Athens Hotels
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trash worker strike in the birthplace of democracy
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I boarded a train for Greece from Istanbul early in the morning and rolled out of town in a Harry Potter-esque cabin all to myself. A lot of the journey was along the coast and was very scenic- but took a long time, with no available food, and after we stopped in Greece, we had to pack 4 of us and the driver, our large bags and two guitars, into a tiny car and drive to the next town because the Greek train station wasn't being serviced. After unfolding from the clown car and a bus even further, we finally hopped on the remaining train route to Thessaloniki around dusk- so much for the scenery- and rolled in there around midnight. Luckily there were hotel choices close to the train station- I grabbed one of the first ones, dropped my bag, luckily found a late night gyro place in the midst of a number of strip clubs, ate and went to bed. Got up the next day to explore a bit of Thessaloniki, and purchase the rest of my train ride to Athens.
I was told at first there was only an overnight train at 7 p.m. but after noticing the train scheduled at 2:54 p.m., was told that yes there is a train then, but it won't leave until after 3 because there is a train strike from noon to 3. Ooookay... saw what there was to see there (not too much that I could tell) and bordered the train to Athens. While the sun remained we traveled across large mountains capped with snow with patched farm land stretched across valleys, and at some point saw former home of the gods Mount Olympus (although wasn't sure which peak).
Arrived around 8 and in typical style did not have a place to stay, but found an internet cafe and located a hostel nearby.
It was in a sketchy area (as are all the Athens hostels according to the reviews) with a number of working women and sex shops nearby, but thankfully within easy walking distance to the main attractions. Was greeted by two North Americans (one was Canadian) and a bottle of Bacardi and fruit juice, perfect. Spent the next day getting settled, doing laundry, my taxes (or at least asking for an extension), and other long put off duties. While looking for a place to eat that night caught my first sight of the Acropolis, large walls seemingly natural extensions of the cliffs they are built on lit brilliantly from below- quite a sight.
The next day started at the Archaeological Museum, a huge museum with artifacts from all over Greece that did a good job stepping through the major time periods of Greek history. It had numerous sculpture that did a good job showing the evolution of styles to the impressive and highly realistic statues that are the most well known today.
Walking around and having eaten a few meals, I was starting to think that other than feta cheese and good salads the only food available was gyros or variations thereof.
I mean I like gyros but for every meal? And if it wasn't a gyro, it was strips of meat laying over a pita bread with some tomato and onions (okay I'm no expert but this looks just like an open gyro to me). But of course there is more- with the help of a local couch surfer friend I tried spinach pie, vine leaf wrapped rice, and some other foods that added to the variety. And with a couple of the Bacardi drinkers went to dinner at a restaurant that serves all food as it was prepared and eaten around 500 B.C.- so no sugar or other modern spices and eaten with hands off of earthern ware. A very cool experience helped along by the very good sweet wine served with it.
At times it was a bit tough to enjoy due to smoking- everyone, everywhere, all the time (I would estimate even worse than Turkey) as well as the overflowing piles of trash along the streets due to an ongoing trash workers' strike. It is hard to think of an industry with such an ability to make its strike known and effective as the workers who pick up garbage. At times piles showed (and smelled) recent evidence of being burned, unknown by who. As I was now officially in the EU the exchange rate wasn't very favorable with the Euro, although the money is very recognizable and is designed to make sense (a 50 cent piece is bigger than the 20 cent, which is bigger than 10 and all the same color).
Saving the Acropolis for last, I spent a day wandering around the ruins scattered around the base, including the Zeus Temple, the Theatre of Dionysius, and Ancient Agora. These were impressive monuments to the ancient Greek's ability to construct huge, beautiful, ornate temples and courtyards, as well as a testament to the ravages of time and the impermanence of our magnificent constructions. Usually only the foundations remained although there was one impressive almost fully intact temple hall and many still standing huge columns. But overshadowing all and a constant landmark was the Acropolis itself majestically perched atop sheer unassailable cliffs. Visiting it on Sunday, when it was free and of course most crowded, and in the midst of a large number of restoration projects did not detract from its majesty.
Some intricately carved details (or reconstructions) were still visible in the columns and roof faces, towering above the low walls on the side and the immense sprawl of Athens. The city has truly spread to the foothills as far as the eye can see and beyond, all one seeming mass of buildings of rounghly identical height and a maze of streets. I didn't get a chance to wander much beyond the area of my hostel and the main tourist zone but would have only barely scratched the surface.
I did notice the Greek Orthodox Churches of whatever age and location were preserved, even when a newer building had to be built around and sometimes over the existing structure.
It is considered disprespectful / sacreligious to destroy an existing one, so often tiny little churches would pop up unexpectedly and often not aligned with the modern infrastructure, but charming. The insides were often relatively simple with only flat frescoes, mosaics, or paintings of religious figures as statues are considered idols- an interesting continuum of austere to ornamental going from the mosques of Turkey west to the opulent art and sculpture of the Vatican (which I've visited before).
Books: 1776 by David McCullough, and well written summary of the events throughout 1776 and a few little known battles that could have spelled an early end to the fight for independence and George Washington's increasing fame and leadership potential. Hard to put down and very inspiring in many ways.
Latest Comments (3)
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Greek food (reply)
Jun 27, 2008 16:42 EST by eurognosi
Hi from Athens!
I live here for 15 years (my whole life). The most of the things u said about Greece r right. U described the city quite good, but I want to say to u somathing about the food. U said that wherever u went, there was gyro. Do u know why? Because u went to places that all the tourists go! So, in that places, they sell traditional food, for the tourists to try these greek, t... show all
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hey (reply)
Mar 19, 2008 13:45 EST by g_shook
I'm trying to remember.. it was something like oeneron or something like that... It wasn't ouzo and was very sweet, and could have been unique to that restaurant, which of course I don't remember the name of. But might be able to find it on a map. I tried searching the internet but couldn't find any clues or the restaurant itself. Sorry this isn't very helpful :)
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Nice (reply)
Mar 19, 2008 11:04 EST by starlagurl
That restaurant from 500 BC sounds awesome. What was the sweet wine that you were drinking called?
Louise Brown
TravelPod Community Manager
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| 48. | trash worker strike in the birthplace of democracy - Athens, Greece Mar 15, 2008 (  11 ) (  3 ) |
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