Happy St. Valentines!

Let's start off with some Water Polo highlights, since that is why we're here.  Last Wed. Brian had a really tough away game against Panionios.  They lost by a lot....another tough game away.  On Sat. they played another really tough team, Panathanaikos at home.  Before the game there were banners set up over the pool, as you can see in the picture, that said "No Fighting, Yes to the athletes."  As suggested, Panathanaikos fans are pretty crazy.  They have a really good futbol team that is huge rivals with the other really famous Greek futbol team Olympiagos, and similarly have the same rivalry between waterpolo.  Unfortunately there was a huge fight when the two teams played each other and a player and manager got seriously injured.  Ever since then the rivalry has intensified and they have vowed to be even more obnoxious.  There was much anticipation for this game on how they would act.  There were rumors and whispering that they were coming to the game prepared to fight.  Brian was hesitant on me even going, after our futbol fighting experience and all, but I doubted they would do anything to clueless me.  I have probably the least amount of devotion to either team so what do I care?  I arrived super early, as instructed by Maria, and found a seat far away from the center, where I thought the ruckess would be.  But when maria showed up she ushered me to the center b/c apparently I had been sitting in the Panathanaikos section, whoops!  The young hoodlum Panathanaikos fans started to show up, luckily there was an excess of security at this game and they ushered them into the upper sections.  They didn't fail to bring their banners and lots of chants and songs, which they chanted most of the game (strangely enough most being meant for Olympiagos).  The beginning started off fantastic for NOP.  Brian played better then I have seen him since being here.  He scored a great goal and they were matching and even surpassing Panathanaikos in offense and defense.  This continued for the first half, and they were even up at some points but in the third quarter Jozef missed a penalty shot to get to 10-10 and then they lost their advantage.  Brian unfortunately got 3 ejections and had to sit out for most of the 4th quarter.  They ended up losing 13-10.  It was a disappointing game b/c they really could have won and were doing so well.  Now they are in 8th place and in a more vulnerable position.  They now have to win some of their games in order not to be in the bottom two and get moved to the second division.  Then again, who knows what could happen and they might surprise everyone!  We hope!

That night was Valentines so the next day we left to go to Cape Sounion.  Cape Sounion is 70km south of Athens and about 3 hours from Patra.  Here is where two temples were built in honor of Athena and Poseidon in 444BC, at the same time as the Parthenon.  They are beautifully situated on a mountain top at the very tip of a peninsula.  Only the Temple of Poseidon still stands and it is made of beautiful white marble from a local town called Agrilesa.  You can see the temple from great distances and its image gave great comfort to sailors in ancient times because they knew when they saw it that home was not far away.  The views from this mountain top are breathtaking.  From here we stopped at a Taverna not far away.  By total coincidence it was owned by one of Brian's goalie's families!  What a shock it was to walk in and see people we knew!  It was such a perfect coincidence and they welcomed us with open arms and wonderful smiles.  We had some of the best food I've had in Greece and one of the first fish plates!  After this fantastic lunch we went to Vouliagmeni, one of the nicest suburbs of Athens.  Here is where Tim Hutten plays and his girlfriend Kelli is in town so we met them for some coffee and to drop off Marco because they were playing babysitters for the night!  It was so nice of them and it gave us the opportunity to go to a nice dinner and stay at a nice hotel in town without having to worry.  This morning Kelli and Marco met us and we went hiking on some of the trails in the area.  What luxury that is!!!  I WISH we had trails like that here in Patra.  Marco was in absolute heaven running free and the views are beautiful.  Such a wonderful place to get away to.  All in all it was almost a perfect weekend (without the loss).