The ABC's of Greece - A is for Athens
I had a most amazing two-week trip to Greece in September 2021 and am very delinquent in writing about it. I’m really going to need to speed this blogging thing up if I want to keep people’s interest! The trip included several days in Athens, a few exploring the Cyclades Islands via boat, and then ended with a stay on Crete. I’ll share details about the trip in three posts focusing on Athens, Boat and Crete. I’ve already posted about the Covid-related challenges in getting there via Doha and things couldn’t have been more different in Greece. A simple Passenger Locator Form and a breeze through the airport. I really don’t know why it’s taken me till the age of 52 to finally visit Greece – there always seemed some other priority place to go – but I’m now a very big fan. Greece is a wonderful country and definitely on the list of places to which I’ll return. The rich history and culture, the beautiful food and weather, and the warmth of the people make it an easy and wonderful destination.
Impressions of Athens
I can’t tell you the number of people who said “don’t spend more than a day in Athens”, “there’s nothing to do besides the Acropolis” and “it’s such an ugly city”. I found that all to be very bad advice. We (a group of 5 long-time friends) spent 4 nights there and could easily have added a few more onto our itinerary. I will agree that Athens is not the most beautiful city I have ever seen, it had been a pretty small city until the early 20th century and then exploded with growth after the wars. That quick growth resulted in a lot of unattractive housing, industrial/commercial buildings and poor infrastructure to support the city. Sidewalks are small, streets are crowded and dusty and Athenians seem to have a love for graffiti, it’s everywhere throughout the city. Much of it is just plain old ugly graffiti but there are some bits of nice “street art” too. If you look past all of these “faults” and peek under the surface a bit there is a vibrant cultural scene with fantastic restaurants, some of the best bars in the world, open-air cinemas and an unmatched zest for life. And, of course, history on every corner, beyond just the Acropolis.
Where we stayed and the neighborhood
We opted to stay in an Airbnb in the Gazi neighborhood. I chose an Airbnb for this trip because we were a group of five friends and I wanted to have the more engaging setting of us all being together versus if we were all staying in separate hotel rooms. Gazi is just on the outskirts of the central historic core and takes its name from the old municipal natural gas station that was located there (now an arts and culture center). It’s also one of the newest hip and trendy areas of town – loaded with restaurants, bars and lots of nightlife. In spite of its trendiness, the neighborhood feels quiet and residential during the day and there were still visible signs of gentrification (such as vacant buildings and lots) throughout. It was good place to stay and the Airbnb was incredible – an older home modernized by a renowned architect with an indoor pool and open-air breezeway connecting the one of the bathrooms to the main living area. The house is called Villa Meliti Keramikos and is also accessible directly on the management company’s website. The management company could not have been more helpful and accommodating, responding to all my requests before and during the trip promptly. It was a bit of a walk to the central historic area but there was an easy-to-use metro stop (as well as a supermarket) close by. There were many good restaurants and bars within easy walking distance, some we visited were Cozy Cozy, the Blue Parrot, and Rakor. Highly recommended! Upon arrival in Athens we settled in and explored the local neighborhood and bars.
Day One - History
For our first full day we jumped right into the famous history of the city with a guided tour of the Acropolis using a firm called Tours With Locals. I’ve used them several times before and I really appreciate the private experience and the fact that the guides are people from and living in the cities you visit. We booked the “skip the line” Acropolis and Acropolis Museum tour with Elisavet, a very well-informed art historian. The tour itself was fantastic and the Acropolis even better. I won’t detail every nook and cranny here (these blog posts get too long as it is) since there is already so much information online about it but needless to say it was absolutely incredible. The hill itself, the ruins around it’s base, and the various temples on top are different than you’d expect. There’s a lot more to it than just the Parthenon, which gets all the glory. It was a bit surreal (an overused term to be sure) to be actually walking on and around a place so steeped in Western history and about which you learned so much as a kid and through mythology. The relatively new Acropolis Museum is just a few steps away and dedicated to the housing much of the original artifacts from in and around the site. Its design is modeled on the Parthenon with the top floor approximately the shape, size, and layout of the temple itself. It’s full of statues and original artifacts as well as model of what the site looked like at different periods of history. Fascinating as it was, we were getting a bit tired and Elisavet smartly breezed us through the major highlights. One of which was replicas of what the colorful friezes of the Parthenon were like and then as much recreation of them as possible with actual artifacts from the building. We opted for lunch at the museum’s restaurant – the food was fantastic, amazing views of the Acropolis, a few bottles of rosé wine. We were well good to go after this fantastic meal.
We walked back to the Airbnb along the Apostolou Pavlou, a beautiful and famous pedestrian walkway which hugs the historic center and allows for additional views of various other historical sites, churches and open-air cinemas. We had to stop for an ice cream treat of course (I had yogurt, walnuts, and honey ice cream – a Greek breakfast staple) and then a short rest before the evening’s activities.
That first evening we had arranged to go back to the Acropolis area to attend a concert at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, which is an ancient (dating to 161 AD) restored stone amphitheater still in use today. We’d seen it earlier on our tour of the Acropolis but now it was bustling with people as this was one of the first big events there due to Covid restrictions. The concert we were seeing was the German operatic tenor Jonas Kaufmann. Now I am not particularly an Opera buff but hearing this deep and moving music in this beautiful and historic setting was a perfect combination. The backdrop of the theater was illuminated in beautiful colors and the music soared into the clear night sky. This was really a special experience and one that will remain a highlight for me during my lifetime. What made it even more special was that my new Greek friend Eleni flew in from Crete to attend the concert with us, this was our first meeting in person! After the show, we again walked the Apostolou Pavlou and ended up having a late dinner and drinks at a Cuban restaurant of all things. The Buena Vista Social Bar was hopping though and this was the perfect ending to a perfect (and long) first day.
Day Two - Food
For our second day in Athens, we decided to sleep in a bit to recover from the late night and the time zone adjustments we were still making. The plan for the day was another Tours With Locals tour, this time a food tour of the city with Georgia. Georgia is a passionate foodie and a food writer who knows all the best places to eat and purchase local treats. The tour included the Central Municipal Athens Market, spirits, olives, feta and meats, Greek delight (don’t call it Turkish), herbs, tea, and souvlaki (among many other things). Georgia was also very knowledgeable about the local neighborhoods, highlighting key architectural and historic points of interest from Omonia Square to Monastiraki. It was another terrific and informative (and delicious) tour. Unfortunately it ended on a bit of a bad note for me as my day bag was stolen while we were enjoying souvlaki and wine at our last stop. As in any city, you need to be careful with your belonging and mindful of pickpockets and scams. I think Athens may have slightly more of this but it’s certainly not a dangerous place. This was my own fault though as I had placed my bag on a stool next to me while we were eating. Though I checked on it from time to time, it only took a second for someone to grab it. Of course it was full of my wallet, credit cards, our passports, and other less valuable items. Trying to keep up a positive spirit for the team and Georgia, we quickly went into the mode of cancelling cards and determining what to do about the passports. Georgia was very helpful and engaged the police for us so that we could visit the tourist police station and file a report. The keys to the Airbnb were in there too so some of the group went back to make sure someone was not able to get into the house (luckily the Airbnb people were really helpful and responsive about this too). We were able to secure appointments at the US Embassy for the next morning to get replacement passports and then my spouse and I headed to The Clumsies to drown my sorrows (it really helped). The bar is currently ranked as the number four top bar in the world and its reputation is well deserved. I could drink the Aegean Negroni all day!
Final Day - Everything else
The plan for our last full day in Athens had to be altered since my spouse and I had to spend most of the morning at the US Embassy getting our temporary, emergency passports. All-in-all the process was pretty seamless, though we had a scare in that my spouse’s was not ready until almost 5 pm and they closed at that time. But it all worked out in the end. While we waited for the processing in the morning, we slipped to Syntagma Square to see the Greek Parliament House and the famous Evzones infantry unit who guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We also had a chance to pop into the Hotel Grande Bretagne for a late (luxury) breakfast. That would have been a wonderful hotel to stay in as well, very historic. In the afternoon, the group got back together and we explored Monastiraki Square, Hadrian’s Library and had an impromptu lunch at a place called Dioskouroi (so-so as impromptu lunches often are). We strolled through the Ancient Agora of Athens (the market area in classic Greek time) and visited the Temple of Hephaestus, which is practically fully intact, the only ancient temple to be so well standing. The day ended with a lovely stroll through the neighborhood of Plaka, one of the oldest areas of Athens and oozing charm of twisted and hilly streets and colorful homes. We walked out way up to see Hadrian’s Arch and then, after a lot of walking, took a taxi back to The Clumsies for a rest and break. My spouse raced off to get his passport and then rejoined us later. Passports safely in hand, we were all set to head off to Mykonos the next morning.
Blacking out, a state characterized by impaired or lost memory during intoxication, raises critical questions about its long-term effects on the brain. This guide navigates the complex terrain, providing a comprehensive understanding of how blacking out may contribute to potential harm to cognitive functions and overall brain health.
Dive into the exploration of the physiological impact of blacking out, unraveling the potential risks and consequences associated with repeated episodes. Understanding the connection between substance-induced blackouts and potential brain damage is crucial for those seeking insight into their own experiences or supporting others on their journey toward recovery.
As you navigate through the guide, gain valuable knowledge about the factors influencing blackouts, strategies for harm reduction, and the significance of seeking…