Day 26 – 27
I did nothing but lay by the pool today as it’s most likely the last sunny day I’ll have in Greece before heading home. Rain is expected for the next few days while I’m in Athens so I’m hoping it won’t be a Vancouver downpour as I still need to visit the Acropolis.
The ferry to Athens is smooth sailing as the wind is gone and there aren’t even any whitecaps. What a change from the other day. Thank God!! I don’t know if I could have handled a bumpy ride for three hours.
My taxi driver, Petros, picks me up at the port and immediately after we leave, he admits he’s broken the law to avoid the long line-up of cars exiting from another ferry. He noticed the port authority had left and has exited through the entrance. I laugh and tell him he’s in trouble now because I am the police. “I follow the law! The police here do nothing.” He goes on a tangent of how ineffective the police are here and he doesn’t blame them as they get paid very poorly. Most join the police force only because of the job stability and though they make a miserly salary, at least they’re making a salary. His taxi’s window was smashed last week and he called the police to report the incident and was told, “Don’t bother calling us. Call your insurance.” Petros said he figured this would be the case but thought they might want the information for crime statistics. Apparently not.
We talk about the driving practices here and he says the rule of thumb is “If your car will fit, you go!” And the only way you’re going to obtain a driving licence is to bribe the licensing employees or you’ll fail despite displaying perfect driving skills.
As we near my hotel, we see the road is closed with crime tape but everyone is driving under it while the police look on. I ask Petros what’s happening and he says there’s a protest so he will have to find a different way to the hotel. “You see? They do nothing!” And he’s not wrong. The policemen are standing on the corner smoking while traffic chaos and honking horns surrounds them. We make it to my hotel through some back alleys and we say our goodbyes.
My room has been upgraded and when I walk in, I see the Acropolis lit up on the hill. What a great way to end my trip in Athens with a view of the Parthenon.
This morning I get up early as I want to beat the crowds and rain at the Acropolis. It opens at 8am and my plan is to arrive and get up to the Parthenon before anyone else so I can have at least one photo without tourists milling around. I race up the hill and although I’m sweating and panting like I’ve run 10km, I manage to get my photo. Now I can take my time and explore. The things I do…ridiculous.
A bonus of arriving early is that I can witness the changing of the flag ceremony at the top. This wasn’t mentioned in any of my research so it’s a happy accident. As I’m coming down the flagstone stairs I see a young Asian guy climbing up the rocks instead of following the path. A site volunteer says “Sir! You must stay on the path!” The guy jumps down, lands on the side of his ankle and immediately falls to the ground yelling. Good lord. He’s moaning and rolling around while the volunteer looks on not impressed. I shake my head and continue on.
I head to the Monument of the Unknown Soldier to await the changing of the guard. Along the way I see two big buses with metal cages over the windows and police in riot gear standing on the sidewalk. Is something happening or is this normal? Maybe they’re expecting more protests. I don’t approach as they look like they don’t want to be messed with, so continue on.
The Monument of the Unknown Soldier is guarded by two soldiers wearing beige tights, a fitted jacket with a skirt-like hem, shoes that have nails on the soles and black pompoms on the toes. They perform synchronized movements and bang the soles of their shoes on the marble. Petros told me last night they do this to announce they are still there to the unknown soldier.
It starts to sprinkle rain so I hide under a tree to wait it out before going to hunt for an umbrella. I didn’t even bring a rain jacket this trip so I’m not prepared for the wet weather. I find a cheapy at a newsstand and it’ll do.
Time for my PCR Covid test in preparation for the my flight home. The young guy at the medical centre near my hotel, Jorges, is super organized and I have my paperwork and priority number within minutes. Jorges tells me Canadians are his favourite kind of people and he congratulates me on traveling solo. “I want to travel on my own too. When you travel on you’re own you are open to meeting people. Like how we’re having this conversation right now.” I wholeheartedly agree.
The test is less painful and invasive than the one I had at home and I’m relieved that’s done with. The results should be emailed to me by tonight so hopefully it’s negative. Although I have to admit, if I have to stay longer in Greece, I won’t be shattered. I wish Jorges luck on his future travels and he wishes me a safe journey home.
The skies open up and it’s a torrential downpour. My little umbrella isn’t much help and I can feel my back getting wet. The stone streets are filling with water and I splash my way to a lunch spot, Bairaktaris-Sigalas Taverna. It’s known for its amazing gyros and I need a dry place to wait out the rain. I order a plate of pork gyro and when it arrives, I have enough food for three! I’m going to have the meat sweats for a week. There must be an entire pig on my plate! I don’t want to waste food, so I eat until I’m stuffed and then the owner brings me a complimentary dessert. I have to be a good guest, so I cram yet more food down my throat and roll myself out of the tavern in search of a nap.
The deluge is over quickly and although the streets are still wet and the trees dripping, it’s pleasant weather. Athens doesn’t have the wind I’ve been experiencing the last couple of weeks so the temperature is a comfortable 25 Celsius. I wander the streets and find scads of graffiti and murals, a crazy cafe called Little Kook that is all decked out for Halloween, a flea market and random ruins mixed in with modern buildings.
The rain starts again and I head back to the hotel for the evening. I’m tired of lugging my camera bag around and I want to be up early again tomorrow to visit the Ancient Agora right at 8am before the crowds. I receive my Covid test results and it’s negative. I fill out the ArriveCAN info but it won’t let me complete it. What the hell?! It says it’s not within the 72 hours so I have to wait to submit it. Oh Christ, don’t tell me I’ve taken the Covid test too early! I was sure I had figured it out right and now I’m stressing. Shit!! Well, I’m just going to have to chance it. Hopefully I’ve either calculated properly or I’ll have to pay again to get one done at the airport. I should’ve just waited until tomorrow. What…an…idiot.
