YOB: #22. Dress Up For Fast Food (Part 2)

By Beth

Don't ask where this one came from. Somewhere in our sick, twisted brains we came up with the idea to dress up and eat at a fast food restaurant. Now, when I say dress up, what comes to mind? When we planned this one, I think Lara and I were both thinking much more elaborately dressed up than what actually happened. But clothing budgets aside, I think we both realized that prom dresses at 30 would be a little depressing. So we both had our Sunday best on and Lara's parents joined us at Wendy's for dinner one night.

I'll admit to being a little disappointed in this one. We didn't get nearly the kind of reaction we were hoping for. In fact, no one really paid us much mind at all. We looked too normal. The only thing that was odd was that we brought our own vase and flower and we took pictures. We simply looked like we were on our way home from a wedding or something.

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YOB: International Adventure 2010 (Part 4) Istanbul

I was so excited to get off the bus. My first footfalls in Asia were walking briskly towards the Sultan Ahmed mosque. Most Americans know this as "the blue mosque" due to the interior design that incorporates blue Iznik tiles.

The line to get into the mosque was quite long. I amused myself with some kittens playing in the courtyard. When I got to the front of the line, I was given a bag to put my shoes in and was inspected by the modesty police. They decided that I was showing an acceptable level of skin and let me pass. Several of the people on my bus were given shawls and/or wraps to cover their bare shoulders or knees. (Please keep in mind that we had been briefed about this the day before.)

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YOB: International Adventure 2010 (Part 3) Olympia/Mycenae/Athens

By Lara

We woke up in Olympia in order to see the site of the ancient Olympics... and the former site of one of the ancient wonders of the world. There isn't really much left of Olympia. There are ruins of gymnasiums and bathhouses. The famous temple of Zeus and the temple of Hera. The remains of the Olympian stadium comprise a patch of dirt and a stone gate. Several members of my group took the obligatory crossing the finish line photo. I did not. Pshf. I don't RUN. Not even for pretend in pictures... Unless I was running for my life, but even then...

Karen had promised us that Olympia was flat. I seem to remember walking uphill for quite some time to get back to the bus. It wasn't "the sheer cliff on a mountain" steep, but it was not flat. Olympia was nice, though. I have some lovely "ruins" pictures. We also saw a lizard. He ran away before I could photograph him, but he was very cute.

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YOB: #6. Visit The Narnia Exhibit At The Franklin Institute (Part 2)

By Beth

As previous posts may have let on, Lara and I enjoy going to museums. There was the International Spy Museum, Geppe's Entertainment Museum and, what both of us were looking forward to, the Franklin Institute and the Chronicles of Narnia exhibit. It had been advertised as "interactive" so we were extremely excited. Both of us spent our childhood (and adulthood) wandering the woods, shores and castles of Narnia. We had our favorite books, characters and scenes. Sadly, the movies that have been made thus far have left us sorely disappointed. They have their good moments but really, it could've been done a lot better. We have hope for the third installment, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, but not much.

My mother and two children are also Narnia fans so they joined us on our trip into Philly and the Franklin Institute. I admit, I had an ulterior motive for bringing them along, mom especially. I don't like driving in the city. (I should clarify that this is not the ONLY reason mom came, I love my mom and wanted to share the "interactive" experience with her). So down to Philly we went, sitting on the edge of our seats, poor Lara in the back of my car with my two kids. I believe they tried to tickle her.

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YOB: International Adventure 2010 (Part 2) Kalambaka/Delphi/Olympia

By Lara

Where was I? Yes. Kalambaka.

It had stopped raining in Kalambaka by the time we left the hotel. We drove back up into the mountains of Meteora. We visited the monastery of St. Mumblecough. I could reach over to my little pile of things to include in the eventual scrapbook to look up the name, but you won't remember in five minutes anyhow. It was beautiful no matter the name. There were more stairs to climb than I had expected, but it was worth it.

After I finished poking around in the various dark corners, running into monks, and wishing I could take pictures of the velvet-bound Bibles, I walked back down the stairs to find a place for some quiet reflection. I sat on a small stone wall where I had a view of a rose garden and two mountain peaks. I contemplated the surreality of it all. I was in Greece having a once in a lifetime experience. I tried to really take it all in. The cool mountain air. The distant birds. The sheer history of it all. The radio of the vendor behind me playing AC/DC...

Far too quickly, it was time to get on the bus. There were long periods of time on the bus. I know that we had lunch. I am fairly sure it was in Lamia. Yes! I had my first taste of genuine Grecian baklava. It was heaven.

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