Over 2,500 years ago Homer wrote the epic poem The Odyssey, describing Ulysses' 10 year journey from Troy to Ithaca (not the creek). It's a tale of seemingly insurmountable odds, grit, determination and ultimate triumph. So join Alice and me as we undertake our own Odyssey of Greece and Turkey and marvel at how we negotiate our way through bustling airport and ferry terminals, bazaars and shopping malls.
At last the time has arrived for us to board our Emirates flight for Dubai. There are no strains of John Denver crooning “Leaving on a jet plane” but we can look forward to 14 hours of sleep deprivation, endless movies, mountains of food and the threat of DVT are the joys of international travel on a beer budget. I wish I could say we were upgraded to Business class but alas it is still cattle class for Alice and me.
Tuesday 14th September – Dubai to Athens
After a long night of screaming children which I am sure they would have heard in business class we were glad to have reached Dubai so we could at last stretch our legs other than in the toilet. We made our way to the Marhaba Lounge courtesy of the Citibank Platinum card where we can recline for five hours prior to our last leg to Athens. There is a nice view of the runway and lots of food and coffee at our disposal. This is right up my alley, quiet location and free food.
After a five hour stop over we are back in the air for our short five hour flight to Athens. It took next to no time to clear immigration and customs and to find our way to the Metro platform. Only problem was that the Greek train drivers were having a four hour stop work meeting. Back across the road and down the stairs to the arrival area carrying 50 kilos of luggage to join the queue for the 95X bus to Syntagma Square. For the bus nuts we traveled in an articulated bus with four doors which meant less seats and us standing for the entire journey. I didn't mind it as a oncer but I would hate to do it every day.
A quick taxi ride from the square and we were soon showering in our little apartment compliments of Hotel Tony and 60 Euro. It seems like a quiet area which is what we need as we are in desperate need of some sleep. Our first priority however was to walk to the supermarket and buy some beer,(Mythyos and Fix 500ml) champagne and I nearly forgot food. An early night for the weary travelers.
Wednesday 15th September – Walkabout Day
After dining on toast with vegemite and weetbix we are fortified to strike out in search of Grecian wonders. It is an absolutely sensational day blue skies, gentle breezes and a moderate temperature. The ancient site of the Acropolis is our destination. Crowned by the Parthenon, it stands sentinel over Athens and is visible from almost everywhere within the City.
We started off on the southeastern slope at the Theatre of Dionysos. Although it is in a poor state you can still get an idea of the immense size of the structure. I can imagine that Dionysos had many followers as he was the god of wine and ecstasy. On our way up we came across a large tortoise scampering across the rocks. At a guess we have assumed it must be an Acropolis tortoise and not a Galapagos tortoise. From this position you get an impressive view of the Odeon Of Herodes Atticus. He was a wealthy Roman who built the theatre in memory of his wife Regilla. There are still performances held here during the Hellenic festival.
As you reach the top you walk by the Beule Gate which was named after a French archaeologist who uncovered it in 1852. The other major temples are the Propylaia, Temple of Athena Nike (no Tiger Woods advertisements here), statue of Athena Proachos, The Erechtheion and of course the Parthenon. It is difficult to describe this site but it is awe inspiring and deserving of its status as one of the wonders o the ancient world.
On our way down we walked over the site of Ancient Agora. The main areas here are the Agora museum which is sited in the reconstructed Stoa of Attaloas,Temple of Hephaestus and the charming church of the Holy Apostles. The church was built in the 10th century to commemorate St Paul who used to teach in the Agora.
By this time we were stuffed so we settled into a nice restaurant for some grilled Haloumi, Greek salad , wine and beers. Twenty Five Euro lighter but feeling refreshed we headed off for the Acropolis museum. This is a great museum and worth the 5 Euro entry fee. The museum brings together all the surviving treasures of the Acropolis, excluding those that have taken up residence in the British museum. The top floor Parthenon gallery has been designed to showcase the temple's frieze, sculptures and metopes. There are also sculptures of Kore and the pedimental sculptures of Heracles slaying the Lernnaian Hydra and of a lioness devouring a bull.
Finished off the day by purchasing 199 Euro of ferry tickets, cold shower and of course a beer and champagne.
Thursday 16th September – Lonely Planet Walking Tour
We were off bright and early this morning by taking a quick trip on the Metro to Syntagma Square where we began our walking tour. At the Parliament building we were entertained by the ramrod straight presidential guards. They stand sentinel under the striking tomb of the Unknown Solider. We managed to time our visit with the changing of the guards. Next we ducked into the National Gardens which was a welcome break from the noise of the traffic. Ever onwards we tramped and sites such as the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Hadrians Arch were marked off our list of sites to visit.
There are so
many minor sites in Athens that are worth a visit from small Greek Orthodox Churches, museums and flea markets.The highlight for us was walking through the Anafiotika quarter. It is a picturesque maze of little whitewashed houses which are the legacy of the stonemasons from the small island of Anafi who were brought in to build the Kings palace after independence. It is a peaceful spot, with brightly painted olive-oil cans brimming with flowers that bedeck the walls.
Not far from here we took a break and feasted on some spinach pie which I washed down with Greek coffee. The coffee comes in an ornate brass beaker which is then decanted into a small expresso cup. I managed to get a fair proportion of coffee all over the table before I mastered the art of pouring. The taste is fine but it has a consistency which is reminiscent of mud.
After our break we headed off to the Roman Agora, Turkish baths and Hadrians Library. Hadrian was a bit of a benefactor for Athens as he was responsible for building many of Athens public works. We did manage to see the Athens Cathedral and the mansion of the Archbishop of Greece which has elaborate gold doors, CTV cameras and a security guard. A couple of wrong turns later and I had lost all hope of completing the tour. We missed out on a couple of minor churches but had a fabulous day off the beaten track.
We are resting up for the afternoon before making an assault on a souvlaki and a night time view of the Acropolis. The restaurant was aptly named God's restaurant as the food was divine. We had a nice little table next to three older Greeks with whom we struck up a conversation. The older guy (over 80) was called the General because of all the orders he places at the restaurant. A whole multitude of locals interspersed with tourists kept us entertained as they traipsed up and down the mall.
Friday 17th September – Ancient Corinth
Up nice and early for our 5 hour tour to Ancient Corinth. I really wanted to do this tour for one reason and that was to see the Corinth Canal. Call me corny but it is an amazing engineering feat that links the Ionian Sea with the Aegean Sea through the Isthmus of Corinth. We were lucky enough to see a boat sailing down this 6 km canal.
Shortly after we arrived at the ruins of the port of Kechreal where St Paul disembarked for Ephesus. He was basically run out of town by the Romans after living and preaching in Corinth for two years. Back in ancient times Corinth was amongst the richest cities and this is quite evident by the remains, including the huge agora (market place) and the temple dedicated to Apollo.
The drive back was equally as good as the new six lane highway hugs the coast line giving great views of nearby Greek Islands. The old road also hugs the coast line and it reminded me of The Great Ocean road in Victoria. We were glad to be in the air conditioned bus as the outside temperature at midday was a scorching 33 degrees.
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