Another bout of tough flight scheduling left us hanging out in the Casablanca airport at 1am on September 27 as we awaited our departure for Athens, Greece. The late hour did not faze us though as we were beyond excited to rendezvous with Lauren's mom, Mary, and sister, Erica, in Athens. From the first meeting at the Hotel Stanley in Athens until our good-byes in the Athens airport, with Santorini sandwiched in between, we had the most amazing time together. We felt so fortunate to be able to share such beautiful places with our loved ones and it was wonderful to see some familiar faces after being on the road for a while. Although we were really sad to see Mary and Erica go, we also really enjoyed our time relaxing on and touring the gorgeous islands of Corfu and Kefalonia.
It is no wonder that so many people choose Greece as a honeymoon destination: the scenery and atmosphere are equal parts romantic and heart-stopping. Being gluttons, we also delighted in the many culinary treats and fresh food that Greece has to offer. Fortunately, we did a lot of walking, so our bodies stayed in decent shape. We will definitely return to Greece, but until we do, we have these pictures to remind us of the great times.
Not even the throngs of tourists could dissuade us from visiting the Acropolis and its centerpiece, the Parthenon.
Lauren walking on the ancient stones of the Acropolis, with part of Athens' vast expanse in the background.
The sense of ancient history was palpable as we walked the Acropolis, as with the virginal (in this sense, lacking scaffolding) Temple of the Vestal Virgins.
Few, if any, cameras can do the magnificence of Santorini justice. Here we look down from the top of Fira into the bay which fills the caldera of the still-active volcano.
Each evening on Santorini we took pause to admire the beauty of the setting sun, usually over a cup of coffee, a snack, or an early dinner.
Six months into our marriage (on this night) and her beauty only increases each day, eclipsing even this stunning sunset over the Aegean Sea.
Fira, Santorini sunset photo courtesy of Lauren.
Mom and I getting ready to take a bumpy (and stinky!) ride up the very steep hillside of Fira, Santorini. We'd been looking forward to riding these donkeys since we started planning the trip. Erica wanted to ride the donkeys too, but as she was (and still is) pregnant, the Greek men said "Baby no, Baby no," so she couldn't participate. Shucks!
Mom took this picture of us just lounging in one of the many comfy, modern chill-spots at The Aressana, our hotel on Santorini.
On our way to dine on delicious Greek delicacies, including moussaka, Greek salads with lots of feta, fresh seafood, gyros, and souvlaki.
We spent a healthy amount of time on Santorini within the confines of our luxurious hotel, especially around this immaculate pool area.
The three (two formerly) Eades women enjoying Coca-Colas in glass bottles. Mary enlightened us on all things botanical during our tour of the lush island of Santorini.
Lauren on the bridge which spanned the Aressana pool, with the cozy cabanas in the background.
T.J. found the fountain of youth, or at least one that gave a cold and free massage.
The three Eades women on the promenade outside of the Aressana, which overlooked the caldera and offered incredible views at all times of the day and night. Erica, four months pregnant and looking fit and fabulous, was an inspiration to all moms-t0-be, as she braved the rigors of international travel with aplomb.
I was blessed to spend such a wonderful time with my wife, my second mom, and the sister that I never had.
Leaving Mary and Erica in Athens, we headed northwest to the island of Corfu, where as the sign indicates, they perform medical procedures at the bus stop. Weird place, made even wilder by our stay at the (in)famous Pink Palace. On two of the days of our stay in Corfu, we rented four-wheelers to cruise around the island.
We have to be particularly careful with Lauren's noggin following her brain surgery, so they busted out the most aggressive head protection that we had ever seen. I encouraged Lauren to wear this for the duration of our trip, but she refused.
Driving a quad on the streets of Corfu was a harrowing experience given the maniacal driving habits of Greek motorists. Still, we made it through unscathed and got to see some cool ancient sites and buildings. We also got to drive on some of the roads featured in the James Bond film "For Your Eyes Only."
T.J. relaxing at one of the monasteries we visited on our quad tour of Corfu.
From Corfu, we took a 7 hour cruise on this well-appointed ferry to Piraeus, where we spent the night before boarding another ferry for Kefalonia.
We lucked into a cheap and comfortable apartment (the view from our balcony is shown above) in the small village of Agia Efimia on Kefalonia, the island on which they filmed Captain Corelli's Mandolin. We rented a car for two days and toured the whole of the island. The magnificent views and food notwithstanding, perhaps the highlight of the tour was our chance discovery of a miniature golf course near the town of Skala.
Laying with our feet up on Myrtos Beach, Kefalonia, with the stark blue Ionian sea and lush hillside in view.
It is no wonder that so many people choose Greece as a honeymoon destination: the scenery and atmosphere are equal parts romantic and heart-stopping. Being gluttons, we also delighted in the many culinary treats and fresh food that Greece has to offer. Fortunately, we did a lot of walking, so our bodies stayed in decent shape. We will definitely return to Greece, but until we do, we have these pictures to remind us of the great times.
Not even the throngs of tourists could dissuade us from visiting the Acropolis and its centerpiece, the Parthenon.
Lauren walking on the ancient stones of the Acropolis, with part of Athens' vast expanse in the background.
The sense of ancient history was palpable as we walked the Acropolis, as with the virginal (in this sense, lacking scaffolding) Temple of the Vestal Virgins.
Few, if any, cameras can do the magnificence of Santorini justice. Here we look down from the top of Fira into the bay which fills the caldera of the still-active volcano.
Each evening on Santorini we took pause to admire the beauty of the setting sun, usually over a cup of coffee, a snack, or an early dinner.
Six months into our marriage (on this night) and her beauty only increases each day, eclipsing even this stunning sunset over the Aegean Sea.
Fira, Santorini sunset photo courtesy of Lauren.
Mom and I getting ready to take a bumpy (and stinky!) ride up the very steep hillside of Fira, Santorini. We'd been looking forward to riding these donkeys since we started planning the trip. Erica wanted to ride the donkeys too, but as she was (and still is) pregnant, the Greek men said "Baby no, Baby no," so she couldn't participate. Shucks!
Mom took this picture of us just lounging in one of the many comfy, modern chill-spots at The Aressana, our hotel on Santorini.
On our way to dine on delicious Greek delicacies, including moussaka, Greek salads with lots of feta, fresh seafood, gyros, and souvlaki.
We spent a healthy amount of time on Santorini within the confines of our luxurious hotel, especially around this immaculate pool area.
The three (two formerly) Eades women enjoying Coca-Colas in glass bottles. Mary enlightened us on all things botanical during our tour of the lush island of Santorini.
Lauren on the bridge which spanned the Aressana pool, with the cozy cabanas in the background.
T.J. found the fountain of youth, or at least one that gave a cold and free massage.
The three Eades women on the promenade outside of the Aressana, which overlooked the caldera and offered incredible views at all times of the day and night. Erica, four months pregnant and looking fit and fabulous, was an inspiration to all moms-t0-be, as she braved the rigors of international travel with aplomb.
I was blessed to spend such a wonderful time with my wife, my second mom, and the sister that I never had. 
Leaving Mary and Erica in Athens, we headed northwest to the island of Corfu, where as the sign indicates, they perform medical procedures at the bus stop. Weird place, made even wilder by our stay at the (in)famous Pink Palace. On two of the days of our stay in Corfu, we rented four-wheelers to cruise around the island.
We have to be particularly careful with Lauren's noggin following her brain surgery, so they busted out the most aggressive head protection that we had ever seen. I encouraged Lauren to wear this for the duration of our trip, but she refused.
Driving a quad on the streets of Corfu was a harrowing experience given the maniacal driving habits of Greek motorists. Still, we made it through unscathed and got to see some cool ancient sites and buildings. We also got to drive on some of the roads featured in the James Bond film "For Your Eyes Only."
T.J. relaxing at one of the monasteries we visited on our quad tour of Corfu.
From Corfu, we took a 7 hour cruise on this well-appointed ferry to Piraeus, where we spent the night before boarding another ferry for Kefalonia.
We lucked into a cheap and comfortable apartment (the view from our balcony is shown above) in the small village of Agia Efimia on Kefalonia, the island on which they filmed Captain Corelli's Mandolin. We rented a car for two days and toured the whole of the island. The magnificent views and food notwithstanding, perhaps the highlight of the tour was our chance discovery of a miniature golf course near the town of Skala.
Laying with our feet up on Myrtos Beach, Kefalonia, with the stark blue Ionian sea and lush hillside in view.
It was mid-October and the sun was still strong, keeping the water a warm, yet refreshing temperature.
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