Day 16 - Prague

Last day in Prague. Had a late breakfast and went back to the room to pack and charge all the gizmos because we wouldn't be getting the train till 22:00. Sun was shining and it was warming up. Walked down through the castle and past the cathedral, and there were about 3 times as many tourists compared to when we looked around. There were long queues for the buildings we just walked into a couple of days earlier. Carried on walking and up 244 steps to a park to take photos of the bridges. Back down to the tram stop then into the old town for a haircut. Weather was warm now, had to take off our jackets. Found a salon that was run by Asians and looked reasonable. There was also a young American couple in there so I was quite confident I wouldn't be scalped. They did a good job but Song had to intervene in the middle to ask him to cut it shorter.  It cost $14 and included a wash so was good value. Walked over the bridge and got some good photos of the Charles Bridge and the castle. We could see the Charles Bridge was full of people.
Stopped at a restaurant just next to the bridge which was very touristy and pricey but we were hungry. We usually go off the beaten track or use Tripadvisor or Lonely Planet books to find something to eat, but sometimes we succumb to the pull of the tourist trap. Another nice Art Deco interior, and quite busy. We shared a plate of olives and a large bottle of Perrier. Song had roast chicken breast on mashed potatoes , I had goulash with onion and dumplings. Both meals were OK, nothing special but filling. We idled for a while using the wifi then set off to Wencleslas Square.
Carried on down the road and came into the square. Not sure why they call it a square, it's a long road that ends in the museum. The buildings that line it are impressive, lots of ornate carvings, statues and paintings. I was amazed that so much has survived considering the violence and political upheaval Europe has experienced. Took more photos then went back to a jewelry shop Song wanted to revisit via the Astronomical Clock that was about to chime so stood with about 3000 other tourists to watch and saw the mechanical things this time. Didn't buy anything in the jewellers and walked a bit further and came across the Jewish area where there are a couple of synagogues. Feeling as if we'd walked enough, sat down for a beer. I think we got ripped off because the bill said 89 and she charged 100 - I think she added the discretionary tip herself but I wasn't in the mood to argue.
Went back to the main street and had dinner at Cafe Louvre. Song had spinach rolls with vegetables, I had sirloin of pork with Lyon potatoes. Both meals were pretty good. I also had a nice dark beer. We each had a dessert - Song had a raspberry cake and I had a caramel sundae with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream, and paramedics were standing by just in case my heart gave out. The meal cost $32, which was really good value considering it's a touristy place.
Took the tram back to the hotel, popped down to the castle to take some more photos, then a taxi to the train station. We had a sleeping compartment which was pretty neat - 2 bunk beds, a sink and a place to store the luggage. It was pretty small, but it was fun - I felt like I was on the Orient Express and expected a French (Belgian actually) detective to appear. We'd been on the go all day so hopefully would sleep well. Walked 15.67 Km today.

Day 15 - Prague

Late breakfast again, then out to a cold, grey day, drizzle and overcast, a big change from yesterday. Round the corner to pick up train tickets to Krakow for tomorrow, then down to the Charles Bridge again and over the river.
Wandered along some back streets relatively free of tourists, the rain light but steady. Stopped in a few antique shops then had a look in the Bethlehem Chapel. Didn't take long, then round the corner and into the Cafe Louvre for coffee and cake. I had a pot of coffee and Song had a pot of tea, each one making about 3 cups. We shared an apple stroudel with vanilla custard and whipped cream. All that came to about $9 - I had to check the bill because I couldn't believe it was so cheap. The place was very nice, decorated in an Art Deco style and the serving staff all dressed in waistcoats and bow ties. Down to the metro to go to the National Art Gallery. Got on a tram but it started to go a different way to where I expected, and a guy told us that the routes had changed because it was Easter (Good Friday). So got off, went back a couple of stops and managed to find the gallery. According to the Lonely Planet book, the gallery was mostly modern art (which we don't really like) but also had a Van Gogh, Klimt, Picasso and some impressionist works so we went in, especially since it was warm and dry inside. Took the slow lift up to the top floor and were greeted by exactly the type of art we don't like. If the rest was the same we'd be out of there in about 30 minutes. Whizzed round the floor and down to the next and things improved. Quite a few impressionist works. As we walked around we realised there were only about 20 people in the place. It was almost as if we had a private viewing, in some sections it was only the 2 of us.
They actually had a decent collection - quite a few Picasso, some Gauguin, Cezanne, Latrec, Monet etc.
The next floor was contemporary art and some of it was rubbish - literally, one piece was a couple of burnt mattresses - and some were rather disturbing. We went through it in record time, then the last floor was a selection of European works which were generally good.
We spent a lot longer in the gallery than we expected, around 3 and a half hours.
Back to the main area of the city and discovered the trains stopped running at 17:30 because of maintenance work, but the trams were really good so it wasn't an issue. Looked for something for dinner but since Song wasn't too enamoured of the local cuisine found a Vietnamese restaurant instead. We each had a large bowl of noodle soup for about $5 each.
Back on a tram to the hotel, both of us pretty tired.
Walked 14.22 Km today.
Another full day in Prague tomorrow,  then on a sleeper train to Krakow at 22:30.

Day 14 - Prague

Had a bit of a lie in, down to breakfast around 09:00. Walked outside into glorious sunshine, temperature about 7C. Popped back to the castle to take some photos in the sun.
Walked back and around the corner and headed towards the Church of St Nicholas. We tend to visit churches when in Europe because some of the architecture and interiors are amazing. This was one of the more impressive ones. Full of marble columns, with each column housing a huge statue of a bishop, or angels and so on. Almost all had garnishings of gold, and the pulpit was similarly full of bling. I do have a bit of a problem with this though; did someone say "How can we serve you Oh Lord?" To which he replied "Tell you what, build me  a load of big-arsed churches and fill them with gold and silver stuff, statues and paintings, that'll do".
Out of the church and down the road, back to the Charles Bridge and more photos but this time with the sun out. Wandered through the narrow streets, a lot of the buildings had paintings or etchings or statues on them and were very well maintained. Quite a few tourists now. Carried on to the Astronomical Clock and the old town square. I had wanted to get there for 11:00 to see it chime, but Song decided to stop and look in every jewellery shop window and there were quite a few.
We got to the clock around 11:30 so wandered around the old town square. There were lots of stalls selling food and touristy stuff and the crowd started to build up. We got a good position in front of the clock and waited 10 minutes until it chimed. By now the crowd had grown to a couple of thousand. There were a few statues that moved which was cute, and a couple of doors above the clock opened and more figures moved. Unfortunately I was too busy videoing the others to see it so we'll have to go back. I couldn't figure out how to tell the time, as far as I could tell it was 10 past Jupiter.
Walked around the area a bit and stumbled upon the main shopping street so had a look up and down, then went looking for a cafe mentioned in The Age but couldn't find it, so ended up in another Paul's French cafe and had a baguette and a cake each. Sat for a while longer , we'd really been on the go since we started the holiday so we could slow down a bit for a few days. Full up, we set off again towards an antique shop mentioned in the Lonely Planet book. Found it but it was a bit disappointing, so just wandered around the area looking in every antique and jewellery shop in Prague. Carried on meandering around, the city is very beautiful, the buildings quite grand.
Eventually had enough, especially since we still had 2 full days, so took the train and tram back to the hotel. However, I felt it was beer O'clock so went round the corner to a restaurant and ordered a dark beer. Sat at the top of the Nerodova road, the domes of St Nicholas church in front of me and Segwaying tourists swooping past, I was in a happy place.
More sights tomorrow.
Walked 15.72 Km today.

Day 13 - Prague

Up at 05:00 - I don't get up this early when I'm not on holiday - taxi to the airport. Arrived in good time, enough to have breakfast (expensive but we had to use up the Romanian Lei). The plane had about 20 people on it so quick to get on and had a row of seats each.
Arrived in Prague, hopped on the bus and paid this time, then onto a train, then a tram, then walked about 500M to the hotel. Phew!
The room wasn't ready but we sat in the restaurant and had a cup of tea, then went out. It was cold, probably about 5C, and overcast. The hotel is about a 3 minute walk from the Castle, so we headed towards it. Out the front, but not too close, was a small group of shops selling the usual tourist fare and some food stands. I have to say they got the balance right - it wasn't tacky, they weren't pushy, and it was good to have the opportunity to buy something to eat or a souvenir. Every other place we've been has been inundated with pushy touts.
We got there in time for the changing of the guard, but so did about 200 other tourists so we couldn't get close. Went in through the gate and there were still more tourists.
The castle is more like a small village surrounded by walls. There is a massive cathedral, a smaller church, a palace, and lots of shops and cafes.
We bought a ticket for the main attractions and the first on the list was St Vitas Cathedral. We've seen a lot of Cathedrals and Churches in our travels, and I think this is one of the best. My favorite is still the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, but this one was very impressive. Huge on the inside, with beautiful stained glass windows. An ornate pulpit, and a silver (I think) shrine (I think).
We came out of the Cathedral and into another Chapel, St. George's Basilica, which was built in 920. Had a quick zip around that, then onto the Picture Gallery which was just pictures and uniforms of the various military units. Not too engrossing. Crossed over the road and went down into an exhibition on the story of Prague Castle. This had loads of artifacts from the history of the castle, including Mammoth bones. It was a large collection and a bit too much to take in. Next up was the old Royal Palace. We entered into a huge hall, then wandered around the place. The ceiling in one room was painted with the coats of arms of various families, which was interesting.
Feeling a bit overwhelmed, we decided to head back to the hotel and rest in the room. The receptionist took us down a flight of stairs, outside into a courtyard with a view of a park, down some more stairs and finally to our room which had a small entrance hall, a study area, the large bedroom and the separate bathroom. I couldn't believe how big the place was considering it was right next to the castle.
Chilled out for a couple of hours then back to the castle to visit the other rooms we'd paid for.
First up was the Golden Lane, a small lane way with houses and shops built against the castle wall. Some were in use, others were mocked up as they would have been when in use, like a goldsmiths and a guard's house. All of them were tiny.
Running along the top of these buildings was a corridor which was used to defend the castle but now housed dozens of suits of armour and weapons. I found this quite interesting, but Song didn't.
Our final building was Rosenberg Palace, which was set up as a refuge for noble women who had fallen on hard times.
That was it for our ticket, so left the castle and walked down the steps to head for the Charles Bridge. If you've seen a picture of Prague then it probably had this Bridge in it, it's the one with statues on it. It was full of bloody tourists like us, so took photos as best we could. Apparently the best way to get photos is to get up before dawn and go there. Nope.
Starting to feel a bit hungry, we dug out the Lonely Planet guide and picked a decent restaurant that was close. They were booked but squeezed us in as long as we didn't stay too long. As usual, I ordered something local. To start I chose a sheep's cheese spread with whole meal toast. Song had vegetable soup served in a bread bowl. For main I tried Wild Boar shoulder ragu with mushrooms and a traditional potato dish.
The cheese was nice, basically tasted like cream cheese. The Boar was not what I expected and really tasted like beef. I thought it would be more of a gamey taste. The potato thing was very bland and was more like a heavy sponge cake and pretty tasteless.
Song ordered traditional Czech pancakes made from cabbage, sausage and herbs but which were more like a fritata and were also bland. Pretty disappointing to be honest. However, the evening wasn't completely wasted because we also had a couple of local beers. Prague is famous for its beers apparently, so I decided to try some. I ordered the house beer, which was nice. Song ordered a mix of light and dark, which reminded me of Kilkenny. Song didn't drink much so I had to reluctantly finish it off.
The meal cost about $50 which was actually very good value - the restaurant was in the same street as all the designer shops like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Rolex etc so I assume is a bit posh. It's just a pity we didn't really enjoy the food.
More sights tomorrow, and I walked 14.92 Km today. We're here for 4 full days so can take it a bit easy.

Impressions of Romania

To be honest, it was much as I expected, since we've been to other East European countries. There was a lot of graffiti, although probably about the same as Melbourne, and a lot of abandoned buildings. The people were helpful, asking if we needed help at the train and bus stations.
The economy seems more depressed than Greece or Turkey, the infrastructure in a bit of disrepair but there were plenty of works going on so they are making an effort.
On the train trip to Brasov we saw a lot of rubbish just dumped by the side of the roads which is pretty unsightly - I suspect that either they don't collect it outside the city or they have to pay for it so they just load up the car and have a family day out.
There isn't much to see in Bucharest really, just the Athenaeum (which we never got to go in) and the old town which only takes about half an hour to walk around unless you stop for something to eat or drink.
I'm glad we took the trip to Brasov, it was good to see a bit more of the country and the snow covered hills.
It's unlikely we'll be coming back.

Day 12- Brasov and Bran Castle

Another decent breakfast spread, then out to our first rainy day. Temperature was about 6C, so a miserable day but we never worry about the weather because there's nothing we can do about it. We walked about 2 minutes to the Black Church but the guy said it didn't open till 10 so wouldn't let us in. It was 09:55. Didn't want to wait in the rain so went round the corner and had a coffee. Walked down the main shopping street and took a cab to the bus station to go to Bran Castle. The bus had enough crucifixes and pictures of Jesus stuck on the windscreen for the driver to open his own church, and it was a wonder he could see out. The trip took about 40 minutes and when we got there it was even colder and still raining.
The castle wasn't huge but sat upon some rock and looked imposing. Walked up the hill keeping ahead of a tour group and explored the castle. It was full of labyrinthine corridors and staircases, and pretty spartan inside. I don't think it would have been particularly comfortable to live there. There were lots of items about Dracula, and I knew that the story was loosely based on Vlad the Impaler by Bram Stoker, but I didn't know what link the castle has. As far as I could make out, Stoker made him come from Transylvania and this is a castle in Transylvania so that's the link.
It was quite interesting, we spent about an hour inside then back down the hill to the bus back to Brasov.
Went into the Black Church and wasn't impressed - not as impressive or interesting as others we've visited, and were only in there for about 5 minutes. Back out into the cold and looked for somewhere to eat. They still allow smoking inside restaurants in Romania, so we went into a couple and immediately walked out if it was too overpowering. Found an Irish pub that had a separate non smoking area which was bearable, but it had two important aspects - warmth and wifi. I ordered a burger, Song had sausages and mashed potatoes.
Took a cab to the train station only to find the train we intended to take was delayed so bought tickets for the next available which was an hour and twenty minutes away. Luckily there was a shopping mall over the road so we went there and had a coffee and used the wifi until time to get the train.
Back to the same hotel in Bucharest as before and sleep, up at 05:00 for the flight to Prague.
Walked 8.88 Km today.

Day 11 - Bucharest

Down to the biggest breakfast buffet I've seen for a long time, so filled up and headed out. Glorious day, sun shining and about 19C. Ambled up the road to Victory Square (I think every East European capital has to have one), which was a large area with some big square buildings but not particularly noteworthy. Walked around a park for a bit then set off for the old town down Victory Street which the hotel receptionist said was a nice walk. His definition of nice is different to mine because it was pretty grotty, lined with grand houses that were in disrepair and crumbling. I think whenever there was a sniff of revolution the rich owners ran away and abandoned them. However, soon we came to the posh part - Hilton hotel and upmarket shops. We also found the number one attraction in Bucharest, the Athenaeum. But it was closed on Mondays so only managed to take photos from outside. Carried on down the road and spotted a Paul's patisserie - a French chain we always visit when in France, so popped in for a coffee and cake. A lot of the buildings around had Art Nouveau features and were very impressive.
Found the old town, a pedestrianized area with cobbled streets and quaint buildings, and wall to wall bars and restaurants with tables set up outside. The sun was shining and I was very tempted to sit down and have a beer but we were pressed for time so took some photos and walked around a bit. The area is definitely more pleasant than the surrounding streets and geared up to tourists and young people.
Hopped on a metro train back to the hotel, then got off at the next stop having got on the wrong train - the first misstep of the trip so far. Picked up some gear from the hotel and went to the main station and the train to Brasov. Pulling out of the station and seeing lots of graffiti reminded me that we had seen none in Istanbul or Greece. The train had a power point so settled in to watch some downloads and look at the views.
The train was the fast one, which I think meant that it didn't stop at as many stations because it didn't go very fast. The train made its way through the mountains, through villages that had seen better days, and with snow still on the ground. I've just read that Brasov is in Transylvania, and it's a full moon tonight! No, wait, that's Werewolves, so we should be ok. I'll make Song sleep near the window just in case.
Arrived at Brasov around 20:00, wasn't as cold as we expected, but decided to stay in and look around tomorrow.
Walked 12.74 km today.

Day 10 - Athens

Early start again; up at 04:30, airport at 05:30, flight at 06:30, landed at 07:30. Popped over the road to the airport hotel to see how much it would cost to stay there for the day but it was pricey and we couldn't check in till 12:00 so took the train to the city.
We were feeling pretty hungry so found a nice cafe and ordered a big breakfast. We were there for quite a while, so ordered an extra coffee so as not to feel guilty. Especially since we found a power point and recharged our phones. I just about managed to resist taking off my boots and putting on my slippers. We were there for about 2 and a half hours, so left a decent tip and posted a glowing review on Tripadvisor.
The place was busy, all the cafes full and lots of people. Carrying on through the crowds we found a small church in the middle of the main shopping street, with lots of people going in and out, so had a look. All the walls and ceiling were painted with frescoes, so took a few photos.
We stumbled upon the Athens Flea Market, and despite not needing any went in. There were lots of bric-a-brac stalls selling old typewriters, vinyl records and old books etc. There were also several army surplus shops. I asked one guy if he had any camouflage jackets. He said yes, but he couldn't find them. Boom tish.
Pushing through the throngs of people, past full cafes and restaurants, and being clobbered by shopping bags, I wondered how the economy was in such a bad way. Like Spain last year, there were lots of tourists and it was very busy.
We came across Hadrian's Library, but didn't go in. I'd borrowed a book in 132AD and forgot to return it and the fine would be massive.
Having worked up an appetite we stopped at what seemed to be the most popular bakery in Greece, but managed to secure a table. Song had an egg and bacon roll and I had a custard croissant. Gourmet fare indeed.
Suitably stuffed, we got the train back to the airport and the plane to Bucharest. The flight wasn't full so we could stretch out and it only took a couple of hours. Hopped on the bus to the city and asked where the ticket machine was. "The airport" said a girl. By this time we were hurtling down the freeway so hoped there were no ticket inspectors.
Completing our free bus ride, we took the metro to the hotel, got off at the right stop and dragged the cases down some dodgy looking streets.
Tomorrow we're looking around Bucharest and have booked a hotel in a town called Brasov, but not sure if we'll go there because it's a 3 hour train trip.

Impressions of Santorini

I was blown away by Santorini. All I knew of it before we went was that it had some beaches and churches with blue roofs.
The first morning as we walked up the steps to the cliff through the narrow alley lined with tourist and kebab shops I didn't think it was different to other similar places. Then we turned a corner and saw the view of the volcano ahead, the town of Oia on top of the cliffs to the right and islands off in the distance in the early morning light. I don't know if I've seen a better view.
The scenery is magnificent from all over the island, with stunning views out to sea. The people are friendly - the local corner store was left empty but open, the owner was up the road renovating his hotel and popped down to the shop if he saw anyone. In the meantime anyone could have taken what they wanted and walked off. Our host at the hotel was great, giving us a carafe of wine on arrival and dropping us off at the airport at 05:30 in the morning.
Almost all of the buildings on the island were immaculate, clean, and all look freshly painted. Considering that they are mostly white, that's quite an achievement. A lot were being renovated and painted in preparation for the Summer.
We only spent 2 days there but managed to see most of what we wanted, the highlight for me the sunset from Oia.
I think Santorini is one of the best places I've been for natural scenery. If you ever travel to Greece, make sure you take 2 or 3 days to visit Santorini, it's wonderful.
I personally think that we picked the best time to visit - it was busy but not crowded. The buses were full, as was the boat to the volcano and the sunset area, but we could see everything and had no trouble. In peak season it may be a different matter, beaches packed and difficulty booking tours. The weather for us was perfect - we don't like it too hot. Chilly in the morning and evening but t shirt temperature during the day.
We'll probably be coming back, if not to Santorini then one of the other islands.
I had a fantastic time.

Day 9 - Santorini

Woke up around 7, read and generally pottered around a bit until hopping on the 10:15 bus to Kamari, a village on the other side of the island. It only took about 15 minutes, and it was quite a small place but there was a black sand beach there. Weather was fabulous, around 24C, so t shirt again. Sat on the beach for a while and went for a wander, but not a lot to do so got the 11:45 bus back to Fira, where the hotel was. Went to the same place for lunch as where we had dinner, deciding on a light lunch but it seems there is no such thing and I had a chicken souvlaki with chips and pita bread. Song had pork stuffed with ham and cheese with a baked potato. Both servings were large but we managed to finish them. We went back to the hotel to wait for a bus to Akrotiri.
The trip only took about 15 minutes again - the island is quite small. Walked about 800 metres to the Red Beach which was a bit disappointing,  it wasn't a beach and not particularly red. Walked back up again and visited the archeological site. This was fascinating - a settlement had been on the site 5000 years ago, and was rebuilt after a couple of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.  The last time must have been a bit much because they packed up and went somewhere else.  The site has had a permanent archeological team on site since 1967, and the entire thing is inside a climate controlled building.  They found frescoes preserved by mud slides, and there was even a sewerage system. The ruins that are visible are from 1650-1500BC, the older ones buried underneath as the new settlements were built on top. Really interesting.
Bus back to the hotel, a brief rest then onto another bus to Oia, it was supposed to be the best place on Santorini to watch the sunset.
It seemed like everyone else had the same idea because the bus was packed. The bus trip took us around the back of the island with some amazing views - volcanic rock cliffs on one side, views out to sea on the other.
Oia seemed busier than Fira, the main town. Lots of narrow streets lined with shops. We followed the crowd towards the sun, looking to find a spot to sit and have a drink. Strangely there appeared to be only one restaurant and that was already full. We found a place on a low wall and waited. The view looked right out to sea, the sun slowly setting in front of us. There were hundreds of people lining the walls all with their cameras snapping away.  The view was breathtaking and we got lots of photos. Simply stunning.
As the sun slowly set in the West,  we turned and legged it back to the bus stop - knowing it would be packed on the way back as well. We managed to get a seat, then after 20 minutes were back in the hotel.
Got to be up at 04:00 tomorrow to fly to Athens; the airline changed our tickets and instead of an hour at the airport we now have 10. Not sure what to do, we don't fancy going to any more sights, so may book into a cheap hotel to have a shower and get some sleep. Then on to Bucharest.

Day 8 - Santorini

Woke up at 03:30, stumbled out of bed and a quick shower, walked over the road to the airport and checked in easily. Plane wasn't full but they still managed to seat a woman with a new born baby next to me - but he obviously didn't get the memo because he was asleep till we landed, then let loose.
Got picked up at the airport by the hotel owner which was lucky because we hadn't booked the bus, but a couple of students who were also staying there did.
We were early so the room wasn't ready so we headed out after the owner told us about the sights.
The sun had just come up and it was quite chilly; we walked up some steps through the town until we came to the cliffs. Wow. I know I've said spectacular a lot, but the view was, er, spectacular. Go and look at the photos. Amazing. Since we were up so early we were the only ones there, so could pick the best vantage points. We carried on walking, giving the cameras a good workout, only seeing the occasional person. The houses and buildings all looked newly painted, and there was a lot of construction but it's not intrusive. Out in the bay a cruise ship had arrived, so took photos of that as well.
Walked back to the hotel and the place was coming alive - shops opening and more tourists around. We stopped at a small cafe for breakfast, if you can count toasted ham cheese and tomato sandwiches as breakfast. I also had the worst cup of coffee ever.
Back at the hotel and the owner showed us to the room - a large apartment with a kitchen and separate bedroom. All for 40 Euro a night. And the flight was only 9 Euro (but taxes bumped it up to 54).
Since we were up so early we decided to rest up, but booked a trip to the volcano in the afternoon.
Skipped lunch and headed down the steps to the old port to pick up the boat. The weather was fantastic, warm and sunny, although the wind was cold. I'd put on factor 50 sunscreen and looked like a mime, but it soon disappeared.
I didn't count the steps but there were a lot, I think the correct term is a shit load because there were lots of them and they were covered in donkey crap. You can get a donkey to take you down and up. We opted to walk down but it was pretty hard.
By this time the other tourists were out in force and it was very busy. The boat was one of the non-sinking ones again and set off to the volcano. Song and I stood up the front and shouted "King of the World!". Not really.
The volcano is an island created 400 years ago by an eruption and is still active, although the last occurred in 1950, so hopefully we were safe.
It was very interesting - black volcanic rock, a few craters, and brilliant views back to the main island. The guide said the entire area was once land until a massive eruption 3000 years ago that eradicated the local civilisation. Standing on the island you can look around 360 degrees and see the circular shape of the caldera. There are signs saying not to take any rocks but I took a small one as a souvenir, and hope I didn't anger the fire God. If it erupts again I'll put it back. Back on the boat, some brave people went for a swim to some hot springs but had to cross cold water first. No thanks.
There was no way we were going to go up the steps and the choice was cable car or donkey. I wanted to take the civilised method but Song insisted on a donkey so that was that. The ride was fortunately uneventful and I'd even go so far as to say fun, especially since I wasn't doing the walking. Reached the top and went back to the hotel for a rest, then dinner.
Went to a place recommended by the hotel owner round the corner. I had saganaki to start, Song had Greek salad. I had moussaka for main, Song had stuffed calamari. And a well-earned beer.
The saganaki was good, and a large portion. Song's salad was also good, the veggies very fresh.
Song's stuffed calamari was a whole one stuffed with cheese, and tomato with rice. Mine was a classic moussaka with roasted veggies and was really good. Once again the generous servings put paid to the post dinner ice cream, so I had to forgo it again. I have to say that the food in Greece is better than Istanbul, with more variety and bigger portions. But more expensive.
Done for the day which started at 03:30, we went back to the hotel and collapsed.
Fitbit reckoned I walked 7.92 km today, but I'm having trouble with it, it doesn't like the time zone changes. I think I did a lot more than that, it certainly felt like it.
Taking the bus around the island tomorrow.