Day 24 – Thursday 16th June 2011
As morning broke in, I battled between wanting just a little more sleep and wanting to make sure I had enough time to look around Athens’ attractions before the 3pm closing time.
Standing my ground in the traffic on the way in, I found a little bakery. In Greece there are these simple little things I’ve not seen anywhere else yet: it’s just a bread ring covered in sesame seeds, but for some reason they taste fantastic. Maybe it’s because I’m not used to the taste of sesame seeds – my dad is highly allergic to them so in our family we avoid all things sesame related. It’s nice to be able to enjoy them without threatening dad’s life!
I head straight for the Acropolis. The place is swarming with tourists but I take it as a good sign: it’s open today. I really start to wish I’d brought my university student card with me as I could have got in for half price. I don’t actually know when I “officially” stop being a student, but I’ve been one for long enough that I might as well blag it a bit longer if I can. In fact, the student card isn’t the only card I wish I’d brought... in my rush to get ready to leave the UK, I didn’t throw in my European Health Insurance Card, so I really hope I don’t need to go to hospital at all during this trip. Well, so far so good!
The Acropolis is spectacular. There’s a fair bit of restoration work going on at the moment, hiding some of its glory. It’s absolutely huge. Well, the site itself isn’t particularly big; I’m talking about the structures. The columns built by the Ancient Greeks are massive. The temples to their gods are a work of art, especially the Caryatids (the statues of women which form the pillars of the porch to one of the temples). Up close is a whole different experience to seeing it from afar like yesterday, and it’s well worth it.
Afterwards I take a trip to the Ancient Agora (the ticket to the Acropolis also includes entrance to some of the other sites, like this one). Most of it is in such ruins that the stones which state what building or monument should have been there mean very little. The Thesseion, however, is very impressive, especially since much of it is still in tact.
The sun was very hot and I got through a lot of water. It was time for lunch, so I made my way back to the Smiling Café for another “Hamburg Special” where I leave a little tip because I think it’s just that good! Unfortunately there’s no action this time so I take the opportunity to check out the Parliament building and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Protest banners are still up and some fencing remains from yesterday’s excitement. Traffic flows smoothly (well, as smooth as it gets for Athens) and it looks like a small amount of protesting still occupies the square opposite the Parliament building. It’s 2.45pm so I decide to hang around for the changing of the guard as I’d heard it was an attraction. I didn’t expect much as it’s only the guard changing, as they do every hour...
Man alive! It was like an entertainment show, somewhere between Cirque du Soleil and Monty Python’s “Ministry of Silly Walks”! Forget taking photos, I set the camera to video record mode. Between yesterday’s action and this, a small part of me wonders if it would have been worth bringing my proper video camera with me (but no, it would have been too much weight and the battery would have dies weeks ago).
As the afternoon rolled on, I decided to head back to the campsite. My concentration was starting to fade and I need to be alert for the traffic-dodging.
From the campsite I take a stroll to find an internet café where I continue trying to arrange meeting with people I know in Switzerland and Germany: a free night’s sleep, perhaps even in a proper bed.
Back at the campsite I get chatting with a French couple camped near me. They arrived last night with bikes so I asked where they’ve been: they set off back in March and have been to Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic (among other countries) and have at least a month left before they go back home. Plus, they must be as old as my parents (if not older)! It makes me feel like my trek is a little baby tour in comparison. My only saving grace is that I tend to cycle more miles a day, partly because I’m on my own and partly because I’m younger.
Tomorrow’s ride is a bit of proof: it’s 210 km (about 130 miles) back to Patras and I plan to cycle 140 km of it (80-85 miles). It shouldn’t be too hard considering what I’ve done already in Greece.
Stats
Mileage = 13.61 miles
Riding time = 1 hour 32 minutes
Average speed = 8.8 mph
Top speed = 22.5 mph
Total mileage since start = 1079.6
As morning broke in, I battled between wanting just a little more sleep and wanting to make sure I had enough time to look around Athens’ attractions before the 3pm closing time.Standing my ground in the traffic on the way in, I found a little bakery. In Greece there are these simple little things I’ve not seen anywhere else yet: it’s just a bread ring covered in sesame seeds, but for some reason they taste fantastic. Maybe it’s because I’m not used to the taste of sesame seeds – my dad is highly allergic to them so in our family we avoid all things sesame related. It’s nice to be able to enjoy them without threatening dad’s life!
I head straight for the Acropolis. The place is swarming with tourists but I take it as a good sign: it’s open today. I really start to wish I’d brought my university student card with me as I could have got in for half price. I don’t actually know when I “officially” stop being a student, but I’ve been one for long enough that I might as well blag it a bit longer if I can. In fact, the student card isn’t the only card I wish I’d brought... in my rush to get ready to leave the UK, I didn’t throw in my European Health Insurance Card, so I really hope I don’t need to go to hospital at all during this trip. Well, so far so good!
The Acropolis is spectacular. There’s a fair bit of restoration work going on at the moment, hiding some of its glory. It’s absolutely huge. Well, the site itself isn’t particularly big; I’m talking about the structures. The columns built by the Ancient Greeks are massive. The temples to their gods are a work of art, especially the Caryatids (the statues of women which form the pillars of the porch to one of the temples). Up close is a whole different experience to seeing it from afar like yesterday, and it’s well worth it.Afterwards I take a trip to the Ancient Agora (the ticket to the Acropolis also includes entrance to some of the other sites, like this one). Most of it is in such ruins that the stones which state what building or monument should have been there mean very little. The Thesseion, however, is very impressive, especially since much of it is still in tact.
The sun was very hot and I got through a lot of water. It was time for lunch, so I made my way back to the Smiling Café for another “Hamburg Special” where I leave a little tip because I think it’s just that good! Unfortunately there’s no action this time so I take the opportunity to check out the Parliament building and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.Protest banners are still up and some fencing remains from yesterday’s excitement. Traffic flows smoothly (well, as smooth as it gets for Athens) and it looks like a small amount of protesting still occupies the square opposite the Parliament building. It’s 2.45pm so I decide to hang around for the changing of the guard as I’d heard it was an attraction. I didn’t expect much as it’s only the guard changing, as they do every hour...
Man alive! It was like an entertainment show, somewhere between Cirque du Soleil and Monty Python’s “Ministry of Silly Walks”! Forget taking photos, I set the camera to video record mode. Between yesterday’s action and this, a small part of me wonders if it would have been worth bringing my proper video camera with me (but no, it would have been too much weight and the battery would have dies weeks ago).
As the afternoon rolled on, I decided to head back to the campsite. My concentration was starting to fade and I need to be alert for the traffic-dodging.
From the campsite I take a stroll to find an internet café where I continue trying to arrange meeting with people I know in Switzerland and Germany: a free night’s sleep, perhaps even in a proper bed.Back at the campsite I get chatting with a French couple camped near me. They arrived last night with bikes so I asked where they’ve been: they set off back in March and have been to Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic (among other countries) and have at least a month left before they go back home. Plus, they must be as old as my parents (if not older)! It makes me feel like my trek is a little baby tour in comparison. My only saving grace is that I tend to cycle more miles a day, partly because I’m on my own and partly because I’m younger.
Tomorrow’s ride is a bit of proof: it’s 210 km (about 130 miles) back to Patras and I plan to cycle 140 km of it (80-85 miles). It shouldn’t be too hard considering what I’ve done already in Greece.
Stats
Mileage = 13.61 miles
Riding time = 1 hour 32 minutes
Average speed = 8.8 mph
Top speed = 22.5 mph
Total mileage since start = 1079.6
