#Athens Airport Shuttle Bus Athene Airport Bus

[jandjodyssey]

Kefalonia to Athens

A sleep in, some breakfast, packing and then a last swim in the ocean. It is magic here, very hard to tear ourselves away. However our shuttle was due at 11am so it was inevitable.

After a fairly relaxed morning the shuttle ride was somewhat hair raising. The ride started with him backing down the driveway from hell and then driving like a maniac on the narrow twisty roads of the island. I was very glad we made this journey after cycling here.

We arrived a bit too early at the very small airport and had to wait to check in. Finally we were relieved of our luggage and through security and we had a passable airport lunch (though the rose was rather sweet 😒).

Tara from our tour arrived and we thought we must all be on the same flight, but hers was after ours so she also had arrived super early.

When it was finally time to board I saw we were in a tiny plane with propellers 😳. I’m surprised our bikes fit on the plane. After my initial doubts the flight passed smoothly and before I knew it we were descending into Athens.

We deposited our bikes in left luggage and then caught the bus into the city. We are staying in the thick of it this time and it came as somewhat of a shock to have all these people milling around after our time out in the wiles and islands of Greece.

Having checked in and changed our clothes, our first port of call was for an afternoon ouzo. Once we started to relax it was good for people watching.

A bit more of a stroll and we found a great place for dinner. The clientele were a mix of tourists and locals so we thought that was a good omen and that proved to be correct.

Stuffed we went for a stroll before heading back to the hotel which, like our last Athens hotel two weeks ago, has a roof top bar with views of the Acropolis. It never gets old 🥂

[lindsaystravelblogs3]

Days 38-40 – Sunday-Tuesday, 2-4 July

Sunday

We rang Rob first up to wish him a happy birthday and had a great chat with him and Deanne.  Looking forward to a longer chat about our respective travels when we catch up in Istanbul.

We stayed in our room until check-out time at noon and then sat in the lobby over a light lunch until our cab arrived – except it wasn’t a cab.  It was the hotel’s shuttle car – it must be a sideline for them because we had asked for a cab.  All was well and we got through the process at the airport pretty quickly, only to find that our flight was delayed with no prediction as to when it might fly.  Fortunately, it was only an hour late, and an hour late in landing, but we then sat buckled up in the sweltering plane for another half an hour because they couldn’t find an airport bus to take us from the plane to the terminal.  We ended up in the second of two buses and watched sadly as both buses drove to the terminal, leaving two unfortunate passengers standing on the tarmac because the doors closed before they could get in.  I wonder what eventually happened to them.

Greece!  Who would ever have imagined me in Greece?  We collected our bags and walked out into a hot Athens evening – no immigration, no customs, no security – maybe the Greeks have already figured out what the rest of the world is still puzzling over.  Our driver was waiting patiently for us, despite the long delay, and we were whisked into the city quickly and very smoothly.  He shunned the freeway because there had been a major crash somewhere along the road with long delays, so he just diverted and drove a very circuitous route to our hotel in quick time.  So much so that I complimented him on his driving – confident, positive, smooth and fast, but safe – he ticked all the boxes.  Then he thanked me for the vote of confidence, because he was going for an exam in a couple of days to become a driving instructor!  I fully expect him to pass with flying colours.

Our room is very basic, but we can live with it for nine days – but we have arranged an alternative hotel (at an upgrade in cost) for when we return to Athens for ten days after our Greek Island cruise.  There isn’t even a cupboard in the room and the ‘desk’ is barely a quarter of a square metre!  Very basic, but there is a big, well-equipped kitchen downstairs, and a bar and small restaurant on the roof.

At least the bed is comfy, and we both slept pretty well.

Monday

Brekky was on the rooftop with a fixed menu – the same every day, so a bit boring, but we have paid for it, so will make the most of it.  (An interesting little quirk.  Our first breakfast came with fresh orange juice (really delish!!) and coffee – but next day, our waiter insisted we could have one or the other, but not both.  We remonstrated with him and he eventually folded in very bad grace, but for the next few days it was OJ or nothing.  We mentioned this to Reception after several days, and he was apparently matted and instructed that, of course, all guests get both, without question, as they always had until he started issuing orders.  He is a pretty surly guy at the best of times so we will see what happens tomorrow. It is now tomorrow and we got both without asking today so hopefully, the issue is resolved.)

So here we were, just a few hours off the plane, sitting almost in the shadow of the Parthenon enjoying our (my) first breakfast in Greece.  (That is an exaggeration.  I doubt if the shadow would reach in this direction, but it is very obvious, and just overlooking us a kilometre or so away.)  I feel very comfortable in Athens – it is a lot more cosmopolitan than where we have been, and despite the extra grunge, it feels a lot like home.

A day or two out of sequence, but three incidents on Friday were quite touching and added to my comfort a feeling of scale and reality (humanness, maybe) compared with the alienness or artificiality of where we have just been.  Driving into the city last night, and despite the strange writing everywhere, it could easily have been Burwood Highway or any of a dozen other arterials in Melbourne. 

Firstly, we were walking to catch the HOHO bus when we stopped to look at a statue in a tiny garden.  (Athens has a lot of wriggly streets that give rise to tiny triangular corners that become small green areas or quaint little gardens. I love them.)  When we stopped, one of the three gardeners working there came over and started to explain in very halting English and very expressive hand movements, who the dignitary was (a great general, one of three people instrumental in creating Greece as it is today) and what he had achieved.  He was probably a poorly-educated labourer, but he was proud of his country, and it showed.  His histrionics prompted another man, a polished university professor-type at a guess) to stop and continue the narrative.  We ended up with half his life-story too, and it was a very enlightening and entertaining twenty minutes of sharing all around before we went our separate ways, all smiling with bonhomie. 

Later in the day, we stopped in a café for a drink and fell into conversation with a woman who was on an outing with her somewhat disabled Mum.  Mum spoke only Greek but was very proud of her daughter’s English and wanted her to talk to us so she could listen and marvel at her daughter’s skill.  We chatted away for quite a while in a very pleasant exchange, and when their taxi arrived to take them home, it was hugs all round like old friends, especially with Heather and the Mum.

The third incident was shortly after when we stopped at the Indian place just up the street for a drink (and an Onion Bhaji) and ended up staying for dinner (again).  The guys who run it for the owner (who we chatted with at length a couple of days ago) are two Indian brothers (and I think there is a third brother who works nearby).  They were both watching their phones intently for a while and I jokingly asked if they were watching the cricket – the third Test is on.  No, they were watching something with their family in India (didn’t get the whole story) but one of the guys told us how lonely they were.  They came to Greece, via Oman, in the hope of a better life and to help their family back home, but they had no friends and knew nobody here.  He ended up sobbing and retreating to the safety of his kitchen to compose himself.  When he came back, dabbing his eyes with a tissue, he sat with his brother and they were obviously both distressed and avoiding us, but I eventually went over and asked for a doggy bag and we were suddenly great mates.  We left with much holding of hearts and patting of backs, waving and smiling and wishing each other well.  We will go back there before we leave, but it was the third little peek into other people’s lives that made the day very special for us and I hope, for them too.

Well, that was certainly an unexpected diversion, but back to Monday.   We went out in the morning to buy me a new hiking stick because the one I brought with me had fallen apart.  (And the one I bought fell apart two days later, but the shop where we bought it fixed it for me, poorly, but we hope, OK).  We actually bought two because Heather’s one is breaking in the same place as mine did! 

We explored the local area a little, mainly just wandering up and down the busy shopping street at the top of our one, looking but not buying anything.  We had lunch just around the corner while we were out and found the staff, including the very friendly owner, very helpful and pleasant, especially when they realised we were Aussies, rather than Poms.

Back in the room, we sorted and edited photos most of the rest of the day and I uploaded some blog-posts.  We are very short of power points in the room, so much of what I did was in the very hot kitchen where there are plenty of power points and quite good internet access - but no air conditioning. 

We went to the rooftop bar late in the afternoon to enjoy our welcome drink – a ‘mastika’ and really delicious.  They have a DJ up there most evenings and it is extremely loud, but fortunately closing no later than 11pm, so after it got too noisy, we went back downstairs and ate in the kitchen, using some of our own purchases along the way.

Tuesday

Alas, no Independence Day celebrations in sight.  But then, we would not have been enthralled anyway.

We went out in the hope of looking at a room in the hotel we plan to stay in when we come back to Athens in a few weeks’ time.  It was a very circuitous route to get there, but we saw a bit more of Athens as we went along.  Unfortunately, the hotel was fully booked so we couldn’t see a room, but from the outside, it looks better than where we are now and it is much more central, so we have booked in there for after our Southern Aegean Islands cruise.

We walked on to Syntagma Square, not a huge square but central and with lots of shops and services, including the HOHO buses, surrounding it – and Parliament House is just across the road at the end of it.  We sat in the shade for a while and I wandered around and found a couple of birds before we went looking for a supermarket.  Two were marked on the map as being nearby but the first of them was closed – and probably permanently from appearances.  The second one was open so we bought a few things and walked back to our hotel. 

There is an Indian restaurant just on the corner from our place and we stopped there for lunch.  Heather loves dosa (that we originally discovered in our favourite Malabar restaurant in Kings Cross) so we both enjoyed a dosa and an extended conversation with the owner who was also having lunch there that day.  All the food was quite mild and we mentioned this to the owner who said the Greeks don’t like spicy food, so they cater accordingly – but if we want a bit more zing in our food, mention it next time when we order and they will oblige.  (We ate there a couple of nights later too and they obliged to my version of perfection – deliciously spicy, but not so hot that you can’t taste anything.  It was excellent!)

We eventually went back to our hotel and spent the late afternoon resting and reading before eating dinner in our room.

[mynexthandbag]

Athens Travel// Transit from Athens Airport to Athens City, Athens International Airport Shuttle Bus

Athens Travel// Transit from Athens Airport to Athens City, Athens International Airport Shuttle Bus

Make your trip to Athens, Greece, convenient from Athens International Airport to the hotel you booked in downtown Athens, and enjoy a good transportation service. ~

The Athens Airport Limousine Bus is a pick-up service from the airport to the hotel, so you can relax your long flight without waiting for a taxi, and move more conveniently to a spacious seat and luggage compartment.

    Athens…

[xplrvibes]

hello👋🥰 for the ask game: Athens, Glasgow and Florence!

athens: favorite greek myth?

I can't say I'm an expert on Greek Mythology...the first one that sprang to mind was Icarus flying to close to the sun, cause of Led Zeppelin. 🤣

glasgow: where were you going during your latest bus journey?

Hmmm...so, I have a couple answers. The last time I was on a bus, it was the shuttle bus from the Philadelphia Airport to where my car was parked (this was a whole ago). 😐

The last time I was on a bus that was taking me somewhere cool, I was in San Antonio, TX and I took the Missions bus and hopped on and off at all of the 5 Missions in one day/sitting. I was the only person on the bus that day so the bus driver was super awesome and just played my personal tour guide and hung around and waited for me to get pictures and stuff (pre-covid y'all)

florence: how did you discover your favorite artist's work?

I don't even know if I have a favorite artist, perse. Any piece of art that I do like, I probably learned about in grade school art class (cause I somehow managed to avoid taking an art class in high school, don't ask me how!) or I would've seen at a museum at some point (I haven't been to many art museums, so my knowledge is limited at best).

[corporatehotels-blog]

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With rankings among the top 20 destinations for events in the world, Sao Paulo has overtaken cities such as Madrid, Sydney, Athens, and Vancouver. Sao Paulo boasts about 430,000 square meters to accommodate any event, adding space for these numbers in nightclubs, cultural and commercial areas, bars, and other options.

Sao Paulo is the capital of Brazil, which can be counted among the major tourist destinations of the South American continent. Many people prefer this hotspot compared to Colombia or other destinations around the world due to the extra security and best place to stay in Sao Paulo.

Sao Paulo's public transport will easily take you to all the attractions of the city. The network is fully integrated, and you can use single tickets to pay for buses, minibuses, subways, and trains. For a single fare, four bus trips can be made in a three-hour cycle, or you can use the metro and train for two hours. Tickets can be purchased from newsstands or the ticket booths of Metro and SPTrans.

Ibirapuera Park is one of the best places in Sao Paulo and the city's largest recreational destination. The park hosts many activities, attracting thousands of tourists, such as exhibitions, fairs, and performances. There are playgrounds for kids, a skate park, a jogging track, and three interconnected lakes.

Avenida Paulista (Paulista Avenue) is the main avenue of Sao Paulo and can attract tourists for days. The streets have the best hotels in Sao Paulo, Brazil,  the best place to stay in Sao Paulo, 5-star, top hotels in Sao Paulo, cultural spaces, shopping centers, parks, and many bars and restaurants.

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Amenities: Enjoy leisure amenities, including an outdoor swimming pool and fitness center. Additional amenities at this aparthotel include free wireless internet access, a reception room, and a vending machine.

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2.           Mercure Sao Paulo Pinheiros hotel

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[discefeliciter]

Florence Diaries 19: Athens

We took our last trip of the semester last weekend, and it definitely didn’t disappoint - it’s hard to pick a favorite city, because each one was awesome in its own way, but let me just tell you how much I loved Athens.

Greece was probably the country I wanted to see most going into this semester, and my roommate Eliza and I had managed to get round-trip plane tickets for around fifty euros back in September, so we had been looking forward to this trip for a while. But in the days leading up to it, I admittedly wasn’t super excited - when I pictured myself going to Greece prior to planning this trip, I always imagined going to the islands rather than the city in the middle of winter, and as exciting as travelling is, doing it every weekend definitely gets exhausting after a while. But Athens was so much better than I ever imagined it would be, and it gave every other city I’ve been to some serious competition!

On Friday morning, Eliza and I got up early and caught a bus from Florence to Bologna, and then a shuttle to the Bologna airport. There, we met up with two other friends, Kitzel and Lauren, who happened to be going to Athens the same weekend. The flight was uneventful, and soon enough we were on the ground in Athens!

From the Athens airport, we took a train to Syntagma Square (the main square in Athens) and then walked to our hostel to check in. By that point it was pretty late in the afternoon, so we made plans to meet up with Kitzel and Lauren for dinner at a Greek restaurant. Greek food has been one of my favorites for years so I was excited to try the real thing. I had pastitsio, which is sort of similar to lasagna, and it definitely didn’t disappoint!

The next morning, we headed to the center of the city, and our first stop was the Olympeieon, a group of ancient temple ruins near the Acropolis. The Olympeieon itself was really cool - it’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that parts of Athens have existed for literally thousands of years - but even better was our first encounter with the stray cats of Athens. I didn’t realize this going into the weekend, but in Athens there are cats everywhere, and they’re all super friendly. We probably spent even more time petting the cats than actually looking at the ruins.

Then, we stumbled across a park with some cool walking trails, one of which led to the top of a hill from which we had a great view of the whole city. After that we headed to the central market, thinking that markets are generally good places to find cheap, local food, but once we got there, it didn’t take long to figure out that this was not that type of market. The first area we walked through was full of butchers selling meat that was still a little too recognizable, and from there we found the seafood area, which smelled about as strong as you would imagine. And there wasn’t a tourist in sight - just Greek people buying their groceries for the week. It was cool to see, but definitely not what we were expecting!

Then we managed to find actual food for lunch, and then we headed back towards the main part of the city, and wandered through Plaka (a neighborhood at the base of the Acropolis) for a while. Then we headed up to the top of a second hill nearby just in time to see the sunset!

It was a pretty cloudy day, so the sunset wasn’t super impressive, but it was still beautiful, and we took lots of pictures. Then we met up with Kitzel and Lauren for dinner again, and then we all finished the night by walking back to Syntagma Square, where we looked at the Christmas lights and then bought baklava for dessert.

The next morning we headed straight for the Acropolis (we had saved it for Sunday because admission happened to be free that day!) and hiked to the top. We spent a while exploring and taking pictures, and then headed back to the bottom of the hill to check out the Acropolis Museum, which ended up being one of my favorite museums this semester. After that, we grabbed gyros on our way to the train station, and then we started our long but uneventful trip back to Florence!

We made it back to Florence a little after nine, and went straight to the Christmas Market at Santa Croce to meet up with Erin and Grace for dinner. And the next day marked the start of our last week of classes for the semester!

[ukdamo]

Marrakech Holiday Blog

One of mine, from 2009

Time to begin...

Peter and I were to spend a week in Morocco, a sort of taster. The plan was to have three days in Marrakech, then drive west to the coast at Essaouira. From there to head south on the coast road towards Agadir, then swing up the Oud Souss to Taroudant. The third night we would spend in a small village in the Atlas, making our way east and north via Talouine, Tazenakht, Agdz and Ouarzazate. Finally, a run north to Marrakech via Telouet through the Tizi n Tichka pass.

Morocco is a big country, taking up a big slice of north west Africa and having both Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts. The landscape is diverse, with coastal plains to the west and the Atlas mountains a spine that runs the length of the country, shading off into the deserts of the Sahara. Total distance of the trip; some 750 miles.

Details of our route - 

Day 1: Nelson to Marrakech

It was an early start, this trip: 2.30am. I had a quick brew and a shower and then drove down to pick Peter up. He navigated us to the airport car park (usually, we scab a lift but I felt I bit dodgy about getting a mate up at that time). The car park was a little way from the airport, with a shuttle bus link, and a bargain £25 for the week. We were at the terminal just in time for the desk to open at 4.40am.

Check in at T2 was easy with some electronic gizmos – we were rid of the bags, and clutching our boarding passes within 10 mins. Love it! Then, off for a brew and a sit down. Peter swooped on the duty free shop and bought a Brain-Trainer, which he seemed thrilled with.

There were no delays and we were off bang on time at 6.40am – the flight was good, though it was a little too cloudy to see much en route. I did get a shot over the eastern Atlantic (after we'd cleared Portuguese airspace) when I got up for a leg stretch. The airport at Marrakech is very close to the city – you can see the conspicuous form of the El Koutoubia mosque.

We stepped out into a dry, sunny, warm and welcoming atmosphere and trooped into the cool, tiled arrivals hall for the passport formalities – stamps and numbers and visa stuff was conducted reasonably quickly and then we were out. Peter changed some cash and we used that for a petit taxi into the city (the bank machine was kaput). We paid a princely £9 for the fare – convenient and affordable but twice what it ought to be (though I did not uncover than until later). Chatting to the driver in French – which is invaluable in Morocco if you have no Arabic or Berber – we swept past landmarks I recognised from the Time Out guide I'd purchased.

We stepped out of the petit taxi into Jemaa El Fna – the celebrated landmark heart of Marrakech. Jemaa El Fna is billed as a square or place but it is not. It's hard to say what it is – it is not like any other space on the planet. It's an open irregular polygon in shape that metamorphoses throughout the day. It is a thoroughfare and a market place, a performance space, and a taxi cum caleche rank, and a surging arena of hawkers, walkers, drivers, delivery men, story tellers, shoe shiners, juice sellers, water sellers, dried fruit stalls, hat sellers and sharm players, snake charmers, keepers of monkeys. It is surrounded by cafes and hotels, the post office, mosques, and the souks and alleyways of the old medina. At night, it closes to traffic and becomes a huge performance and dining space with open air cooking and food stalls that fill the air with aromas and billowing steam and smoke, whilst people throng and eat and gaze… I doubt the (western) world has seen anything like this since the forum in Rome or the agora in Athens ceased to be.

The predominant colour of Marrakech is red – a sort of terra cotta shade that predominates on the walls. It's sometimes called the red city. It was easy for us to pick out our alleyway, under an arch in the southwest corner of JEF, and we set off with our bags. The medina is closed to vehicular traffic – too narrow for anything but cycles, mopeds, motorbikes, donkey carts and men pulling the two wheeled barrows / trailers that transport heavy and bulky items. The walls loom over you in narrow alleyways – like the one our riad was on. A riad is a traditional 3 / 4 storeyed house centred on a courtyard garden, often with a fountain or pool to cool the air, and a rooftop terrace. Our downloaded directions were simple, and faultless. Basically, go under two arches and turn right at the butchers (a tiled counter at shoulder height, opening onto the street with no obvious doorway).

We were a little too early – the room not ready until 12pm – but we liked the Riad Dar Tamlil. Small, cosy, beautifully kept, traditionally furnished, quiet, yet within two minutes of JEF. £15 a night, B&B. This is the real deal.

We left the bags and returned to JEF to get more closely acquainted with it. We opted for a coffee at the Argana, one of the cafes overlooking the square, and went up to the upper terraces. The coffee was OK but the prices Parisien (it's the view you pay for!). Worth the 15dh ((£1).

After that, we went into the souks to meander somewhat aimlessly and see what was what. A friendly herbalist talked us into his shop and explained a heap of stuff about the produce for sale. There were herbs and spices we knew and others we didn't: turmeric, paprika, saffron, chillies, curry powders of various concoctions, tagine spices, dried ginger, orange water, cinnamon, coriander, argan oil and Berber confections of cosmetic or medicinal purpose – alum, Berber lipsticks, black soap for the hammam etc… Outside, there were baby tortoises for sale in little cages, and song birds. And snails being cooked in great pots.

The world and his mother is keen to get you into their shop – we were steered into a carpet shop but soon exited, with French apologies. Near the tannery district we were naïve enough to permit ourselves to be steered in, issued with sprigs of fresh mint (it stinks, understandably of bird shit, urine and foetid hides), and given the five bob tour. In this case, it was £3 a head (steep but suited us): an explanation of the process, a chance of some photos and then into the shops adjacent to the yards. By now I was wising up, a little slow off the mark maybe, but I was getting there – and becoming more robust in my French declinations of goods I didn't want at prices I wouldn't pay.

The pelts – goat, sheep, camel, cattle - are washed and then soaked for days to soften. Alum, urine and bird shit provide the chemical agents that work on the leather. After that, the hair or wool is scraped off and used for jellabas or carpets as appropriate, and then the pelts are dried and dyed using vegetable colours or minerals (poppy, cinnamon, turmeric etc). They are then worked into bags, pouffes, coats by the women of the 36 families who work in the tannery.

The carpet fella aroused my intellectual and cultural interest in some gloriously coloured vegetable silk rugs (silk comes from cacti) but I was never going to buy – I have no use for one. But he was in bargaining mode and started off at 2200dh, my protestations of uninterest brought the price down to 750dh (£50) but he didn't get that I didn't want to buy. I think he assumed it was a ploy to bring the price down. He was disgusted when I didn't buy.

Our guide then steered us back towards JEF, and we visited the guichets automatiques for some cash. Back to the hotel to unpack, brew up and imbibe the atmosphere. The meat market was a reminder of Pakistan and the Empress Bazaar in Karachi: chickens in cages, cattle heads skinned and hung up, with tongues lolling, tripe, livers. Small holders sold a few vegetables on cloths spread on the ground: carrots, cauliflowers, potatoes, garlic, onions, artichokes, clementines, oranges, fresh herbs, ground spices.

Marrakchis are young, they drive recklessly on velos and cycles making Sh! Sh! Sh! noises to warn you of their approach – but you can't say which way they will pass – left or right… There lots of older people in hooded jellabas, people were dressed as if it was freezing – we were woefully under-dressed compared with the locals! People were either hustling you into shops with just looking or were friendly and calling greetings – but not indifferent to visitors. There were lots of clothing stalls, and slipper sellers, wrought metal, pottery. There was little sky to be seen – some of the souks are covered with mats or louvers, and the walls tall; no landmarks to help with navigation. The filtered sun offered some point of orientation.

After a chill at the hotel and a quick cat lick, we were out again for an evening promenade. A stroll south brought us to the covered market near the old Bahia palace – chickens and rabbits in mesh boxes awaiting the cooking pot, and lovely fresh flowers in sumptuous bouquets. Then it was north to El Koutoubia – the imposing minaret of the mosque is to Marrakech what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris. It was positively luminescent in the evening light.

We then tootled back across Place Foucault into JEF; much more adept now at chatting and exchanging a few words with stall holders and hawkers without getting drawn in. We ate on the square, at a small café close to our archway and street. I had a traditional tagine (a dome-lidded ceramic cooking pot for use over a charcoal oven) - chicken with saffron, lemon, olives, potatoes, oil. Tagines are perfect one-pot desert meals for nomadic peoples. The bread was excellent: fresh, fragrant, beautifully textured and flavoursome. Jemaa El Fna was now filled with food stalls and 1000s of people. Billows of steam and smoke wafted across the space and the darkened sky; fried fish smells, grilled meats, merguez (spicy sausage) the songs and drums of performers.

After that, more strolling – getting a sense of some price levels. I bought a small Moroccan flag to add to my collection – a £3 necessity, down from £6. But still overpriced – they were rare and I wanted it, so I was cornered! We stopped off for a pastry and took it back to the hotel where we had coffee and I made jottings in my holiday journal. The room was nicely warmed – very necessary too – the temperature dropped with sunset. And so to bed in this new city.

Jemaa El Fna, from Cafe Argana. Our street wends off in the LH corner of the square

Our archway and street

Our riad - down the narrow alleyway, on the right

View from our room at Dar Tamlil

Our room

Peter in our tadelakt bathroom

Up to the rooftop terrace...

In the souk

Slanted light...

Donkey cart in the souk

Moroccan lamps...

The tanneries in Marrakech are hard by the wall in the east of the city - a poor district

Closer view... tenderising vats, stench not visible...

French consulate and the Koutoubia mosque's minaret. There are no pencil minarets and domes in mosques here - great square towers predominate.

Glowing in the evening sun...

Intensity of colour

The footings of its predecessor - incorrectly aligned with Mecca and so demolished... The "new" mosque dates from the end of the 12th Century, placing it squarely in the Romanesque period for European architecture, and of an age with Francis of Assisi (1182 - 1224).

Jemaa El Fna in the early evening, from Cafe Toubkal.

Home in the dark...

[europeanexperience]

4 August 2018 EuropeanExperience.Tumblr.com Well, If waking up at 2:45am to fly to Santorini wasn’t enough, we flew back very late that evening, but it was totally worth it. It was a whirlwind of twenty-four hours and never have I ever been on a shorter flight. The large Airbus departed Athens and by the time we reached maximum altitude, the seatbelt light was turned off for probably three minutes before we started our descent to Greece’s most popular island, Santorini. We landed on the tarmac and a bus came out to gather all the passengers and shuttle them to the main terminal in pitch blackness-we landed on island and the sun hadn’t even come up yet. Haha. With small backpacks on our backs, we took the Fira Shuttle to Santorini’s largest town, Fira, where we then transferred busses to Oia, the town known round the world for its 60 Blue-domed churches. If you were picturing Santorini to be picturesque in terms of being tropical, you’re wrong because I never saw a single palm tree. Haha. Santorini is like an arid plain. There are some mountainous regions, but it is relatively flat in town. The island was once a large, active volcano that actually sunk into the ocean and created an atoll, where three islands now form around the volcano cavern that still protrudes out of the Mediterranean to this day. Once we arrive in Oia (Pronounced EE-A) we walked the narrow alleyways along the cliff’s edge in town to snap some shots. It was great, for since we arrive at 7:00am, there were very few people awake. It was a neat town, but I don’t understand the hype behind it as being so picturesque. It had some great views, but St. Thomas clearly blows this island out of the water. Returning to Fira, we then boarded another bus to Akrotiri, which is known for its red sand beach. We made out really well because we found a ferry that takes you from Akrotiri to red beach, white beach, and black beach. Yes, three very different colors of sand in a matter of a mile. Due to Santorini being volcanic, the red sand is from the iron in the soil, white sand from the limestone reaching the water, and black from molten lava eroding. We ended up only having time to visit black beach and red beach, and neither disappointed. Although nothing will ever compare to the Virgin Islands, the two beaches were very unique. I loved black beach in terms of snorkeling because there was a twelve meter water tunnel Zach, Shaina, and I swam thru to the other side of the cliff. It reminded me a lot of snorkeling in Hawai’i with its lava tubes, but the diversity of species was very slim. I saw some wrasse, crabs, sea urchins, and sea anemones. The water was very salty compared to St. Thomas, but is not warm enough to support coral reefs. Leaving Akrotiri, we shuttled back to Fira, where we finished some souvenir shopping and then ate dinner at Ladokolla, which was traditional Greek cuisine. Although I am not a huge fan of pork, I settled for the traditional Pork Gyro. It was VERY filling with its pita bread, feta cheese, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, and rice. I was a satisfied customer. To finish up our day, we took another shuttle back to the airport, where we waited in line for security for over an hour. Good thing we arrived three and a half hours early-we made great friends with an older couple from Australia. We had a lot of connections since we volunteered there two years ago and they were super friendly. We touched down in Athens just at midnight and have an hour can ride back to our Airbnb, where we’ll wake up tomorrow morning and do the same exact thing. Zach and Shaina back to the United States, and myself to Dublin, Ireland to meet my Mom, Dad, and Sister as well as my visiting with my host family. Cannot wait!

[alexllove-blog]

If you are travelling from Athens to the Greek islands, this list of the best hotels in Piraeus port will be useful if you have an early departure or late arrival. 

Ferries to the Greek islands

If you are visiting Greece, chances are you will also want to visit one or more of the Greek islands. While it is possible to get to some by a short flight from Athens airport, others you can only get to by ferry.

The main ferry port of Athens is known as Piraeus, and from here you can get ferries to many of the Greek islands. As some ferries depart in the early morning or arrive late at night, often times it makes sense to stay in Piraeus overnight.

In this article, I have listed the best hotels in Piraeus Greece. But first…

Where is Piraeus?

Piraeus is the main Athens ferry port, located about 10 kms out of central Athens. Most boats to the Greek islands depart from Piraeus port, though some ferries depart from Rafina and Lavrio ports that are smaller ports a little further out from central Athens.

You can easily get to Piraeus port from the airport and the centre, using either public transportation or a taxi.

Why stay in Piraeus?

If you are arriving into Athens airport and have an early morning ferry on the next day, it makes more sense to stay in Piraeus than in central Athens.

Similarly, if your ferry from your island of choice returns in Piraeus late in the evening, you might prefer to stay at one of the hotels near Piraeus port and head to the centre (or to the airport) on the next day.

The port of Piraeus is quite big, and has 12 gates where ferries and cruise boats dock. When you book your ferry ticket, you will be informed of the gate that you are departing from.

For most people, it makes sense to stay at a hotel near their departure gate. This map of Piraeus port will help you decide. 

Hotels Piraeus Greece

There are plenty of hotels near Piraeus port Athens. Many of them are very close to the metro station, while other are a small distance away, but closer to some of the gates where boats depart from.

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Best Hotels in Piraeus

Below, you'll find our top choices for hotels near Piraeus port Athens, and why we think they may be suitable for you. Click on the read more button to be taken through to our partner Booking.com where you can see more details, prices, and of course reviews.

Hotels in Piraeus Athens

You might be interested in this selection of the best hotels in Piraeus Greece:

★ Electra Hotel Piraeus, Piraeus, Greece

Photo Credit: www.booking.com

One of the most popular options is Electra hotel Piraeus. Just three blocks away from the metro station, it offers simple, clean rooms with air-condition, TV and a mini fridge.

The Electra is great if you are departing from Gates E5, E6 or E7, where many ferries from Piraeus leave to the Cyclades Islands.

It’s also one of the closest options to Gates E2 and E3, where you will need to go if you are going to Crete from Piraeus.

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★★ Delfini Hotel, Piraeus, Greece

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The nearby Delfini Hotel doesn’t get as good reviews as the Electra, but it’s a budget accommodation if you only want to stay in Piraeus for a night.

It also has bigger family rooms, which can be very convenient if you are travelling in a larger party.

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★★★ Triton Hotel Piraeus, Piraeus, Greece

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A couple of blocks away, you can find hotel Triton Piraeus. This hotel is slightly more upmarket, and this is reflected on the constantly high ratings.

Most rooms have small balconies with a view to the port. Triton hotel is located close to Gate E8, where boats to Hydra and the other Argosaronic islands depart from.

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★★ Piraeus Dream Hotel, Piraeus, Greece

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One of the best located hotels in Piraeus is Dream Hotel Piraeus. A short walk from Gates E8 and E9, but also close to the metro station, it offers bright, spacious rooms with nice views of the area.

They serve breakfast starting from 6am, which is very convenient if you have an early ferry.

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★★★★★ Piraeus Theoxenia Hotel, Piraeus, Greece

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If you are looking for a luxury hotel in Piraeus with a pool, look no further than the Theoxenia, the only 5-star hotel in the area, and still within walking distance of the port.

It offers spacious rooms and elegant suites with safes and large TVs, and is the best hotel option if you are in Piraeus for business.

Considering that breakfast is included in the price, this is actually one of the best value for money hotels in Piraeus!

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★★★ The Park Hotel Piraeus, Piraeus, Greece

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If you are departing from gates E8 or E9, one of the best options is the Park Hotel Piraeus, which has recently been renovated.

The rooms have balconies with views to the nearby park or Piraeus port, and there is a roof garden where you can enjoy a snack or a drink.

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★ Hotel Achillion, Piraeus, Greece

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For gates E8 and E9, you should also consider Achillion Hotel Piraeus port.

Offering simple rooms and family rooms, it’s another budget option hotel near Piraeus port Athens.

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★★ Filon, Piraeus, Greece

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Another great Piraeus port hotel, close to Gates E9 and E10, is Hotel Filon Piraeus.

With cosy, budget air-conditioned rooms, it’s one of the hotels in Piraeus that offer the best value.

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★★ Phidias Piraeus Hotel, Piraeus, Greece

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If you want luxury, spacious rooms with excellent ratings, go for Phidias Piraeus Hotel, a few blocks away from the port.

Providing a private shuttle with free transfers to and from the port of Piraeus, the bus X96 and the metro station, it is one of the best hotels in Piraeus Athens.

This is a great option if you want to spend a couple of days in Piraeus as it’s right next to picturesque Marina Zeas, with a few restaurants and cafés.

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Greek Ferry Information

You may find the following guides to taking Greek ferries from Piraeus to the islands useful:

How to get to Hydra, Greece – Ferry and Day Trip Information

Ferry from Athens to Milos – How to get to Milos Greece

Athens to Chania Ferry Information – Boat From Athens to Crete

How to get from Athens to Mykonos – 2019 Travel Guide

How to get from Athens to Santorini – 2019 Travel Guide

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The post Best Hotels in Piraeus Greece – Piraeus Port Accommodation appeared first on Dave& Travel Pages.

[togreeceandbeyond]

May 30

Well, we had changed rooms last night to get a double bed that turned out to be two twin beds pushed together with a down cover over them to eliminate the gap between the beds. It didn't work and I spoke to John, the bell captain, again about getting a real double bed without a gap. He said he would arrange it and to leave our luggage packed so it could be moved for us. We came back around 4 after traipsing all over Athens looking at the Roman Agora, the ancient Agora and the Greek Military Museum. We really enjoyed the Greek Military Museum although history went back 2000 years. We skipped through most of it and got to the modern era after getting more details about the Battle of Thermopylae. We have lots of pictures to show battle plans, weapons and some interesting facts about the wars between the Greeks and the Ottomans, aka the Turks. I had a good time visiting with the soldiers manning the place who are doing their 9 months national service. They were not going into the regular army, just doing their compulsory time. They were interested in my time as a medic and in the army, so long ago. By the way, we got in for half price because I was a veteran. They were happy to see an American veteran there. I left them with some words of wisdom and went on my way. On the way back to our hotel, we stumbled across the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We saw the guards in traditional military garb guarding the tomb. Like our guards, they have a routine of marching back and forth to two specific positions while guarding the tomb. I posted some videos, then we went on to see something else. Not long after that we found out they change the guards every hour but we couldn't get back in time to see the actual changing of the guards. I'm sure it was interesting and an excellent military drill. It reminded me of the Russian war memorial in East Berlin, where we got to watch them change the guard and do their routine while watching the eternal flame. We walked quite a bit spending about 7 hours traipsing around Athens going to various sites. We were pooped but very happy to have seen all of the ancient sites. When we got back to the hotel, John had found us a room next to the one we had last night that had an actual king size bed all in one mattress and we had a wonderful night's sleep. We went to one last ruin across the street from the hotel called The Olympian, which had the arch of Hadrian which was used as the entrance. We were sad to leave but happy to begin the next part of our journey. We were supposed to drop off the car at the airport between 11:30 and 12. I texted the rental agency to meet us there but they never showed up. I Googled their office and was driving to it when the agent called me, an hour and a half after I had texted.  Our agent is a youngster around 30 so I thought they lived on their phones.  She said I was going to the central office and not her office so she gave me instructions on how to get to her office but they weren't very clear and my GPS was not functioning properly. We wandered around for about an hour before we finally met her at the airport to turn in the car. She signed off on no damages or anything and we left the car and went into the airport. She was going to come back and pick it up later after taking care of a new client. We needed a hotel for the night with a shuttle back to the airport. We went to a travel agent because my GPS was still not working correctly. The hotel right across the road from the airport was $600 a night. The agent found one for us 10 minutes away with a free shuttle for $135 a night including a free shuttle at 3:30 in the morning to catch our flight to Madrid. 

June 1

It was a short night, but we made it to the airport in time to get through security quickly and go to the lounge for a cup of coffee and a pastry. We knew we were getting breakfast on the flight at 6 a.m. on KLM. Everything went well and we landed in Amsterdam after 3 hours and headed toward our gate for our flight to Madrid. The flight was full so they asked people to turn in their larger carry-on bags to be checked to save room in the overhead storage bins. We decided  not to since we were flying in business class in front of the plane. Some people checked their bags that they intended to carry on and some did not. We had a good flight to Amsterdam with a great crew and and another breakfast but we opted out of the omelette and took the fruit platter with a couple of rolls and juice. Everything went well until we got to baggage claim. Our bags did not make it to Madrid and they were supposed to be given priority because of our tickets. Apparently that doesn't mean a lot to KLM. We waited in line for an hour to put in a claim after we found out our bags weren't coming. To complicate matters we didn't have a hotel room yet and were picking up a rental car and getting a SIM card for Spain and Portugal. To make a long story longer we went to the rental car agency to secure the car and told them we would be going to get a SIM card for our phone before picking up the car. Well, Madrid airport is a pretty big airport. Information finally told us we could get a SIM card in terminal 4 and we were in Terminal 1. We found the shuttle bus and took the 15 minute ride right to terminal 4 and found the SIM card kiosk.  It’s like AT&T but is called Orange. The agent sold us a SIM card that works in all of Europe for 50 Euros, so we don't have to change chips or SIM cards when we go into Portugal. Then we had to find a way back to Terminal 1 and when I say Madrid is a complicated airport, that's putting it mildly.  We had to move up and down elevators and escalators and cross sky bridges before we found the right shuttle bus. We finally got back to the rental car place and our car was gone. The guy found a car for us that was exactly like the one we were supposed to have and we got out of the airport around 4 after having arrived at 12 p.m.  We had a list of hotels from the information booth and checked the first one out on the internet. It was $400 a night so we found a nice hotel further out from the city right beside a metro stop and got it for 500 euros for 4 nights not including breakfast.  When we checked in they had no double bed for us so they put us in a suite for the same price. It has a living room, two TVs, nice bathroom, a king bed with a desk and a 42 inch LED TV. Not bad.   June 2

After breakfast we headed to the Metro and bought a 10 trip ticket for each of us. We should have bought one ten trip ticket until we ran out of trips. We visited the Plaza Mayor or the grand Plaza which was very interesting, then wandered around until we headed to the Prado Museum after lunch. The line was actually 300 M long so instead of eating lunch in the park, we ate waiting in line to enter the museum which took 40 minutes. When I heard people talk about the Prado being a really big and wonderful museum I was skeptical. It is huge, I mean huge and if you stop to read about every painting there it would take a day or more. The guidebook said to plan to spend 3 to 4 hours. We saw some wonderful paintings and sculptures from all over the world representing all periods of history. They painted a lot of blood and gore back in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, but all in “good taste”. The Spaniards really like naked women as do I. We couldn't take pictures but I would have loved to have taken a picture of the Virgin Mary squirting breast milk into the mouth of the baby Jesus and much of it missed which allegedly created the Milky Way. That was quite a painting. We only saw two paintings that were really bright and colorful, rather than dark and foreboding as you see in most of the Renaissance and later painters.   We had coffee early and headed over to the Royal Palace via Metro and hoofing in it. Unfortunately the palace had closed so we will see it on the 3rd of June early in the morning. We walked over to the monument to Cervantes, had an ice cream and took the metro back to the hotel. We had our own version of the siesta and went out looking for dinner. We had been going in the wrong direction because they're only three or four restaurants or cafeterias in that direction, but we found a Chinese restaurant and had Chinese for the night, not literally, just Chinese food. After that, we took a stroll in the other direction and found the local nightlife starting to perk up about 8. We now have some other options for tomorrow night if we don't stay in downtown Madrid after seeing the Royal Palace and some other sites. We have to use up three trips on the 10 pass Metro cards. I have to say the Metro system is very efficient. You do have to go up and down and over and about to change trains lines which you inevitability have to do once or twice. All in all it's been a great experience the first day and we look forward to two more days before heading out to the eastern coast of Spain and going to the Rock of Gibraltar and then on to Portugal. Two German ladies who are teaching in a elementary and high school in Lisbon which caters to German students sat by us at breakfast. We naturally got to speak a little bit of German but mostly English. I had been to the towns where both of the young ladies lived. One was from a very small town called Regensburg. That is home to the oldest wurst haus in Germany. She was somewhat amazed that I knew of it and had been there. We had a great conversation and I gave Stephanie and Ursula my business card in case they decide to come to USA. Stephanie offered to host us in Lisbon when we got there. She has lived in England for 10 years before taking the job in Lisbon so her English is very good albeit with a British accent. She is already emailed me to affirm her offer to show us around Lisbon when we get there consistent with her work schedule. We are so lucky to meet so many nice people. A smile and pleasant words works wonders. The adventure continues tomorrow.

[simonestudyabroad]

2/5/2017 It's been a long day. We woke up at 2:30am and got ready to catch our bus at 3:40am. We didn't have any money for the airport shuttle so we ended up walking to the terminal. We got on the bus and didn't get much sleep on the three hour trip to Stansted Airport. We arrived and ran into a few issues at security. They inspected my drone and tore Isabel's bag apart looking for mascara. After all that, we sat down and ate a small breakfast before boarding the plane. Ryanair is a budget airline and it definitely showed. They took out their backseat pockets to make room for more rows. Overall, the flight wasn't anything interesting and we were soon at customs in Athens. We ate some more as we waited for our flight to Santorini and I plugged in my computer. My computer wouldn't and still won't move off of the grey screen when you boot it up, which is a bummer. That's the reason for not blogging the last few days. We boarded our flight and were soon over Santorini. We were circling the island for awhile and it was soon announced that the winds were exceeding 35 knots and it was unsafe to land. We had to go back to Athens. We landed back in Athens half an hour later and Isabel stayed to wait for our bags and I quickly walked ahead to the ticket booth. I was only third in line and the lady told me that we would have to wait until 5:00pm the next day to get on another flight to Santorini. In the meantime, the airline would put us all in a hotel and she told us to wait for transportation. She didn't tell us where or what hotel we were going to and everyone was confused. We walked around, asking different people if they were given any more information than we were. Finally, a flight attendant told us that buses were here to take us to our hotel. We drove about an hour and arrived at a very nice 4-star hotel. We stood in line with 200 other people and eventually were given room keys. We got to our room and none of the lights were turning on until we were told you had to put your key in a switch and then the lights would work. We unpacked and then went down to the bar to eat. The food was pretty good and we got back on the elevator to go back to our room. We stood in the elevator pressing the button that said 2 for awhile until someone else came in and put his key in the slot. Then the elevator moved. A little embarrassing. We then had to wait up until 3:00am to register for classes. We dozed for about an hour and then sleepily were able to register. Then we were finally able to sleep.

[charllieeldridge]

Laganas Beach Zakynthos: A Zante Travel Guide

Laganas Beach in Zakynthos is the most popular beach destination on the island and while it does attract a large number of young partiers during the summer months, the calm bay with golden sand also attracts families for its many accommodation options and shallow gradient into the clear Ionian water.

In this post, I’m going to break down everything you need to know about Laganas Beach Zakynthos so that you can make an educated decision about where to stay on Zakynthos. This post will include all of the best hotels, restaurants, day trips, nearby beaches and more.

Let’s get started with our travel guide to Laganas Beach.

Read More: 15 Cool Things To Do in Zakynthos

About Laganas Beach

Laganas is a love it or hate it kind of place. For those who don’t mind the crowds, all-day watersports, all night clubs and package tourism offerings, then this is the place to be, particularly in July and August. 

But for those looking for a slice of Zante Paradise, then Laganas Zakynthos may no be the best base to explore the island unless you’re visiting in the shoulder/offseason.

The island of Zakynthos has a population of around 41,000 people and an area of 405 kilometres² (156 miles²). The capital of the island is the city of the same name on the southeast coast (Zante Town aka Zakynthos Town).

Read More: The Ultimate Guide To Greece Travel

Where is Laganas Beach?

Laganas Beach is located on the island of Zakynthos (aka Zante) in the Ionian Sea of western Greece. The island of Zakynthos is a growing tourist destination in Greece located about 20 kilometres west of the Greek Peloponnese mainland and 249 kilometres west of Athens, the capital.

Laganas Zante is located about 8 kilometres (16 minutes by car) south of the capital of the island, Zante Town. It’s in a large natural bay wedged between the Visilkos Peninsula to the east and the southern tip of the island which leads to Keri Beach.

Other Places On Zakynthos Island

Gerakas Beach

Navagio Beach

Zante Town

Banana Beach

Porto Azzuro

Porto Limnionas

Keri

Alykes

Xigia Beach

Psarou Beach

How To Get To Laganas Beach

Because Laganas is one of the most popular stops in Zakynthos, there are plenty of ways to get here. The airport is only 15 minutes away by car and the ferries from mainland Greece to Zakynthos port at Zante Town about 20 minutes away. For Ferries onward to Kefalonia, you’ll have to go to the northern port town of Agios Nikolaos.

Rent a Car

The best way to get around Zakynthos is by renting a car. We rented a car for the entire duration of our stay on the island (around 10 days) and we couldn’t recommend it more.

The cost of car rentals in Greece starts at around €16 per day, whereas day tours around the island will usually cost you around €30 per person. While there are some day tours you’ll still want to do, having a car will give you the freedom to explore on your own and it will cost you a lot less than tours, particularly if you have more than one person sharing the cost.

Public Transport

If you’re staying in Laganas Beach, you’ll have plenty of public bus options as well. The bus times can be a bit unpredictable and most buses will run through Zante Town first, but you can definitely get to most of the southern and eastern towns using the public transport system.

The stops for the public bus are as follows:

Argassi – Xirokastelo – Vassilikos – Porto Roma – Tsilivi – Planos – Tragaki – Kipseli – Alykanas – Alykes – Katastari – Orthonies – Anafonitria – Volimes – Exo Hora – Kambi – Agios Leon – Agios Nikolaos – Machairado – Galaro – Gyri – Keri – Agalas – Lithakia – Laganas.

Renting a Boat

A third option for getting around the island from Laganas would be to rent a boat and drive it around the island. You won’t be able to go too far as the seas can be dangerous and the boat rental companies have justified limitations, but it’s a great way to see many places on the south shore.

Boats start at around €80 per day + gas and in my opinion, renting a boat isn’t just one of the coolest things you can do in Zakynthos, it’s is one of the best things to do in all of Greece. 

Click Here to read our post all about renting a boat in Zakynthos and also check out our experience renting a boat in Kefalonia.

Getting To Laganas Beach from the Zakynthos Airport

Laganas Beach is located about 7 kilometres (15 minutes by car) south of the Zakynthos “Dionysios Solomos” Airport. If you choose not to rent a car at the airport, the cost of a taxi from the airport to Laganas Beach area will start at around €17. Get Your Guide also offers this luxury shuttle service.

Best Time To Visit Laganas Zakynthos

If you’re planning a trip to Greece and you plan to hang out on a beautiful beach like Laganas Zante, then you’re going to want to plan to come when the weather is clear and the sea is warm. If you’re only coming for a quick visit on a day trip around the island, you’ll also want to come at the perfect time of day to see the beach in all of its glory.

The Best Time of Day To Visit Laganas Beach

The best time of day to visit Laganas Beach is basically any time of day. In the morning you can see the sky light up to the east as the sun rises over the Greek mainland. In the late afternoon, you can see the reverse effect to the west (Laganas Zakynthos is a great beach for sunset), and in the middle of the day when the sun is directly overhead, it illuminates the sand, turning the Ionian water an electric blue.

The Best Time Of Year to Visit Laganas Beach

While Greece is a year-round destination, the absolute best time of year to visit Greece is generally between the months of March and November. But if you’re coming for a beach holiday to Laganas Zante, then you’ll want to skip the cooler months on either end.

The best time to visit for beaches is any time between May and October when the sea is warm enough to swim and the sun is likely to be shining. July and August are peak months when Laganas Beach can be absolutely crammed with tourists. That’s why we prefer to visit in the shoulder (quieter) months of April-May and September-October.

The Type of Sand on Laganas Beach

Zakynthos Island is blessed with many sandy beaches and Laganas is one of its prettiest options. Aside from the crowds, this is one of the best beaches in Zakynthos.  The sand here is fine and golden and the gradient going into the water is a gradual slope, making it perfect for families with kids.

Facilities on Laganas Beach

Laganas Beach is a popular nesting ground for the Loggerhead Turtles and as such, the facilities on the beach have to abide by certain rules to ensure that the turtles and their nests aren’t disturbed any more than necessary. 

There are umbrellas and sunbeds for rent but the chairs should be placed strategically as to not disturb any nests. Be careful when moving your chairs. The cost of rental starts at around €8 per day for 2 sunbeds and 1 umbrella.

Technically there aren’t supposed to be any watersports on Laganas Beach because its part of the Zakynthos Marine National Park, but that doesn’t stop shops from renting them and tourists from driving them up and down the beach.

If you’re going to rent jet skis from the rental places on either side of the beach or take part in any watersports, consider going elsewhere and not within the marine park.

There are also plenty of restaurants, bars, hotels and apartments lining the beach. Many offer showers, toilets and sunbeds for rent.

Where To Stay Near Laganas Beach

As this is the most popular beach resort on the island, it’s not surprising that Laganas Beach Zakynthos has a ton of accommodation options. There’s something here for every budget, from luxurious resorts to budget apartments, you’ll find it on Laganas Beach.

Budget

Tropical Studios

Laganas, Laganas, 29092, Greece  ★ 4.77/5 (31 Airbnb Reviews) From €50/night

Tropical Studios is located just 400 meters from the sand at Laganas Beach Zante and about 800 meters from the center of town. They have nicely appointed apartments with AC, fridge, kitchenette, coffee machines, private bathroom and shower. Every room has a balcony with a garden view and they’re pet-friendly.

Click Here to see the latest prices on Airbnb.com

Midrange

Memories Apartments

Laganas, Laganas, 29092, Greece  ★ 9.1/10 (214 Booking.com Reviews) From €87/night

Memories Apartments are luxurious, resort-style small apartments a few minutes walk to the beach. They have a massive seasonal pool for guests to use as well as a barbecue area and plenty of common space. The rooms have flat-screen TVs, mountain views (or pool or garden views), small kitchenettes and free wifi around the entire property.

Click Here to see the latest prices on Booking.com

Top End

Golden Sun Resort & Spa

Kalamaki, Kalamaki, 29100, Greece ★ 8.7/10 (28 Booking.com Reviews) From €300/night

Technically on Kalamaki Beach about a 10-minute walk up the sand from main Laganas Beach, Golden Sun Resort & Spa is a luxury, Adults Only place located right on the sand. Some units have a private pool, while others have a small private hot tub. The room rate includes breakfast. 

Click Here to see the latest prices on Booking.com

Best Restaurants Near Laganas Beach

Again, given the popularity of the beach here, it’s not too shocking that there are also a lot of great restaurants nearby. If you’re planning a trip around the island, however, don’t miss more authentic Greek dining experiences like Lofos Restaurant and Taverna Psarou near Psarou Beach.

The Isles Greek Tavern & Restaurant

Laganas Beach, 290 92, Greece ★ 5.6/5 (177 Google Reviews) Mains from €7

Set right on the sand this is definitely one of the most popular tavernas in Laganas Zante. You can get all the Greek classics here as well as spring rolls, fish and chips, pasta and other pub favourites. 

Pános

Zakynthos 290 92, Greece ★ 4.7/5 (177 Google Reviews) Mains from €7.50

Set a couple of blocks back from the beach on the main road leading into Laganas Town is this popular grill house. Pános serves up all of the Greek favourites as well as pizzas, pasta and soups. On some evenings in the high season, they also have traditional Greek music and dance here.

Cool Peppers

Laganas 290 92, Greece ★ 4.4/5 (363 Google Reviews) Mains from €9

This place is a Laganas institution and often gets the vote as the best restaurant in town by many visitors and Greek locals alike. A lovely, beachfront location with a fun atmosphere, stunning views and cool music, this is the place to come for sunset drinks or a romantic dinner. The food is a bit more than some other places in Laganas Beach, but it’s worth it for the ambiance, service and quality of food at Cool Peppers.

Tásos

Zakynthos 290 92, Greece ★ 4.3/5 (310 Google Reviews) Mains from €8

While Tásos also serves a bewildering variety of food including risottos and some American classics, they do Greek food best. If you come here, stick to the Greek items on the list and you won’t be disappointed. It’s fresh, well-prepared and the staff here is excellent. 

Chevys Bar

Laganas 290 92, Greece ★ 4.3/5 (118 Google Reviews) Mains from €5.50

Another Laganas institution, Chevys Bar is a classic American diner set right in the center of Laganas town on the main road to the beach. Come here when you’ve had enough Greek food and you’re looking for some North American variety. From American breakfast and burgers to chilli con carne and chicken fajitas, you’ll find your comfort food at Chevys.  

Day Trips From Laganas Beach

There are a lot of tour offices in Laganas Beach offering all types of tours, from quick hops over to Zakynthos, to round the island full-day trips. If you’re basing yourself in Laganas Beach Zakynthos, here are a few day trips you won’t want to miss.

Navagio Beach

Without a doubt, the most breathtaking beach in Zakynthos and probably one of the best in all of Europe, Navagio Beach (aka Shipwreck Cove) is a beautiful strip of pebbly white stones surrounded by the iconic electric blue Ionian water and 200 meter-high towering cliffs.

This is one place you don’t want to miss. With your own car, you can drive to the lookout point on the cliffs overlooking the beach, but to actually swim at Navagio you’ll have to join a day tour.

Some great ones are offered by Get Your Guide. Click Here for their latest prices and Click Here to read our post all about how to make the most of this epic day trip.

Swim With Turtles

While you do have a decent opportunity to swim with the famous caretta caretta (Loggerhead) turtles at Laganas Beach, perhaps the best place to spot them is at the quieter Gerakas Beach south of Zante Town.

Check out Viator for trips to see these beautiful protected creatures and don’t miss our post all about sustainably spotting them in the wild.

Keri Cliffs

About 15 minutes west of Laganas Town by car and you’ll reach the village of Keri. While the village itself is quite charming in its own right, the reason you’ll want to come here is for the spectacular view off of the 300 meter high cliffs here and out to the Ionian Sea.

The best time to come is at sunset. Pick a tavern and watch the sun dip into the water over a nice cocktail and some traditional Greek food. Click Here to check out our guide to the best taverns, places to visit and when to visit Keri Cliffs.

CLICK TO READ MORE THINGS TO DO IN ZAKYNTHOS

Should You Go To Laganas Beach?

Laganas beach is a place that draws contrasting reviews, to say the least. When we visited in May, it wasn’t too crowded, so we could enjoy the lovely sandy beach and it was the perfect place for sunset drinks and a swim.

But talking to locals and researching for this post it became very clear that this place can be very hectic in July and August. Perhaps if you visit Zakynthos during these high-season months you should opt to stay at a quieter beach town (like Psarou or Tsilivi) and visit Laganas on a day trip.

Either way, this is a beautiful beach with crystal clear water in the Ionian Sea of Greece, so you can’t really go wrong.

The post Laganas Beach Zakynthos: A Zante Travel Guide appeared first on Goats On The Road.

Laganas Beach Zakynthos: A Zante Travel Guide published first on https://travelaspire.weebly.com/

[discefeliciter]

Florence Diaries 17: Berlin

My most recent weekend trip was to Berlin, and this one was even more special than all of the ones that came before it, because I wasn’t just going as a tourist - I was going to meet up with my friend Feli, who I’ve been writing letters to since we were first introduced as part of an assignment for my high school German class in 2013, but who I had never actually met in person! This trip was even better than I could have ever hoped it would be, and it was definitely one of my favorites so far.

At 3:30 on Thursday afternoon, I caught a train from Florence to Milan, and once I was in Milan, I hopped on the shuttle from the main train station to the Malpensa airport. Luckily I had no issues with my travel (I’m hoping I maxed out on travel issues during my trip to Lake Como!) and I made it to the airport with plenty of time before my flight to Berlin.

Once we boarded the plane, we had to wait for a while because there was some issue with people’s travel documents, but we made it out of the airport eventually, and after that, the flight was uneventful. I finally landed in Berlin around 11:30 that night, and Feli was waiting to pick me up!

We hit it off right away, and took a taxi from the airport to her family’s home just outside the city. Her mom had made soup for us so we had a late dinner, and then headed to bed since we had a busy day ahead of us!

We started the next morning with breakfast at home, and then hopped on a bus and then a train to get to the Brandenburg Gate. We took a few pictures there and then visited the Reichstag and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, and then walked from there to Checkpoint Charlie. After that we took photos at one of Berlin’s ubiquitous Photoautomats, and then checked out the East Side Gallery (the part of the Berlin Wall that is still standing, and has been decorated with tons of different murals) before grabbing currywurst for lunch. Then we headed to a coffee shop to get out of the cold for a bit, and for the rest of the afternoon, we checked out a couple of cute shops.

Feli’s parents had made reservations at a traditional German restaurant for dinner that night, so after we finished shopping, we headed back to her house to hang out for a little while before leaving for the restaurant. Dinner was amazing (I definitely think German food is my favorite of all the different cuisines I’ve tried this semester) and it was so nice to have a chance to get to know Feli’s whole family. After dinner, we headed to a bar where we had glüwein, and that was all for Friday!

On Saturday, we slept in for a little while, and then we headed into the city again. Our first stop was the Panoramapunkt at Potsdamer Platz, where we were able to see super cool views of the whole city, and then we headed to Museum Island to check out the Alte Nationalgalerie. After spending a few hours there, we grabbed döner (a German-Turkish specialty, so good!) for lunch.

Our next stop was the Berliner Dom, which was beautiful. We happened to walk into the main sanctuary space just as an orchestra was finishing their rehearsal for the concert they were putting on that night, so that was super cool to see! Then we checked out the church’s museum space before heading up to the top of the dome, where we got more panoramic views of the city, this time just in time for the sunset.

After that, we headed back to Museum Island to check out the Pergamon Museum. Unfortunately it closed before we were able to see everything, but it was still super cool! Then we headed back to Feli’s house for dinner, and at the end of the night, we watched a movie.

We got up super early the next morning to catch a train to the airport, and then said our goodbyes for now. I didn’t have any issues getting back to Florence either (the only annoying thing was that the cheapest train trip from Milan back to Florence involved three transfers and took more than five hours!) and I was back in time for dinner with my roommates.

Berlin would have been impressive enough on its own, but it was so much better to see it with Feli. It’s crazy to think that a pen friendship that started more than five years ago would lead to friendship in real life, but I wouldn’t have it any other way! She made a great tour guide and her parents were so wonderful and generous to let me stay with them, and I can’t even begin to say how thankful I am for this trip.

Now I only have one last weekend trip - this time to Athens - and then I’m done travelling for a little while. While it’ll definitely be nice to stop spending money on flights and to have a little more free time on the weekends, I’ll definitely miss being able to jet around Europe so easily!

But for now, I’m getting ready to finally show my parents around Florence. It will be a busy few days, but I’m so excited! ❤︎

[topfygad]

Ambling By way of Europe | Nat Geo Traveller India

A cross-border jaunt throughout Japanese Europe potential prospects a pair to realms of natural magnificence and human connection.

Europe Highway Excursions &#13&#13 Paloma Dutta &#13&#13 | POSTED ON: Would possibly 16, 2019

  Council Sq. is the historic coronary heart of the Romanian city of Brasov. It’s surrounded by stunning Gothic, baroque and Renaissance properties, and belies tiny of its darkish earlier within the Middle Ages as a spot of basic public trials and executions. Image by: Posnov/Minute/Getty Photographs

Within the spring of 2015, excellent earlier than the European refugee disaster had pressured Europe, and your complete world, to appear inwards and get positions within the tussle of humanity versus governance, my companion and I had been floating because of Japanese Europe, mild-headed from the may of the Schengen visa, even having fun with hospitality from shocking quarters. In Romania, we determined to look at the nation by day and trip by prepare at evening time to avoid wasting on lodging though exposing ourselves to the continuity of journey.  Beginning up off at Brasov—nestled amidst the Carpathian Mountains, and the closest city to the spine-tingling Bran Fortress that impressed Bram Stoker’s Dracula—we had travelled by darkish and snowy Transylvania, heads entire of tales of the Wallachian prince, Vlad the Impaler, and colours from the brightly painted frescos of the late 15th-century Moldavian monasteries in Suceava County. By the point we reached Bucharest, we had been devoid of an appropriate mattress or a bath for a couple of days. Although the earlier leg was in an reasonably priced wood-panelled, first-course coupe, it will need to have revealed. At 1 stage, weary from strolling near the money metropolis we uncovered a useful spot by the highway reverse the Nationwide Museum of Romanian Historic previous to rest awhile. As I used to be utilizing out an apple from my fabric bag I discovered a feminine observing us from a ways. Rapidly she questioned, “The place are you from?” and continued as if getting skipped our response, “Can I buy you some meals?” It took us solely a 2nd to understand she skilled mistaken us for homeless individuals, from another area. We refused the freed from cost meals however talked about her kindness.

A backpacking journey on a shoestring funds and a fluid itinerary often throw up some unconventional routes and signifies of trip. We skilled been on the road for a few weeks all-around Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary and, of examine course, Romania, and weary of cramped areas in buses and trains, we made the choice to stretch our legs and wander to Bulgaria. We achieved Giurgiu Nord, the railhead on the Romanian side, late afternoon, from the place by we might start the 13-kilometre stroll to the bordering Bulgarian city of Ruse, additionally recognized as Little or no Vienna for its stately 19th- and 20th-century neo-baroque and neo-rococo structure. We stepped out of Giurgiu station to siesta silence on a tiny lengthen of pitched avenue with grass on each of these sides, which led to the freeway from precisely the place we had been being to determine on our strategy to the border. With a middle-of-nowhere familiarity that confuses a travel-addled thoughts, we walked to the gate of the Romanian immigration workplace atmosphere and within the absence of a pedestrian queue lined up with vans, buses and different motor automobiles to get our exit stamp. Essentially the most romantic lengthen of the wander was on the a few-kilometre-lengthy Friendship Bridge over the Danube. Constructed in 1954, it was the one bridge connecting Romania and Bulgaria at the moment. The romance was heightened by the presence of the sprawling river with bristly eco-friendly banking establishments, diesel fumes from passing focused guests and, most significantly, the absence of some other pedestrians. In regards to the center of the bridge, we paused to stare on the brightly painted blue-and-yellow indication saying we had been being coming into Bulgaria. We walked on.

***

The mural work of the distinctive Orthodox church buildings (prime nonetheless left) of northern Moldavia, constructed within the late fifteenth century are motivated by Byzantine artwork The majestic neoclassical Romanian Athenaeum (backside left) is a live performance hall within the centre of Bucharest and a symbolic edifice of the nation’s wealthy classical new music custom Ruse, the northern city of Bulgaria, located on the monetary establishments of River Danube, is a melting pot website hosting varied cultural gatherings (applicable) these because the Ruse Carnival and the March Songs Days. Footage by: Augustin Lazaroiu/shutterstock (making), Roberto Sorin/shutterstock (man), Emily Marie Wilson/shutterstock (church inside)

Serendipitously stumbling into Albania, a nation which didn’t decide in our itinerary in any respect, was probably the most important journey on this month-lengthy journey.

To decrease a protracted story shorter, we ended up terribly slumber disadvantaged after we landed within the historic metropolis of Thessaloniki in Greece on an excellent spring early morning, having put within the earlier two evenings on the Athens airport. The one specific working day in regarding was spent trying out the a number of wonders of the Cradle of Western Civilisation, such because the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion for an excellent sundown within the Aegean Sea. By the point the airport shuttle dropped us on the inter-city bus station, it was apparent that we ended up in no level out to discover Thessaloniki, Greece’s subsequent premier city, earlier than transferring on to Montenegro at evening, as initially deliberate. Considering on our worn out toes, we checked the digital present board—the upcoming bus was leaving for Tirana in 10 minutes. A fast scan of the map verified that Tirana, Albania’s money, was on the path to our up coming location, the medieval Montenegrin metropolis of Kotor by the Adriatic Sea. We might seize up on sleep on the bus prematurely of buying a relationship in Tirana to Kotor. It took us 10 minutes to search out the ticket sales space and we skilled solely boarded when the bus begun relocating. As the frenzy of enjoyment from an impromptu act subsided, a niggling doubt crept in concerning the electrical energy of the Schengen visa to tide us all through the border since Albania was not a side of the EU.

Our system unsuccessful drastically. On the bus, there was no discovering any slumber. We ended up greeted with probably the most astounding landscapes of the unrestrained attractiveness of northern Greece—miles upon miles of open up highway with horizons flanked by snow-peaked mountains. On the Albanian side, on the Qafë Botë checkpoint, the friendliest immigration officers greeted us with “Bravo, bravo!” once they came upon we now have been from India. They had been so chatty that they forgot to stamp our passports and we skilled to alight the bus once more to remind them though our co-travellers waited on patiently we ended up the one non-locals. By the point the azure waters of Modest Prespa Lake and the UNESCO Whole world Heritage Website Lake Ohrid arrived into view—and with them the holiday resort cities with orange-tiled roofs—following us in our serpentine mountain route, we felt like we had been part of a aspiration globe.

When the bus stopped at Tirana eight hrs later, we felt alive at chancing on a stunningly stunning nation. We realized Montenegro must wait awhile.

***

Clockwise from high nonetheless left: Discovered within the Carpathian Mountains near Brasov, Poiana Brasov is a popular ski resort which is frequented by skiers from throughout Europe many because of its affordability Bulgarian memento dolls showcasing their vibrant traditional costume, nosai Turli perimesh, a practice Albanian principal dish of mixed veggies has Italian influences The historic Greek temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion provides panoramic views of the Adriatic Sea and its islands. Pics by: Danny Iacob/shutterstock (snow), posztos/shutterstock (dolls), fanfo/Fotosearch LBRF/Dinodia {Photograph} Library (meals stuff), Aerial-movement/shutterstock (Greek temple)

It’s all actually completely to be spontaneous, however not so purposeful to wind up in a area with minor to no understanding of its individuals in the present day, practices or forex, even. When in Tirana, our speedy prerequisite was to find a mattress for the night. With out having the Web and solely a sketchy offline map, we resolved to go aged college and hunt all-around our on the spot neighbourhood. We’ve got been very relieved to see a ‘Resort 50m ’ sign painted on a wall that certainly led into the courtyard of a resort. Nonetheless, extra exasperation adopted after we discovered no an individual spoke English. They finally set me on the cellphone with a person who instantly questioned, “How plenty of hours?” I responded we wanted a house for the evening. He recurring his genuine query, I patiently responded with the very same reply offering him the revenue of language barrier. This might have absent on for a though skilled my affiliate not indicated, acquiring gauged the predicament and environment by then, that we required to make a speedy getaway. It however took me a a number of minutes instantly after we walked out of the dim reception into the courtyard and out of the gate to understand we now have been at a get pleasure from resort.

Again once more on the streets but once more, with a helplessness that arrives from critical tiredness, we pored about our map to see if it confirmed up any lodging. Simply then, a youthful lady in athletic use who skilled at first jogged previous, stopped, turned once more and approached us. “Not quite a few individuals talk English proper right here. So be sure you allow me know if I can help you,” she claimed. We couldn’t thank her sufficient when she directed us to Milingona Hostel, a small wander from the place we had been and very close to to Skanderbeg Sq., the first plaza within the centre of Tirana. Tirana, as we might discover, is a beautiful and vibrant metropolis with quirky and vibrant Ottoman- and Soviet-era structure, along with a pyramid-formed conference centre that was a monument to communism. However a stranger’s intuition to extend assist to a pair of travel-weary foreigners is my lasting impression of the metropolis.

***

Striving to soak ourselves in as considerably of Albania with out absolutely upturning our itinerary, from Tirana, we travelled additional extra north to the neighbouring city of Shkoder to cease by Lake Skadar, the foremost lake within the Balkan Peninsula, from the place we might in the end depart Albania. A fleeting statue of Mother Teresa from the bus window within the heart of a farmland was disorienting however abruptly introduced family her Albanian hyperlink. We designed it to Shkoder however with out the necessity of the know-how of regional language and a radical map, we adopted the flight route of crows and acquired horribly dropped turning up at a dusty minor village on the outskirts of metropolis the place by instead of a lake, we now have been the objects of significantly curiosity and want. Lake Skadar evaded us on this journey. We had been getting late to catch the bus to Kotor so we promptly retraced our actions with a hope-mingled certainty that we might revisit Albania and procure our strategy to the lake subsequent time. We skipped our bus. However like in India, we realised there may be continuously a strategy to get throughout, even all through international borders. Earlier than lengthy an aged male approached us indicating he may ferry us to the Montenegrin border city of Ulcinj. We may go away our baggage in his motorcar, go for lunch and by the point we had been once more he would discover further passengers. Even with the shady underlining to this system we discovered ourselves tough-pressed to refuse. We travelled from Shkoder in Albania to Ulcinj in Montenegro in a shared cab.

The structure bordering Skanderbeg Sq., Tirana, (nonetheless left) 1 of the most important pedestrian zones within the Balkans, is an eclectic mix Tourism in Dubrovnik (high ultimate) soared as a result of Match of Thrones aired—it was the important thing filming space for King’s Touchdown Koulouri (backside proper) are sesame coated bread rings which hint their origin to the Greek city of Thessaloniki. Pictures by: Johner Pictures/Johner Illustrations or images Royalty-Price-free/ Getty Visuals (cable vehicle), PosiNote/shutterstock (foodstuff), amyrxa/shutterstock (horse statue)

Our encounter with kindness and consider in by the use of our time on the highway emboldened us after we didn’t have enough neighborhood foreign exchange to board a bus to Dubrovnik from Kotor, we emptied our pockets to obviously present the motive force the €eight we skilled in unfastened change. He agreed to get us all through in excellent faith and waited though we withdrew {dollars} from an ATM in Dubrovnik. Earlier, in Ulcinj, another not identified portion of your complete world to us, we skilled made our strategy to Previous Metropolis, a pirate cash, we later came upon, of the Adriatic Sea within the pre-medieval time interval. There, at an edge-of-the-globe cafe named Fisherman Hari, looking out at a brilliantly purple sky forming the backdrop for an excellent orange ball leisurely slipping into the Adriatic, we contemplated concerning the accumulating of all of the unsure moments that introduced us to this sundown. And, of Polish author Ryszard Kapuściński’s commentary on travellers, “The 1 certainty is that they want to be again on the freeway, going someplace. To be on their method once more—that’s the aspiration.”

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source http://cheaprtravels.com/ambling-by-way-of-europe-nat-geo-traveller-india/

[abroadinrennes]

Fall Break 2019: Budapest, Athens, and Bucharest

Two weeks ago, we had our fall break here in Rennes. In fact, the whole country had that week (and younger kids, the week before, too) off. Being in Rennes, it’s sometimes a little bit harder to travel with classes and having to get to Paris first. (There is an airport in Rennes, but it’s much more expensive to fly out of.) But this week off of classes, was the perfect opportunity to travel. So I packed my backpack and set off for the week to explore an entirely new part of Europe. 

My first stop was Budapest, Hungary and it was also my first time ever travelling alone. I got to the airport and quickly made my way to the airport shuttle that would take me right to the hostel (thank you inter-Schengen travel for no passport control!). My time in Budapest mostly consisted of making new friends, hitting up some cool backpacker hotspots, and getting in some sight-seeing too. Definitely one of my favorite places I’ve ever been and I definitely want to go back. 

Here are some photos I took there: 

The next stop was Athens, and after a long 5 months, Clare (Todd) and I were finally reunited! Unfortunately, I was a bit sick at this point but we still got to do a bunch of cool stuff. The first night was there we went to one of Todd’s favorite bars and she convinced me to try this like lemony peppery thing? 10/10 would recommend that, the other traditional Greek drinks she had me try on Halloween, not so much. But the next day it was nice and warm so we went to the beach about an hour (on the metro and bus) south of Clare’s apartement. The next day it POURED. We walked around an outdoor market in the rain and, once it let up, walked up to the Acropolis and did some typical touristy things. On the way up we made a new tortoise friend. 

the beach in Vouliagmeni 

some frickin’ old buildings

Todd and Miguel in Greece!

Athens from above

our new friend on the way up to the Acropolis

Our last stop of the week was Bucharest, Romania, which was kind of a “why not?” decision but turned out to be a great time. Upon arriving at our hostel, the guy at reception asked us why we were there, and the only real answer we could give was “why not?” But we ate A LOT of Romanian pastries, which were delicious, hit up some nice coffee shops, and saw the second largest building in the world. Our last day, we saw the Eternal Flame and the monument accompanying it in the park. There was also an open mic night at the hostel which was really cool. Overall, Bucharest was really cool to see, but if I go back, I’ll definitely take a day trip to Transylvania to see Dracula’s castle. 

Some delicious Romanian pastries

the whole building couldn’t even fit in one picture!

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Eternal Flame

[ahimsahamsa-blog]

Day 1/2 - En Route to Bali

Bit of an inauspicious start to the trip.  The word Odyssey seems to follow me around.  Traffic A1 northbound was a cluster made all the more enjoyable by my dad (who was giving me a lift to the airport) giving running commentary on the (in)activity on the road.  I raced through customs and boarded my KLM flight to find out that we would be waiting at least an hour before departure.  This is BECAUSE WIND.  Now, maybe it doesn’t help that I’ve never met a Gareth that I’ve liked, but this particular storm has vexed me no end because IT’S A PERSONAL DISRUPTION TO ME AND MY PERSONAL LIFE ME MEMEMEMEMEMEME.  I sat for the hour reading Jean Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea and then quicker than a weird Dutch biscuit and tiny tub of mineral water was presented to me, we were off.  

Just before landing an apologetic voice sounded over the tannoy.  I think this hostess has a sideline as a stand up comic because her deliberate set up and false finish was something to behold.

‘Passengers flying to Gothenburg, Vienna, Stockholm, Paris, Singapore, Rome, Berlin, Stuttgart,’ she went on.  I leant forward.  Singapore was where my connecting flight at Schiphol would take me.  WHAT WAS SHE GOING TO SAY?  ‘Athens, Copenhagen, Madrid, Brussels, Prague, Budapest...’  YES?  YES?  ‘...Milan, Lisbon, Dublin, Florence...’  YES, WHAT ABOUT US?  ‘...You have all missed your connecting flights.’

I’ve never flown alone, however I’m a strangely cool head in the face of farce.  My grounding work consists of thinking of Jim Carrey roaring ‘Alrighty Then!’ and I’m good to go.  So I marched through Schiphol airport looking for a transfer service desk.  I found a self-service machine and selected the next available flight; to Dubai the next day at 14:35.  The machine spewed out some 10 Euro voucher for a meal and a ticket for a shuttle bus and a guest room at the airport IBIS...WHICH OFFERS FREE WIFI.  

I’m sat now in a noodle bar having redeemed my voucher, slurping on a yasai miso vegetable soup.  I had the same back in June when I connected to Florence from here.  It’s pretty good, hearty stuff - especially with lashings of sriracha.  I’m sure my Japanese-foodie-expert-friend James would scoff.  

Bit of a bugger to be losing a day of my holiday but hey, it’s happened now.  It all adds to the experience.  Or something.  I’M LOOKING FOR A CONCILIATORY WORD OR TWO, EVEN IF IT’S DECEPTIVE.  About to board to Dubai.  Gonna spend the hours reading and working on my book.  I’m about to cross 40,000 words.  

More soon.

Mark