Text: Peter Johansson
Editing: Christer Lundstedt
Photos: Christer Lundstedt, Peter Johansson
Videos: Christer Lundstedt
Thursday 4th of January
08.20 The pillow may be thin but it's still good to sleep here in the bed at Hotel Agamemnon (https://www.nafplioagamemnon.gr) in Nafplion. The trip to Mycenae that was planned for this day must be another time, another year. This last day in Nafplion will be local. We´ll stay in the town.
09.31 Two of the trip's last Greek breakfasts are consumed in the hotel's breakfast room. Now all that remains is the meal tomorrow. Back in the room, our plans for the day will now be drawn up.
10.02 I don't know if we really have such grandiose plans, but at least we're going out to begin with.
10.33 We didn't get very far. We sit as usual on a bench and look out over the beautiful blue sea. It is an ocean with a fishing boat in motion. As soon as we are done doing this, we will walk on.
10.42 We are enjoying a fantastic morning by the sea. Next, we will try to go around the cape where Akronafplia Castle is located. Hopefully we can get into town from another direction that way.
11.03 Our imagined walk around the headland between the beautiful sea and the scrawled city wall ended at a locked gate. It was just a matter of turning back to the beginning of the walk. Now I have sat down on a bench while Christer takes photographs. Now he is also sitting down here.
11.43 We have enjoyed the sun, looked at fish in the water and read a little in the books we have. Beautiful moments like we had this morning are really needed. There are moments to remember when within a few days we returned to the cold, snow and darkness.
13.15 We have chosen between a few different restaurant options for lunch, but in the end we sat down at one of the outdoor tables at the Alpha Pizza restaurant. Has our arrival been noted? When can we order? No sooner had I written this than we received answers to the questions and also some menus.
17.01 It's time to go outside to catch the sunset, get us some coffee and maybe do some more shopping later tonight. In the semi-final, Sweden's ice hockey juniors lead 2-1 over the Czech Republic. Again, the travel journal and our little backpacks can stay at home. This is because they may not be welcome in the supermarket.
Friday 5th of January
Breakfast at Hotel Agamemnon.
A boat and the island/fortress of Bourtzi.
A lovely morning in the port of Nafplion.
We'll try to get around the cape.
Clear and fish-rich water.
Some boats are waiting for their owners.
On the way back from the lighthouse in Nafplion.
Peter is writing in his journal.
Plateia Syntagma, Nafplion.
King Otto in daylight this time.
Christer is having lunch at Alpha Pizza.
Statue of Theodoros Kolokotronis, one of the Greek freedom fighters.
Is that Santa's vehicle?
Even dogs need ice cream.
Vouleftiko, a mosque that later became Greece's first parliament.
Soon it starts to get dark.
Christer by the sea in Nafplion.
Interesting tree at Café Klepsidra.
A car has become a bar.
Peter is on site at Kakanarakis 1986.
Tonight's dinner, delicious and healthy!
Christer at Kakanarakis 1986.
07.53 So the day is here when we start going home. Do we really want to leave a Greece with around +15˚C, sun and good food for Sweden with too many minus degrees, jobs and mostly darkness? It is questionable to say the least.
08.55 Now most things must be packed into our bags. Before check-out and the bus journey from here, we will now make a small morning excursion. 09.11 So we are back at the foot of the mountain and the stairs. Yesterday we had planned to go up to the Palamidi fortress but postponed it because of strong winds and maybe a little laziness too. Time to start. 09.30 We take a break in our walk. It's not without its wear and tear on me. The fortress was built by the Venetians during their second occupation of the area between 1686 and 1715. Then it was conquered by the Turkish Ottomans and remained under their control until 1822, when it was taken over by the revolting Greeks. 09.39 Should we really implement this? There are many stairs and even more steps to go. According to information, there are 913 steps from the town to the fortress and over 1000 if you go to the very top. The view from where we are sitting now is fantastic in itself. We have a lovely view of the Argolic Gulf, the town of Nafplion and the surrounding countryside. Down in the sea we can also see a man swimming around. 10.05 It is not possible to use all the energy on an effort like this. Mountains are meant to be moved wrote Tomas Ledin and Mikael Wiehe in a musical piece that was performed by Svensk rock mot apartheid in 1987. Others choose to climb mountains. We are satisfied with our half effort to move/climb the mountain. A combination of fatigue and lack of time causes us to interrupt and make our way back down.
Palamidi fortress on the mountain above Nafplion.
The first of many steps.
A view of Nafplion.
Christer on his way up the stairs to Palamidi.
A boat has arrived at Bourtzi.
In this bay we saw a man swimming.
10.21 So we have entered a Greek hotel room for the last time in a while. However, we have developed a taste for Greece and will gladly return here again.
10.48 We are now in the gap between check-out and the upcoming bus journey. We are also in the sunshine on a bench by the sea. It is a quiet morning. 11.37 We are back at Prego Café & Snack where we sat upon arriving here the day before yesterday. Here we have ordered baguettes and coffee. A short distance away, our bus will arrive in the next hour. 12.08 A man who was talking about Tripoli just passed the bench we are sitting on. After the coffee, we sat in the shade and waited for the bus to Athens to be ready for boarding. 12.27 Our wait is over. The backpacks are in place in the luggage compartment below us. We ourselves sit on the bus in seats 9 and 10. 13.03 This is transport as I want it. It's full speed ahead and few stops along the way.
On this mountain is the fortress Akronauplia.
Views to the west.
Peter writes in his journal at a high altitude.
Beautiful views towards the Argolic Gulf.
The land gate of Nafplion was once the only way into town from land.
The bus that will take us to Athens is ready.
13.54 After a short stop, we are back on the motorway towards Athens, E94.
14.56 We left the bus and went to the adjacent metro station Eleonas. Christer has bought tickets here and now we are going towards the centre. We need to have lunch and here in the area there are no restaurants. 15.23 The metro system was left at the station in Monastiraki this time as well. It felt most wise to look for food in an area we already know. We went to the Just Pita restaurant where we squeezed ourselves and our bags between their tables out on the pavement. We just got our beers here. 15.54 After consuming good Greek food and releasing some liquid, we are now going back to the metro system. We're flying home in about an hour. 16.04 We decided to take a walk away to Syntagma square to meanwhile think about whether to take the metro or an airport bus to the airport. Sitting in Mitropoleos square in front of the city's small old and large new cathedrals, we think about which means of transport we will choose.
We are ready to leave Nafplion.
In the Athens metro.
Just Pita, our lunch restaurant in Monastiraki, Athens.
Christer is having lunch at Just Pita.
In the Middle Ages this was the cathedral of Athens.
We stop at Everest before returning to the airport.
16.37 Decisions were made and we have bought tickets with the metro from the station Syntagma. Right now we are on board the metro train.
16.52 Standing up affected my knees but also those that I was pushing on with my big backpack. For everyone's benefit and comfort, I have now sat down in a free seat. 17.42 After a long slow metro journey out to Elefthérios Venizélos airport, we have now sat down for juice and coffee at Everest, a café connected to the metro station. 18.22 The backpacks are tagged. Next, they will be released at check-in and we will go through security. 18.55 Rarely, if not even never before, has it been so fast and smooth in a security check. Now it's an hour until we have to board our plane. 19.46 We felt we needed a bit more to eat and drink before we head off into the air. After some searching, we have sat down at Bistro Attica for soft drinks and pastries.
Christer at the café Everest.
A snack before the flight to the north.
19.58 We are now at gate B13 and waiting to board the plane that will take us home.
20.21 We are now on board the SAS A320 and in seats 18E and 18F. This will be the last listing with Greek time. It's time to turn back the clock one hour.TIME ZONE CHANGE
20.36 After I finished the detective novel "Där korparna skriker" by Dag Öhrlund and drank some coffee, I should now mostly take it easy and wait for the landing. In three hours we should be at Arlanda Airport.SWEDEN
23.27 We have landed at Arlanda and made our way to the baggage belt. In the final of the junior ice hockey world championships, the USA won against Sweden 6-2.
Saturday 6th of January
00.07 The backpacks finally arrived, although there was a long wait for mine. We hurried on to terminal 4 and out to bus stop 12, we've been there before. Once there, Christer called for a connecting transport to our hotel. It's -14°C here and we already miss the Greek climate.
00.23 After a while, the transport that took us to Good Morning Hotel Arlanda arrived. We checked in and took the opportunity to order breakfast and transport when night became morning. Now we will enjoy the provisions we brought from Greece. 00.56 There is no heat in room 101. The radiator is freezing cold. We have tried to bring it to life. I don't know if we succeeded. I know I want to sleep though. 07.54 It has not gotten any warmer in the room during the night. 09.04 It is at least warm in other parts of the hotel. The breakfast buffet was quite OK. Now we will prepare for the last leaps home to Sundsvall and Bjästa. 09.30 We are on site in the transfer bus. It will take us back to Arlanda Airport. On boarding a conversation was overheard between one of the staff and a lady in a couple.
Peter picks up breakfast at Good Morning Hotel Arlanda.
Winter weather at Arlanda Airport.
It's still Christmas at Arlanda.
10.36 Christer is waiting for his last train and I am waiting for my penultimate one on this trip. We are currently on Arlanda's underground platform.
10.43 The train arrived and departed as scheduled. Now it's just for us to sit back and enjoy the ride. A day ago we sat at Prego's and drank coffee. 12.41 After a stop in Söderhamn, our journey home continues. There is less and less time left. 14.01 After changing platforms, tracks, trains and traveling companions, I am now ready to travel with Norrtåg on the last stretch to Örnsköldsvik. Christer is on his way home to his apartment. It has been eleven fantastic days, days filled with events, adventures and new experiences. I haven't seen Greece for the last time. Christer, Roberth and I will soon be traveling again. However, not to Greece but not too far away.
You can see 63 photos from January 4 in this photoalbum.
You can see 39 photos from January 5 in this photoalbum.
You can see 5 photos from January 6 in this photoalbum.