Before returning the car to OK Mobility near Athens airport we decided to do a short detour to the Old Isthmus Bridge where we were able to get a great view of the Corinth Canal. It’s currently closed to shipping, for repairs. The short stop was totally worth it. Completed in 1893 it is too narrow and shallow for large ships but accommodates up to 15000 ships annually. It is a major tourist attraction.

I was not impressed with the rental company but eventually they admitted the car was not lockable and I was in no way at fault. The office was deplorable- dirty, disorganised just awful. I was pleased to hand the car over and thankful that experience was behind us. Next find the metro and our accommodation.

Alexandros, was a career footballer and explained why the Greeks were so thrilled that the Australians beat the Turks in the World Cup. History is in their DNA and this led into the story of his namesake, the Macedonian who conquered half the known world two and a half thousand years ago. Then the train came and the crush of people, packs and paraphernalia separated us and we never did get to hear the end of the story.

The apartment was a five minute walk from the Metro at Syntagma Square and, disappointment threatened to crush me. It was dark, dingy and dated. The beds (it had 3 bedrooms…that’s another story) were old, lumpy and uncomfortable. Not only did we have to cope with the Greek penchant for putting used toilet paper in bins but the length of our showers was dictated by the time it took for the recess to fill. Then there was the kitchen…..oh and the aircraft landing light posing as a street light right outside the bedroom!!! I was not happy and to add insult to injury I had paid a premium price for this place. Unit 1 of 5inAthens is in need of a serious upgrade. The location however was a different story.

Located in the commercial triangle near Syntagma Square, Monastiraki, and the Acropolis it is vibrant and has great proximity to major landmarks. A small supermarket was one side of us and a bar the other. My watch needed a new battery and just metres away there was a watchmaker. There was even a church across the road … and more jewellers than I could count!! It was amazing.

John had researched and found when and where he would be able to see the State of Origin, Queensland v New South Wales, Rugby League second of the three games- Athens Sports Bar 1:10 on Wednesday. He had even found out which bus, which stops and how to pay. The man was motivated!

We arrived at the bar early to make sure it was the right place and that the game would be on. We confirmed and left to get a bite to eat.

I chose a Greek breakfast which was enormous but still I did it justice. I like breakfast. The series of restaurants were adjacent to the Acropolis Museum and we engaged with an American couple from Seattle. At one stage she asked what tip was expected. I responded without thought, ‘Oh I don’t known. We’re Australians. We don’t tip. We pay people fairly.’ I think the comment may have gone over her head and she went on to explain the benefits of tipping the same people at the same restaurants and how that gets you all sorts of advantages such as an extra helping or a free desert. It’s remarkable really!

Seeing we had visited the Acropolis years ago and suspected it might not have changed much we decided to explore the local area. It was buzzing. Office workers, shoppers and the general pandemonium of city life squeezed into capillary lanes where cars, trucks, motor bikes and pedestrians vie for the right to be in that space and pavements are nonexistent. Greeks are not known for abiding by rules and one has to be assertive and bluff and bravado are all part of the act.