Tuesday 23 July 2019

Going Home

At the end of this street are a large area of antiquities.  Piraeus was an important harbour and city in eons gone by.  There are ancient ruins railed off all over the city, as there are all over the country.





Piraeus Port Authority
51% owned by COSCO, China Ocean Shipping Company as you can see the sign is written in 3 languages 

There was huge resistance to COSCO's takeover of the port but it intends to invest $700 million to build a shopping mall, floating ship repair dock, luxury hotel and a new passenger cruise terminal.  It all sounds good, will bring money hopefully not only to the chinese but also the greeks.  We want investment and prosperity.  This is the way it goes at the moment.




3 lanes of traffic
Big trucks and tankers closing us in.  Too bad if you're claustrophobic

On our way out we got caught in a kilometre long traffic back-up.  It often happens in this spot.  One Friday before a 3 day weekend we left Piraeus at 2pm to end up in the middle of a 4 kilometre back-up.  Can't remember how long it took to crawl our way out of that.  This is the only way out of the city to the toll road and the back-up begins where the Piraeus traffic meets the Athens traffic.
This time at least we had a full tank.  Last time we limped into a petrol station on a whiff of petrol.

Forgot that as we left we, figuratively, threw a black stone over our shoulder.  To throw a black stone is to ensure that you never go back there.  We have decided first of all that we won't go in by car again.  Getting through the harbour and working out the road changes is just too stressful.  Poros residents get a refund on the flying dolphin (hydrofoil) tickets so we have decided it is cheaper now to go in and out by boat and hydrofoil and use the underground or taxis.  When we have too.

We won't be back soon.  I say, hopefully

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13 comments:

  1. JayCee23 July 2019 at 12:08

    Oh dear. I am so glad that I live here on a very small, insignificant island that, for now at least doesn't have those issues. I hope that you don't have to repeat that experience anytime soon x

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    Replies
    1. local alien24 July 2019 at 13:00

      I've had enough of traffic and cities for a very long time!

      Delete
  2. Yael23 July 2019 at 12:59

    I think I'll adopt the black stone thing.

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    Replies
    1. local alien24 July 2019 at 13:01

      We really did find a black stone and threw it back over the shoulder once when leaving a place we didnt enjoy. Seems to have worked!

      Delete
  3. angela23 July 2019 at 15:40

    I live in a semi rural area and everytime I have to go into the city I have panic attacks.
    That’s why I try to always use public transport. Traffic, parking changed roads. Not my thing

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. local alien24 July 2019 at 13:02

      Public transport is ok when its the metro or overground. I do hate buses, having to push your way to the door without standing on someones feet or being jolted into someone strangers lap.
      Finding parking and edging thru traffic is a nightmare!

      Delete
  4. Cro Magnon23 July 2019 at 20:51

    Now that the Chinese own Africa, I was wondering where they'd buy next. I haven't been back to the UK for ages, but every time I did, the traffic was horrendous. Here you hardly see another car (except in summer).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. local alien24 July 2019 at 13:03

      Ahh, the summer. We're even keeping out of Poros harbour at the moment. Far too many cars. They should be banned, except for us !!

      Delete
  5. Perth Creasy's24 July 2019 at 01:13

    Solution!!! Get the Chinese to build more freeways (don't pay them back of course) then in a few decades when everyone has flying cars, the roads can be converted to busways or railways for public transport.....the Chinese could be persuaded to build those as well!!

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    Replies
    1. local alien24 July 2019 at 13:04

      I'll wait and see what they do to the harbour area. If they can sort out that mess and build a luxury hotel and a shopping centre, and sort out the roads then they can take over the country!!

      Delete
  6. wisps of words24 July 2019 at 10:19

    Sounds like a good idea, the black stone over shoulder. Certainly, to that car mode of getting around. City traffic is the pits!

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    Replies
    1. local alien24 July 2019 at 13:05

      Don't know how anyone gets to where they are supposed to go. You have to know when to change lanes, where to turn, dodge the taxi drivers, buses and trams and watch for red lights, never mind those damn big lorries and tankers. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH NO NO NO

      Delete
  7. Amy24 July 2019 at 13:26

    oh yes, I'm like you, I prefer living in a small town, every time I go through to the city in Auckland there is so much traffic and people, makes me glad to be home again.

    ReplyDelete

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