Sunday 19^th August, 2018 1300 Athens Select hotel

After praising the efficiency of the ferries here I jinxed it. We arrived back in Piraeus at 2015, half an hour later than scheduled. George the driver was there (Anyone thinking of going to Athens and needing a taxi that is reliable and won't rip you off, just ask, I have his email address) and after negotiating the disembarkation traffic jam it didn't take long to get to the hotel.

The hotel is pretty modern and decent and the rooftop bar gives a superb view of the Acropolis. It will likely be the only view I will get. Alice was forewarned that I might not be the best company for a young, energetic person due to my aversion to walking but after my latest antics I am twice as bad. The good thing is, she has the video camera so I will still get footage of “our” sightseeing!

She went straight off after breakfast (I never bothered eating, needed my ribcage to settle down) and she said she will eschew the hop'n'stoppa because all the places she wants to see are within easy walking distance of the hotel - easy for her, a Parthenon too far for this old wreck! I may pluck up the energy to leave the hotel tonight to find a cafe for dinner.

Monday 20^th 1045

There's an area not far from the hotel which is liberally sprinkled with cafes. We only discovered it after we had eaten dinner. Whereas the place we ate at was merely busy, the other ones were positively crammed. We made the better choice even if some selections weren't available. And a half a litre of a pretty decent white for €3 was a clincher.

Also, had we not eaten where we did, we would not have met Flavia.

When Alice went to the loo, a young girl plonked herself down on the next table. She was clearly waiting for mum and dad (and it turned out, two older twin sisters) but she looked across at me and smiled, so I asked if she wanted to sit on our table. I was surprised when she said “yes”, rose and came over, asking “why are you speaking

English?”

She was a delightfully precocious eight year old, fluent in English, Greek, French and a smattering of Mandarin. Indeed the rest of the family arrived and sat a bit further up the pavement, Flavia stayed with us until the family meal was brought out. Just one of life's little encounters that make the world seem a nicer place.

Today, faced with checking out at noon and the car coming for us at 2000, I didn't fancy kicking my heels somewhere for eight hours, so asked if we could have a late checkout. The hotel is at maximum occupancy so the answer was no, however two new bookings had just come in, there was one room left, did I want it but I would need to pay the whole day? I paid. Should have booked it in the first place really but never thought. At least we can take an afternoon nap (the flight's not until 2310) although I now need to go and find an ATM to withdraw another ton, having used virtually all the cash I had on settling the hotel bill.

Tomorrow night we'll be back in China.........