Athens, 48 Hours Later...

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I didn’t know what to expect when we landed, nor did I have any considerations for what I really wanted to accomplish while in the capital city

Athens felt similar to a tropical desert, but with many instances of brightly foliaged trees, bushes, and very active birds. It smelled tropical, likely due to the sea which you can see if you’re high enough in the city. Trees with wisteria-like purple blooms, bright pinks, magentas, reds, and then brown grass and sand and red stone. Trees ranged from large-trunked palms, to scrub (the common plant along the mountains), to some conifers along mountain basins. While riding the metro it was nice to see the European-style graffiti: brightly coloured with many intricate designs. I was always a fan of the graffiti in Italy, and had forgotten my affinity until we were travelling along the Blue Line Metro (a newer metro line I’m told). The scenery along the blue line really introduced you to a major European city; many aspects of the architecture had the old feel to it, with an increasing urban spread as we got closer and closer to the heart of the city. Eventually we went underground and the scenic route changed as more and more people added to our metro car.

After close to 24 hours of travelling we had managed to take two metro lines and finally heard our exit station. 3rd of September… that’s the street name we had to start with based on the hostel’s online navigation instructions. We managed to ask directions at a nearby hostel and kept heading further from the Omonai (Omonia, pronounced Ammonia) station. The streets are designed similar to those in Italy, slippery tile and all. Many people were very openly friendly, especially towards someone who very clearly looked like they were lost. After being mistaken for an Italian, and an American, being directly two very different directions (with all the best intentions), we found our hostel, Hotel Aristoteles. And it had elevators for our bags! After experiencing other hostels with multiple floors and very narrow staircases (this one included), an elevator was an unexpected surprise. Rachel and I made our way up to 210 (actually 3 floors above the main one), to unpack. Bunkbed style for the four of us, with a great view of a local business (Blossom’s excel file looked very sharp). Another unexpected surprise was the air conditioning. Which we took advantage of after carting our luggage around the Metro in 25-30 degree heat. It was not as muggy as I expected, and it was comparatively cool, with a faint breeze. Emilie was going to join us at the hostel after her later flight, so we took it pretty easy that afternoon. In fact, we participated in a very common European practice: siesta. And my goodness it’s a great way to get over jetlag.

Five people with the Kallithea project were at our hostel, four in our room and one upstairs. The plan for the first night was to adjust to the time difference (9 hours ahead of Edmonton), get to know the area a bit, and then meet the KKAP team at the taverna for 9pm (standard dinner hour in Greece). We were interested in seeing what our hostel area had to offer, and explored a bit before realizing we were really in a residential area, further from the sites, with less availability for exploring. Our second option was to start exploring the Plakas area and see some of the more touristy areas near where our taverna was located. Finally, a chance to really get to see what Athens had to offer – with lovely tour guides who had been to Athens multiple times before.

First impressions of the city – a lot of history….

A lot to take in. Major cities like this one, with such a rich history really allow its visitors to take out of it what they’re wanting. For classics majors who are well-versed in the mythology, history, and ongoing research, it’s almost an affirmation of their studies, or a physical application of their years of research. As someone who knows very little about the area, such as myself, but who has learned certain appreciations for aspects of the history, I did feel like I was missing out a little bit, but was cognizant of the fact that this is just round 1. There is so much going on that I really want to give it the true respect and appreciation that it should receive. Having said that, I was still very excited to get a glimpse of what the archaeology and history represent, from the Classicists who are considerably well-versed.

Plakas surrounds the area around the Acropolis, which you see when you look up. This Acropolis is the most well-known one for Greece, and is capitalized because of its importance for Greek history. It is also one of the most diagnostic images for Greece, specifically Athens. It is very elevated and can be seen throughout the Plakas. In the Plakas itself, little markets and restaurants line the cobbled side-streets, producing smells, sounds, and many typical souvenir vendors. Most of the popular side-streets had fair lights criss-crossed from side to side, adding a festive, and very welcoming flare to the markets. You feel very safe and truly comfortable within these surroundings. I think I could explore Plakas for many afternoons. The shops are in the lower level and have their store-fronts entirely open; the upstairs presumably held apartments. Many beautiful and tight-nit older architectural buildings line the streets of Plakas. We took one side-street and found a bench outside of a beautiful Byzantine church nestled within the buildings and a wonderfully-smelling taverna.

The food has already exceeded my hopes, and I could probably discuss the food in a whole section itself. The first thing we had in Athens was gelato, as it was too late to have a proper meal before dinner, and too early for dinner to merely wait. Plus… gelato (for those that know me this is an essential food group). We went to “Queen Gelato” a few times in our travels, located across from the Acropolis Museum and with free wifi. They also had vegan gelato (not sure how it works, but man was it delicious). Between both of our gelato-escapades I was able to have a nutella / Cinnamon (with crumbled biscuits) combo, and then a coconut (with finely grated pieces of coconut) / pineapple combo. There is something about gelato in Europe… it’s fresher, a stronger flavour, and doesn’t sit very heavy.

Dinner that night at the Taverna (whose name escapes me at the moment) was a celebration put on by Margriet as we all met within the city to discuss travel plans, celebrate the start of the field season, and to really partake within the Greek cuisine. She ordered our party of 13 bottles of white wine and dish after dish of traditional Greek food. The tsaziki had fresh garlic in it and was perfect for the fresh crusty bread on the table. Next were zucchini and cheese fritters (fried, like a meatball), which had excellent seasonings and fresh (non greasy) flavouring. Perfect with a light squeeze of a lemon. Garbanzo is similar to our humus back home, and went well with the bread or the fried crispy potatoes that were brought out (similar to french fries). Bowls of Greek salad, with onions, olives, cucumber, and tomatoes came next, with a light olive oil, oregano and lemon juice dressing. The tomatoes here are fresh and flavourful like Ontario’s, and the cucumbers remind me of the cucumbers from Italy. A baked bean dish (large beans, that were baked in a red-orange sauce that I can’t fully describe) had a base flavour comparable to real baked beans back home. The wine was emptied and refilled, and was a sweeter flavourful white with a crisp finish. A dish of roasted red peppers in an olive oil/vinegar soak were served cool and soft. After we had our fill of the vegetarian and vegan dishes, Margriet ordered a special meat dish for the carnivores in the group. Amazing beef/oregano meatballs that were coated in a thin layer of olive oil, and lightly pan-fried potatoes. My mouth is watering just thinking about them. Dessert included freshly sliced oranges (which grow here), and apples that were thinly sliced and lightly dusted in cinnamon. We were there for many hours and it really did feel like a welcoming family dinner that will introduce us to cultural traditions, amazing cuisine, and necessary team bonding for the upcoming season. The Taverna was also located along an outdoor courtyard, fairy lights around the street, near a “stepped” restaurant cluster that are located at alternating elevations up towards the Acropolis.

As we wandered through the midnight streets in Athens, navigating our ways back according to recognizable context points I felt really comfortable in my settings. I felt adjusted, and similar to how I was in Rome, like I was self-sufficient and had my sense of direction realigned. Our area wasn’t the best for a solo traveler late at night, but in our group we were more than secure. I didn’t know what to expect day 1, but I sure felt more comfortable and adjusted than I thought I would after two full days. I had also successfully avoided jetlag. Athens was growing on me, and I could definitely see myself coming back here.

Day 2 was more about being an “Archaeological tourist” in Athens, complete with Classics-student tour guides. It was Museum day, so we had the opportunity to check out the Acropolis Museum for free, the Acropolis itself, and some other important focal points such as the Birthplace of Democracy, the Agora (a famous ancient marketplace), Hadrian’s Wall, and the areas around the Acropolis. We got incredibly lucky with our dates, as it was sunny, the sites weren’t that busy when we were exploring them, and we had the right amount of sunscreen for the sunny afternoon. I am really thankful for the opportunity to be introduced to my study area at the sites and with the materials in person. While in the Acropolis museum Alex’s keen eye found me relief artwork with a ram that I could photograph, which will provide a perfect reference image for my research. It is important to locate references made to sheep and goat in ancient contexts for papers, presentations and other materials that I use from here on out.

I really liked the Plakas neighbourhood, which was even more evident day 2. For those who have travelled with me before, they know how much I like to people watch and just sit and take in everything. We had the opportunity to do this over a late lunch (~2pm). I got my first taste for feta (just for you Victoria), saganaki (fried cheese), and pork gyro (a plate of tomatoes, onions, shaved pork, pita, tsaziki, and olive-oil pan-fried potatoes), which is consumed over the course of about an hour. Everything has so much flavour and tastes as if it was grown/raised behind the restaurant. I got the chance to start practicing Greek with the wait staff and have managed to learn a few words each day:

Hello – Yasas (pronounced yas-as); Yes – Ne; No – Ahi; Thank you – Efharisto (emphasis on the “sto”). I think I have struggled with Thank you in particular, but am assured that if I mumble the first part and really emphasize the “sto” I’m doing it right. There were a few parts during the day that I said it right, unprompted, and garnered a full Greek response. So, it’s a work in progress.

Emilie and I had the time after lunch to walk up to and explore the Necropolis, which has what I consider to be the best 360’ view of the entire city. You really get to see how large Athens is, with its 70km span, when you are high enough to be immersed in the house of the Gods. You can see the sea to the east, Olympic stadium, the Parthenon, ongoing restorative work, an ancient (and still active) theatre, the birthplace of democracy (complete with podium), and some of the more mountainous regions. I couldn’t get over how much marble there is, and it’s everywhere. We got really lucky with how not-busy it was at the top, as we could really take in the views, the sites, and (admittedly) a few selfies. The student volunteers here with me have really taken it upon themselves to be my introductive tour guides and I am really grateful to hear and understand their insight as I similarly explore the city, albeit through a different set of eyes and perspective.

Night 2 was our Canadian Institute in Greece (CIG) meeting, where Margriet gave a public talk on the last year(s) worth of excavation, which was really a great opportunity to learn about the contexts and interpretations for the building we will continue to work with this season. Many aspects of it were new to other students, and the materials were all new to me! Michael had provided information on the faunal materials as well, which introduced me to the types of animals that had been located to date. An exciting, and completely unexpected, end to Margriet’s talk, was a “shoutout” of sorts to me and my future research for the site. What a way to be introduced and welcomed to the CIG and KKAP. It provided a good segue to meet new colleagues during the reception that followed. It also let me get to know a little bit more about what my KKAP colleagues are working on, how their research has progressed and what to expect for our building this lab season. This is our last season working on building 10 (at least that’s the current plan), with further exploration in years to come. It really was a great introduction to the season, and I’m getting more and more excited for what is to come.

It’s now the start of Day 3 and we have packed up the vans and are travelling northeast to Narthaki – our home for the next 5 weeks. With Margriet driving and 6 of us (in this van) able to fully appreciate the local scenery, I find myself excited, increasingly welcomed into the KKAP family, and more amazed by the scenery as we travel further away from Athens. Mountains envelope the terrain covered in foliage (either green brush or a type of coniferous tree), azzurous blue waters in one area, and pockets of densely populated villages, followed by mostly greenery. The mountains remind me of parts of Scotland, but with less bright greenery and more Italian-style vegetation, similar to the view I had from Via Matera in Italy. The drive is about 3-4 hours (depending on stops and traffic), and I’m appreciating the scenery. More or less, I’m just trying to take it all in and appreciate it the best I can.

Next stop, Narthaki.

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