09 September 2007
Quote:
"(There is the) mistaken European assumption that
every conflict is based on a misunderstanding."
(Amos Oz)
Athens
Greece is very loud. There is constant noise, especially traffic and honking. I am told that Athens used to be even worse, before the Olympic Games. They have since cleaned up their act, converting roads into pedestrian areas, making the monuments more accessible, and creating green patches etc. I don't want to imagine how it was before that! The traffic is really annoying. Everybody is driving like madmen. Even when the pedestrian traffic lights are green, cars still barge across the road which makes it really dangerous. And it's not like traffic moves faster just because everybody is ignoring the rules and pushing forward. I find it very annoying because it's so stupid. A sign of low intelligence. And any system that creates a society of taxi drivers that can't be arsed to stop for passengers must be seriously wrong...
Otherwise, Athens is very pretty and has lots of picturesque corners, even the touristy places have their charm. The transport system is efficient and really cheap. One Euro gets you anywhere across the city and to the outskirts. The combined Acropolis ticket which allows entry to all the most important sights is also good value at 12 Euros.
On day one, I didn't stop in Athens centre but drove out to the coastal suburb of Voula. Nothing to write home about... Glyfada may be busier, but Voula was nothing. I had come for the sea, but that was quite difficult to access. For once, there is a major road leading along the coast which you have to cross to get to the water. Traffic is erratic, and crossings are scarce. And it's not just a busy road, no it's a full-blown 8-lane motorway! Plus, there is basically no access to the beach because all the coast is covered by hotels and restaurants with private beaches. However, I did find a small stretch and went for a quick dip.
My hotel in Voula
Voula sunset
The next morning I made my way into Athens and checked into my hotel. I'm really not picky but that place is a shit hole - for that price! They also had no wireless internet even though I had booked it especially for that, and their "internet cafe" cost 3 Euros per half hour! The staff was grumpy and made me feel unwelcome, and my room was like a prison cell. Nothing in it, and the 3 basic pieces of furniture broken. The light was so weak I couldn't even read. Don't stay in the Fivos hotel if you can help it...
On Friday I went sightseeing and "did" all the Ancient Greek stuff: Acropolis, Agoras, Hadrian's Library. Temple of Zeus, Keramikos etc... I also walked all along the nice car-free walkway. The Acropolis didn't blow me away. It's always a bit surreal to visit one of those "great monuments". What should you expect? Why was that place so special again? Just because it's old? Because it's there? Because everybody else goes there? The temples are all scaffolded and the whole area is a building site. They are trying to fix earlier "restoration" works that now cause the structures to erode. The temples still look impressive, but it's quite difficult to image how they would have looked and functioned in their time. What did they mean to the people? What did they do there? Of many buildings only the large columns are standing, but there used to be all sorts of rooms inside that are now gone.
On the Acropolis
German tourist
Still under construction
"Acropolis" means "High City"...
I had dinner in a restaurant (stuffed octopus), but didn't enjoy it as much because I had by then grown tired of playing the "lone lady" guest. The waiters are OK, but just asking for the bill and all that waiting around uses up so much energy. Dining is supposed to be a relaxing, enjoyable experience, so why do we have to go through all those artificial motions? Wait, be shown to your table, wait until you're handed the menu, choose the food from the right categories and in the right order, match the drinks, wait to give your order, wait some more to be brought the first part of your order, then wait for it to be taken away, then wait for the next part to arrive, etc. Sit in uncomfortable poses and eat under close scrutiny of the staff and other guests, keep up your manners, and finally that awkward situation of catching the right moment of asking for the bill, handing over the money, waiting for the change, deciding how much tip to leave... Don't get me wrong. I love eating out and trying new food that has been prepared with a fuss and served in style. But sometimes fast food does have its charms.
Meat Market
The next day I went to museum, precisely the National Art Museum and the Benaki Museum. My attempt to visit a couple of galleries failed due to the fact that the new season had not started. Most exhibitions are closed during August, and they had not reopened yet. My flight back to England was at 7 AM on Sunday, which meant that I had to catch a bus to the airport at 4AM. Getting up at 3 was no problem as I was woken up roughly every hour by the street noise anyway. Amazingly, even at 4 AM the streets were still buzzing with party people who were having meals in the cafes as if it was 2 in the afternoon. The people didn't even look wasted and were fully clothed! Few British hen and stag nights amongst them, I suppose.
The flight was on time, but after the landing at Gatwick airport we had to wait for over an hour to get through the passport controls, The queues were over a mile long, and split 2 ways. It was really shocking. They are either not organised, or there has been another security threat, or some sort of technical failure, or they are simply understaffed. I still managed to catch my train to Sheffield, but only because I had booked one with a 2.5 hour emergency buffer. The weather in England isn't even shockingly cold, so I was OK with my summer clothes (minus coat) and sandals.
Sleeping dog
A
turtle on Keramikos cemetery
Smiling lion
Temple of Zeus
I am shocked to learn that Taoufik had been arrested again last June and held incommunicado for 5 days. He has been released without charges (again) and his statements in the Spanish press have been impressive and wonderfully balanced. The whole idiotic "anti-terror" laws make me feel angry and sad. I also feel guilty for not having heard about his arrest sooner, but then I can't google everybody I know every day...
