Athens

Athens

We didn't get off to a great start in Athens, our plane arrived safely and we got on the train (we learnt that lesson in Munich!)

Our bags were in the luggage storage area and we were sitting a few seats away, as we got closer to the center of Athens the train became really crowded and some undesirable types were loitering around our bags.

With only a few stops to go we decided to get our bags and get ready to get off. The undesirables didn't want to move, one off them grabbed my arm and tried to escort me off the train at the stop before ours. I explained to him that this was not my stop..

Whilst all this was going on there was a chap pressing himself against Sam's back. Not in the 'it's a busy train I can't move' way, more 'I'm pressing myself up against you so you don't notice I'm stealing items attached to your person' way.

Sam politely asked the gentleman to refrain from stealing his wallet and that was that.

No, actually Sam told him off in a way that is understandable in all languages, the chap didn't move and his mate was pushing against my suitcase so I couldn't move either.. The train doors opened at our stop and we both got away with all of our things. But we also felt a bit yucky.

We stepped out of the train station and were welcomed with a view of the acropolis, maybe this place isn't that bad after all.

The view of the Acropolis from our hotel

Our hotel was a short walk from the station and the receptionist was lovely she gave us a map and put a big cross the the area where the 'bad people live'

The forbidden zone..

I was desperate for the Greeks to be all My Big Fat Greek Wedding, so you can imagine my excitement when we were walking past a restaurant and the spruiker says "you come you eat Grik salad, you share, you drink.. No problem, where you from? Australia got alodda Griks, come sit no problem" all in the same sentence.

Grik salad, no problem..

You can imagine Sam's excitement when he saw they were showing the Euro Cup.

The food was amazing, (I feel like I need to start using another word to describe great things, I've used amazing a lot) and they put the bill on the table before we had even started eating, so we got another bill for the next round of drinks, and the next and well..

It's about 35 degrees everyday and the air conditioning in our room is on the fritz, so we have been leaving the window open at night. And man is it noisy! There are loud bangs like really loud bangs out on the street at about 2am.. I'm longing for Santorini where hopefully our air con works and they bang things in the street at a reasonable hour.

The thing about Athens is it's all about the acropolis, and it's fantastic, one of the best bits was when we saw a tortoise! I know, it was awesome! We did appreciate the statues and the old buildings but a tortoise! Who would have thought!

After we had climbed the hill - in thongs (if you do visit the acropolis wear sensible shoes, there is slippery marble everywhere - DO NOT wear thongs) and taken all the photos we weren't really sure what to do next.

Its not OK that I'm whiter than ancient ruins...

So we went for a wander and saw the changing of the guard at the grave of the unknown soldier, they do a procession with a lot of kicking and marching in their traditional uniforms. They must be so hot!

We went for a drink before dinner and I decided to have some local wine and this is how they served it, that's not a wine glass!

Our second day in Athens was spent shopping, it was very hot and we felt like we had run out of touristy things to do.

Sam got really good at sitting outside whilst I went shopping.

We went back to the restaurant we visited the first night, not that it matters I'm pretty sure they are all in it together. We asked if they had Baklva tonight and they said 'yes of course - no problem' and showed me the menu of the restaurant next to them and sent the waiter next door to get it.

'of course, no problem..'

After two stinking hot nights without aircon, on our final night in Athens it decided to work. God it was cold, we had to get the blankets out..

We waved good bye to the acropolis at 5.30 (am!!) on our way to catch the ferry to Santorini excited for a cool breeze and the beach!