I'm on the road - Sofia a morning memory, the Acropolis on the fly this afternoon, and now a smoky internet cafe on a side street off a spur off Omonia Square.
I'll work backwards ...
Uneventful flight Sofia>Athens, seen off by big and little Chilov men - with a cup of tea overlooking the tarmac and explicit instructions about which one of the 4 gates would be mine. Passport control perfunctory - as easy to leave Bulgaria as it was to enter.
Olympic Airlines threadbare, un-gussied up for the carrier of an Olympic host country. Crummy seats with the carpet puckering and tearing, surly stewardesses, no in flight magazine and "Business Class" consisting of a tray wedged in the middle seat of a three-seat row.
Had thought to take a taxi to hotel but pushed towards thriftiness by the tourist info woman who gave directions for a bus then metro - for just 2 euros. Felt like a traveling champ, Let's Go veteran as I watched the tourists in their cabs go by while I waited for my overcrowded bus - me, the dishevelled backpackers and the less fortunate locals.<
No incidents en route to Hotel Rio. A prretty outside, an unfathomable name, and tiny room with two tiny beds and a hospital tv suspended above. Hand shower and no pulls on the drawers - but clean! safe! and you can walk to the Acropolis! (This may well be the selling point for all Athens hotels, I recall it being championed by each I considered).
Awed that a 12 euro ticket covers all the ruins, and I managed about 90% in 2+ hours. Which is really shocking-in-a-bad way but, with only 18 hours Athens, better than no ruins at all. Metamorfossis - zoom, Agii Apostoli - zoom, Stoa of Attalus - zoom and upwards to the giants of the show. Heart stopping to finally see the Parthenon and Temple of Dionysis.
They do not disappoint and the Parthenon columns do bell out at the bottom -it's all there just like the school books said. Also whizzed through a museum of statues and fragments - wrenchingly beautiful animals and the toes of a warrior - beautiful beautiful toes.
Photographede as I went - the view out over Athens, the clouds hovering over the Aegean, the Temple in silhouette as the sun sank on ancient - blah blah.
Since the Acropolis closed (5:30 with whistles) I've wandered Athen's streets and alleys. Withstood the temptations of mashelas, prayers beads, marble relics, crap jewelry, Olympics 2004 leftovers and traditional blouses. Did not buy Ruslan a Greek soccer shirt but tempted by the lovely light blue colors.
Sort of nice city - reminds me of Turkey with the smell of olive treas and doner kebabs. Olive trees everywhere - with olives!
Back to this morning - and the days since I left NYC.
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