 |
| Port of Patras - Internet photo |
 |
| Greece - Postcard |
It was sunny outside and the ship to Patras was rolling a bit but I wasn't feeling too seasick. We arrived on time at 4:30 PM and expected incredible hassles with customs based on stories we'd heard but it wasn't too bad.
 |
| View of Partas from the fortress Postcard |
Eventually we caught the train to Athens which left us with very little money. We managed to get a seat and settle in for what would turn out to be a 6.5 hour trip.
We had an interesting look at the Greek people though on the train, singing, dancing, joking and generally having a good time all the way.
We arrived in Athens at 12:45pm, too late and too tired to look for the youth hostel so we went to the nearest hotel which was actually quite nice.On Tuesday we went to Poste Restante and found two letters from Australia and then to the Student Travel agency and without much hassle paid for tickets on Thai Airlines to Sydney for 16 March.
Then we went out to see Vivian, via a contact from Australia, and got a really nice welcome. We left our backpacks then headed back into town. We saw some really tiny Byzantine churches, checked out American Express but no mail, and sent letters and cards back to Australia. We went to Poste Restante again and found a welcome check from English tax, and another letter from Australia. It’s like a lottery.
 |
| Church and waiter with coffee |
We had dinner with Vivian and then went back into town to look for a hotel for two nights. The bus conductor was really friendly and wouldn't accept the fare.
The next day we walked around Athens, after a breakfast of pastries and milk.
Speaking of breakfast, something we found fascinating in the morning was that waiters from cafes would deliver cups of coffee to shopkeepers using trays suspended by a small chain. The could move incredibly quickly, dodging cars and other pedestrians. They sometimes did the same in the afternoons. In the photo of the church above, you can see a waiter in a white jacket delivering the coffees.
We started exploring at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier where the Evzoni Guards in their unique uniforms keep a continuous watch.
 |
| Evzoni Guards |
 |
| Evzoni Guards |
 |
| Evzoni Guards - Postcard |
 |
| Memoirs of Greece poster Postcard |
 |
| Dolphin fresco -Postcard |
The museum was a bit of a let down, probably great for archaeology freaks but that's about all - some nice bronzes though.
We walked through the market again stumbled on a flea market, a sort of watered down medina. We also found a place where we may be able to sell our tent tomorrow.
 |
| On the way up the hill |
 |
| View over Athens with the Parthenon in the distance |
We call them tiny, and they are in comparison to the huge cathedrals we’d seen in Italy.
 |
| Cathedral of St Demetruis in Mistras Postcard |
The aeroplane tickets weren't ready yet so we should hopefully get them tomorrow - you always have to be optimistic.
Here are some photos taken as we explored Athens.
We had a lousy lukewarm dinner in a restaurant, no comparison with the gyros we had for lunch and then had a coffee at a nearby cafe. The men (of course) were playing a game of dice and incredible amount of money changed hands while we watched.
 |
| A Greek butcher and grocer |
We arrived at the flea-market and went to a shop to sell the tent, and I asked for 700 D, but he started at 400 and we eventually sold the tent for 550 D which wasn't too bad, and it was good to have it off our hands.
We went to the "Picture Gallery" which was a bit disappointing, and back via the exhibition hall which was deserted and entered our first set of ruins - Agora of Athens and Temple of Olympian Zeus.
Then we went towards the Acropolis: Theatre of Dionysis, Odeon of Herod Atticus, the Acropolis and the museum there. |
| Agora of Athens and Temple of Olympian Zeus |
The thing I found most amazing though was the photographer.
He used a glass-plate camera to expose photographic paper which he then processed in a reversal solution which produced a positive rather than a negative. This was all done with the chemicals and bucket of water partially hidden just to the left of the tripod and with a dark cloth that he draped over himself to create a mobile darkroom. The customer could walk away with an "instant" black & white, slightly damp photo of themselves. I have no idea of the durability of the image, but probably not too long.
 |
| The Acropolis |
 |
| The photographer and a chauffeur killing time at the Acropolis |
The postcards below are of the Acropolis and its surrounds.
 |
| Aerial view of the Acropolis |
 |
| The Pathenon |
 |
| View of the Acropolis and Lycabettus |
We headed down into Athens for lunch and ate our cheese, olives, chicken, and a piece of bread in a 'typical' café -tres chic (the idea, not the café). We went through the flea-market again and Daniel bought a pair of sandals, and I had my bag strap lengthened for small fee.
 |
| Small church with Thesium in the background |
 |
| A bit of a challenge to get to church |
We picked up our aeroplane tickets with some relief and had dinner at a Greek cafe: kafta and lemon, tomato and onion salad, and then a gyros - really enjoyable as it was all fresh and hot.
It started to rain but we still intended going to the islands tomorrow as planned.
