Text 10481, 108 rader
Skriven 2007-01-13 11:22:27 av Glen Jamieson
Ärende: East European travel 14
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East European journey, 2006 (14)

28/09/06  Thursday, Athens

Breakfast at the hostel, then Nora and Bill needed to shop for wine
(Boutaris), eventually finding some at a good price in a local
supermarket, and obsolete half-price Olympic games Tee-shirts. We had
lunch at an excellent restaurant, To Xani (Roadside Inn) in the Plaka,
where the walls were decorated with many family photographs, including
the proprietor's Filipino god-father, and some famous singers.  I was
a little uncertain about the wine, so I was given a free full glass to
try, before deciding on the house red (E3.50 for 1/2 litre).  Veal
tsakis, Lamb souvlaki, fried meat balls, roast chicken and potato -
all very well prepared and served.

Bill and Nora finished packing, then I accompanied them to the
Akropolis station, from whence they departed to the airport, leaving
just Lester and me.

While Lester did some more shopping, I walked to Hadrian's Arch and
the nearby remains of the temple of Olympian Zeus, then on to the 4th
century, Panathenaic Stadium, which was restored for the 1896 Olympic
Games, and used again for the archery competition and marathon finish
in the 2004 Games.  The 70,000 seats, of Pentelic marble would not
have been very comfortable, but the spectators were expected to be
tough as well as the athletes.

During the late afternoon I walked back towards the Akropolis, where
the centre of the main entrance road was filled with about 80 small
bookshops.  Alongside the road was a temporary building bearing a
sign, "New Palestinian Museum of Natural History and Mankind".
Intrigued, I entered, to see an exhibition of old olive tree bits,
oils, leaves and history discourses.  Also there was the attendant, a
retired KLM security officer, and his friend, an elderly professor who
was writing a book on the Delphi.  They engaged me in a long
conversation, during which they dwelt for some time on the "Axis of
Evil", which turned out to be the Bush - Blair coalition.  The most
demonic of these was Blair, as he had refused to return the Elgin
Marbles to the Parthenon.  Bush came in by association with Blair.  We
also discussed the future of humanity, olives, oil and my unfortunate
omission in not going to Delphi, where, I was told, religion began.

Eventually escaping, I returned to the Hostel for a E5 roast chicken
with mushroom sauce dinner.  As I had earlier bought a bottle of
Boutari red wine, I told the Australian Hostel manager my doctor had
prescribed medicine for my arteries, and asked if it was possible to
consume it with my meal.  He glanced down at where I had the wine
bottle in my bag, and told me that it was not really Hostel policy to
allow booze to be brought in, but as they only sold beer and spirits,
he wouldn't mind if I was discreet about it.  When I got my dinner
from the barman I mentioned the bottle I had, so he gave me a glass of
water with my meal.

As I ate, I chatted to the nice Spanish girl at the same table, and
while she looked away I drained my water and quickly refilled the
glass with wine.  She expressed some surprise when she looked back and
saw it, but I said it was just a gift it had, to turn water into wine.
She didn't quite believe me.   The wine was quite good, and assisted
me to sleep, as it was an 8 to a room dormitory.

29/09/06  Friday, Athens departure

Final packing, Hostel breakfast, and Lester and I left the Hostel at
0920, and took the Metro from Akropoli station to Syntagma, where we
changed to the 0954 airport train, arriving at 1045.  Checking in to
the KLM counter was somewhat involved, as I had decided to send my
back pack with my suitcase, but because it had straps, it had to go
through a separate Counter 77.  As I was spending less than 24 hours
at any airport between Athens and Adelaide, I checked my luggage all
the way, keeping my fingers crossed that it would all come together at
the end. Boarding was at 1400.

KL 1576 ATH AMS 1430 1705 737/800 22C

Catering was slightly better than on other KLM flights - a soft, warm
roll, a fish paste thing with an olive, a Happy Cow cream cheese and
crackers, and a very sweet iced cream cake - and a small pencil.  The
wine was better - a Do¤a Dominga 2005 Chilean Cab Sav Merlot.

Arriving at Amsterdam only slightly behind schedule, I had 4 hours to
kill, so wandered around the airport until I met Lester, who had
travelled from Athens on an earlier flight.  He was staying longer in
Amsterdam, so left me at the airport.  I noted that there was a
remarkable range of porno books and magazines on display at the
airport bookshop.

The departure time of my flight was delayed a half hour, due to
"problems with the air-conditioning", so I whiled away some more time
looking over an exhibition of paintings which at some time or another
had been attributed to Rembrandt.

KL 837 AMS SIN 2150 1535 747/400

Dinner again included the same Do¤a Dominga red, this time with some
rather nice smoked salmon, but placed on mayo and cabbage.  Heinz
chicken Panyang sauce - awful, and a bitter almond tart.  A fortune
cookie contained a paper with its message written in German, Dutch and
English.   I refused the offer of midnight noodles, and had a fair,
but forgettable breakfast.
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                                                     

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 * Origin: Braintap BBS Adelaide Australia (3:800/449)