Oh I do like to be beside the seaside…

Time is flying by – it’s hard to believe that here we are ending day 4 already, and that we’re starting our journey home tomorrow! We’ve moved on from Athens and are staying tonight in the Hotel Tolo in, not surprisingly, Tolo. We’ve had a busy day, but first, our Greek night last night.

We were collected from our hotel and after a short drive, dropped off for a stroll through the area known as the Plaka (the area around the Acropolis and the oldest part of Athens). Despite exhortations at every opportunity to stop for the shops, we continued on to the O Geros Tou Moria restaurant (The Old Man of Morias). We were treated to a selection of traditional Greek starters and main dishes, and at regular intervals were entertained by Greek dancers. No one from our party was brave enough to venture onto the dancefloor, although Azfer looked worried at one time when he was coming back from the loo and got caught between them! It was a very entertaining evening, not least for the fact that at least three of our party couldn’t keep their eyes open…..to start off…, it got progressively worse as the night went on with the children dropping like flies. We almost stole the show as we became the center of attention. Time to go!!! Angus was asked this morning if he enjoyed the night. “Yes” – and after a pause “Did I miss many courses?” For the record, Angus, it was two you missed (main and desert).

Today has been fantastic. We started at the National Archaeological Museum where Mazyad has set a new photographic record – 150 photos in seven and a half minutes! Or to be more precise 1 ½ rooms. He was surprised when his batteries ran out towards the end of the visit. Some of the artefacts were simply outstanding, and any amount of photographs would not do them justice. We spent about an hour and a half there, before moving on to the Greek War Museum. We didn’t tour the whole museum, just a privately sponsored wing where a serial weapons collector had donated his collection to the museum. What was interesting was a gun that had been owned by a previous Greek Prime Minister, Andreas Papandreou – it was given to him, according to the display card, by the Kuwaiti Royal family, but in fact had the Saudi Arabia coat of arms on it.

We then left Athens, and moved towards thye Peloponnese and a small village Isthmia for lunch. Our restaurant was located immediately adjacent to the start of the Corinth canal (aka, Isthmus) and we were treated to the sight of the bridge sinking under the water to allow a ship to pass through. Myrna enjoyed rescuing fish trapped on the bridge when it reemerged after the ship had passed. Lunch – mousaka and yiouvetsi (oven baked veal and risoni pasta) – was delicious.

We spent an extremely pleasant afternoon then wandering the streets of Nafplio (the first Capital of Modern Greece) a small seaside town dominated by an imposing Venetian citadel. Sadly, we didn’t get up to that (Iman might have struggled on the 853 steps, not to mention the teachers) instead we split into small groups for a bit of souvenir hunting. When tired of that… OK, the girls never tired of that, and actually weren’t seen all afternoon after entering the first shop. The boys strolled along the sea front, and were fortunate to come across Fantastic Freddy from Alaska, a tightrope walking street entertainer, who certainly appreciated his instant audience. Clement enjoyed being on his shoulders on a unicycle, and Angus, Bassil and Max were willing participants in a magic trick that went badly wrong – through no fault of their own.

We now safely ensconced in our hotel. The sea is lapping on the beach at the back door, and we look out of our balconies across, as Mr. Gikas said, “a million dollar view.” Mountains and islands – simply spectacular. Of course, the children are more interested in looking across he road at the gift shop, but sadly that was shut before we’d finished our dinner!

Tomorrow is our last day of touring – we’re off to the theatre at Epidaurus, and then the ancient citadel at Mycenae… but that’s all to come!

For a bit of a laugh: on the 2nd morning when climbing the Acropolis, Mr. Gikas carrying Iman piggyback and Jenna walking using the crutches, a guide approached Mr. Gikas and asked where we were from. When told Saudi Arabia, he asked “Are you a special needs school?”!!!!!!