Seven day in Athens started with both Alice and I feeling rotten with head colds. We had attended a birthday party for a five-year old girl in Fes Morocco and came away with a bug. So, we spent the first two or three day in Greece in bed. The remainder of our time in Athens was spent walking among many Greek and Roman ruins. Every day we pick one or two major sights to tour. At night we ate some great food and even took a cooking class. Greece is a great place for food lovers. I was very impressed with the variety of salads we sampled.

After Athens we rented a car and drove to Delphi . We stayed for one night. Of all the sites we visited in Greece this was the most beautiful setting. Delphi is situated high up in a mountain valley with spectacular views all the way to the sea. We found that the statues and other artifacts in the small museum at this location were much better preserved. I guess the invading armies (Persians, Macedonians and others) and Western pillagers (France, UK and Germany) focused their plunder on Athens and the larger cities.

Then on to Olympia. We spent two days exploring the very weathered ruins and thinking about the "games". It is here that the Olympic Torch is lite every two years and then is carried by runners to the current site for the Summer or Winter Games. One of our food highlights was a wonderful pizza and delicious salad. As usual, it's often about the food!

On to Hydra, an island off the southern coast of the Peloponnese Peninsula. We got there after a 4 hour car ride through the mountains and a short 30 minute ferry ride. Hydra is a great location to just lean back and experience to best of rural Greece. There are no cars allowed on the island, except for a couple of trucks to collect the rubbish.

All transport from the quaint port are handled by donkeys and carts. After the noise and bother of Athens, Hydra was a welcome respite. We spent 4 days on Hydra and would come back if we have the chance. We spent our time hiking the coastline, hills and valleys. The evenings were spent in restaurants and pubs. We ate basic Greek food that didn't include gyro and solvalki.....lots of salads and lamb dishes. Some good seafood.