How Robbers Rob you on Subways

I had a bad last 3 days in Greece. First, I got robbed on the subway on my return to Athens at the end of my trip. Just before I got off the ferry, I put my passport, credit cards, drivers license and 50 euros into my moneybelt and put the moneybelt on under my shorts. Then I got off the ferry and walked across the pedestrian bridge to the subway. To make sure my wallet was zipped into my purse, I took out the 1.30 for the subway, organized and ready to go. I bought my ticket, got it validated and went into the last car of the train which was crowded but still had some room. (They always warn you not to get on crowded trains and I didn't think this was really crowded.)

As I stepped on the train, a tall Middle Eastern or Italian-looking man with a plaid shirt and white boat shoes stepped directly in front of me, blocking my way. His head was turned to the side, as if he was distracted and hadn't realized that he just blocked my way. So I took a step to the right and he again slid to the right to block me. I said "what the..." with a little laugh, like was he really that out of it that he doesn't notice a person in front of him? He let me in that time.

So I got situated, suitcase on the ground in front of me, backpack strapped on with a front belt and waited. Suddenly, about 5-7 men got on, pushing against me hard. I could feel the edges of their backpacks scraping on my arms and legs. I found myself against the pole that people hold onto. Someone was pulling me backwards by my backpack. Another man's armpit was in my face. I started yelling, "get me out of here! Let me out!" mainly because I was feeling claustrophobic. I hadn't realized at this point that I'd been robbed. So the 5 men left, I got off and noticed my purse was open. I looked and sure enough, my wallet was gone. I had 40 euros, my Kaiser card, a Starbucks card, and all my ATM receipts. That's all they got, suckers.

I was very shaken and reported it to security. They said I have to go to the police station downtown if I want to file a report. I said forget it.

Back in town, I walked to my hotel, the Economy Hotel, which was nice except for the neighborhood's sex shops and prostitutes. When I got there, the electricity had been shut down due to the electric company's protests. It was 95 degrees and I had to go up 10 flights of stairs to a hot room and wait for the electricity to come back on. Luckily it did after 10 minutes. Whew!

Later after I went out to eat dinner, I took a taxi back since my neighborhood didn't seem very safe. The taxi driver went waaaay around because he said there's a strike on the main street. Bullshit. There was no strike where I was but I went with it, what's 2-3 extra euros. So he shows up at my hotel and I give him a 20. He put it down and held up a 5 and said, this is a 5. I said no, it was a 20. He said see, this is a 5, like I was an idiot. He said you owe me 3 more euros. So I dug and found 2.50 and he said it's fine like I was so stupid, I couldn't figure out how to pay. I was furious at this too. Ripped off twice in the same day by assholes.

The next night (my last), I was walking back from dinner and a man in a Lexus-type car stated driving alongside me as I walked. He said he wanted to talk to me. I ignored him and he said it again. I said no. He turned right onto the street where my hotel was and he said he has something he wants to tell me. I said I don't want to hear it and kept walking. He stopped right in front of the doors to my hotel and I had to walk around the back of his car, hoping he wouldn't back up and run me over. I went quickly into my hotel, up the elevator and into my room which I double-locked. Very creepy. Unfortunately, this is my last mental picture of Greece. I don't think I would ever go again, unless it's directly to the islands.

Exploring Paros by Scooter

I rented a scooter to explore the island. The stupid guy told me it was 15 euros for the small 50cc, then when I went to pay the lady said it was 10 euros. The Greeks are not generally very detail-oriented. So I went to Naoussa, the place everyone told me to go instead of Parikia. I wish I would have. Parikia was not a nice place to be. Nobody was all that friendly and there were no fun bars or anything. I guess Naoussa is where the nightlife is. I went first on my scooter and didn't see much. I was trying to find the beach and found out that there's not really one beach. There are many small coves that you need a motorcycle to get to. It was very confusing to me. But I do wish I'd have stayed there instead.

After Naoussa, I tried to find Golden Beach, which is supposed to be beautiful. There are 3 Golden Beaches and I didn't know which one to go to. So I chose the one with the Golden Beach Restaurant (I don't think that was the right one because there were only 2 restaurants). I was tired of looking so just stayed there. A sandblasting wind was blowing, and I was getting covered with sand. I finally found a chair that was a little more out of the wind but didn't stay long. I had lunch at the Golden Beach Restaurant. I had fried eggplant which sounds greasy and boring but it was really pretty good and it was only 3 euros.

On the way back across the island, I went to the village of Lefkes, right in the center of the island. What a beautiful place. It was so peaceful and pretty. There were more trees and plants here than I'd seen anywhere else in Greece, which is pretty dry and rocky in general.

At night, I tried to find a bar and spent an hour and a half looking for one. I finally found one that was still empty at 11:30. I can't stay up till 4 am. It's just not worth it for me. If I do it, my whole next day is ruined, I'm tired all screwed up on my sleep for the next night. So the bar scene basically sucked in Parikia.

Restaurants
Elaea on the waterfront towards Livadia Beach - very good food, well presented and prices moderate.

Yiannoulis - on waterfront across from bus station. Excellent fresh fish but all the rest was behind the preheated glass thing.

Bars
Dubliner - waaaaay up at the edge of town in a bad area. It doesn't even think about opening until around 11 or so.

Pebbles Jazz Bar - in the Kastro up a few steps. Great place to watch the sunset and good wine

Pirate Bar - looks really cool in a pirate kind of way but was empty so I didn't go in

Rock Bar - right around the corner from the Pirate Bar, could be fun when people were in it

Hotels
Hotel Frangiscos - NO. This is the one with the cockroaches 30 euros
Hotel Paros - looked very nice, the lady was very nice. 40 euros
Hotel Polos - very nice, where I stayed. Clean, has a nice pool. 40 euros
Hotel Apollon - was recommended to me, looked nice


Places to See
Archaological Museum - in Parikia, very good
Hellenistic Mosaic - in Parikia, very good
Antiparos Tour - take a small ferry at the port to the island, leaves around 5 times a day, 5 euros each way. In Antiparos, there is the Cave of Antiparos, very cool. 5 euros to get in. There are 450 or so stairs down into the cave.

Arriving in Paros, and the Cockroach

So I tried the no reservations thing. I arrived on the ferry in Paros without a hotel reservation. There are hundreds of hotel operators standing there with signs and brochures of their hotels. They all yell at the same time and push on each other. It's very hectic.

I had spoken to a few people and there were 2 hotels in Parikia they recommended: The Apollon and Frangisco's. Two people had mentioned Frangisco's so I thought that would be the one to go with. And they told me that you can get it by looking for them in the hordes of hotel hawkers at the ferry. So I looked around and saw the sign for Frangisco's. I went right up to the guy (to the dismay of the other 7 people strugging for my attention against him) and said this is the one I want. He was so happy; he didn't even have to talk me into it or anything! And when I asked the price it was 30 euros! How perfect is this, I asked myself. So he took me to the van and said he'd be right back. Another ferry had just arrived and he had to try and get a few more. So I sat there for 10 minutes and he returned with 2 girls from New York. They were arguing, as girls do when traveling together for any length of time.

So we all go to the hotel which looks like the picture and looks just fine. The guy takes me to a room and lets me choose between the one with the ocean view or the inside one, a little quieter. Since the streets weren't so busy, I went for the ocean view one. The french-type doors to the balcony were wide open to let the breeze in. I thought perfect! He wanted me to give him my passport and I said no! Then he said OK, drivers license is fine. I gave it to him but it made me uneasy. Did that many people leave without paying?

So I did my cockroach inspection -- bathroom, under the sink, around the shower, under the beds and didn't see any. So I freshened up and went out to dinner. I'd decided that it would be an early night so I went back to my room. When I turned on the light, there was a giant cockroach on the wall, antennae circling around. Having a thing about cockroaches, a chill went through my body and I grabbed the key and ran down to find the manager. I went to the breakfast area and although the manager wasn't there, the man who showed me my room was. So I told him I have a problem: cockroach. He came to my room, irritated. The cockroach wasn't where it was when I left. He said there is no cockroach. I said yes, it was right there, pointing to the wall where it was. He looked around and found it in a cupboard. He picked it up and threw it over the balcony, onto the street near the entrance which I found disgusting. He started yelling at me that he can't help it that cockroaches are in Greece. He said this was a flying cockroach; it must have just flown in that day when the doors were open. I said so there's not a family living in here? He said NO! I said I wanted a different room. He was furious with me but grabbed my suitcase and walked 15 feet in front of me, taking me to a different room.

The lock to my new room, which was right next to reception, had been ripped off and replaced because the plywood was new. It would have to do because it was 10:00 at night, it was too late to look around for something else so I stayed. I went to do email and then the owner saw me so I told him about the cockroach. He was very greasy and his breath smelled like alcohol and he looked like he was on drugs. He assured me that there were no more cockroaches in the entire hotel and that my new room was very nice.

I left the lights on all night, in case any of the cockroaches little friends were around. With the help of my airplane eyecover shade and an Ambien, I got some sleep.

The next day I went in search of another hotel. I wish I'd have taken my friends at the Old Captain's advice and stayed in Naossa though. I checked out Hotel Paros which seemed very nice, then the Hotel Polos which had a beautiful pool area. I chose that one for 40 euros a night, and was happy with my choice.

The Lady with the Mustache: Sifnos Restaurants, Hotels, Bars

Sifnos is said to have some of the best food in the Aegean. I thought it was good but it didn't blow me over. I did have one of the clay pot dishes in Appolonia. It was pork in a stew sauce but nothing else except topped with french fries! I had rabbit in Kamares, and their famous chickpea soup, both very good and fairly priced. The best gyro place was not the one on the main street but the one behind it on a balcony up the stairs. Can't remember the name but the owner was very cool. Meals were all between 5 and 10 euros except for gyros which were 2 euros.

Restaurants
Boulis Hotel - Kamares Beach at the end of town, turn left. The restaurant on the patio had the chickpea soup. It was lovingly served, and both the waiter and the chef were very proud when I gave them the thumbs up. They also had a homemade retsina which was really good. I tried the retsina in a bottle another time and it was awful. I wish I'd have returned here to eat another of their dishes.

O Simos Cafe - Kamares Beach on the waterfront. This is where you can find the lady with the mustache. Everyone says to find her and eat there. This where I had the rabbit. Evidently, the son is a big hunter and whatever he finds out there on the island is what you'll find on the menu, along with the normal Greek offerings. The rabbit was prepared in a tomato-based sauce and was tasty, although hard to pick off the bones. The mustache lady shuffles over to your table and sits down to take your order. She's very matter-of-fact and to the point. The restaurant is on the water so it's a good one to check out.

Absinthe - Kamares Beach, up the stairs behind one of the souvlaki shops. Although I didn't eat here, the food looked very good. I met the owner, George, who is very friendly. A cool dude. The food had a slightly different menu than others I've seen, like basmati rice with shrimp and pineapple. I'd have liked to try it but didn't see it, as it's not right on the main street.

Bars
Old Captains Bar - Kamares Beach. This is the only bar in town and is a great spot to watch the sunset.

Hotels
Morpheas Pension - Kamares Beach, at the end of town and to the left past the Hotel Boulis. 40 euros per night. The beach is down a sand walkway a short ways.
This was a very clean hotel and the owner and his father are very helpful. You can book it through Aegean Thesaurus travel, which I found through Matt Barrett's Greek Travel page.

Exploring Sifnos by Scooter/Moped

So I rented a scooter (or is it called a moped -- the kind where you put your feet on the platform in front of you and they're only 50 cc and go 30 mph). I headed toward the ancient acropolis in Agios Andreas. There was a walking path so I parked and walked straight uphill for 15-20 minutes. After stopping to rest a million times and pouring out sweat, I decided it wasn't worth the walk. I was still only halfway there. So I walked back down, all pissed off at myself. I continued down the road and then saw a paved road up to the same place I was just trying to walk to! So I drove up, parked, and walked around. It was closed that day but I still got to walk around. It's just a typical ruined building, built in the 12th century BC. Wow, that's old. And it was inhabited up to the 2nd century BC. It looks as if they're trying to make it a more official tourist attraction. There was a window where you pay when they're open. The interior and exterior walls are labeled, and the walking paths are in great condition. There's a church at the top with great views of the other side of the island.

After leaving the ruins, I got back on my scooter and headed towards the town of Vathy. It was recommended to me over the other beach, Plati Gialos which is much bigger. Vathi was a narrow sand beach but there were no beach chairs anywhere. People were laying in the shade of the trees in the sand which is what I should have done but I wanted a lounge chair. So I walked for about 15 minutes down the beach to the only beach chairs that were for rent. A gruff old man came out and charged me 4 euros. I asked for a bathroom and he said NO! Cranky old man.

After laying out awhile, I decided to go have lunch. Maybe this would be the place for fresh fish since nobody seems to have fresh fish other than by the kilo. I think there's a way you can order a portion for one person but I think it would still be around 15 or more euros or $22! Aaaaah, for a plastic chair and a paper tablecloth and bad service. I think not. So I ordered the fish soup which I heard was excellent in Greece. There were 4 piees of fish and 4 potato chunks in a small bowl for 7 euros. It was OK but the fish soup in Mexico is far superior, cheaper, and in bigger portions.

So after Vathi, I went to Faro. I had to go all the way up to the center of the island and back down another road so it took awhile. Especially with my little 50 cc scooter. They have a hard time going uphill. A guy on a motorcycle passed me and made a pushing motion with his body, teasing me for the slowness of my scooter.

Faro is a small, cute fishing village on a bay. Very quiet. I didn't see many restaurants but it looked as if the actual town was built up the white stairs similar to a Kastro. I had an ice cream at a mini market and left. By the time I got home, I was quite sunburned. Be sure to wear a long sleeved shirt and put suntan lotion on when you're going to be riding around on a scooter all day.

So after showering and resting, I went to have the Sunday special, which is a chickpea soup. It's basically stewed chickpeas, onions, and a ton of olive oil. It's very tasty but I was wondering how many calories in olive oil I was taking in. I also tried the homemade retsina. It's like a white wine but is much stronger. One glass gets you really buzzed. As I sat there eating my hot soup and drinking my retsina in the sort of shade, I heard a ferry come in. Maybe it was the retsina but the sounds were very peaceful. First the ferry honks its big old horn with a long honk which echoes through the bay which is surrounded by mountains.  It sounds so cool.  Then the waves come from the ship, so you hear the kids playing in the ocean start screaming because it's the only time they get any waves.  Then 10 minutes later when the ship is leaving, it honks again.  Then you hear the chains and anchors rolling in and the vibration of the ship moving sideways or reverse to get away from the dock.  I was having a moment, enjoying the tastes and sounds around me.

Later that night I went to the Old Captains Bar to have a chat with people who would actually talk to me.

Sifnos really grew on me. The day I left was a little sad.

Getting Lost on the Way to The Kastro in Sifnos

There are only about 5 buses per day to the capital of Appolonia which is ontop of the island, up the hill from Kamares. Since I didn't know what I was going to do until later, I took the bus around 2 pm. I'd forgotten, though, that everything closes down from about 1:30-6:00. EVERYTHING was closed except for a bakery and a coffee shop. It was very hot and I had nothing to do and nowhere to go. The next bus back to Kamares was coming but I couldn't figure out what to do fast enough so I let it go by. The bus after that was in 3 hours. So I read in an uncomfortable chair in the shade at a closed cafe. B-O-R-I-N-G and HOT. Finally, bored out of my mind, I walked down the road towards the Kastro which is the former capital. I stopped in Veranda cafe which was a very cool, breezy spot. They listed this in Lonely Planet so when I saw it I recognized the name right away. I had a Craft beer which is a "microbrewery"? in Athens. The beer was 3.50 euros. Coffee was 3 euros, almost the same price.

So at 6:00 I decided that the sun wasn't as hot and I started down the path to the Kastro which was 5K. The waiter told me it takes 20-25 minutes. I thought, "how in the heck do you walk 5 kilometers in 20 minutes?" but nodded and followed his directions to the marble footpath. Sifnos, by the way, is full of these footpaths. They're mostly well maintained and pretty as well.

After about an hour, having passed a colt, a pig, chickens, and goats, I realized I was not heading towards the ocean. I was heading parallel to it which wasn't right. And the trail didn't look the same. Panicking a little, I thought to myself, who am I going to find out here in the middle of nowhere to ask. I was thinking about turning back and walking for about 1/2 hour until the last time I saw civilization when lo and behold, there was a man and woman feeding about 50 pigs. I asked the man, "Kastro?" and he pointed to a path perpendicular to the one I was on. I said "Efharisto" and turned down the narrow, rutted path. About 15 minutes later, the path dumped me onto the highway. So I walked the last mile down the winding highway and finally arrived, sweating and overheated, at the Kastro. I walked uphill into the Kastro and found a restaurant to get a cold drink. I felt a little shaky and low blood sugary so I got a Sprite, thinking I needed the sugar. While drinking, I felt something moving around inside my underwear in the front. I bolted to the bathroom and sure enough, there was a little bug in there trying to get out. I freaked out and flung it to the ground, then returned to my Sprite. It suddenly tasted horrible and warm so I left the rest and explored some more.

There's not much to see up there. There is a museum but it was closed. There are only about 3 restaurants but the view is gorgeous. This Kastro overlooks cliffs on the ocean. Good place for watching and catching pirates!

Sifnos, small island favorite

When everyone told me that the ferry Agios Georgios would be carrying me away to Sifnos, they said oh, you're going on the small, slow ferry. So of course I imagined like in the movie Mama Mia, chickens, goats, and old Greek women wearing those black dresses. But no, it was really just as nice as the big ferry, just a smaller version. 

I got into my hotel in Kamares Beach at 10 at night. The owner's dad was there to check me in but doesn't speak a word of English.  So we communicated by sign language.  In fact, not a lot of people speak English here. There are lots of French and Germans, but they're generally not very friendly.

Luckily I discovered Old Captains Bar on night #2. There were Americans mixed in with the others. (Americans are just so much darn friendlier than anyone else except Australians!) This was to be my haunt for the next 4 nights. A place where everybody knows your name. Nice when you're traveling alone.

So the next day I dedicated to being a Beach Day. I rented a chair from the nice girl for 3 euros and settled in with my book. Suddenly a huge wasp, the kind with the multi-jointed body, flew in and landed between my water bottle and the plastic orange bag underneath it. I think it was drinking water off the side, then it looked confused, then I think it got stuck. So I thought do I kill it and eliminate a possible sting from a pissed off wasp that's trying to get unstuck? I watched it and agonized over the decision for 10 minutes.

I finally decided to smash it with my water bottle. I smashed and smashed but it didn't die all the way. It kept writhing in what I assume is pain. I didn't want it suffer so I kept smashing it hard, then got a rock to finish it off. I buried it in the sand, still twitching, and put a rock above the spot in case it was to come crawling out of the sand 10 times bigger with a bloodlust for me.

I feel terribly guilty over this murder and am sure karma wise I'll be paying back for that wasps life. Just like that, a fly came and bit me 3 times. I don't know if that'll equal out for a wasp's dear life -- probably not. I imagine a nest of wasps hunting me down and covering me like those beekeepers, waiting to all sting me at once just to instill a sense of terror in me. Or that the one I killed will come back to life and find me. Oh, I'll pay. Maybe I'll go into one of these tiny churches and repent for my sin.

This was the highlight of one of my days. Another day, I came to the office to use the internet and there was a big group of French people eating dinner in the office. The owner's father asked me if I wanted an ouzo.  I said sure! Then he gave me a hunk of sheep cheese to go with it.  He went baaaaah like a sheep sounds to tell me it was sheep cheese.  All the French people laughed and watched as I ate the cheese to see if I would like it. It did, although it was a little stinky.