UrbanSeven

Come visit Greece in a few years, they should be finished by then!

Seriously though all the buildings are half finished or are open but the 2nd floor is all exposed cement and steel…very strange, maybe they ran out of concrete, it looks like they use a bit.

Had some really nice food here in Athens, better then I expected as the entire city is dirty and decrepit. The people however are really wonderful and very helpful. Everything obviously is in Greek and unlike the other countries they are a different alphabet so trying to find a street would be impossible without asking someone.

On the second day I visited the Acropolis and a few other local monuments and ruins. Sure they were great but either I have seen too many now or they just don’t stand up to Rome because I was not impressed. They were doing a lot of restoration work and most things at the Acropolis were covered in scaffolding, so it kinda took the wow factor away.

I did visit the original Olympic Stadium from the first modern games of 1906 and it was pretty much in pristine condition…because it was all concrete.

I head for Corfu Island soon so I really can’t wait for that, I know all I have been doing is holidaying but I am beat. A week in the sun will do me good before I head back to London.

_B

Just finished my 16hr ferry across the Mediterranean to Greece and then train ride to Athens.
Arrived in Bari, Italy late and didn’t have long before the ferry left and the cabbie knew it, he raced through the grid locked town pulling his mirrors in and racing along small streets with only centimeters to spare. I gave him a sweet tip for his troubles

Ferry was pretty good, but there was about 30 students on board and wouldn’t shut the fuck up all night so I didn’t get any sleep until the morning when I had to move out to a chair….was not happy at all.

I totally should have got a cabin.

_B

Flying into Rome was such a good idea, the flight only took 1.5hrs from Barcelona and although it was on a budget airline it was really comfortable. The thing that freaked me out though was when everyone clapped and cheered once the plane landed as if landing was a rare occurrence. Leyton had told me that they do this in Brazil but I guess it’s one of those situations you really have to see for yourself.

So after the 30min train ride from the airport and a few metro changes I was at Saint Peters Square (Vatican City), but not without first seeing the funniest things ever happened on the Metro.
I had just stepped on the train and the doors started to beep and close, out of no where a man jumps from the platform into the train and the doors caught him BAM! right across the chest. He had his head and one bag inside and the rest of him outside. I stood there trying to pull the door open and he kept trying to get in not out, as I stood there i couldn’t help but notice the below sign on the same doors this man was stuck between and to completely top this off the man was Sudanese.
Eventually a guard pulled open the doors a little and yanked him back out but I wish I had my camera ready as it would have been a wonderfully ironic photo.

So the next day I needed Internet to organise my Athens and Corfu island accommodation so planned to just have a catch up day however as I believe I mentioned before the Internet cafe sucked. So I gave up and headed for the main event…The Colosseum.

The wonders of European countries are their metro systems…as I step out of the Colossus Station I took the photo below.

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I write this as I wait at the airport in Barcelona after 5 fantastic days.
Barcelona is great, everyone here is nice and the entire city caters for and loves tourists. I got a place right in the middle of the city surround by sights, bars and restaurants.

I did soo much in Barcelona, I will summarize it otherwise this post will be too long (and I can’t be assed typing that much).

Day 01:

• Went out for lunch after I arrived (great food)
• Went to Hard Rock for drinks and then dinner (Hard Rock is awesome overseas and the Barcelona cafe won ‘Cafe of the Year’)

Day 02:

• Spent a few hours on the net booking accommodation in Rome & flights (can’t handle another overnight train ride just yet)
• Generally chilled out and drank more Sangria

Day 03:

• Walked up a mountain
• Took a Sky Gondola up even higher to an old castle
• Visited the 92′ Olympic stadium and grounds
• Saw a massive museum and many more city fountains & monuments
• Had quiet drinks at the hotel as I was trashed

Day 04:

• More chillaxing with Sangria
• Prawns and beer by the port (loads of massive cruise ships were in dock)
• Visited the beach, however it was cold and windy so I didn’t go in

Day 05:

• Pack up and head for the airport

…when I write it like that it doesn’t actually seem that much.

Anyways I leave for Rome in about an hour and should have a lot to write about once there. The trip is getting close to finishing as I only have Rome, Athens and a Greek Island left.
Glad I cut it shorter as I can spend more time and money in each place.

_B

Arrived late after a lot of really long train rides and the new bag I bought is wrecked! The handles fell off and the pulley snapped, picture someone that hasn’t slept right for 2 days kicking a suitcase along the train platform and that’s me!
The hostel was in the middle of no where and there was no flat surfaces to almost kinda but not really drag my piece of shit suitcase along.

…not the best start!

It didn’t get much better, Madrid is just like and other big city except people speak Spanish. It’s nice and warm here so Sangria and Tapas in the sun has been a welcomed change, and I guess I can’t really complain about afternoon Siesta’s but honestly I can’t wait to get back to Barcelona.

On the last day I checked out the Royal Palace which had a massive Armory spanning across Spain’s history, as well as an old pharmacy with a cool potion room like a set from Harry Potter.

Spain is cool but don’t bother with Madrid unless you have some good reason to go there.

_B