We head on down to the basement breakfast buffet, my how things have changed in 24 hours. As we enter the seating area, the tour bus from last night is just finishing up and leaving very little food in the buffet. Who's laughing now? The buffet not quite as stocked as the previous hotel, but good enough to fill up. A brief stop at the lobby to see how the Jays did, another win!!
We hadn't planned the day specifically, we just went out the hotel and started to walk. We bumped into a family from Glasgow who were heading to the Acropolis, we tagged along with them for the steep long hike up to the entrance. A quick purchase of tickets and listening to a lot of complaining about the price. It kind of surprised me because I actually thought the price of admission was quite cheap. Unlike the Powerade like drinks I bought outside the entrance. I'd never heard of the brand but here's hoping it's good because I'm sure it just cost me like 14 bucks. Damn Euro Tourist Traps.
This concert hall is still used today and they're just closing down a concert from a couple days ago.
A rest stop and more overpriced Gatorade before we make our way back down the other side of the hill. A tour through narrow streets and small neighbourhoods. Feels like we're walking through peoples yards really. We turn and head into the small area of Plaka and we love it. Small shops and restaurants. We promised the men trying to get you to their restaurant that we'd be back and it was just too early in the day to eat. They give you business cards and promise you free wine or a free appetizer to get you back. Turns out the business cards work as I used one to get us back there later in the day for some much needed lunch.
We make our way out of Plaka and we're standing in front of the beautiful National Gardens. A tour through the gardens and a view of Parliament later and we're at the door step of the Temple of Zeus.
More massive scale and not a single thing out of place. A lap around to take it all in and we were moving again.
It wasn't me.
Over to the Panathenaic Stadium, it looked big but not 65,000 people big. We take a seat in the first row, rest up a bit and take in some water.
Look at those steps, people must have been tall back then.
We're they greeted by an Australian fellow who begins to rib us jokingly about doing a lap. You don't come from Canada all the way here and don't do a lap. We have a nice chat with the man and he tells us about the time he spent a month in Banff for a holiday around Christmas time one year. Off we go for a lap, Katie lines up and she's off. The stadium is used for the finish line for many marathons including those in the Olympics hosted by Greece. 
We start making our way back to Plaka where we're about to have a fantastic meal and meet one of the funniest waiters, we just don't know it yet. Being in Greece, one has to have some souvlaki. Katie was looking at some old favorites; Pizza or a club sandwich. The waiter and I explain to her that she's in Greece and that she can have that stuff when she goes back home. So we split a Greek Salad and some Souvlaki. We ended the meal with some coffees and introduced to Moscato, a lovely dessert wine that's not sweet. We'll be back in a week and we'll be sure to visit Estia in the heart of Plaka again. Another bonus, across the cobblestone street from the restaurant is a rooftop cinema with a view of the Acropolis. That sounds awesome and we'll have to check that out on the return trip.
We take a nice slow walk back to our Hotel where we walk by the Acropolis museum and that warrants checking out. It's on this walk where I meet one of Athens young citizens trying to get me to buy a flower. Sensing a scam, we quickly moved on and watched our bags. Back at the hotel for a change, a bag check and some free wifi. We ask the front desk for a cab, because we're off to the port so we can take our next adventure. A ferry.
The cab quickly goes through some city streets and we enter what almost feels like a highway. Nothing like we've got here, but highwayish. We head through an Industrial part of town and it feels like Hamilton like. He asks us again where we're going, we respond "The Port" and he starts getting a bit frustrated with us. "Where from port are you going?" Ohhhh, Crete. He nods and says Ferries. Turns out he had a good reason to ask, we'd learn on our return trip that the port is actually 40 KM's long. He stops outside the great boat and then proceeds to tell us, that because the Hotel called for the cab that there is a $7 charge for that. Jacking the rate from 10 to 17 bucks. Very confused and feeling ripped off, we throw the money over the seat. He hands us our bags and leaves. Turns out the fee is actually legit, but either way, just start the meter at $7 if that's the case.
It's a bit early so we've got to hang about on the dock waiting for boarding. We took the walk up the ramp with the fellow passengers only to be told we've got a reservation and not tickets, NEXT! Katie and I share a look in a bit of a panic. Where do we get tickets? He then nicely and calmly says, oh just outside the boat at the travel centre. Off Katie goes for what seems like forever as I'm standing there with the luggage and everyone is wondering, what's with this guy? She comes back waving tickets in hand and the man smiles, scans and gives us the go ahead. We look up the long escalator ride at our next adventure.
Welcome to deck 8, air seats, please turn left here. We cut through a door and we're left looking at the concrete and steel patio looking deck that is 8. Uncomfortable looking patio chairs and tables are all over the deck and it's already a bit chilly. I can't imagine what this is going to feel like at 2:00 AM. We take a seat and tuck away our luggage beside us in a corner, we look back at the city and take in the views. I think to myself, this is going to be a very long cold journey to Crete. Already fidgety, I get up and go for a walk and to see what this boat has to offer. Turns out, a lot. In the summer season, this must be a party boat. Pools, bars, restaurants, stores, cafes. It's got it all. I come back and grab Katie and explore what I've found so far, we can leave the bags because there is next to no one on the boat yet. We come back and take a seat and I start to people watch. I keep seeing people come through the door that we did and then disappear through another. We go and check it out and we're quickly asked for our tickets.
Katie shows them and we're taken to our seats in a large indoor room, with carpet, airplane like seating, except bigger and with way more room. A couple of televisions and more importantly, shelving to store luggage. Ahhhhh. There we go, this is muuuuch better and will make for a way more comfortable ride. We grab our bags and stretch out for a bit as we've got a couple hours before departure. Just before it's time to go, we head to the back and watch it all happen and Athens slowly gets smaller in our rear view.
Back to our seats, Katie stretches out and proceeds to read. I lay back and people watch. The seniors, the young travellers, the families and the lady transporting birds in a cage. Wait what?
This ferry ride is an all nighter, so we'll close out this chapter on that note.
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