From Samos to Athens

Greece
Day 6 - Tuesday, 21 April 1998

We returned to our same hotel in Samos, and on Tuesday we visited the archeological museum. We were astonished to see all the artifacts, including the giant statues, from the temple to Hera that is on the opposite side of the island.

Pythagoras Square which is really a circle (and should have been a triangle), where we ate a simple lunch, is so named because Pythagoras was born on this island. Pythagoras greatest fame is that he gave the formula for the hypoteneus of the triangle.

As we ate, we observed many young men as they came into the circle with rucksacks, got into taxis and were driven away. They seemed to be of military age, and we indulged in some guessing games as to what was going on. Perhaps they were going to a war that had been called while we were on vacation. In reality, they were probably just going back to their bases after having been home for the Orthodox Easter holiday.

Ferry to Athens

Tuesday evening we boarded the ferryboat for Athens, and many of those young Greek warriors were on board with us. One had a guitar and attracted quite an audience until another who thought he had something to contribute came along. Unfortunately the two did not seem to know the same songs, and the mood was broken. The crowd around them began to drift away.

The ferry made stops at four islands (Fourni, Ikaria, Mikonos and Siros) along the way, and we watched the sun set behind one of the islands before retiring to our tiny room with bunk beds, perchance to sleep. We had an interior room with no windows. The "facilities" were down the hall. Vibrations and diesel fumes from the engine room made for fitfull sleeping.