Greece
Kozani

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    • Day 25

      Day 25 Athens

      June 5, 2019 in Greece ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

      My room in Bed in Athens not only has a nespresso machine but my favourite Volutto flavour - no milk required !
      Had the best hot fresh from-the-oven kolouri from Koulouri of Psirri just round the corner and that was breakfast.
      Finding navigation rather difficult in Athens and had headed in the anticlockwise direction rather than clockwise to go to the new Acropolis Museum or vice versa. Impressive building, opened in 2009 and down near Art Gallery Pension with a clear floor enabling viewing of excavations. Many familiar pieces - pensive Athena, blonde boy, kritios boy and kore. What was innovative was next to some they had built fake copies and had coloured them, also signs saying archaeologidts are available to answer questions. Top floor displayed mostly fake plaster casts of the pediments and interesting film on where the originals are. The Louvre actually has some but it is the ones taken/saved by Lord Elgin in early 1800’s that were the focus. The film showed a picture of the Parthenon and then particular pieces flying out of it with commentary saying Elgin took them - kind of amusing representation of a touchy subject. There was a dramatic display of the cutting of the friezes in order to reduce weight. Also the ship transporting them sunk and they were retrieved from the ocean floor. The museum’s top floor has been built in the same dimensions as the real thing suggesting that it’s all ready for them to come back ! There were tiny sad bits of the original shown in a couple of cases.
      Came out feeling rather flat so sat in the shade and met english lady from a cruise ship and then US couple from same ship who thought I was one of the 2,600 on it.
      Got some energy to tackle Plaka - very similar but more graffiti and any loud venues seem to have been moved out so very sedate except for agressive jewellery sellers. Lots of Acropolis views, yum scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, avacado and salad, then loukamades !!!!
      Back home for a rest as the crowds and rough footpaths are causing some grief for my toe. Out again round Monastiraki, then ouzo in Psirri where it feels much safer than out in Ermou and Monastiraki.
      Roast lamb dinner.
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    • Day 24

      Day 24 Thessaloniki to Athens

      June 4, 2019 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

      Pleasant 4 hour trip in first class with two paramedics from Hobart (doing the self guided Vikos Gorge walk) and a couple from Thessaloniki going for holiday to Hydra and Spetses. Apparently my favourite wrinkled black olives are called Halkidiki olives.
      Getting a taxi from Larissa Train Station for one is not possible. The drivers would walk the queue, select unrelated people going to similar destinations and charge the total fare three times ! Everyone was a local but eventually I was allowed to join two men going to Omonia. Driver then took me for a ride even knowing i was watching my phone so presumably GPS. I pulled him up and then got to Monastiraki quickly.
      Bed in Athens is really nice inside with modern bathroom (without bucket), big window with flyscreen overlooking derelict block but quiet. The Psirri neighbourhood was the new trendy up and coming area last time i was in Athens circa 2003 and has only built on that with cafes, bars, restaurants galore.
      Found the Mavro Gatos round the corner and as i only had Total yoghurt for breakfast treated myself to kolokothakes keftedes with mint yoghurt (zucchini fritters) and 1/4 kilo white wine for a 3pm lunch.
      Walked round the neighbourhood, up crazy, busy Ermou and round till dinner back at Mavro Gatos. They had Spicy Cheese which i had never seen on a greek menu before! I had eggplant starter and chicken, peppers and mustard sauce - ok but not brilliant.
      Slept well.
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    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Kozáni, Kozani, Кожани, Κοζάνη, KZI, Козани, GRKZI

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