The first card as a formal churner was the SPG Amex personal. I used the sign up bonus to go to Bahamas and met the min spend by going to New Orleans. This was way back in 2011 when the annual fee was only $65 and I had no idea what I was doing.
Today the fee has increased to $95, something TPOL had predicted would happen as a result of the no foreign transaction fee addition. As I had written, there are no benefits that justify a fee increase which is why I’m debating if I should cancel this card.
The only reason I kept it before is because it provided two stay credits towards earning platinum. Now that SPG has broken my heart by joining Marriott, the status of the SPG program is up in the air.
Furthermore, I always end up with more than the 25 stays required to hit platinum rendering this feature useless.
What to do, what to do? Step 1: Call and ask for a statement credit. While this process gets old, it’s all a part of the game.
Bahamas, when the points game was a lot more affordable.
Pho is perfect for a Sunday lunch following a rough Saturday night, but gyros (pronounced ghee-ros), is the best fast food in the universe.
I went to Athens last month, not to run the grueling Original Course Marathon, but to search for delicious gyros. The intense research undoubtedly resulted in a slower marathon time and the tzatziki most assuredly was a contributing factor to my dehydration cramps.
Nevertheless, I have put together a guide for the top gyros in Athens. Mind you, it is not a complete list as everyone knows the next gyros is always the best gyros.
What Is Gyros?
Some have described it as the foodcarnation of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and pleasure. I describe it as Greek heroin, the ultimate food high. I ingested it as a child and have been chasing that high ever since.
In less poetic terms, gyros is a sandwich or plate of meat and toppings. Let’s begin with the toppings:
In sandwich form, the bread is pita, the toppings are tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki. The addition of lettuce and the inclusion of sacrilegious fries vary from vendor to vendor. In a gyro plate, fries are prohibited, a whole pita is given along with sides of onion, tomatoes, and tzatziki.
As yummy as those toppings are, what makes a gyros a gyros is the meat. Cooked on a vertical rotisserie, gyro meat can be beef, veal, mutton, pork, or chicken (reference Wikipedia). In the United States, gyro meat tends to be a combination of beef and lamb. In Athens, the gyro meat sampled was either pork or chicken. Like pho, chicken has no place in a gyro discussion.
Note: Gyros are not to be confused with schawarma or kebab, tasty treats no doubt, but not on the same level as the gyro.
The Gyro Contenders
Pita Pan: Pita Pan was the first recommendation I received for gyros in Athens. It is a chain of restaurants. The location I went to was being remodeled. I include it on the list because there’s no disputing how clever the name is.
The Greco’s Project: I was suspicious as to the tasteability of the Greco’s Project’s gyros because it was a dine-in restaurant that served gyros sandwiches. Traditionally, gyros sandwiches are best manufactured in carry-out establishments. Furthermore, the location, right off of Syntagma Square, made me suspect that it was a tourist trap restaurant. Establishments in the city center overcharge on price but underwhelm on substance. (see Don’t Pay $30 for Tacos.) I was thrilled that this pork gyro was neither of the two. While the meat wasn’t the grease bucket that I love to bathe in, the tzatziki and fresh tomatoes complimented the sandwich perfectly.
The Greco’s Projectyum yum
mmm gyro
In-N-Out Gyro: This wasn’t the name of the gyro joint but it is safe to say, having frequented many, that the typical gyro carry out place will have a no nonsense, savory gyro prepared freaky fast. Actually, unlike Jimmy John’s the wait for a gyro always feels like an eternity no matter how quick the artist slices and dices the meat. This particular gyro spot put fries in the sandwich. Traditionalists are appalled at the use of fries but I’ll take the contrarian view and say that they were gratifying. The best thing about carry out gyro is that it’s cheap, so if it isn’t up to your gyro palette, discard it, and find the next one.
I didn’t realize there was XL!Those sacrilegious friesMarathon carb loading
The artist
O Thanasis: Legend has it (aka the front desk man at the King George Hotel) that O Thanasis started as a street vendor serving traditional gyro sandwiches. The gyros became so popular that he purchased the city block and opened a full-service restaurant that serves gyros the way it was meant to be served: heavy on the oil, loaded with meat, and absent of fries. As a Gyropean, I will say that O Thanasis had the best tzatziki and delicious gyro meat. Since it is a proper restaurant, the price wasn’t as appetizing as the food.
O ThanasisTheir artistThe menuFries on the side onlyGet your gyros FIXBest in AthensSaganakiAppetizer 1: Iskender kebabAppetizer 2: Beef tikke
That’s my gyro!
The Winner
The winner was my belly. All of the restaurants were great. Furthermore, it takes a lot of effort to mess up a gyro sandwich. Still, if I had to choose the winner for best gyro, I’d have to go with the wildcard, late entry of Fleetwood Diner in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
I came, I saw, I limped, I conquered though it did not go as smoothly or as quickly as my first marathon in Alaska which I completed in 3:54:13. This time I was suffering from tendonitis and could barely walk let alone run days before the race.
Before I arrived in Athens, I tried shock stimulation treatment on a daily basis to soothe the tightness of the tendons. I bought compression socks, a compression belt, an Achilles strap, and KT tape. None of it did anything. When you’re hurt, you’re hurt and only time can heal injuries.
The day before leaving to Athens, I decided that I wasn’t going to run the race. As soon as I arrived and saw all the runners in the airport, I knew that I had to give it a shot. When I went to pick up my bib and souvenir shirt, I was further convinced. After all, this was the Original Course, the route that Pheidippedes took to deliver the news of a Greek victory against the Persians from the city of Marathon to Athens.
The Day Before the Race
How could I not run? The finish was at Panathenaic Stadium, the stadium that hosted the first Olympic Games in 1896Picking up my bibVisualize the finishThe routeI doubt the original route had a roundaboutThis does not look like funThe gauntlet that you had to walk through before picking up the souvenir jersey
That night I prepared all the tools that would help with my run including my patented TPOL marathon shirt.
Sometimes you have to sponsor yourselfThe useless goods
The night before, I drank three bottles of water and the morning of I had another four.
Last carb meal is room service
The Morning of the Race
The buses at the Parliament waiting to take runners to MarathonBoardingThe warm coats they provided before the raceThe toiletsLast call for smiles
The Start
The gun went off and my strategy was to take it easy for the first ten miles by aiming for a ten minute mile pace. I hadn’t run in a month so I had no idea how fast or slow I could go. The first few miles went by and it was impossible to run that slow.
The splits for the first five miles were 9:51, 9:43, 9:09, 9:10, then 8:58. My foot was hurting but everything else felt natural at this point. At mile 6 I figured it was time to get rid of the beanie because the sun was coming out.
The Sun
What started out as a chilly morning turned into a very hot and humid afternoon. My biggest fear in running is the sun. Feeling thirsty means dehydration is around the corner which as I later discovered can really complicate running.
The Elevation
The first third of the race was flat and I, too excited to care, did not think that maybe I was pushing it too hard early on. In total the course only went to 821 feet which is nothing.
But the manner in which it went up was a big problem. It was endless hill after endless hill. Running up the hill, I was being rocked by the sun. Running down the hill, my tendons were on fire. It was not a fun experience.
The Halfway Point
Mile 12 was completed in 9:43. Mile 13 was completed in 12:07. The heat, the hills, and the injury caught up to me and I made the critical mistake of stopping to go to the bathroom. I was never in a rhythm after that. The run was no longer fun and I still had a long ways to go.
I turned to my music for relief but that provided no comfort. I tried to find inspiration in other runners but there was nobody really running. From that point on, I was shocked by the number of people walking like we were in a parade and not a race. It felt like a road trip as I would find some energy to pass a few people only to be passed by those people later on. This torture continued onto mile 18 where things really got bad.
Mile 18-20
I finished mile 17 in 14:03 and mile 20 in 14:22. Those were my two worst miles. During those times, I could barely walk as dehydration cramps spread from my left quad to my right hamstring and then to my right quad and my left hamstring. It was so painful that I had no choice but to laugh. All this training, all this mental preparation and I was getting Lebron cramps?
Due to the slow pace after mile 13, I had plenty of energy to run. As soon as I would get going and start to feel good about myself, the cramp would come sending shots of pain into my legs. Annoyed, I had to walk again. At one point, I saw a man rubbing himself with some cream that his friend on a bike had delivered to him. I had no idea what it was but I stopped and applied some on myself. That helped a little.
Mile 21
At this point, I estimated that I could still pull off a sub 5 hour run if I could keep a consistent pace. At the same time, the God send Victors song came on, and, to quote Jim Harbaugh, “I put steel in my spine,” and took off running. Mile 21 was my fastest mile after the halfway point (12:21) but even the Michigan Fight Song could not ward off the dehydration cramps.
It is worth mentioning that throughout the race I stopped at most of the water stands, Powerade stations, and consumed more bananas, Clif Roks, and Gu than I thought would be necessary. None of it helped.
Mile 22-24
The energy was there but I was toast. Run for ten seconds then walk for an eternity. The sub 5 hour time was slipping away.
Mile 24-26
I picked up the pace and grimaced through the pain in a last-ditch effort to try to finish under 5 hours. I really wanted to run and enjoy my time but that wasn’t going to happen.
The Sad .2
5 hours had ticked away and I had failed to reach my goal. The stadium was within my sights and instead of a glorious entrance, I was literally walking towards the finish line. A fellow runner grabbed me by the shoulder and said, “Come on let’s finish!” I tried to run with him the last few feet and even that was a no go.
I crossed the finish line in a runner’s pose hoping the camera would show my moment of glory.
The Result
I finished in 5:05:06. Wow, that was a horrible experience I thought to myself.
The second half took 40 minutes more than the first.Hardly felt like I conquered anything
The After Party Pics
The race was done so it was time to take some photos and pretend that I felt a sense of accomplishment.
I felt like the dude next to me. (never mind the blood)I wish I felt as good as I look in this pic.The AuthenticThe Finish LineThe medal
You have good days and bad. Be thankful for the good. Endure the bad.
Conclusion
11:35 min/mi…turrible
It’s been about a month since the race ended and I’m still annoyed at how it went down. It is cool to say I ran the original marathon but I wish I would’ve done a better job. Still, I pride myself on finishing. It is far harder to struggle and run five hours than it is to have a quick 3:54 peaceful jog in Alaska.
After a terrible time in Sharm which included the worst food poisoning of my life and the taxi driver that fought with me over $2 at the airport nearly costing me my flight, I wrote an email to the GM of the resort.
The focus of my email was how ridiculous the taxi cab driver was and how I had received food poisoning my first day at the resort. I didn’t blame the hotel for the illness. I simply said that my American doctor said it was most likely E.coli.
He apologized for the taxi situation but gave a curious response in regards to the food poisoning:
Regarding to the illness issue, As all our club guests do use the Regency Club and the main restaurant, the case as outlined, does not necessarily indicate that the causes were food related, as in this case we would potentially have the entire hotel suffering from similar circumstances. There are a number of mitigating circumstances that should also be considered which may also attribute to the cause of illness in such a destination which does not necessarily isolate the food as the main cause. The only precise way of confirming the cause is through a laboratory tested stool sample. The experienced tour operators also denote this in their brochures highlighting that stomach upsets are a common occurrence caused by a number of factors. However, we do take each reported case seriously to ensure that our guests are able to enjoy the holiday to the full.
I’m not sure what response the GM is looking for or what he wants from my end (pun intended) so I turned the matter over to GoldPassport.
Forget Black Friday & Cyber Monday where old laptops are sold for nominal discounts and no-name TVs are dumped like yesterday’s garbage. The only important date on my calendar is the date that the World’s Best Travel Jacket would be shipped. Initially, I received an email saying it would be late November. Today I received another saying it would be December or January.
The jacket is so great that they destroyed their projected KickStarter number and did not anticipate the volume of orders. While I’m thrilled that I will be getting this ingenious invention soon, the entrepreneur in me is a bit saddened that my KickStarter campaign has gone nowhere.
It’s a mat with different conclusions that you can jump to.
With the last Vanilla purchased today to hit the final min, I have decided to stop the manufactured spending madness. 44k here, 39k there, and thousands more from the glory days of REDbird have netted more points than I know what to do with. And that’s the problem.
Just about everywhere in the world has to have an affordable transport option to the airport to service the local market. The only places I know of without reasonable transport are Mauritius, where the airport taxi went for $100, and Naypyidaw, the capital of Myanmar, where only the rich ruling generals (something perhaps changing as of today) reside.
Everything about Virgin Atlantic Upper class is a party. In fact, it was the best flight I’ve ever taken not because it was Emirates, Singapore, or Cathay quality, but because the passengers and cabin crew were like Janice in Accounting, they just don’t give a F*ck. And that’s a good thing.
I used my Chase free night certificate to stay at this category 4 property. I would not waste points, cash, or a combination of the two to stay here when there are better choices in this great city. Worst case, I’d rather crash in George’s basement.
I’m mad I did the Hyatt Diamond Challenge (under Ms TPOL’s account) not because Hyatt is giving away status like marshmallows at a carnival but because I could’ve saved the challenge for next year when it really could’ve come in handy given the uncertainty presented by the SPG-Marriott merger.
I know I’m going to open myself to attack on this one and deservedly so but before you unleash your fury please understand I am candidly sharing this experience when I probably should keep it to myself.
You people are monsters. I’m not talking about you taking me out. That part, I get. But look at all that shit. Do you really need all that shit? For Christ sakes, it’s Christmas. -Willie in Bad Santa
Today I got upgraded to Hilton Diamond. For those counting or caring, I am now SPG Platinum, Hyatt Diamond, and Hilton Diamond. So why don’t I feel like it? Because at some point, we as points enthusiasts have to ask ourselves, the obvious question, “What is the point?”
Do we need status at every hotel? Do we need to open one more INK card to rival our friend’s UR balance? Do we even enjoy our hotel stays or are we too busy taking pictures of the upgrade?
Obviously the answer is a profound yes! But, it does make me feel a bit icky, for lack of a better term, that I am so obsessed with it all. Where does it all end? When will it be enough?
Now that I’ve done my penance, I need to get in on this Citi Gold Checking Account before the year is done. AA is devaluing soon and…
Sort of useless status. Gold gets you basically the same.
Getting There: Take the x95 bus for 5 euros. It drops you off at Syntagma Square where the hotel is located.
Here is a bold statement: The King George Athens is one of the best hotels in the world. If you exclude the view in the Maldives or the tranquility of Seychelles and focus only on the property itself, this argument holds water.
I stayed at the King George when I first arrived in Athens, switched to the Hotel Grand Bretagne which was supposed to be nicer only to switch back to the King George. The hotels are adjacent to one another but that’s as close as they get in terms of similarity.
King George to the left, Hotel Grand Bretagne on the right
The Staff
The Hotel Grand Bretagne’s staff were prim and proper. The staff at the King George were professional yet approachable. I’m partial to the staff at Hotel George because of their great food recommendations and because one member had also ran the Athens marathon.
The Cost
On points the hotel is 6000 SPG + $110 a night. In tradable currency, it is cheaper than the Hotel Grand Bretagne.
The Decor
If there’s such a thing as too nice, it is the Hotel Grand Bretagne. The Hotel George on the other hand was beautiful in its simplicity.
A Luxury HotelThe lobbyConciergeSimple sophisticationThe artThe liftsThe grand floorFor sale by ownerYou talkin to me? The ArmoireInteresting pieceStairs to…Another marathon runner
The Room: Junior Suite
The first night I was upgraded to a junior suite which was nothing short of perfect. It had a comfortable king size bed, a cozy loveseat sofa, and a large HD TV that actually transmitted HD channels. The welcome gift was chocolates and an amaretto liqueur. No one could ask for more.
The doorThe hallThe loveseatThe bedThe blackout curtainsLocked artifiactsThe vaseThe luxury collectionSaved this bottleWelcome gift artThe chocolatesThe bathroomThe tub showerThe showerWelcome Alexander
The Room:Deluxe Suite
After switching back to the King George, I was upgraded to a deluxe suite. It was like the junior suite but on a grander scale. If it had been equipped with a kitchen, I wouldn’t mind calling it home.
The fireplaceLiving roomLoveseatView of the masterThe work deskA great bedMaster TVMaster bathMaster sinkExcellent soaps & scrubsThe minibar extrasThe second bathroomSouvenir pillowView of the living roomMy likenessThe AcropolisOpened this one
The Breakfast
Continental breakfasts become bland because they consist of the basic staples: eggs, fruit, and breads. Usually, I skip breakfast in favor of sleeping in. Do not make this mistake at the Hotel George. Not only is the view spectacular but the pancakes are the best I’ve ever had. The omelette is far too big for one person making the buffet superfluous.
6AM breakfastSunriseBreakfast
Overall
The King George is a wonderful hotel in a great location. The rooms are well-appointed, luxurious, and modern. I certainly recommend staying here if you visit Athens.
Getting There: Take the x95 bus for 5 euros. It drops you off at Syntagma Square where the hotel is located. Be sure to scrape together cash before getting ripped of at the currency exchange at the airport.
The Hotel Grande Bretagne is traditional luxury at its finest. Everything is fancy and sophisticated in keeping with Athenian culture.
Espresso in the am
The Location
Right next to Syntagma Square, the Hotel Grand Bretagne provides the ideal location from which to explore Athens. The major attractions including the Acropolis are all within walking distance.
The Hotel Grand BretagneThe Exterior
The Lobby
Seating AreaAthenian decadenceThe grand rugWaiting for the liftThe Directory
The Hotel
An ancient GreekAttention to detailThe grand staircaseLooking down the staircase
The Room
I used a SPG Suite Upgrade and was given a Deluxe Suite. The room included a butler who was on call until 11pm. The butler services include pressing shirts, providing restaurant recommendations, and giving directions. I didn’t end up using his services so I can’t compare it to the excellent butler at the St. Regis New York.
The room was very elegant with beautiful chandeliers, a marble bathroom, and as the website puts it ‘classical furniture.’ I must not be Penske material because I found it to be gaudy and boring. There’s a distinct difference between smart luxury and let’s go play croquet luxury. If you’re looking for the latter, this is your place.
The BThe ButlerThe entranceThe ChandelierThe Living RoomThe dated TV in the living roomThe bedroomLamp and light showThe guest chairComplimentary waterAfter dinner drink and chocolatesFine soaps and scrubsMarble bathroomTub + TV
The Cigar Lounge
Please stop by my Cigar Lounge for a nightcap or the Alexander Bar located on the ground floor.
Alexander’s Cigar LoungeGreat whiskey selectionThe cigar listMake it a doubleVoted Best Hotel Bar in the World
The Rooftop
The room had a courtyard view but that was fine because the view from the rooftop restaurant and bar was surreal.
Breakfast view of the AcropolisParliament and breakfastBreakfast viewParliamentAcropolis by nightParliament by nightCocktail menuThe Last Cocktail before the marathonCocktail art
The Staff
Courteous and professional is an accurate way to describe the staff. They were refined but not pompous and very welcoming.
The Cost
6000 SPG + $110/night was a great value considering the suite goes for $600/night.
Overall
You have two choices if you want to stay at in SPG hotel in Syntagma Square, the Hotel Grande Bretagne or the King George which is located next door. I stayed in both and prefer the King George for its modern, unassuming luxury.
Another day, another annual fee (another year another Michigan loss to OSU) forced me to call Chase and plead for a retention offer. Call number one yielded nothing, not even the option to downgrade. Call number two resulted in the option to downgrade the card to the plastic no annual fee version.
Chase didn’t care to help me with the Ink and they didn’t care to help me with the Sapphire either. Sapphire used to be my favorite card because of the Ultimate Rewards it generated and because it weighed a ton. I haven’t used it since I forgot it at a bar last April and never called to get a new one. (Thank you honest bartender for not running up my tab.)
Unless I receive a promotional offer from a branch, I don’t see how I can generate URs like I was able to do before the anti-churning rules came into effect. Now, I rely on Ink utility bills and Freedom categories to keep the URs stacked.
Sad day here at TPOL as I grieve for the Wolverines and my Sapphire.
