Athens

Up early with packing on our mind. Last evening on the ship was delightful.

Beautiful sunny day with clear blue sky. Checking out was smooth and the taxi transfer Mercedes, was waiting with our name on a paper. Our luggage carried by a nice porter from the Pireaus docks, handover to the taxi driver, dressed in his finest. We were at the airport by 930 am which was to be our pick up time! It was great.

Room at Sofitel was not ready yet, but they gave us information at the Concierge, helped us with printing our boarding passes and arranging seats. We changed our minds and went to airport departure for Lufthansa and changed again, more boarding passes. Back to hotel and rooms ready. We keep running in to many of the lovely folks we met on the cruise. I love international travel!

By ten thirty our room was ready, on line with free wifi and bags in our air conditioned spotless and beautiful room. We made a decision to go to town.

I investigated a designer from Greece whose clothes I love and I have seen in many of the finer shops in Greece. I discovered her last year. At any rate, with google, a map and determination, we set out on an adventure. We took the metro from the airport terminal. No problems, direct to center of town where we had met the transfer for the one day cruise, in front of the Hotel Grande Bretagne. This is a local landmark and right across the corner from the Parliament buildings and changing of the guard on the hour!

It is all familiar to me, to my surprise from being here last September. We followed the map some and noticed some other landmarks. We found the designer shop and I had my iPhone so took a picture and when I get home I will try to post it on this blog. The wifi only allows one computer to be complimentary.

Ioanna Kourbela. Check it out! Also loved Harris Cotton and saw a few of those shops and another designer we spent some time with today in his shop. Buying nothing, we stopped for mom to have a Greek coffee and bread drizzled with olive oil, and we shared a bottle of mineral water, Greek olives and feta cheese in olive oil. Same place I had stopped at with Steve, Sarah and Sergei last fall. Same owner on site, and same sunny weather. Next to a beautiful old church still undergoing renovations.

After a few more pictures, a post on Facebook, and feeling a bit refreshed and relaxed away from the crowds, we began our journey back. We stopped at a bead shop, and I remembered the one thing on my list to purchase this trip was worry beads, komboloy. Just a few Euros, and a piece of history. The sales guy gave us a card explaining a bit of the history. He had followed me around the store…. And then pointed us in the direction of the Metro and we were on our way, retracing our steps back. We did not get lost in Athens.

Success. We are now back at the hotel, arranging luggage contents again, and drinking water. We have an early flight and are ready for the adventure home.