Our Go Ahead tour group plus about 10,000 other people (!) visited the Parthenon (Temple of the Maiden) at the Acropolis (highest point) — our local guide, Maria, made sure that we knew the difference. Yes, 10,000 people visit this area on a daily basis, and to me it was a little like standing in the lines at Disneyland!

Afterwards, our guide found us a place for lunch. We were assured by our guide, Raquel, that it was a place she had taken groups before, and when the head waiter said it was 15€ for either lamb gyros or steamed fish, we assumed that was going to be the cost of our lunch plus beverage. Bread baskets as well as Greek salads were on the table. Some people ordered beer or wine, and a bunch of us just asked for water. After we finished the meal, we were given a choice of baklava or apple pie.

When the bill came, a total was presented to the group, with no breakdown for individuals who had drunk alcoholic beverages. In short, the waiter said he just divided the bill by twenty people — and we were charged for the bread on the table, the Greek salad which was brought to us, and the baklava served as dessert — a total of 31€ per person! The misunderstanding came about when the waiter gave us choices: lamb gyros or sea bass, baklava or apple pie.

Of course people protested, and in the end, the waiter came by each individual, added up items by writing on the paper tablecloth. I was charged 1€ for bread, 2€ for the table salad, 2€ for the water, 15€ for the sea bass, and 6€ for the baklava. Even our tour director was not happy with how we were treated—she said the waiter just wanted to make more money off us.

Live and learn, right?!

Well we certainly had more typical Greek weather today: hot, humid and sticky, so I was happy to come back to the hotel to shower before dinner. Right after breakfast, we had a bus tour with a local guide who told us the city of Athens is 5,000 years old; probably the oldest city in the world.

The stadium was built for the 2004 Olympic Games.

In the evening we had a “Greek” evening with folk and popular dancers wearing colorful costumes; Greek

food and wine. The atmosphere was loud and raucous, and I don’t think my ears will ever be the same!

Audience members were invited to get up and join in the dancing.

This man carried a glass of wine in a basket and twirled it around as he danced.

The last event of the evening as “plate smashing,” which is exactly the same as it says. Greek tradition has it that this practice started when a rich family invited a much poorer family to dinner and to make them feel better invited them to break the plates. …

In the photo below, you can see all the broken plates and dish shards.