6/16/2011 Drive Kalambaka to Athens, Battle of Thermopyles, The Athens Gate Hotel, dinner at Hard Rock Cafe

Breakfast is more or less my usual.  Eggs, peach half, croissant, grapefruit juice, coffee.  Check out-no issues.  Nice hotel.  Would stay here again.





On the road by 7:30 am.  We are heading back to Athens by way of a stop at Thermopylae.  We will also pass through the towns of Larissa and Lamis.  It should take us 5 hours or so with no stops.  Nice scenery.  We are getting used to the Greek roads and don't get lost!

BATTLE OF THERMOPYLES.  In 480 BC the Persians were invading Greece.  Thermopylae is a mountain pass near northern Greece which was the site of several battles in antiquity, the most famous being that between Persians and Greeks in August 480 BC.  Despite being vastly outnumbered the Greeks held the narrow pass for 3 days with Spartan king Leonidas fighting a last ditch defense with a small force of Spartans and other Greek hoplites.  The Persians asked for surrender with no bloodshed but Leonidas is said to have replied more or less come and get us.  It was win or die defending their country of Greece.  Here there is a monument with a bronze statue of Leonidas.  We stopped here, parked the car, and walked around to see where this all took place so many years ago.  Very moving.  We spent 30 minutes here.

Monument

Leonidas

It was nice to see where such an important part of Greek history occurred.  We stop for gas 75€ to fill it up before we drop off our rental car at the Athens Airport location of Auto Union.  After dropping off the car around 1:45 pm with no extra charges because we returned the car as we got it, we take the shuttle from here over to the airport.  I withdraw 300€ from the ATM and we get a taxi to take us to our Athens hotel.  Cost 38.50€.

Windmills-not much traffic

THE ATHENS GATE HOTEL.  I booked this hotel on 1/14/2011 for 3 nights.  We will stay here from 6/16-6/19/2011.  Cost 195€ per night which includes breakfast.  Upon check in I was disappointed to not get a room with an Acropolis view but was told we were being upgraded to an executive suite.  Room #705.  Our room is first on the left right below the restaurant which is on the top floor.  We have a view of the Temple of Zeus and Hadrian's Arch.  I'm puzzled about this being an executive suite.  The room is small and the bathroom does not have a tub-only a shower.  However, the balcony is huge-much bigger than our room!

Huge balcony

View from our balcony

View of the Temple of Zeus from our balcony

Hadrian's Arch

We venture out after unpacking.  We can see the Acropolis!  The Melina Mercouri  statue.  Walking we spot the Hard Rock Cafe.  I buy souvenir shot glasses for my step daughter-14.40€.  I do this wherever we go that has a Hard Rock!  I see the jewelry store I'm interested in checking out.  Lalounis.  I see some earrings I really like but they're not for pierced ears. I'm told they could be adjusted for posts.  Walking back to our hotel we have decided to return to the Hard Rock for dinner.  It starts to really rain.  A store has umbrellas on a rack being pushed to the front entrance.  I buy one for 5€.  Of course after I buy the umbrella within a few more minutes walking the rain stops.  But we are pretty much wet from before getting the umbrella!

Acropolis

Souvenir shot glass

Melina Mercouri statue-Much loved actress, became Minister of Culture 

Very expensive store!

HARD ROCK CAFE.  Dinner.  We're pretty much soaked so drinks-hot coffee.  I order the 6 oz. cheeseburger with fries and Richard gets the veggie burger.  He choses a salad for his side instead of fries.  Cost without tip with a 10% discount was 24.12€.  This is another tradition we have.  If there's a Hard Rock Cafe we have a meal-usually dinner.  The decor is very similar to most Hard Rocks.  Menu pretty much the same.  Tastes the same also.  Hits the spot.  Maybe because we're wet and chilled?

Dinner

Cheeseburger and fries

We walk by Parliament/Syntagma Square where there are protesters.  Lots of banners.  I think the protests are against the government wanting to implement austerity measures due to Greece's financial crisis.  Back at our hotel a nice hot shower feels good.  Sit for a bit on our balcony taking in the night time views.  Pretty.  Tomorrow is a full day of sightseeing!

Temple of Zeus