Adventurous in Athens.

I slept in! Oh, it’s wonderful, but I must get up to explore! Breakfast first- the croissants ran out just as I got there- that’ll teach me to sleep in. I had some yoghurt (Greek of course) and some toast and some REAL Lurpak butter, plus the obligatory boiled egg. I think I am almost over boiled eggs for breakfast.

I rugged up well and ventured out. It was very cold! I wanted to get to the Acropolis, and thought if I could get to Monastiraki Square, I’d be able to find my way.  I hadn’t walked more a hundred metres from the hotel when I became lost. My google maps went crazy- I must have touched something when I stopped to put on gloves- so I headed back to the hotel so I could reload them, and off I went again. I actually was walking in the wrong direction! How unusual! I never did find Monastiraki, but I did find a little red train! I had just missed it so sat down with a coffee in the sunshine to warm up. While I was waiting, I heard an Aussie accent and asked the woman where she was from. Of course, she answered Australia, but she now lives on the Greek island of Tinos with her Greek husband, whom she met at Luton Airport in London, and their two beautiful daughters, who speak both Greek and English. Caroline was from Gympie, and was in Athens for the weekend.

The next red train arrived and I hopped on. It was 6 euro and you could get on and off wherever you pleased. I got off at the base of the Acropolis, and bought a ticket for 12 euro. I thought about going on a tour and skipping the very long line but at 100 euro, it was a little out of my price range! I walked up the stone paths, and climbed up the steps trying to avoid the crowds, which was impossible. The place was overrun with tourists! After taking a few photos of the reconstruction, I headed back down but decided to explore down the side of the mountain. Here I found the caves that were sanctuaries of Pan and Apollo, and the ruins of the church of St Nikolaos, and the original Hypapanti Fortification Wall. It was very peaceful walking along the Medieval Way amongst these ruins in the forest all by myself. At the bottom, I reached a gate, which was locked, so up I went the way I had come. As I exited, I saw the train in the distance and hurried to catch it. I needn’t have worried- it waited for another 5 minutes!

I stayed on the train as it did the circuit, the Acropolis Museum, Syntagma Square, the Evzones, the Presidential Palace, the Plaka, until it arrived back at the top of the street that leads down to Monastiraki Square, where I clambered off and headed down Adrianou Street, to see if I could find Diados.  There it was- still the same- except it was packed- I was seated at the last available table and it was mid-afternoon! I was starving so ordered the mushrooms for entrée and the moussaka for mains and a Heineken. Delicious bread was brought out first, which I hungrily devoured, and then couldn’t eat the food. I had a couple of mouthfuls of each, and half the beer, and asked them to put the rest in a doggy bag for me to eat later.

I thought I’d take a short cut through the back lanes to get to Ermou Street, and then look at my map to find the quickest way back. I dodged traffic and walked across Ermou Street calmy and assertively (I did have my stick so cars stopped). As I looked at the map, I did something and the same thing happened again as this morning, so in a fit of pique, I thought, bugger google maps, I’m just going to find the hotel on my own. Well, I don’t know if it was the power of positive thinking but I happened upon the restaurant I’d had lunch at yesterday, and I knew the way from there.  I thought it was in the other direction away from Ermou Street- 180 degrees out, again!

Back at the hotel, I relaxed in my room and ate my dinner of moussaka and mushrooms around 10ish. Pity I didn’t have the beer to go with it. I also ate the free dessert they had given me. It was delicious! I didn’t get to sleep till after midnight and slept till 8.  I rushed up to breakfast and ate 3 croissants smothered in butter, before heading off to find the little red train again. Of course I couldn’t find the spot I caught it yesterday, but I did find Monastiraki Square and knew where it had dropped me off yesterday afternoon. I had to wait almost half an hour for it sitting in the sun on the concrete fence right beside the ruins of Hadrian’s Library. It's called the Athens Happy Train and was I happy to see it! I was just about to give up when it arrived. The next stop was where I was yesterday, then up to the Acropolis then the Museum- my stop.

I love this Museum! It’s built on ruins which you can see through the glass floors, and it has several levels of artifacts. The top floor is the size of the Parthenon, and the friezes are displayed all around the walls, with spaces for the missing pieces, which are mostly in the British Museum. It’s time for the British to give them back to complete the collection in this museum. I ordered a coffee and lime custard millefeuille at the café, before jumping back on the train to meet Genie at Syntagma Square at 2.

The train stopped a little further along the street and I hear my name being called. I turn around to see Kosta. Genie was on the train in the next carriage. They had been calling to me but I was in my own little world. Kosta went to visit the Museum, while Genie and I walked and talked until we found a place for coffee, and sat at a table out in the street in the sunshine at a restaurant called Gods Restaurant. .  It’s a glorious day, and not nearly as cold as yesterday.

Genie ordered a baklava which we shared- it was very rich and filled with cinnamon so I couldn’t eat a lot. We thought we’d try to find our way to Syntagma Square, so started walking. Genie said a map would be good, and free maps appeared in front of us-so we took one each and tired to figure out where we were and which way we had to go. It looked far so we decided to walk back to the museum to catch the little red train again. On the way, we ran into Kosta who said we could walk and explained directions.  We all walked together and it wasn’t very far. We passed Hadrian’s Arch and the Temple of Zeus and other ruins that had been excavated under the footpath- very strange.

We arrived to see the fascinating Evzones do a 15- minute performance (see video). It was hot in the sun, and you could see the sweat running down their faces but they aren’t allowed to wipe themselves. After the honouring of the unknown soldier performance, the guard in charge meticulously straightens their uniforms. Amazing to watch!

After walking back through the square where Genie’s hotel is, we spied the Athens Happy Train and I ran off to catch it back to Diados for dinner- souvlaki tonight and no entrée or beer! I did have the bread again though. The waiter gave me some more placemats for my collection. I think there’s one design I don’t already have.

I didn’t have any trouble finding my way back to the hotel tonight. Typical- just as I become familiarized with a place, it’s time to leave. I wish I had just one more day here, but it’s off to Lisbon tomorrow via Frankfurt! Don’t ask! It’s a 2.15pm flight with a five- hour stopover in Frankfurt- my favourite airport-not!