Athens hop-on hop-off (Greece 8)

As noted earlier, my nocturnal 'adventures' caused us to wake very late and breakfast even later. We didn't leave the hotel until nearly 11am; we walked down to Monastiraki Square/Ermou Street for the hop-on hop-off bus stops. There are actually three competing companies, all with stops in the same places, and we might have gone for a more expensive option. According to the red bus brochure, there is a tour of several islands along with a two day bus pass, but that tour has yet to start. So we will have a free day on Saturday.

We got on the bus, which had an open top. As it was very hot (around 28ºC), we sat downstairs where the windows were covered with drawings. This meant that I couldn't film anything. A round trip lasts about 90 minutes and in that time we saw a lot of Athens and even more of traffic jams. The idea was to note which places are worth visiting later.

When the bus returned to our original stop, we got off and bought a sandwich which we ate in our hotel room. After resting, we went back down to the stop and waited for the next bus. This one had a covered top so that we could sit upstairs. Unfortunately, at the next stop (which is actually the first stop) Syntagma Square, the driver announced that all passengers should transfer to the bus waiting there. Obviously the driver had finished his shift.

We went around the route again, electing to get off at the Acropolis. There is a leafy park below the Acropolis where one can walk freely, but admission to the Parthenon costs money (€20 or a reduced price, €10; it was not clear what the difference between the two tickets is). As it was late and my wife would almost certainly not be able to walk around the ruins because of her knee problems, we elected to stay on a hill overlooking the Acropolis and take pictures from there (this is Mars Hill).

We asked a random stranger to take a photograph of the two of us - the first such opportunity this holiday - which she did; she then sat down, opened a case which she had been carrying and started playing the 'hang drum' (see lower picture).

After filming the Acropolis from every conceivable angle (as well as the surrounding hills), we thought it best to return to the bus stop so that we would not miss the last bus. By this time (after 7 pm) the sun was low in the sky so we could sit comfortably on the upper deck. Actually, by the time we finished the ride, it was quite cool and my wife had descended to the lower deck. I managed to film some of the impressive buildings in Athens, most notably the university and the national library. I also filmed the parliament with the guards in their traditional uniforms, but a combination of zoom gone wild with the bus moving meant that this section is almost completely useless.

Tomorrow is a trip to Delphi (the ruins, not the language, but how could I resist?) with a 7:30 am start. Let's hope that I have a better night than last night.