November 2, 2008

Athens to Piraeus

We woke up early and got ready. Helen then called the US Embassy and tried to sort out her passport issue. While she continued to work the problem; Didi, Russ, and I headed out to find breakfast. We found a pastry shop and picked up a couple of tasty treats. I picked the spinach and feta in filo and a cherry yogurt. We walked back to the hotel and ate breakfast on the roof. Again we had the Acropolis as our backdrop.





After breakfast, we checked out of the hotel and left our baggage prior to heading out for some touring. We then headed toward the National Gardens. Along the way, we saw Syntagma Square and Parliament. At Parliament we were able to view the Grecian guards at the tomb of the unknowns. We also saw a band and a small parade and many different Grecian traditional costumes. We then meandered through the National Gardens. They are beautiful and well taken care of. Quite peaceful paradise in the middle of the bustling city.


















We continued on to the Presidential Palace where we were able to watch the changing of the guard ceremony. Afterwards we took pictures with the guard. The military officer suggested we stand closer, but don't touch. So I did.















Our next stop was the Zappeion, Hadrian's Arch, and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. All were magnificent and grandiose. We walked around all three and took lots of pictures.





It was then time for lunch. So we headed back to the hotel via Plaka. We found a cafe and picked up sandwiches. I had a tomato and mozzarella sandwich. After picking up our luggage we headed to the metro station to take the train to the Port of Piraeus. While on the train, Russ' cell phone was taken from his backpack. Fortunately, this made him double check all his pants pockets, but unfortunately he found his wallet was also taken from his front cargo pocket. Now with all his money, ATM card, credit card, and drivers license gone, he was unsure how to proceed. He used Helen's phone to call his parents to cancel all of his cards, and we headed out of the train station to find our boat.

We walked a long way to find our boat and check in. After some discussion, it was decided to report the theft to the police. So we had Didi and Helen head to the boat with the luggage while Russell and I ran to the police station. Once there, we were directed to the 4th floor where the report was filed. With a copy of the report we returned to the boat. Along the way, I tried the grilled corn with salt from a street vendor. Quite tasty!

Once on the boat, we headed to our suite - cabin 5108. The room was very spacious. It had a king bed, a double sofa bed, two windows, and a three door closet. It also had a separate bathroom.



After unpacking, we headed up one floor to dinner. The veggie options were limited, but I ended up with raw cabbage and rice, french fries, and bread with butter. Oh, I do love European butter!

After dinner, Russ and I hung out in the room while Didi and Helen went upstairs to the lounge to play cards. At 1 am we went topside to watch us leave the port. We really enjoyed watching the tug, the crew pulling up the anchor and ropes, and the port driver get on this boat. It was very cool, literally and figuratively. It was then off to bed.