The Anonymous Widower

What is that Bright Thing in the Sky?

It wasn’t that warm yesterday and it was rather windy, so all of the locals were wearing boots, hats and gloves but the sun was out.  Ad how many times have we been able to say that in the last couple of months in the UK.

Last night as it got dark, I walked round the old city and took a lot of pictures of the floodlit sites. I can’t post them now, as there is no SD slot on the computer.

I ended up eating a very large Greek salad and some souvlaki in a restaurant underneath the acropolis. C and I had been to Athens about four times, but we’d never really explored this part of the city. I’ll put it right today.

I’m sure she won’t mind!

March 23, 2011 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , | Leave a comment

The Centrotel, Athens

I’m posting this on a laptop in the breakfast room in the Centrotel in Athens.

Centrotel, Athens

It is a good laptop and guests are free to use it. 

But that’s just like the rest of the hotel, quality and comfortable.  It has one of the best modern rooms, I’ve ever stayed in.  Plus points include.

  • Superb lighting. C hated dark hotel rooms.  She was right and there are thousands of them.
  • Toothbrushes and toothpaste, along with all the other toiletries you might need.
  • A whirlpool bath.
  • Luxurious towels and dressing gowns.
  • A bed for a good night’s sleep.
  • Desk and chair.
  • A TV that gets a good picture and is properly tuned in.

And all at 75 euros a night. I’ve paid a lot more and not had as good a room.

If the hotel has one problem it is a bit tucked away, but then it’s not far to walk from Larissa Station.  It is actually nearer to Victoria Station and downhill from there, but that station is closed for a few months for updating.

I suspect though, taxis would find it easy.  Although, I’m against cars in many ways, the hotel does have its own car park.

I would certainly recommend this hotel to anybody, who needed to spend a few nights in Athens.

March 23, 2011 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , | Leave a comment

Why Does Anybody Use Gatwick?

To get to Athens, I used the 9:00 easyJet flight out of Gatwick. It was a mistake in that to get this flight I needed to leave home about seven to get the train to the airport. For a similar flight to Heathrow or Stansted, it would have been a little bit later.

To make matters worse no-one seemed to be able to tell me what ticket I needed, as of course I can get to the Zone 6 Boundary on my Freedom Pass. As also finding the right platform at London Bridge or Victoria is a nightmare, I decided to take Thameslink from St. Pancras. In theory it should have worked well, but because of the miles you have to walk in the tunnels at King’s Cross, I missed one train and had to wait twenty minutes. I suspect the designer of the new King’s Cross was some sort of sadist, as although it may have more capacity, it defintely puts you off changing trains at the station. I had hoped to catch a 56 to City Thameslink from home, but they had gone missing.

And then of course the train was delayed coming into London Bridge, so I got to Gatwick a few minutes late.

I checked in reasonably quickly and security wasn’t too bad.  But if I’d had to take my shoes or belt off, I’d have thought seriously about abandoning flying again.  I was only carrying one back-pack and I wouldn’t with anything more.

I was fairly late for the gate and it was queues and no seating, when I got through the last check. 

But we did get away from Gatwick just a few minutes late.

Let’s face it, if I fly again, I’m not going out of Gatwick.

March 23, 2011 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , | 6 Comments