So with an incredibly early start, as the ferry got in at 6:00, we hit the ground running after dropping our things off at Nick´s house. We planned to spend the next 4 days in Athens with Lisa and Nick before heading back to Spain. The top thing to see in Athens is the Acropolis so once breakfast was out of the way we drove downtown and started to explore. The entrance tickets into Acropolis are €20 each but you can purchase combination tickets that get you into other places, but we decided not to bother. Nick and Lisa had already been there, so Javi and I wandered up without them. To get around will take you about an hour, but you have to be patient if you are wanting the perfect picture, and you´d have to wait an eternity if you were trying to take a photo with nobody in it. However, definitely worth the trip.

We also stopped to watch the changing of the guards which like in all countries is a bit of a spectacular. You can get your photo taken next to the guards but only one person at a time, and no selfies. There is someone there to tell you off otherwise. We stopped in a narrow side street full of restaurants to eat some traditional Greek wraps. Since we were with Nick we let him order what it was that we were going to eat, but he didn´t seem too impressed as he wanted tzatziki in it which apparently they didn´t do there. I liked it all the same, even if it wasn´t what he wanted. We also took a walk in the gardens and spotted mini tortoises walking around.

The following day we ventured out for ice creams at the top of Mount Galatsiou to look at the amazing views of the city before dressing up and heading out to Cape Sounio. This is similar in style to the Acropolis but with a lot less people which makes it much more enjoyable to stroll around and take in the sights. It isn´t as big but cheaper to get in, and I liked it more. Just a little further down the road we stopped for dinner and drinks in a rather nice place where I had a traditional moussaka and we listened to not so good music.

The plan for the next day was for Javi and I to head back downtown and grab the hop on/off bus whilst Nick and Lisa went to do their own things. This didn´t work out, as Lisa also wanted to see what we saw so in the end the four of us went through the streets of Athens on the bus. There were three to choose from and they all seem to offer the same stops and more or less the same price. We decided on the blue bus and since we had to wait a wee while for it the guide gave us a discount. Score! So we saw the national library, temple of zeus and the parliament on the first bus of the day. After lunch we hopped on, the not so popular, second route that they offer to Piraeus port. If you don´t have time for this, then don´t worry but I´m glad to say that I´ve been.

The ticket was valid for two days and there are 3 routes. The previous day we completed two and so the following day we decided to catch it again to head to the Vouliagmeni Lake. It turned out that there weren´t as many buses heading there and we missed it so we took the car instead but we still got to the lake, which is the important thing. Lisa was keen to go here, as she had never been, even though she´d visited Greece many times. It was a definite delight as it is a haven in a busy city. There is a natural lake filled with fish that come and nibble you. If you have ever seen or put your feet in the fish tanks where fish eat your dead skin off your feet for an extortionate price, then you´ll know what I´m talking about. This is exactly the same, but they nibble everywhere. This isn´t for everybody. Javi couldn´t stop laughing when they came near him as it tickled but I on the other hand loved it. If you move whilst in the water and don´t stay still, the fish won´t come up to you. It was a great last day in Athens with Lisa and Nick.

We´d been staying at Nick´s parent´s house in Athens whilst we were there and on the last night his mum cooked us a lovely traditional Russian stew. Then off to the airport for our flight early the next morning. We arrived in Barcelona in time for lunch before heading on the train bound for Alicante.