For the second time in one day I have been accused (?) of being German. This is not why I am awake on an all night ferry to Crete. The children, or the vast majority of the criers on the ferry have gone to bed. The reason I am up is the the exterior restaurant on the deck level is still serving authentic gyros and hot dogs, the galley restaurant has decided to stay open another 30 minutes ( you just never know when or how your personal lotto ticket will pay off). The important thing to understand here is that Greeks tend to eat late. I consider it a big night in Greece when I stay in the restaurant until 9 pm. The tables don't even start to fill until I am on my way out. As Americans, you know that in order to make proper product selections, you have to be exposed to too many advertisements. So, every two minutes the same woman who makes all airport announcements chimes in on the ferry PA system (where does she find the time) to remind us of gyros, hot dogs and opportunities that are slipping away from us by the minute. 

Otherwise, let me tell you how wonderful the boat is. This ferry boat can hold about 2,000 people. It has at least 4 restaurants and an equal number of bars. It is spacious and comfortable and it happens to be plying through some of the best weather in the world. I am sitting on the deck watching distant lights of remote islands pass. I intended to sleep, but I am not sure that I will be able to. These are the waters of the Phoenicians, Hannibal, Odysseus and numerous others. I can't help but think I might miss something historic. And, I am a minor celebrity. The bartender I spoke to was so impressed that I came from "jack Daniels" that all the employees now think I own the place. It is a marvel to me that wherever you go in the world, people may not have any idea where Tennessee is, but they know Jack Daniels. 

Here is my last bit of news for tonight: I heard a tour guide at the Acropolis tell her group that there is an exact replica of the Parthenon in Nashville. The tour group looked not only a little perplexed but distressed. Nashville may be the Athens of the South, but. It is no Athens.