A cultural day

While waiting for replacement credit cards we had a cultural day out in Athens watching changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier and visiting most of the ruins. All of this is thankfully near the centre of Athens and easy to walk around apart from the myriad of other tourists at the most popular spots. Changing of the guard Is an institution with soldiers in old style dresses, pompom shoes and a funny high step. They work hrad at keeping in step.  We were privileged to view the “Tower of the Four Winds” which in ancient included a water clock fed from the Acropolis above. The Tower has only recently been opened for inside viewing.

Following visiting the ruins we walked downhill in to Monastraki – a suburb a bit like Montmarte in Paris – full of restaurants, tourist shops (which are more bohemian than the more fashionable side of the ruins) and generally has a very laid back feel to it.  Then back to the underground for another sojourn in to Piraeus (every sailors’ dream shopping centre) then back to Porto Rafti.  Sunday night we had dinner ashore at a taverna, then visited the extensive night markets which popped up in the streets. A lot of the markets seemed to be manned by immigrants, interspersed with Greeks. Selling everything expected in this sort of market from clothing, bedding, electronics, tools, food, etc. There were many stalls with Dr Scholl’s foot exfoliators. Must have been a surplus dumped onto the itinerant sellers. 

To fill in a bit more time we went to Evia – a large island not far from Porto Rafti and had a really amazing relaxing day swimming etc with no wind. Another magnificent bay to ourselves with houses and a tavern ashore. A few days earlier a helicopter with a monsoon bucket had flown over our anchorage. In the bay at Evia it was obvious there had been a large scrub fire very recently and several houses had been completely burnt out. Again it was a very rural setting with sheep and goat bells – even the horse had a bell.

One of the advantages of having internet on board was that we were able to “track and trace” the credit cards. Within a  week they had arrived, so we went back to Porto Rafti,  (Thank you ASB/DHL) loaded up with provisions and today (Sunday 21 August 2016) set sail for Sounion – the Temple of Poseidon, where we still are. For the first time in a long while there are other yachts in the bay.

There was a Greek wedding here last night. Fireworks – brilliant. A great display (and we have seen a few while here), then music till dawn – so not the best night’s sleep but the music was a lot better than some of the discos in the bays we have been in. A few superyachts in the bay and our guess is that it was a pretty important wedding.



Tower of the Four Winds

Tower of the Four Winds

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Syntagma Square