Travel Diary

Onboard the Blue Star Delos, Greece

We have been sailing for about 30 minutes,, with 5 hours to go The ocean is calm, so the sailing is smooth, although there is a slight side to side rocking. I'm sitting on the observation deck where all the smokers are, and it sure seems like a lot of Greeks like to smoke. My assigned seating is an aircraft style seat, but I don't think that everyone has an assigned seat, as the ship is crowded and there aren't that many seats available. The lounges, inside and out are crowded. There seems to be a lot of foreign tourists on board; Germans, Italians and Asians. However, it seems like many of the announcements are only in Greek.

There is another ship behind us, at least a mile, in our wake. A big island is off to our left and the mainland of Greece to the right.

Docking in Naxos

Docking is quite an experience. When we were close to Naxos, I heard an announcement, in Greek, and people stood up and started for the stairs to descend to the parking areas. So, I followed, and after picking up my luggage, made my way down. The ship seems to shudder and scream and the ramps started coming down and the ship was pivoting to dock. Then it stopped and everyone rushed down the ramp.

Athens, Greece

Another wonderful day in Athens. Most of the day today was spent in a walking tour of the city, including visiting the Parthenon. Athens is certainly an amazing place to visit, there are monuments everywhere you turn. Watched the changing of the guards at the Parliament building, with the guards highly choreographed movements, which seem outlandish at times, but which I'm sure have a purpose. We walked through the National Gardens, including Zappeio Hall, Hadrian's Arch and the Statue of Lord Byron, before going onto the Parthenon.

The Parthenon is very busy and very crowded, although the walk up the slopes passes several significant archaeological sites. The walking is a bit difficult at times, especially as you get higher up. There is a lot of smooth marble and other types of rocks, worn down from countless people walking over them.

Later in the day, I returned to the area known as Plaka, and walking the narrow streets, looking into shops and having a bit of gelato.

Tomorrow is a travel day, I'll board the Blue Star Ferry Delos and a 5 1/2 hour trip to Naxos.

Athens, Greece

I arrived in Athens this morning after a short flight from Frankfurt. After leaving the luggage area, I was given a red, chocolate egg. It seems that today is Easter Sunday in the Orthodox church. The representatives of the travel agency that I engaged in Athens, Fantasy Travel, were there to meet me. After going over my itinerary for the next 9 days, they took me, via taxi, to my hotel, explaining about the city and its history along the way.

After a short rest, it was time to begin my walk around the old town, starting with the neighborhood of Plaka and Syntagma Square. The rest of the day was spent wondering the alleyways and backstreets. Again, because it was Easter Sunday, quite a few shops were closed. I did manage to find Starbucks and went for a look inside. It was quite big, 3 stories, with a quite a few outside tables.

Towards the end of the day, I followed the footpath that borders the Acropolis, taking a few photos from the outside of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus (closed). I sat and listened to street musicians for a while and watched many local people just walking about with their families and enjoying the nice weather, as the sun went down and it continued to get darker.

Frankfurt, Germany

Bonn, Germany

I went for an early morning walk along the Rhine Promenade this morning. It was a beautiful morning, about 48 F. As I walked I thought about a saying that has come to mean a lot to me these past few years "collect experiences, not things" and was thinking how true this has become. I watched the boats on their way down the Rhine River, people running and walking along the promenade for exercise and found a little garden full of life and color. On the way back to the hotel, under a light rain, church bells began ringing. I don't think I ever heard church bells where I live now, and haven't heard them since childhood.

Then it was time for coffee and cheesecake at the local Starbucks.

Frankfurt Airport, Germany

I took a slow train back to the airport. It was an Intercity train, but it followed the Rhine River, along its many bends and cities, which meant it was slow going. Along the way I watched as commercial shipping went up and down the river, passed a multitude of castles overlooking the river. The vineyards were not full yet on its hills surrounding the river, still too early in the year, and I can only image how it must look come harvest time. This has been my first trip to Germany in the Spring for many years.

Bonn, Germany

My knee still continues to give me problems. I mentioned this in my article about Bruges, Belgium last year, and I'm still dealing with it. German train stations can be difficult to get around in for me. Yesterday, when I was at the train station in Frankfurt Airport a man in a wheelchair was trying to board an ICE train. The car was clearly marked, but he couldn't board as there was no ramp. These trains don't stay in the station very long and he was getting more and more agitated, obviously afraid he wouldn't be able to get on the train. Meanwhile the people waiting to board had and he was by himself, with just a conductor. Finally, a wheelchair platform was brought up from another part of the station and he boarded.

Today, I spent the day with friends in Bad Honnef, south of Bonn and on the banks of the Rhine River; 35 minutes on the light rail. We had a wonderful time and a tasty luncheon, before one of them was kind enough to bring me back to my hotel in Bonn in his car.