This morning I quickly nipped around to the Vodafone Greece store to sort out the issues with the PocketWifi SIM card while Vera finished getting ready. But, he wasnt able to help. He did say that there are minor differences in the wireless network in Greece, Croatia and the other Balkan countries. I'm not too worried because pretty much everywhere in Greece has Wifi; including many museums and central areas.
Anyway, we got on our way and decided to head to the archealogical site of Delfi on the way to Athens. It was a great drive along the inner gulf of Greece and we stopped of at one particular interesting looking village that was obvious a location for charter yacht cruisers. Very pretty.
We drove through the many hundreds (thousands) of years old olive groves on the plains below Delfi; very interesting to look at from up high, and then up the switchback road to Delfi. We went through the town of Delfi, almost getting side swiped by a semi-trailer going through tiny narrow streets (at slow speed); but amazing how these guys maneouvre their trucks on tight winding streets and roads. But all was okay, although I think the car behind us had to back up quite away to let the truck past.
We got to the main archealogical site at about 1445, and it was closing at 1500 and they wouldn't let anybody else in. This is amazing that in Greece that significant archealogical tourist sites close so early. I had a bit of a discussion with a Greek guide who was guiding some English & Australian tourists and he said it was because the government wont pay the staff after 1500. Stupid thing is that if it is open longer the tourists will continue to come and the money is available. Proves why Greece is in the way it is. This is the case for many archealogical sites and smaller museums; although the bigger museums are open late and sometimes until 7 or 8pm.
Anyway, we had a look up at the site and it is absolutely magnificent. Apparently the Temple of Athena was still open so walked the 200m to there and looked around. It is amazing to see and imagine the architecture and the thriving communities that there were here. All built on an extremely steep high mountain; just down from snow fields.
After than frustration we headed on to Athens; although we needed to get to the airport to swap the rental car over. We decided that the Citreon C5 was too big for Athens and wanted to go with something smaller but in the same class so we ended up with a VW Golf.
We headed back into Athens to our hotel; quickly stopped out front to drop our bags off and then off for me to find where the hotel had a deal with a car park to store the car while we are not using. Finally found it after talking to the non-English speaking young attendant. It was one of those car parks that they take your car from you, put it in a lift and store on an upper level. It was a little unnerving to leave a rental car that you are responsible for with somebody else you dont know; but everybody seems very trustworthy, and in many of the central Athens carparks you see the businessman and customers waiting at the bottom while an attendant fetches the car.
We got sorted out in the hotel room, and because it was late we thought we would make our way to te Placa for a look around and some dinner. When we got there we asked how late they stayed open and they said for as long as there were customers into the early morning.
We had a great meal, with some great live Greek music as entertainment.