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A very warm and sunny welcome to Athens.
We were met by our coach driver at the airport and taken to the coach for the 45 minute onward journey to the hotel. Once the suitcases were stored on board we asked the driver if he would take a group photo. His initial response was that we only had a 5 minute parking limit left and didn't think we would have enough time to take photos. We did have a photo taken as we weren't getting on the coach until we did - very adult attitude!! As normal the naughty children sat at the back of the coach.
Whilst taking in the panoramic vista on the luxury 35 seater coach, Jackie commented that she had just seen Drax PowerStation!! Wow the view from Athens on a clear day to Yorkshire is amazing. !!
Having arrived at the Art Gallery Hotel, been allocated our rooms and unpacking our suitcases (well some of us to a fashion) and checking each other's rooms out to see who had the best, (obviously it wasn't Gary's room unless sharing with a dead pigeon on your balcony is an upgrade) - as is the norm, we met up with Sensei Babis Keranis and Sensei Frank Burlingham to go for a bite to eat and a drink. The place we were eating was only 500 metres from the hotel, obviously metres are different lengths in England and Greece and it felt as though we'd walked 3 miles.
Babis's first words to Shaun when we met up was "Ah, 18 people times 70 euros, that is one thousand two hundred and sixty euros, Yes?. Shaun's replied "yes Babis that is right. Surely you're not going to charge Sensei?". Babis walked off rubbing his hands, obviously excited about the money that had just landed in his lap.
The food and drink went down a treat as we hadn't eaten since being at the airport in Manchester.
Sensei Shane Riley, Sensei Tony Hesletine and Sensei Paul Derrick were all sat on the same side of the table and Jackie commented how they looked like the 3 wise monkeys. A great opportunity for a photo. Paul was see no evil, Tony was hear no evil and Shane was speak no evil.
Paul with his eyes covered said "you're not gonna leave me are you?" to which Tony with his ears covered replied "I can't hear you" but you could still see Shane laughing with his mouth covered.
When the food arrived it was realised that Tony didn't have a knife but 2 forks, this was to become his new nickname - "Tony 2 Forks".
This was obviously the start to a very slippery slope for the week ahead, very similar to the pavements in Athens as we later found out.
We returned to the hotel for a very short pit stop as training in the evening had been arranged at 7pm.
6.20pm Babis met us at the hotel for another short 500 metre walk to the metro.
We all have been on metros before but Babis must've thought it was only an Athens concept as the pointed out to us 2 platforms - 1 on the right, Don't use that one, Use the Other!! Dah why show us then?.
Went to the ticket office to buy 18 x 5 days passes, the man behind the counter wasn't sure if he had enough of them for us and didn't look like he really enjoyed his job by the expression on his face.
2 trains were needed to get to the Dojo, both very packed. Whilst on the 2nd train a very brave or rather very stupid pick pocket tried to steal Ian's wallet. That was never gonna happen. Ian said that if he had got hold of the man's hand he would've head-butted him. You can take the man out of Yorkshire but can't take Yorkshire out of the man - Harsh but Fair!!!
Another 500 metre walk to the Dojo and then up in the 9 man lift to the 5th floor.
2 full lifts gone to the 5th Floor, no problem, 3rd lift not so successful.
In this lift were Jackie, Tony, Graham, Frank, Rose, Diane, Andy, Shaun and Ian. Graham pressed the up button and it started to rise as would be expected in a lift from the ground floor to the 5th. Within seconds, there was an almighty crack and the lift plummeted back down coming to a resounding halt. Think all our knees had hit our chins by this time and we all fell silent and looked at each other in alarm. Dust from the ceiling was filling the lift and we thought it was smoke and the lift was on fire. Looked up, chuff, no escape hatch!! Shaun repeatedly pressed the alarm button - no reply was forthcoming. By this time, the others had started to wonder where we all were, so Lola and Shane caught a lift each to investigate. They both got out of their lifts simultaneously and started to laugh at each other. We that were trapped in the lift just thought they were laughing at us being stuck.
Panic was beginning to set in as we didn't know if the lift was going to drop any further, Graham started kicking at the door to help with the escape but that didn't work. We heard additional voices to Shane and Lola and a man appeared with a screwdriver to open the door. Relief all round.
Needless to say that once we were out of the lift 7 out of the 9 people took the remaining 5 flights of steps to the dojo, and continued to use the stair at every visit, even though they were quite precarious as they weren't lit and very slippery.
Thankfully somebody put an out of order sign on the lift door.
The training that should have started at 7 was delayed.
When in the dojo, Babis told Shaun that "That's Sensei's toliet, you not use" as if he'd have his own toilet !!.
A drink was required after training to calm our nerves.
Supposedly a meal had been arranged at a restaurant 500 metres from the dojo.
This is the start of the "Oops a daisies"
- A beautiful setting with not enough tables or chairs for everyone to be seated.
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The waiter carried 2 tables to the top end to make more seating, to then ask us to lift the original tables and move them down the row, rather than just putting the tables at the big gap at the bottom.
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We were informed that we couldn't have drinks until we had all sat down and ordered food, this didn't go down very well. - Let's just say we got our drinks.
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The said waiter came to ask what we would like to eat, astounded blank looks on all our faces as we though the meal was already arranged and we didn't have to think about it - Nah!!
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Informed that it was a Greek tradition that we as Sensei Riley's students should collectively pay for his meal, the Yorkshire way is that the inviting host covers this cost. We didn't like the Greek tradition.
The meal which consisted of Gyros (meat and salad in a pitta bread), Greek Salad and a few plates of chips - ok so we ordered more chips than was originally suggested, well there was now 22 of us, was lovely in a nice setting. The drinks were going down very well, when Sensei Riley's famous last words to Graham were "Don't drink too much Graham, you might be uke tomorrow" Graham's reply under his breath was "Of course Sensie, I'll be good". Really !!
As the journey back to the hotel was going to be the normal 500 metre walk back to the metro it was decided that taxis could be used for those that wanted it. Paul, Lola, Shannon and Diane went in one taxi followed quickly by Shane, Jackie and Rose in another. The lads decided to venture the train. What should have taken a very short time in the taxi after the driver was shown the address on Rose's mobile phone, in fact took 20 minutes and circumnavigated the entire centre of Athens, it was like being on a city tour bus. The first taxi and the underground users were back at the hotel awaiting the arrival of the 2nd taxi, and waited and waited. It was then arranged that the hotel gave us all cards with their address on so we could find it a lot easier. Jackie said that the best way to remember the address was 5 erections Street and who's got car keys lol. Ok it is quite similar to: 5 Erecthiou Street, Koukaki.
All eventually back to the hotel for a well earned rest and to get ready for the weekend's training schedule, except for the 3 amigos. A few of the cans purchased at the supermarket were taken onto the balcony for a night cap, but a few students, feeling that they hadn't quite had enough, not naming anyone ... John, Paul Leadley and Graham decided to check out some of the local bars and stayed out into the very early hours of Saturday morning, ha ha BIG MISTAKE.
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