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Athens – Burst Tyre on the Motorway and Other Excitement

One handy thing about travelling with Richard anywhere is that there’s always drama. And I was delivered drama once again on this trip, which was all rather exciting. As we were driving along the motorway, or more specifically as Richard was driving, there was a little bangy noise which I correctly identified as something was broken. We were just before a toll booth and so we stopped off to investigate the matter, with the timing being quite fortunate.

The rather helpful guy at the reception desk at the toll station, which I don’t think is a generally onerous role and so needs extra excitement, came over to help. He we are with two experts looking at the tyre, which I had already identified as broken so I didn’t see what more work needed doing on the investigation.

Richard remembered that there was a spare tyre in the boot. It seemed that we might be able to put this on and manage the situation ourselves. Richard is a man of action and his engineering background, specialising in keyboards, would inevitably come in handy.

And here he is athletically putting the tyre into the right place, rolling it like a professional. This plan didn’t work as we couldn’t get the existing tyre off (I say we, but I was basically just the photographer) and so Richard phoned the car hire company. The lady spoke English, but the toll guy (as I’m now calling him) dealt with the entire conversation in rapid-fire Greek and we had no clue what was going on. Richard had been hoping to speak to the lady at the end of the call to gain a better understanding of the situation, but I imagine that the toll guy was trying to make life easier. I wanted to sit in the car, but Richard reminded me it was jacked up and he hadn’t remembered to bring any chairs to sit on which I thought was poor planning on his part. If he is to be a true traveller, he needs to bring a mobile lounge with him.

I think this next photo tells something of a story, as it’s now dark. The toll gates looked rather lovely as the sun set over the broken car. The toll guy, who really was doing a marvellous job at helping us, came over to say that the repair man was around fifteen minutes away. At least we had a solution coming now.

There was some thinking about the situation whilst we waited. The toll guy spoke sufficient English to let us know what was going on and helpfully queried if I was cold as I didn’t have a coat on. He also asked Richard why we’d come to Greece when it was cold, although I think the toll guy and I have a different understanding of what the word hot means.

Then the repair man turned up with a proper jack. No selection of canapes or anything though for us to nibble on. I had expected Richard to have some sort of lounge option for car hire so that we received some treats, but it transpired that he hadn’t. But, here is the car all successfully repaired and we were ready to roll with the temporary tyre in place, with the whole arrangement taking 90 minutes to have got sorted out.

Thanks mostly to me for recording the incident for posterity, the toll man for being so helpful, the repair guy for fixing it and to Richard for the excitement. After investigating the broken tyre, it seems that there had been a nail in it which must have fallen out, hence the quick deflation. Richard noted, after the event, that he did think there was the sound of something as we had been driving around all day, but as it was a hire car a random noise would have been hard to investigate. And with Richard at the helm, what could possibly go wrong? He remains very fortunate that I’m often around to take photos and be the voice of calm reason. As for the good news, Richard had taken out insurance to cover this sort of incident, so the €400 he would have been charged was reduced to €0.

March 7, 2025
Athens – Barco in Porto Rafti

Whilst in the Porto Rafti area, the rather lovely bay which Richard found, we popped in Barco for a nutritious drink. It was well reviewed on-line and, perhaps most importantly, it was actually open which is always handy. There is a large indoor section, but I suspect most people prefer to sit outside because of the views.

The views over the water. As with all these places, there’s the downside that smoking is allowed in the outside areas, which gives that rather unpleasant (to me at least) smell to the whole arrangement. Fortunately, only one table was smoking here and it was quite airy. One day I rather hope that smoking is banned everywhere, but I suspect that might be some time away.

The menu.

The Mamos beer from Athenian Brewery, which was average, but the view and the free crisps made up for it. I’m easily sold. I blurred the glass as best as I could as it’s a Stella one and I have a sort of reputation to keep. Richard went for an orange juice, but he’s a very healthy person and gravitates towards fruit.

I thought about keeping the cat, but Richard refused to pop it in his car and offer it a better life in Dereham. Actually, on reflection, it probably would be better off staying on the Greek coastline in the warm with fish to catch.

Anyway, the venue didn’t feel like a tourist trap, the prices were reasonable and it was clean and welcoming. They did have the challenge of a dove that decided to go to the food collection area and merrily eat the things it fancied whilst chucking the rest onto the floor which I thought showed some determination.

March 7, 2025
Metz – Photos

[I originally posted this in May 2018, but have reposted it and fixed the broken image links]

I took rather a lot of photos today, so below are just a random selection without explanation. I have rather a lot more photos to upload, hopefully I will manage at least a few more words about them.

I would say though that Metz is one of the most beautiful cities that I’ve visited, beautifully kept and numerous parks and areas to walks.

March 6, 2025
200 Years Ago in Norwich : Packet Boat Trip to Rotterdam

I rather liked this advertisement from the Norwich Mercury 200 years ago this month.

“It having been intimated that a Trip over to the Dutch Coast, the ensuing Summer, would be very desirable, the Directors beg leave to inform the Friends to this Establishment, that on Saturday, the 18th of June, at Six o’clock in the Evening, the LOWTHER will leave Yarmouth for Rotterdam, where she will arrive early the following Morning, and will return on the 25th, at the same hour. The Packet will be solely fitted up for Passengers. The After-Cabins will be entirely appropriated for Ladies, and the Fore-Cabin and Holds will be fitted up for Gentlemen, and every arrangement will be made to secure a pleasant passage

Fare to Rotterdam and back …. £2. 2s.

As a limited number can only be accommodated, all desirous of going will apply for Births as soon as possible to Messrs. Boardman and Harmer, Norwich; Mr. William Borrett, Yarmouth; or to Mr. Richard Clay, at the Company’s Office, Selby.”

Although this packet ship most likely usually carried cargo, I liked that there was an element of this being entirely a passenger trip where people could see Rotterdam. In today’s money that’s about £150 return so not unreasonable, although it’s somewhat cheaper and quicker to fly 200 years later. I’d rather like to know who went on this trip, was it tourists wanting to see the Netherlands, was it business people or was it the idle rich?

March 6, 2025
Athens – Porto Rafti Visit

Just photos from our visit to Porto Rafti which is a seaside resort situated on the east coast of the Attica peninsula, along the Rafti Bay of the Aegean Sea. We stopped off there on the way back to Athens and it was a suggestion of Richard and a very good one. Tourism is the major income generator in the area, but there’s also a wine-making industry here.

March 6, 2025
Athens – Protests, Riots and Repairs

As it was likely much would be closed in Athens given the commemoration of the second anniversary of the Tempi train disaster, we headed down the coast to Lavrion.

There was a protest going on there, but it was all amicable and friendly with families taking part.

I think this is talking about putting profit over people. Incidentally, I hope that isn’t a baby snake at the base of the photo.

As an aside, there was a lot of littering of these leaflets.

It meant that everything was closed for three hours in the town. A helpful local stopped their car to check if we needed any help given that everything was closed. It did mean that the restaurants, shops and the like were all closed, so we watched some of the protests and then walked down to the marina. It was impressive how well attended the protests were and how nothing remained open during this time.

57 people died on 28 February 2023 when two trains crashed into each other head-on, with another 81 heavily injured and 99 lightly injured. The infra-structure of the rail network is highly problematic in Greece and it’s argued by many that little is being done to improve it. That was the base for the protests and demonstrations.

Back in Athens later on, we saw this graffiti written on the National University.

It was repainted within hours and I was quite impressed with their efficiency. It’s visible through the first coat of paint, but I’m sure that the second coat went down so after and all remnants of the graffiti are gone.

The damage from firebombs thrown towards the Parliament building was being cleared up. There’s more coverage of the rioting at the Guardian web-site.

There were numerous burnt out bins near the Parliament building.

But they were swiftly removed within a few hours and I’m sure the new replacements are already in situ.

There’s more about the rail accident at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempi_train_crash, the more I read about it the more horrendous the situation evidently is, so the reason for the demonstrations has become ever clearer to me.

March 6, 2025
Athens – Driving About in the City Part One

I found driving in Athens quite cathartic, but I was a passenger and I suppose that this does impact matters somewhat.

Richard might have found it less relaxing and peaceful.

March 6, 2025
Athens – Athens at Night

And just some photos of Athens at night from last week….

March 6, 2025
Lavrion – Former Rail Line to Greece (and perhaps coming back)

The first train in Lavrion, in southern Greece, which is dated on the image as 1880. The main line to Lavrion officially opened on June 20, 1885, although the Keratea–Lavrion section had already been in limited use before that date. It was one of the earlier lines to open in the country and was constructed primarily to link the mines in the area with the port of Lavrion, with the line being constructed by the French company Compagnie Française des Mines du Laurium.

An old rail carriage in near pristine condition…. I like that this carriage is here, but it feels like it’s an sub-optimal condition with that graffiti on it.

Evidence of the old track, although not much is left. The line was damaged during the Second World War and it took them until 1952 to get it fully re-opened.

The line finally closed to passengers in 1957, apparently with the bus lobby being important in that, although it’s a shame that the line has been lost as it would have perhaps offered quite an economic boost for Lavrion. Some of the section nearer to Athens was turned into Athens Metro Line 1, but most of the route has been entirely lost and it’s quite hard to even track it on the map.

The route of the former line and I like rail heritage, so this was all quite intriguing. On the bright side, it looks like work is underway with an expected end date of 2033, to rebuild the line and reconnect Lavrion to the rail network. This would be a connection to the country’s main airport and would be enormously useful for the town’s cruise port. There’s details of that expansion in this pdf file.

March 5, 2025
Metz – Cathedral of St. Stephen

[I originally posted this in May 2018, but have reposted it to fix the broken image links]

It’s evident just from the exterior what a grand cathedral this is and there has been a religious site here since the fifth century. Work on the current building began in 1220 and was completed in 1520, before finally being consecrated in 1552. Sounds like a normal public sector project.

That is one high nave. Indeed, it’s one of the highest in the world, over 41 metres tall.

The stained glass is beautiful, and there’s a lot of it.

For reasons unknown, there’s an area at the back of the choir which is vandalised with pen and scratches into the stonework. It’s relatively recent and not very dignified.

Wall painting on the pillar by the nave.

The decoration at the main entrance.

That height, those windows, just beautiful!

The apse, I think.

A rather nice triptych, I don’t often see these in cathedrals and churches, they seem to all have been collected up and placed in museums.

March 5, 2025