All The Roadrunning (14/06/11)

Today was a day where not a lot happened. We were dropped at the bus staion by our host from the hotel, who had kindly purchased tickets for us the day before. They certainly looked after us for our stay in Meteora. We were booked on the direct bus, which meant we didn't have to change to a connecting bus at Trikala : although we still had to get off while the driver cleaned it there before he let us all back on again. Then other than a smoko stop half way it was a five and a half hour trip in total, punctuated mainly by mobile phones going off. Greeks are : (1) Heavy smokers. I think every kid is given a pack of cigarettes when they turn 13 and told "if you haven't started already, get going now". It has taken a bit of getting used to having smoke waft over at mealtimes, and booking non-smoking rooms for our stay took a bit of doing too. (2) Heavy mobile phone users : from kids to grannies, even monks in the monasteries ; all have mobile phones and use them at every opportunity. By the end of the trip we were well acquainted with each person's ringtones. So we arrived in Athens at 3.30pm to a bit of drizzle ; and caught a taxi to our hotel. This time we are at the base of Lycabettus Hill, in a less touristy part of town : more the "fashion quarter" but close to the congress centre. Suprisingly everything is more expensive here - previously we were paying about 22 euro for meal and drinks, total. Tonight we had a nice meal of char grilled squid with Fava , and a dish of spinach pie, together with two (330ml instead of 500ml) stubbies of Mythos, and the bill came to 32 euro. Back at the hotel, a nightcap of two ouzos on ice was twice the cost we were paying in Meteora. We may end up going back to the Plaka for meals and using the metro .. On the spur of the moment after tea we cllimbed to the top of Lycabettus Hill. There is an amazing view of all Athens - this is its highest point. Didn't bring the camera so will have to get back up there another night for some shots. We could pick out all the sights we saw last week, and the view of the Acropolis was stunning. Tomorrow Carmel has lectures all day but I am going on a cruise to three of the islands off the coast here - leaves at 7 am so an early start is in order !