Rob and Anna's travel adventure

Greece - the real Athens

Anna's entry:

What was supposed to be a flight to Amman, Jordan transformed into a flight to Athens, Greece.  Due to the unfortunate devastating events in the Middle East, I had to find an alternative to continue our journey.  Having completed an incredible adventure in the fascinating Egypt followed by further exploration of the mysterious Cyprus, our third leg of this journey took us all the way to what is considered to be the birthplace of Western civilization - Athens, Greece.  However, the main attraction to choosing this destination wasn't so much the great Acropolis or the monuments - I wanted to explore the REAL Athens, and hopefully discover the true soul of this city which most tourists seem to be completely oblivious to.  So, here it goes...

Athens - neighbourhoods and street life

The city is a plethora of colourful neighborhoods with their own individual character and attitude.  We stayed in one of them surrounded by real residents and not a single tourist in sight!  Our studio was located on the rooftop of a residential building, and our own terrace had sweeping views of the mountains, hills and the Greek Pentagon complex.  The latter military complex was also seemingly built adjacent to a peaceful historical church - which, of course, in itself is a contradiction in terms - how could you mix religion promoting peace and military agenda?  In either case, our neighborhood was peaceful and livable - there were plenty of excellent (and affordable) grocery stores around along with a couple of ethnic family-run laid-back eateries.  The streets were narrow with quite a few hills - and there were so many wild orange trees growing everywhere!  Some parked vehicles were covered in fallen oranges, which created an interesting and exotic setting.  

We would take a subway to various parts of the city, and then would explore by foot from there.  Athens is quite walkable, and there are so many street corners with unique personalities.  We came across various impromptu street markets selling fruits, vegetables, olives, eggs, breads and various knickknacks, and locals seem to be crazy about those!  The energy of those local markets set up all over residential streets was intense at times.  Other parts of the city had street musicians and dancers along with hustlers and other street crowd types.  There were also neighborhoods dedicated to social justice causes with various political messages and colourful murals (more details about those in the later chapter).  There were ancient historical streets and squares mixing the old and the new.  And, then there were hills - with the best stunning views over the entire city which one could explore by day and night.  So, as you can imagine - the Acropolis (that normal tourists make a beeline to) is only a tiny part of this vast city...

We were fortunate to explore a multitude of Athens' corners during our two-week stay here.  My foot injury was still on-going, and it did hurt to walk, but I just could not let it stop me.  I wanted to walk, climb, explore and deal with the pain later - when it is all over.  There was something rewarding about being in Athens - most likely, it was the fact that we were doing it the right (real) way, and this is what kept me going and wanting more.

 

 Athens - hikes & hills

Exploring Athens via various hiking trails and hills that surround the area was not just a unique way of getting to know the city, it was also beautiful!  Frequently we would get a complete 360° view over Athens with all the surrounding areas all the way to the coast, and many routes would take us via the most picturesque settings.  Who would have thought that a giant cactus is actually casually and comfortably growing in the Athens hills?  Or, that local Athenians go an extra mile and build creative cat houses out of cardboard (decorated with cat portraits) along hill slopes to provide a comfortable and stylish respite for the stray animals?  Or, one of the hiking trails would take you to the actual prison cell of the great Socrates?  And, what about that pretty trail that goes by the Tower of the Winds that was actually used in antiquity for measuring time?  And, of course, there are multiple routes that would allow the curious minds to see the great Acropolis from all directions and unobstructed, all without crowds and tourists? 

There was also a plethora of paths via and around historical and ancient settlements - the views were stunning, the history was oozing, and most importantly - it all felt so laid-back, unrushed and free to go at your own pace and just savour the ancient city corners frozen in time...  There is something special about being able to look back into the past and get up-close and personal with the remnants of the ancient times that are so juxtaposed to the modern outcome of those beginnings...

 

Quirky Athens

Athens is definitely diverse.  Most tourists, with their limited time, have no idea what really lies behind the historical Agora.  And - there is a lot!  There are so many neighborhoods with their individual character and attitude.  One of such districts, called Exarcheia, is also unique.  In the past police would refuse to go inside of that 'hood, and many international governments websites would even warn visitors to stay out (and as far as possible) from that part of the city.  What is it about Exarcheia that is so different?  Intellectuals, artists, socialists, anarchists, and anti-fascist groups all co-exist, live and create side-by-side in this part of town.  They basically took this area and converted it into something unique, raw, and blunt - without any intentions to be politically correct or apologetic.  The walls of buildings are covered in super colourful creative graffiti art - with various social slogans and political messages.  We spent a few hours exploring the streets of this neighborhood, and left completely in awe of the creativity and resilience of this place.  

In our previous travels we visited some exceptionally colorful graffiti-inspired cities (Valparaiso in Chile comes to mind), but none of those places were as intense and powerful in their social expressive art.  I am not sure what will happen to Exarcheia in the future - maybe, with time, it would be completely bulldozered over, or maybe it would be preserved as a social museum of sorts under the open sky, just like another time capsule documenting our choices and attitudes towards each other...  After all, such an explicit way of pain and a sense of injustice expressed in street art is a powerful message to all of us, and a reflection of our society and its repercussions.

 

Local Food 

Unexpectedly underwhelming...  Expectations to enjoy the real incredible Greek food prior to arrival in Athens were high, but they have not been met.  Maybe, perhaps, we are spoiled with this type of ethnic food living in the city with a large Greek population, or maybe we have been exposed to a wide range of cooking around the world, and here the flavours just were not there.  The food was OK, but frankly - blend.  Gyros were tasty (and looked good), but nothing exceptional.  We avoided the restaurants catering to tourists and ate only at real local eateries, but it didn't help that much.  We did find one large and very casual canteen (on top of the large supermarket) with home-type traditional Greek food, and their moussaka and keftedes were actually quite good, but that's about it.  Even the famous Greek baklava was disappointing.  Let me put it this way - prior to Athens, we spent time in Cyprus, and we could not have enough of baklava!  Around here - we gave up finding something even remotely similar.  

On the other hand - I loved finding various tasty treats in our local supermarket.  Cheeses and yogurts were so fresh and tasty (my personal favourite was sheep yogurt, and I tried various versions of it, which made Rob raise his eyebrows every morning).  And, there were a lot of other wonderful European cheeses and breads that I thoroughly enjoyed with "both cheeks", but for Rob finding something that interesting was quite harder.  There was also a large selection of European wines - quite inexpensive and good, so finding delicious French Merlot was easy.  We would pick up our groceries on the way home to our studio, and consume them in peace and tranquility after a long day of exploration.  It did feel so cozy and comfortable!  The owner of our studio lived in the same building directly under us, and every few days she would drop off for us a bag of croissants and coffee capsules, so that, along with decadent chocolate cream and other items, would always make a perfectly unhealthy, but perfectly sumptuous breakfast to be enjoyed on our rooftop terrace.  I remember waking up every morning feeling right at home even though we were thousands miles away...

 

Historic Athens

The city of Athens has been inhabited for more than 3000 years, so to call Athens "historic" would be an utterly understatement.  After all - this is the birthplace of democracy and all the philosophical attributes that go with it.  Remarkable ancient sights are scattered all over the city, however - despite popular beliefs, the actual central Athens is actually quite modern, and in many ways (and in my humble opinion) does not have any noteworthy architecture that is present in other great European cities like, say, Paris or Rome.  As a matter of fact, the very central and pedestrian path part (named Ermou Street) is more of a shopping street surrounded by pretty uninspiring (i.e dull) low-rise boxy buildings.  But, if you get away from the actual center, there are tons of historic landmarks to discover (besides the great Acropolis - which I will be writing about in a later chapter).  Ancient Agora, historic churches and squares, columns and museums - there is a lot to take in.  

We also enjoyed a lovely old part of town called Plaka - located in the shadow of Acropolis.  Steep staircases and super narrow walkways, incredible views from the top and adorable old buildings from the past certainly add a very special place to this old settlement.  I read somewhere that this area is sometimes referred to as a  "Neighborhood of the Gods”.  How more pompous could it get?  In reality - the entire area was absolutely peaceful and pleasant - but we were also travelling off-season.  I could imagine that it could get insane in summer with all the obnoxious tourist crowds (my sympathy goes to the residents).  But, for us - walking around Plaka was a pure delight.  We avoided all tourist spots and just enjoyed our strolls and views.  And, if you time it right - there are many options of getting an entry to a plethora of historical sights and museums free of charge.  With proper research and time, a person could conquer all sights and landmarks - we did almost all of them (some twice).  

For us, the best part was to enjoy historical Athens in a leisurely manner with as much or as little time we chose, and it was just one of many parts of our exploration.  Athens has so many sides to it, and historical connotation is just a piece in a city kaleidoscope.

 

The Great Acropolis

Built in the 5th century B.C., revered as a place of architectural beauty, worshiped as the home of the Goddess of wisdom Athena - history of this world-known place is actually quite complicated.  Even the legend of how Athena (female) was chosen over Poseidon (male) to become the patron of the city brings up a few philosophical debates.  Athena's gift to the local people - an olive tree - was presumably the decisive factor in her victory over Poseidon.  It may be a legend, but an ancient olive tree still stands on the north side of the Acropolis and it looks as young as ever.  

There is also a big presence of sad and dark history that may never be solved.   The symbols of ancient Greek glory - the 2500-year-old sculptures of the Parthenon were pried off the temple by Lord Elgin two centuries ago.  That so-called Sir Lord Elgin destroyed and stole ancient masterpieces, which were shipped piece by piece to Britain via various routes offered to him by corrupt officials.  There is nothing Sir-y or Lord-y about it.  I feel disgusted when I see theaters or monuments in several parts of the world named in his honor.  Let's call it what it is - Lord Elgin was a disgusting opportunistic jerk who had no morals, he took advantage of the historical turmoil and war, just like Nazis did during WWII.  So, next time you happen to be in the British Museum of London admiring the ancient Greek wonders - remember how they got there.  I sincerely hope that the stolen pieces would be returned back to Athens - after all, there is a new beautiful museum built in honor of the great Acropolis that has a perfect grande space dedicated for those pieces to return back home.  The question is - will the powerful people do the right thing?

On a brighter side of things... We have explored Acropolis for two full days (not counting numerous trips around the hills that surround the ancient place).  I also loved visiting this place at night, right after sunset.  There are so many vantage points to appreciate this historic spot.  Besides the temples and Parthenon, the world's oldest theater (Theater of Dionysus) is located here.  But, my personal favourite was the gorgeous ancient Roman theater (Odeon of Herodes Atticus) - built by Atticus in the memory of his beloved wife (more of the actual life drama there as well).  The Odeon was truly spectacular - from the very top with stunning views over Athens, and from the bottom with spectacular arches and the cobblestone square.  One night, we came here after sunset - we had an entire place to ourselves, a street musician was playing softly near-by, and it felt so magical that I started dancing ballet right there on the ancient square - under the stars with moonlight hitting the ancient walls.  I still remember that night, and how truly special it felt to be there.

Pireaus and coastal Athens

Athens coastal tram route is probably one of the prettiest public transportation routes one could choose.  It extends for 27 kilometers (17 miles) and you could make multiple stops along the coast to enjoy the Adriatic scenery.  We ventured onto a port town of Pireaus on a number of occasions, and from there explored the coast with its stunning sunsets.  

The port of Pireaus itself is not only beautiful, it is also quite historic - dating back to ancient Greece in the early 5th century BC.  It is actually quite pleasant and peaceful to walk around; it feels like a resort town, except it feels real and without tourist nonsense.  We travelled off-season and maybe that is why we had such a pleasant experience.  This was also the place that we actually were able to find truly good Greek traditional food (with budget prices).  The locals seemed quite laid back, and the entire settlement felt alive and cheery.

From Pireaus we would hop on a tram along the coast, and then would pick a particular beach we would like to walk around and explore a bit.  Local people were picnicking, playing chess games, going for a swim or just relaxing along the coastal trail.  We felt like we totally belonged to that unhurried normal pace, and we did not see a single tourist insight.  On the way back, we would take a tram back to central Athens, and the route would take us via a multitude of neighborhoods that most tourists would likely never get to see.  There were both poorer areas and posh areas that co-existed side by side.  Towards the end, the tram route would take us via the historical ruins of central Athens all eliminated at night with Acropolis dominating the views from the very top.  

On the way back in the evening, we would make a stop at a local eatery to pick up a gyro take-out, then take the subway (metro) to our place, and finish our day with a stop at our local grocery store (i.e. lots of treats to take back to our cozy studio).  Our routine in Athens became so comfortable and familiar, I can't imagine doing it any other way.  Later on, speaking with other people describing the enormous tourist crowds and all the mess that comes with it - it was evident, in contrast, we were privileged to experience the real Athens and its soft-spoken soul.  And, for that - I am forever grateful.

Athens Finale - conclusions

Well, did we succeed in our attempt to discover the REAL Athens?  Absolutely!  Even though we just scratched the surface, we most definitely were able to come up close and personal with this unusual vibrant city and its resilient residents.  The diversity of this city is truly phenomenal, and we feel so privileged to go beyond the obvious historical landmarks, and penetrate the genuine side of the daily life of Athens.  The old neighbourhoods and cosmopolitan street life, the glory of the past and challenges of the present, ancient philosophy and modern street smarts, historical classical masterpieces and contemporary socially explicit wall graffiti, ancient philosophy and present liberal thinking - it is all here, laying in plain view raw and real...

posted by Rob and Anna @ 11:16 AM