Athens May 15-18

When the ferry docked at the port of Athens just after sunrise we stumbled off bleary eyed after trying to sleep in uncomfortable seats with the TV on all night, only to be told that there were no busses that day due to a general strike. Obviously there was a long line up for taxis, but eventually our turn came and we whisked into the city. The next problem was that our chosen hotel was full (the first time this happened on our entire trip) but the owner recommended another place nearby and by 9 am we were checked in and ready to see the sights.

Modern Athens sprawls over many hills but the ancient city is very compact. That first morning we walked around the Acropolis and Agora, and strolled through the Plaka to get our bearings. The streets were surprisingly quiet for a city of 4 million and we enjoyed walking along the clean, tree-lined streets looking at the mix of old churches and new shops and cafes. This part of the city seems inhabited by healthy mix of traditional Athenians, cool young students and tourists. Back to the hotel for a home-made, “Canadian style” Greek salad with lots of lettuce, and a much-needed nap. That evening we climbed the Pnyx hill to the place where democracy was born and is now a popular dog walking spot for Athenians who appreciate the marble benches to rest and chat.

The next morning, after a wonderful night’s sleep, we started our tour of the Acropolis early to beat the heat of the day. We saw all the famous sights: the Parthenon, the temple of Nike, the porch of the Karytids, just like they are in the Grade 8 history course I taught. Many of the sights are being restored, which meant that the views were somewhat obscured by scaffolding, but this was more than compensated by the added interest that the cranes generated for Rob. Even in May it quickly gets to be 35°C in the shade, so by 1pm we took refuge back at the hotel for an afternoon rest and some homework. That night we ate lamb at a sidewalk Taverna in the Plaka. For most of our travels we have been well ahead of the busy season, so the crowds of well-dressed tourists in Athens were a novelty.

By our third day we were starting to remember many of the most important events and characters of ancient Athenian history, at least between the 6th BC and the 3rd AD. With the help of some excellent “reconstruction” drawings we were able to understand the main parts of the Agora and many of the beautiful exhibits in the archaeological museum. We were particularly impressed by the Stoa, which is a very long and high, covered gallery that was beautifully restored in the 1950s. I felt that being inside an actual building with walls and a roof -assuming the restoration was faithful to the original design of the Stoa of 2500 years ago- gave me a better idea of what life may have been like than did many of the ruins.

On our last morning we went to see the remains of the Temple of Zeus, which is thought to be the largest temple from Greek antiquity, and puzzled at how they managed to get those huge pieces of marble up atop of columns 17m high. The ancient Greeks certainly were an ingenious people who put their skills to creating beautiful and lasting things. That afternoon we marvelled at the efficiency of modern Greece as we sped from Athens to Patras by bus and then as our ferry to Italy slipped its moorings at exactly 17:00, and especially when we saw our compact cabin with 4 bunks!