Hello dear Sparkfriends!

I am back home! It was mostly a tough week, with long, sometimes difficult meetings, and I am sad I didn’t see more of Cyprus. Yet, I can’t complain as I was able to go on a walk on the beach yesterday evening...







Today, I flew back to Paris via Athens, Greece. And as you guessed from the title of this blog, I met someone in Athens during the hours I spent there between my flights! :)

Actually, I met two lovely Sparkfriends!!!



BLOOMINGLENA and NUOVAELLE

I was so happy to meet them both! They are just as warm and kind in person as they are on Sparkpeople. It was wonderful to chat with them like with old friends. They had chosen a café which had the most amazing view on the old Athens and the Acropolis (in case you have been to Athens, it is just outside Monastiraki metro station, which was very convenient for me as it is a direct line from the airport!)...



Isn’t it just gorgeous? And yes, the sun was shining bright and it was warm! (I didn’t want to go back to Paris and the freezing weather that was waiting for me there!)

After I left BLOOMINGLENA (who had to go back to work) and NUOVAELLE (who had to pick her girls up from school), I was feeling their worries after they shared how dreadful the situation is in Greece these days... Many people lose their jobs, taxes go constantly up, crimes are on the increase, educated young people leave the country to find jobs elsewhere... Please remember Greece and our Sparkfriends in Greece in your thoughts and prayers.



I went on a short walk in the area and went into this pretty church...



People were constantly coming in to light a candle or pray for a few minutes.





Outside the church, on the little square, there was a fun shop selling all kinds of cheap old things.



I took a picture of the sign to convince you I was in Greece indeed! I cannot really translate it all for you, I only learned old Greek and that was ages ago! :) (The only bit I understand is that it says 2 euros per piece at the bottom of the left column!)



Then I walked in the streets in the area...











... with the view on the Acropolis above (and oranges on the tree!)...



I had a look at the amazing Roman agora (I saw so many gorgeous sites in just a 30 minutes walk!)...





... and also the Ancient agora area...





A young man was reading a book nearby, enjoying the sunshine!



And then it was time to say goodbye to Athens and head back to the airport to catch my flight to Paris!



I am remembering with gratitude the lovely time spent with my dear Greek Sparkfriends. This stop of a few hours in Greece made the tiring few days in Cyprus well worthwhile! Thank you so much NUOVAELLE and BLOOMINGLENA!!!