11/5 Athens again

Friday 11 Athens

Neither of us really feeling great – no gym. Wandered ashore and plunged into a serious internet session. We addressed the expired insurance and advised Air Asia of our intentions, which entailed some research of our plans for the final few days of our trip. It seems the Somme battlefields are only an hour from Paris by train so we could do it as a day trip without the burden of luggage.  Caught Stephie on Skype and enjoyed Alyssa’s excitement when she saw J on the screen.

We moved on to the city by train – we know the route well. Sat with a young fellow who turned out to be very fluent in English and apparently works in a law office. We asked what he thought would happen with the finance situation – he said there was a strong public feeling that the massive debt was a problem of the previous Government and there was no need for the people to pay it! This was his view also. This was not a time to disagree or to ask the obvious questions. So we left it at that. He wanted to talk about Australia and particularly Aboriginal issues. He seemed to think we had something to hide. It happened that his office was next door to the National Archaeological Museum, which was our destination so we had a train-to-door guide.

Good collections of artefacts: Statues, jewellery, funery items, pottery etc.  Highlight had to be the bronze horse and rider which was discovered in a shipwreck.  In fact many of the statues and items were rescued from the oceans.  Unfortunately it closed at 3pm and I had not finished all the upstairs galleries.  Backtracked to the metro station and walked back to the ship.

Base of a grave stone depicting an early incarnation of a type of hockey

We got back too late for the 4pm trivia and didn’t have lunch until 4.30 – one slice of pizza with salad. Almost immediately it was time for dinner, which appealed so much that we both had 4 courses and double serves of dessert – it was just too good not to try both dishes. We took in the show which was very good – the same format as MSC but not quite as spectacular. The singers and dancers weaving  links between specialised acrobatic, balancing or juggling acts. The aerialist/contortionist was striking – the moment when she extended her leg straight up over her head and then took it another 90 degrees further on behind her back sent shudders through the entire audience. One of the crew had previously told us that she was retiring with permanent damage and disabilities as a result of her work.

I assuaged some of the unrestrained eating by getting into the gym and we watched some TV and fell asleep.