The Feta Cheese and Tex Mex Connection

Lots to catch up on with this post. I've noticed that it's been nearly a month since our last post and this can be chalked up to three things:

1. Luke isn't exactly sleeping through the night

2. Our internet has been down for three weeks

3. We just got back from our Med Cruise!

Yup, we headed down to Venice Italy last month and set sail for Greece and Croatia. You simply cannot beat mid seventies in the last week of October. The weather was perfect and the cruise was just what we needed. The journey started with a couple days in the Aviano area before we boarded our ship. Aviano is home to the 31st Fighter Wing (and cheap AF lodging) so we decided to explore this area which lies at the foot of the Dolomite Mountains. We spent an evening in the town of Pordenone experiencing what the Italians call a "pasagato". In other words, a pasagato is simply a stroll down the walkplatz area of their old town while checking out the scene. People watching is a national passtime in Italy and it wasn't hard to see why. Italians are live out loud people who are very entertaining to watch. Also, they are extremely well-dressed in my opinion. I'm sure we looked really sloppy compared to these Prada sporting people. We capped the night as any self respecting Italian would: By sipping an espresso and munching on bits of chocolate.

Jen and Luke in Pordenone, Italy

Soon thereafer we boarded our ship in Venice and we were on our way! After a day at sea, we found ourselves in Athens. Ever since I took my first architecture class at Texas Tech, I've always wanted to visit Athens--home of the Acropolis. This city didn't disappoint. The Acropolis and Parthenon were fantastic. Next port was Katakolon which is just outside the ancient city of Olypia. We skipped the trek out to the ancient olypic ruins and opted to stay on the beach while sipping Mythos greek beer. We then sailed to the ports of Mykonos and Corfu in Greece and then on to Split in Croatia. Here are some pix:

Formal Night on the Cruise Ship

More Formal Night with our Glamorous Daughter Athena (I mean Julia)

Athens: Feeling the Groove at the Parthenon

Prince Luke Surveying his Kingdom of Athens

Lazy Afternoon in Mykonos under the Bougainvillia

I Should have hit the tanning booth before the trip

Grandma and Grandpa Martin with their "escort" Julia in Split, Croatia

So what does all of this have to do with Tex Mex? Well, yesterday we found out we will be headed to San Antonio, home of the Riverwalk (see below), for our next tour of duty. As I explained to my family earlier today, this is a bittersweet assignment. We were hoping for California but Texas was as far west as we could get. On the brighter side, we regard Texas as our second home. I put in 4 1/2 years there during college and Jen spent 3. Reagan is from there and Jen has lots of family in the Lubbock area. Also, many of our friends are in Texas so this is going to be a great assignment for us. Germany has been great but the sunshine of San Antonio beckons.