My Big Fat Greek Holiday (9 Things You Should Know About My 9 Days in Paradise)

They said we were crazy. They said we'd never make it. A trip to Greece - outside of Season? But we came, we saw and we conquered - and had an amazing marvelous 9 days.

Zurich - Milan - Athens (will never fly cheap airline again, ugh) - Meteora (via Trikala) - Volos - Skopelos -Volos - Athens - Milan (will never fly cheap airline again, ugh) - Zurich.

I went with another aupair, Pei Wen, who has the ability to make me laugh so hard I was forever needing the loo. We spent the first day looking all around Athens, before heading to the Areopagus (Mars Hill - Paul preached from up here!) to watch the sun set over the Acropolis.

I'd heard rumours of a €2 Kebab. As in, a donor Kebab NOT skewered meat. Living in a world where I can only dream about affording a Kebab meant I rejoiced with anticipation.
And I was not disappointed. I've never seen such a work of art. It was like a bouquet - with hot chips!

At Meterora, I saw some of the most amazing man-made feats I have ever seen. Six monasteries built on these
huge
rock
pillars.

It's hard to fathom. They date back to the 14th century, when there was more than twenty monasteries.
They're just sitting at the top of these huge pillars, I'm still speechless when I think about it.
Pei Wen and I were lucky enough to have a contact, now friend - Vasilis, in a little village near the Monasteries to stay with, and even more, to be a part of his family and friend's lives for a little while.
They cooked us fantastic food and we stayed at the family home outside of the village, in an even smaller village. I also saw the biggest vat of tomato sauce I have ever seen and we got to clean to vat afterwards (yum!)

As we were leaving, Vasilis' mother gave us both a Pomegranate. Vasilis told us later in the car that it was a special gift, a symbol of fertility.

Uh, thank you?

(Many seeds, am feeling especially fertile)

I met Rebecca the Brave. Rebecca the Brave with Pepper Spray. We happened to be staying at the same place one night. She told me about keeping the Spray at the top of her bag, at the ready if she felt wary. I didn't want to scare or wake her in the night!

But who knew Pepper Spray came in such a convenient little size?!
But she also told me good things, thoughtful things about being a guest in another's home and embracing the life of those around you - wherever you are. But more than telling, she showed me what it looked like. Her gentleness and grace really touched me and I'm glad to have crossed paths.

After visiting Athens and Meteora, we decided to head to the island of Skopelos. Everyone said not to go there, that the season was over and nothing would be open.
I was in search of beautiful beaches, warm weather and no other tourists.
We hit the jackpot.
None of the touristy shops were open, but that suited us 100%. We managed to find the sole car available for hire on the island and went in search of beauty. At night I came home needing to sleep. My eyes had seen too much beauty and needed rest.
I'm serious.
Jackpot.

While we were there, might as well see the Mamma Mia film locations. I'm not one to waste an opportunity!

The best place? Agios Ioannis - (the wedding chapel used in the film). It was amazing. We got to visit many chapels on the Island but this one stood out from the rest. It's almost on it's own island, jutting out from the cliff - and there are more than 200 stairs to climb to the top.

I did this twice.

I'm a glutton for punishment.

(see that second rock jutting out? the chapel is on top of that!)

The second time we got up very early and made the trek there to watch the sunrise. It's even more difficult to climb the 200 steps in the dark!

It was more than worth it.

This is an attempt to 'time lapse' the photos I took of the sunrise into a video.

Unfortunately I got a bit sick - even the morning we climbed the steps I thought my glands might actually pop out of my neck (is this physically possible? and if not, why does it feel this way?) and so we headed the chemist. I'd heard on the grapevine that chemists here could give out antibiotics and so I went to plead my case.

Me: I think I need antibiotics. I heard that it was possible to get them from you. (I then proceeded to tell him my medical sorrows.)

Chemist: (cutting me off, glancing furtively around.) Where did you hear this?

Me: Um, just around. Can you?

Chemist: Perhaps. If you don't tell anyone. Hush hush, so to speak.

Me: Um, ok.

Chemist: But I don't know if you need antibiotics. Perhaps you should visit the doctor.

He made it sound so easy. The doctor was just around the corner and it shouldn't take too long.

I rounded the corner to the doctors and something about the long line snaking out the door told me the chemist never needed to visit the doctor, him being able to prescribe himself any medication. Not too long, indeed.

I spent some time playing charades with the other waiting patients as they wanted to discuss our ailments.

Several hours later I left. When the doctor told me I probably shouldn't leave my bed for the next couple of days, I realized that I probably shouldn't mention the 200+ stairs in the cold and wind that morning if I wanted to maintain any respect. I headed for the Chemist, armed with prescriptions that would set me back quite a few Euro.

Me: Can I please get these antibiotics.

Chemist: (glancing at my list) Oh, so you are sick. It's quite serious.

Me: Yes. Just hand over the pills and no one will get hurt.

I think this is why it cost so much. I should have been nicer.

When I fell in love with the beautiful Skopelos I increased with vigour my search for the perfect Greek man. One who would take pity on me and my obsession with beautiful beaches and stunning cliffs and make an honest woman out of me.
However, then I discovered the Pom Poms.
On the shoes.
And the silly dance with the Pom Poms on the shoes.
Nothing wrong with regular visits, me thinks.

An amazing, amazing trip. So glad we went. Happy happy Greek holidaying!

A Royal Visit & A Plastic Silver Sword

I know I should be blogging about Greece. And Holland. Report of dream holiday is overdue. I know.
But I must admit the prospect of going through all those photos is daunting. And so I'm putting it off to the weekend. Somebody, make me do it on the weekend, please.
PS: Weekend, where are you? Why are you taking so long to get here?!


But in other news, I was picnic-ing at the Lindenhof (a beautiful park overlooking Zurich, and includes the oldest wall in Zurich) yesterday. Nicole and I were sitting on the wall, braving the cold weather (did I tell you it's winter here now? So rude!) and out of the corner of my eye I notice a man.
Nothing unusual.
Except that he's donning a cape/coat.
A red one with fur trim.
He's putting on a gold crown.
He's mumbling out over Zurich.
Maybe he's cold. Coat and Crown keeps you and your head warm.
He's taking out a plastic silver sword.
Holding it to the sky.
He's got a huge book. He's either got really bad eyesight and needs extra large print or he's stolen a prop from Snow White.
He's reading from the book, mumbling, waving the sword around.
The police drive by. Surely, I think, they must think this odd.
They slowly drive by, bemused looks on their faces.
Arrest him! I want to scream at them. Lock him away!
But they do nothing.
What if he's casting a spell over Zurich?
Perhaps winter will disappear. Please stay, strange kingly man. Bring summer back.
But then he closes the book and and puts it in a shopping bag.
The sword, crown and cape/coat soon follow.
Soon he is a normal man again.
A normal man surrounded by shopping bags at the oldest wall in Zurich.
I wait for winter to melt away and summer to return.
Nothing.
I give him the benefit of the doubt. These things take time.
Still, nothing.
Arrest him! I want to scream. Lock him away!
But now he's just a normal man.
A normal man with a plastic silver sword poking out the top of his shopping bag.



*I managed to take a photo of the strange kingly man. I needed it to prove my story.

To Holland, With Love

Dear Holland,
Ready or not, here I come.
Dutch windmills, licorice, canals, and bikes, here I come.
Please don't rain.
Please don't let me fall off a bike into a canal.
Thanks,
Love Kylie

'Sup Girlfren?

On the way to school yesterday morning, MLF3 narrowly missed stepping in some, ah, doggy doo. This is not normal - we are in Switzerland after all. It is the world's cleanest country (also home of the most expensive Big Mac in the world, but that's another story).

But then she spent the rest of the trip explaining to me how on our walks to and from school, she would look out for me, and I should look out for her, and then neither of us would step in anything.
I think she wanted to say Sisterhood, but she just didn't know it in English. Then we could say things like, 'Sup, Girlfren' to each other.

Needless to say, we didn't find any more doggy doo on our trip but as we neared school she cried, Achtung!

Whew - nearly stepped on a cigarette butt. Close call.


{Same little friend also spent 10 minutes last night trying to sound out YMCA.}

Cinderella

I'm still very regularly asked for a story. MLF3 is very gracious - it can be about anything - "deine sisters or brother, Mami or Papi or Puss Puss or Tesse."

Really - the choice is mine. The problem is: I've no more stories to tell. None. I've told her every anecdote I can think of about my life and the lives of family members and pets. And then some. I'm not above embellishing a few details.

So this week I've started on Fairy Tales. She is mostly unaware of all fairy tales and the slate is clean and blank and all mine.
I began with Jack and the Beanstalk a few days ago. She loved it. But she was so scared. No kidding. I must be a better story teller than I realize.
Cinderella was today and - again, I am an awesome story teller. She loved it.
Although as I was telling the story - I identified with Cinderella a little more than I would have liked.

"The Mother did not like Cinderella. She made her do all the cleaning. She had to do all the cooking. She had to do all the vacuuming."

-"But why?"

"Because the Mother did not like her. She had to make all the beds. She had to do all the washing. Cinderella had to work very hard."

And in other news: I almost ran into my Host Mother this morning. And she nearly ran into me.
I was turning back into our street with the car and she was leaving on her Vespa and we very nearly met in the middle.
Could have been worse, could have been much much worse. Whew.


Note to self: In future times, when you read this blog - you were not feeling like Cinderella. Put your rose-coloured glasses back on.

Sometimes It's Ok To Jump Off A Cliff

I'm grasping at summer straws but I'm trying to tell myself that summer is still here. That sunny warm days will still continue.
I'm probably kidding myself.


Goods and Bads from the last week. Bad news first?


Bads:

Friends are leaving to go home left, right and centre! It's weird being one of the "older" au pairs - I'm not! I just got here! Stop asking me questions, I have no idea what I'm doing!


Winter is coming. This will bring the obligation to ski. I still have nightmares from last season.


I also seem to have picked up a cold from somewhere. If someone is missing theirs, it's probably in my head. I would love to return it to you!



Goods:

I just spent a lovely day with a friend doing - well, not much. Eating. (We even ate ice cream for breakfast with crepes. Don't tell my Mum!)


Holidays in 2 weeks!! Am planning on a few days cycling in Holland and then off to Greece for 9 days to ... eat Greek food! (And perhaps pretend that I am in the Mamma Mia movie!)


I made Pumpkin Soup for dinner one night this week and MLF1 was NOT happy. Not happy at all - due to a dislike of the main ingredient.
She sat down at the table - pushed the soup away and was NOT happy.
Did I mention she was NOT happy?
But after about 10 minutes, I saw her pick up her spoon and lick it. And then, filled up the spoon and ate some more. And then, a little more.
6!!!! bowlfuls later, I think she liked the soup?


MLF3 (4 yrs) correcting MLF2 (8 yrs) on her English.


Paragliding last weekend! Absolutely amazing!!


It was a birthday gift from my host family and I just want to go again! Had about 20 minutes of flying time above the town and mountains surrounding Zermatt. And got to see the Matterhorn closer than most!

I wasn't nervous at all (birds fly all the time, right?) - until my tandem dude's words were, "Now we're going to take a few running steps toward the edge of the cliff."
How many times do you hear that in your life?

But after that all was fine.

Until we landed and my legs didn't work and it was all rather unceremonious. Him trying to pull me up, being attached by many strings, belts and clasps, him not being able to pull me up, still being attached by many strings, belts and clasps.
You get the picture.


A beautiful walk/hike near Neuchâtel. Steph and I were whisked away to a land that resembled a fairytale.






But it did play with my head when I realized the scenery I'd seen the day before compared to this day. Such a small country but it's vastly vastly different!

Day 1:


Day 2:

Day 3:

- See? I told you I worked sometimes!

I Am A Fun Au Pair

I am a fun Au Pair.

I am such a fun Au Pair that I eat entire jars of Nutella by myself. (Where's the fun in sharing?!)

I am such a fun Au Pair that I gasp when I find Charlie and Lola books at the BiblioTech (Library). All the girls want to know what is so exciting and give me strange looks when I show them my find. (However, when I read it to them tonight -in German!- their response was quite positive.)

I am such a fun Au Pair that when the girls had friends over last week and I drew a giant game of Twister outside with chalk, the neighbours thought we'd been having a birthday party.

I am such a fun Au Pair that I go around singing Barbapapa tunes in my head most of the day. (This is NOT fun for me, but the girls do feel like they are listening to the cartoon all day. Selfless, I tell you. Selfless.)

I am such a fun Au Pair because we cook fun stuff. Although when 2 four-year-olds are scooping cake mixture into muffin tins I have to look away. Otherwise the obsessive compulsive side of me will attack the aforementioned four-year-olds.

I am such a fun Au Pair because I can sometimes be talked into Cereal picnics in the Lounge Room. Sometimes. (Although why they want to eat Cereal more than once a day is beyond me. It's hard enough to face once a day!)

I am a fun Au Pair.

Sometimes I just need to convince myself.

Heaven is the Face

"I know it's all of this and so much more....God, you know, I just can't see beyond the door...."

I'm one of those people who get a new song and listen to it over and over again.
And again and again and again. And again.

Steven Curtis Chapman released Heaven is the Face this week and I really like it.

The Chapmans lost their daughter last year in a car accident and their journey of grief has been followed quite closely by the media. I'm sure it has been very difficult to go through it all with your every move watched, even if the watchers are well-meaning fans (myself included).

In a time like that, what does faith look like? How does it work? What is the right response to such a tragedy?

The whole family has shown so much beauty and grace. I've somewhat shamelessly followed their blogs and been overwhelmed at times by the pieces of their heart that they've chosen to share.
Their trust in the God of Heaven and their determination to stay true to what they know - their faith - has really stuck with me.

And this song is a beautiful overview of their past year or so and I'm so glad that he's chosen to share his journey this way.

I love: "I know it's all of this and so much more....God, you know, I just can't see beyond the door...."

And I know it's not the main theme of the song, but sometimes it's just a relief to be reminded that it's ok if sometimes we can't see past the issue that is at hand.

Whether it's something as tragic as losing a child or simply our own day-to-day struggles in relationships I think it's ok to admit that we just can't seem beyond what's in our face right now.

And I really like the idea of a place where HIS glory fills every empty space.

Heaven is the Face - Steven Curtis Chapman

Heaven is the face of a little girl
With dark brown eyes
That disappear when she smiles.
Heaven is the place
Where she calls my name
Says, “Daddy please come play with me for awhile.”

Chorus:

God, I know, it’s all of this and so much more,
But God, You know, that this is what I’m aching for.
God, you know, I just can’t see beyond the door.
So right now...

Heaven is the sound of her breathing deep,
Lying on my chest, falling fast asleep while I sing.
And Heaven is the weight of her in my arms,
Being there to keep her safe from harm while she dreams

And God, I know, it’s all of this and so much more,
But God, You know, that this is what I’m longing for
God, you know, I just can’t see beyond the door.

Bridge:

But in my mind’s eye I can see a place
Where Your glory fills every empty space.
All the cancer is gone,
Every mouth is fed,
And there’s no one left in the orphans’ bed.
Every lonely heart finds their one true love,
And there’s no more goodbye,
And no more not enough,
And there’s no more enemy (no more).

Heaven is a sweet, maple syrup kiss
And a thousand other little things I miss with her gone.
Heaven is the place where she takes my hand
And leads me to You,
And we both run into Your arms.

Oh God, I know, it’s so much more than I can dream.
It’s far beyond anything I can conceive.
So God, You know, I’m trusting You until I see
Heaven in the face of my little girl,
Heaven in the face of my little girl.

BEWARE of Falling Crab (Tins)!

7:50* - MLF1's spare backpack falls on my head as I try to get it down from the top shelf.

8:05 - The tube of Icing Sugar falls out not once, but three times in quick succession as I put other items away in the cupboard.

8:41 - MLF3's drink bottle is aiming straight for me when it falls out of the cupboard when I am putting other dishes away.

10:28 - A tin of crab tries to attack me and barely misses my head and then foot as I search the pantry for lasagne ingredients.

10:58 - The tin of crab makes a better-aimed shot at me but still I am quicker as I put the remaining lasagne pasta away.

13:40 - After a few hours of respite the Alphabet Mobile in MLF2's bedroom tries to entangle me but I will live to clean another day.

15:30 - Yet another backpack falls on me twice as I attempt to put it away. What is it with these bags. I think they are desperate to be out hiking or something.

15:33 - I think about the blog I will write detailing all the things that tried to get me today.

19:25 - Apparently all the evil items in the house have decided to leave me alone as it has been three hours of safety.

19:29 - Apparently I was wrong. MLF3 knocks over a bottle of perfume - a large portion of which spills onto me. At least it wasn't a tin of crab juice. At least I smell good. But, having just accidentally licked my finger, I DO NOT taste good!




*These times are not exact as I am not quite anal enough to keep a diary of my day's events. I do however keep a blog....

I think I'm in Love

Did I tell you how much I love the moutains here? Yes?
Can I tell you again?
I love it. So much. I can't get enough.

Went for a day trip on Sunday to Appenzell but didn't stay long in the village.
(Women are only allowed to vote in local elections here since 1991! and they still vote through a public assembly by a raising of hands!)

Instead we headed for the top: Hohe Kastern.

I went with my friend Dani (another au pair) and I think all day long we were just opening and closing our mouths in astonishment. It was so beautiful.

We took a cable car up to the top of the mountain and spent quite a few hours walking down. We may have prolonged our trip just a little bit by missing the last PostBus and having to walk to the next Village but we both blame the other for that so it's ok.