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Published: February 20th 2006
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Well,well, well! We're back!!
Thought we we're done for good? Nah!!!
We've just been travelling and collecting more material to blog about in the near - or distant - future.
So then, where were we? Last we came around we had just finished a fantastic trip to Turkey; an unexpected one, which has proven to be one of the better visits of our trip.
Now, after departing the heavily guarded Istanbul airport we landed in Athens, Greece on Wednesday December 21st.
Not long before, we had expected to meet Julia's parents - Mauricio and Meris - in the city that day. But, due to some unforseen issues, their departure was delayed a day. Thus, we were alone in the city that day, but, with a hotel room waiting for us - nice!!
After a quick and firendly cab ride into the city on the newly constructed tollways that circle the cities downtown, we arrived at the Ionis hotel in the Omonia Square district.
With Julia's cough in full swing we tried to find a pharmacy to suggest some type of remedy. Being that it was after 6pm we found ourselves out of luck. In
the process we haplessly found ourselves on a very shady street with plenty of drug traffic and lowlife charachters. Not the end of the world.
In lieu of copping a fix we decided to walk about the city to find a desirable place to have dinner. Thus began the first sojourn, in a series of many, where we found ourselves lost without a clue.
So, we walked from the Omonia Sqaure area down to Monastraki and Syntagma which are full of eateries and shops.
It must be noted that we found ourselves in the thick of the holiday shopping season - pure madness.
We had passed plenty of nice places to eat, but kept looking for something else. We quickly found out that we should have just settled on our first choice. Even with a map, we found ourselves lost without any clue where we were in the Plaka. Strangely enough, we were just a block from where we wanted to be.
Being lost proved especially troubling to Holden, who swears that he hasn't been lost like that for ten years! Even worse was the fact that the street signs in English were in abundance
and we had a map. We were disorientated in the dark passages of the Plaka and displaced in the crowded shopping district of Syntagma.
Eventually we asked a police officer - much to Holden's chagrin - for directions, and he pointed and said our desired destination was a block away. Who knew?!!!
So, we found ourselves at an uncrowded Greek restaurant and sat down for dinner and some wine.
Not long after we sat down the place became swollen with customers. After a quick bite to eat and one caraffe of wine poured from a plastic water bottle it became quite chore to get any service in the place.
Still, we persisted. After three more pitchers of bootleg red vino we decided to return to our hotel in the scurvy Omonia district.
Waking up the next day in the hotel we were confronted with an eternal truth of Greece: everything and everywhere is sooooo smokey - Everyone smokes.....all the time!
After breakfast we showered and found a good internet cafe around the corner to do some e-mail and attempt some blogging.
A couple of hours later we returned to the hotel and came
upon Julia's parents getting unpacked.
After a quick hello we walked together down to Monastraki to get some lunch. We sat down outside in a pedestrian coridor adjacent to the cafe we had dinner at the night before. A very friendly waiter served us all the same 'souflaki' dish, which we all enjoyed. Along with feeding us, he introduced us to the pleasure of the Greek beer, Mythos - good beer!
It was a good lunch, even if our server was laughing with his friends at te next table over our apparent naivite about gratuity and common greek phrases - so what?!!
We took the long way home for a rest; braving the dense thicket of crazed greek holiday shoppers. So, Christmas IS a big deal outside of the States! These Orthodox Christians might like shopping as much as Americans do.
This walk-about put us at the hotel at around 6pm for a late-day nap. We did go out for a late dinner around 10:30pm.
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Our first full day together was all about history. After all, one doesn't go to Athens and not visit the Ancient Acropolis on the hill and the
broad Agora just below.
On the way, Holden was struck by the significant amount of street art, a.k.a Graffiti. One artist (previewed here) was prolific in black and yellow pictorials, which were very striking -and all over the city proper.
It was a very beautiful day. Cold in the shade, but very warm walking around in the sun.
We started out in the low-lying Agora below the Acropolis. We payed our entrance fee to the attraction and started our historic tour of Greecian history.
We began with an impressive temple - forgive us if we cannot remember the name, it's been awhile. After circling the monument several times and looking at it's stoas (Open-air hallways) we trodded on to the vast plain of the ancient Agora (market).
Like we said, its been too long to remember the names of all of the things we saw - let alone the fact that we sent home all of the guide maps we had at the time. Hopefully the pictures say enough.
Relica, relics, relics.....................................................
Afterwards we visited the remodeled market and outdoor stoas. We breezed through a small museum of ancient artifacts. This site was
the spot of the innauguation of the European Union's council.
Then it was time to trudge on up the hill to te Acropolis. We have all heard of this place, and anyone who has been to Athens has seen it. It was quite a walk up to the top.
Before enetring the actual Acropolis we paused for scenic view of the city atop a large marble deposit - a view all the way down to the port of Pireaus.
Then we bought another entry pass and entered the Acropolis.
It is regretable that the entryway was totally covered with scaffolding for renovation purposes. Nevertheless, the place is absolutely spectacular.
As mentioned, the ground is marble that has been polished from all of the foot traffic over the ages. Polished to the point of slipping dangerously at any step. Here, another common theme of greece presented itself - Fashionable tourists. Many women and men - especially the women - were dressed to the nines and in leather soles with heels. A treacherous proposition on slippery marble.
We proceeded to circle the ruins and take as many pictures as our memory cars would allow. We also
took in the on-site museum to see many of the artifacts being stored while the place is remodelled.
The highlight of the Acropolis, besides the raw historic architecture, was a cat fight between two felines perched up-high on the Parthenon. Mau and Holden marvelled, while the women proceeded on without noticing. Meow!!!!
Leaving the Acropolis to find some place to have lunch we passed by the two massive outdoor ampitheaters adjacent to the Acropolis.
We strolled through the Plaka and found ourselves at a fish restaurant that we had passed two nights earlier - gotta try it!
So, we tried it. Everything was very good- especially the Ouzo shots at the outset of the meal. The only iffy moment came when the toothless host happily kissed the women goodbye.
Well, this was our first glimpse of Athens, and certainly not our last. For now though, it was time to jet off to Santorini for the holiday - remember, Christmas was only two days away!
We checked out of the Ionis hotel and jumped in a cab that happily sped us to the airport even though we were in no rush at all.
Finally,
we jumped on our 30-seater propeller plane and headed an hour South to the island of Santorini (See next blog)
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As for the title of this blog: let it not reflect badly upon the quality nor character of the Greeks. It is only that 70% of Greek males smoke incessantly and most women chose to dye their hair blonde(or other half-colors) instead of keeping their very dark hair intact - Interesting.
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