You know you're in Greece when it's so hot that the Toblerone bar in your room has turned into soft fudge.
Air conditioning is apparently for tourists - even the school doesn't have air conditioning, and it is the most elite private school in Athens!
Today, with a good night's sleep to off-set my 30 hours awake (minus a nap on my flight from Munich), I had a chance to see some of Athens while fully conscious.
Dinner on my first night was delicious, but Athens when I'm awake is even better.
Chris, one of last year's fellows and our current guide to all things Athens, introduced us to a small coffee shop in Halandri called Le Petit Fleur.
With a pleasantly old-fashioned feel and a soundtrack of French records, I was delighted with this cafe.
The sugar cubes on the table came in clover and heart shapes.And, of course, there is the coffee.
Yani, the proprietor, is on a first-name basis with Chris, who is a regular there; Yani joked that Le Petit Fleur had become the cafe for the Teaching Fellows.
Luckily, he speaks English, because the menu was all in Greek!
Wanting something cold - I couldn't imagine drinking hot coffee in this heat - Yani suggested an iced cappucino, and I opted for the unique version he described called the Cappuccino Fleur.
This coffee came in a tall, pretty glass and was laced with orange peel and cinnamon; I ordered it "glyko," or sweet - which, with my southern sweet tooth, wasn't really that sweet!
It was, however, delicious, and came with little coconut and cinnamon cookies, like shortbread.
What a pleasant way to spend an afternoon in Greece.
You know you're in Greece when it's so hot that the Toblerone bar in your room has turned into soft fudge. Air conditioning is apparently for tourists - even the school doesn't have air conditioning, and it is the most elite private school in Athens! Today, with a good night's sleep to off-set my 30 hours awake (minus a nap on my flight from Munich), I had a chance to see some of Athens while fully conscious. Dinner on my first night was delicious, but Athens when I'm awake is even better. Chris, one of last year's fellows and our current guide to all things Athens, introduced us to a small coffee shop in Halandri called Le Petit Fleur. With a pleasantly old-fashioned feel and a soundtrack of French records, I was delighted with this cafe. The sugar cubes on the table came in clover and heart shapes.And, of course, there is the coffee. Yani, the proprietor, is on a first-name basis with Chris, who is a regular there; Yani joked that Le Petit Fleur had become the cafe for the Teaching Fellows. Luckily, he speaks English, because the menu was all in Greek! Wanting something cold - I couldn't imagine drinking hot coffee in this heat - Yani suggested an iced cappucino, and I opted for the unique version he described called the Cappuccino Fleur. This coffee came in a tall, pretty glass and was laced with orange peel and cinnamon; I ordered it "glyko," or sweet - which, with my southern sweet tooth, wasn't really that sweet! It was, however, delicious, and came with little coconut and cinnamon cookies, like shortbread. What a pleasant way to spend an afternoon in Greece.
Meredith, I'm so glad you made it to Athens in one piece! This French cafe is so you - I love it! How close is it to where you live? I can't wait to see more pictures and hear about life in Greece. My mom said I should come visit you, so let me know when you need a taste of PD in Athens ;)
ReplyDeleteIt's a walk (or more preferably, a bus ride) away - not too far. It is wonderful, isn't it? And I always need a taste of PD in Athens :) Seriously, if you want to come, we should work out a time on one of my three day weekends. Let me know!
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