Interrailing in Europe summer 2010 PATRAS

Silent city at 5 am

After sleeping a couple of hours we had to leave from the boat at 5 am.. We had already sent a text message to Mariada that we arrive at 7 am so she wouldn't have to wake up so early to pick us up from the harbour.. So we had to spent to our on a harbour when everything was closed. Before the trip started we had contacted Mariada through Couch Surfing page and asked her if she could give us a place to stay for one night. She lived in a very nice apartment near the harbour! She was funny, our age and outgoing person! It was fun to hang with her! Before she came to pick us up we sat alone at the harbour watching the sun come up and the city the wake up. She showed us to her apartment and to the nearest supermarket so we could buy some breakfast. She also gave us a key to her apartment so we could go when we wanted because she as at school during the day. 

After eating breakfast we went out the explore the city and to shop. All the shoe shops made us go crazy! :D But we ended up buying nothing. We found an info and we were told that we could get bicycles for free to go around. We tried to find this one castle or something and were cycling uphill on +32 degrees among the insane traffic.. Soon we decided to give up and return the bikes. At the train station we were trying to figure out next day's train schedules without getting an answer. They didn't know anything, not even if the train was gonna come the next day or not. At the train station we collided to three girls from Finland who were also interrailing. :) 

We went to this outdoors restaurant to eat and after paying we were still standing in the restaurant when Saija says: "Hey,hey,hey, now we need some kind of plan. First we're gonna find the shopping street and then some restaurant where to eat.." Girls need to eat, right? :P
 

The day went by shopping and hanging in Mariada's apartment and also sleeping. In the evening Mariada told us this good restaurant where we went out to eat while she was finnishing some school work. We hang at her place after eating and listening to finish musician Anssi Kela! :D

Mariada's friend, Mariada and me going out.

Greek lifestyle and the eating hours came familiar again when we left out with Mariada and her friends at 11pm for drinks. That's what they usually do even tough they have to wake up early the next morning.. The night was a great experience of greek lifestyle! We went out to this local people hang around place near this castle we had earlier tried to look for. We ended up being a group of 12 people and I spent to night talking with Mariada's friend and her boyfriend about the education systems, work hours and salaries. It lightened up to me why the tips in the restaurants are so important. It's because it creates a big part of their salary. For example it's common that they get paid maybe 25€ for 8 hours of working + the tips..

The next morning we hopped on a bus going to Corinth. Yesterday I had called to my family friend who has a hotel in the island of Poros and he wanted to come pick us up from Corinth with his wife by their car. :) It would have been really difficult to go to Poros without their help!

On a bus going to Corinth. Almost in every city we were it was raining at some point. We brought the rain with us no matter where we went..