What a contrast. Overcast and cool in Paris & Lille to bright, sunny and 80F in Athens. I was looking forward to meeting up with my friend from St Louis after a few days by myself in France.

All prices are listed in euros.

<u>Athens Airport and the Metro</u>

This is a standard &quot;hit the tourist&quot; money maker. 8 euros from the airport into Athens. Though I believe the ticket is valid for 24 hours of transit within Athens after that. It's 12 euros for 2 people and 16 for 3 so there is a bit of a price break. Cheaper than a taxi, more than a bus.

The 2.90 all day pass you can buy in town gives you 1 bus (bus only not metro) ride to the airport. Found this out the hard way as the ticket said &quot;1 ride to airport&quot; in English. No where did it mention by bus only. I had to pay 10 euro to the metro police, 8 for the fare &amp; 2 for the penalty. The policeman was very apologetic the entire time saying that he knew the tickets weren't explained very well. Not apologetic enough to refrain from penalizing me though.

<u>Alphabet</u>

The Greeks make this much harder than it should be. There are 24 letters in the Greek alphabet vs. 26 in the Roman. They have not standardized the manner in which they translate a Greek name into the Roman alphabet.

A city may be spelled 3 or 4 different ways in the Roman alphabet: Kalavryta, Kalabryta, Kalabrita, Kalavrita may all be the same city. The sign into Delfi was spelled as such. The sign leaving Delfoi was spelled differently.

It was quite the review of my college days when I'd walk past fraternities &amp; sororities and &quot;learn&quot; the Greek alphabet.

<u>Driving</u>

The Renault Clio 5 speed had been pre-damaged when I picked it up. Scuff marks and scrapped paint on all four corners, a dent in the center of the hood. The left rear hub cab was badly cracked. The right rear hub cab was missing. It made me feel very &quot;local&quot; as I saw other cars similarly damaged. The right rear hub cab must take a severe beating due to all the tight parallel parking.

Driving was interesting. A narrow two lane road has a few feet of breakdown lane on either side. Drivers stay half off the road driving the breakdown lane most of the time. This leaves barely enough space for a car to pass between.

You have to watch as they'll pass anywhere: round sharp turns, in hills, etc. I don't know why they have no passing zones marked. Maybe they were just for tourists as I seemed to be the only one acknowledging them.

When traveling a limited access highway (autobahn) you had to watch for the local who would forget where he was. He'd be straddling two lanes as if he were driving the edge of a regular road.

Most places gave a 200 meter notice in Greek for an intersection marking a turn to another town. At 100 meters was a follow-up sign in the Roman alphabet. Occasionally Greek was at 100 meters Roman at 50. 50 meters isn't a lot of time to make a decision when traveling 90kph.

Falling rock warnings were everywhere. There was fallen rock everywhere too. The rock seems to be very loose. I had to be careful of the rock while driving in the breakdown lane to avoid being hit by oncoming cars that were passing in a no passing zone.

It was pretty alarming driving up the very steep road to Delfi. Guard rails in the hairpin curves, but some of the straightaways were very sheer with little if any protection. There are little shrines all along the roads. Sadly I think they're for people who have been killed in that spot.

I thought it interesting in 600km of driving I saw 2 foxes and 1 turtle as road kill. That's nothing compared to the endless skunks, opossums, deer, turtles, rabbits, squirrels, foxes, dogs, cats and birds I pass in Indiana.

<u>Smoking</u>

I'd read lots of stuff about Greeks and their smoking. I didn't find it to be all that bad. Mostly I ate outdoors which I'm sure helped. I was on a slow ferry to Santorini so was able to go out on the ship's deck when I wanted to avoid smoke. Most of the hotel rooms had been aired out so I didn't smell much smoke.

<u>Weather</u>

In a single word the weather was gorgeous. There was low humidity around 80F every afternoon. Just warm enough to drive me into a cafe for a refreshing beer. Down to the low 60's every night. Not a drop of rain, plenty of sunshine. It was windy one day on Santorini and one day in Diakopfto.

<u>Drinking</u>

The Greeks really know how to handle this. Virtually every place I sat down I was first presented with a glass of water with at least 2 ice cubes sometimes more. Every cafe served a little something with drinks: a bowl of chips, some almonds, peanuts, Doritos, snack mix, etc.

You really need to shop around. Even in super-touristy Monastiraki a half-liter of draft Mythos beer cost anywhere from 2.50 to 5.00euros.

I found the various translations difficult also but I was grateful that they tried to translate signs etc. into English. They don't have to do this and they probably get political backlash for doing so, the same backlash that is common here for bi and trilingual signs. Wasted government spending etc.

I've been eagerly awaiting this report, as I am going to Greece with my daughter in March. You have totally confirmed my instinct not to rent a car.

Do they still serve a type of french fry potatoe with almost every lunch and dinner?

I agree completely DougP. They certainly don't have to put up the bi-lingual signs and I appreciate their efforts.

I do think a name converting standard would have a pay back for them. I found it very, very difficult to research destinations on the internet. Sometimes I didn't know if I was looking at the right &quot;Diakopfto&quot; or not.

If I wasn't sure I didn't consider that establishment or even town. That means a business may be using an acceptable spelling but since I didn't recognize it they didn't get my business.

Another odd example is Santorini. Practically everyone knows it as Santorini yet the &quot;official&quot; name is Thira. I shied away from a few ferry lines for quite a while before I figured that one out.

Since I'm familiar with the Greek alphabet from college days, I found it easier to look for the Greek spelling. That way I got a 200m warning for turn-offs rather than 100m.

Hi Nikki!

I was reluctant to rent a car in Greece. Even my normally adventurous Lonely Planet guide advises against it. I felt backed into a corner. I wanted to ride the cog rail in Diakopfto but the nearest bus service I could find was from nearby Patras. Connections from there to Delfi were very limited at 1 per day.

I'm glad I did rent a car. It let me cram more in for 3 days. Though I almost think I'd rather have been a retsina guzzling day-tripper on a coach bus from Athens to Delphi. Sigh, have my standards slipped so low? Hmmm

Unless they've improved in the last couple of months the bus website is terrible. That's too bad since it's supposed to be extensive through mainland Greece. www.ktel.org By the way ktel.org? Can you say bad pop music compilations?

The bus site had some of the odder (in my feeble opinion) spellings. In addition you can't say I want to go from Diakopfto to Delphi. It says no routing. You have to guess where connection points are through the regions. You look for a bus from Diakopfto to Patras, then Patras to Delfi. I never did figure a combination from Delphi to Meteora. I gave up.

I didn't run into that robbiegirl. In the Tabernas (sic) where I mostly ate roasted potatoes were common.

Taverna/Taberna I saw it spelled both ways. It really makes spellchecking a bit easier. I hardly have to bother.

I did see several people walking about eating a regular gyro that had an order of French fries rolled inside. Talk about a one dish meal.

I have driven in Greece several times. Being from Boston I am use to traffic and the unexpected. I found most of the driving to be very easy, but I do remember driving North out of Athens going to Volos. There was a highway for part of the trip, but then we were on the 2 lane road, and indeed I figured out that one was to drive half in the breakdown land and half on the road. This is done so others can pass. It does reqire you to be alert. But driving gave us the oportunity to go places and see things that were off the beaten track for some touist and we really enjoyed those little fishing villages and the road side fruit stands etc.

<u>Hotels</u>

Athens - Hotel Tempi

75 a night first night due to Paralympics. 58 a night the following nights.

Nice 2 star a couple of blocks east of the Monastiraki subway stop. On a quiet pedestrian street looking onto a small plaza with a flower market. Air conditioning which was needed as there was not much of a breeze in Athens. Had a room at the back which was very, very quiet. No elevator.

Fira, Santorini - Hotel Keti 58 a night

What a delightful hotel. It's on a pedestrian sidewalk on the south edge of Fira. It's quite a few steps down from where the taxi stopped. It's dug into the hillside so the door and window at one end are the only openings. It too had A/C but did not need it. Had a mini fridge with a freezer that kept a 5 kilo bag of ice frozen. Sitting outside on the narrow balcony, sipping VO on the rocks and watching the sun set is unbelievable.

Diakopfto - Hotel Chris-Paul 55 a night breakfast included

Very nice hotel with a pool. A/C though not needed. Decent continental breakfast of breads, jams, butter and hard boiled eggs. Close to the train station.

Delfi - Hotel Varnossos 55 a night breakfast included

Luckily I had a room at the back. It had the most beautiful from the hillside of Delfi out over the valley filled with olive trees to the sea. A/C though again not needed. Continental breakfast of breads, jams, butter and hard boiled eggs.

Lagonissi - Hotel Var 70 a night breakfast included.

This was a &quot;found&quot; hotel. With a rental car I didn't want to pay the cost of ditching it and taking the Metro into Athens. It's along the coast south of the airport about a 30 minute drive away.

The biggest room I'd had. It had a mini fridge, A/C (unneeded) and a big balcony looking over the sea. Road noise was a bit loud as along the entire coast there's a 4 lane road between the beach and the towns. Left too early for the airport to try the continental breakfast.

The only hotel that received a 2 trash can award was the Var. All others were a 1 trash can. (This is a positive award. I find it annoying when a hotel only has one teeny-tiny trash can in the bathroom. )

<u>Restaurants</u>

I've only listed noteworthy restaurants.

I shared a Greek salad at least once a day. Tomatoes were in season so they were delicious. The tomatoes, red onions and cucumbers were topped with the biggest hunks of feta I've ever seen. Sprinkled with oregano and doused with fine olive oil it was incredible.

Athens

Quick Pitta ? A little roasted kebab, gyro kinda place down the street from the hotel. Excellent, fresh gyro's with the hottest, crispiest fries. 2.50 Mythos .5 liter drafts too. My fries were done before my main and came out first. I admire a place that knows that French Fries do not hold well. 10.15euro for a lamb plat du jour, fries and a beer.

Taverna Dafne ? A very pretty space. The &quot;outdoor&quot; patio really was outdoors. But the overhead grape arbor was so thick with vines, leaves and grapes you felt you were inside. This was the first time I ate at a Greek taverna like this. The waiter hauled us over to the glass display case to show us what was for dinner: lamb, chicken, stuffed peppers, roast pork, roasted potatoes. A half liter of house wine, a lamb main and a pork main, split a stuffed pepper main for a veggie and a 2 euro tip. It came to a total of 22. Very solid, very nice food. It reminded me a lot of the hearty meals I ate in my youth when my metabolism could take them in stride.

Tso Piros ? another taverna close to Monastiraki subway stop . A huge mixed grill main with chicken, pork and beef. A huge Greek salad too. This would have been enough for two if I had known. I ordered my own main of a gyro platter. All this with a liter of wine was 26.


Santorini

Noussas. A very nice tsatsiki starter that was loaded with garlic and onion. A saganaki starter too. I kept expecting flames and a hearty &quot;Opah!&quot; with my saganaki. It never happened. That must be an American thing. I'm such a rube. A beautifully grilled whole sea bass and a seafood pasta that was loaded with shrimp &amp; mussels. 1 liter of white wine. 32 euro.

Diakopfto

Taverna Costas. My second experience with the &quot;haul you into the kitchen and show you the food&quot; place. The kitchen was immaculate, very nice to see. My friend liked everything he saw. He asked for fish soup, cabbage rolls and okra. The waiter told him it was too much. He relented on the okra and just had the two. I had the stuffed peppers. Add a half liter of wine and it was 20 for dinner. Liked it so much we returned the next night. My friend finally got his okra. I had some too. It was very good, well, for okra.

Incidentally in Diakopfto I had the cheapest VO Manhattan I've ever had in my life anywhere in the world. 2.50euro for a beautifully prepared cocktail. It was properly proportioned. A nice Martini &amp; Rossi red vermouth was used. It was shaken until icy cold with lots of ice. He strained it into a chilled glass. The bartender even had the dash of bitters &amp; maraschino cherry. Why can't I get this in France?


Delfi

Taverna Varnos ? Killer view. Greek salad, wonderful rabbit with onion sauce, octopus in vinegar and 1/2 liter of red wine. 18 euro.


Taverna Lavernia - another great view. Saganaki sans opah! Seafood grill for two: cuttlefish, octopus (got a whole big arm,) whitefish, shark. A liter of red wine. 38euro.

Antikira

Two Dolphins - Stopped along the water front and had a wonderful meal next to the Mediterranean. It was as still as a lake. The waiter spoke no English. As I speak no Greek I was once again hauled into the kitchen. He rooted through drawers of fresh fish packed in ice introducing me to each one until I selected Ralph. Well, that's the name I gave him. He was really an adorable little sea bass that was freshly grilled just for me. So two grilled fish, a Greek salad and 2 cokes for 28euro. (I was driving. If I can't drink, no one can drink.)

We're off to Greece in May and your report makes me wish it was next week. We are going to Santorini, son's wedding and off for a week in Crete. Don't you just love the tomatoes. We always share a salad for a mid day snack. How delicious and healthy is that? Thanks for the report.

<u>Athens Sights</u>

After fetching my jet lagged friend from the airport, we went to Piraeus for the afternoon. It served a double purpose. My friend likes boats. We were outside in the sunshine all afternoon. With the all day metro pass the the tram 20 ride looped around affording some great views back towards Athens. Had lunch at a little place overlooking the harbor.

The Byzantine Museum was excellent.

Lykavittos Hill afforded some spectacular views over the city of Athens and the Acropolis. I was there at sunset taking in the views and visiting the little Orthodox Church at the top. You don't even have to climb up there. For 4.50 you can buy a roundtrip ticket on the funicular.

Walked south to the Acropolis from the hotel. Checked my bag at the gate and bought a 12 euro ticket. It's a combo ticket good for two days with entrance to the Acropolis, Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Keramikos Cemetery, Temple of Olympian Zeus and Theater of Dionysos included.

The Acropolis is magnificent. What views. No wonder the ancient Greeks built a temple there. Walking the site where countless others have wandered is amazing. The museum is very nice too. Be careful here though. The surface is very uneven. Some of the stone has been polished smooth by time and tread. Add to that a bit of dust and it's a treacherous combination. Leaving the Acropolis to the right in a few meters you pass a set of steel stairs on the left. Climbing those gives a great view over the Ancient Angora. Watched the sunset from here too. Again the stones can be very slick.

The Ancient Agora was nice to walk through. A very good museum in the recreated Stoa of Attalos. The temple in the Agora is smaller than the Parthenon, but more intact.

The Keramikos was interesting to see, lots of tombstones with a small museum.

The Folk Art Museum has a very nice collection of traditional costumes.

The Modern Art Museum had a Jean Rustin exhibit. Screamin' art in a converted mansion that is a very pretty space. All the people Rustin paints, men &amp; women seem to look a lot like him and not very attractively painted I might add.

Blocks &amp; Rocks were prevalent in the National Archeaological Museum. Lot's of stone work and old stuff. It's a huge collection and has a lot of classic Greek work.



<u>Santorini Sights</u>

What stunning vistas. It's hard to describe. I ended up taking almost 2 rolls of film in Santorini. I couldn't stop taking pictures it's so pretty.

From the deck of the slow Blue Star Ferry the views up to Oia and Fira were amazing. A 12 euro cab ride including tip took the two of us up to our hotel in Fira. It was a shared cab ride with two others.

Immediately found the post office and a mini-mart. Walked down the stairs from Fira past all the donkeys down to the water. I didn't realize Fira would have almost as much donkey poo in spots as Mackinac Island has horse poo. Sat at a bar along the water sipping a beer and watching the boats. Rode the cable car back up to Fira enjoying those views. Especially the view of the steps I was not using to get back to the top!

Sunset promptly at 7:00 as I'd printed out the times from the Internet. Both evening it was watched from the balcony of the hotel room.

The second day I walked from Fira, up to Firostefani, then Imerovigli. Along the way I saw the RC cathedral and the little museum attached to it. They had fascinating photos of the earthquake from the 50's. I only gave the woman in pink shorts with bare shoulders and a can of Coke a disapproving stare. I don't think she even noticed.

In Imerovigli I walked down the stairs and across to the volcanic neck that sticks up abruptly from the water. Walking the narrow path with no hand rails around to the other side, I found one of those small, picturesque, whitewashed Greek Orthodox churches with a blue dome. You can't see it from Santorini as it's blocked by the rock. Again many more breathtaking views.

<u>Diakopfto</u>

The sole tourist reason for Diakopfto is the cog rail up the gorge to Kalavrita. Rode it up from the town though the citrus and olive groves on the south edge of town. Then it started climbing into the gorge. Rushing water has carved beautiful formations into the rocks. It's wetter in the narrow gorge and more lush with vegetation. You weave through tunnels and cross the stream several times.

At the half way point I got out at Zaharous. It's a tiny little town with a small hotel, small restaurant and a few residents. This was the start for a climb up to Moni Mega Spileou Monastery. 45 hot, sweaty minutes later I was passing a herd of goats at the entrance. Gasping for breath I had to wave off the vendors. Couldn't they tell I was in no shape to be lugging extra stuff back down the hill?

As the old monastery had been destroyed by a munitions explosion a few decades ago most of the building is recent. There's still much of the original Byzantine Greek Orthodox church to visit with its icons and frescoes. Their small museum has several nice pieces including 2 illuminated Bible manuscripts: one from the 9th, the other from the 12th century.

A 25 minute hike down the hill and caught the cog rail for its last leg to Kalavryta. A sombre memorial stands on the east side of town. It commemorates a Nazi massacre that occurred in the 40's. A resort town being cooler in the summer and having skiing in the winter, it's a bit touristy.

After a couple of hours I took the last train down to Diakopfto. It's not expensive. 2 RT 1st class tickets were 16 euro. With a 1st class ticket you sit at the very front or very end of the car for a much better view. On the ride down the train chased a herd of goats for a couple of hundred feet until they finally got off to the side of the tracks.

<u>Delfi</u>

Another stunning panoramic view exists from Delfi.

As a serious day trip destination I planned a two night stay in Delfi. It was nice to get to the Temple of Delfi the first evening at 5:00pm as the vast majority of tourists were leaving or already gone. A peaceful hike up to the temple, up higher to the amphitheater and even higher to the stadium. It's a 9euro ticket.

Walked back down and further down past the Castalian Springs. Even though it was blocked off due to fallen rock and boulders littering the path there were people who climbed the gate and went back in. I didn't. I walked on down the hill to see the ruins: two temple to Athena, the Tholos and the gymnasium.

Drove from Delfi to see the Moni Osiou Louka just a bit east of Distomo. Along the way I had to stop for a herd of goats to get out of the way. The elderly shepherdess was railing at the goats to move on, but they didn't pay any attention.

The monastery has the requisite stunning view over the valley. A couple of churches and a small museum make up the complex.

<u>Lagonissi</u>

The drive from Delfi to the south east tip of Attica took about 3 hours. The destination was Cape Sounion, also spelled Sounio. There stands a Temple of Poseidon. With most of the columns still intact and a high view out to the sea it's an incredible setting. From here I drove the road north west towards Athens until finding a hotel in Lagonissi.

I've put a few of my Greece photos online at ofoto.

http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=c8dih6q...0&amp;y=fmt1pn

Indy, You do know how to enjoy the good life! First a Lyon lover and now such a great trip to Greece. Aren't you glad you spent the night in Delphi?

Hey Grasshopper. I'm thrilled I stayed in Delfi. The Temple was so pleasant in the early evening.

I learned the &quot;anti day-trip&quot; strategy from reading Patrick's posts. If a place is super-touristy you may need to stay the night. You really get to see it in a much better light.

I actually stayed 2 nights in Delfi. The second full day was the road trip to Moni Osiou Louka. As I drove east out of Delfi I could not believe the number of busses I passed that were heading to Delfi. Returning in the evening I passed the same busses who were all leaving.

David, have you thought of writing travel articles? You're so descriptive,you make everything so inviting.

Thanks cigale. That's very nice of you to say.

I have no desire to write professionally. My computer consulting job pays a much higher (and more importantly) consistent hourly rate.

It's the same reason I still live in Indiana. Airfare from NYC or DC to Europe is less than the Midwest. But dang it can cost so much more to live there day-to-day. So I stay in Indiana and escape as much as I can.

indytravel says: &quot;Driving was interesting. A narrow two lane road has a few feet of breakdown lane on either side. Drivers stay half off the road driving the breakdown lane most of the time. This leaves barely enough space for a car to pass between.&quot;

Yes, that was my experiences a few years ago, too.

On open, high speed highways, I followed the example of the other Greeks and often drove half onto the (paved) shoulder for a VERY GOOD reason.

The *oncoming* traffic would often cross the center line and try to pass under the most stupid, unsafe conditions.

By driving partly in the right hand shoulder, I put a greater distance between myself and the oncoming drivers.

In spite of this, renting a car for travel outside the Athens megalopolis is still an excellent &amp; flexible way to tour, and I would do it again.

I made a point to not travel the high speed highways after dark (just local roads, when necessary), and I also consider myself an excellent defensive driver in the USA.

&quot;Nervous Nellies&quot; may not wish to drive in Greece, but if you are a reasonably competent driver, I think it is the best way to travel (excluding the Athens metro region).

Tom H.,
I agree and I've got to say the wild driving is mitigated somewhat by a lack of rage. Drivers can be crazy, but unlike too many in the U.S., they are rarely fueled by anger.

Great pictures, Dave. OK, now I'm really in the mood. All the climbing has me a little worried, though, with my bad knees. Which of the sites would you think were more accessible for someone who isn't crazy about lots of stairs, and which might be impossible?

Nikki I'll concentrate on Athens since I assume you'll spend a little time there. Have you settled on an itinerary of other places?

I've seen it recommended before but did not do it. Other posters have suggested taking a cab up to the Acropolis. I'm not sure if the cab is able to let you out directly in front of the ticket office or down the walk a bit. It'll save you some walking &amp; stairs though.

From the Acropolis gate it's walking only. There are quite a few steps. Some are spaced out more like a ramp. There are benches along the way and several excellent vistas to stop and enjoy. Once you're on top of the Acropolis there aren't many steps.

Exiting the Acropolis you can turn right and work your way down to the north. You'll pass an entrance to the Ancient Angora where you can enter and keep working down hill towards the Stoa. There are some steps and some slopes. It wasn't bad since it was all downhill.

You can exit out the north side of the Ancient Agora crossing a bridge that spans a metro line. There are several little cafes in this area. I stopped and had a refreshing Mythos beer at one of them. Now you're at the base of the hill and it's flat walking. Continuing to the west you follow the metro line that's down in a trough to the Keramikos cemetery.

The Byzantine Museum has two other museums near it. They're easily accessible from the Metro Evangelismos stop. The Metro has been upgraded and 2 new lines built with handicap access. There are elevators in the stations and lots of escalators too.

The same is true with the National Archeology Museum. It's near a Metro stop I think Victoria and in a flat part of town.

For the view from Lykavittos hill you should take a taxi to the funicular. At the top you'll have some stairs to climb, but nothing like walking up the hill.

From the Syntagma Plaza to Monastiraki it's sloped slightly downhill. Most of central Athens is pretty flat except where Lykavittos &amp; the Acropolis jut abruptly up into the sky. A couple of times I skirted around the Acropolis rather than the shorter distance of up and over.

The Folk Art Museum and Modern Art Museum around the corner from each other. Both have elevators. They're located to the east of the Acropolis. Again in a relatively flat area at the base of the Acropolis. They were a little tough to find. If you're pressed for time or don't feel like wandering aimlessly you might take a cab. Don't know what your daughter likes but the Hard Rock Cafe Athens is nearby. In the Monastiraki area HRC has a shop if she just wants a t-shirt or pin.

If you're careful with cabs and take your time I think you should be able to see all the sites. The stairs up to the Acropolis will be the hardest, but it'll be the most rewarding.

Thanks Dave, great information on Athens. We won't be going to the Hard Rock Cafe though. Not on either of our agendas, as far as I know. Of course I didn't know that Madame Tussaud's was on her agenda in London until we got there either. Apparently it pops up in the horror literature she favors.

I haven't put together an itinerary yet, but in addition to Athens I'm thinking Delphi and Cape Sounion and an island. We have eight nights altogether. Don't know whether I'll be able to squeeze everything in. Delphi is on my must-do list though. I need to consult the oracle.

Nikki, Consider Meteora as well. Although there are some stairs, you can take it slowly (coming from another knee cripple!) and the Monestaries are so incredible atop their rocky outcroppings!