First Trip to Greece - 1970

Our first trip to Greece was in 1970. We were completely entrhalled with flying machines and that thing called a 747. We would go to the foot of the San Francisco airport and watch planes land and take off, and every once in awhile a 747 would come by. That was going to be us soon, on that big ol boat in the sky. A Pan Am 747 to Greece.

This picture is the only picture we have of my Dad's side of the family. My sister is in front, my grandmother obscured from view by Ike who was checking out the back of my sisters head with the binoculars, my grandfather on the far left and in the blue shirt, my uncle, Michael - who was born on the same day as I was, but a number of years earlier. I remember many things about that trip, walking by vendors that were barbequing corn on the sidewalks, the cafe's, the traffic, the Parthenon, the Evzones in their white uniforms, marching with red clogs, constitution square getting ice creams. So different than what I knew in the US as a kid with Dairy Queens, McDonalds, KFC's. What a wonderful world, what a great experience as a kid. We went back again in 1972, and travelled around a bit more that time, but alas, my dad's parents and brother could not make it. I also went back to Greece three more times, once in the 80s, once in the 90's and once again in 2002. I hope to go back soon.