Day 2: Athens.... At LAST!

It has been a VERY long day. Watching people jockey for positions in the transit lounge to get the best “bed” spot was an interesting exercise in human relations. Collectively I don’t think there was much sleep to be had, I probably got an hour all up. But we boarded fairly promptly and it was off on the 11 and half hour flight to Athens. On the flight over there was some amazing scenery, soaring snowcapped mountains and beautiful clear ocean and a sunrise over Singapore that was really worth it in the end.

We arrived into Athens and were met by Yanni and the bus driver Dimitri… must be in Greece ey? After settling into the beautiful hotel Electra it was off to do a spot of exploring before Mass. From the top floor of the hotel we look up at the Acropolis. The view is breathtaking. We wandered up to the square past a tiny Orthodox church where the warden on duty has a friend who lives in Australia, so we were celebrities.

Mass, the first of many, preceded housekeeping, and then it was dinner in the hotel before venturing off to explore.

 Being Holy Friday we were told that we would see the procession if we headed up to the square round 9pm, so after watching the changing of the guard at the parliament building a group of us headed off for a walk.  Anne and I got curious and branched away from the group, managing to stumble on a huge Orthodox church where the candlelight procession that ends up in the square started. It was very regal and sombre, with heaps of security, compliments of the armed forces and police and more clergy in gold regalia than I have ever seen before. The procession left the church and as it left a large cross and a funeral bier covered in flowers joined in. We took a short cut to get down to the square before the procession did and we saw it arrive, but it had started to rain and so we called it a night.

Given that this has been about a 34 hour day I think I am heading off to bed as soon as I can.

Tomorrow it is a five thirty wake up to head off to Corinth.