Greece - the first ten days

Ten days have now passed since our arrival in Athens. We started off with our couple of days in Athens, where we visited the Acropolis and explored the city's great archaeological  sites.  We enjoyed the city more than we expected. The tree-lined pedestrianised streets and outdoor cafes were really pleasant and we took the time to linger over coffees and cool drinks to sit and people-watch, in between visiting the sights. The metro served us well for traveling between Piraeus and Syntagma Square in the city centre.

At the Acropolis, the Parthenon in the background

The Temple of Olympian Zeus, Athens


This was interesting...Frank unsuccessfully trying to get his bike
 into the tiny hotel elevator! It had to come down the three flights of stairs in the end.
We're on the ferry now in Piraeus, Athens and heading to Paros,
 watching the loading activity 

The four hour ferry ride to Paros on Sep 2nd was relaxing. Walking on with the bikes was a breeze. Ferry staff ushered us into a storage cupboard where the bikes would be stored securely. We felt good about that. We sat on a shaded outdoor deck the whole way enjoying the views and the fresh air.

Landed in Paros, ready to ride


Arriving in Paros was exciting. The first thing you see in the port is an old windmill, a recognisable landmark. We were then on our way eight km down the coast to catch the ferry over to Antiparos. This was really our first ride with the fully-loaded panniers. The road had no shoulder and was fairly busy, so it wasn't the easiest introduction, but it went fine. Our first glimpses of the torquoise sea along the way had me smiling to myself!

Approaching Antiparos on the little ferry from Paros

The small ferry to Antiparos whipped us across the channel in ten minutes to where my brother Des was there waiting at the harbour. So good to see him. And after settling into to our new digs, we met up with Elisa and her sister Geraldine on the beach.

Frank and my brother Des at the harbour in Antiparos

Since then, our leisurely days have been all about beaches, blue skies, swimming, a few cycle trips, Greek beer and nice food, chatting and catching up and more beaches. Paradise really.

Exploring around Antiparos
This is on Paros where we took a day ride.
 Beautiful scenery but very hilly coast road!
By the harbour in Antiparos

Our current abode amidst a bamboo forest

Yesterday we relocated and down-graded from our charming apartment to a campground just on the perimeter of the town. But what's not to like when there's and idyllic beach just steps away and the place has WiFi and a little taverna and everything we need. It's been a while since we tented so we'll see how we feel after our first night! I do have a new super compact sleeping pad to try out. Hope it works.

Comments

  1. SarahSeptember 15, 2018 at 8:29 PM

    Looks like a great campsite.

    ReplyDelete
  2. DaphneSeptember 15, 2018 at 10:25 PM

    This campground was very pleasant Sarah.it was right next to the sea and only minutes from the main town with all it's lovely bakeries and restaurants. But I wouldn't want to be there in July or August when it is very crowded and noisy.

    ReplyDelete

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