We decided to catch the early ferry to Athens since the weather seemed to be headed in a chilly direction… again. Our original plan was to catch the 7pm ferry from Naxos and arrive in Athens around 11:40pm. It was going to be a “run” to figure out where to pick up the Metro to the Plaka and the hoof it to our hotel. We were both glad we weren’t having to figure out where to go in Athens at midnight. Taking the earlier ferry was a good choice!
We arrived at the port in Athens around 3pm. Definitely different from the islands. Talk about hustle and bustle! We discovered the Metro was literally across the street by asking a friendly greek man. Then we purchased our tickets after clarifying our hotel’s stop and boarded the train. After about a 20-minute train ride, we got off at our stop and were literally thrown into the Plaka’s flea market. Where to go? We had a phone number to the hotel, which Andrea had an idea was within walking distance from the Metro, however neither of us have cell phones. We eventually found a payphone outside a public kiosk and got some help from a very nice greek young man who knew great English. We called the hotel and got some very shotty directions and then hauled our bags (uphill naturally) through the flea market for about 30-minutes to our room.
After showers, we headed down to explore the Plaka and find some dinner. We sat down and enjoyed a greek salad and Andrea ordered lamb that came smothered in yogurt served on top of a pita.
We were beat from our journey into Athens and decided to call it an early night. However, the ice cream caught my eye on the walk back to the room. It was a beautiful evening, a bit chilly and comfortable with a sweatshirt or jacket. In Athens at the flea markets, you cannot walk by without receiving an invitation to shop, “Lady! Lady! You are welcome! Let me show you my best deal!” I call it the “hustle” since this is how they make their living.
Photos in this slideshow include our view from our room in the evening and shots of the flea market.
