So before getting back from the show last night we arranged with Phil and Laila to meet in the morning at 8:30am at the top of the Metro steps to go up to see the Acropolis early on before it got too hot in the day. We were in the lobby at 8:30 but it wasn't looking like Phil and Laila were awake as a couple of messages and texts went unanswered. We headed out on our own a couple of Metro stops to the Acropolis station and stopped at a small cafe to get some breakfast. Like in most major cities there were pigeons all around coming up to us on the floor looking for scraps of break, i kept pushing my foot out and scaring them away. However there were also little sparrow type birds that were even braver than the pigeons, these would land on the table we were sat at and wait for scraps. Kami was all “oooohhs” and “awwwws” at the little birds and wanted to feed them, however she didn't have to they fed themselves! I was looking away at the time when i heard this almighty screech and looked up and saw Kami jumping back in her plastic lawn chair with huge shocked expression on her face. What happened i asked ? “didn't you see it she said” See what ? one of the birds had flow and landed on the table and then flown up right into her face as she was eating her cheese and ham pasty, landed on the pasty and tried to eat some!! i laughed as she turned the pasty round and refused to eat that side!
We made our way up to the Acropolis and purchased a combination ticket Which allowed us to see all the sights around but didn't include the new museum. Its clever what the Greek have done, a lot of the things you see around the acropolis are re constructions and they've put the originals in the museum and then charge you extra to get into the museum.
Reconstructed statues, originals in the museum
It was already getting hot even though it was early in the morning, we took the steepest and “worst” route to walk up to the top but it was worth it.
Kami breaking the wall Amphitheatre VIP seats!
Took us about 45 minutes to get to the top of the hill, we Kept stopping on the way up to take pictures and also look at the hundreds of wild cats that roam in the grounds.
Full Album of pictures below:
After spending an hour or so up the top we made our way down to the bottom, we didn't take any water up with us and there were no refreshment areas on the way up or at the top, this was great in a way as the whole area is VERY clean and we didn't see a single plastic bottle or plastic wrapper. There were water fountains at the top with warm and not so nice tasting water coming out though! When you walk back down your taken a different route to when you walk up, as we got towards the bottom there was a sign that said “frozen lemonade” with an arrow pointing to the left. we (and almost everyone else) headed towards it and ordered one straight away. It was a little cabin that had probably 12 to 15 ice making machines with Strawberry, Orange and Lemonade frozen ice. We did as everyone else did and ordered one without even asking the price, 4.50 Euros was a bit expensive but nobody seemed to care, it was THE most refreshing drink i think I've ever had. In the time we sat outside to drink it i counted at least 30 people walking away with them in their hands, if they think Greece is broke and their economy is bad they should try asking the guy that owns that stand, he isn't doing too bad at all!
We headed towards the new museum they've had built and its a fantastic new building. As you walk towards the entrance there's huge areas of glass on the floor that you walk over and as you see though below you see all the ruins that they found as they were excavating to build the museum! Apparently they are hoping within 12 months time they will open it up and you’ll be able to walk around them underneath.
Glass floors at the Museum entrance Ruins below the museum site Should be able to walk round soon
We spent a good hour in the museum before meeting up with Phil and Laila who had got up late and made their way down to the museum. We were ready to head back to the hotel to chill out for a while as it was getting pretty hot, not before Kami getting some postcards and me having some ice cream though.
I lounged up on the rooftop pool for a few hours in the afternoon, Kami sat in the shade and wrote her post cards and we both just relaxed. Phil and Laila made their way over later on in the afternoon and we arrange to meet up to go out for dinner at 8pm
My view for the afternoon Tanning my legs Kami writing postcards
We met at the top of the metro steps, took the metro a couple of stops to a place where Phil and Laila had eaten earlier in the day. It was just a long street full of restaurants and bars and we did a little bar hopping along the way before settling down to eat at one we thought looked ok (and it was) AT the second bar we stopped at within 5 minutes of sitting there we saw two of the waiters come rolling out of the door fighting with each other! other staff came out, broke it up and held the two guys back from each other. it was a lot more entertaining than the classical guitarist that was employed by the bar to serenade people outside. 2 minutes later the two guys came out again, one shirtless this time and trying to take swipes at each other while the others holding them back! we joked how tonight's entertainment should have been written on the chalk board outside where it said happy hour and had the drinks menu! The guitarist didn't see the entertainment side either and went into the bar on his knees pleading with them to stop! he was shown the door pretty quick as was one of the guys who had been fighting and from what we could tell he’d been either fired or asked to go home for the night!
The food was fantastic but as with most Greek food, its served late and always lukewarm, never hot. They don't understand the concept of serving food so everyone can eat together or that people might like food hot when its arrived! they must either not cook it too long or it sits on the top waiting to be served a while before its actually brought to the table, I'm thinking the latter as the food is always cooked and does taste fantastic!
Kami and I Laila and Kami Our mixed grill
We left the restaurant around 11:30 and walked back to the hotel, took us around 30 minutes to walk back, would have been longer if any of us dare have gone in the fountain that looked ever so refreshing to have gone in! Phil dunked his head in but that was as far as anyone was going.
Kami, Laila and Phil by the fountains
