Today, we headed north past Lamia & Trikala to reach Meteora, which can be translated as “suspended on the air”, it is a UNESCO-listed area. Here we visited the Monastery of St Stephen & the Holy Monastery of Varlaam, which are perched atop vertical rock formations.

They are six active monasteries located at the top of massive sandstone cliffs which create a surreal setting.

Our last tour day saw us heading back to Athens, along the way we stopped at Thermopylae. It was here that the battle between the Spartans and the Persian Army occurred in 480 BC. The Spartans brave battle endures a valiant symbol of bravery and sacrifice for a patriotic cause. To mark the spot a statue of the Spartan King Leonidas can be found.

Upon arrival back we unpacked and prepared for the final group dinner at a restaurant along Poseidon Avenue. Along this avenue is a private marina with some amazing and expensive vessels.

We had one extra day after the tour before joining our cruise, so we did an e-bike tour around Athens. Sue & I were virgin e-bikers, but this was so much fun.

Next chapter, our Greek Island Cruise……..

The next day 25th, we headed for Olympia, which was dedicated to Zues and the hometown of our tour director. To reach Olympia we crossed the Arkadian Mountains on the Peloponnese peninsula. At Olympia we enjoyed a tour of the archaeological site including the famous stone where the Olympic flame is lit before the possession moves to the original stadium. Which surprising is a rectangle rather than a circle or oval as we have today in our stadiums.

The next day 26th, we drove past the busy seaport of Pateras and crossed the Rion-Antirion bridge. We then continued onto Delphi, which is considered by the Greeks to be the centre of the world and where the oracles of Apollo predicted the fate of many a man.

We left London for Greece May 21^st, the check in and bag drop was not the best to say the least so glad we allowed heaps of time before the whole process. The departure gate was not advised until 15 minutes before boarding, so needed to do a fast walk, and as always, its the furthest gate from anywhere.

The arrival in Greece went pretty smoothly even with the new immigration entry/exit system.  I think due to the hassles the system was experiencing Greece has just suspended it for a while. An hour later we arrived at the hotel to discovered that you cannot flush toilet paper.

Also learnt the hard way today, May 22^nd that you must book a taxi/Uber to go anywhere at least the day before so we missed a self-booked today as we could not get a cab or even a uber.

The first day of our ‘Classical Greece tour’ 23rd, was a guided sighting bus tour of Athens seeing the Syntagma Square, the Temple of Zeus and the Panathenaic Stadium. Which was one of the venues of the first modern Olympic Games. Our next stop was the iconic Acropolis. It was a pretty tricky get to the top as our entry aligned with the tours from 3 cruise ships which had arrived that morning. So, you can image the crowds. But once we made it to the top the view and the structures where worth the effort. Just before we headed down it started to rain not light but pour down, so the trip back down was a bit dicey as most of the steps are made of marble and become very slippery when wet.

Once we got back to the hotel the whole tour including the guide had to dry out before heading out for a Traditional Greek dinner which included classical Greek dancing.

The next day 24th, we left Athens and headed to Corinth along the way we stopped at the Corinth Canal before joining a guided walking tour of the ancient city.  The Corinth Canal is a canal that connects the Gulf of Corinth in the Ionian Sea with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea.

Our next stop was Mycenae, according to legend it’s the city walls were built by Cyclopes. We had a guided tour of the excavations and museum.

Our final stop for the day was Epidaurus which is where you can find a 2,300 year old auditorium. The auditorium combines perfect mathematics proportions with excellent acoustics. It was also used for the healing of patients from all over Greece and was dedicated to Asklepios, the God of healing.

The 19^th, a new day another walk from Jacks book, you’ve probably figured by now we do a lot of walking. This time the walk took us from Moorgate Station to Mansion House Station.

Slaters Garden is a small sunken knot garden in between tall office buildings near the Barbican and is towered over by a section of London’s Roan Wall which was constructed in and around AD200. It was heighted and enhanced during the medieval period and this is what you see today as the Roman Sections are below street level. Located near by are the remains of a 14^th century church gutted during the Blitz.

Wallside Forts was once the site of the Roman fort of Londinium constructed in AD110-120 for 1,000 soldiers. It was incorporated in the city walls in AD200.

Williamsons Tavern dates back to the 1930s but it was originally established in a house in 1667. It said that it is exact geographical Centre of the City of London. And of course, we had to have sample of both the fine foods and drink.

After completing the walk, we meandered from St Pauls to the Twining Tea store before heading off to the Kiln Theatre to see Please Please Me – Brian Epsten The Beatles. Their Rise & Fall. Not a single Beatles song in the whole show.

May 20^th this was our last day in London😒 so we headed to Harrods for breakfast and some shopping before heading into the West End to see a matinee session of the musical production of the Devil Wears Prada.

Next morning it was up’n atom and to the airport for a 4 hour flight to Athens

Good Bye London we will back or Sue will be back on her own.

Our day started with undertaking a walking tour authored by Jack Chesher “London: The Hidden Corners for Curious Wanders”. The one we choice to follow took us into alleys, courtyards & hidden pubs from Piccadilly Circus to Belgravia. Some highlights included:

• Masons Yard, which is where John Lennon first met the destroyer of the Beatles Yoko Ono, at the Indica Bookshop and art gallery, in Nov 1966.
• Crown Passage, which houses one of Londons oldest shop and continually family run business in the world which is Lock & Co Hat shop established in 1676.
• Pickering Alley, next to Berry Bros & Rudd was once the site of the Texas Legation, effectively the Texas Embassy until it joined the U.S in 1845.
• Wilton Row, we found the Grenadier pub, in the 18^th century was a barracks for the 1^st Royal Regiment Foot Guards. In 1888 it became a pub, a favourite place over the years of big names such as Duke of Wellington, Madona, and Prince William.
• The Star Tavern which is located in Belgrave’s Mews which was original constructed for those working in the stables & garages of the mews. A few well know figures who were known to frequent the Star are Bing Crosby, Peter O’Toole & Diane Doors in the 1960’s. It was also in 1963 that the Great Train Robbery was planned.

After finishing the walk, we made our way to the Palace of Westminster for our Big Ben experience. Lining up at the visitor entrance we showed our tickets and got our yellow, lanyard for the Big Ben gig. This is what we have been going to the gym for, busting our buns on the Stairmaster. The ascent of Big Ben to the Belfry 334 steps up a spiral staircase. Unfortunately, we couldn’t take any cameras or mobile phones with us, but we ended up at the level above the clock faces where the belfry is, then made our way down to behind the clock faces.

 We looked out over London from our high vantage point, then donning earmuffs, the kind to deaden noise, not keep the ears warm, the bells struck at 4. What sight, or should I say noise. After the racket we headed down to ground level again. Our guide said we could swap our pass over for an orange one that would give us access to the House of Commons and Lords. So, we obliged then headed off to listen to the same sort of squabble you can see and hear from our own politicians, just with silkier tongues.

Staying in town we headed off to join a “Jack the Ripper” walking tour. This took us to the sight of where the victims were found, recanting how at times he taunted the police. So segregated were the police between the Whitechapel and the City of London, city of London Police had no idea of the serial killer until near the end of his reign, when they had to get involved.

Sunday 17^th our day started with the necessary photo outside Buckingham Palace before heading to the meeting place for a Transport London tour of the Dover Street Underground.

Now known as Green Park, Dover Street was opened in 1906 and was located in the vicinity of 3 of London’s Royal parks. It quickly became on of the busiest station’s and was renamed to Green Park in 1933. Green Park sits on the Piccadilly Line.

During WWII the station became bunker, not bomb shelter, there was conference rooms, kitchens and high-end sleeping quarters for the “important” people, as well as bunk rooms for the non-important workers as well. The walk took us behind the scenes and above the platforms, hidden behind mesh screens, in the dark, w e could watch passengers go about their daily routines, without them even knowing they were being watched. Original vintage tiles and signs still adorn the walls. The tour concluded in one tunnel with a description of how the ventilation of the tubes is achieved.

Once the tour was finished, we wandered up Oxford Street before heading back to the AIRBNB to get ready for high tea at the Ritz.