Athens, we made it!

One day of smooth travel was just too good.  Yesterday, the travel was the pits.  Our tickets were screwed up and they lost my luggage.  There is nothing like having your luggage lost when you literally have nothing else but the clothes on your back.  As I described to the people at AMEX (why not put them on the case too) that if this had happened 2 months ago, I could have survived a bit better by going shopping.  Now the clothes in the store are mostly fall so even if I wanted to buy a couple of new items while the hunt for my luggage continues, there is nothing to buy.  Ugh! 

We got to the hotel and the rest of the gang was there.  We are staying at a great hotel right in the middle of town.  Grand Bretagne Hotel.  Great beds, nice sized rooms and good service.  What else could you ask for?

We ambled around the area of Kolonaki and had lunch, and of course coffee.  Everyone is drinking the same thick frothy sugary milk shake looking coffees.   We were all beat so we came back to the hotel, chilled and then went up to the top of the hotel for drinks before going out for dinner.  The views are simply spectacular from the top.  This is a picture of that. Definitely worth taking the trip to the top.  We had breakfast there this morning too.  The city is simple and modern from above, streamlined and clean vs. walking through the streets which have a different feel. 

For dinner, we went to Varoulko.  Our taxi driver suggested we eat somewhere else on the water.  I just laughed and said no thanks.  My guess is they all get some kick back from the restaurateurs by taking the tourists somewhere for dinner.  Made me laugh. 

Varoulko is a beautiful modern restaurant.  We sat outside on the roof.  Simple white chairs and tables.  Quite a treat.  The waiter just brought out what the chef was preparing for the day which was fine with all of us.  We started with a tiny crispy round dough, almost like a pizza with sauteed onions and mint on top under carpaccio of white fish.  Not that interesting.  The second course which was the best course was thinly sliced pieces of calamari that had been sauteed in pesto and served over thinly sliced potatoes.  The calamari was so thin if it were not for the taste you would have thought you were eating linguine.  The next course was a cuttlefish ink risotto.  Very tasty a little salty but good.  The last course was a whole flounder roasted and served with a sauteed escarole.  They cut the fish for you after giving you a show.  Served over a sauce, can't really pin point that flavor.  It was very bland and not that interesting.  Three of us really didn't eat it. 
We loved the view, enjoyed the place but the meal wasn't as delightful as the views and the experience.

Today at 830am, I was woken by a phone call to tell me my luggage was downstairs and should they bring it up?  Oh lucky day.  I have never been so happy to see a piece of luggage.