Journal Day 30

Day 30 - Athens

Wednesday, June 11, 1997

Woke up to clear blue sky and no wind. A good day for sailing. Caught the 10:45 Olympian Express to Pireaus, after goodbyes to Anna and to Dimitri. Goodbye to the fabulous Greek Island Experience.

Arrived in Pireaus 6 hours later, and quickly found the subway to Athens. We're getting good at this. We had spoken to two different people about the Hotel Attalos, so thought we'd check it out. Yes, they have a room with 2 beds, private bath (tub!) and air-conditioning (extra cost - we passed), for 13,000 dr which includes breakfast for two! I watched our bags while Dad went to Tempi (2 blocks) to get out of our reservation and to collect the bag we'd stored. No problem. Checked into room 501 (Same number as our room in Crete! - Penda Corsi Enna) and went up to check out the rooftop garden and gaze at the Acropolis.

Decided to walk up to Omonia Square. I thought it would be like the big square in Ermopolis, Syros. WRONG! No cute little tavernas. Loud. Noisy. Crowded. SCARY! I couldn't wait to get out of there! I was hanging on to my purse like crazy, and didn't let Dad out of my Shadow! My heart was pounding.

Sidewalks in Greece: they're usually about 1 1/2 feet wide, and full of booby traps - loose cobblestones, missing bricks, big holes, pipes sticking out, raised bricks. Anything to make you stumble. It also seems that each individual shopkeeper may be responsible for the state of his own sidewalk instead of the municipality maintaining them all.

Went back to Quik Pitta for a gyro and beer, and then took a 2 block stroll through the Plaka. Dad bought ouzo, metaxa and a Snickers bar.

This hotel has the tiniest elevator I've ever seen. Tempi just had stairs. There were three of us, plus our luggage, and we were packed like sardines. The door doesn't open automatically, you have to push it open.

We thought we were so smart. The key looks just like our magnetic key in Crete, and the desk clerk said you need it to turn on the lights. Well, we thought we were pros, but couldn't find the receptacle. Turns out it was the Other part of the key - the card that has Hotel Attalos written on it, that goes into a slot.

The going-to-sleep noises in Greece are pretty unique too. Because there is often no glass in the windows - shutters only - you hear everything. In the cities, it's traffic noise, people walking, people talking, people singing, radio music, taverna sounds. In the rural or resort areas it's dogs brking, Greeks "conversing" (shouting), motorcycles roaring. Always 'sounds'.

Day 31 - Athens