First Day in Athens

 Despite waking up on Sunday to a snowy Dublin, all went well with the flights to JFK and then on to Athens. The dinner was pretty tasty, and and I might have slept a bit.

The driver from Welcome Home (a service that meets you at the airport in many cities) was there at baggage claim when I finished with customs. Born in Athens, Nassa gave an interesting commentary during the 35-40 minute drive to the Hera Hotel. (btw - I bought an AirTag before leaving and it worked out great - I knew that my bag had gotten to JFK and also to Athens. Well worth the $29 for peace of mind.)

I wasn't able to check in, unfortunately, since all I really wanted to do was fall into a nice comfortable bed. So, I checked the bags with the front desk and started exploring. A cafe nearby provided a delicious cappuccino and this large date filled with peanut butter and pistachios.

Nearby was this food cart with items that looked like soft pretzels but were covered with sesame seeds instead.

These wooden bikes are part of a tour company.

Next I bought a ticket for the Hop On, Hop Off bus. It was helpful because it gave me a sense of the city but the information was a little sparse. Eventually, I hopped off midway through the ride at the Central Market to find some lunch. I had a tasty moussaka in one of the many restaurants followed up by a gelato. Then, with the help of a few shopkeepers, I was able to figure out how to get back to the hotel without getting back on the bus. 

 

View from the top tier of the bus. Lots of apartment buildings with little terraces. There's also a tram which runs through the city on these electric wires.

          One of the many streets in the Central Market with interesting shops and restaurants.

                                                There are ancient ruins everywhere!

I don't meet up with the Road Scholar group until tomorrow for dinner, so my plan is to use the Hop On/Off bus as a way to get to some of the museums I'd like to see that are further away.

The day was windy and partly sunny with dynamic skies. I was glad that I had my puffy jacket with the hood since I chose the upper outside level of the bus for better views.                                                               

                                                 Another view of the Central Market.

                                                                Athens Airport

                            Long view of the Acropolis perched on a hillside.