my first 10 days

So, It has come to my attention that people want events rather than thoughts. I'll recount the first week for you all and the last few days.

Day one- I sit next to HAM and GAL on the plane ride over, they are a married couple but they refuse to sit by eachother because they both hate the middle seat. I am sitting in between them. Gal tells me my parents must have done a great job raising me because I'm polite etc. I think that my mom would be proud to hear that.
Our first Host Stephanie completely flakes on us and we have to scramble to find a hostel, which ended up being the best hostel EVER. As we get off the plane the lady at the counter where we went for our taxi ticket tells us that "this place is not safe for us".... We shit ourselves. If there is anything more intimidating than arriving in a country that stills looks very much like communism it's witnessing two taxi drivers arguing over which driver should take us in a harsh slavic language. There was yelling, maybe these people just express themselves differently. We were both pretty scared, but Sofia was incredible. We made a bunch of friends and bought 3 10 oz steaks for the equivalent of 4 dollars.

Thessaloniki. We arrive in Thessaloniki at about 4 pm. Us and our 3 friends find a cabby and he says 15 Euro... We say no thanks because its only a mile or so away and we know how to get there basicalyl.We both love walking to explore new places anyway.... as we get to the first intersection we hear the not so familiar sound of chanting. Thessalo-niki! Thessalo-niki! A group of 300 give or take is Marching down the street perpendicular to us. Some are wearing Gas masks.. they seem upset... "What is going on" we think? We didn't have too much time to think though, before we know it this group of people has turned right and is now walking towards us.... Two americans on a suddenly empty street being followed by a slowly moving protest..... It's safe to say that neither of us have ever felt that way before. We promptly make back to the bus station and hop in a cab... a Different cabby who gives us a much better price of 9 Euro- DoubleLesson learned, sometimes it's better to take a cab even if the cab driver is trying to rip you off. AND. Sometimes it isn't because we did save money.

One thing about Greece and Bulgaria is the large number of friendly stray dogs and terrifying stray cats. The Dogs just chill and people pet them, they are never violent. The Cat's glare with the stare of medusa.

Brandon and I go to the Theatre and the Women at the Box office is HOT! and when she finds out that we both want to see a play in greek she gets really ...excited.... Well she was happy. Anyway, we come back the next day and buy tickets. She is still there and is flirting with me. cool. Then we see the show. and I ask her if she wants to hang out. "It's Saturday, I have arrangements." She says this with a smile that suggests she's happy I asked and that I am stupid for not realizing she would have a social life. I tell her it's my last day. She gets noticeably sad. She writes her phone number and email address on a piece of paper and whispers ," Call me later" in her cute Greek accent.

I called.

Athens Was our first Couchsurfing Experience. I give it an A plus

Now we are in Rome. An Irish man told a group of 20 college aged girls that they HAD to hear me sing... So I sang to them on the Roman forum ( across the stree from the Colloseum) I promptly realized I was dehydrated. I wish they had practice rooms in hostels.

Last night we walked to the trevy fountain. 40 minutes... ate the best gelato ever... literally-- ever. Also yesterday I had an incredible pie.

Now it is today. And somehow our booking got messed up at this hostel and we only have it reserved for 1 person tonight... They agreed to let brandon and I use the same single bed..... Should be a fun night ;)

-Josh