette next to the laundry mat while we are there.

Reason #527 why I love Cayman:

I get two.
He doesn't really care for chocolate, so I know these are both all mine! We also got some Jelly Belly jellybeans which are AWESOME to eat together. I love guessing the flavors!

*******************

These are the moments I'll miss most. Doing every day things, like laundry, just spending good quality time together (even though he is addicted to Candy Crush and won't stop playing it!!!!!!) - giggling like teenagers while everyone stares at us like we're weird.

linking up with That Suburban Momma for Wordless Wednesday
well...NOT so wordless for me! ;)

Life in a Monastery: Metéora, Greece!

Well, we had an extra day in Athens, since you can pretty much see everything in a day! So... we took a day trip to Metéora!

 'Suspended in the air' (the meaning of Meteora in Greek), these monasteries represent a unique artistic achievement and are one of the most powerful examples of the architectural transformation of a site into a place of retreat, meditation and prayer. (UNESCO)

 The early monks that inhabited these monasteries used a basket/rope contraption to bring up people and goods!
Cayman said that when the rope broke, and they died, it was seen to be God telling them He was ready for them... not sure on the validity of that store, but seems pretty legit!!

 Studies suggest that the pinnacles were formed about 60 million years ago during the Paleogene Period.

Out of respect, at the entrance to all monasteries, females were giving these wrap skirts to wear over our clothes. I thought about dressing more 'modest' but it was SO HOT OUT! I couldn't imagine wearing pants the whole time!

It's mind boggling to see these monasteries! These are from before the 14-15th century. Crazy to imagine them building these!

Pretty legit! 

It was a five hour train ride there, and then back, so we only spent collectively like 3-4 hours in Metéora, but it was better than hanging around Athens for a day, doing nothing!

Amazing views, Metéora is in my top 10 favorite places we've been!

A Day in Athens, Greece

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] On our way to see the Acropolis and Parthenon![/caption]

We made it to Athens, Greece after around 12 hours of travel (which really should've taken only 2)! But we did save around $500 doing so, so... can't complain!

Where to begin! We've been back from our week-long Grecian adventure for a few days now, so it's time to start blogging! We headed out on Saturday, June 8th from Venice -> Istanbul, Turkey -> Athens, Greece. We booked a little later than expected, so we were forced into having a five hour layover in Istanbul. Just enough time to not be able to leave the airport and be bored waiting.

Our two requests for the airport adventure were: Get a Starbucks mug and eat an authentic Turkish Kebab. We completed one.
The Starbucks in the airport didn't have any mugs! Cayman was pretty bummed, so we slept on their bench/couch for about an hour to punish them. Just kidding, they didn't care!

[caption id="attachment_1888" align="aligncenter" width="642"] Greek Ruins[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1889" align="aligncenter" width="642"] Monastiraki Flea Market[/caption]

We read online that this flea market was a must-see on Sunday mornings! Luckily we had a Sunday morning in Athens! But the market wasn't THAT cool! It was full of antique hoarders. Cayman said he felt bad for the person that had to set up/take down the little booths. There was crap everywhere! I wonder if they leave it all week long... we didn't wait around to see!

[caption id="attachment_1892" align="aligncenter" width="642"] Parthenon[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1896" align="aligncenter" width="642"] DON'T TOUCH THE RUINS![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1897" align="aligncenter" width="642"] Sitting in the Acropolis[/caption]



[caption id="attachment_1899" align="aligncenter" width="642"] Authentic Greek Lunch: Pork Gyro on Pita, Greek Salad, Baklava[/caption]

We fell in love with Greek food. Seriously, the best food we've ever had while traveling!

[caption id="attachment_1903" align="aligncenter" width="642"] Sunset and Beers on Mount Lycabettus[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1910" align="aligncenter" width="642"] Changing of the guards at the Parliament Building[/caption]

 

We had a blast!
We spent the whole day Sunday wandering around the streets of Athens.
We stopped to get a couples massage and it was LOVELY!

Next up: Metéora, Greece