Athens Part 1

Our final moments in Italy were less exceptional than everything before. Rome airport is madly busy. We had enough time to get something to eat. All of the food vendors have this system where you decide what you want to eat (filled rolls etc), you queue up and recite your order to a teller who gives you a receipt which you take to another queue at the food counters to get your food. It might work ok if queuing rules were followed and you didn't have this confused mix of people waving receipts and others just having a look to see what they want. I had to take photos of our choices because the names were so elaborate. No one really knew what was going on. It was epicly hopeless. This experience was closely followed by a budget flight to Athens with Italian Airlines who just seemed a bit disinterested.

An instant return to calmness again once we arrived in Athens. We had arranged a transfer to the hotel in downtown Athens and we were in the rooftop bar by 8:30pm admiring the Acropolis.

We had booked this hotel as part of our covid-cancelled 2020 trip with Bridie and Sean so it was a bit sad that we couldn't share this experience with them.

The next morning armed with a tourist map, we set off to refamailirise ourselves with Athens. It did feel familiar. Including a hint of burnt fossil fuel in the air, although nothing like the choking levels from the 1980s. We started by climbing a hill so that we could see the 3 million people that live here and then we visited the Panathenaic Stadium. The statium has a rich history including as Vicki remarked "isn't this where Gordon, Fred and Gino had a race".

The rest of the day was archeological sites and eating. We're really enjoying the Greek food.

Homeless(?) cats are worthy of a mention. They rule, and seem welcome and cared for by the locals.

Vicki with an Acropolis backdrop


Kieran waiting for the starters gun

Our hotel is in the downtown Monastiraki area, near many of the things people come to see so it's lively. Another Acropolis pic.

Me taking a photo of Vicki taking a photo from "our" rooftop bar.

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