Athens Greece day 16

Woke up this morning and decided on doing a bus tour the 2 days I'm here. It was a good price for 2 days and with a bus tour I don't have to walk from place to place and I won't get lost. Plus I will see a lot more this way on the bus compared to me just doing it alone and on foot. 

I caught a bus from my hostel going to city centre where one of the hop on/ hop off stops were, got on the bus and away I went. Thankfully even though it was +34 it was quite windy in the city today so that made the sightseeing a lot more bearable being outside all day. 

There are 2 lines on this bus tour, same as Barcelona had. I decided to do 1 line each day, that way I could take my time and see everything at each stop. The line I set aside for tomorrow doesn't have as many stops either so I know that whoever early I finish today I will finish even earlier the next day. 

I stopped for lunch at a little restaurant by one of the stops. Long story short I met another girl from Canada here and because we were both eating alone we joined each other for lunch and chatted about our travels. Her name was Jen, she's from Montreal and doing Greece for 12 days, she did a Europe trip for 3 months 2 years ago when she finished college as well so we had a lot to talk about. 

After my sightseeing all morning/ afternoon I finished the 1st route of the bus tour and it was about 4pm, went back to the hostel to relax for awhile because I had been out since 9 and was in need of a good break. 

I left for supper after 7 to a restaurant nearby the hostel. When I got back I sat in the common room for awhile and then headed to my room. Super weird because the 1st night I was here when I went to bed no one else was even checked into the room. There are 5 beds and I was the only one there, when I woke up there were 2 girls sleeping in the room so must have checked in while I was sleeping. But when I got back at 4 they were checked out already. So again no one in the room. 

Parliament building 

University of Athens 

It just so happened that today was grad for them! 

University library 

Top deck of the bus tour

So I stuck my head out to see something and I got slapped in the face by a tree.. Good times 

Archeological musesum 

Hondos centre

You can see the partenthon at the very top 

Hadrian's Arch 

Temple of Zeus 

Menu for supper 

Athens Greece day 15

Woke up at 4am in Corfu and caught a taxi to the airport, my flight was at 6:45 so I just sat and waited the last little while before my flight left. My time in Corfu was great for the aspect of laying on beaches and swimming, it was nice to have some relaxing time mixed in with all my busy days. 

Flight left for Athens and arrived at 8am, from there I caught a shuttle bus going to city center, and then from there I caught a trolley bus going to my hostel. (Got all these directions from the hostel I'm staying at). Didn't have too much trouble getting there and I arrived at the hostel after 9:30. 

I assumed I would have to leave my bags and then actually check in at 1 or 2 in the afternoon, however to my surprise I was allowed to check in right away because my bed was free! I got a map from reception and asked some of the questions I had. Sat in my room for awhile and wrote out all the places I wanted to go. 

I went out for some food awhile later and walked along some streets getting to know my surroundings. I don't know if it was because it was a Sunday or because it was August long (not even sure if they celebrate this holiday) but the streets were completely empty! Not a soul in sight! Barely any cars going by even!

I went back to the hostel and could barely keep my eyes open, I had trouble sleeping the previous night and had to be up at 4. So clearly didn't have much sleep so I decided to come back and take a nap for awhile because I still have 2 full days to see the city which I know will be plenty of time. 

After my nap I went out again and walked some more towards the center and passed the Panathinaikon stadium, seats more than 60 thousand and everything looks like it's made out of marble. Really beautiful stadium. 

Didn't stay out too long and then I walked back to the hostel. It's much harder to get around compared to everywhere else I have been. The language barrier is a little more tough here, as well the street signs are impossible to read! So having a map sometimes is completely useless. 

I'm also not sure if it's because I look like Casper the ghost I'm that white, but everyone looks at me like I'm a tourist, and by look at me I mean 4 times today I have passed people and they have stopped what they were doing and just stared at me. I'm talking people were having conversations with other people and they stopped talking and stared at me as I walked by! 

Panathinaikon stadium

Acropolis 

Ya someone try to read this street sign for me!! 

Corfu Greece day 14

Woke up earlier this morning and left for the boat day I signed up for. We left on the boat right from the beach that's only a 5 minute walk for me. There were a lot of people on the boat, for sure more than 30 I'd say, a big group of Italians and then a lot of Spanish people. It wasn't until a few hours in that I actually heard people speaking English. It was a couple and their daughter from England, talked with them for a little on the boat before we got to our first stop. 

We stopped at the first beach to swim while the crew cooked up the BBQ lunch. It was a deserted beach so that was nice that we had the entire place to ourselves. I swam for a little and did some snorkeling, then laid on the beach until the BBQ was ready. We ate lunch and then I quickly swam for a little longer before we all headed back on the boat. 

We sailed to a little village for an hour, some people swam and some went into the village for shopping. I went to a little restaurant right beside the port and had ice cream and just relaxed in the shade until it was time to go. 

We left on the boat again and went to another desrter beach, for sure my favorite part of the day and my favorite place to have swam the entire time I was in Corfu! The water was unbelievably clear! The photos I have basically do it justice, the water and the beach were amazing! 

After a while we left on the boat and then stopped one last time to swim beside the caves. Super cool experience! We got lead into the caves and it got super tight inside and the only way to get out was to swim underneath it! If you went by yourself with a boat you would never know that was even possible. We also climbed up the side of the caves and jumped off into the water.

After this we headed back to shore, it was a very long day in the sun, more than 7 hours so when I got back I walked to the hotel and relaxed inside my room for awhile before going out again. I didn't really have the opportunity to do anything tonight because my flight for Athens departed at 6:45 am so I had to be up at 4am. So clearly getting crazy in the clubs was not an option tonight. 

I did go out walking for a little, stopped every once and awhile in the shops around my hotel, then headed back and went to bed so I could be up and at it at 4 for Athens! 

Leaving the beach for the day!

Sailing through the Mediterranean Sea

The boat we sailed on! 

First beach we stopped at for the BBQ 

Leaving the beach and heading to the village 

Sitting by the port eating some ice cream! 

3rd stop on the boat! Look at that water! 

Swimming in the caves 

People climbing up the sides to jump off 

You go in the left opening and come out from underneath on the right! 

Just a casual yacht with a water slide