The Acropolis: Adventures and Misadventures

After an exhausting day in Delphi, we reluctantly got another early start on Sunday, to head into downtown Athens to see the Acropolis and the Plaka. Since we're in a quiet suburb of Athens, transit into downtown involved taking a bus to the metro station and then the metro into Monistiraki (the district which is home to the Acropolis, Agora and Plaka). Take a group of college students, most of whom have lived in Florida their entire lives, where transportation is achieved by car, or not at all, and you've got a clueless bunch, save for the few lucky souls who have traveled enough or even lived in a place where metros are a popular form of commute. After listening to Mr. Dr. Kaplan explain how the tickets worked, the 90 minute expiration time, the process of "cancelling" (which seems like a terrible name for activating a ticket), the different stops, transfers from bus to train and vice versa, I was a little confused. But once we were actually in transit, things started to make more since. We hopped on the B5 bus around 9:30 which took us to the metro station. From there we walked straight through the ticket booths and scrambled onto a train. This was not only my first time on a metro, but also my first time using public transportation of any sort save for a few taxis in New York City. Up to this point, my knowledge of metros consisted of what I've seen in movies. And since Greeks don't strike me as the type to jump up and start dancing and singing on a fast-moving train (which when you think about it must be really difficult) as Collins so exuberantly does in Rent, the images, I'll reluctantly admit, that were running through the back of my mind during the twenty minute train ride, were those from the final scenes of Final Destination 3. Okay, so, more than likely, the train I was on wasn't likely to speed up to unstoppable speeds, running out of control through the tunnels of Athens, just before it derailed, split into a thousand pieces and decapitated every passenger. But the shakiness of  our car, accompanied by the occasional dissonant scraping of metal on concrete certainly didn't help erase those images from my mind. Morbid thoughts aside, I actually sort of enjoyed the metro. It's quick, it's efficient and it got me from point A to point B without any difficulties. Not to mention, it was pretty cool to go underground in one neighborhood and come back above-ground right smack in the middle of downtown Athens.

From the central square of Monistiraki (which means "little monastery" for the little churches that can be found in the area), we could see the acropolis just peaking over the smaller buildings and shops that surrounded us. As we began our ascent, I immediately thought of the infinitely long and exhausting climbs we endured in Delphi just one day before and wasn't exactly thrilled to do it again. After fifteen minutes of steep hills and ginormous steps, we came to the Aeropagus (a giant rocky hill, named for Ares, that was used as a court of appeals in ancient times) which after a few more loathed stairs, offered an incredible view and an extremely rejuvenating breeze.

The view from the Aeropagus

While we waited for the Kaplans to purchase our tickets for access to the acropolis, I decided to get a refreshing drink. Let me just say that there is nothing like fresh-squeezed orange juice in Greece, on a hot day. So I ordered my orange juice from the drink stand next to the ticket booth and asked the vendor how much I owed him. There have been few times in my life when I've considered cussing someone out. But when this guy poured me a relatively small glass of terrible, watered down orange juice and told me I owed him 4,50 € (approximately the equivalent of $5.60), I momentarily wished I knew how to cuss in Greek. I guess I felt like since he poured it, I had to buy it, but the more I think about it, the more I wish I had shoved it back and told him to keep his jenk orange juice. I guess I got sucked into the tourist trap that is the acropolis.

While we're on that, let me just say that since I have been in Greece, I have never seen so many tourists at one place, as I did at the acropolis. And that was also the first time I'd run into any American tourists (aside from our group). To be honest, the amount of people on the acropolis was overwhelming. Still, I ignored that and enjoyed exploring the ancient acropolis. It was incredible to see the Parthenon, still standing, thousands of years later, after surviving explosions, imperialism and the everyday wear and tear of nature.

The Parthenon!

 

The Theater of Dionysus

The Pandroseion

We have seen so many ruins since we've been in Greece, but I honestly can't even begin to describe how breathtaking they are. I mean, I always thought it was cool that something so old was still in tact, but now that I'm seeing them in person and actually learning about them and the history that surrounds them, it's just incredible to see these things and to imagine what they were like when they were first built, to be able to walk on that ground. What's so intriguing is that these ancient ruins, which represent thousands of years of history and an Athens that we can't even imagine, are just blended in among the modern buildings and streets of Athens. You could get off the metro climb the stairs and find yourself surrounded by 5-6 story buildings, taxis going every direction and people walking around like crazy, but look off to one side or another and you're likely to see some sort of ancient ruin. It's surreal but it serves as a reminder that there is more history to this city than just about any other in the world.

After the acropolis, we made the descent back down the mountain, away from the cooling breeze, crazed tourists and overpriced orange juice, and stopped for lunch at a traditional Greek family-style restaurant. The Kaplans explained that it was their favorite restaurant in Athens and even offered to pay for lunch for the entire group (that's about 24 people, just so we're clear). Greek style dining involves everyone at the table sharing and eating off a bunch of different plates. So our table of six got to choose fourteen traditional Greek dishes to share including fried zucchini, dolmades, tzatziki and my personal favorite, mousaka. It was without a doubt the best meal I've had since arriving in Greece...and believe me, that's saying something. 

The one thing that went untouched? Greek salad. Go figure.

After our amazing lunch, Mrs. Dr. Kaplan gave us a tour of the plaka and then gave us some time for shopping at the flea market. I didn't really care for shopping at the time because I was too tired, so after I bought a much needed bag, I made a beeline for the shade. I spotted a periptero, which is like a little booth on the street that sells bottled drinks, snacks and magazines.

I went to buy a cold bottled water before I grabbed my slab of cool marble metro station steps. As I was getting out my wallet to pay for my water, a guy (let's call him Stan) came up to me shouting in Greek, holding a small bowl out as if he was begging for money. I immediately shook my head to make clear to him that 1) I didn't understand and 2) I wanted him to go away, and turned back to the cashier. He then switched to english saying that he had cancer and had nowhere to go. Since Stan wouldn't leave me alone, one of the periptero cashiers came out and stood between me and him, which quieted Stan but didn't ward him off. After I got my change, I turned to walk away and the cashier that was standing out there immediately stopped me and told me to put my wallet in my bag and close it before I left the stand. Meanwhile, creepy, stinky Stan was standing by. So, I listened to the courteous periptero worker and put my wallet away. The second my wallet was in my bag, Stan turned and walked away immediately. It was then that I realized that I'd just had a close encounter with a pickpocket and, if it weren't for the extremely nice periptero worker, I would have probably had my wallet stolen, and maybe even my entire bag. As freaky as that experience was, it was definitely a good wake-up call to have. It's a reminder that you can never be too careful. Still, I hope I don't get a reminder again.

Finally, after a long day at the acropolis, it was back on the metro and back to our quiet, suburban neighborhood to prepare for the first day of classes. Tourists, tourist traps and pickpockets aside, it was another incredible, if not exhausting, day in Attica. 

A birthday, ancient ruins, prophecies and a dead man...

Although I was exhausted from endless days with little sleep, I drug myself out of bed at 6 am (on my birthday) and got ready for another Greek adventure. Destination: Delphi and Arachova. When our group met down in the lobby of the dorm at 7 am, it seemed that everyone's excitement for Delphi was stifled by extreme over-exhaustion. I guess the fact that it was my birthday contributed to my obviously unshared energy. Once we got on the bus and were in transit to the ancient site of Delphi, I was out like a light, along with just about every other classmate, roommate, trip-mate and group leader.

Mr. Dr. Kaplan woke us all after about two hours on the road because we had come to a Greek rest stop where we could purchase pastries, breakfast, drinks, coffee, etc. Now, picture a rest stop in America, with the families piling out of their mini-vans, stopping for a potty break, the vending machines, the big bathrooms, the truck drivers going in and out. If you want to know what a Greek rest stop looks like, I suggest you completely erase any details of the rest stop you just imagined from your mind. The only words I can think of to describe it are disorderly, stinky, raucous, chaos. No, seriously. After I left the restrooms (which house toilets that apparently didn't come with toilet seats), I went to buy a pastry and a drink. They had rows and rows of sweet pastries, a separate coffee bar and a mini-market. I had trouble figuring out where I was supposed to pay for my food, but I figured that the mass mob of people standing around the counter with their wallets out was a good bet. I took a deep breath to brace myself for the wave of B.O. I was about to get slammed with (Greeks are supposedly super clean, but their smell would suggest otherwise) and sacrificed myself to the crazed, hungry, Greek mob. Apparently, lines aren't much of a thing in Greece. So don't try to stand in one, you'll never get there. I quickly learned that the best way to the front counter was through forceful (but still somehow polite) shoving. I finally made my way to the front and after a little bit of close listening to the cashier (it's hard to hear over a mob of Greek shouting) paid for my food and to put it frankly, got the hell out of that store like it was burning to the ground. That was an experience, albeit one I wouldn't like to relive, that really struck me as something I'm going to remember. And although it was extremely frustrating and overwhelming in the moment, it was actually kind of cool in a way, to do as the Greeks do. It highlighted the aspects of their culture that we, as Americans, find so confusing. The lack of order, the shouting, the mobs instead of lines. All of it ties back to the culture they were born into.

The Temple of Apollo and the beautiful view.

So, after that somewhat uncomfortable experience, we climbed back on the bus to begin the climb on the snaking mountain roads that lead to Delphi. Delphi was incredible to say the least. In ancient times it was the place where Greeks would travel in what was a sort of religious pilgrimage to visit the Temple of Apollo where they could speak to the Oracle, a prophetic virgin, and seek advice. The Oracle, under the intoxication of fumes that rose from the decomposing body of Python slain by Apollo, would "rave" in an unrecognizable form of speak, that was translated by the priest into hexameter and relayed to the inquirer. Naturally, these "prophecies" were always vague, so as to prevent any sort of blame for misunderstandings or bad advice. The history of Delphi is interesting in and of itself, but exploring the ruins really completed the picture.

 

 

After exploring the Delphic ruins and visiting the museum, we hopped back on the bus and stopped in the beautiful mountainside ski-town of Arachova, where we had a delicious lunch and browsed in the shops over furs, woven carpets, sculptures and authentic Greek houseware. We didn't get to spend a ton of time there, but I was thoroughly impressed at the quaint, uniform beauty that was Arachova. Not to mention, I had an incredible lunch; coq au vin with rice (That's fancy for rooster in tomato sauce)!

The main road that runs through Arachova.

 

After Arachova, we made our last stop at the Osios Loukas monastery before heading back to Athens. I'll admit, at this point I was kind of tired of seeing churches, and both exhaustion and an eagerness to get back to the dorm, made me want to skip the monastery. But I have to say, this was absolutely without a doubt one of the most beautiful monasteries I have ever seen. And it was definitely an experience.

When I got off of the bus, I immediately made a beeline for the restroom. Little did I know that a "toilet" was a foreign concept here. A hole in the ground is much preferred. Still, I haven't figured out why.

And yes, I really did mean a hole in the ground. 

I'd rather not go into the details of how you're supposed to go about your business when you use this, but I will tell you that I was perplexed and spent a good three minutes contemplating the science of it. Finally, I figured it out and left with a whole new appreciation for the porcelain bowl and seat that I'm accustomed to. 

Then, it was on the beautiful Byzantine monastery, Osios Loukas. These Byzantines didn't play around; as a sign of respect for the monastery, every visitor is asked to follow the traditional custom of covering their shoulders and knees, so most of us girls had to wear their handmade skirts, to get access to the monastery. 

The monastery was breathtaking, with ornate mosaics depicting scenes from the Bible covering the walls, the beautiful altars for preaching, the architecture both inside and out.

       

As I was browsing through the monastery, I came upon a glass case with a priest's robes laying inside. I figured this was just an example of the clothing worn by priests during Byzantine times, maybe an example of how they were buried. But as I looked closer I realized that this glass case was actually a coffin, and the robes were filled with a dead body. You can imagine my horror, at least at first. Then I realized that it was sort of cool to be able to see a dead body...I apologize for being bluntly morbid (but come on, seriously). Then I thought about the fact that I was standing in front of and looking at what once was a real person and what now is that person's dead body and I was a little shocked at the fact that his slowly decaying corpse was on display for all to see. There was no name listed, but after doing some research, I've learned that this person is supposedly St. Luke who died in 953 AD which means that he's been chilling in there for over 1,000 years.

Yeah, he's legit. And yes, that brown thing, sticking out of his robes, is his hand. 

Mrs. Dr. Kaplan explained that, because his hand is not completely white, he is still decaying, which means that he still has flesh on his bones. And since this guy died in 953 AD, these Byzantines had a hell of a preservation system, second only to the Egyptians and their mummies. Now, I'm not sure if there's some sort of eternal damnation for taking pictures of a dead saint, but there weren't any signs that said I couldn't, so here's hoping I don't go straight to hell for this.

Before I left the monastery I decided to take part in the prayer ritual, which involves donating a little bit of change, lighting a prayer candle, and then placing your candle in a tray with all of the others after saying a prayer. It's a different sort of prayer than I'm used to but it was cool to take part.

After our visit to Osios Loukas, we got back on the bus once again and began winding our way down the mountain, towards Athens. Despite the fact that I was exhausted, I didn't get any sleep on the two hour ride back and, to celebrate my birthday, chose to go out once again for dinner and ice cream with the brave trip-mates who were awesome enough to join me. 

Although it was exhausting, I have to say it was a great birthday, and to spend it in Greece...that's something I'll never forget. 

Let's talk about sidewalks...

You'd think in a city where walking is the number one form of transportation, that there would be large sidewalks, sufficient for at least two or three people to walk side by side, right?
HA!

I really don't understand the sidewalk setup. I mean, really, what is the point of a 3 foot wide sidewalk if you're gonna plant a tree in the middle of it every 10 feet? Or clog the remaining area with dumpsters? I question the driving ability of Greeks enough as it is because of their tendency to pass a pedestrian with less than two feet of clearance at 35 mph without blinking an eye. So...when I'm walking down the main road in the neighborhood, I'd much prefer the protection of a sidewalk. It sort of defeats the purpose when I'm having to step off the sidewalk into the street (not to mention that I have to go even further into the street to get around the parked cars) every ten feet. I don't really like the idea of becoming a hood ornament for someones Puegeot or Toyota. Call it my American ignorance, but I just don't understand the logic behind the sidewalk construction here.

Now, I probably sound more frustrated than I am and that's mostly because I'm just confused. So I was trying to figure out the purpose of these trees that block the only safe walking path we have. I have a few ideas:

The first is that maybe these trees are planted there to prevent people from parking on the sidewalks. Most people walk to get around but I have noticed that there is a major lack of parking space and the only way you can hope to park your car is if you're the proud driver of a smart car with an extreme proclivity for parallel parking. Either that or you cheat...

And yes, I have actually seen cars parked like this in Athens. 

My second theory is that perhaps these trees are actually planted for harvesting. If you look around Athens, it doesn't take an expert to realize that the mountainous area and the rocky ground doesn't do much in the way of agriculture. And since the entire valley is occupied by sprawling neighborhoods up to the last inch, any spare, semi-fertile land is more than likely highly appreciated and desired. I guess this shouldn't surprise me either since most of these "nuisance" trees are some sort of citrus, or cherry tree. What does surprise me is that any of the fruit that grows on these trees is up for grabs by anyone and everyone that passes them and has a craving for a nice, juicy orange. So this makes me question my theory...If they're used for harvesting, why would they be free to the public? 

The only other explanation I can think of is that maybe Athenians just like coming home with scratches from tree branches all over them, or would prefer to take a walk on the wild side by risking walking in the street. To me, this is the least likely of explanations, but perhaps it's all in the way that you look at it. 

In reality, the sidewalk situation isn't really a big deal, just a minor annoyance when you're trying to get somewhere. Still, the streets and surrounding landscape of Athens are gorgeous and if I have to push through a few low-hanging tree branches or get close and comfy with an oncoming car to see it, I guess it's worth it.

Hike up Mount Hymettos

To this point, our time in Greece has been marked by early mornings, packed schedules, late nights and a constant overwhelming feeling of exhaustion. It goes without saying that our first opportunity to sleep in was highly anticipated. So, last night when I learned that Mr. Dr. Kaplan would be leading a group hike up Mount Hymettos that constituted a 5 am wake-up call, I was conflicted. The challenge of making it to the summit (farther than last year's group) was enticing. But another early morning was not at the top of my list of  favorite things. Still, I knew that an opportunity like this might not come about again, to hike up a mountain in the middle of Athens, to say I made it to the top, to see Greece's beauty from another perspective. So, I set my alarm for 5 am and sacrificed another morning of sleeping in. 

It didn't take long into the hike for me to realize that this was going to be an experience I would not regret. And the sleep lost, was well worth it. We started off following the winding mountain roads that led about a quarter of the way up the mountain. As we climbed higher and higher, the sun was just starting to rise over the mountains, slowly lighting up the sprawling city, the shadows cast by mountains dwindling to nothing. 

Eventually, we came upon a narrow, steep, rocky, slippery trail, and so the easy part was over. I'm an equestrian so I like to think I have strong legs, but about halfway up the first trail (there were three total) my knees, ankles and thighs were screaming at me. 

This was one of the easier trails. As we climbed they grew narrower, steeper and we grew tired. 

Still, we pushed on, motivated by the sight of the summit, ignoring the pain in our legs and lungs (mountain air is much thinner than the humid Florida air we're used to) though not without a few breathing breaks and motivational chants. Finally, we made it to the summit of Mount Hymettos around 7:30 am. 

I have to say, waking up at 5 am was such a small sacrifice to make. The hike was exhausting and painful but  it was fun and I got to spend some time with some people from our group that I don't know too well yet. Not to mention the feeling of accomplishment when you reach the top, or the incredible panoramic view of never-ending mountains, two coastlines, and the beautiful city the Greeks call Athína in between. 

It doesn't get much better than that.

I think I found my Kefi today!

Adventure in Rodos

After landing in Athens after a twenty hour travel journey I was less than excited for the overnight ferry ride to Rhodes. Sleep was my number one priority and any moving object with an engine was loathed. But alas, on the ferry we went, beginning our sixteen hour trek through the Aegean sea, we finally made it to a semi-permanent destination; Rhodes.

My first impression of Rhodes was really my first impression of Greece overall. As we drove along the coastline roads, surrounded by beautiful mountains and crystal clear water, the first thought that came to mind was how beautiful it all was, how different from home. Rhodes is so many things; it's gorgeous, it's relaxing, it's crazy, it's unique, it's ancient, it's a tourist town, it's Greek, it's Turkish. But without a doubt, Rhodes was incredible.

Our first destination after getting off the ferry was to Lindos, a small town on the coast of Rhodes. There we began a long steep, slippery climb to the acropolis which was built sometime during the tenth century B.C.

And yes, it's still standing...well, sort of. I was amazed by the acropolis. To see something that was made using ancient techniques and building materials still standing thousands of years later is so incredibly breath-taking. It's hard to stand there and imagine that it was once used by ancient people, but people who were more or less, just like us. After exploring the acropolis of Lindos, we drug ourselves back to the bus and headed for the Belvedere hotel on the other side of the island.
The Belvedere was awesome, minus the fact that air conditioning was not included in the price of rooms.   And since Greeks don't believe in doing anything indoors, I forgot what air conditioning felt like for a while.

Okay, let's be straight here. The drinking age in Greece is eighteen. Of course we're going to capitalize on this experience. Don't get me wrong, we didn't toss drinks back like they were nothing. But chilling at the hotel bar, ordering a drink every now and then was only part of the experience. I learned very quickly from my time spent at the bar that Europeans are much more friendly than Americans. They'll come up for a drink and strike up a conversation with you, a random stranger that they've never seen before and will most likely never see again. It's really interesting to hear their perspectives, their stories, and to joke around with them. That was actually one of the coolest experiences I've had while in Rhodes. We also made friends with the bartender (I promise, it's not as creepy as it sounds). He was such a nice guy and he lived in New York so he spoke really good English. One night, we all stayed up until almost four in the morning just talking with him. He was a little crazy, but so nice. He made the best drinks too!

During our adventures through Rhodestown, we ended up coming across and traveling through what we deemed "scary street." Now you could imagine all kinds of things that could make a street scary and you would probably still leave something out. From drunk guys invading your personal space and yelling at you to stop at their bar to crazed moped drivers to textbook cases of the stereotypical "thug" look, blasting music, bright lights, this street was scary. Once these guys brand you as tourists, you're marked for good and they're coming after you for your  business. As freaky and as uncomfortable as it was, it was actually a cool experience to see the Greek nightlife. This was no tourist street. This was where the locals socialized. It was really neat to be a part of that.

Ancient Kamiros

The rest of the trip consisted of visiting more ruins, like Ancient Kamiros and exploring the old part of Rhodes. It's so amazing to stand on something that was built thousands of years ago. I just wish we could see what this stuff really looked like back then, see it filled with people, living their lives.

Although Rhodes was a blast, I have to admit, I'm happy to be back in Athens, settled into the dorm, not living out of suitcase. Athens doesn't seem to be as tourism oriented as Rhodes so I'm hoping we'll have some authentic Greek experiences!

So far, I've really been impressed with Greek life. Everything is very different but I love that. It keeps things interesting, teaches me new ways to do things. Though I could do without the school part.....

Greece is amazing. It has done as promised. It has taken every expectation I had, thrown it out and replaced it with incredible experiences that I will never forget. And this is just the first week.
So to that I say, yamas! Cheers to Greece!

Kaló taksídi!

You wouldn't think packing is super difficult, right? Well, actually, if you've ever traveled for longer than a week, have even the slightest OCD tendencies or have two X chromosome's, then you probably hate packing as much as I do. Although I can honestly say I've never hated it as much as I do right now.

I am a notorious overpacker (even for a girl) so I knew packing for this trip was going to be frustrating to say the least. The question was not "Do I really need it?" but instead "Can I make it fit?" Don't worry. You can rest assured that I've pack a variety of wardrobe options, suitable for a multitude of occasions, half of which I won't even touch during the next six weeks. But, come on ladies, you never know, right??? You're probably thinking this packing attempt didn't go well...and you're thinking right. After realizing that the cost for overweight bags on an international flight was insanely high, I decided that maybe I'd follow the wise words of the old adage that "two is better than one," ditching the single ginormous suitcase I had, and downgrading to two smaller ones. So, tomorrow, if you happen to run into a tall, lanky 18 year old American girl dragging around two wheeled suitcases (stuffed to capacity), lugging a duffel bag (bursting at the seams) and hunched over from the weight of her backpack, don't laugh. Just remember, she probably did her best to bring only the bare necessities. It took a lot of organizing, re-situating, test runs and the occasional futile kick or punch, but with the help of my wonderful mother, we finally accomplished the nearly impossible task of squeezing way too many clothes and survival items (I mean, come on, I need my hairdryer) into way too many suitcases.

So here I sit, exhausted from my six hour packing endeavor, trying not to fall asleep too soon. Fortunately, excitement will be on my side tonight. Although I'm not sure that now is an appropriate time to be excited seeing as there is a ten hour flight standing between Greece and I.

Let's just say that sleeping aids will be utilized. Sure, maybe I've only flown twice (once if round trip doesn't count), but I can assure you that there is not much worse than being in close quarters with tons of strangers, all sharing the same recycled air and bathroom for ten hours. Correction: There is only one thing worse than that, and that is having to endure that and then arriving at your destination (which is seven hours ahead) early in the morning when your body is saying "it's bedtime" and your brain is saying "it's Greece time." So, to combat the relentless exhaustion that will, no doubt, plague me during and after this flight, I'm planning to stay up a little later than usual tonight, in hopes that the shorter night's sleep might actually help me sleep a little bit on the plane. I have fully accepted the fact that I am a clueless traveler, and this supposedly "genius" tactic may in fact be the bane of my existence for the next few days. Let's just hope sleepwalking isn't frowned upon in Greece...

Regardless of all the potential issues or complications that could occur during travel, I am nothing but excited for this trip. To be honest, even with my suitcases packed up and my passport set out, it still doesn't feel real.  But no matter how unreal it feels, this is happening. In approximately 30 hours, I will be in Athens, Greece. Destination: Rhodes.

Until then, yassas! Here's hoping for safe travels, Kaló taksídi, as the Greeks would say!

So, Dr. Kaplan, our trip leader, just sent out a list of all of the "field trips" we will be making while in Greece.
I was excited to learn that we will be exploring Delphi, Arachova and Osios Loukas on my birthday!
All located in the beautiful mountains of Greece!
I'm particularly excited for Delphi, which, in Greek mythology, is the location of the Delphi oracle. It's also home to the location of the precursor for the modern Olympics. Delphi is full of ancient ruins, one of the things I'm most excited about seeing in Greece.

This is going to be an awesome birthday and an incredible trip. 

I cannot wait!