Athens. We rode in from Hydra on a "Flying Dolphin" high-speed ferry, which was smaller than the Flying Cat we took out. The cool thing was that the ship had these strut-wing things under the boat, so once it got underway the ship actually lifted up out of the water and skimmed along on top on the wings. The not so cool part was the a/c didn't work well so it was a hot sweaty ride.
We took the Green Metro Line 1 for six stops to Thissio and found our room in about five minutes. The room. Ugh. We have had such nice places and good luck... this room is actually depressing. Well, the inside is. Plain, dark, crowded… however it is a place to sleep and has a good shower and AC. Oh well, just 2 nights, we will be out and about all day, the location is great so... off we go.
Just down at the corner is a great cafe. I had a bacon-chicken pita wrapped gyro; Gail had a mini one. It was wonderful with beer, cheap (what is it with American fast food and the high prices?) and the people watching was superb.
We walked and wandered most of old Athens this afternoon, from Syntagma to Monastiraki, the Tower of the Winds and through the Plaka. First impressions of Athens: hot, noisy, kind of grungy, crowded, lots of graffiti interspersed with little things of beauty. Just as we were immediately awestruck and enchanted with Paris, Venice and Rome, not so much here. Not at all, really. I can see it will take a while to grow on me.
We went to Syntagma square on purpose so I could see what all the riots and fuss are about… nothing. Quiet and peaceful, but crowded. A few people debating, one bit of anti-E.U. graffiti on a wall near by.
As it turned to night the entire Acropolis and Temple of Hephaestus in the Agora are brilliantly lit, a bright beacon over the dark hills below. The pedestrian streets are packed and alive, and at 22:30 it is hard to find a seat at a cafe. But we do, and while it is fun watching the city roll by, our food is so-so and the wine ho-hum. Maybe tomorrow.
Up and to breakfast at 7:00 so we could drop off a load of laundry and head up to the Acropolis before the heat of the day. We had to wind through the streets, over here and there, past shuttered businesses.
We were on time, the Greek owner was on Greece time and he showed up, more or less, around eightnine o'clock.
We walked up the hill, to one of the back gates (no lines) and got our tickets. The we started the long climb up the hill.
The Parthenon and other buildings are very impressive, and we wandered and stared for several hours. Athens is spread out below, all over the surrounding hills, white boxy houses; you can tell exactly where the city ends.
We wander down off the hill and stop at yesterday's lunch café for water, beer and a quick gyro fix before continuing on to the Ancient Agora.
We have downloaded these walking tours from Rick Steves. They are available free as podcasts or just downloads from his website.
So as we wandered around the Parthenon, and later around the Agora, we listened to his descriptions of what was around us. (We also did this in Rome.) This, combined with reading ahead of time made these places much more meaningful, at least for us.
Well, all this history today is amazing, almost to the point of ABS. (Antiquities Burnout Syndrome) Temples, Corinthian columns, Ionic columns, cradle of western civilization, 500BCE and on and on. Not that it isn't amazing, it is just overwhelmingly so. We ditched out to wander the area below: the Plaka, Monastiraki and the Ermou shopping street. As the afternoon heated up, around 4:00 we decided to join the locals and hang out in the shade at a bar, to sit and watch sweaty tourists stagger by and read our books. The Greeks around us all play furious games of backgammon while drinking iced coffees or beer. You know, big city to obscure village, you can really capture the pulse of a place sitting in the café. This is such a great thing about Europe, you buy a drink, even a bottle of water, and you have bought the table for as long as you care to sit. No pressure to buy more, to pay and leave. So this is how I am finishing my second book of the trip. (Another Bullshit Night In Suck City by Nick Flynn. The first was Marching Powder about being in prison in South America and the cocaine trade. Both great travel reads.)
Thus passed a relaxing afternoon. As it got later and cooler the locals drifted off while tourists drifted in for dinner (about 18:30). The real dinner time starts around 22:00. Good luck finding a seat at the most trendy or popular places after then.
Last night we found a little place with an upstairs terrace; local food with a view over the flood-lit Acropolis. But, by the time we found it, there were no tables available, so I snagged the last open reservation for tonight and here we are. A bottle of red wine, sort of tuna-fish steaks (with lemon of course) sliced potatoes baked with tomatoes, peppers and cheese, Gail's Byzantine salad, hot bread, water (with ice!) walnut cake with ice cream for dessert plus coffee... €40.
The view was free.