broken in athens

I’m not a big fan of long travel times, but if you’re going to be stuck somewhere for 12 hours, a ferry is my transport of choice. If you nab a booth (or some where you can lie horizontally) you’re all set for a good ride. You can sleep, watch movies, read, and walk around, whatever you like. I got that bored one time I decided get some exercise and walk up and down the stairs and powerwalk across the hall of the cabin deck. Just make sure you take some food, because not only are meals expensive they are also crap. The great thing is that they also have showers, and after being through the Greek Islands, a shower was much needed.

In Athens, we couch surfed with Takis and his girlfriend. They were super-friendly and very accommodating. After a great night’s sleep, the next day we walked into the centre to the Acropolis and the new museum. It was the first time we had experienced the overwhelming wave of tourists. Plus it was hot, really hot. I actually preferred the museum, a little more comfortable and you can read about the preserved pieces. Later in the day we met up with Takis who took us through the Monaatraki shopping area and to his favourite café called Bliss. It was here in the heat of Athens where I discovered the joys of a double espresso over ice (called a Freddocino); a popular drink with the locals. Absolutely genius!

That evening, a lovely traditional Greek meal of roasted potatoes, onion and assorted peppers was cooked for us and we had a quiet night in. Takis and I played a bit of guitar and he taught me a beautiful song called Romance.  Mai and I felt bad for not being as energetic as we usually are. In our defence, we’d just got back from Ios; party central of the Greek Islands and were completely broken. I needed a good alcohol free week to recover from the messed up things I consumed on that island. But try explaining that to a person who doesn’t speak much English and the message is lost. To them you just seem like a pussy!

Despite the uncomfortably hot and sweaty experience with thousands of strangers on top of the acropolis Athens was nice and we enjoyed our short stay there. It certainly wasn’t ‘the arsehole of the earth’ (a harsh description from a friend of mine). But then again, it’s the people you meet the interaction with them rather than the place itself that makes a trip memorable.