Athens is no Greek Island

Itinerary

• Early breakfast
• 6 hour ferry ride
• Piraeus to Athens

 

Bye bye Naxos

 

Wake from the back of the ferry

 

 

First thoughts about Athens.

To be fair, we have come from a laconic, almost empty small island but.......

Athens is Big, smoky, dirty, fast, chaotic.

Taxi ride begins with the driver hurling our bags into the boot like some 1980s East German women's hammer-throw champ. Ree, already uptight about the kids suitcase wheels audibly inhales but manages to maintain veneer of calm. We exit the port at Senna pace, then speed up. Speed limits are a mere suggestion, if that. Metronomic lane changes with concurrent similar efforts by helmetless motorbike riders. Not much different from the Moscow motorcycle video I love to watch. Although at least he wears a helmet.

 

The taxi driver would cross himself at least twice per km. quite disconcerting. Ree tells me he did it every time he passed a church, I believe he thought we might not make it! I had similar thoughts.

If a car (or a bus come to think of it) in line or in front of us, would indicate to turn into our lane, our super dooper religious driver would accelerate from our Mach 2 baseline to make sure they didn't get in, leaving them with the option of coming back into their lane or else 'Matrix like' merge into and morph with, our cab.

Light to yellow and then to red - speed up baby!

There are quite a few marked pedestrian crossings in Athens. Once or twice there were even pedestrians on them (obviously insane locals or lost tourists). To our cab driver and all the surrounding traffic, these crossings are not even "suggestions". Do not slow down. Not much point in marking the zebra lines as they serve no purpose. Negative purpose really. I spose it concentrates the crazys for easy extinction or maybe at least it keeps the Greek public service line painting dudes in business?

 

 

The day

Kids revolted and wouldn't leave the hotel " we're all travelled out' they proclaimed. They drew some pictures while Ree headed out to get a coffee.

After some intense negotiation we headed off to the Acropolis which in my head was a few pillars on a hill (philistine that I am).

Suddenly Drew was pretty excited - turns out its his first ever time on a subway. We get his ticket and make our way onto the peak hour subway. Kudos to Athens. Subway is clean, well signed and clear intercom messages. After our entire NYC time, I still had no idea what the subway F train intercom was saying. "Something about a guy called Lenny?" Drew loved it. Loved the speed and the maps and racing escalator people up the stairs.

 

Drew gets his first subway ticket

 

Because they were a bit nervous the kids stayed pretty close to us. Actually that was other people's kids. Ours, as per normal strode off without a backward glance. The struggle as a parent between extending the leash of independence vs careful cajoling to safety is in our case easy. The kids have cut the leash like Alexander cut the Gordion Knot. Good luck.

 

Drew doing some subway tap dancing

 

 

Drew, watch out for gypsies!

 

 

With his "drink of champions"

 

 

Dr who is everywhere!

I got a tad freaked out by this statue in the subway. Looks just like the Dr Who assassin statues called "The Weeping Angels". They have a superb defense mechanism in that they are quantum locked when you look at them ie they turn to stone (cmon, if you believe in half the greek god myths, this one is an easy swallow). As soon as you look away / blink, they can move. When you touch them or they you, you get moved to a previous time and the angels feed off your potential energy lost in the time move. Or else thry just snap you. No point in running, they will get you eventually. They are in the Greek subway and nobody else notices. Eeek. I guess this one has no head but would that stop one?

Weeping Angel in Athens

 

 

 

 

 

 

We got to the Acropolis front gate at 6:25. We know this because the gates close at 6:30 for last entry.....today however they decided that 6:25 was about 6:30 and wouldn't let anyone else in. There was a kind of a mini riot as about 20 people pleaded their case showing watches and phone clocks. Finally, after 5 minutes, the gate dude pointed to his watch to show everyone it was 6:30 NOW and the gates were closed!

 

 

 

By then........yups, Drew was missing. After long "this is a big city lecture" a few hrs previous, he was gone. So we waited. Then waited. Then started calling and searching. Ree and Zoe went one way, me another.

 

How hard could he be to find?

See him? We couldn't either!

 

 

If you look closely you can see him meandering up a path input general direction.....this is a good 5 mins after we haven't been able to find him.

 

 

Eventually I see him strolling like some Brooklyn rapper up the path back in the direction of then Acropolis entrance. "I told you I was going down there" he said. Kid is killing our nerves. Not exactly sure what the old school 'nervous' breakdown' was, but some days.......gotta be close to one.

 

We walked up the hill near the front of the acropolis - its walking in history. Sat on the slippery marble of Mars Hill (not Aries hill?) and looked down on Athens. Was quite beautiful. Really. Lovely sunset over the city with ruins and mythology at our feet. The Temple of Herphestus was in the background, Hadrian's library and other things with pillars!

 

Walked down and around the base of the Acropolis, past a man playing the electric clarinet? He was really good.

 

 

 

Also along the path were the walls of another ancient library (bibliotech). Great rules but hard to follow exactly (see pics bellow). I guess in the days per printing press, knowledge was located in the book it was written in. Very precious and not really the thing you loan out as in modern day library systems.

 

Not sure how the oath bit relates

 

 

Further along the ruins, the Greeks have "popped in" a bit of a railway line! Classic. Surrounded by ancient walls almost 10 times the age of Modern Australia and with the Acropolis as a backdrop, is a graffitied suburban train and tracks for it to locomote along.

 

Ancient meets modern

 

 

The Acropolis was an area including a temple for Athena (not surprisingly) the protecting God of Athens. It's massive and sits like a castle on the top of the mountain. Haven't seen Casterley Rock, but imagine it is similar. Pictures can't really capture its majesty or scope so I will put in lots under the (clearly false) assumption, that lots of bad pictures are the same as one good one.

 

 

 

There are a few cranes doing a bit of reconstruction. The Acropolis was hit by Luftwaffe attack during WW2. Off to the museum tomorrow so will learn more there.

 

 

Second thoughts about Athens

I guess like all big cities, Athens has its good and bad. The weather was fantastic this afternoon and there was no wind! Our hotel is in lovely surrounds with a tree lined narrow lane in the front and cheap, good coffee around the block. $1.50 for a coffee. Why is it so much in Perth? Really. Why. There was a real buzz in the area where we had our dinner and the subway ride seemed safe, clean and fast.

 

Tomorrow:

1. Acropolis Museum in the am
2. Easyjet (bad review but oh so cheap) to Rome

 

Scattered pics from the past 2 weeks

 

Souvlaki pita as per Uncle Chrispy

 

 

Ree gets the hang of Greek parking rules

 

 

Greek tablecloths often have a map of where you are. This one from FELOTIO (carefully spellcheck) shows our daily drive

 

 

Not sure if it sounds a bit ominous or not? I am the minister for social solidarity...would you like to come in for a cup of tea with your neighbors?

 

 

Wow, 3rd generation lasers. Wonder what they had in Star Wars?

 

 

Little red bug and Drew's finger

 

 

Don't caffeinate the already hyperactive

 

 

Local Naxos wine in chilled tin jug. DO NOT try the Rosé.

 

 

Santorini door

 

 

Converse - the shoe chosen by cool explorers (and Cypriot Protestors)

 

 

Cat on a restaurant chair. Santorini wharf

 

 

Zozo on Santorini cobbles

 

 

Playing with Colorsplash - circa 2006

 

 

 

Gotta love Nesbo

 

 

Power of logo. Know what these books are?

 

 

Zoe makes her zombie subway surfer avatar

 

 

No comment

 

 

Dali see saw

 

 

Dali roundabout

 

 

Animorph

 

 

Greek bug

 

 

Cretan cat

 

 

Drew statue. He is still!

 

 

Teeny tiny Cretan cyclist

 

 

Smoked salmon?

 

Seems a long time ago,

 

"a-DEE-o Greca" .............Ree's POV

We're on our final Greek ferry trip - back to Athens to fly out to Rome and our next adventure.

We're ready to head off. Although I can understand why people return here over and over again and how the laconic, laid-back life of the Greek islands is highly infectious, we have other fish to fry and we're getting antsy - off to see more of what is on offer. It's been 2 weeks since we left home.

Paros Island is currently on our West and the craggy rocks, scrubby green bush and white-washed houses are gliding past. Like most the islands we've visited, the antiquarian ruins have been largely left to their own devices, with the best hill-top locations set aside for the iconic white or blue domed churches - some grand, some tiny, but often built in the most difficult of spaces.

 

I find Greece full of juxtapositions. They have, over the years, accomplished extraordinary architectural and engineering feats. The entrance to the Temple of Apollo on Naxos still stands. A marble structure on a rocky headland, bearing the brunt of whatever weather has been served up for more than 2500 years. 300 metres away is a fence made of corrugated iron, a few rocks, some chicken wire and the odd star picket. There are traces of Venetian and neo-classical grandeur everywhere, mostly not restored or maintained, as well as hundreds of quite plain looking cement structures in various states of construction - very often seemingly abandoned. But there are also charming examples of the "typical" constructions everywhere, built in that beautiful Greek style - smooth, white, rounded edges, contrasted with trimmings in the blue of their beloved Agean Sea and wonderful stone detail in the local marble and slate. Bougainvillea laces across balconies and climbs up the pristine walls in a seemingly random pattern but looks too perfect to be real. There are selected details everywhere, from the choice of window shutters to door handles and decorated flower pots. Whole streets and laneways look as though they have been dressed for a movie set - but the main roads are covered in litter. Restaurant owners take enormous pride in their food and then smoke while they serve it up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The charm of this place, is partly due to the "what the?" moments we have had. The mixture of amazing and bemusing. Where Dubai seems largely polished, shined and prepared for the tourist and left us feeling unattached, the Greek islands put their best out with their worst and their sincerity shines.

 

We have been lucky to be here in the lead up to Greek Easter. The islanders of Naxos are quite religious and the Friday afternoon we arrived the church bells in the main square of Hora were just beginning their call. This was the last Friday before Easter and a special service - 3 hours long. The next two mornings we were woken by the peel of bells from large and small churches around the town and the locals were all dressed in their best coats and boots as they strolled to the morning service. The shops are full of Easter traditions - cakes and treats, special chocolates, decorative eggs and easter candles. At Easter children are given long decorated candles, often with small gifts attached to them, to light over the Easter holidays. They are also given chocolates, clothes and toys - but the candles are particularly significant and were hanging in shop windows all over town.

Large chocolate eggs - some filled with macaroons

We happened on a toy shop down a side street that had the most amazing candles - as well as gorgeous toys for people of all ages. The couple who own it travel far and wide to find their wares and its full of the quirky and the fabulous. It's the kind of shop that would have people squeezing into it at Claremont Quarter - but here it was just us. Zoe fell in love with the lamps in the front window - all individual works of art made by a Greek artist. We tinkered inside for about 40 minutes - trying everything out and wishing we could bring everything home.

 

Before we go, I need to mention the lovely people we have met along our Greek journey. For me, it is always the bonds you make, however transient, that give you connection with a place. We have been lucky, from the warm and helpful hotel staff in Heraklion (Mary and Manos) and Santorini (Yiota and Bogdan) to shop staff, cafe owners and locals on the street. Of course the cynic in me could put this down to customer relations, but the girl we met getting off the ferry in Naxos not only called our hotel to get directions but then walked us 2/3 of the way there to make sure we were on the right track and then gave us written tips for finding the best pastries on the island. After breakfast this morning, at our favourite spot in the main square, the lovely matriarch who has watched over us each visit came to give Zoe and I a proper hug goodbye. (And yes i still had my wallet at the end of it). Gotta love these people.

The kids have been so great with trying out phrases and attempting communications. I'm amazed at their confidence and know there is no way I would have been as gutsy at 8 or 11. They have mastered the basic greetings and niceties and Drew is particularly good at making sure we all use them! I think when we get to Rome they will be even better, with their school italian under their belts.

Might be time for a mid-morning hot chocolate... Adio ("Ah-dee-o") Greek Islands.

 

 

 

 

 

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