Greece: Athens

Greece: Athens

Sunday morning saw rain changing the look of the sea and the surrounds in Amalfi as we struggled downstairs(!!!!!!!!) with luggage at 6am. Alfonso eventually found us waiting at the bottom of the stairs(!!!!!!) and drove us through the winding winding winding road to Naples airport enroute to Athens. 

After standing in line for check in we were informed we had not paid for luggage with our ticket. What, no luggage!!!!!! With quite some confusion, more waiting and waiting in more lines, we bought our luggage tickets( a huge relief to us girls), finished checking in, walked through security, gulped down some breakfast and just made the bus to board our Aegan Airlines flight out on the Tarmac ........ 

Crosswords, puzzles, reading and Candy Crush mixed with refreshments, entertained us on the flight. What awaits us in Greece?????

 

After checking in to the hotel, Sandy, Squizz and Annie decided to jump on the on and off red bus whilst Trish had a relaxing afternoon in the hotel. 

The bus took us past all the ancient sights of Athens- Parliament House and it's unique guards, the Museums, Academies, the Library, the Temple of Zeus, Hadrians Arch, Panathinian Stadium ( the place of the first Modern Olympics) and the Acropolis.

 

 On our return from our open top bus in 39 degree heat(!!!!!) we searched for the closest waterhole for suitable lunch and refreshments with Trish joining us all.

 

The Annie/Squizz adventure started as we left Trish and Sandy at the Athens meeting place(the Piatsa Restaurant) and returned to the Red Bus to have a closer and more in depth study of the Acropolis and the Parthenon. After more stairs(!!!!!!!!) we surveyed the surrounds of the city from the Hill of Filopapou identifying or rather trying to, identify all the significant landmarks. Back on the Red Bus we ventured and alighted for a closer look at Hadrians Arch and the Temple of Olympian Zeus, both magnificent ruins and structures. 

We returned to the others ( the others now included Libby and Eric who had just arrived from their holiday in Croatia) in Piatsa, via the National Gardens, stopping for a light refreshment in their Bamboo lined cafe.

Very excited to re connect with Libby & Eric Smith who Sandy has been friends with for a long time now...
She first met Eric at a Leadership Course for work : LDP4
Then he introduced me to Libby who then came to work for me in IT Services.

Many years later and  after many adventures together it is fantastic to have them joining us for the time in Athens and Rhodes.

We spent the remainder of the evening there enjoining each other's  company  until we returned to our hotel and its rooftop view of Athens by night. The most spectacular image being the lit up Acropolis and Parthenon. wow!!

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