A few posts out of order. We just got in to Athens, and had to deal with Easter Sunday a second time–turns out the Orthodox Greeks have it a week after the rest of Europe does (or at least they did this year). So the day we arrived, Monday, a lot of shops were closed down. Fortunately, we were able to find some kiosks and shops open, even after 6pm, but almost had to buy from the hotel, which won’t even offer water for free–you have to buy that.

Here’s a sample: at the street kiosk we found, Sachi and I bought six drinks: four 500 ml. beers, a 1-liter bottled water, and a 500 ml. Coke Zero. Total bill: 7.5 Euros. Had we used the hotel mini bar, it would have been 37.5 Euros, for four 330 ml. beers, a 500 ml water, and a 330 ml Coke Light–smaller of everything, but exactly five times the cost!

And laundry fees are even higher here than they were in Spain–8.5 Euros for a single shirt, for example.

I think we’ll use the laundromat down the street.

I can only imagine that there are four reasons people would use these services:

1. They are rich
2. They are on an expense account
3. They are desperate and have no alternatives
4. They didn’t notice the prices and are in for a shock