Day 22 - Let's be honest, I am surprised I didn't say this after day 10. Twentyfuckingtwo days on the road with four kids. That's a lot. 45 Days in Europe '07 with Jess alone was challenging. Now add four people made from the two of us. (If you have time - that's the original travel blog - no punches pulled - raw and fucking exactly how it was - there is no candy coating - everyone and everything was permitted to catch it and they did. Worth the read when you have nothing else to do).
I may be more surprised that I actually posted every day - yes, sometimes the next day - but that was due to internet challenges but as a whole, I was on schedule - something that I have not done before. A round of applause would be appreciated. Donating for a nice bottle of whisky would be better.
This morning was slightly less lazy as Jess and everyone else left before 10 to get to the National Gardens and hit a playground or two while Neil and I finished up and met them there. It was a hot day - it got more humid as the day went on. So, time at the playground was slightly limited just because it was getting hotter and hotter as the day went on. We walked around the gardens to get to our next stop and saw lots of cats, pigeons (fucking rats with wings) and turtles. There were a lot of turtles in this contained pond. I am not sure how they feed them all to be honest.
This was the site of the first modern Olympics held in Athens.
There were a lot of fucking turtles.
We headed over to the Greek Museum of Ancient Technology Kotsanas. This was a nice little museum which highlighted some of the advanced technology that the Greeks used - including alarm clocks, door alarms (though it didn't alert you until the person was in), the first robot (automated), the pulley system they used to get the stones up to the Patrthenon, there was a room of armor and ancient tic-tac-toe which we are all playing. Ask Glenn about the lady from Espana with the book.
It's too late, death is already in.
The armor were all replicas of famous people who they made based off of artistic interpretations on various examples like pots, paintings etc. There was Alexander the Great, Agamemnon , Achilles and others.
This is the game - ancient tic-tac-toe - but better
There were ancient instruments which Jess got really excited about because it was the basis for how violins worked.
And then there was a VR machine which all the kids went on. Neil was the best - Isla barely fit.
After our time at the museum we went to grab some lunch at
Cocona. Don't let the 4.9 rating this place gets fool you.
It's even better than that.
Street food is a staple here and I wish that we had done more of it - but it was mad hot and so, we often wanted to get back to the apartment and get some cool air. If you go to Athens, and you are near it or not, I STRONGLY suggest you get this food. It is not often everyone likes everything they got - and by that, I mean Malcolm and Glenn - they are picky. Everyone enjoyed this food. I was such a fat ass that I got two sandwiches - and the first was good - the second, with the cured beef that also had mint (if you like it), and there was just the right hint of it was fantastic. Honestly, if you spend any time in Athens and you do not mind a bite to grab and go or sit on some of the steps nearby, this is it. Glenn was so appreciative in his thanks to the woman who was making the food that she almost cried (that's his version).
This was a somewhat poorly recreated photo from our bummy lunch in 2011 - my have we grown. Blogger has somehow deleted all my photos - I'll have to see if I can find it...
We headed back to the apartment - me with the kids and I took a nap and Jess went with her parents to go shopping at the flea market.
For the evening, we met up with Angeliki and had a really nice dinner at a place not too far from out apartment and then - yes, you guessed it, got ice cream - then it was home to prepare for tomorrow's voyage home.
Don't believe everything you see...The Four Horsemen
August 22, 2025
