1980 Αθήνα/Athína/Athens (8/9-13/1980)

Saturday, August 9. 1980

A young fellow inquired for a seat for an old man in the corridor, but the old man declined it. So Kathy was given the seat, and Terry and I managed to sit on our bags. Slept uncomfortably since people kept trooping to the toilet. Finally got seats in Barletta, so for a couple hours we were fairly comfortable. Had a breakfast of a few cookies and water. Arrived in Brindisi about 09:30 and began the red-tape trek to Greece. First went to a travel agency to buy the tickets, now nearly $30 round-trip.

Ticket jacket for Greece

We had to pay partly in Belgian money because we didn't have enough Italian currency. Then we went to a money exchange place to change the rest of our Belgian money into lire to pay the port taxes. Next we went to the ship company office to pay the port tax and get our boarding passes/embarkation papers (about $5 each).

Port Tax

Embarkation Fee

Next we went to customs to get our passports stamped. Then we were told to return to the shipping office at 12:30. We had an hour yet, so Terry and I went shopping, and then we had a lunch of Schweppes orange soda and prosciutto sandwiches, and Italian chocolate. Terry cashed one of her travelers’ cheques for Greek money, and Kathy for Italian money at a money exchange window near customs. Terry and I went to the office at 12:30, and they just told us we were all set and could board at 18:00. The boat was to leave at 20:00. We settled in the shade and snacked on Chipsters. We were approached by a New Zealander (Robin) who admitted to being attracted to Orientals. His brother married a Japanese girl, and he was engaged to one. Had a long conversation before he went to check his bags and go for a walk. We joined the lines to the restroom, and then went to the dock. The main gate to the docks was locked, so we had to walk all the way back to customs where we walked in the back way. Settled in the shade again to wait the several hours before boarding. At 17:30 they started handing out customs cards to fill out and the crowds started gathering at the starting gate. There was some confusion as to the need of boarding passes, but last year’s experience told me that we did not need them. Just before 18:00, they started letting us board the ship "Appia."

The "Appia"

They had cut down the number of checkpoints. First they checked our passports and took our embarkation cards. Then once inside and up the stairs, they took our customs cards and stamped our passports into Greece. And finally someone checked our tickets and we were free to find a corner to crawl into. Almost immediately we found a corner of the deck with a roof over it, and we grabbed three wooden chairs and settled in. People came and went, probably finding choicer spots, but we stayed. Eventually we were joined by an American couple (the fellow said he was Filipino) and an assortment of three Spanish fellows, and one bald loner. Before we were due to leave we noticed the long line of cars waiting to board and we figured we would leave late. We ate some peaches, and later a dinner of hot dogs and bread. At 20:30 cars were still arriving at the dock to be loaded! We finally departed just after 21:00, or 22:00 Greek time. (The ship was on Greek time.) We explored the ship to find the restrooms with showers, the couple of bars, large lounge area with TVs, a restaurant, a cafeteria, a duty-free shop, money-exchange booth, gift shop and a swimming pool! Also the observation area with the "airline" seats you could rent. Came back to our deck chairs to sleep.

Sunday, August 10, 1980

Got quite cool and breezy, and dewy. We found the chairs weren't so comfortable, so we stretched out right on the deck.

Kathy and Terry sleeping on deck

Awoke at 07:00, and saw them cleaning out the swimming pool. Terry and Kathy awoke much later, and we had a breakfast of pears and cookies. Also had a tropical flavored punch which had a strange taste like certain hard candies. Sat back in our deck chairs and dozed, watching Greek islands slide by and admiring the blue Ionian Sea. About 12:00, we had a lunch of gelatinned beef sandwiches and peaches with tomato juice. Washed up somewhat, and then began placing bets on when we would arrive. Arrived at about 14:30, and headed straight for the train station. There we were told that the next train to Athens left at 17:00 and that we did not need boarding passes. So Kathy and I went looking for groceries, and only got three cans of PC Cola. We finished off our pears and peaches, and then we bought some cookies and sesame seed candy to take on the train. Listened to the conversation of an Israeli, an American, and a guy with a British accent and a Eurailpass. Also a California girl who got separated from her brother and sister, a Hebrew conversation with fingers pointed our way (?), and a toothless old Greek selling sunglasses and the group of northern Europeans trying to bargain with him. Our train didn't actually come until 17:25, and there was a confusing announcement in English saying that the passengers should board the last two cars of the six-car train. The train had 8 cars, but we dutifully crowded into the last two cars. A conductor then shooed us out into the fifth and sixth cars. We discovered some people had gotten seat reservations (for free with their Eurailpasses?) and so we stood in the corridor waiting for the seats to be taken, and we would take any free ones. The conductor waved us into car #5 and gave us some seats.

Greece train ticket

Kathy and Terry sat across from a Filipino father and son, and I sat with two Greek kids, one studying from an English phrase book. He only tried a couple words with me. One offered me a shish kebob he had bought from the vendor who had been going up and down through the train selling drinks, coffee, and these shish kebobs. A while later a very old man sat with us and he spoke some English. At 20:00, he promised it was only one hour more to Athens. At Corinth a seat was freed up across the aisle from Terry and Kathy and I took it, now sitting across from a Japanese father and son team studying their guidebooks and Thomas Cook Timetables. Much more than an hour had passed, but we still hadn't reached Athens. A couple of guys went through the train, handing out brochures on youth hostels. One was very close to the station, so upon arriving at about 22:30, we went straight there. Took three beds in a four-bed room for 100 drachmas each (the brochure made it sound like 100 drachmas per room and I had figured that to be about $6 per person, but at 100 drachmas each, it was about $25 each until I refigured it to be $2.50 each!) The beds were hard and came with one sheet and a pillow, in a stuffy hot room. The hot shower as promised by the brochure had only cold water. The shower just outside our room appeared to be the only one in the hostel, except for an outdoor one for the roof people (for only $1.25 you could sleep on the roof). Our shower seemed to have only a green screen on the window and we wondered if we were putting on a "show." A single guy was sent to share our room until it was realized we were all girls. Finally to bed.

Monday, August 11, 1980

Kathy awoke at 06:00, I at 07:00 and Terry at 08:00. There were guys sleeping out in the hall. The desk clerk didn't really understand our request for a telephone, so we left in search of another hotel (preferably one taking my charge cards), the post office, and the telephone. After a lot of walking we found a parcel post office, but the man wouldn't take my Kodak film package, but he told us where the telephone/post office was. We went first to the telephone office where Kathy got confusing information from the telephone window. So we went to information to learn the phone number of Kathy’s friend was right in Athens and she could call locally from a phone booth. She tried, but no answer. We went to the YWCA to check out a room. There was a crowd at the desk, so we were given numbers.

YWCA take-a-number

While Terry and Kathy waited, I went to the post office where I was undercharged 4 drachmas (10 cents), and then bought 7-ups and three hot dogs in sweet breakfast buns for our breakfast. We had arrived at the YWCA at about 09:45, and at 11:00 the desk clerk took a 15-minute break as we still waited. A wonderful morning in Greece. Kathy kept trying to reach her friend, but no answer. We hoped our stay in Greece wasn't going to be spent in the YWCA lobby. Finally I got to the desk clerk (who had forgotten about the numbers) who claimed there was no more room in the inn. But I said we were told there would be enough room and that was why we had waited. They then found us three beds in a five-bed room on the 7th (i.e., 8th) floor. It cost us only about $3 each including breakfast. Because the elevator was being repaired (installed?), we had to climb the stairs. Things were in disorder and the maids were cleaning up, so we just left our bags and went down to the restaurant to have lunch. They appeared to only handle breakfast and snacks, so we bought the last cheese sandwich and potato chips to complement our leftover cookies and peanuts. Drank chocolate milk and orange soda. There was also a drinking fountain with very nice cold water, so we had a few cups of that. Another drinking fountain was on the fourth floor, so that we could refresh ourselves midway in our climb to our room. Returned to our room to claim our beds, then left just before 13:00 for our tour of Athens. First went to the Benaki Museum full of artifacts and folk costumes and jewelry.

Benaki Museum ticket

On the street someone said “Hi, Rocky!” to my T-shirt. As we passed the National Garden we noted three soldiers goose stepping by, and on our return past the Gardens, we were able to catch the changing of the guard in front of the royal residence.

Changing of the Guard

Walked right through the gardens which were noisy with katydids/cicadas. Passed some large building with a zippy name, and then came to the more familiar Hadrian’s Arch and the Temple of Zeus/Olympus ruins.

Hadrian's Arch

Ruins of Odeon of Herodes Atticus

Next we walked around the base of the Acropolis, stopping to buy a few postcards and passing a couple theater ruins. Before we climbed to the top, we drank some expensive lemonade (because there was no more Coke left at the refreshment stand).

Kathy and Terry below the Acropolis

Joined the crowd buying tickets, then went up to the Acropolis where there are still guards whistling people off the Parthenon.

Acropolis and Museum ticket

Terry and Kathy by the Parthenon

Postcard of the Parthenon on the Acropolis

They have taken the statues formerly acting as columns for one temple inside the Acropolis Museum which we visited.

Postcard of the Caryatides

Went up on the outlook to look down on Hadrian’s Arch and Temple of Zeus below, and at the Olympic Stadium in the distance.

Greek Flag at the Belvedere

Theater of Dionysus

View of the Agora

View of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus (TAT)

Far off was the prominent hill with perhaps a monastery on top, up to which runs a cablecar. In the other direction was another hill with some ruins on it. After coming down from the Acropolis, slipping along the polished stone stairs, we headed for the Agora which we thought was to be closed on Mondays. It wasn't and we all got in at the student rate.

Agora ticket

Explored especially the little church with its neat windows and old paintings.

Byzantine church interior

Agora Museum

Byzantine church in the city streets

Next we went to the flea market area in search of a bottle of water, but ended up with a bottle of orange soda to slake our thirst as we walked in search of the ancient cemetery. We did happen upon it, and went in to see the funny cylinder tombstones.

Ancient Cemetery ticket

Ancient tombstones

We were more or less finished with Athens at 16:00, and headed back to the YWCA. It was “quiet time” when we arrived, so you couldn't take showers until 17:00, so we started washing out some clothes. At 17:00 we started taking our showers. We hung the wet clothes on the back balcony of our room to dry, and after finishing showering we noticed the clothes were already nearly dry, and that my shorts were missing! There was a gusty breeze and we had no clothespins. We discovered the shorts on the balcony below, and because the room below us was locked, we left a note as to where to return the shorts. After we were all cleaned up, we sat down to write out all our postcards. By then it was 20:00 and we were ready to go to the Plaka for dinner. We had tried to buy water at a nearby store, but it was closed. We wandered around the noisy, colorful, crowded Plaka until we found the restaurant I had gone to last year. As we started our dinner, the band started playing. We had asparagus cream soup, shrimp salad, and tzatziki for the first course. The tzatziki seemed to be sour cream with onions and olive oil. Then we had moussaka, stuffed grape leaves, and shish kebob (souvlaki?). We have divined that the moussaka had ginger (as in ginger snap) in it, and that the grape leaves were stuffed with some strange sausage and rice. The leaves themselves were pretty tangy, and neither of these specialties appealed to Kathy who ended up with the veal shish kebob with French fries, and rice with peas. We were under a grape arbor and felt the effects of a light rain shower. People were lining up along the outer fence to peek at the band, and some to peek at the patrons. We believe a couple admirers even came in to sit at the table next to us to sip wine. We paid the bill (with a charge card, otherwise we would be without money!), and left relatively early before the real entertainment began, but we wanted to hurry to the other side of the Acropolis for our own further entertainment. So on full stomachs we jogged through the streets of Athens, even while doubling back and forth in the confusing streets of the Plaka. During the half hour trot, a couple guys asked where the "Sound and Light" show was, and we felt it wasn't a real question since they appeared to be returning from that very show. We noted the English version was just over. We arrived just in time for the Greek folk dancing show, but had to wait in a long line for tickets. We got student tickets and were in the last row, but in the middle, actually they were very good seats.

Greek Folk Dancing ticket

We managed to bypass the tip-hungry usherettes. We arrived at our seats 15 minutes late, but actually just in time for the show to begin.

Greek folk dancing (TAT)

Saw some dances from the north, and then the Peloponnese, along with a band and some singing. There was one very little kid joining the “policemen” in their dance, and he "soloed" with a man playing a type of bagpipe; the kid had a tambourine. For the final dance there must have been about 40 dancers. Terry and Kathy recognized all this as "real" folk dancing! Except for the "fits." And they liked the baggy (also in the rear!) pants. After the hour show, we went back to see the Plaka in full swing, and bought a bottle of water, apparently it was an old bottle filled with tap water, and no top for the bottle was available, but the water was nice and cold. Almost headed in the wrong direction, but finally made it back to the YWCA before the doors got locked at 01:00. Fell right in bed.

Athens Map

Map of Athens

Tuesday, August 12, 1980

Awoke at 06:00 and finished packing our bags in the hall so as not to disturb our roommates. At 07:00 we went down for our breakfast of tea, fruit juice, roll with butter and marmalade, and a boiled egg. Except that I had milk and a peach. Terry found a water bottle cap in the bathroom on a shelf, so she cleaned it in very hot water and it fit our bottle! We filled up on cold drinking fountain water. As we checked out we asked if anyone had returned my shorts since we got no response to our note and we no longer saw the shorts on the balcony below us (gone with the wind?). Hiked back to the train station and arrived just in time to get the tickets for the train leaving immediately for Patrai. We had to pay about 60 cents each because it was an express. We had to stand during half the trip, but then got seats. It was a bit faster than the previous Greek train we rode. It left at 08:30 and arrived in Patras/Patrai at about 12:30. Again we passed over the very deeply cut canal crossing the isthmus near Corinth. You can see it from one end to the other. A view from the Greek train was of grape arbors under which old men sat at tables playing cards and backgammon. Once in Patrai, we ran to the ferry ticket office to find none of the expected crowds, and immediately got all our papers set.

Port charges receipt

We went to a nearby sidewalk café for a lunch of a Greek salad (tomato, cucumbers, onions, and feta cheese in oil and vinegar), and French fries and shish kebobs (souvlaki the waiter tells us) apparently of pork (?). Then we went grocery shopping, and finally found a bar of Greek chocolate which we ate right away before it melted. We made our way to the dock to sit near customs. At about 14:30 they came out to stamp our passports. We snuck in (or out you might say) to get as close to the ship as possible. We were to board at 15:00, but didn't line up until 15:30, and didn't actually start boarding until 16:00. The boat was scheduled to leave at 17:00, but we doubted they could stick to the schedule, unless they are already back on Italian time. We were fortunately early to board, and got some plastic leather lounge chairs just outside the room full of airline seats, but still indoors. More comfortable perhaps, but not ideally located being across from the restrooms. It was like Grand Central Station. I saw lots of confused people as to their sex, although a few of the "mistakes" were deliberate -- such as the old lady assisting an old man, and one fat Italian kid who found something interesting in the ladies' room and managed to coax at least three guys to come in and look! The boat left at 17:30 and we had a dinner of pate and bread, and potato sticks and Coke. Dozed through the night. Someone stole Terry's back cushions, but she didn't really need them. A group argued in Italian whether to take the back cushions that Kathy and I were partially using, so we started using them much more effectively by each laying out on two cushions rather than sitting up to sleep.

Wednesday, August 13, 1980

Awoke by 06:00 as the restrooms became super busy with only one functioning toilet, and as people gathered to await the opening of a restaurant. Got Terry and Kathy up before 08:30, so they could use the restroom before it got closed down. Had a quick breakfast of cookies and Coke, and we arrived in Brindisi about 08:45/09:45 Italian time. Went up and down the same stairs a few times, but finally got through customs and off the boat. Terry changed about $1.00 worth of Greek drachmas that we had left into lire, and Kathy and I started grocery shopping. We walked up to the train station just about in time to catch the 09:45 train to Milano. It was going super slow, and after sitting in the Foggia station a long while, I heard a train announced going all the way to Paris. So we decided to switch trains. Found a compartment with a lone man having a feast. We decided to have our lunch of salami and bread, and grapefruit juice. The train left only 15 minutes late at 14:15. This train seemed to be going much faster but people still complained. It got crowded around Ancona and Rimini. Not surprising with only 1-1/2 2nd class cars. At one station apparently one guy tried to hop on the train as it started leaving, and he slipped dropping a plastic bag. The train was stopped and a crowd gathered, but the guy wasn't hurt and his bag was retrieved. At about 20:00 we got hungry enough for our tuna fish sandwich dinner. Lovely day on the Italian trains. Dozed. It seemed that through a combination of sweat from my legs sitting in the same place for hours on end and the ingredients of the plastic-leather seats resulted in the seat of my dress smelling like old sneakers! Strange!

Next: Berne/Bern.