Smith's Away

Yes I lost a few days traveling but arrived in Singapore after a great flight as it wasn't  full from Helsinki so had all 3 seats to lie across and sleep. Showered in Singapore  at the Qantas  club, then final leg to Melbourne.  This was a full flight, but I was happy watching movies. Arrived in Melbourne  at 5.30am. Caught Skybus, then train to Boronia and then bus to my street. Home sweet home after a wonderful time. Made special by my friends in the US,  Portugal,  the Netherlands  and then my new friends in Greece. Some great memories.

Leisurely  start to the day then got on the bus and met Susan at the stop near the Acropolis  museum.  We then proceeded to the Athens library, Uni and Academy. Beautiful  architecture  in these 3 buildings. Library is very old and started by 2 brothers. It houses newspapers.  The Uni was getting ready for graduation and I was able to sit and watch. Lots of happy parents and family. Academic procession of only 2 and lucky to be 40 students. Degree in History and Humanities. No mortarboard instead sort of a turban. We then checked out the Academy and it looked very like Parliament sitting. Beautiful  statues of Athena and Apollo and 2 olive trees outside, one 7 centuries old and the other 8!! We then had a drink and back on the bus to return to my hotel. Susan walked back to hers and I walked part of the way. We may meet at the airport tomorrow as they leave at a similar time. I then had a late lunch and headed back to pack. Rang a few people as soo r

Slept in a bit this morning as no where to be. Went down for breaky and had it on my own for the first time since I left home.....time to get used to it again. Susan and Linda were leaving to another hotel so Susan walked up to the bus stop with me to check out the timetable. I bought a ticket and got on to do the tour. Sat up top and a cloudy day. Great seeing all the sites and hearing more history and Greek music over the head phones. Marked the places I will hop off at tomorrow and after 2 hours got off at the Acropolis  and walked down. I called into the museum  again and love how its built over more ruins. Wandered down through the streets and found some cushion covers.  Stopped for lunch and then headed back to the hotel. Found my way back beautifully and wasn't  at all weary. Organized to meet Susan again and did the bus trip again with her. Tomorrow  we'll  go to the museums that look fantastic.  We get 2 days on the bus so that will be my last day. I

I really don't  know how the days and experiences can just keep getting better. Got up and had a nice breaky at our hotel. Reminds me of the little boutique  ones in Paris, right down to the tiny lifts! Then off we headed to our meeting place for our bike ride around Athens. I led today and found our bike place. Nice bikes but no ebikes!! Demetrius was our guide and he was fantastic. Early and not too many people around, also cool. Up past the Acropolis  and around to good viewing spots, past Roman ruins aswell as Greek ones. Incredible history and again fact mixed with mythology. On past the largest Greek Orthodox church. Their priests  can marry and have children and have no relationship with the Pope.  Past the Presidents palace and the guards were dressed in their special  Sunday outfits today. Then through the gardens to the palace of Zeus and Hadrians arch. Before Zeus we saw the Olympic stadium and the Zappion building, that housed t