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When we stepped off the ferry from Mykonos, a strange feeling hit us both. This was the final stage of our epic adventure. With 16 checklists on our itinerary, number seventeen was the grand finale. Though definitely not the highlight city of our trip, it was a perfect ending to such a grand journey. For better or worse, the attractions in Athens are dominated by the Acropolis (with very little else to see). We had plenty of time to wander through the city, reflect on our months on the road, and soak in the waning moments of life away from home.
Our ferry landed in Athens at 11:55 pm. A crazy, mad dash to the metro allowed us a cheap and easy ride to our hostel. The metro ride to the hostel took about forty minutes from the port. Along the way, Megan was first serenaded by an old Greek man. Next, he attacked her for not taking more time to get to know him and the locals. You just can’t beat big cities at night!
Athens Style Hostel was only a three minute walk from the station! As we walked towards the hostel, we started to salivate over the aroma
of a 24 hour bakery. We checked in and made our way up to the room. Our room was on the sixth floor- a lot of stairs with our heavy packs. Unfortunately, the lift only held one person plus a bag. Megan and Cayla took turns in the elevator while Lauren and I braved the stairs. As we trudged our way to the top, we heard Megan shouting, “you guys, come check this out!” We could feel the excitement in her voice. We entered a giant room and dropped our bags. We were situated in a private apartment, complete with comfy beds, bathroom, and kitchen. What made the hostel was an amazing balcony. From our sixth floor terrace, we had an unbeatable view of the Acropolis- Athens most famous landmark. After unloading our stuff, we set off into the streets at 1 am in search of the aromatic bakery. At the bakery, we bought fresh bread and a slice of decadent chocolate cake. As we walked home, we ran into a group of late night bar goers chowing down on the biggest donuts I have ever seen. Naturally, I had to ask. They pointed us to a smaller bakery right
next to the one we had walked out of. Still warm, the donuts were incredible and put our bread to shame!
After our late night travels, we slept in the following morning. We woke up to a sunny day in Athens- a real treat for our last day. Once again, we made it to a major city in the midst of citywide closures. Similar to the Beatification, our day in Athens was challenged by a public sector strike. Amongst the closures would be the entire Acropolis! We decided to walk up to the Acropolis and at least view the grounds from the outside. Luckily, the historic sight would be open until 3 pm! We quickly bought tickets and began exploring. Built on top of a rocky hill in the middle of Athens, the Acropolis is quite a spectacle. Giant marble columns and ornate stairways cover the better part of the hill top. The most famous of the buildings on the Acropolis is the Parthenon. We were astounded that the sight was built in 434 BC! That’s old! The only disappointment to our visit was the massive amount of construction on the various buildings that contaminated almost all of our pictures.
We spent the rest of the afternoon strolling the streets and picking up our last souvenirs. For our last dinner, we wanted to cook a feast in the apartment and eat on the terrace as the lights of the Acropolis came on. Due to the strike, none of the supermarkets had any food! We were “forced” to enjoy one last delicious Greek meal. After getting ready, we set off into Athens for the perfect last meal. We had a few criteria that need to be met before we say down. First, we had spent all of our Euros- credit card was a must. Second, Megan wanted Greek meatballs (made of beef, not lamb). And third, Lauren and I wanted seafood. At each location, we comically grilled the host until we found the perfect place. We landed in a bustling street front restaurant at the foot of the Acropolis. We sat beneath a tree and a heater and prepared for the feast of feasts! We decided on a mixed grill for four, grilled eggplant, pita bread, wine, and meatballs. The food was incredible and the quantity was even better! Served piping hot, our grill platter consisted of generous portions of chicken,
pork, beef, sausage, shrimp, calamari, octopus, sardines (gross), potatoes, and cheese balls. We (but mostly me) finished almost the entire mountain of food! For dessert, the restaurant gave us each a piece of chocolate cake. We walked out so pleasantly full. We sat and ate for over three hours! Very European.
We arrived back at the hostel and went to work on our very last pack up- a process that we had mastered. In the late night, we sat together and stared at the soft glowing Acropolis. We reminisced, laughed, and maybe even teared up a little. The trip was in its fading moments and home was only a sleep and a plane ride away.
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