Free Weekend!

So Thursday i was def. dragging in class, i was so tired. I've been running on like 6 hours of sleep every night this week!! After class we had lunch, which was cold and gross, it kinda made me sick, and then i went shopping around, i didn't buy anything though. I didn't really see anything that i liked and i had to come back to the hotel because i had to use the bathroom and i couldn't find a W.C.! After coming back to the hotel, i got a shower and got ready for dinner and this special tour that we had going on at 5. We all met at 5 in the lobby and then took a bus to the upper city of Thessaloniki, the views were amazing! I took plenty of pictures. We saw a historical prison and the wall of the ancient citadel that surrounded the acropolis. Parts of it still remain today and it is amazing. You'll just be driving up a street and then here is this wall, and its sooo tall and made out of stone, i don't think it's ever coming down!! So after we got the history of the jail, we walked down from the upper city through the cobblestone and marble streets. They're beautiful! They don't have cement sidewalks here at all! It's all rich tile and stones and marble. It's crazy! The houses in this area, that sit right below the walls surrounding the acropolis, where they would go in and close the gates in case of an intrusion, go for about 300,000 Euros...which is like over 500,000 US dollars!! They aren't that big at all and you can't just drive cars up these streets because all of the streets of the ancient cites were very narrow...They all sit on very steep hills, so it's quite the walk everyday possibly!! When you buy a house here and remodel it, you have to follow specific guidelines because this is one of the only areas that still has the ancient architecture! So you can't just remodel it like you want!  It's crazy! They also have these little trenches in the streets that water flows down..they're so cool, so i took some pictures and will post them! lol After the prison and walking down through the old town we visited the church of San Dimitriosis. I'm not sure of his exact story, the tour guide was getting lengthy and hard to listen to at this point, but i took so many pretty pictures of this church and this was the first church that we were allowed to take pictures inside! While we were there 7 o'clock mass started and it reminds me alot of a catholic funeral where they burn that stuff and shake it all around and such, (i had to sit through some funerals at notre dame). Soo, anyways our tour lady took us underneath of the chuch and it was sooo cool....it was like going through some ancient tomb. The church was destroyed at one time and they found this underground area and then rebuilt the church on top of this again. It was where they believe San Dimitriosis was kept prisoner and killed and buried. They had some artifacts in a few cases for us to look at and then we left. After this, we quickly grabbed some gyro's to eat and i didn't feel like going out so everyone else went and the macbook and i spent some well needed quality time together!! :) I was sorta in a cranky mood and needed some alone time, so it was time well needed and spent. I also got some rest and slept in friday. Friday we all went to the beach around noon and stayed there till about 6. The beach we went too was way nicer than any beach i've ever been too! They had these like lounging areas with couches and cool chairs and the beach chairs here were only 2.50 to rent where at Alexander they were like 5! They brought complimentary fruit salad and water to the cool lounging areas, which our group got two and then just complimentary water to the chairs. I had a fruit salad anyways and it was good. We had to take cabs there and back and it was about a 30 min ride each way. The water was also really warm here and the ocean didn't drop off for a long way out which was nice!! The beaches here also don't have seashells, they have rocks instead. We had a good time and then the cabs were like 45 mins. late picking us up and then the cab ride back was dangerous!! We were seriously doing over 160 km/h which is like 100 in mph! Riding in these cabs is like riding a roller-coaster with the potential to die before it comes to a halt!! It's life or death baby!! Scary stuff! After we got back we went to a little taverna and had dinner and then got ready, pre-gamed, and went out, i didn't stay very long only until about 2:30 and came back with my friend Ashton. The greeks when they go out, stay out till like 5 or 6 in the morning and never dance! They dance at dance clubs but at the bars and such there is no dancing just drinking. They're very relaxed and here they don't go out to drink and get shitty and have a wild time they drink because its a social thing, a hang out for them. So, its very different because us crazy Americans were the only one's dancing!! They also play mostly American music which surprised me!

Now, saturday, yesterday i got up around 10am and went shopping all day until about 5 or 6. I was tired but nothing is open here on sunday and saturday most shops close at 3:30 or 4. Monday and wednesday they are open from like 10 - 3 close and then tuesday and thursday open at like 9 or 10 and close at around 2 or 3 and then reopen at like 5 or 6! On saturday, they do not reopen though. All jobs are like this here, the greeks take a break in the middle of their work day to go home and be with their families for lunch! It is the most important meal of the day here in Greece. Soo, I had cookies for breakfast and headed to the flea market. It was awesome, it reminds me a lot of the fashion district in L.A. but better!!! They have seriously everything here!! They sell fish like at a fish market on ice and everything, lamb, beef, chicken, cheeses, bread, coffee beans, olives, herbs and spices, fruits and vegetables then they also have clothes, shoes, purses, souvenirs, household products, and undies! Its kinda like a big walmart! haha just lots more fun and entertaining, plus you can bargain with them! They have linens and everything! Like seriously anything you could think of they have to sell you. I got some really great deals and a lot of things that i wanted and things for other people. I also went to a bunch of other little shops, i went to a really cute one that had the same dress that i bought at the mall, it was like the brand store and this lady helped me pick out a bunch of stuff and i felt bad so i ended up buying this very european outfit! OMG, its really cute its just not something you've seen in america before, but that's what i love about this place! I got a few other really cool items and then had lunch at this little cafe called Tiffany's! Again, greek salad, bread and water. After this i had some more baklava and then went in the stores that were still open and then headed back. Also another thing, the sizes here in Greece, and i'm pretty sure i can speak for all Europe when i say this, are very small. I mean the normal small and medium fit me just like the U.S.  However, they do not carry anything bigger than like large and extra large, and even those sizes are smaller than the extra large in the states! I mean, the greeks aren't large like some of us americans and they don't have an obesity problem but it's kinda hurtful i guess if you are that size and can't wear the trendy clothes or go in these stores. Like most american stores carry one outfit from size 2-14 just for that one article but here i haven't seen things in stores over a 10. I did see a store for people over size 48...which converted to american would be like probably size 10! So i dunno, just thought that was really interesting! I shopped by myself though and had a really good time. I find it hard to shop in a group or with like 5 other people. Plus, i like doing things at my own pace. I also have about half of my souviener shopping for other people done already, so that's really nice! There are a few things that i would like to get in Athens and then we'll be shopping another day this week when all the sales start here! I scoped out somethings i want but am waiting for them to go on sale, which i am told, this will happen this week before we leave. If not, i'm just going to get them anyways! lol Last night when i got back i grabbed a gyro, i've been pretty much living on those and greek salad, and then got a shower and got ready to go out. This time we went out at like midnight and had much more fun than the previous night! After the bar and dancing we grabbed gyro's at like 5 in the morning and then headed to bed. We slept in till about 3 today and then grabbed a bite and have been working on our assignments since then. Tonight i think a group of us are going to see Mama Mia, in English with greek subtitles of course! Soo...free weekend has been fun, i took lots of pictures and such and will post them before the day is over!! Take a look and leave me some comments..i don't feel like anyone is reading this!!! Ok, bye!