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Published: February 4th 2014
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1 June Arrived at the port at Piraeus and left the boat about 7. After a coffee and snack at the train station, caught the train into the city, not sure where our hotel was, so got off at Omonia and asked a police officer! Was a couple of stops in the other direction, President Hotel. Nice hotel and a room on the 18th floor with a view over Athens. Good value as a bit out of the centre. Too early to check in, so left our bags and caught a bus to the National Archeology museum. Free internet in the foyer! Spent a few hours there, there was a huge collection of sculptures and artefacts from around Greece. Also an interesting special exhibit on the Wreck of the Akothira. Back to the hotel for a nap, quite tired today. Took the metro downtown, had dinner near the Acropolis at a small tavern. Yummy food, a sausage, eggplant tomato dish and a yummy pork medallion dish with mustard sauce.
2 June Faulty towers at breakfast! What chaos,must have been short staffed! Dirty plates piled high and people everywhere. Rang Alister, had a good chat. Headed into the Plaka, went to the Acropolis
but found out it closed at 3, so postponed our walk up , and went to the New Acropolis museum nearby, amazing! Walked down to see Hadrian's Arch and the Temple of Zeus, then over to the Pantheatic Stadium, and through the National Gardens to Syntagma Square. Interesting city, nicer than we expected. Had tea at a nice kebab place at the Square, kebabs and salad. Greek food!
3 June Key Tours Day 1 - up early for our 7:30 pick up by Tarkis, our coach driver, we were joined with aone day tour as there was only 4 of us on the 5 day tour. Ruli our guide was great, 40 years experience as a guide and very knowledgeable and passionate about her subject. First stop the Corinth Canal, then Epidarus, which was fabulous, amazing acoustics and very well preserved. Short stop at the museum, then on to Naplio for our our first night. We were dropped off at the Victoria Hotel at 1pm with John and Joy, the other couple on the 5 day tour, so plenty of time to explore this beautiful town. Siesta time then a great walk around in the late afternoon. Naplio is set
on the ocean front, so we walked around the headland to the beach, then up the hill to see the view from the lower castle ruins. A wander round the cobbled streets, them out for dinner with John and Joy in a great setting on the waterfront. Good sunset too!
4 June Key Tours Day 2. We were lucky to have a free morning in Naplio before the coach picked us up. Took a taxi up to the Paladio Fortress high above the town, a huge fortress and well preserved, then walked down the 999 steps to the town again. Lovely views all around. I popped into the folk museum which was small and very well set up, then we had a gelato. Rejoined the tour, now in the company of the 4 day tour people, so 14 of us altogether. Mostly Aussies, and they were a complaining lot! Didn't like the guide, the bus was too small, too many museums, ruins etc etc. We stopped for a late lunch at Mycenae, it wasn't the best of restaurants but never mind, gave them something new to moan about! Then to Argamemnon's tomb and Mycanae, walked around the ruins and the
View over Athens
from our hotel room! museum, was a very hot day, about 34 degrees. Drove through great countryside to our next destination, Olympia. We had chosen the cheaper option of the tourist class hotel but it was fine, along with 2 other couples, J and J and John and Kathy, also from Melbourne.
5 June Key Tours Day 3. Started off with a visit to the ancient site of Olympia, where the games were held every four years from the 8th century BC to the 4th Century AD! Spent the morning there, a very interesting site. there was a special sports museum, then at the end, another museum with relics from the digs..... to be continued....
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