Gritty City Sojourn and Family Joys.

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Gritty City Sojourn and Family Joys.

December is here and we realise that the thief of time leaves us with a few weeks until we return home ! But first Nina is coming to visit for 6 days and as we are fetching her from Athens we decide it would be silly not to enjoy a night there before collecting her from the airport. It’s many years since we were last there .

We have done the sight seeing visits to the Acropolis many times, so decide on this occasion to take in a visit to the Ancient Agora and Temple of Hephaestus and otherwise to just wander the streets and markets, absorbing the atmosphere and enjoying the sunshine whilst stopping for endless coffees , snacks and drinks of course!

We stay at the Plaka Hotel, which is in a fairly quiet but central location, has very good beds and bathrooms and is very reasonably priced. Sadly our room is on the 1^st floor which does increase the street noise, but further up would be fine as the glazing is good . The rooftop bar has stunning views of the Acropolis and blankets are provided at night for those wishing to Acropolis gaze...

At Monistiraki Square noise and city smells assault our senses as we exit the Metro. We quickly drop our bags and hit the streets, wandering first through Monistiraki up to Plaka and then on to Acropoli . We stop for a drink in a quiet sunny spot in a square and then wander on . So many old homes and buildings in Plaka have been bought or taken over by galleries or educational facilities and are beautifully restored... and away from the hustle and bustle of the touristed streets of shops and restaurants is a pure delight .... imagine Chelsea village or Suffolk Road area in Cheltenham goes Greek! We climb up steps and along alleyways many offering tantalising glimpses of the Acropolis through bougainvillea overhanging vines. It’s good to escape the madness for a short while.

We wander back down slowly and visit our old favourite haunt ‘O Thanasis’, established in 1964 and now triple the size. Here lamb kofta style kebabs are chargrilled to perfection and married with open warmed grilled flatbreads, onion and beef tomatoes olive oil cooked chips and tzatziki and hot pale green chargrilled peppers and are simply so heavenly that we can’t speak for fear of losing a moment’s focus on the flavours and textures.... simplicity at it’s best. Replete and exhausted from our early start and travel to Athens and the sensory overload that is Athens we decide to nap a while before hitting Psyrri for the evening .

Psyrri is an old area of Athens that has been occupied by people from Naxos , Crete and the provinces for many years . It was dodgy in parts and anti establishment to say the least, with a history of crime , drugs and cartels. It’s revival is quirky, authentic, hipster, atmospheric and just divine. Little cosy bars (ouzeries/mezedopoleon and the like), live Jazz or local traditional Bouzouki music or Rembetika, serving mezedes and Cretan Raki and many Ouzo’s from around the country. Cellar salt- cod Restaurants, traditional Tavernas, Grill houses and even Bistro’s abound as do Coffee houses serving sublime greek sweets , loukamades , baklava, kadeifi and other pastries...

We settle for a hipster bar where we drink gin and wine and complimentary honey raki which is sublime and warming . We chat and observe the other patrons as they slowly nibble on warm flatbreads with grated sheep’s cheese , loukanika (sausage), stuffed grilled peppers and nuts and seeds. The young staff are charming despite our age! We wander on and find a little cosy Cretan mezedopoleon with bags of atmosphere where we graze on courgette balls , salad with soft goats cheese and peppers and meatballs with bread & olive oil washed down with barrel red wine to die for. We note how the Greeks eat and drink slowly, siga siga. The parea(company) and chat more important always than the food and drink although all are enjoyed. After some hours we ask for the bill and are gifted more honey raki . We wander back via the square with the coffee and sweet place and manage to squeeze in a desert (step too far!) and decaf coffee before wandering home and discovering en route an over the top Christmas wonderland in the form of Little Kook which is a cupcake and tea house randomly!!

After a slightly booze induced deep slumber we awake to a sunny warm day and head for the markets .... atmospheric, buzzing, noisy , fresh fish beyond measure, too much meat and cheap bountiful beautiful vegetables, spices and herbal teas- still on the stem and real loofahs abound. We walk beyond and end up in an area where we suddenly feel the atmosphere change, where despite it’s wonderful multi cultural buzz we find we feel slightly unsafe, observing drugged poverty and dirt and grime and I feel overly undressed by many eyes.... so we wander back through Psyrri in search of coffee and sun and enjoy some time in the square before walking through the flea markets of Monistiraki to Ancient Agora. I can never quite get over the amazing antiquity in the city of Athens and once in the grounds feel the serenity and coolness of the ancient marble remains , the statues and mosaics on display and the Temple that is the best preserved in Greece enthralling.

We end our time in the city eating again in a wonderful Taverna run for many many years by a family who own vineyards .... The food is rustic and wholesome and the wine from the barrel the same. We enjoy beetroot with garlic olive oil and a little yoghurt with crusty bread and then veal stew with aubergine puree that is to die for .

Then off to the airport to meet Nina. Excited to see her after so long, we head off on the journey home to the Mani with much excited chatter on the way keeping us all awake after a long day.

We need this time, as this year has been one of so many changes that have been difficult for the whole family, bringing many adjustments and a change in dynamics . It’s so good therefore, as it was with Julia, to spend time , reconnect and share a little of our adventure with them. Ceri being on her own adventure will be so good to catch up with when we all return. Nina is very tired and the air, sun, sea and rest together with good food and walking is of such benefit.

We decide on another hike together, our toughest yet in some ways but shorter than some. Further up in the Viros Gorge we hike down around 550 meters from a beautiful village called Tseria into the gorge , a good kalderimi makes the steep descent a little easier ,into the gorge and back up the other side to Chora around 350 meters , stopping on the edge of the overhanging cliffs to gaze into the gorge and graze on tuna baguettes next to an ancient chapel. Following a little wander around Chora we descend back into the gorge and back up the oh so steep path to Tseria..... Arvin and I lag behind Nina a little as we pause often to rest and regain our breath! Jubilant at the end we eat crisp apples and drink water before wending our way back.

The days pass quickly with a gorgeous drive down the coast to Limeni a tiny fishing village in Oitylo bay, which on a blustery damp Sunday has a Taverna with a warm wood fire next to our table , overlooking the sea and only fresh fish caught that weekend is served. We feast on Dentex fish chargrilled whole, grilled squid and tiger prawns , local horta and feta cheese with olives , bread and oil. The wine is sublime , a local white that is slightly creamy working well with the fish .

We walk to Aghios Nikolaos and spend hours over coffee at the harbour whilst catching up with each other and some local ex pats who fill us in on their recent house purchase and two delightful ladies who have lived here for many years and never looked back..... and we dream again.

Nina and I decide to brave the beach and the water and plunge from the watery winter sunshine into the cold sea , invigorating and revitalising us before dashing home to warm showers and cosy clothing while Arvin plies us with Mediterranean vegetable and butter bean soup and warm crusty bread and yes heaven is ours again.

Before we know it the time together is gone and we say fond farewells to our girl before returning for our final days together here in this gorgeous place. We will sleep, read , walk, yoga on the veranda and dream to our hearts content just because we can . We will reflect on this time and more each day our minds and hearts wander back home pondering on the next step in our new journey and reluctantly little anxieties return but we bat them away as they steal the now , this moment and this time from us.....

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