Days 7 (and the days missed)

Well, the last few days have been mesmerizing and fun! I last wrote from outside Cologne. The next day we walked about the city with Dave's friend Sofie, who just finished her college in Cologne. The day was great, beautiful weather, we went to the Cologne Dome, which is one of the ten largest churches/cathedrals in the world. We made the hike all the way to the top and got some great views of the city. We had lunch (brats and beer of course) in a nice plaza and then had ice cream on the Rhine. We went to the airport early and picked up Jessica, a friend of ours from TU who is studying in England. Late in the day we headed to Thessaloniki, Greece. We were met at the airport by Charilaos, another friend of Dave's who stayed with him about 10 years ago. We were treated like kings, and after eating dinner with wine and ouzo, most of us were trying to figure out how to immigrate here. We borrowed Charilaos' car and have spent the last two days living like retired Europeans...just chilling on the beaches of the Mediterranean. We spent yesterday on the West side of the first peninsula of Chalkidiki, and today on the East. It's been a true vacation now with time spent on the beach, with no worries save maybe where the sun is shining the best. Well, best wishes to all, and I will try to write soon. I write you from Moudania, Greece, just minutes from the Mediterranean.