Athens, Greece

On the streets of Athens.

     Arriving in Greece was a reunion with an old friend. Wine shops, girls in little summer dresses, and shoe stores galore. But before the shopping extravaganza could commence, we had to find our hotel. Conveniently, the metro was connected to the airport, so we hopped on, suitcases and all. What we didn't realize, however, was how quickly the train would fill up. Consequently, we were smashed against Greeks of all shapes and sizes. Quickly, we realized that switching train lines was going to be a feat of physical strength. Dragging our two months of clothing and gifts along, we huffed and puffed to downtown Athens. Realizing that we needed a cab to our final destination, we hopped in and were taken to our hotel. Or at least, the first hotel.

     Arriving at our hotel, we discovered that our attempt to save money meant shady/sketchy/leaving immediately. Grabbing our overstuffed bags and running, we caught another cab to the hotel our friend, Hashim, was staying at. Becca knew Hashim from her Persian class, and he decided to meet us for a few days in Greece. Unfortunately, he befell a bit of bad luck in Greece. His passport was stolen, and as he is a Pakistani citizen, it took a bit to receive a new one. Thus, he ended up spending most of his summer residing in a Greek hotel. 

     Arriving at the new hotel, we were relieved to find a clean, modern establishment. It was small, but the older couple that owned it were very friendly, albeit quite lazy. We tugged our suitcases up a few flights of stairs, then set off to explore the city of Athens.

Outside of hotel Athinaikon.

     Outside our hotel was a plethora of things to see, starting with the flower and plant store next door. There were flowers covering every spare inch of space, and it was delightful to see so much green around. Besides the more modern stores and architecture, Athens reminded us a lot of Jordan. A bit run down, but a lot of character. 

Taking a break from shopping and exploring.

     On Thursday morning, we set off in a search of real coffee, the weeks of Nescafe had us longing for the real thing. On our way, we stopped at a local street vendor for cinnamon raisin breakfast pastries. Becca and I said goodbye to Hashim, as he set off to the embassy for a new passport. We spent a few hours shopping and browsing Greek fashion. On this day, a pension bill was passed in Greece, reducing benefits and increasing the retirement age. This was an attempt to reduce their debt. There was a huge protest in front of the Parliament, so we rushed to get there, to be amidst the police officers on horseback and throngs of Greek activists. The twelve thousand protesters managed to shut down central Athens. It was a completely new city at night. The lights sparkled, and the city comes alive. Greeks have dinner very late at night, ten pm is the normal dining time. Tourists are the only ones seen in restaurants before then. Our explorations led us to some very interesting finds, including this artist's studio.

An artist's studio.

     There were many art galleries around Athens, and this one happened to be attached to the artist's studio. Below the gallery, through a little wooden opening, were stone steps leading to this creative environment. Half-finished paintings, oil paint, and a pottery fire showed us another side to Athens, the hidden artistic side. Along with this little gem, we managed to have dinner at the most delectable restaurant in Greece- Paradosiako. The hand-written menu and husband and wife duo made the most memorable restaurant experience in Greece. The Greek salad was fresh and tasty, as was the squid, octopus, and cod. Everything was plated and presented wonderfully as well. The other restaurants that we had been to comprised of tourist dishes and prices. This was local and deliciously authentic. One treat that we quickly became used to was the complimentary melon as a dessert. This sweet treat was always a refreshing way to end the evening. The next day began our historic part of our adventure.

The Erechtheum at the Acropolis.

     Our first stop Friday morning was to the Acropolis. The Parthenon is at the center. This area was full of tourists, and we only stayed long enough to take a few pictures and read the signs scattered about.

The Parthenon, at the center of the Acropolis.

     The view however, was stunning. Overlooking the city established a deep appreciation for where we were, and the significance of the area.

The view of Athens from the Acropolis.

     Our next stop was the Temple of Zeus, or what remained of it. The Statue of Zeus was located here, and was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. We also stopped at the National Gardens. While the Gardens were pretty, the most striking aspect was the turtle pond. After experiencing much of Athens, I was ready for further our exploration. But which island to go to?

Temple of Zeus.