θεσσαλονικη - Thessaloniki

An early train trip to Thessaloniki from Athens, what was to be 4.5 hours turned out to be 6.5 hours as we had to stop and change engine for the train through the mountainous area and once through that we had to change engine back again!!! All done in heat of around 40 degrees, the train airconditioning was broken, by the time we got to Thessaloniki everyone was just about asleep!!!! Very exhausted to say the least.

Arrived into Thessaloniki train station, the train station where 50,000 Jews were transported from to the gas chambers by the Nazi back in 1942, sobering thought!!!

So at 5pm still in the heat of the day we navigated our way through the streets of Thessaloniki without wifi & google maps and eventually found the guest house where we were to stay at.
Mike Long came down and met us and had plans for the evening, so left us to ourselves - we went out & about exploring the city on the waterfront, had a boat ride & some dinner.

People here have siesta from 1pm to 4pm then dinner doesn't start until around 9pm!!!

Thessaloniki waterfront

View from the ocean

The White Tower was built to replace an old Byzantine fortification back in the 12th Century