Santorini to Athens

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Dec 3 - Santorini to Athens – I left a big pile of discards on the bed plus €5 for the maid and since my plane wasn’t leaving till 3:55 I made arrangements with the manager of the hotel to take me to the airport at around 2 PM. Then I went out and walked around a bit taking a last look for now at the Caldera.

There was a very high wind blowing and it made it cold. The sky was partly cloudy but the clouds were being blown around so the view went from brilliant blue to subdued by the clouds. It was a fantastic view still.

After a bit I walked back down to the main street and had a Greek Salad for lunch and an ice cream from a shop. Then I just sat around and people watched for a bit.

I got a couple of “Keep calm and carry on” t-shirts made as well in a local shop.

I eased back to the hotel around 1:30 and George arrived back at 2PM as agreed and took me to the airport.

This is one of the times you know you are in Greece instead of somewhere else. I guess because it is the off season there was one flight only today and the flight was leaving at 3:55, however nothing at all happened till 3:25 when the Olympic airlines people eased over to their desk and started checking people in. All things considered I much prefer the slower pace of living. Particularly as I no longer have any concerns or interest in making money. I have more than enough.

We checked in and then had to carry our own luggage to another area were we put in on a roller to be put on the plane. I had made great efforts to make sure I had less that 20kg of luggage and I actually ended up with 18.4kg.

After checking in we went through an easy security check and to the waiting area. Then they loaded us onto a bus at 3:55 and took us about 100 yards to the plane on the tarmac.

The plane wasn’t crowded because it was the off season and I had two seats to myself which was nice.

After arriving at Athens Airport I bought my €8 special ticket for the airport train and got on the one that said EGALEO which was the last stop on the line. I took the metro to SYNTAGMA metro stop and came up out of the metro onto Syntagma Square. There was a large dog laying in the middle of the steps but everyone just walked around him.

From the metro stop I walked across the square to the Macdonalds and carried my suitcase downstairs to the restrooms. I waited at the door for someone to come out and then “caught” the door and went in. They have a touchpad for punching in a code off a receipt you get when you buy something but I didn’t want anything, I just wanted to use the restroom.

After using the restroom at Macdonalds I dragged my suitcase over to the Student and Travellers Inn at 16 Kydathineon street in the Plaka. The lady at the desk seemed surprised that I wasn’t staying at their sister hostel instead. I guess that is the “old guy” hostel and this is the young people one.

In any case I got checked in and left my computer bag at the desk for safekeeping and went out to get something to eat.

When you walk through the Plaka if you stop to look at a menu a man always comes over and just about drags you into his restaurant. Just outside of the door and to the right of the hostel I stopped to look at the menu and that is pretty much what happened.

It was ok though because I had eaten here before and it was very good. This also turned out to be the case again. They offered me a free Ouzo but I declined but accepted a free glass of white wine. I had their baked chicken and it was good.

After eating I went back to the hostel and turned in for the night.

I figure tomorrow I will check out the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Agora.

As usual there was no heat in the room. I don’t know what it is with Europeans. I guess it has to be snowing before they turn on the heat.

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