Greece Arkitsa Thermopylae Galaxidi Loutsa

After Delphi and a night in the small port of Galaxidi I headed over the mountains to Thermopylae. It was another beautiful drive with it's share of switchbacks but nothing like the days before. I stopped at the small exhibit at Thermopylae where a small band of Greeks failed to halt a large army of Persians due to a traitor. I then headed back toward Athens on the Autobahn A1. They are improving the roads in Greece but have as yet not gotten to putting route signs along the road. I stopped at the small port of Arkitsa as the highway headed off through the mountains and that was the last water before Athens. After much searching and many small streets a very nice hotel was located. The room was 25 Euros with a balcony looking over the water. It later turned out that I was the only guest at this 40 room hotel. I was also the only guest at the previous hotel. It must be that this is pre-season.

After going to the room I put on my swim trunks and headed for the water which was cool but nothing like Maine. Looking back at the shore everything was green with many flowers and palm trees. Back in the room I looked at myself and saw many small red spots that itched. Then it cam back to me. The previous hotel had many mosquitoes and something similar to no-seeums. I had been attacked in the night and must have provided many a good meal for the little devils. After two weeks my clothes needed a wash. I asked the manager if they could do a wash for me. He said no but he would let me use their stuff to do a was. Their stuff turned out to be a plastic tub with some soap powder. Placed in the shower it worked well and the balcony provided an excellent drying location.

Sitting on the veranda I talked to the hotel manager. He turned out to have spent three years at BU and was back in Greece working for the Government and helping his parents with the hotel and olive groves. His sister -in-law came by pushing her 6 month old boy in a perambulator. Mother, father and other brother came by and we had a great conversation. You get a lot of attention when you are the only customer.

In the morning I headed for Athens to get a hotel as I must be at the airport at 5:00 am to turn in my car and catch the plane. There are no inexpensive hotels anywhere near the airport. The Sofetel at the airport starts at $400 and a Holiday Inn 7 miles towards Athens has rooms at $180 but those were gone and the only others were $250. I drove all over the place through industrial areas and small towns but not hotels. The only solution was to go to the beach. The shore village of Loutsa had a very nice hotel on the beach for 60 Euros so I had a great lunch looking at the sea, another cool swim and here I am at an internet cafe writing to you.

If I can get up a little after 4:00 am and the rental car guy shows up I should see you soon.

The good news about Greece is that it is beautiful, clean and has all the amenities. The bad news is that it is no longer inexpensive.