Did you get a glimpse of Russian problem?

  We went to Greece where is the birthplace of the Olympics, and Spain where the Olympics had been held from July 25 to August 8.
Now that one English speaker was included in our group this time in comparison with last year, in spite of independent travel, we didn't seem to make much ado to travel.
However, we worried that nobody could hardly speak English except him, and English speaker didn't have experience of independent travel.
Well, we could somehow make do, right?

  Iberia Airlines of Spain 7610 called at Sheremetyevo airport on Moscow.
We could visit in the airport facilities this time, not waiting in the plane.
But when I glimpsed them, my hopes were destroyed.
I might have known that negative legacy of socialistic economy for 69 years seems to be serious.
Firstly, many airport facilities were poorly illuminated, there were hardly any visitors in restaurants, and its meals didn't seem to taste good, even cafe where there were many visitors.
Secondly, toilets were not cleaned up and there was nauseous smell.
Finally, US dollar circulated officially at the duty-free shop and we could not find ruble, even change.
These were Russian policy, I wonder?
These all seemed to be example of how not to behave that socialistic economic system had brought on such things.

  From Barajas airport, the lowest way to go downtown was by bus. 
But since bus got up to only Plaza de Colón, visitors had to make a connection there with the metro.
In case of visit to Madrid for the first time, if you can afford to take a taxi, it is a good choice.
Because there are many poorly illuminated street around Plaza de Colón, and a few English speaker here the same as Japan.
Therefore if you take the metro in Madrid four times or more, you may get benefit by buying coupon ticket (Bono-Metro).
Because one way ticket (billete sencillo) was 125pta (180Yen), but coupon ticket (Bono-Metro) was for 10 trips and 480pta (670Yen).
I mean if you are couple and get there and back by metro, you may get your money's worth.

  Today's lodging was included tour which was booked through Meitetsu World Travel in Japan.
After all when travelers are likely to be arriving late, it would be better to book any lodging in advance.
If you don't do that, sleeping in airport may be a tip on your travel.
Well, some front clerk of Florida Norte can speak even Japanese.
I was favorably impressed by him, right?

We could not help taking a roundabout way, right?

  If travelers from Japan made a trip to both Spain and Greece by a budget air ticket, they used to take Iberia Airlines of Spain like us or Olympic Airways of Greek flag carrier, and each free connection flights at that time.
In case of taking other carrier, travelers had to get a budget air ticket by local travel agency or normal air ticket by Japan's company for going between Athens and Madrid or Barcelona.
Of course we would have taken a train and a ship for going between Athens and Madrid like other budget travelers, if we had much time.
Accordingly, we could not help taking a roundabout way.

  We were wrapped in hot and stuffy when we went out of Hellinikon airport.
Now that it was so cool unlike midsummer in Madrid at night, we felt dizzy on standing up.
You think that you can go downtown and have a dinner if you have time about three hours to spare for a connection, I suggest you stay in airport.
Because the locals seldom have a dinner early evening, and there are not  fast food shops very much unlike Japan.
Even then you would like to go downtown, I suggest you have just light meals at cafe, and make sure departure terminal of connection flight before going downtown.

  Olympic Airways has its own air terminal at Athens West Airport of Hellinikon on international and domestic routes.
All other carrier (airlines) use the Athens East Airport.
For this reason, when you come from downtown or make connection, you might take care not to make a mistake.
Olympic Airways offered flight from Athens to Tokyo via Bangkok (OA477 / Athens 20:15-18:35+ Tokyo / flight time : about 16 hours) on Mondays and Saturdays.
Though there was this flight today, we didn't seem to catch sight of Japanese very much.
Japanese package tourists had not come to airport from downtown yet, right?
By the way, it was precious carrier that went to European countries from Japan on a southerly course in 1990s.
I heard when Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was going strong, if western carrier did that, they used to call at Anchorage or fly on a southerly course.

  The flight to Mykonos arrived at its destination for half an hour delayed.
Since tourist information in airport opened by arrival time of final flight, we were able to take a lodging "Akrogiali".
We would rather have taken lower price lodging than "Akrogiali", but we took the latter because the latter offered us courtesy car and near the beach.
Anyway, we seemed to arrive safely at Mykonos Island!
Well, we would have raised a glass to arrive safely if it was not late at night.

Welcome to Paradise Beach and Camping!

  There is clear blue sky and seawater in front of view!
A row of white houses are glittering with sunshine.
When we looked over Platis Yialos Beach while having breakfast at open-air restaurant of the lodging, we felt crisp breeze from the sea.
I feel like crooning "Wind is blowing from in Aegean. (singing by  Judy Ongg)," right?
Now, there is a typical Greek scene that many Japanese imagine in front of view.
Therefore Delos Island, the island of the remains, are located near Mykonos Island, where travelers can go by half-day trip.
However, if you are transient visitor, it's a waste of time to go to  Delos Island.
I recommend you to stay in the beach, I'm sure.

  Platis Yialos Beach is located in front of the lodging "Akrogiali."
You may certainly enough to feel relaxed and Greek atmosphere.
This beach is also good location for family with small child/children.
However, if your party is only adult and you hope to feel an atmosphere of European beach resort in the fullest sense, you should take a boat at pier on Platis Yialos Beach and go to Paradise Beach.
But if you are puritan, that is, those who has very strict moral standards and thinks that pleasure is unnecessary or wrong, or play the saint with everybody, it's another cup of tea.
In addition, when you take a boat, you should wear some clothes which you don't care if you get wet on your legs.
Well, it goes without saying, right?

  Paradise Beach (Kalamopodi), Super Paradise Beach (Plintri) and Elia Beach can be reached by the boat leaving from Platis Yialos Beach.
Nude bathing is permitted on all these beaches, but unless you are gay or have an interest in them, I recommend you to go to Paradise Beach.
And you could say that Paradise Beach is best for a feast for the eyes because of mostly frequented by the younger crowd.

  In Paradise Beach, it is ordinary occurrences that beautiful girls (pound cakes, dishes, grouse gears) wearing tank top and short pants appear in front of view, and then they strip themselves naked, for example.
Topless is from the nature of things, it is difficult to find a woman wearing normal bathing suit.
In this being the case, far from lying on the sun bed, we end up getting exercise.
However, woman is in her birthday suit on the one hand, and on the other hand man is not to be outdone.
Man strip himself naked without embarrassment in front of view too.
It is heartbreaking that nobody say "Stop it!" to him.
By the way, did we strip ourselves naked?
No, we didn't have the nerve to do so and we would not like to such things each other.
Therefore Japanese word "Bijin" and "Bijo" mean beautiful girl, it is also the same meaning as lovely, good-looking, dish, grouse gear and pound cake.
For some reason I kind of understand.

  After all, we spent for over five hours in having a view of beautiful girls.
Though we almost stayed in the sun during our stay, we didn't have a hard time with sunburn.
We might have done that because we were young, but many people kept staying for two or three hours at least in the sun.
Well, many European and American are sun worshipers, I guess.

Sunset of Mykonos Island is past 7 p.m in summer.
If you would like to have supper out, it's OK to leave from hotel such a time.
Mykonos Town can be reached from Platis Yialos by bus.
Bus tickets are available from a conductor in the bus, whose age is about 15 years old.
However, bus is very crowded like Japan's commuter train.
By the way, nobody complained about a tickets, didn't they?
In summer, since final bus service leaving from Mykonos Town is 2 a.m, people can stay up late at ease.

  In Greece, it would be better for a meal to go to taverna.
It is one of the merit that most meals are available at a reasonable price.
Therefore people usually have a meal at the open-air restaurant in Greece.
We ate well-known Greek food; grilled lamb on skewers (souvlakia), grilled pork chops (hirines brizoles) and so on.
To add to that, there were some free bread and bottle of wine.
These were enough for us.
Therefore there are well-known liquor called ouzo and restina in Greece.
We got neither liquor, but I try to drink them if I have a chance to go to Greece.

  By the way, we have not booked transportation for getting to Athens from Mykonos Island yet.
Needless to say, it is only flights and shipping services, both of them can be booked at any travel agency in Mykonos Town.
It seems that these travel agencies open untill 9 or 10 p.m, you might try to negotiate on tickets before dinner.
Therefore Olympic Airways cost us for 9,900Dr (6,930Yen), Catamaran (speed boat) cost us for 1,470Dr (1,030Yen).
After all, we intend to get on board Catamaran on the day after the next because all flights are full.
And it goes without saying that we extended our stay in parallel with change of schedule.