Still, before I go too indepth into the whole Greece part, I forgot to add one small detail on my way to the airport in Rome.
For those that don't know...I have a Eurail pass which is good for two months, unlimited stops and allows for free regional transportation in all of the European countries covered. Sounds great, but throughout the enitre time, there's always been these "hidden" fee's.
Well just to make matters even better with the pass, I have a slight bump in the road on the train to the airport. It's a regional train, therefore I don't buy a ticket(I even asked the desk and they assured me) However, once on board the ticket checker guy comes through and won't accept my pass. He starts demanding 60 euros. Hahaha...well by golly I'm not going to pay that, so I tell him no and try explaining about the pass. He insists about the 60 euros and the entire thing plays its self out for a couple more minutes.
Finally the guy demands I give him my passport...well screw that sir...I'm not giving you my passport. More discussion occurs. Now the entire car is staring and wondering what the commotion is. Eventually I remember what a travelling buddy told me about dealing with this type of situation. Give them your drivers license. So I give him my license, he writes down the information and walks away pleased with himself. I was told, they can't do anything with your drivers license numbers, but they can with your passport. So hopefully I don't have some bill turning up at my house some time in the future.
Aside from those few lapses...onto the one time centre of the world...Athens Greece.
This former ruller of the world for around eight hundred years, has sure change tremendously over that time.
For me throughout my travels thus far, luck has been on my side. Well this stop would be no different. Arriving in Athens, I got the full day of their national holliday. Therefore all the archeological sites are free...including the Acropolis.
I venture up to the Acropolis...the first ever "real" city, as the Greeks like to put it, and wandered the grounds. It's amazing to walk the same intact streets that thousands of years ago, the rich, imperialistic Greeks were walking or charioting.
Overlooking the entirety of Athens, the Acropolis is a place not to be missed. Yes there's tons of tourists that you must battle off, in order to get your perfect shot, but walking right along side a thousand year old marble building cannot be compared. Still, I must point out, I didn't recieve the same thrill as I did walking around the archeological sites of Rome. Maybe it was because, well...once you've seen a bunch of fallen stones, you've pretty much seen em all. I don't know what it was, but it was just neat to look at...not much more. Still got some sweet pics tho.
Next were more free archeological sites, such as the temple of Zeus...
The first Olympic Oval, or grounds...but yes...they've been re-done.
And the largest standing/intact Greek building in the world.
Unfortunately for the Greeks, and those who wish to see these archeological sites, they will never be the same, one year to the next. Because of all the pollution, and the constant acid Rain in the area, the Greek marble begins to deteriorate quicker. The pollution and acid rain, eats at the marble and therefore lots of it is very scarred and black. Still, Athens out did Rome in the fact that you could actually walk/touch the marble up close. Rome it was completely out of the question. Oh...I was even able to sneak a small piece of Greek marble out...hey...it was on the ground.
Oh I almost forgot an interesting tid bit of my day in Athens. I saw the changing of the guards. Now that may not sound like much, but in actual fact...its pretty neat, and slightly funny. How it works, is these guards stand perfectly stil with no expression for an hour. They are wearing rediculous outfits, which in the sun are hot as the boiling sun its self. Every hour, when they change, they do a funny type of dance to loosen all their muscles and get any lactic acid out...that part...is very funny. They swing their hands and legs around like a rag doll and then stop off. Pretty unique I guess.
That night I also ate at an amazing Greek resturant...had the best greek salad of my life and even a little bit of baklava. Mmmmmmmm. This place was even recommended by opinion Canada...sooo you know its good.
Finally...its off to Mikonos...a famed Greek Island. Most notoriously know for great beaches and parties. I chose this for a couple reasons, one...it was cheap, two there would be parties...and Halloween is one of my favorite times to party, and it was only five hours away.
Arriving I meet a couple of Canadians, am able to haggle the price of my hotel down and then head straight to the beach. Mikonos was absolutely beautiful. Great weather, pristene beaches...and not a soul in sight. What the heck...how am I suppose to party if there's no one here to party with? Oh well, I spent the next couple of days with the fellow Canadians...all alone in the hotel and on the beaches. We even rented some ATV's and ripped across the island finding new places. Boy was that ever a highlight.
We found secluded beaches, great view points for pictures, and even could get into the town in less then five minutes. Perfect.
Surprisingly enough it felt really good to relax for three days, instead of being...go...go...go. Also I never thought It'd be over twenty, and I'd be sun tanning on the 31st of October and 1st of November.
As for Halloween...ya no European celebrates that thing...especially the Greeks. They're traditional to the core. So I felt a great deal of generosity and thought I'd bring Halloween to them. So I went to the store...bought some cheap candy, put on my mask from Venice, and went around the streets yelling trick or treat and Happy Halloween while handing out the candy.
I got tons of weird looks...frightened a few children, but was able to hand out all my candy. A few people laughed and said Happy Halloween back to me, but most weren't having any of the fun...one guy even threw the candy back at me...ha...ha...missed me. Hahahaha...it was actually a really good laugh on my part. I tried making a video of the whole ordeal, but it was too dark to pick up any of the faces.
Also when I returned to the hotel, I realised, that my mask from Venice, just might have been a little...toooooo creeepy for these folks. Oh well...
Being able to get in Athens and a Greek island, before my European adventure was complete...ended up being totally worth it. Still, I want to return to see more of these gorgeous Islands. Lucky for me, every flight I've recieved the window, so leaving Greece...flew over a few islands...stunning.
So that raps up my European tour...amazing, spectacular, outstanding...nothing but greatness can be said about it. As I've told numerous other people...chosing this time to travel has been the best decision of my LIFE.
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