Dec 08
It is not easy to find running routes in Athens. Sidewalks are hard to navigate, broken up, kiosks, lots of people. There are very few parks and you use sidewalks to get to them.
I went to the Agora market to buy groceries, walked to the metro at Monastiraki, and hear there that the metro personal was going on strike starting at 16.00 hr for 24 hours.
It was 16.10, I missed the last subway going anywhere.
&#^#@!!
Buses were totally full with people, so I walked, 90 minutes back to the apartment.
There are quite few professional beggars in Athens: gypsies from Roumenia and Bulgaria.
They take a coach bus to Greece, stay for a couple of weeks and then go back home.
Dec 07
Other than walking around the neighborhood, I did not go anywhere. Just a quiet day at home. "At home" sounds and is a lot different than staying in a hotel. I've been coming to Athens every winter since 2013. In 2013 it was about remembering the past (when I lived here in 1973) and reconciling that with the present conditions in Athens and me a lot younger and now.
Renting an apartment, grocery shopping and cooking is like I "live" here, no longer visiting. Except that I am not working here. If I live permanently in Greece, it would not be Athens, but an island.
Dec 06
Up at 05.00. (I do need a siesta later today). Ran along Odos Akademia to Aeros Park, through the Park ending the run at Victoria Square. The groups of economic refugees who where here last year are gone now.
Walked from Victoria to Monastiraki, stopping at the Agora market for some meat and olives.
Meat and salad tonight.
Took the subway back to the apartment.
I have two balconies, (not connected though) and the sun is on the balcony from 10.00-13.00hr.
A bluetooth portable speaker on the table. Drinking tea in shorts and t-shirt....
On the second balcony I hang my running clothes to dry. I had a siesta from 14.30-16.15hr...
I have to tune my bouzouki.
Dec 05
Saint Nicholas in Holland! Clouds and windy this morning...Making the chicken soup, and I am going to have a siesta today.
Dec 04
At 07.30 out for a run. From my apartment to Monastiraki, 6 km. Hope I make it...
Past the National Park and the Stadium, back of of the Acropolis.
200 meters before Monastiraki I ran out of gas....
Went home, took a shower (first I had to turn on switches for 10 minutes to heat the eater in the tank) and then I went to Hara's house. I cooked a perfect meal for 3 people....
Went home again. I am not going to watch Greek television, I have my own gadgets to watch something. I have a 4 gb USB drive hooked up to a WD media streamer, which is connected to an HDMI port on the television.
Dec 03
Got up at 05.30. Rearranged stuff in the apartment. I was cold last night in the bed, so I took a slipcover of one sofa and put it on the bed. Walked to the metro, but before I got there, I ran into the Saturday vegetable and fruit market. Fresh olive oil, 1 1/2 liters for 7 euro.
There is also a laundromat. And a supermarket
Went home again to drop off the groceries, and went back to the metro. Tomorrow I am cooking for brunch at Hara's house. Her brother is coming as well.
I took the metro back home to the Panormou Station (blue line - east),
where I bought from street vendors 2 winter sweaters for 5 euro and a heavy duty big cooking pot for 15 euro. When I got home I put the chicken in the pot that I bought whole at the Agora market. Dinner, is a piece of leg, tomorrow (and the next two days) the rest is going to make chicken soup.
Dec 02
I got up at 06.00. Took the metro to Monastiraki. From there I walked to Victoria Square.
I'm meeting with my friend Hara, I left a suitcase and a laptop computer at her house, which I'm taking back to the apartment.
Nov 30: Weddel (Germany) - Athens (Greece)
At 22.21hr I got on the train from Weddel to Wolfsburg. In Wolfsburg I took another train to Berlin. At the Berlin-Gesundbrunnen station the S41 metro to Ostkreuz and from there the S9 Metro to Berlin-Schonefeld airport. I arrived at 01.45hr.
Killing time until 04.15 hr: checkin. Flying with Ryanair. I had paid 8 euro extra for priority boarding. The plane was 90% full.
Dec 01: Athens
With a strong tail wind we arrived at Athens airport 30 minutes early, at 10.00hr.
I had only hand luggage, so I got on the metro at 10.30.
The blue line. The apartment I am renting until Jan 30, is 10 minutes walking from Panormou station. But because I was early I got off at Monastiraki and from there another metro to Omonia Square.
At Omonia I got a monthly pas (30 euro) for public transport, and at the Vodafone shop I reactivated my Greek phone number.
I'm meeting the mother of Giorgos (apartment owner) at 13.00 so back I went to the apartment.
Giorgos mother showed me where everything was and how it works.
The living rooms have sliding doors
The balcony does not extend to the living rooms balcony.
I went to bed at 20.00hr.
