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We fly from Amsterdam to Athens


Home -> Europe -> Greece -> Travelogue Greece -> 04 May 2014

Sunday 04 May, we fly from Amsterdam to Athens

This year we wanted something new, a different destination and we want to take it a little easier, a holiday with warm weather, beaches and a relaxed atmosphere. We notice that we are getting older and can not run around as much as we would like to, but we still want to have the opportunity to see cultural interesting things. And so we thought of going to Greece at the beginning of this year. I have been in Athens on my way to Egypt when I was only 17 years old and with a classic education I have always been interested in Greece, but I have never come to visit it any further. Now it seems to us a wonderful destination to take a look together and that leads to a new addiction: we fall in love with Greece!
On the way to airport SchipholAt 7 o'clock we take a cab to the train station and at 2 o'clock in the afternoon we are in a KLM plane at Schiphol.
That did not go without a struggle, my bag had to go through the scanner 3x and I had to get out al the electronics equipment: phone, tablet, camera, laptop, 2 tomtoms (yes, we are well prepared!)
Still there is something wrong with my bag, the device continues to beep but we can not find anything strange. Then we quickly have to go to the plane and not much later we are in the air for a quiet flight to the airport Eleftherios Venizelos near Athens.
We arrive at the airport around 5 o'clock and pick up our rental car first, but in hindsight, we could have better done that when we left Athens. Now we have to drive through Athens, which is an adventure in itself and even though we have taken the tomtom, it still takes us a long timne to find the right address. Those who are not used to driving in busy cities (and a bit of chaos) should not do this themselves. I didn't check the differences in traffic rules and in the beginning it was difficult to get used to the roundabouts where you have to give priority to traffic from the right, so the one that enters the roundabout. When we are finally in the neighborhood, there is no parking space. After a few rounds Elisabeth takes the suitcases out of the car while I go looking for a parking space. Eventually I find one half an hour later and half a kilometre away. I already know that we will let the car here until we leave Athens. Now I have to find out where the hotel was again.
Elisabeth is still waiting and together we walk to the hotel where we first sit on the terrace for a drink before we check in.
We are kindly received by a lady who hardly speaks English but with hands and feet we succeed to communicate.
A potato peeler in the hand luggageAt the hotel we first sit down on the terrace for a cold drink, it is about 25 degrees. Then first unpack the suitcases, especially the hand luggage should is a mess. And when I empty it totally, a potato peeler suddenly appears! No wonder the metal detector at customs was reacting weird, but even weirder is that I could take this with me in my hand luggage and that they didn't find it. The safety measures may be strict but clearly not sufficient enough. And now I suddenly realize that in recent weeks I have been to a deer camp with our granddaughter. We always buy some vegetables and bread and I take a knife to cut the vegetables like carrots and left the knife in my bag. I could have been arrested!
On the terrace of hotel Rio in Athens The terrace in front of our hotel in AthensIt is nice weather outside and we walk through the area and buy a piece of pizza at one of the many eateries that can be found everywhere. Later it suddenly starts to rain, we did not order that! But it is not cold and we can still sit on the balcony.
We still have to make plans for the coming days but without internet because the receptionist makes it clear that the wifi does not work (because of the dry weahter, is her comment...). But I also have an internet dongle with me although afterwards it was not so smart to use it because after the holidays we get an invoice, € 200 higher than the normal amount. Well, holiday expenses, but a shame.
Such a travel day is always tiring and we go to sleep early. But our first impression of the country is good, even though Athens is a busy city. We are curious what we are going to experience this holiday.

 


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