We shared a cab from the port of Piraeus inland to Athens this morning – equipped with raincoat and sweaters for the cool weather. We had been to Athens in 1971 – 40 years ago –with backpacks, we arrived by deck class on a ferry from Brindisi, Italy! Wow, what a difference ….
Must say, it doesn’t look like Athens has changed much in all that time. We were told how miserable the economy is here, with high unemployment and a dismal future. Apparently, the Greeks had severely misrepresented their financials in applying to the European Union (EU) to meet the minimum requirements. Today the country is in severe financial situation, and major cutbacks are being implemented by the EU.
The hop-on-hop off bus ($42 for 2) allowed us to see all the main attractions of the city although we didn’t venture up to the Acropolis since we could appreciate it from the view below. Tons of touristy shops, all selling the same souvenirs, lined the streets of the Plaka district. It was nice just to get out and walk around, boarding the bus whenever we felt like it. Although we had a late departure from Piraeus, we decided to return to the port around 5:30 p.m., since the weather had turned rainy and cold. We hung out in the port terminal, joining crew and passengers, to capture free internet.
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