The Big City

 The day after that celebration of shellfish and ouzo we were up at 6am  to catch the 8am catamaran to Athens.  It was a freezing morning and I was glad to walk up the gangplank into the warm lounge of the high speed catamaran.  I haven't travelled on one of these for years.  I loved the trip.  It was quiet onboard, the seats were wide and comfy and the sea was smooth.  I had a seat beside a large window and enjoyed the sights.  Small rocky islets came into view, then the islands of Angistri and Salamima and the backside of Aegina with its sheer cliffs, narrow enclosed bays where they met the sea. Then the container ships anchored and waiting their turn to enter the Port of Piraeus and finally the port itself with a huge cruise ship tied up to the tourist wharf and the big boats which steam overnight to Crete.  I remember them from our years living at the Navy Base on Crete though that route is now covered mainly by high speed catamaran in half the time

On entering the harbour you're greeted by this huge poster.  The man with open arms is the owner of SeaJets wishing you a Bon Voyage. Or wishing himself a good journey to the next life.  It hangs over the front of the company offices

Our mission today was to reach the Naval Hospital in central Athens without hiccups.  There is a metro station near the hospital but we haven't been on the underground for years.  There are so many new lines, stations and ticket options we were a bit wary of even finding the right entrance.  Old-er age and uncertaintity has set in.  So K found a taxi and agreed on a price for the journey.  We were slightly overcharged but it was worth it, and he knows for next time.  The taxi drove through the outskirts, into the centre around Syntagma Square, Parliament buildings and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, round a few backstreets and avoided all the congestion on the main avenues.  The taxi driver had a GPS which showed the route and traffic delays. 

K showed his ID card at the hospital Guard House and we sailed through.  I had my Naval ID card in hand too.  No problems, they didn't even look.

The orthopedic dept was busy, people everywhere, some with crutches or legs in plaster. As you would expect. 

All went well, we were called before time to see the doctor.  K had served with him at Poros Naval Base and they're old friends.  We had a box of Poros almond cakes to give to the doc to sweeten him up. No envelopes under the table here.

K severed some tendons in his shoulder 4 years ago and should have had an operation back then

But.... he thought he could sort it out with physio and painkillers.  Time does not heal tendons and now an operation is a necessity.  The pain some days is unbearable and he can't sleep at night.

He has been reassured, it will be keyhole surgery and only one night in hospital.  Should have done this years ago.

Now we wait for the call .  Could be a couple of months.  Doesn't matter.  He's on the list 

We both breathed a sigh of relief and went downstairs for a subsidised coffee and cheese pie in the canteen.  It was lovely just being somewhere different and watching a parade of people, officers in uniform, doctors in scrubs, sights we don't see on Poros.

I hadn't realised how narrow my life had become.  It was exciting seeing block after block of apartment buildings, hearing sirens and honking horns.  On our way back, once again by taxi, and 10 euros cheaper, we passed the American Embassy, The Athens Concert Hall, the marble Athenian stadium and the old Hilton building.

Apartments old and new and no place to park

I enjoyed the visit but wouldn't want to live here any more

The Kalimarmaro Stadium

Built on the site of a 4BC stadium

Restored  for the modern Olympic Games held in Athens in 1896