Leaving Naxos was a little gut wrenching and we left our amazing apartment on a beautiful sunny morning with our baggage in tow for the short stroll to the ferry along the waterfront. Big hugs and goodbyes from the Little Mix owners did nothing to make us feel any happier but needs must....it had to be done.
At the ferry terminal we met a NZ family, Mum, Dad and two children, from Timaru.....they were highly recognisable to us as they were all towing Kathmandu bags - different sizes of course - just like ours. They were taking a 6month trip through Europe, having permission to take the children out of school, to do this as a family. They had no particular plan in place of where and when just a rough outline of where their travels might take them. Their biggest surprise from this journey was the fact that in a few short weeks their children - one boy, one girl - had become confident, capable and outgoing a complete reversal of the children they were at the start. (Always knew travelling long term was the best kept secret of all time!!!!!)
Being the "experienced" ferry travellers that we were and also remembering, painfully, our previous mistakes we quickly offloaded our baggage to the "Piraeus hold" and made our way to the correct business class lounge (pat on the back please). The trip was a quick five hours to Piraeus Port made equally short by interesting conversation with a couple from Switzerland sitting at the table beside us. Getting off the ferry however was very different and difficult.....hundreds of people with the utmost urgency in their mindset and "it's all about me syndrome" balked any chance we had to getting within even a hair's breadth of our luggage......would they give an inch?...no, not at all...it was very challenging.
With the masses disgorging on to the pier and spewing out onto the busy, congested streets of Piraeus, somewhere along the line we were spat out of this stew and decided enough was enough for the time being...... we stopped for a roadside beer. The metro was our next challenge to get us to Kalithea so better to wait until the spectacle died down rather than get mixed up in it again. OMG ...if only we had known what was ahead of us!!!!!
The metro was just a short walk from the street bar, buying a ticket was easy as all the crowds had dissipated and a train was just pulling into the station....all good. Got on board and got a seat.....all good. Somewhere along the line a local guy came along and squeezed into the seat behind me but, as I had no legroom because the man opposite me was man-spreading and lounging in his seat, I was forced to sit sideways in my seat with my backpack on my back. The man squeezed in beside me, said nothing and was quite happy but, the spreading man opposite in a loud voice really told me off!!!!! Let me say here that there is absolutely no etiquette or chivalry or awareness of others in Greece in the majority. Men, both young and old, will push past children and females in order to get a seat. People will not allow passengers off a train before they surge forward to get on - and here was this space-taking guy yelling at me about my small backpack!!!!!!! It wasn't long before we needed to get off so standing was my preference......which takes us to the next event.
Our station arrived and we both tried to get off with our luggage but nobody would move to let us through, people were getting on the train as well which meant there were two barriers to break. (These trains are all automated by the way so there is limited time). Eventually after really pushing, shoving and being pretty rude I managed to successfully get off onto the platform with Gary not too far behind but......with a rythmical beep and a loud swoosh the doors started to close. Gary shot out onto the platform but his pull along was clamped in the doors jaws like a vice!!!! Gary is on the platform pulling and tugging, a couple of women inside are trying to physically open the doors and all I can see is the train heading off into the tunnel with Gary's suitcase half in and half out of the train.....that's just as long as Gary let go of the handle or he would be accompanying it!!!!! However, with another swoosh the doors did reopen for a second attempt at Gary's bag but, with quick wit, he successfully pulled it onto the platform. We both looked at each other and thought....if the bag had been a person what then??
Moving on from this drama we trundled along the streets of Kalithea to our next accommodation.....a penthouse apartment overlooking the Parthenon.......don't even utter a word!!!!!!
Our very lovely male host Mike met us and showed us around the apartment which was very nice too but had seen better days in places. It was comfortable but provided nothing but space, furniture and bedding and a few toiletries left over from prior airb&b stays. Things that no traveller wants to buy at each stay such as washing up liquid, toilet paper, dish washing powder if a dishwasher is provided and washing powder if a washing machine is provided, just to be left behind half used should, I am sure, be provided. Also Airb&b - does that not indicate bed and breakfast? This apartment was devoid of anything like that, not even a change of bedding and we were there for 10 days.
Walking onto the balcony to see the fait du complete, the Parthenon, was a "slight" disappointment too as it quite obviously had been taken with a very large telephoto lens!!!!!
Nothing is ever as it seems and we need to keep telling ourselves this....it's a comfort at least.
Making plans to see as many of the historic sites we could whilst in Athens we first took the hop on hop off bus (the red one) which is good value for money and you pay for one day but get two days.
Athens city is obviously old, is covered in tagging every which way you look and most of its historical sites appear to have been built out!!!!! We didn't actually have high expectations here as the population of Athens alone equals the population of the whole of New Zealand but given the small amount of history left in this vast city I would have thought they would have wanted to treasure it.......not just rely on the Parthenon to pull tourists!!!!!
I was going to have a day of documenting tagging as, to be honest, some of them are very artistic and clever.....until I saw the above. Part of us understands how the locals feel and understand we may be contributing to the problems of high rents etc.....on the other hand we also understand Greece has huge monetary issues and tourism brings in huge revenue for the country....as long as the operators pay their taxes of course???? Charges to enter any historic place now costs a fortune to be honest and little seems to be being spent on maintaining the historical structures, on the roads and footpaths or cleaning up the City in general.
For example.....The Arch of Hadrian looks wonderful in advertising photos but in reality is nothing like and is situated at the edge of a very busy main road. The area behind is more like a rubbish dump. From here you can view the Temple of Zeus which is supposedly set in a beautiful green landscape which now is just barren wasteland!!!!!
The Greek stadium in Athens, virtually rebuilt in modern materials for the 2004 Olympic games is very grand but has lost all of its historical value in the rebuild and no longer has the Olympic roof over it.
The Parthenon is absolute pandemonium with huge queues to initially buy tickets and then, once bought, huge queues to get in. To make matters worse it is even harder to get out. We decided to forgo joining the masses and going into the Parthenon instead opting to view the Parthenon from the Odeon of Herodes Atticus - an amphitheatre carved into the Acropolis rock face below the Parthenon - which still holds concerts for up to 5000 people during the Greek summertime. This was a quieter, cooler area, equally historical away from the crowds. We were treated to the sound of a musical rehearsal whilst we cooled off in the shade which was an added bonus.
We climbed the Areopagus - the Hill of Ares- just below the Parthenon and Gary was game enough to climb to the far side to see the view from there. The rock has become very slippery, as has the Parthenon, from the constant tracking of tourists because, of course, it is all marble. This makes any descent quite tricky as several tourists can confirm whilst we were there.
We watched a changing of the guard at Government House which also houses the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I have to admit their march is extremely funny to watch but very well coordinated....no wonder they have bulging quads. I will post a short video....judge for yourselves.....the Ministry of Funny Walks undoubtedly. Their dress has a great deal of history attached to it and is extremely complex....this must be their more day to day uniform as their ceremonial attire is white and much more flamboyant. (Sorry couldn't upload a video and this is the best photo).
The only area of Athens we found nice to wander through was the old area of Athens city called Plaka on the eastern slopes of the Acropolis. The narrow lanes here have preserved their characteristic old Greek flavour similar to Naxos but has been virtually taken over by tourism interests. No locals live here anymore.....unlike Naxos!!!
Athens also has a walking street full of cafes and restaurants where we actually found our favourite Greek food....Gyros!!!! 2 Gyros plus 2 cans of coke (not something normally drunk but needed because of dehydration) were €6.40/$10.60nz. At the end of walking street the Red Cross were there in force giving out free water and juice because it was so, so hot 39° that day.
In essence Athens consists of: the Parthenon on top of and in the centre of the Acropolis, surrounded at the base by thousands of old and modern multistorey houses with a few historical features dotted around here and there and broken only by the occasional spot of a green park!!!!! The temperature in Athens were in the high 30°C range for most of our time here which in itself was quite debilitating and we found we could only tour the city in the morning or later in the evening.
This was ok as the metro in Athens is very well run - as long as you have no luggage - and easy to follow giving quick, cheap access to anywhere. The trains inside and out are smothered in graffiti and the chance of a seat highly unlikely but we found this way of travel suited us well.....we never felt unsafe.
Frustrated with our inability to be able to watch Wimbledon and knowing the cricket final was looming, we sort out an Aussie sports bar in Athens Gary had seen on Google......named the Athens Sports bar of all things!!!!! This turned out to be a great find and we were welcomed with open arms, recognised each time we turned up and quite spoiled really. Ouzo over ice was €2 and that was our choice of drink in Athens and they just kept them coming. The food was awesome too especially when the people you got to know overordered and asked us to join in!!!!!
The bar was chocka on finals night - some for cricket some for tennis - but seats were given up and offered to us at the bar by young English soccer players/cricket fans who were fascinated by our travels and the fact we came from New Zealand. We watched Wimbledon on one TV and cricket on the other 4 to start with then as the Wimbledon fans increased and the game progressed 2 TVs were devoted to Wimbledon and 3 to cricket.
After Djokovic won Wimbledon all eyes turned to cricket as that was really ramping up. The bar by this time was full of English cricket supporters and just a handful of New Zealand cricket supporters so just let your imagination run riot if you will.....most had been there drinking for at least 8 hours!!!!!
The result now is well known but the noise in that small bar when England were awarded the crown was electrifying. After a few photos with our new found friends...the young soccer lads from Nottingham....we made our escape to the metro and back to our penthouse apartment.....it was technically a penthouse because it was on the top floor but that was it's only claim to fame.
Tomorrow we had a big day ahead as we were flying from Athens to Goa in India.....a 2 day event......and it was way past midnight at that point.
In summary Athens didn't hit the mark for us unfortunately and we probably stayed a little too long but, in saying that, we wouldn't have had the memorable experience of the Athens sports bar had we not!!!!
Life is just a game of checks and balances after all. Such fun!! X
At the ferry terminal we met a NZ family, Mum, Dad and two children, from Timaru.....they were highly recognisable to us as they were all towing Kathmandu bags - different sizes of course - just like ours. They were taking a 6month trip through Europe, having permission to take the children out of school, to do this as a family. They had no particular plan in place of where and when just a rough outline of where their travels might take them. Their biggest surprise from this journey was the fact that in a few short weeks their children - one boy, one girl - had become confident, capable and outgoing a complete reversal of the children they were at the start. (Always knew travelling long term was the best kept secret of all time!!!!!)
Being the "experienced" ferry travellers that we were and also remembering, painfully, our previous mistakes we quickly offloaded our baggage to the "Piraeus hold" and made our way to the correct business class lounge (pat on the back please). The trip was a quick five hours to Piraeus Port made equally short by interesting conversation with a couple from Switzerland sitting at the table beside us. Getting off the ferry however was very different and difficult.....hundreds of people with the utmost urgency in their mindset and "it's all about me syndrome" balked any chance we had to getting within even a hair's breadth of our luggage......would they give an inch?...no, not at all...it was very challenging.
With the masses disgorging on to the pier and spewing out onto the busy, congested streets of Piraeus, somewhere along the line we were spat out of this stew and decided enough was enough for the time being...... we stopped for a roadside beer. The metro was our next challenge to get us to Kalithea so better to wait until the spectacle died down rather than get mixed up in it again. OMG ...if only we had known what was ahead of us!!!!!
The metro was just a short walk from the street bar, buying a ticket was easy as all the crowds had dissipated and a train was just pulling into the station....all good. Got on board and got a seat.....all good. Somewhere along the line a local guy came along and squeezed into the seat behind me but, as I had no legroom because the man opposite me was man-spreading and lounging in his seat, I was forced to sit sideways in my seat with my backpack on my back. The man squeezed in beside me, said nothing and was quite happy but, the spreading man opposite in a loud voice really told me off!!!!! Let me say here that there is absolutely no etiquette or chivalry or awareness of others in Greece in the majority. Men, both young and old, will push past children and females in order to get a seat. People will not allow passengers off a train before they surge forward to get on - and here was this space-taking guy yelling at me about my small backpack!!!!!!! It wasn't long before we needed to get off so standing was my preference......which takes us to the next event.
Our station arrived and we both tried to get off with our luggage but nobody would move to let us through, people were getting on the train as well which meant there were two barriers to break. (These trains are all automated by the way so there is limited time). Eventually after really pushing, shoving and being pretty rude I managed to successfully get off onto the platform with Gary not too far behind but......with a rythmical beep and a loud swoosh the doors started to close. Gary shot out onto the platform but his pull along was clamped in the doors jaws like a vice!!!! Gary is on the platform pulling and tugging, a couple of women inside are trying to physically open the doors and all I can see is the train heading off into the tunnel with Gary's suitcase half in and half out of the train.....that's just as long as Gary let go of the handle or he would be accompanying it!!!!! However, with another swoosh the doors did reopen for a second attempt at Gary's bag but, with quick wit, he successfully pulled it onto the platform. We both looked at each other and thought....if the bag had been a person what then??
Moving on from this drama we trundled along the streets of Kalithea to our next accommodation.....a penthouse apartment overlooking the Parthenon.......don't even utter a word!!!!!!
Our very lovely male host Mike met us and showed us around the apartment which was very nice too but had seen better days in places. It was comfortable but provided nothing but space, furniture and bedding and a few toiletries left over from prior airb&b stays. Things that no traveller wants to buy at each stay such as washing up liquid, toilet paper, dish washing powder if a dishwasher is provided and washing powder if a washing machine is provided, just to be left behind half used should, I am sure, be provided. Also Airb&b - does that not indicate bed and breakfast? This apartment was devoid of anything like that, not even a change of bedding and we were there for 10 days.
Walking onto the balcony to see the fait du complete, the Parthenon, was a "slight" disappointment too as it quite obviously had been taken with a very large telephoto lens!!!!!
Making plans to see as many of the historic sites we could whilst in Athens we first took the hop on hop off bus (the red one) which is good value for money and you pay for one day but get two days.
Athens city is obviously old, is covered in tagging every which way you look and most of its historical sites appear to have been built out!!!!! We didn't actually have high expectations here as the population of Athens alone equals the population of the whole of New Zealand but given the small amount of history left in this vast city I would have thought they would have wanted to treasure it.......not just rely on the Parthenon to pull tourists!!!!!
For example.....The Arch of Hadrian looks wonderful in advertising photos but in reality is nothing like and is situated at the edge of a very busy main road. The area behind is more like a rubbish dump. From here you can view the Temple of Zeus which is supposedly set in a beautiful green landscape which now is just barren wasteland!!!!!
We watched a changing of the guard at Government House which also houses the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I have to admit their march is extremely funny to watch but very well coordinated....no wonder they have bulging quads. I will post a short video....judge for yourselves.....the Ministry of Funny Walks undoubtedly. Their dress has a great deal of history attached to it and is extremely complex....this must be their more day to day uniform as their ceremonial attire is white and much more flamboyant. (Sorry couldn't upload a video and this is the best photo).
In essence Athens consists of: the Parthenon on top of and in the centre of the Acropolis, surrounded at the base by thousands of old and modern multistorey houses with a few historical features dotted around here and there and broken only by the occasional spot of a green park!!!!! The temperature in Athens were in the high 30°C range for most of our time here which in itself was quite debilitating and we found we could only tour the city in the morning or later in the evening.
This was ok as the metro in Athens is very well run - as long as you have no luggage - and easy to follow giving quick, cheap access to anywhere. The trains inside and out are smothered in graffiti and the chance of a seat highly unlikely but we found this way of travel suited us well.....we never felt unsafe.
Frustrated with our inability to be able to watch Wimbledon and knowing the cricket final was looming, we sort out an Aussie sports bar in Athens Gary had seen on Google......named the Athens Sports bar of all things!!!!! This turned out to be a great find and we were welcomed with open arms, recognised each time we turned up and quite spoiled really. Ouzo over ice was €2 and that was our choice of drink in Athens and they just kept them coming. The food was awesome too especially when the people you got to know overordered and asked us to join in!!!!!
The bar was chocka on finals night - some for cricket some for tennis - but seats were given up and offered to us at the bar by young English soccer players/cricket fans who were fascinated by our travels and the fact we came from New Zealand. We watched Wimbledon on one TV and cricket on the other 4 to start with then as the Wimbledon fans increased and the game progressed 2 TVs were devoted to Wimbledon and 3 to cricket.
The result now is well known but the noise in that small bar when England were awarded the crown was electrifying. After a few photos with our new found friends...the young soccer lads from Nottingham....we made our escape to the metro and back to our penthouse apartment.....it was technically a penthouse because it was on the top floor but that was it's only claim to fame.
Tomorrow we had a big day ahead as we were flying from Athens to Goa in India.....a 2 day event......and it was way past midnight at that point.
In summary Athens didn't hit the mark for us unfortunately and we probably stayed a little too long but, in saying that, we wouldn't have had the memorable experience of the Athens sports bar had we not!!!!
Life is just a game of checks and balances after all. Such fun!! X
Well, Athens is the pinnacle of Greekdom... The nation does
ReplyDeletehave a few problems! And I'm not just talking about the 500 people that get pulled into the metro tunnels every year kicking and screaming! Pensions, retirement age, jobs for the boys, non-payment of taxes, etc etc - all contribute to a somewhat broken culture. But then, I've never been to Greece. All the countries surrounding it, but never it! Sounds like you are having a great time. The disasters you experience just add gloss to the good bits! But 39 degrees is never a good bit!