Athens

I began my trip to Greece by being directed to the wrong gate at the airport, and slightly panicking because it was already boarding time and there was nobody there. Fortunately I wasn’t the only person going to the wrong gate, so when help arrived we all managed to find the right place and board before the plane left, which was half an hour behind schedule anyway. I was really tired and wanted to sleep on the plane during the two hour flight from Rome to Athens, but the scenery out the window was too good to close my eyes. I got to see the Italian coastline including Sorrento and the island of Capri as well as some of the land I traveled on my motorcycle trip, and there were several islands to see when we got close to Athens so the views kept my adrenalin pumping until landing.

Finally I have made it to Greece! I’ve been looking forward to coming here for so long it’s just an amazing feeling to actually be here. I almost can’t believe I’m doing this, but then again nothing I do lately really surprises me anymore. I was afraid it might be terribly hot in Athens, but when I made it outside it was actually pretty nice. It was hot, but there was a good breeze and it was comfortable. Eleni wanted to meet me at the airport but she was running late coming from Tripoli, so I got on a bus to go to her house and she met me at the bus stop with a big hug, it was great to see her again. We went in the house and I met her sister Angela and her boyfriend Alex, as well as Eleni’s pet rabbit Aspros, White.

Angela had made some chicken, specifically rooster, which was very good and a bit different tasting than regular “chicken”. Along with that we had some rice, feta cheese that their grandma made and olives that their grandpa made. It was all very good. After eating and showering, the four of us took the car to the nearby Olympic Stadium.

It’s a huge modern stadium designed by the Spanish architect Calatrava, and for the 2004 Olympic games it was surrounded by a huge new complex including a swimming arena and other matching abstract structures. They even built an entirely new subway system for the ‘04 games, so the Greeks obviously take their games seriously.

(swimming stadium)

After walking the complex we drove to the city center and saw the old Olympic stadium and the ancient columns of Zeus of Olympus.

Angela and Alex then went home and left Eleni and I to see the sights. Since Eleni grew up in Athens I was expecting her to know everything about the city, but since she left Athens when she was 18 to go to college she was seeing a lot of this for the first time with me. I guess it’s the same for people everywhere, if we see something everyday it just becomes something in the background and maybe not as special as it would be for someone who has to come half way around the world to see it. Even so, I still couldn’t believe she had never climbed to the top of the Acropolis, but I was glad that I was there to give her reason to go. First we took a walk through the old town of Plaka, which is situated at the base of the Acropolis and seems to be the tourist center. It was quaint, with several shops and tavernas and a lively atmosphere, despite the fact that most of the Athenians were gone for the summer, probably sitting on an island somewhere. We then walked to the nearby parliament building where the government is housed before circling back.

After dark we decided to walk up the hill to the Acropolis, which was all lit up in stark contrast to the dark sky. I just love the way they light the monuments at night, it’s probably even more beautiful to see them this way. The view from the hill was amazing. Athens is a huge city, sprawling for miles and surrounding a bay. Access into the Acropolis was closed, but we could see the Parthenon standing above everything else and it was beautiful.

(Athens, Lykavitos in the background)

(Parthenon)

Afterwards we then met up with Angela and Alex for a drink and get a bite of food. We ate suvlaki, meat schis-kababs either on a stick or wrapped in a pita bread with tomatoes, french fries and tsatziki, a cucumber and garlic based spread that I surprisingly like. After we went to a small port to meet some other friends, Yannis and Dimitrius. We hung out there for a while before Angela and Alex went home leaving Eleni and I to go exploring with the guys. There is another large hill right in the middle of the city called Lykavitos that rises up sharply from the mass of buildings surrounding it. We drove up that then walked the remainder of the way to the top where there is a small church and a reception hall often used for weddings. From the top you get a 360 degree view over the city, but unfortunately it was very late and the lights on the Acropolis had been turned off and we didn’t get to see that, but even without the view is spectacular.

The next afternoon after we woke up we went to see the Acropolis. We had to be at the port by at least 6:00 to take the boat to the island of Lesvos, so unfortunately we didn’t have all day to spend sightseeing thanks to our late start. Nonetheless, the Acropolis is amazing. The sheer size of everything is incredible, despite the fact that there is a lot missing in most of the buildings. The Parthenon is massive, but unfortunately it was partially covered with scaffolding like most ancient monuments you see nowadays. It really feels good to have finally seen it. I still can’t believe that I am actually seeing these things and standing in these places, it’s a very fulfilling feeling and I’m glad I have the chance to do it.

(ancient theater still in use)

We made our way to the train station and took the train to the port where our boat was waiting to take us to Lesvos. It was a large ferry with several sleeping cabins, a restaurant and a couple bars, so it was pleasant for the 12 hour overnight voyage. We had brought sleeping bags with us like many of the passengers, to sleep on the floor somewhere instead of paying extra for a cabin. We found a quiet corner inside and set-up camp for the night before going outside to take in the view and the red sunset.

I actually enjoyed the trip. It was my first time on a ship like this and kind of exciting. We woke up the next morning with the sun rising on Lesvos and the beginning of part two of my Greek adventure.