Been going around all the shops looking for some bright and shinny things for the bar as its having a complete new look this season but sticking with the blue and white. Got some new lights, some new seats, some new tables, built a new bar and i bet I'm the only person who's stupid enough to take out the whole of his toilets just to clean them, i mean the pan also, why oh why did i do that, Uugghh! Its all nice and clean now with a fresh coat of paint inside the bar, just the kitchen left to rip out and clean, think I'll leave the sinks where they are though.
Thought this week I'd take a trip over to Athens, a day trip to Athens, only cost 64€ return. Blimey, forgot what a long trip it was. Got up at 4.30am to get on the coach at 5.30am that will take me to Athens. Got on the ferry which was meant to leave at 6.00am but got away at 6.15am as that night we had strong winds, i mean real strong, the trees were blowing over at 45deg angles, Aaagghh! The ferry was an Ionian Star Ferry, one of the older ones.
Ionian Star Ferry, this was the one on the way back, didn't want to show you the older one LOL
So we head off, as soon as we were out of port the waves began. Just as the ship started to roll from side to side, i remembered it was the anniversary of the Titanic, good job my bar isn't in a country where you might see an iceberg.Decided to get a water, a pastry and sit down to watch the entertainment. The entertainment was "Americas Got Talent - The Final". This was on channel Ant1 on TV. I think they may have transformed the old cinema room in to a TV room. The final was between a young girl about 15 singing "Somewhere over a rainbow" while sat on a crescent moon? A rather large white gent who sounded like Stevie Wonder singing....... Stevie Wonder, A guy with a dummy that was a turtle with black wig and shades on (the turtle that is) singing "crying" by Roy Orbison (whenever i hear that song all i can think of is Only fools and Horses, "Cwying", Classic!) and a female called Butterscotch who was a human beatbox. Fortunately due to bad weather they lost the signal, OH DEAR WHAT A SHAME!
The impressive entertainment suite on the ferry, "Get your head down at the front!".
90 mins later we arrived at Kylini to a slightly overcast day. Back on the coach and onward with the next 4 hour coach trip.
All good coach companies have a service station stop along the way usually at the half way point, nope, this was only an hour after stepping on the bus. Anyway got off, had a tea and took a wander around. At the back of the service station i found this stunning view of snow capped mountain.
But what was to come was even better. I forgot that along the way we pass over the Corinth Canal. Someone on the coach asked if we could stop so they could take a pic and the driver was so kind he said yes but be very quick. Its amazing to see.
Back on the Coach and on our last stretch of the journey and Athens here i come. We arrived at the bus station at midday and i headed out on to the main road. I knew which direction i was heading in and that direction was "IKEA". On goes my headphones, off comes my jacket and start marching at a quick pace to the sacred land of the cheap furniture. 30 minutes later i arrive close to the store after taking in huge lungs full of traffic polluted air as i walked along the main highway of 14 lanes of vehicles bumper to bumper, mmmm smell those fumes. There in the distance i could see the blue and yellow like a homing beacon drawing me to it, YES! I'VE MADE IT, I'VE MADE IT!Isn't she a beautiful sight!
So its now 12.30pm, give or take a few minutes and its check time. Money? Check. Debit Card? Check. Shopping List? Check. Business Tax Number? Check. OK, lets shop! Got myself a flat trolley and snaked my way around the store (at this point i have to say i didn't slide around the store on my stomach). Well. i could have bought so much stuff it was unreal but i kept a level head and just got what i made the trip for. After taking ages at the checkout as they couldn't sort my tax invoice out but then the lady on the till realized she had put one number in wrong i was through to the delivery department to have all my goodies shipped to the island. At this point it was going so smoothly until the very nice man at the delivery desk said he doesn't think they deliver to Zakynthos any more. BUGGER! I had visions of pushing a trolley full of stuff back to the bus station but after a few phone calls he found a delivery service and guess how much? Only 48€, that was amazing, i was almost crying as on the wall behind him said 130€ for delivery. I wiped my eyes as i had something in them and bid him a kind farewell.Back walking on the highway to hell. To get to Ikea you have to cross a footbridge. Now the clue is in the word "FOOT-bridge". On the way there i was passed by 2 motorbikes on the footbridge as there was a queue at the traffic lights that were on red. Of course, why should they wait like everyone else LOL. On the way back i was passed by a police bike and another 2 motorbikes after the police. On the last bike i decided to take a picture for my blog as i was amazed to see such a thing. As the last bike got closer he started to slow down and stopped right in front of me. On it was a big grizzly type bearded Greek gentleman who asked me in Greek "What you doing?", I replied "No problem, its OK", he asked "Why you take my picture?", I said "No problem, your fine", again more angry he said "Why my picture?", "I'm a photographer around the world", he smiled, shook my hand, patted me on back as he passed and carried on, PHEW! Thought i was going to have my head ripped off and shoved on top of the footbridge LOL.
The delightful Greek fellow i met in Athens on a footbridge.
Got back to the station with all my limbs intact and thought it was time to use the toilet (no i hadn't soiled myself). Now i remember these toilets from years ago when they were holes in the floor and you had to pay for toilet paper per square but this time i came prepared, i had brought my own roll, AHA! The toilets had also improved as now they had proper toilets. As i was stood looking down making sure that i didn't wash my shoes and was aiming correctly i noticed a piece of tape stuck to the inside of the bowl with the picture of flies on it (No need for a pic of this i think). So is there a tape that stops flies collecting around the bowl of a toilet? Put it this way the tape didn't look any better than the real thing, Blurgh!Back on the coach at 4.15pm and on my way back to Zakynthos. I had a travel companion on the way back, Alan Partridge, no not a guy called Alan Partridge, the real Alan Partridge, it was his autobiography which is also my book of the month for April, buy it or if your tight go to a library. The ferry on the way back was a newer one so had a much better seat and view of TV, it was European basketball semi final night with Panathanikos V Macabi, Panathanikos won it by 1 point. The sea on the way back was much worse, real rough. You could hear people talking to the big porcelean telephone LOL.
Got in to Zakynthos town at 10.45pm and the town was all lit up. I don't get to see it that often at night and never from distance on a ferry.
Looks so pretty at night, can't see all the dust, haha.
Got back to coach station, got on my bike and back to apt by 11pm, quick cup of tea then crashed out on sofa, what a real long day. And that's all i got to say on that.I have some sad news, John, my winter security guard of the past 5 years is no more. He has done his last watch and has gone to that ladies beach volley ball court in the sky.
John with the other legends on the dead wall. He shall be missed.
Talking of Legends, my new collection of Oceanic Designer t-shirts have arrived and here, for the first time ever you can take a look at the "Oceanic Rock Legend Collection"
The front of t-shirt.
The "Oceanic Rock Legend Collection" brand
The back of t-shirt.
One of the designs up close.
Now before you all start saying "That picture on badge is We Will Rock You musical" yes it is but its a good design and suited the t-shirt. There are 10 artists to choose from:-Bon Scott - AC/DC
Kurt Cobain - Nirvana
Phil Lynott - Thin Lizzy
Joey Ramone - The Ramones
Michael Hutchence - INXS
Ian Curtis - Joy Division
Freddie Mercury - Queen
John Lennon - The Beatles
Joe Strummer - The Clash
Jim Morrison - The Doors
All these have the same set up as the ones shown above. They will be available to purchase this year but to save me carrying stock all i need is 24 hours notice to get it printed for you if you want one, any size you want. There is no year on them or Zakynthos so you can wear them even when home. I've bought holiday t-shirts before and I've never worn them when i get home as it either says the year or place, so that's why I've left both of those off.
It was really hard to decide what i was going to put on them so i went with rock stars from bands who have passed away and a line from one of their songs. Do you know how difficult it was to find dead lead singers who were with a band. It seems the drummers are the ones more likely to go first, must be cause they feel unloved stuck at the back so go on alcohol and drug binges LOL.
On TV back in the UK on BBC on Sat night you now have The Voice with Tom Jones, well guess who was in Zakynthos town in the cafe bar i go to every day, yep, the voice himself, Sir Tom Jones. I took his picture on the sly. I thought I'd make him feel at home so i stood up, walked past him hiding my face, stood behind him and started singing Knockin on Heavens Door by Guns N Roses. He didn't turn around, but 14 Greeks did. TAXI!
The Voice Tom Jones, its not unusual to see him in Greece (Bad joke i know)
This is a great sight to see, 10.30am and Alexander Roma is free of cars, they now close it off. Whether it will stay like this come the tourist season remains to be seen but it will be great if it does.
Well readers i bet your eyes are hurting after reading all that, so are mine from typing it, so its cup of tea time and wrap up in my quilt, its cold at night here, BBBRRRR! Roll on Thurs when Helen arrives, hope she brings my thermals LOL. Till next week folks, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite.
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