Athens, Santorini, Ios & Lots More Greece - June 2007! (Journal too!!)

Arrived in Athens at 4:00pm. We're met at the airport by the Fantasy Travel Agency rep Nellie, who's super nice, but they sent 1 car to pick up 3 people and our 6 pieces of luggage!  No worries though, Nellie called for an additional car and we set off for the Hotel Attalos.  We checked in to the hotel and went out to explore.  The hotel is small, but clean and it's near the Plaka, Psirri, Monastiraki Square and Metro, really a fabulous bargain for the price!  The hotel also has free internet and a fantastic view of the Acropolis from the roof garden area.

We rested and showered then decided to walk around the Plaka area.  We walked by the archaeological site of Hadrian’s Library and went all the way up to the bottom of the Acropolis.  From there we took a right and walked all the way around the Ancient Agora of Athens (outside the fence, it was closed but we could see the Temple of Hephaestus in the distance), by Kerameikos and back to the Plaka.  We went a ways down Ermou Street and just looked at all the shops.  We had dinner at a little restaurant outdoors just off Monastiraki Square .  We had our first real Greek meal of the trip J consisting of village salad (horiatiki), tzatziki, pork souvlaki (really salty), and homemade french fries (patates tiganites) that were fabulous!

After this we met up with Ana, Steve and Alice’s cousin who lives in Athens, and her friend (bad with names - can't remember hers!).  We all walked around the corner from the hotel and about 100 yards away was Psirri which is a section of the city that has great nightlife.  We went to a really cool bar/club that is right across the street from the Smart Bar.  We hung out there talking for a few hours and then called it a night around 1 or 2am as we were beat from traveling.