"Athens" a Athens Travel Page by l_joo

Athens by train
Athens is so hot when I visit in September days. As hot as a tropical country. To get to Athens my way is not easy as I needed 2 half days to get there with ferry and train. However the ferry was wonderful by sailing through the Adriatic Sea so that able to see the shore of another side probably Croatia and Albania.

On arrival at the port of Patrai, I took a train one whole morning to reach Athens and it was so hot. Quite a bit of shock the moment when I see Athens, shouldn’t this city look-alike Italy or France. The entire visual and outlook completely changed, into a very tropical maybe or sorry to say, less attractive than France or Italy in terms of Capitalism and modernism. But that certainly is a small matter, what I concerned is I already step foot on Athens, the place where Mr. Socrates and his super students, all used to live and prosper. This is also the place where the Greek Demo-Kratos (Democracy) began.

At the photo above, Joo was on Acropolis soil by stepping on those ancient Greek stones. This photo was taken by a Japanese tourist just like me walking alone to see Acropolis We met at the entrance after he asked me for small change.

Greek music
I don't know much about Greece or Athens but after this trip I want to study more. Athens looks dry and hot definitely. I learnt some Greek pronunciation from a local boy name Giorgos where he told me Hellas was the country's actual name. Well, he also told me the government here is ‘***e up’. I asked him what he can tell me regarding his country. Without thinking twice, he replied me with that together with long complaints. He speaks a mouthful of fluent English. We tattled so many topics until he wants to offer me to listen to his favorite music. What is that, I asked. He quickly pulls out a CD from his bag, it’s a ‘Greek’ music called Metalica (the black album).

Supermarket & shopping
T-shirts printed with Socrates’ famous quote are almost anywhere. Greek made products are also abundant especially cigarettes. I bought some with me as souvenirs. Supermarket has one so far I found, a pack of coffee in Greek is my total consume.

Tickets
Travel agents are not that hard to locate, there’s a road full of travel agents. I got my ferry ticket from there, the counter lady speaks good English.

5-star luxurious rooftop hotel
Two guys came to me the moment I hopped off from the train. As I was on backpack, they quickly aimed at me, one of them start asking ‘do you want a budget stay at our hotel?” I said I want the cheapest and they said okay, which is a free open space on the rooftop sharing with a group of backpackers. That cost me real cheap, less than 5 Dollars US. There’s no locker nothing, just an empty rooftop directly under the hot sun. Wow, I take it. Where in the world can you enjoy such a wonderful top class sleeping together with worldwide tourists? Of course during daytime we only leave the backpack there until nighttime we put on the sleeping bag to start the crazy party.