Sung to the tune of Clap On …. Clap off…. If you are younger than about 50 you are looking at me like I’ve grown horns. What in the world are you talking about, idiot? For those curious, it was a commercial from the 1970’s where they were advertising a remote switch for your TV that activated when you clapped your hands. Simpler times, right? Anywho, today’s diatribe is about the Athens Hop-On, Hop Off (HoHo) bus. After Emilio and I finished our most excellent lunch and he departed for Kranidi, I walked over to the HoHo stop, paid my fee’s and then hopped on, of course. What else would…

After the Acropolis, Emilio and I set off in search of the Agora of Athens. We wandered around a bit, mostly as Emilio didn’t know exactly where it was and I think Agora is pronounced very differently in Greek than in the pseudo-English we were using as all we got in response to our queries as to it’s location were quizzical looks. Finally, we found someone who spoke better English than our pathetic Greek and pointed us in the right direction. It’s a beautiful place with lovely grounds, but Emilio wanted me to see the antiquities in the museum. After paying our entrance fees, and or course wearing our masks,…

Emilio and I met in the hotel lobby at 8 o’clock to have breakfast. We claimed a table and went over to the food presentation, where I grabbed a plate, put on one of the cute little gloves supplied and then started putting food items on my plate. About halfway in the server gets well and fully in my face and asks “What are you doing?”. Um, “Getting breakfast?”, I replied wondering what was going on. He pointed to the small sign behind the serving table that guests were not allowed to handle food. Geeze, really? So I gave him my plate and he put the rest of my breakfast…

So after a couple of very pleasant days with Pam and Emilio, it was time to depart for the completion of my trip in Athens. Ever the good host, Emilio had decided to accompany me to Athens to be a tour guide in and around Athens. The bus departure was scheduled for 5:30 a.m., so we arose at an ungodly hour, finished our packing and Pam drove us to the bus station in Kranidi. I’m still not certain she was fully awake. I know I wasn’t. We were a few minutes early, and went in search of coffee and sustenance, not finding a lot. As we were ready to abandon…

The following Tuesday was Pam’s day to bop around town and do all the hum drum things in life, like shop for groceries, visit the bank, etc, except in this situation in rural Greece, which brought a new level of curiosity. So after a comfortable breakfast, we departed the house mid-morning on our adventures. None of the stops on the agenda were very far away, but the roads in this part of Greece are not exactly meant for high speed transport, so the trips could take a little minute or two as they say. The general philosophy of the local Greek’s was reinforced in my mind as we drove about…