I decide to stay at Crossroads Hostel for 6 nights and have a list of ‘things to do’, including: washing of laundry; getting blog and daily draws up to date; fetching the knitting bag Sonja from Slovenia is posting to me ‘poste restante’ to the post office some miles away; getting some basic maintenance and TLC for Rowenna; buying ferry ticket for an island (any island!?); replacement of the lightweight travel towel; catching up on sleep; reading a book or three.
Life is onerous ay?
Tiz Friday and I have achieved all of the above.
I’ve also found a pub that serves a pint of Ionian ale that is (if it was room temperature and not cold) as good as an English pint. I’ve strolled past Castle walls and towers, Churches, Triumphal Arches and Roman remains (all lit up) right in the middle of the city with modern shops all around.
Met a very good dog with a well trained owner.
There have been superb views up and down Thessaloniki – from the hostel you can see right out to sea – over buildings spread out below, sparkling in the sun. Then, when you walk the promenade alongside the sea, you can see the buildings spreading above, up and up to join the sky.
I’m fairly sure I’ve put on weight, eating the delicious food available universally in Greece. Without doubt, Greek cooks put together fabulous meals – I don’t think I’ve had a disappointing foody experience yet. I found a little restaurant down the hill where I ate two courses (tzatsiki and a perfect risotto) for less than €10 – and where they included a small bruschetta while I was looking at the menu, and a glass of ouzo, and grapes for dessert, gratis.
I’m just about up to date with daily draws - and I’ve not blogged much.
Life is onerous ay?
Tiz Friday and I have achieved all of the above.
- Laundry washed (but busy making more dirty – such is life).
- Poste Restante worked! I still can’t believe this! I had picked a Post Office that was 5+km from the Hostel – but never mind. The PO was open, and the parcel was there – though I had a heart stopping moment when it wasn’t on the shelf with the other parcels behind her, and she had to disappear out back to find it.
- Happened by a lovely place called “Why Not?” cycle where the guy not only did the work there and then, but only charged €10. He tightened the chain (cleaned and oiled it) and rerouted the brakes, making them work better – the cables had been bending when I attached bar bag and this stopped them working effectively. They now work perfectly – and they’ve been tightened up. He also put some air in the tyres, oiled and generally checked Rowenna over and she’s good to go. Could probably do with a clean and maybe I’ll get around to that at some point over the weekend.
- Found a travel agent who not only planned my ferry hopping route to Turkey (I’d looked – it’s confusing!) but bought and printed out my first ticket to Chios. She also recommended a few places to visit in Thessaloniki – including a veggie restaurant as the falafel place I was looking forward to visiting was closed for annual leave. Well worth the €5 she charged me for her service.
- While I was waiting for my bicycle to be serviced, found a shop that sold the towels within 5mins stroll – and they had been reduced from €19+ to €12. It’s an odd pink colour but I can live with that.
- Definitely caught up on sleep!!!!!
- Read a John Grisham novel that was hanging around the Hostel and then another crime detective book by ‘Robert Galbraith’ (a pseudonym for JK Rowling) called ‘Cuckoo Calling’.
I’ve also found a pub that serves a pint of Ionian ale that is (if it was room temperature and not cold) as good as an English pint. I’ve strolled past Castle walls and towers, Churches, Triumphal Arches and Roman remains (all lit up) right in the middle of the city with modern shops all around.
Met a very good dog with a well trained owner.
There have been superb views up and down Thessaloniki – from the hostel you can see right out to sea – over buildings spread out below, sparkling in the sun. Then, when you walk the promenade alongside the sea, you can see the buildings spreading above, up and up to join the sky.
I’m fairly sure I’ve put on weight, eating the delicious food available universally in Greece. Without doubt, Greek cooks put together fabulous meals – I don’t think I’ve had a disappointing foody experience yet. I found a little restaurant down the hill where I ate two courses (tzatsiki and a perfect risotto) for less than €10 – and where they included a small bruschetta while I was looking at the menu, and a glass of ouzo, and grapes for dessert, gratis.
I’m just about up to date with daily draws - and I’ve not blogged much.
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