Pinewood Greece Adventure

June 2023

A 10-day adventure by Bill Read more

19footprints
5countries
10days
283photos
16videos
15.0kmiles
13.5kmiles

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Bill Bates Pinewood Greece Adventure
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- Jun 1, 2023, 11:41am
- ☀️ 63 °F
- Altitude: 85 ft
- United States California San Mateo County Lomita Park San Francisco Airport station 37.615392, -122.38988737°36’55” N 122°23’24” W
Day 1
Here We Go!
June 1, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 63 °F
We gathered at the airport and made it to the plane! We are about to take off. 🙂

Don’t worry. The posts will get better. 😂
Traveler Have a wonderful time! 😁
6/1/23Reply
Bill Bates Thanks!!!!
6/2/23Reply
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Bill Bates Pinewood Greece Adventure
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- Jun 1, 2023, 9:40pm
- 🌬 9 °F
- Altitude: 7,759 ft
- Greenland 73.267621, -31.75852673°16’3” N 31°45’31” W
Day 1
Flight from SFO to Amsterdam
June 1, 2023 in Greenland ⋅ 🌬 9 °F
The last time I flew to Europe, we flew to Boston then to London. This flight, we flew over Canada, Greenland, and Iceland. I took some pictures of the route because I thought it was cool. 🙂
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Bill Bates Pinewood Greece Adventure
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- Jun 2, 2023, 11:27am
- ☁️ 55 °F
- Altitude: Sea level
- Netherlands North Holland Gemeente Haarlemmermeer Amsterdam Airport Schiphol 52.304222, 4.76245852°18’15” N 4°45’45” E
Day 2
Made it to Amsterdam
June 2, 2023 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F
We made it to Amsterdam! In fact, we are on our next flight about to take off for Athens.

Getting through the airport was pretty easy. We did have to go through customs. They were super nice!

We did have a bit of an adventure and were at the wrong gate for our Athens flight. No bug deal, we hustled over to the correct gate (which was about 10 min away) with plenty of time to spare. 🙂

It was tough to sleep on our first flight. It was pretty noisy but we powered through. Moods are still good, although I expect everyone to run out of steam pretty soon. I bet there will be a lot of sleeping on the 3-hour flight to Athens. We’ll see. 😉

Don’t worry, better pictures are coming. Travel days are tough.Read more
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Bill Bates Pinewood Greece Adventure
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- Jun 2, 2023, 7:03pm
- ☁️ 68 °F
- Altitude: 36 ft
- Greece Attica Glyfada Glyfada Órmos Glifádhas 37.869953, 23.73875437°52’12” N 23°44’20” E
Day 2
Athens, We Made It!
June 2, 2023 in Greece ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F
We arrived in Athens! We landed in Spata and took a 40-min ish bus ride to The London Hotel in Athens. We are next to a beach.

We were exhausted! We met our tour guide for the trip, Mariana. As we ride to the hotel, she gave us the lowdown on the trip activities. She also gave us some interesting information about some of the sights.

We had dinner and I *almost* got everyone to look at the camera. Some are going to be a challenge!

After dinner, we checked out the rooftop garden and got an amazing view!

Tomorrow is a really full day visiting the Acropolis, among other places. We do get a later start, which is nice, but the rest of the time is up early and go, go, go!

It is off to bed for us!Read more
Traveler Thank you so much Mr. Bates
6/3/23Reply
Traveler Wow! So many nice pictures! I feel like we were there with you.😄 Thank you so much for your hardworking Mr. Bates!
6/3/23Reply
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Bill Bates Pinewood Greece Adventure
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- Jun 3, 2023, 10:33am
- ☀️ 81 °F
- Altitude: 249 ft
- Greece Attica Athens Mets Panathinaikon stadium 37.969479, 23.74014337°58’10” N 23°44’25” E
Day 3
Morning in Athens
June 3, 2023 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F
We began our morning visiting the Panathenaic Stadium, home of the first modern Olympic games. It was originally built in 330 BC, but was restored for the first modern Olympics in 1896.

Next, we were off to the breathtaking St. Catherine’s Orthodox Byzantine Church. Built in the 11th century, its serene aura and stunning architecture enveloped us.

Our next stop was the historic Ancient Street of the Tripods and the The Lysikrates Choregic Monument, established in 335-334 BC. A place where the famed Acropolis towered above us and each corner seemed to whisper an ancient tale.

After the morning filled with history and culture, we spent some leisurely time shopping, gathering unique treasures and immersing ourselves in the local vibe. Then it was on to a well-deserved break and a delicious Greek lunch!

Note: FindPenguins limits a post to 20 pictures and one video. Our FB group has more. 🙂Read more
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Bill Bates Pinewood Greece Adventure
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- Jun 3, 2023, 2:50pm
- ⛅ 88 °F
- Altitude: 459 ft
- Greece Attica Athens Plaka Acropolis 37.97168, 23.72587637°58’18” N 23°43’33” E
Day 3
The Acropolis of Athens
June 3, 2023 in Greece ⋅ ⛅ 88 °F
What an exceptional day of exploration! We journeyed up to the towering Acropolis, and were blown away by the iconic symbol of Athens! It was built in the 5th century BC by Pericles. The Acropolis at Athens is both a testament to the city's architectural might and is the birthplace of democracy!

From the lofty heights of the Acropolis, we were overwhelmed by the breathtaking panorama of Athens, extending far into the distance. We could make out the markets of Monastiraki, the silhouette of Mount Lycabettus, and even the Aegean Sea on the horizon.

It was a very warm day, so what better way to cap off the afternoon than with some local treats? We cooled down with some refreshing frozen slushes and iced coffees, the perfect complement to the warm Athenian afternoon. The kids were VERY happy for the treats!

This adventure is just the beginning, and we can't wait to continue discovering what this trip has in store! 🏛️

Note: FindPenguins limits a post to 20 pictures and one video. Our FB group has more. 🙂Read more
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Bill Bates Pinewood Greece Adventure
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- Jun 3, 2023, 8:57pm
- 🌙 73 °F
- Altitude: 16 ft
- Greece Attica Glyfada Glyfada Órmos Glifádhas 37.868663, 23.73609537°52’7” N 23°44’10” E
Day 3
Dinner and an Evening Swim
June 3, 2023 in Greece ⋅ 🌙 73 °F
Oh, what a day in Athens! After our inspiring visit to the Acropolis, we nestled into a charming outdoor restaurant in Plaka, also known as "The Neighborhood of the Gods." Between the picturesque cobblestone streets, quaint shops, and vibrant eateries, it's hard not to fall in love with this part of town. Dinner was wonderful and we were treated to ice cream for dessert!

The journey back to our hotel was a unique experience. All 46 of us managed to fit onto a city bus! It was a short ride but gave us a taste of Athenian daily life. Certainly a cultural experience!

Even after a day with a lot of walking in the warm sun, the kids still had energy to spare, so a large group of us headed to the beach for an evening swim in the Saronic Gulf, part of the Aegean Sea.

At 68 degrees, it was not quite as warm as the kids expected, but that didn't dampen the fun!

By the time we got everyone settled into their rooms, they were finally ready to call it a day. Let's just say the chaperones were more than ready for some rest too! 🤣

Here's to another day of adventures tomorrow. Goodnight from Athens, everyone!Read more
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Bill Bates Pinewood Greece Adventure
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- Jun 4, 2023, 11:19am
- ☀️ 82 °F
- Altitude: 3,117 ft
- Greece Central Greece Distomo-Arachova-Antikyra Arachova 38.480434, 22.58477638°28’50” N 22°35’5” E
Day 4
Lunch In The Shadow of Mt. Parnassos
June 4, 2023 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F
Today, we were up early because we had a bit of a ride ahead if us. We journeyed from the busy streets of Athens to Delphi and Mt. Parnassos, a little over 3-hours away. The landscapes were adorned with Mediterranean Cyprus trees and Rush Broom, sweeping vistas and towering mountains. Every turn in the road brought a new, stunning view!

Greece takes great pride in its high quality cotton. Our first stop was at a shop in one of the cotton areas. The rugs were amazing.

Along the way, we drove through the gorgeous mountain town of Arachova, nestled at the foot of Mt. Parnassos. This picturesque hamlet was amazing, but sadly, the bus was too big to stop in town.

We finally stopped at the charming Tavern Omfalos for lunch and it did not disappoint! The food was delicious and the atmosphere was wonderful!

With our bellies full, we headed of to the reason for our drive, Delphi and the Temple of Apollo.Read more
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Bill Bates Pinewood Greece Adventure
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- Jun 4, 2023, 1:53pm
- ☀️ 86 °F
- Altitude: 1,900 ft
- Greece Central Greece Delphi 38.482574, 22.50146338°28’57” N 22°30’5” E
Day 4
Delphi and The Temple of Apollo
June 4, 2023 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F
The big ticket item today was our visit to Delphi and the Temple of Apollo and its surroundings. For hundreds of years, Delphi was the cultural and religious center of Greece and considered the center, or navel, of the world!

Delphi was home to the most highly revered oracles of the ancient world, Pythia, priestess of Apollo, whose hight of importance was between the sixth and fourth centuries, BC.

It was a long drive and a warm day, but it was worth it! We were amazed at the views from Mt. Parnassos, the temple ruins, and the atmosphere at Delphi. On our ride, Mariana, our guide, told us stories of Delphi and related Greek myths. We even had a lesson in reading Greek, which helped us at Delphi with some of the inscriptions.

After making it to the Temple of Apollo, a group headed up to the top to see the stadium that hosted the Pythian festival games (similar to the ones held in Olympia). It was a long, hit climb, but worth it! Another group headed down to the bottom and the Delphi Museum.

We all met back up and had an uneventful bus ride back to Athens for dinner. Many of us, including me, had a nice nap! 😁

Note: FindPenguins limits a post to 20 pictures and one video. Our FB group has more. 🙂Read more
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Bill Bates Pinewood Greece Adventure
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- Jun 5, 2023, 6:35pm
- 🌬 70 °F
- Altitude: 16 ft
- Greece South Aegean Mykonos Limni Little Venice 37.44714, 25.32893837°26’50” N 25°19’44” E
Day 5
Ahoy! Full Seam Ahead for Mykonos!
June 5, 2023 in Greece ⋅ 🌬 70 °F
Now that we are in the cruise, I am behind in posting. The Internet connection is not great. 🤷🏻‍♂️

All aboard! Today we embarked on a new chapter of our Greek adventure, swapping dry land for the waves of the Aegean Sea! We hopped onto the magnificent cruise ship, the Celestyal Olympia, in Athens, and set sail for the iconic island of Mykonos. On the ship, the kids loved having the freedom of the lunch buffet. 🙂

As we approached Mykonos, the sight of whitewashed houses, blue-domed churches, and windmills dotting the landscape was breathtaking.!!! On landing, we embarked on a tour around the charming town and vibrant waterfront, immersing ourselves in the island’s culture.

From the narrow winding streets filled with vibrant shops to the charming seaside cafes, every corner of Mykonos exuded an irresistible charm. The island's beauty, coupled with its bustling vibe, made for a perfect day of exploration.

Note: FindPenguins limits a post to 20 pictures and one video. Our FB group has more. 🙂Read more
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