Thessaloniki

I have to brush my teeth with bottled water I find in the fridge. The host investigates the matter and promises the municipality will fix it soon. I do not have much faith in the municipality but water arrives before we leave for our tour. The municipality can be observed a couple of floors lower, the corridor is full of tools.

We bump into plastic coffee cups immediately.

A walk through Ano Poli or the old town that is located high up as the name says. Many trees and other plants. The old town itself is not very romantic but at least it has been left to locals and not ruined with souvenir shops. A city wall from the 14th century cuts it into two.

We have a coffee break here and there. St Paul's church is closed for renovation. So we climb up a hill that has been taken over by silver-leaved nightshade, an invasive species that probably was let loose from the local agricultural school. The map shows an amphitheater up on the hill. It is behind a fence and does not look ancient. Garbage.

Back down, we make an ineffective try to have a look at the mysterious church of John the Baptist. Renovation. No good ideas left, we manage to get into Agia Sofia church where a wedding is about to start, judging by the piles of plastic flowers.

The beach promenade is filled with people. Some walk back and forth loaded with shopping bags, others sit and smoke in the restaurants, defying loud music and roaring engines. On Aristotle square are less cars and quieter outside than inside. Aristotle looks at the doom of civilization and looks displeased.

Seems we have walked more than 13 km today.