So as we had to use our bus passes in 48 hrs we did the other route today. These routes took us to the Coastal areas. 14kms away from downtown. We did get lucky, the green and the pink lines were combined and left from the Acropolis terminus, instead of having to get off in the middle of nowhere and transfer.
The weather was not as hot and sunny as yesterday which made for better walking but rather a windy trip on the bus. This route took us through the area that was used for the Olympics, and it appeared that perhaps these facilities were carved out of virgin land, there is nothing there now except the facilities, and as Greece has abandoned them due to the crisis they are now very tatty and forlorn. Now they look worse as they have just dropped the Syrian refugees into the mix.
As we arrived back at the terminus earlier than planned that left time for a browse around the souvenir stores in the touristy Acropolis area. Doreen saw a pretty little Grecian urn (no jokes please about what does a Greek earn!) and when the owner of the store said "100 euros but there is a discount down to 80" she remembered the same urn costing 129 at a store near the hotel, it was a done deal.
Now we know what the City looks like and where the sights are all we have to do for the next few days is explore the ones we want to see. Went to a little hole in the wall place to eat last night - Kokkinos Krinos - wonderful food, not fancy but plenty and the right price 28 euros for two with a half litre of wine $42. The Geek salad was memorable.
Impressions of Athens so far: few if any beggars, only a couple of middle-class people foraging in the bins for cans, the streets cleaner than expected but the overall impression was one of a lot of dingy 50s/60s building that have seen better days. No protests yet considering that the |Parliament shafted the people on Sunday.
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