My Big Fat Greek Day
Athens, Greece
Saturday 30th Sept 8.22pm
Opa! I don't know what that means but it sounds Greek enough to start with.
Athens is .... (searching for the right word) ... good! Mum and I arrived late last night (10.30pm) and caught the bus into the centre of the city. It was fairly boring until we saw the Parthenon lit up and we knew we were close. We found our accommodation fine (seasoned pros now) and tiptoed into our 6 person dorm. We had a quick (and icy as it was still hot at midnight) shower and jumped into bed. Mum is less than impressed with the early morning bashers and crashers (something I am getting used to) and the teensy bathroom, not to mention the whole NO flushing of paper down the toliet.
Our roommates were our alarm clock and so we got up and hit the streets of Athens. We went to the Acropolis first and hiked up and up and up (it's really high!!!!) but got a great view of the city from the top. The Parthenon was half covered in scaffolding (naturally) but we enjoyed the walk around and the history that came with it. We called Dad (Pete) from in front of it to find out how the Eagles went, and to hear his voice of course!! His words made up both homesick but we put it from our minds and went to the next heritage site. We saw a few of Temples for various Greek Gods and then went through the markets, still in shopping mode after seeing some divine jewellery in Santorini. We saw several people with kebabs which looked great but didn't pass any kebaberies - is this Greece???
I started to feel a bit wiped out from, well, everything, so we went back and lay down on our bunks. The hostel is not the worst I've stayed in, but is not the best either. Its location is fantastic. Five minutes walk from the base of the Acropolis which is very helpful when navigating the meandering streets of Athens. If you have the Acropolis in sight and walk around the base of the rock you will eventually find the place you are looking for. Or walk around in circles all day.
At 5pm we left to see an Athenian sunset to see how it compared with a Santorini one. We really weren't expecting it to be on the same level but one can hope. We wandered for awhile, looking for a place that made kebabs. I think we went on the same street twice while searching. What does a girl need to do to get a kebab??? Ask apparantly. With the help of a kind local we found one (the only one we saw!) and it was worth the wait. Hmmmm! I had two!! We looked around a bit more as the sun set and the lights came on, illuminating the marble Doric columns crafted for the Gods.
Mum and I are happy with what we saw today (and heard - Yippee from Mum about the Eagles) but are both happy to go to London tomorrow. It will be our last day together (boohoo!) and we think we might head into London town for mum to show me a slice of Pommie life.
Our last day in Santorini was pleasant. We had hoped to go to Oia but the roads were being repaired (that one day we decided to go - the sunsets there are meant to be the best in the world). So we shopped instead. We ate some traditional Greek food - our first Greek salad and some fried tomato croquettes (everything is fried here - clog clog arteries, clog clog). Both were delicious. I found the church with the blue roof and three bells that is on all the postcards and in the brochures (which I thought was in Oia), which made me very happy. We watched our last sunset there together (we were too busy taking photos to cuddle together and sigh so I hope you appreciate our sacrifice to bring you premium Santorini photos). We then went back to the hotel to pick up our bags and they called a taxi for us. Mum was scandalised when I pulled a teeny swifty and saved us 3 euro by telling a few porkies. The budget traveller in me was delighted though (don't tell mum). We played naughts and crosses and hangman to pass the time which made me all the more sad to see my lovely travelling partner leave.
Well, all too soon my time is up again and I am off to bed to try and sleep through 4 other people rustling, snoring and showering at 3am. Thanks for reading. Talk to you from the UK or Ireland.
Kym
Athens, Greece
Saturday 30th Sept 8.22pm
Opa! I don't know what that means but it sounds Greek enough to start with.
Athens is .... (searching for the right word) ... good! Mum and I arrived late last night (10.30pm) and caught the bus into the centre of the city. It was fairly boring until we saw the Parthenon lit up and we knew we were close. We found our accommodation fine (seasoned pros now) and tiptoed into our 6 person dorm. We had a quick (and icy as it was still hot at midnight) shower and jumped into bed. Mum is less than impressed with the early morning bashers and crashers (something I am getting used to) and the teensy bathroom, not to mention the whole NO flushing of paper down the toliet.
Our roommates were our alarm clock and so we got up and hit the streets of Athens. We went to the Acropolis first and hiked up and up and up (it's really high!!!!) but got a great view of the city from the top. The Parthenon was half covered in scaffolding (naturally) but we enjoyed the walk around and the history that came with it. We called Dad (Pete) from in front of it to find out how the Eagles went, and to hear his voice of course!! His words made up both homesick but we put it from our minds and went to the next heritage site. We saw a few of Temples for various Greek Gods and then went through the markets, still in shopping mode after seeing some divine jewellery in Santorini. We saw several people with kebabs which looked great but didn't pass any kebaberies - is this Greece???
I started to feel a bit wiped out from, well, everything, so we went back and lay down on our bunks. The hostel is not the worst I've stayed in, but is not the best either. Its location is fantastic. Five minutes walk from the base of the Acropolis which is very helpful when navigating the meandering streets of Athens. If you have the Acropolis in sight and walk around the base of the rock you will eventually find the place you are looking for. Or walk around in circles all day.
At 5pm we left to see an Athenian sunset to see how it compared with a Santorini one. We really weren't expecting it to be on the same level but one can hope. We wandered for awhile, looking for a place that made kebabs. I think we went on the same street twice while searching. What does a girl need to do to get a kebab??? Ask apparantly. With the help of a kind local we found one (the only one we saw!) and it was worth the wait. Hmmmm! I had two!! We looked around a bit more as the sun set and the lights came on, illuminating the marble Doric columns crafted for the Gods.
Mum and I are happy with what we saw today (and heard - Yippee from Mum about the Eagles) but are both happy to go to London tomorrow. It will be our last day together (boohoo!) and we think we might head into London town for mum to show me a slice of Pommie life.
Our last day in Santorini was pleasant. We had hoped to go to Oia but the roads were being repaired (that one day we decided to go - the sunsets there are meant to be the best in the world). So we shopped instead. We ate some traditional Greek food - our first Greek salad and some fried tomato croquettes (everything is fried here - clog clog arteries, clog clog). Both were delicious. I found the church with the blue roof and three bells that is on all the postcards and in the brochures (which I thought was in Oia), which made me very happy. We watched our last sunset there together (we were too busy taking photos to cuddle together and sigh so I hope you appreciate our sacrifice to bring you premium Santorini photos). We then went back to the hotel to pick up our bags and they called a taxi for us. Mum was scandalised when I pulled a teeny swifty and saved us 3 euro by telling a few porkies. The budget traveller in me was delighted though (don't tell mum). We played naughts and crosses and hangman to pass the time which made me all the more sad to see my lovely travelling partner leave.
Well, all too soon my time is up again and I am off to bed to try and sleep through 4 other people rustling, snoring and showering at 3am. Thanks for reading. Talk to you from the UK or Ireland.
Kym
posted by kym at
10:27 AM
4 Comments:
Kym... thank YOU for writing!! I'm sure there's times you don't feel like blogging!! Thanks for making the effort - it's so exciting to read where you are and what you're doing (and it's going to be a wonderful 'journal' for you to read over once you're home again). Glad you and Karen have had such a wonderful time in Greece. Don't tell me Karen's decided to plan her next holiday 'back packing' around Europe. No....really can't imagine that one! Hope the weather in England is kind to you...keep enjoying! Much love.
By
Anonymous, at 3:44 PM
Sounds like you stayed at the same place in Athens I did all those years ago - you have just transported me back there: I can see it, smell it, see the other people I was with (and haven't thought of for decades!!) Can't believe you couldn't find a kebab shop in the Plakka... never thought that would change! Keep having fun, love you.
By
Anonymous, at 6:52 PM
Hi Baby - sounds like you and Mum are wearing down. That's ok for Mum cos' she's coming home now but you girl, you've still got 24 days to go! I'm sending you some adrenalin right now so that should help get you through the rest of Europe and then China - did you get it? Did Greece feel very greeky? You know: hairy men, hairy women, greasy looking people with gold neck chains and lots of loud talking and laughing? Hope you like London ok and you enjoy your last few hours with Mum. Have lots of hugs and save them all up until we can ambush you at the airport and overload you with some more. Hope you are practicing your Irish accent, remember the burr! Love you lots and lots, Haylee.
By
Anonymous, at 9:27 PM
Hey Kym, we found you! We arrived home safe and sound a couple of days ago but are still reliving our trip every time we look through our pictures. Will send you a bunch once you're home safe in Aussie land! Love reading your posts though so keep up the good work. (My sad blog seems lacking in comparison to yours!) Take care!
By
The Patterson Pair, at 8:13 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home