Day 28: Athens, 20°☔️🌦️⛈️

Honey!🍯

Dinner out last night was simple and enjoyable. A restaurant in our neighbourhood.

This morning was all about simply walking around, seeing what we might and not being too concerned about a destination. We found a few gems in the process.

Near to the arch was a honey festival! This was the last day, so talk about lucky! We were able to sample honey from all over the country. Every booth was offering tastes even after I explained that I couldn’t take it home.

From the honey market we walked towards the public markets which are always fun in the morning! Lots of sea food items and other agricultural goods.

Fortunately when the skies opened up and thunder shook the air we had just moments before taken cover for a tasty break!

A Few Greek Observations:

• Nothing is ever really finished in Greece. Buildings, roads, sidewalks… I think it comes along with being a very ancient land. Also part of what I find endearing about the country.
• People generally walk in the streets because the sidewalks aren’t usually very good or passable. The tourists generally try to stick to the sidewalks!😂
• Delightful archeological sites. Though not as good as those in Turkey, they are still pretty good.
• So many one-way streets! Google loves these and will place you in the middle of them without a clear pathway out!🤬
• Cats everywhere are much healthier these days and locals look after them really well!❤️
• Poor plumbing is still the norm. TP still not to be put into the toilets.
• Turn on water heaters before showering, but make sure to turn off before you get in the shower!!⚡️
• Hot chocolate is a thing now and the one mug of dark hot chocolate I enjoyed was excellent!
• Athens has a much better walking infrastructure now with no vehicle traffic allowed on certain streets in the city centre. A huge improvement!
• Honey is everywhere and in everything!❤️
• Tomatoes are still wonderful! I didn’t know what a tomato really was supposed to taste like until I arrived here in 1975. I strive for this at home in my own garden, but tomatoes are a tropical fruit that loves heat. I keep trying though!🙂
• Economy seems much more positive than it was the last time I visited 9 years ago. Happy for the Greeks.
• Tips were vocally asked for in only a couple of the many restaurants we sat down in. The waiters don’t quite understand the process yet. That’s understandable because the Americans tip here like they do at home. As a result, if they think you are American they might ask for a tip.🙄
• Food and lodgings are more expensive, but that’s the same everywhere. Restaurants are still good value compared to in Canada. Apartments are a good choice here, but our penthouse suite was a lovely experience!
• I learned once again that as much as I like Greek cookery that I can still get a bit tired of it.😅 Heavy focus on meat. Thankfully there is lots of seafood and the salads are great! And you can always find a good Italian restaurant to change things up a bit.
• October can be a very good month to travel in Greece if you have a strategy. 
• That said, there were more tourists than expected particularly in the main centres (Chania & Athens).
• it’s still fun to walk around in Athens. I have always felt safe here, even very late at night. 
• Crazy numbers of smokers and vaping types even now. People, please wake up!
• The beer is good here!🍻
• Still using plastic bags and straws everywhere. What’s that about? 
• Only found industrial rice pudding. A sad change. I think you need to get to know someone’s grandma here. ☹️
• Can still get traditional dishes with real potatoes!🥔 But you have to ask. The traditional food on Crete is very good!
• In most ways Crete remains different from the rest of the country. A great experience!
• Driving here remains a bit challenging in some places, but it is still always fun and remains the best option for getting around! Beware, Google Maps will try to screw you up for sure! 
• Prices to visit archaeological sites have soared. Still worth seeing and the € support their maintenance! 

• We did well with our late-season weather. Just bits and pieces of rain. No problem.  
• The Greeks are still pretty welcoming, and so much more English is spoken. All the younger generation speak English.
• People are delighted when they hear we are from Canada. “So far away!”
• Building are often left unfinished on the top. In some countries they do this to reduce the taxes they pay on incomplete buildings. Perhaps here too?
• you can come here and get away from most of the Trump BS! He’s not liked here either.🙂

Night Photos:

I always try to take night shots. Even when I carried a film camera or a DSLR camera. The cameras on my iphone make this process so much easier and no tripod is required!

From the opposite side…

As we walked to the metro to go out to the airport and on to our hotel I took a last couple of photos.

It’s been a wonderful travel. I was concerned that having visited Greece fairly often that it would feel sort of same, same. It’s why I generally like to go to new places. However, I needn’t have been concerned. Almost every day was filled with new experiences and vistas. I had the break I needed and I can return home to resume my responsibilities.

Thanks for coming along! The messages I received are always appreciated. I’m not sure when my next wander will occur. If my father remains healthy then there is a good chance I’ll be walking somewhere again in the spring. Spring = flowers and renewal. I will be considering my options in the coming months. A nice winter project for this retired guy!

Time to get some sleep. A 4:10 wake-up isn’t very far off.😵‍💫 We fly to Munich with a four hour layover there to get breakfast in an airport lounge. Rob will be pleased.😅 I wonder what onboard movies Lufthansa has playing on the direct flight to Vancouver?

Cheers!❤️

Geoff🍻