Woke up to a grey day in Greece today… but a day filled with promise.

I do like Greece, but I couldn’t live here.  It’s not as simple as you might think.

1. There are scores of gorgeous woman, and there is no way I could ever concentrate very long !
2. The food is just too fantastic. If I lived here I would soon be the size of a house. I remembered Balkan bakers, and went in one of the many today for a food explosion. Followed that with a giro (that’s kebab in English) and that went down a storm as well. Yum.
3. Driving in Thessaloniki is as crazy as it gets.  A 6×6 foot space is normally for standing in .. here it’s called a parking spot !  I saw a hotel the other day with 1 parking spot .. and then I realized this one parking spot was a car elevator to take hotel resident cars to a lower level parking area.  Ingenious.

Early today I set off into a grey Greece day to see what Thessaloniki would bestow of me as I explored the area on foot. A 4km walk along the picturesque waterfront included a climb up the White Tower to view the city from almost 100ft up gives a great view from upon high.

As my legs began to wane as the miles were clocked up one step at a time a local bakery provided the sanctuary and mouthful satisfaction to please this hungry person.

I make it my mission to explore a football stadium at each place; just for grins.  I find it a cool challenge to figure out a way in so that I can get a photo.  Stadiums are always locked up in non-game days.  Iraklis FC had a security guard on the gate, and I know from experience they like their territory do these guys.  So it becomes about timing.  I knew having played stealth mode in Hitman on X-box would come in handy one day .. I waited for the right moment, and ghosted in behind the closed gaze. Inside, few photo’s, and a return to stealth mode to escape the area.  Not a problem.

On leaving the stadium I felt a few droplets of rain that made me remember just how far away from the hotel I had ventured.  I worked the cover on the streets to guide my way from the drizzle that turned to rain.

After escaping the rain to the sanctuary of the hotel the sky continued to fall as the early afternoon rain continued to early evening.  After the rain all but stopped I headed out for more scrumptious food, beer and the chance to enjoy a friendly city that is pleasing on the eye (it’s not only the women).

Tomorrow I leave Greece and head for Macedonia.  My oh my the Balkans are brilliant !