Athens, Greece

I was so excited to get to Greece, but I had heard such awful things about Athens, I was curious to see what it was all about. I had found a couch surfer and he was going to meet me at the metro station. I exited the airport and took the metro to the city. I found my couchsurfer right away - he was so distinctive with his curly hair! We walked back to his apartment and he presented me with a city map, the Wi-Fi code, the apartment key, a spare SIM, a list of places to visit in Athens, and all his details and address written down for me. I was so impressed! I think he was the most organised and understanding host ever! He had travelled extensively, so he just knew exactly what a traveller needed. I was so grateful to him! I took a quick a shower and then I was ready to explore! 

My host, Alex, took me for a tour around the area. We stopped for lunch, and then at a boutique chocolate cafe to try some chocolate. He took me to an art gallery and all down different streets and places. We ended up at the base of the Acropolis - it wasn't even that much of a walk! Alex had a class to attend that night, so he went to that while I explored. I walked up a rock that had an incredible view of the Acropolis. As the sun began to sink I raced up a nearby hill to catch the sunset. I decided not to take the path and climbed through the scrub and rocks so I could get there faster, it was a good idea, but it made my ascent rather steep and difficult, I felt more like a mountain climber! But Lord knows I am stubborn and determined and soon enough I had clawed my way right to the top. The view was magnificent. From the adjacent hill, the Acropolis gleamed in the orange light. I took the path down the hill and walked along a busy street lined with souvenirs and restaurants. It was great to be in Greece! It was warm and the people were so friendly - it seemed that they really make an effort to build relationships with their neighbours and local community. 

I met up with Alex when his class ended and we went to an open air cinema and saw a movie called 'The Best Offer'. The open air cinema is a specially designed large walled outdoor space lined with growing vines. In NZ and in Seattle the open air cinema consists of a large blow up screen in a park. In Athens it was like a proper cinema, they even had blankets for you to use if you were cold. It was a great experience, and the movie was really interesting too - with a big twist! We walked home, chatting about the movie and swapping travel stories. We even stopped for ice cream along the way. 

The next morning I headed out alone for a big day of sightseeing. I started by climbing another big hill close to Alex's apartment. It took about an hour to climb and had a fantastic view of the city. From there I walked through the city gardens to the Olympic track - where the Olympics had first been held all those years ago. It was unreal to be there! I then headed to the ancient Greek agora and other ruins. It was incredible to walk through these ancient marketplaces. Next I headed to the Acropolis museum. I had a delicious (and fairly reasonably priced) lunch at their cafe which looked straight out at the Acropolis. In high school I had taken Classical studies for several years and had learned all about these sites. At the museum I was reminded of all the details of the architecture and design of the Parthenon. 

I had been walking all morning so I just took my time at the museum, enjoying the air conditioning. To be honest, I was not really looking forward to climbing all the way up to the Acropolis, especially since it was the hottest part of the day. But how many times does one find themselves in Athens? I had to make the most of it. So I headed out of the museum and visited the theatre of Dionysus and then walked up to the Acropolis. I was pleasantly surprised - it really was not difficult at all to get up there! It took just a few short minutes! It was a piece of cake compared to the hill I had climbed that morning! I took my time looking around everything. I had to keep pinching myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. 

I slowly descended the hill and explored the area beside it, visiting some more ruins and discovering a gorgeous lane with some shabby chic houses full of character. I simply fell in love with them and I hung around the area for a while. I walked through the main square of the city and wound through a labyrinth of stalls and shops. At 5.30 Alex picked me up in his dad's car that he had borrowed for the evening, and we drove along the coast just out of the city to the Temple of Poseidon, built on a cliff overlooking the Aegean sea. We got there right on sunset. It was breathtaking. The sky was so alive and vivid with colour. We then went to a small nearby village called Lavrio and had dinner at a restaurant. It was one of the only times on my trip that I went out for dinner! It was delicious food. I was due to leave at 6.30 the next morning. Alex kindly dropped me off at the ferry terminal. I waved farewell and boarded my (massive) ferry to Santorini Island in the famous Greek isles. I enjoyed my time in Athens. I don't think it deserves its bad reputation. I found it to be full of color, vibrant cafes, friendly people, an active art scene and great food. The financial crisis in Greece is definitely a very big issue and is putting a lot of pressure on people, but day to day life continues as usual, people are out and about, frequenting cafes and movies and enjoying themselves. Who knows, maybe that's one of the reasons why they are still in such a precarious economic position!