Today I make my way to Athens, a city I first visited 14 years ago in 1992 on my first big ambitious adventure that took me to Egypt, Greece and Turkey.
George, my pension owner, took me to the ferry around 0900. The ferry arrived about 0915 for a quick turnaround. The Blue Star Paros was identical to the Blue Star Naxos that brought me here three days ago. It was built in 2002 by Daewoo in Okpo, near Busan in South Korea. It’s funny what you learn wandering around the ferry reading the signage!
The trip took us through Paros which was a little more developed but it’s not anything like Phuket! And I don’t think it will ever be.
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- My incoming ferry.
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- Leaving Naxos.
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- Arriving in Piraeus.
Upon arrival at Piraeus, I walked across the street to the metro into the city. Including the walking at both ends, the commute only took an hour. I took particular care with my belongings as good friends of mine got pick-pocketed on the ride between Athens and Piraeus.
I had booked a hotel called “Economy Hotel” which was nice enough. Located between Omonia and Monastiraki, it was handy to transport, food and sights. Somehow, I missed a turn and walked more than I needed to. I arrived very sweaty.
I explored the surroundings in the afternoon and the evening. It was a little seedy in parts with a lot of migrants from the Asian subcontinent.
Athens seems quite oriental (in the European usage of the word, rather than the English) with its wet markets and covered walkways with household goods, nuts, spice.
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- Temple of Olympian Zeus.
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- Area around my hotel; not all of it is glitzy.
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- Area around my hotel.
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- Area around my hotel.
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- Area around my hotel; building looks Ottoman.
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- Area around my hotel; not all of it is glitzy.
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- Main street on which my hotel is on.
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- Wet market near the hotel.
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- Wet market near the hotel.
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- Wet market near the hotel.
