The Polarizing Filter

When the sun finally came out one afternoon in Paris I realized that I had left my polarizing filter back in California. AHHH! This was an extremely irritating turn of events as is is near impossible to capture the various shades of blue present in the Aegean Sea without this filter.  So I decided that I had to get a new filter before I got to Astypalaia. I asked at the hotel and they directed me to a store that didn't sell the item. Bummer. I had to give up the search to board a plane to Athens.

We got in to Athens late at night and made our way down to the Athens Gate Hotel, as I had a penchant to see the Acropolis flooded in light at night.  This hotel has two fabulous views of ancient Greek sites, your room faces either the Acropolis or the Temple of the Olympian Zeus.  Both are fully lit up all night. We had an Acropolis view, the photo above was taken from my hotel room just about dawn.  I don't want you to be too jealous, but this was also my view at their fabulous breakfast buffet. I really mean it, it is a wonderful way to start your morning.

Anyway, I looked up how to say polarizing filter in Greek and we asked at the desk if they could direct us to a camera store.  Yannis did better than that.  He took down all the information about my camera and lens and searched the internet for stores that sold the item.  He then compared prices for the item between local stores. Finally he presented me with several options.

1. I could use a courier to deliver the item, but would not have guaranteed delivery before 5 pm. However, my flight to Astypalaia was at 2:30 pm. Courier a no go.

2. I could take a taxi to the store, make the taxi wait while I did the transaction, and then take the taxi back to the hotel.  This was the most expensive proposition.

3. I could pay cash and have a taxi driver go in and do the transaction for me and then he would hand deliver it to the hotel. I would pay cash for the filter and the taxi ride to deliver it.  This was the least expensive route, but I had to pay cash.  FYI - paying cash in Greece is always the cheapest way. Bring cash.

So I selected option 3 and settled down in the hotel lobby to wait for my delivery. Oh, I forgot to mention that it is over 100 degrees in Athens on the day in question, so I would have had to go out into the searing heat for option 2. Not enticing.

Yannis tells me that the driver will arrive in 45 minutes, and that I could go back to my room or the buffet breakfast and that he would find me. Andrea and I opt for the cushy hotel lobby. 20 minutes later my taxi and filter arrive!  Never, and I mean never have I seen such a feat of efficiency in Greece!

We had fantastic customer from Yannis at the Athens Gate Hotel.  The view and the breakfast buffet were also hard to beat. Check this hotel out if you are visiting Athens.

More soon.