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Published: November 21st 2009
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Touchdown to Athens, Greece. Named after Athena, daughter of Zeus, Goddess of wisdom, the birth place of democracy, the staging arena of western philosophy, the epicenter of art and culture which has been replicated time and time again, stands as one of the oldest cities in the world dating back to 5000 BC. There are excavation sights throughout the city, some gated off and others open to the public. One was recently discovered in central Athens by the public transit system as they were digging a vent for their subway line. Whoops! Now it's just another sight amongst the hundreds you can walk by. Uncovered earth exposing man-size pottery, stone walls, and baths.
After two nights in Athens I moved north on suggestions made by a few travellers I met in Istanbul, and scurried on to the sleepy mountain town of Meteora. After three buses and six hours of being in transit, I found myself within a mythical landscape where 800 years ago, hermit monks claimed the areas pillared peaks seeking solitude and enlightenment. Here they constructed testimonial monasteries to their Christian God atop the 1000 foot pinnacles. Back in the day, the only way to enter the towering monuments
Refuge From Way On High
The religiously devoted sure knew how to pick the best spots in the world to raise a family. -- Monastery in Meteora. was by being hoisted up by rope and a wicker basket or net. I had read in the museum that when the monks were asked how did they know when to replace the ropes, the monks simply responded with, "When the Lord lets them break." Today this holy place is all but a tourist stop and a really great place to rock climb.
I slept in my tent for the last time in Meteora. On my second night there, they were calling for snow.
From Meteora, I ventured south again. I started my day at 8am taking the three buses again back to Athens. I then booked the early evening ferry to the isle of Santorini and traveled five and a half hours by boat to it's tiny harbor. I arrived at a half pass midnight. I then negotiated with a seemingly sweet old lady, who knew very little English, for a ride into the town I was staying in for 5 euro. I got into her van and we drove up through the countless switchbacks that hugged the sea cliff walls and then was taken another 15 minutes into the darkness of a misty island. I was
taken to her hotel which she insisted I stay at and not to my final destination as I had hoped. Trying to communicate I had paid for a place to stay at already and didn't need another bed, she then tried to charge me double for the ride. We settled on 7 euro. No big deal. The only problem was I wasn't where I was suppose to be, AND she wasn't going to take me unless I paid her more. I had no clue where I was. So I asked her if she had heard of the hotel I was staying at and she pointed down the street into the black abyss of darkness and said "5 minute" and then motioned with her hand to the left.
"Do I need to turn left? or is it on the left?" - I asked.
She simply nodded.
"Okay. Thank you very little." - I said with a smile as she padded me on the shoulder, grinning, with a look that seemed to say, 'Good luck.'
30 minutes later... I was still walking down this frigging road. No cars. No bars. Nothing seemed to be on this road. It
Tolerance And Acceptance
-- on the streets of Athens. started to rain. It was more like a drizzle really. I was about to turn back and take a side street where I noticed some lights in the far distance when I noticed a few dim lights coming up ahead of me. I walked on and came across a 24 hour bakery?!? I couldn't believe my luck. On this tiny island where not a soul seemed to be stirring at this dead hour of night, there was this glowing bakery of refuge in the middle of desolation. I stuck my head in, soaked with perspiration and drizzle, exhausted from the 17 hour commute of buses, ferries, and wacky old Greek ladies, and asked the young guy behind the counter if he knew "Hotel Katrina?" He motioned with his hand to the left not saying a word just as the old lady had done a half hour ago.
"Do I need to turn left? or is it on the left?!" - I asked, once again.
He just kept motioning in silence.
"How far?" - I asked.
Maybe not understanding my exhausted English, he just smiled and again motioned to the left.
"Thank you."
Fuckin hell!!!
"The World's Most Beautiful Sunset"
It was on this day I learned my sister Rachel had gotten engaged. I toasted to both her and her fiance Antonio as the day breathed it's last breath. -- Oia, Santorini. So I set off once again, laughing out loud at the madness of it all. At least I knew I was heading in the right direction. AND THEN... not but 100 yards down the street, I finally found myself standing within the threshold of my hotel which was on the left hand side of the road. It took three rings of the bell and a few heavy knocks on the door before I awoke the inn keeper who, in an annoyed sleepy silence, showed me to my dorm room. It was 0200am when my head hit the pillow.
Santorini, it is claimed, has the world's most beautiful sunset. How does one make such a claim? Regardless, it is indeed magical. Villages of bleach white walls, blue dome roofs, windmills, and churches make for quite a sight. They hang of the edge of a 260m high sea wall that sits facing west at the setting sun overlooking the Mediterranean making for a unique experience unsurpassed by any other destination in the world. I spent three nights on the island, cruising it's coast line on a rented ATV. It was the best way to get around.
Santorini is also quite
NOT Exceeding The Speed Limit.
Old man with burro. -- Santorini. possibly the site of the lost city of Atlantis. Whether it is or not, one thing is for certain, in 1500 BC a cataclysmic volcanic event sank half the island into the sea and with it much of it's known ancient history.
I returned to Athens on an early morning ferry and tried to rest after the nonstop eight day whirlwind tour, but it was time again to ready myself for my next departure to North Africa.
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Ashley
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Raymond, your pictures are AWESOME... especially the bakery one! haha. safe travels!