ATHENS: DAVE’S TOP 10 LIST

Sunday, June 12, 2011
Athens, Attica, Greece
The cruise over, we bid adieu to our travelling companions as they flew home, and we flew on to Athens. We thought this to be a logical next destination, going backwards in time from the Romans to the Greeks. We had a really memorable time in Athens, which I'd like to present to you in the form of the ever popular top 10 list. So, here goes......


10 . THE MOST DANGEROUS AREA IN ALL OF GREECE
While awaiting our baggage at the airport, I befriend a 20-something Athenian also on our flight. As we are talking, he asks where we are staying in Athens. When I tell him it’s near Omonia Square, he shrivels up his face and says: 'Ohhh, that’s probably the most dangerous place in all of Greece, full of hookers, druggies, criminals. Be very careful walking around, and DON’T do it at night!’ Sure enough, as our cab neared the hotel, we could see the truth in his words. We were concerned. As things turned out, it was a lovely hotel, and we never had any problems for the 4 nights we stayed there. Daytime on the streets was fine, and we cabbed it at night. Omonia Square is one of the liveliest areas in the city, and it was actually fun wandering the streets there.


9. A DEMONSTRATION OF GOOD INTENTIONS
As you know, Greece happens to be in the throes of an economic crisis (though, from the busy cafes, stores, and streets, we never saw it), and it seems the people have found a popular way to express themselves- the demonstration . A nightly and weekend event, they have turned it into a unique combination of rhetoric, street party, and festival. Syntagma Square, the heart of the city, is transformed nightly into a mob of boisterous, placard-bearing, socializing citizens, with tents, and even street performers. The throngs create chaos for drivers and pedestrians alike, and police presence is quite evident, to ensure that this loud, though peaceful protest stays that way. As it winds down each night, waves of people surge out in search of dinner and drink to round out the evening. It is a sight to behold.

8. CONNING THE CONWe were walking in the Plaka, a popular neighbourhood of shops, cafes, and homes near the Acropolis, when we saw a half dozen men standing around a table where a fast-paced game of 3-Card Monte was being played. In this game, the conman shuffles 3 cards several times very fast and you merely have to find the Ace. Deceptively easy, you think, and a quick way to score a 20 Euro bill. Except, these guys are so skilled at it, that you will almost never pick the right card. Curious, I am watching the action, when I witness something so subtly done, it goes unnoticed by all, including the conman. One man in the crowd, in the exchange of bills, deftly picked up the ace and put a small fold in one corner. So, now he (and I) knows where the Ace is by seeing the fold. As I’ve mentioned, the conman never knew what hit him, and started losing big time to the ‘folder’ . Although tempted to do the same, I didn’t want to get involved, so I just watched, chuckling to myself the entire time.

7. LUNCH WITH A VIEW
Athens has a huge central market filled with foods of all types. Hundreds of stands are set up and filled with a multitude of meat, fine fruits, choice cheeses, home-grown herbs, wonderful wines, and very sweet sweets. We wandered the aisles and aisles of food, picking up goodies for a picnic lunch. Finding a lovely little park nearby, we prepared our feast. A few minutes after, two young guys planted themselves about 15 feet away. We paid little attention to them, until Bonnie noticed the hypodermic needle and flame. We were now to be treated to our own Athenian version of Trainspotting. Sure enough, they soon shot up. It was shocking to see it so blatant and up close. Undeterred, we kept munching away. Another side of Athens had been revealed to us first-hand.


6. ACROPOLIS BLISS
Despite everything you’ve seen or heard, you are just not prepared when visiting the Acropolis . It’s a long and arduous climb up to the mountainous plateau, but it is so worth it. The heat can be oppressive, but we planned the climb for late day, which made it more manageable.

Once there, you are treated to an awe-inspiring group of temples and remains of other buildings honoring the gods, primarily Athena, the goddess of wisdom and patron saint of Athens, The centrepiece is the Parthenon, of course, made of marble that is so white it glistens in the sun. Having survived generations of invaders, earthquakes, and now, intense air pollution, restoration is ongoing and evident in the number of cranes, and scaffolding everywhere. Nonetheless, it is majestic in its design, and we could only imagine how inspired the ancient Athenians must have been by this glorious building ever visible from below. It sent shivers up our spine.

5. CHANGING THE GUARDS AND GUARDING THE CHANGE
Every Sunday, an elaborate ceremony is held at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in downtown Athens . Bands and soldiers regally dressed in their traditional uniforms goosestep in an elaborate ballet-type step, and the 15 minute changing of the guards ceremony occurs. Precise, practised, and perfect, it is a spectacle which we enjoyed on our first day in Athens. It is also a great opportunity for the ever-present pickpockets working the crowd, as the police yelled to the crowd: "WATCH YOUR WALLETS!"

4.  RUINS OUT THE YINYANG
If there is one thing that Athens has, it is ruins. Everywhere you look, you find ruins of buildings, gates, temples, markets, etc dating back thousands of years. Some are marked by simple or occasionally overly-detailed signs, others just part of the urban landscape. They appear suddenly, as you round a corner, enter a subway station, visit a totally different landmark. Apparently, the city is perpetually encountering these as new construction or infrastructure demands, and they just build around them. One thing is certain though—they make for great photo ops for us tourists.

3. GET LOST!
Ordinarily this would an insult, but in Athens, it’s the advice I’d give. We’ve done it the entire time we’ve been here, and it’s yielded some great benefits and joys. The streets are buzzing with crazy busy traffic, full of churches and shrines, colourful residences, ruins, interesting storefronts, and even more interesting people. In fact, the people-watching in this city is a common sport, enhanced by innumerable outdoor cafes and tavernas. It all adds to the fun, and when we got hopelessly lost, we used our GPS (Get a Person named Spiro). We always found an obliging Athenian for help in getting our bearings. Most have a rudimentary command of the Queen’s tongue, and many are fluent. Meanwhile, it also gave us an opportunity to try out our Greek, mostly learned in the restaurants in Greektown Toronto.

2.   SUPPERTIME, AND THE DINNER IS GREECY
Man, you can eat well here! We’ve had wonderful meals just about every day. Dinners are an occasion to anticipate, complete with fresh bread, salads, cheap wine, and moussaka and souflaki to die for. And almost everything is drenched in olive oil. Small wonder that weight loss is an impossible dream for us here.

1. WHY PHI?
It’s funny, but going to Greece feels a bit like going back to our roots. Not personal roots, but historical roots. Afterall, this is where so much of our heritage as a civilized people stem. Here you can actually see many of the origins of law, philosophy, medicine, democracy, sport, sciences, art, and our languages and culture. It’s not in-your-face obvious, but as we’ve come to explore Athens and Greece, visited museums and landmarks, heard the spoken language and seen the alphabet, it has become intuitively clear that we all have some Greece in us.  


So, as you can see, Athens had a great impact on us. We now move on to a slower-paced part of Greece, the Peloponnese, to visit inland and see well-known sites like Olympia and Delphi, as well as a number of other picturesque towns high in the mountains.

Best regards,
Bonnie and David









Comments

The Sunnies
2011-06-13

Once again, you have written a magnificent blog entry for all to enjoy! What you have seen and what you have expereinced, on Greece, to date, is nothing less than amazing. The two of you have such an appreciation for all you encounter.....I am truly impressed and will continue to encourage you to either (1) write a travel log type of book or (2) become tour guides in one of these phenomenal countries! I feel that just by reading your blogs, I am getting a taste, be it a very small nosh, of the rich history you are immersed in.
It certainly sounds like you two are thoroughly loving every moment of your trip.....may you continue to do so and may the blogs never end!!!!

Love and hugs,
Your Dresher Meshpucha

melissagquest
2011-06-13

Gia sas, David and Bonnie! You are the only two people I know who would happily walk into a Greek protest and think of it as fun! Even more amazing is that you found Greeks who knew how to give directions that worked! LOL. I'm glad to hear you're enjoying yourselves and having an awesome time in my favourite part of the world! Kalo taxidi on your journey to the Peloponnese and to Delphi (and Meteora?). I can't wait to hear more and see your photos. I'm traveling vicariously with you! That's why your luggage is so heavy!

cissie.retired
2011-06-14

Hello Bonnie and David,
I really enjoyed your Greek travel-blog sorted into titled paragraphs! How interesting seeing both the ancient Greece through their ruins and the modern Greece through their ruined citizens. Very sad, and unfortunately, so common everywhere.
We're headed up to Father's Day here, so Happy Father's Day, David!
We are enjoying better weather lately, but not too warm. It's fantastic to see sun on a daily basis and not have dull, grey, soggy days instead.
Where are you headed next? Staying in Greece? Leaving for yet another interesting area? Can't wait to read about it.
Stay well and keep enjoying...
Love,
Cecile

2025-02-15

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