The Trip & Big Arrival
Hi Everyone and Welcome to Kavala.......................we are so happy to be here. The flight was excruciatingly long and painful. These kids of mine are awesome and strong. We took off from LAX at 9pm on Monday evening. Kids and myself were very sad to leave Daddy behind. We were all crying. But once we got to gate, and kids got a sweet snack from their snack bag, all was well again. The adventure begins!!
We boarded the flight and they all decided to sit together and I got to sit by myself....yipppee except for the flight was only 5 hours and it wasn't enough time for anyone to sleep for any good length of time. Trying to wake up 3 kids in the middle of the night because we were arriving in Toronto was brutal. Arriving in Toronto at 5:30am was tough for everyone. I was hurting but we made the best of our morning by having breakfast at my favorite restaurant in Toronto called Marche's.....we got there went it opened and had crepes with nutella and omelets and muffins.
Then we walked over to the CN Tower and were the first people to go up the tower and had it to ourselves. We then got to our hotel and slept for 3 hours. Even though extremely sleepy the kids liked very much that Mama showed them the downtown city of Toronto, they thought it was super cool to walk around the city with all the big building. Toronto was an old stomping ground for me back in my working days!! Then off to the airport again. Toronto to Athens was 9 hours and about 5-6 of those hours the kids slept so it was much better. I, of course, can't sleep, too paranoid to sleep and not watch my children. I close my eyes but it's not sleeping. Landed in Athens mid-day Wednesday and waited in the Athens airport for 5 hours. While waiting in the gate area I totally pulled the lay down across all the seats and slept. At that point I didn't care, I was sooo tired. Ana also slept and the boys literally exhausted wrestled all over the Athens airport floor, who cares! We boarded the 45 minute flight to Kavala and I was actually emotional when we landed, so thankful to be returning to this place I love and to be finished with the longest 2 days of my life. But I know the stress was all worth it!!!! My biggest prayer of the 2 days was getting us there safely! We arrived safe and sound and with all 5 luggages. My second prayer was that the first night of sleep in Kavala wasn't an up all night event (because of 10 hour time change). And I hate to say it out loud, but everyone slept through the night, the boys even having to be woken up at 9am!! Thank goodness for little blessings!!!! (I am praying for a repeat event tonight)
Today we were back in the swing again, life as Kavalians!!! Breakfast of chocolate croissants from the Forno (bakery), drinks at the Cafe in Agios Nikolaos Square & Church (seeing friend and cafe owner Dora), and swimming in the beautiful Aegean Sea at Riva Beach. Then having our late lunch/early dinner of mini fish (kids eat the whole fish head to tail and yes the bones!! They are like fish french fries!) and calamari for the kids, larger fish for Mama, fried zucchini, olives, Greek salad of tomatoes and cucumbers, baked eggplant. The kids were remembering all the locations as we drove and arrived to places. They had huge smiles on their faces! Ana gave Papou a kiss on the cheek at dinner and said "Thank you Papou for my nice dinner"......I was proud of her for doing that without being asked!!!
And we ended the evening at the kids favorite place (ok, I like it also)................Jumbos. And what is Jumbos you ask, well it is a cross between Target, BabiesR Us, Michaels, ToysRUs, Home Goods and $1 Store all rolled into one!!!!!!!!!!!! The kids got the treat of going for being such great travellers. I also picked up our typical fare of the best markers from Italy, coloring books, notebooks for home schooling, snack boxes for beach days, and toys. It will be a weekly event as motivation for the kids to get their homeschooling done all week......they complete their weekly assignments, they earn 15Euros....which can buy a lot!!
We boarded the flight and they all decided to sit together and I got to sit by myself....yipppee except for the flight was only 5 hours and it wasn't enough time for anyone to sleep for any good length of time. Trying to wake up 3 kids in the middle of the night because we were arriving in Toronto was brutal. Arriving in Toronto at 5:30am was tough for everyone. I was hurting but we made the best of our morning by having breakfast at my favorite restaurant in Toronto called Marche's.....we got there went it opened and had crepes with nutella and omelets and muffins.
Then we walked over to the CN Tower and were the first people to go up the tower and had it to ourselves. We then got to our hotel and slept for 3 hours. Even though extremely sleepy the kids liked very much that Mama showed them the downtown city of Toronto, they thought it was super cool to walk around the city with all the big building. Toronto was an old stomping ground for me back in my working days!! Then off to the airport again. Toronto to Athens was 9 hours and about 5-6 of those hours the kids slept so it was much better. I, of course, can't sleep, too paranoid to sleep and not watch my children. I close my eyes but it's not sleeping. Landed in Athens mid-day Wednesday and waited in the Athens airport for 5 hours. While waiting in the gate area I totally pulled the lay down across all the seats and slept. At that point I didn't care, I was sooo tired. Ana also slept and the boys literally exhausted wrestled all over the Athens airport floor, who cares! We boarded the 45 minute flight to Kavala and I was actually emotional when we landed, so thankful to be returning to this place I love and to be finished with the longest 2 days of my life. But I know the stress was all worth it!!!! My biggest prayer of the 2 days was getting us there safely! We arrived safe and sound and with all 5 luggages. My second prayer was that the first night of sleep in Kavala wasn't an up all night event (because of 10 hour time change). And I hate to say it out loud, but everyone slept through the night, the boys even having to be woken up at 9am!! Thank goodness for little blessings!!!! (I am praying for a repeat event tonight)
Today we were back in the swing again, life as Kavalians!!! Breakfast of chocolate croissants from the Forno (bakery), drinks at the Cafe in Agios Nikolaos Square & Church (seeing friend and cafe owner Dora), and swimming in the beautiful Aegean Sea at Riva Beach. Then having our late lunch/early dinner of mini fish (kids eat the whole fish head to tail and yes the bones!! They are like fish french fries!) and calamari for the kids, larger fish for Mama, fried zucchini, olives, Greek salad of tomatoes and cucumbers, baked eggplant. The kids were remembering all the locations as we drove and arrived to places. They had huge smiles on their faces! Ana gave Papou a kiss on the cheek at dinner and said "Thank you Papou for my nice dinner"......I was proud of her for doing that without being asked!!!
Riva Beach.......Kavala
When you arrive you pick the platform you like and you have an attendant set up umbrella and serve you whatever drinks you like......for me, since I have kicked the coffee habit, I am drinking sparkling water. My mother-in-law Therese introduced me to a Green Tea Unsweetened drink....I"ll have that one next time!! This beach also has a kids pool and restaurant behind, but pool was being cleaned so pics to come the next time we visit, which will be often!!
And we ended the evening at the kids favorite place (ok, I like it also)................Jumbos. And what is Jumbos you ask, well it is a cross between Target, BabiesR Us, Michaels, ToysRUs, Home Goods and $1 Store all rolled into one!!!!!!!!!!!! The kids got the treat of going for being such great travellers. I also picked up our typical fare of the best markers from Italy, coloring books, notebooks for home schooling, snack boxes for beach days, and toys. It will be a weekly event as motivation for the kids to get their homeschooling done all week......they complete their weekly assignments, they earn 15Euros....which can buy a lot!!
Well, I'm off to bed early with the kids.......new bedtime here in Kavala is 9pm, as most kids here in Greece go to bed at 11pm. At 9pm it is barely getting dark, but we did the later bedtime last time and it worked out great. The kids just love it cause it is later than 7:30.....they literally run around the apartment screaming we get to go to bed late!!! That's a new thing we have to teach them, no screaming in apartments because the neighbors will hear you. Theo is slow to catch on, but they will!! Tomorrow we are off to the "new" grocery store and fruit/vegetable stand, and of course, off to our favorite beach Peponi.....where the kids can walk out several hundred yards and only be in water to their bellys!! Very exciting!!! Now to sleep!!! Love you all!! Hugs
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