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Published: September 21st 2006
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the parthenon!
Its a hike up there, but totally worth it! We even went early to avoid the heat, but hot, and sandy anyway. Well hello again.
I know I said I was only going to write once a week, but I'm not so sure I'll be doing it for a couple of days and I want to catch you all up.
So I got up to our first night in Athens. We all had a great sleep, even after the afternoon nap. Went down to breakfast (which was an additional 4euros, but no kitchen if you wanted to provide your own, very strange), which consisted of a side plate covered in yoghurt, with honey and museli, a cup of coffee/tea, orange juice, and 5 pieces of tiny bread (kind of like short stick cut downwards). Very filling, although I'm not quite sure the price is worth it. As I've said before, I think hostels are losing what their original ideals are.
We headed out early to beat the crowds (and we only just did) to the Acropolis, which was quite cool. Lots of construction going on after the olympics (we know when it started cos all the signs said so, but nothing about what each of the buildings was originally used for). Went, saw, conquered the parthenon, the temple of zeus
acropolis now
It really is big, and stunning. and the acropolis museum. We then walked to the meat market (literally, and scary, as three girls, surrounded by only men, all whom were yelling for us to buy, or at least stop and chat, all the while holding giant meat knives). Got some fruit, bread and cheese, and headed for the roman and ancient agora, only to be accosted and taken to this random travel agent. We were trying to buy ferry tickets to get to Santorini the next day, and this sleezy travel agent tried to sell us a package deal (for 308 euros no less) for 8 days, including ferries and dodgy accommodation. We happily declined and went on our way. Trying to find a place to sit in athens in the shade without paying for food at a restaurant is HARD. We ended up just sitting on the pavement in the shade and ate lunch. So, that was pretty much athens. Not that exciting, and you can do the entire thing in about 4 hours. We went out to the port and booked our ferry tickets to Santorini, and headed back to the hostel, to use the free internet. Booked a really cheap studio apartment (12
Santorini drinks
Fun fun fun, particularly with 3 euro cocktails right on the beach. euros/p/nite), and headed back to the same restaurant as the previous night for dinner. Lots of fun, and we even scored free coffee. Back to bed, and went straight to sleep after a long day of walking around. I think for memory (it seems ages ago now), it was about 28000 steps, but I could be wrong.
We had booked the early ferry out (it was 7.30am, or 5.30pm, and it takes 8 hours), so we were up at 5.30 and left at 6am. Once on the ferry (just a quick ride on the metro), got ourselves seated at a table, and promptly went to sleep. The trip was nothing exciting, just played cards and read a book, met another traveller, Zac, from the US, who was on his own, and he joined in for cards. We finally had enough to play hearts! Very exciting, when we had been stuck playing black bitch and spit.
We arrived in Santorini and found our bus to the beach (its on the other side of the island to the port). I must say that when we arrived, the Greek Isles are quite dissappointing. I expected at least an entire hill side
Naxos town
The town is great, lots of stuff to wander around and see, and pretty good food too. Loving the choc patisserie! of little white houses, and it to be quite green, but its mostly cliffs, the houses are occasionally grouped together, but not quite the picturesque scene you imagine from the movies. At least not the entire island. Also, its a lot bigger than I imagined. The beach (Perissa) where we were staying was nice, but black sand, so not the sort of thing you like to recline on without a beach chair. Which are provided by all the restaurants, complete with little umbrella shade. Its quite nice, just not the idea I had in my head. Also, as we later discovered, its quite dirty, and only really Ia (one of the towns) was quite like I imagined.
We checked in to the studio, which was really just a triple room with a fridge and a plug in hot plate (but worked out totally fine), and went in search of a supermarket. Lots of minimarkets around, but not much else other than if you caught the bus into the main town Fira. We had, yep, you guessed it, pasta for dinner, and then went to one of the local bars for a drink. Happy hour, when we arrived is from 9-12pm. Crazy, I know, but good. Crashed around 11pm.
The next day we slept in, and then went on a bus tour around the traditional villages and ended in Ia to view the sunset. We didn't get a sunset as it was cloudy, but the tour was ok. Lots of middle aged and old british and americans who were fat. And I'm not being mean, they didn't walk up the hill to see the view cos they couldn't. Had dinner in Ia with Zac and Molly, another American who was staying in our hotel complex, and she kindly allowed us to hitch a ride back in the car she had hired for the day.
Slept in again, and Chez went snorkelling. Alex and I caught the bus into Fira after dropping our washing off at this totally overpriced laundry (7euros for a tiny load, like my clothes only), and shopped around. Didn't really find anything. Chez met up with us, and we headed to Ia where we had seen some shops the night before. Still nothing. Went back to Fira, picked up some groceries and dessert, and went back to our studio, where we had dinner with Molly. Chez and Molly went out for drinks with some of the other people at the hotel, and Alex and I crashed and watched the free movies (in English) provided on the TV. Chez, who didn't take a watch, returned at 5am.
Our third day we spent doing nothing. Didn't get up til 11am, and headed for the beach. Spent most of the arvo there, booked our accommodation in Ios and Naxos (also cheap and self catered), bought meat for the BBQ the hotel was doing in the evening. You provide the meat, they provide the wine (Goon, but better than nothing). That was fun, met lots of the other guests, and went to bed around 11pm. Exhausted from doing nothing.
Our ferry the next day to Ios was at lunch time, so we headed for the port, got on our ferry, and arrived at Ios. Ios was crap. We had booked 2 nights there and two nights in Naxos, but we discovered our room wasn't self catered, and the only way you could cook was if you provided your own gas cooker. No fridge, so we were forced to pay for restaurant meals, which was very annoying. Dodgy accommodation, filthy, I don't think the toilets had been cleaned for weeks, and the staff were rude, and obviously didn't care. We called Naxos and booked an extra night so we only ended up staying in Ios for the one night. Just spent the arvo lying on the beach as there is nothing else to do. I'm sure that if we were into camping and partying, its the place to go, but not for me. We watched a tourist video made to promote Ios, and the opening line was nice beach, great restaurants, and great nightlife. That pretty much sums it up. It took about 20mins to get to the port on the morning we left (today), and in order to pad the video out enough to last the ride, she had to actually go into the clothing stores and tourist shops, and we watched her dance and do some shots in the bars. Woo freaking who. And its not even really that pretty.
Now in Naxos, which is really nice. Our place is great, similar to Santorini, and we are 5 mins walk from the port. Great fish here apparently, so we are going out for dinner tonight to try it out. Literally 10m from the beach, and much happier.
Will keep you posted as to how Naxos pans out.
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