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Published: June 29th 2007
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Athens
The meat market
(I hope you're there George; I took these photos w/ you in mind) Lots of pictures by the way; view what you like.
Day 1 (Friday)
Woke up to opressive heat & unimpressive breakfast-seems to be the hostel standard-toast w/ spreadables & hard boiled eggs. But hey it's all for 25 Euros. Last night shared a room with 6 women, 2 from Washington. The hostel is in a good location just blocks from the city center & blocks from the Acropolis.
Spent a couple of hours booking ferries & adjusting hostel stays, so, check your maps of the Aegean Sea. Piraeus, port of Athens, to (overnight ferry) Ios(3) (# of nights there), Santorini(2), Naxos(2), Paros(1), Mykonos(2), overnight ferry to Kos(3) w/ day trip to Bodrum, Turkey!, Rhodes(3 or 4), Crete(4). Haven't actually booked my ferries from Rhodes to Crete to Athens; I have to do that & will have a couple of flex days for ? Day trip from Athens to Delphi? or ? Ferries, for basic seats, really wasn't too expensive-all that for about $150 but that includes 2 overnights so no hostel expense. I don't know what, if any, my accomodations will be those nights. We'll see. Thought about staying longer in fewer places, but you know I'm
Athens
Pork anyone? mellow but not always idle.
So a late afternoon start after that. I walked the walking areas of Syntama (sin taug ma)-an open square, Plaka-narrow streets w/ souveneir shopping & cafes, Monastiraki-narrow streets w/ souveneir shopping & cafes also & ended in Psirri (sear ee)-nightclubs, streetside cafes, incredibly busy, finally had enough about 230 AM but it was packed & hoping. Lots & lots of people eating big dinners 10-11-12 at night; it's cooler then. They're very fashionable here too. Boots aren't in here but shoes & fashion flip flops galore. But hey, I looked good in my Keens! Even hiking the Acropolis, people were well dressed. Again, different from Boulder, where fleece rules.
One of my walks took me through the meat market; enjoy the pictures.
Ate a salad at Goodys (a fast food place here) & potato/filo dough thing that was pretty good. Had some Mythos-Greek beer; it's ok, but it ain't a Belgiun! & tried some Ouzo, imagine that.
By the way, there are ferral(sp?) dogs here. Not a ton, but I've seen probably two dozen; they just wander & sleep (like most dogs) & they do seem to be in packs of
Athens
Let's see that's rabbit on the right; see the fuzzy tails & ears. Maybe lamb to the left? Let's get a closer look 2, 3, 4. I guess there's no animal control? Some cats too.
Day 2 (Saturday)
Slept in some, skipped the hostel egg & toast & went for feta in filo & baklava; it's Greece after all. Did a bit more walking, but getting tired, so for 5 Euro, I did the hop on/hop off tour of the city. Which included subway ride to where the Olympics were in 2000. A large, very large area, about 20 minutes by subway outside the city center, but it was like-abandoned. It was this empty shell of a facility, gated up, weeds growing, some grafitti/broken glass. All in just a few yrs. Wonder what they use it for now-a-days. There was a bike thing going on in the velodrome & water in the pools. I was able to walk around some.
Then I took the subway in the wrong direction, got off 1 stop later & found myself at a modern shopping mall, so I decided to get away from the tourist area & mix in with the average Athenian. I must still say, a mall is a mall, even in Athens. Plenty of American stores-Foot Locker, The Body Shop... &
Athens
What do you think? Is that liver? Greek stores as well. Had some fruit, relaxed & people watched.
Back to city center, walked over to the Olympic stadium they built for the 1896 games, the first modern games. Walked & wandered...
About 10 pm went back to the rooftop bar of the hostel-cheap beer & other travelers. Was there about an hour, talked with many from Australia that came via Singapore & Dubai. The agreement, George Bush sucks!
Hungry again, so I went back out to Plaka-Psirri area & had a Greek salad. & I thought a martini would be good with Greek olives, but I think I ended up paying about $10 U.S. for a cup of gin? or was it a cup of vermouth? with a few black olives-disappointed. Salad was good though. Walked around crazy Psirri late night & back about 230 AM again.
Day 3 (Sunday) July 1-the midpoint (are you listening Matt & Leo) of my travels.
Woke up to the sound of Nick, an Australian, who had come sometime the day before, chatting with others. Nick is loud & ladies, he's now here in Athens, look out. Some other girls left at about 5 AM for
Athens
What would you like to eat?
I guess the Haagen Daz their flight, so it was a busy (noisy) early morning. Oh well, I'm on vacation.
Finally, the Acropolis! Warm day, got some fruit & water & up I went.
Not a bad hike; you should be able to do it ma; others your age were; however,
you'll need someone to buddy up with & hold on to. It is a bit steep & some
steep steps. Take it slow, rest & don't go when it's so hot & you should be ok.
The marble & worn rocks are slippery & cobblestoney, so you really do have to
watch your footing. I slipped/tripped a couple of times.
So, droves of tourist as you could imagine, tour busses from the cruise lines. Confusing & frustrating as they don't give you a map of the area, so you don't know if you've seen it all or exactly where to go or exactly what you're looking at. There are some placards, but for 12 Euros a pop, they could do better, a map! Anyway, a lot is encased in scaffolding as they continue preservation projects, but of course the crowning jewel up there is the Parthenon, a temple
Athens
Subway? Better order by picture. (I didn't actually eat there). built for the goddess Athena (I think that's right). Some good pictures except for the clueless people who don't know how to take their shot & get the hell out of the way for the next person! Great view from up there; you can see the Aegean; it looks very blue. After coming down, the entry ticket is also good for the Ancient & Roman Agoras, a cementery, theatre of Dyonissis(sp?), temple of Zues, so lots of ground to cover there; lots of walking, flat ground, but again no dam map.
Hot & hungry, walking down narrow, cool looking alleys with cafes so I stop for my olive fix & Greek coffee (which I think, according to the guide book, is actually Nescafe, $5!).
Spent a while on the internet Then went by the parliament building to see the changing of the gaurds. Funky, high-stepping march they do.
Back to the rooftop at the hostel to chat more. Back to Psirri where I had finally found some good bargain food-gyro (year o) for 1.60 Euro. & some late night incredibly good looking gelato, 3.50 Euro. & then back to bed about 2.
Day 4 (Monday)
Athens
Syntagma Square Woke to Nick trying to piece his evening back together & mentioning how hungry he was. He needed bacon!
Went to the Temple of Zues.
Hanging out, grocery store, internet... until subway to ferry.
I'm off!
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Sarah
non-member comment
Pretty Columns
Lots and lots of Columns!!! My fav. pic. would have to be of that bush thing (I guess thats what it was) that looks like a person walking. But all the pics. look great! Hope your having a good time