Greek Odyssey Day 5a: Hydra & Poros

We took a one-day ferry cruise to visit three islands in the Saronic Gulf - Hydra, Poros & Aegina.

While waiting for the bus to take us to Piraeus, we managed to catch the military parade as part of Greece's National Day celebration in Athens.

On the top deck of our ferry at the port of Piraeus.

Our one-day cruise journey begins.

It's never too late to read up on the places you're visiting!

Are we there yet? My old friend, motion sickness, has come to pay a visit.

First stop - the lovely island of Hydra.

The view from our ferry as it docks.

Little boats to take passengers across to the nearest mainland - the Peloponnese.

Another parade, this time on Hydra.

Since Greece is 3-quarters mountains, there are steps everywhere.

Next stop - the island of Poros.

Another view of Poros.

From our ferry - about to perform Zuhur prayers on the deck.

Windmills on the other side of the bay at Poros.

Break for Lunch!!

Greek Odyssey Day 4: Corinth, Mycenae & Epidaurus

The Corinth Canal that cuts between the Peloponnese and mainland Greece.

Up the Acropolis of Mycenae.

In front of the Tholos (beehive) tomb, where the King of Mycenae was believed to be buried.

Taking centre stage at the Theatre of Epidaurus. It was built in the shape of a human ear, so even from the back row you can hear loud and clear.

Up in the Upper Tier of the Theatre.

What's left of a hospital in Epidaurus, right next to the Theatre.

After a long trip and several vegetarian meals, I was hankering for some meat. Luckily we found a Muslim Bangladeshi restaurant near the Hotel.

Changing of the Guard in front of Parliament House. Check out the pom poms on their shoes!

Greek Odyssey Day 3: Delphi

The Sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi consists of 5 separate levels. At the first level is the Agora (marketplace), where pilgrims can buy stuff for the offerings.

Second level are the State Treasuries. This one belongs to the city-state of Athens.

Third level - the Temple. This is where the people came to consult the Oracle. I wonder what the huge ramp was for.

View of the Temple from the fourth level.

Pit stop after visiting the Theatre on Level 4.

And right at the top is a stadium. Pan-Hellenic games were held here every four years.

This is where we stopped for lunch. Instead of lamb moussaka, we had zucchini cooked in olive oil.

On the way back, we stopped at a village for souvenirs. Apparently the villagers stopped the construction of a major road to ensure that tourist buses and cars will HAVE to drive through its narrow street.

Greek Odyssey Day 2: Athens

First stop of the day - the Benaki Museum Islamic Arts Collection. A private museum, they discovered these ruins underneath when laying the foundations for the building.

Hubby striking a Greek hero pose in front of a Doric temple in the Ancient Agora (Marketplace) of Athens.

It may not be your typical paper umbrella in ice tea, but it's close enough. This was at the foot of the Acropolis.

En route to the Acropolis, we were able to look down to the Theatre of Herod Atticus. It is still in use during summer.

In front of the main temple on the Acropolis. Scaffolding all over the place as they're still putting the pieces back together.

A view from the top. In the background is the Temple of Olympian Zeus - just a few columns remaining in a park.

At the Temple of Olympian Zeus, with the Acropolis in the background.

The Panathinaiko Stadium - no, not the football team, but the site of the FIRST modern Olympic games. It is built in the design of traditional Greek stadia. I wonder where they buried Baron de Coubertin's heart...

We ended the day with a meal in a traditional Greek taverna. The food wasn't very good - Greeks don't seem to be very creative with vegetarian fare - but the folk dance show made up for it.

Greek Odyssey Day 1: Dubai-Athens

At Dubai International Airport, waiting to board the plane to Athens.

As proof that I WAS there - this is taken from our Hotel balcony. We stayed at Hotel Attalos on Athenas Street.


The first day was just a stroll around the area, including a park with the Acropolis behind us.

End of the first day. In front of the Monastiraki Metro station.

House Arrest

I can't believe this has happened.

We were supposed to go to Mak's house in Damansara this morning, our usual weekend routine. Just after we entered the NKVE at noon from the Bukit Jelutong toll-house, Nuaim exclaimed that he had left his favourite pillow at home. I took the next exit at Subang and headed back to TTDI Jaya via Glenmarie.

When we arrived home and I had picked up the right pillow, I noticed the automatic swing gates - which I always close after entering the drive - was half ajar. The car would not be able to get through, so I pressed the remote control again. One gate opened swung inwards, then opened fully, while the other moved a couple of inches before resuming its half-open position. I pressed the remote several times, but the same thing happened.

Maybe it needs to be fully closed before it swings open fully again, I thought to myself. I resumed my efforts, this time with the intention of getting the gates closed, which eventually they did.

And then they would not open again.

Frantically I searched for some way of pushing the gates open manually, but the motorised levers kept them rigidly in place. I inspected every part of the mechanism, hoping for a button, a switch - SOMETHING!! - to override the circuit, buit still I could not find anything. Finally I attempted to open the control box, but a warning on the cover stopped me.

There was no address or telephone number on the box, and I don't remember ever seeing the manual (the automatic gates came with the house), and even when I googled the model number there was nothing. It wasn't listed on TM directory either.

By then it was 2 pm and the kids were hungry. Luckily there was some cooked food that I had intended to take to Damansara for lunch, which my maid quickly heated up. I gave it a rest, and an hour later called the contractor who had done the house renovations to see if he could help.

It was almost dusk and no one turned up. I called him again, but as expected there was no answer. My contractor very clever one, only gives out his business number which he switches off after 5 pm.

Fortunately Hubby called and informed me of another technician that could help, but since it was already late, I decided to leave it till tomorrow.

So here we are, spending the odd weekend at home, and grounded. I just hope it'll get fixed by Monday.

Home Schooling

Nuaim throws tantrums when things don't go his way. And the only way to deal with it is to explain a complex situation with all the really minute details. Which he completely understands.

Episode 1:

Some time ago, his uncle bought him two Lego Creator sets from Sydney. He loves these Creators - Hubby had purchased three previously - as each set has an instruction booklet that shows you how to build three different items using the same pieces. The booklet from the Sydney pack also showed the other available Creator models, one of which Nuaim took a fancy to. He started asking why his uncle didn't buy him that particular set, so to cut it short I told him they had run out in Sydney. Being Nuaim, he wouldn't drop the subject, so he kept pestering me about it till I promised to buy it at Toys'R'Us. Alas, Malaysia does not seem to have a market for Lego Creator.

"Why don't they sell here?" he asked.

"No one wants to buy them." I answered.

"I do. Why don't other boys buy them?"

"Because other boys aren't clever enough." I was hoping this compliment would make him feel better. It backfired.

"No! I want other boys to be clever enough to build them!!"

"Well, they're too expensive to make in Malaysia."

"Why are they too expensive?"

"The factory is too expensive to build here."

"I want Lego to build a factory in Malaysia!"

"Nuaim, do you know what it takes to build a factory?"

"No. How do you build a factory?"

Then I launched into a full description of a Project implementation framework that would put SKG19 TP's to shame, complete with basic design, long lead item procurement, installation, pre-commissioning inspection, performance test runs and delayed start-ups.

By the end of it, Nuaim looked pensive.

"So you see why they can't build the factory here?"

"Yeah, it's really difficult."


Episode 2:

We were watching Animal Planet on ASTRO today. As usual, the signal started breaking up with the slightest sign of bad weather. Nuaim began asking me to clean the VCD, not realising that the two were totally unrelated.

"It's not from a VCD, Nuaim. ASTRO is from the sky."

"Why is it shaking?"

"The wind is making it shake."

"Turn off the fan!"

"No, dear. It's not the fan, it's the wind in the sky."

"Close the windows! Don't let the wind come in."

"No, no. It's shaky from outside, not inside the house."

Nuaim still didn't look convinced. So I had to go all technical again.

Armed with a piece of paper and a pen, I described how microwave signals travelled from the main ASTRO broadcasting station to our receiver dish on the roof, down a cable to the ASTRO decoder and finally into the TV set in the family hall. Professor Charles Turner would be so proud of me.

Nuaim really appreciated this piece of information, then looked at my sketch thoughtfully.

"Where's the staircase?"

ARRGHHH!!!