Nov 29, 2021: Patra

 Today was a perfectly balanced day: 
I got up at 06.30, went on the internet to look at stuff, all the while it was raining pretty heavily.
It got light enough at 07.30 to go outside, it was cloudy but dry. Fed the dogs and did stretch exercises on the terrasse.
I walked to the Rio train stop and  took the 08.10 train to the Agya train stop.

I started running from there, going North, at the end I turned around, now having a strong head wind.
I tested my new Garmin GPS watch navigation: Fenix 6x Pro.
This watch has maps! https://youtu.be/iMxErs1SAPA

After 5 km (3 miles) I stopped and walked up the street to the Lidl supermarket, getting groceries.
At 09.45 I took the train from there, back to Kastellokampos.

It started raining again. Read in my easy chair in front of the North side picture window. 
At 12.30 I was getting sleepy. Siesta time! I slept for 2 hours. Still raining on and off.
Fed the dogs again at 16.00.
Now it is getting dark. I will watch some Netflix tonight and go to bed around 22.00-22.30.

And that is it, for today.....

One more thing:

I used to run every second day, until a year ago. Muscle and tendon injuries stopped that schedule.
I switched to every third day. That worked out well.
Except, mentally it is easier to run every second day, opposed every third. 
So, I am trying the second day schedule again, keeping a close watch for calf tightness  and upper thigh muscles.

Nov 24, 2021: Patra

I went to bed at 19.30 and slept until 06.30: 10 1/2 hours at least. Big city tiredness and also waking up too early last night.

I bought a package of tomato seeds about 2 months ago, I put some seeds in a grow container first, and then put the grown plants when they were about 3 centimeter, in pots.

This is their size now.
Maybe they will grow tomatoes? If not, I will do it again in April....

Nov 20 - 23, 2021: Athens

Nov 20
I took the train this morning from Patras to Athens: a Tour bus from Patra to Kitaro (about half way), a ten minute wait and from there a train to Athens. I left Patras at 10.15 and arrived in Athens at 13.45. Walked 15 minutes to Hara's apartment. 

I had promised Hara that I would cook on Sunday and Monday,

 so I took the the metro from Victoria Square to Monastiraki. From there I walked to the Agora market to buy some meat.

from the market I walked back to Victoria Square. 

Enough walking for today. Tomorrow morning I am running: my behind the Akropolis route.

Nov 21
Hara had a birthday party last night. I did not last the whole evening, I went to sleep around 22.30.
This morning I woke up at 06.00 and when it got light enough, I went out to go for my run.

I counted 21 runner along the way.

From Thission metro station I walked through the Flea Market, where shops and restaurants just started to open up. 

At Monastiraki I took the metro back to Victoria Square

I went to the National Archeological Museum (10 minute walk from Hara's apartment) This time to the Egyptian exhibit.

Nov 22
I went to the Dutch Embassy this morning. I had some questions. Which did they could not answer.

I walked back to Monastiraki by way of the National Gardens,

Syntagma and Ermou Street. 

Near Syntagma is my favorite tea store: Madras

I bought 5 one pound bags of green tea to take with me to Patras.

From Monastiraki I took the metro back to the apartment.

Nov 23

Woke up way to early.
13.45 I left for the train station, a 15 minute walk.
Waited on the track 7 platform for the train to arrive.

14.36 On the train to Patras.
17.30 Arrived at the Patras train station.

17.38 the local Patras train to Kastellokampos.

Walked in the rain to the house.

Corona Virus

Greek PM: Unvaccinated banned from closed venues; Covid-Pass expires for all over 60: Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on Thursday evening that unvaccinated citizens are banned from indoor venues and that all above 60 years old will be obliged to receive a…

Nov 17, 2021: Patra

 The rosemary bush in the garden is blooming, Orpheus is looking at me...

Below is Darius.

The dogs, also Hector, (not pictured) like eating olives. They sniff out the ripe ones on the ground and eat 15 or so in one sitting......

Nov 13, 2021: Patra

 Took the train this morning to the last stop: Aegia Andreas 

and walked back to Downtown along the ocean.

There are always people fishing, mostly men, but also some women. They never catch anything but it is a excuse to get out of the house or set a goal for the day.

I did the same when I was a kid in Gouda: fishing at the Reeuwijkse plassen.

Cat shelters were put in place in a year ago.

I needed to make copies at a Copy Place. I found one, but it was closed......

Nov 08, 2021

 New Covid restrictions from Nov 06 to Nov 21.

I went to the Cosmote store today to pay the internet/phone bill, where I had to show a valid PCR/rapid test ot a Covid certificate and show an ID. I did not know about this, luckily I had my passport with me and the Covid certificate on my phone...

I went to a sporting good store, same thing.
Exceptions are, among others, supermarkets.

Nov 05. 2021: Train Patras-Athens

 I am taking the train to Athens on Nov 20 and staying there until leaving again on Nov 23, back to Patras.
I went to the Train OE website to book, but  paying (senior: 25.80 euro, round trip) could only be done by train voucher which you can only get at the train station.

I have a Train OE App on my phone, tried that this morning. Easy to use and cheaper (23 euros). For payment I was able to use my Piraeus debit card.