Day 120: Athens - The final day. How fucking crazy is that?! We decided to do the Hop On Hop Off bus tour around the city. I figured we could cover a lot of ground that way while saving Dad's knees some unnecessary pain. But first we needed some breakfast. We stopped at a little cafe just around the corner from our hotel. I could tell almost immediately that it wasn't somewhere you'd want to order actual food, but as we were just having tea and coffee, it would suffice. At the last minute I thought better of only having a cup of insanely strong coffee and ordered a croissant with jam. The croissant was stale and the jam was nasty (the consistency of a fruit roll-up). So I ate the inside of the croissant, drank half of my scalding extra black coffee, and pretended to be satisfied. (Honestly, I wasn't all that hungry to begin with. Dad didn't even eat as his stomach was still irritated.)
A nice woman met us at the HOHO stop. She worked for the tour company and sold us our tickets. She then proceeded to talk with me between selling others tickets until the bus arrived. She was originally from Brazil and had mostly worked in South America until she'd met her Greek husband. She's been living in Athens for the past 10 years. She didn't seem to like it much, but said it used to be nicer. Now there's a lot of traffic, graffiti, and garbage. As we experienced trying to get to the bus stop, the cars don't even slow for pedestrians. According to the woman, the people don't respect the police and thus pretty much do as they please. She explained that it wasn't always so. (Earlier in the week, Dad and I had been talking about his friend Scott who works part time as a life coach. I had joked that I could easily become a life coach as people love talking to me. He was now seeing it first hand.)
First the bus took us past Monastiraki with its flea market, which started off looking promising and ended with a bunch of junk and one euro stores. There was also an abundance of fish markets, which smelled quite lovely. (Where's that damn sarcasm font?) We passed Thession, Kotzia Square, and then Syntagma Square. As Syntagma is at the center, I'd considered getting off the bus then, but thought it better to prioritize.
I'd heard so much hype about Plaka that I made the neighborhood our first stop. However, on the other side of the street, ancient pillars loomed. So I dragged Dad over to investigate. There we found the Arch of Hadrian and the archeological site of Olympieion at which stood the remnants of the Temple of Zeus. To enter the site only cost 2 euro, but also they offered the option to purchase the ticket that included entrance to the Acropolis for 12 euro. As I definitely wanted to see the Acropolis, we opted to do that. 24 euros later, we were walking through some of the most famous remains of Athens. If only we could see it in its full glory. Marble pillars stood strong with tall evergreens and the low laying city in the background. To the right, a pillar had fallen, perfectly displaying the 20 stone discs that had been stacked to create one single column.
From there we crossed back over into Plaka. It was hot and though Dad had brought a small bottle, we were in need of more water. We bought a large bottle as well as a couple more strawberry push-up pops and sat on a shaded bench to rest and enjoy our treats. As we sat, we faced the piled of souvenirs. Magnets, post cards, card cards. A couple of the decks were sex cards, with risqué positions depicted by ancient Greek drawing. The more I looked at them, the more confident I became that I needed a set. Besides, they were only 2 euro. So now you know, I have sex cards, which I bought while on vacation with my father and am going to give to my boyfriend. Strange? Not in this family.
We walked down the streets of Plaka, which were nice, but we soon learn consisted mainly of shops. The road was made up of marble tiles, so unlike the cobble stone streets to which I've grown accustomed. Did we need a dress that looked very much like a toga. Or perhaps a gilded gold leaf headdress? Girls stood outside every jewelry store, "Real silver and gold, 50% off." Oh how they didn't know their audience. There were some overpriced looking restaurants sprinkled in for good measure, but for the most part it was just another street on which to buy crap. Why is it that everyone always recommends the shopping districts? I suppose that's what most people do when on vacation, but I'd rather spend my money on experiences. I don't need more things. (Except for sex cards. I needed those.)
The bus was driving up just as we hit the main road. We ran up and caught it just in the nick of time. Next stop, the Acropolis. We cut the ticket line (fortunately having purchased ours at the less populated Temple of Zeus). Up and up we went until we came to a spot overlooking the "Herodium" Odeum of Herodes Atticus. It was impressive, especially as it was surrounding by so much green. Everywhere green. From up here, Athens looked positively beautiful.
I left Dad at the Propylaea entrance. His knees where on fire and he needed a minute to put them out. Once through the gateway, I came to the place you imagine when you think of Athens. There was the Parthenon. (The goddamned Parthenon!) Though the front was covered by scaffold and a large crane, it was still massive and very cool. Men were inside working away on its reconstruction. Much of the columns were patched with new white filler. (That Europe, someone's always working on it.) Yet it didn't detract from the beauty. To see something so old in the process of preservation made it all the more thrilling. Plus, the opposite end was open to pictures. I walked far back to include the many clay pots and marble sections that lined the ground, guarded by roped off areas. Where I stood, I had an even better view overlooking the city, including the Temple of Zeus, which looked tiny so far below.
Next to the Parthenon was the Erechtheion with its columns carved into six voluptuous ladies. It was very well preserved and attracted a lot of attention. I had to wait about 10 minutes for people to get out of the damn photo. If anyone's curious, that's the secret to a good picture... patience. I waited as a man photographed his girlfriend who posed over and over again, not yet satisfied with her sexy stance. Just as they left, a little asian couple wandered into frame. They took their selfie with one of the ever popular selfie sticks I keep seeing everywhere. Then they stood there looking it over before trying it again. Just when I thought they were done, they walked just to the edge of my frame and stopped. Sometimes I want to yell, "get the fuck out of the way." But I'm always nice and courteous. I can wait my turn. I can reign in the rage simmering just under my calm exterior.
I met back up with Dad. He got a picture of me standing before the cityscape. Then I took a picture of him right before he almost fell off the Acropolis' uneven stairs. (Looking back, we really should have taken more pictures together.) Then we headed back down to get on the next bus. Having now seen the sites most important to me, we retreated to the hotel. We had to regroup and figure out what we'd be doing for late lunch/dinner. I looked up a couple places, but my indecisiveness kicked into hyperdrive and I couldn't decide. It would be my last meal in Europe. So much pressure! I then asked the concierge who recommended a restaurant down the street. Highly recommended. He said it was great food and not too expensive. Authentic Greek. (As we were in Greece, it made sense that the final meal be Greek.)
We walked down and found the pretty church by which the concierge had said the restaurant was located. It wasn't much to look at, but the map he'd given me confirmed it. Besides, some of the best places are hidden behind a mediocre exterior. Right? Eh, it was Greece. I looked over the menu, not very tempted by anything. Dad ordered a chef salad and I almost went for the chicken on a spit, but then changed my mind to a gyro. Suddenly, the wrap sounded just right. I thought of my wrap in Berlin and then the one I'd had in Hamburg. If they were that good in Germany then they must be amazing in Greece... Or not.
My gyro came and was pretty much all greasy unspecified pieces of chicken. At first I thought it was only chicken with some yellow sauce slathered on top, but then I found the bits of lettuce and tomato. And french fries. Yes, they put soggy french fries in the wrap. I ate it all anyway (sans the fries), trying not to complain though I was irritated that the damn concierge had so adamantly suggested this place. They must have some deal where he tells guests to go to this shitty restaurant and the restaurant tells customers to go to his shitty hotel. Dad's salad came covered in a thick layer of light pink dressing. It looked a bit like thousand island, but more translucent. He scraped off a heaping spoonful and was able to make due with the rest. He claims it wasn't so bad, but we could all tell I wasn't exactly stoked. Had I been hammered at 4am, this mess would have been marvelous. But not now. I was hungry so I scarfed it down anyway, afterwards feeling like you could have wrung me out. Grease! Actually, in hindsight, the meal was kind of perfect. It was Athens in a nutshell. A pita covered, chicken filled nutshell. (Greece = grease? Coincidence?)
After dinner, Dad was spent. I didn't feel like I was missing anything Athens had to offer, but I still had our tickets to the bus and an hour or two before nightfall. I rode the bus to Syntagma Square at the center and walked past Parliament heading into the National Gardens. They were healthy, lush, and green. Palms, deciduous, evergreen trees. There was a pretty little frog pond with lily pads and a wooden bridge arched across one side to the other. I kept walking until I came to a small zoo. Most of the animals were birds, from hens and roosters to little green love birds. But there were some funny mountain goats. All had climbed on tip of their small stone hut and were now standing together on one edge. Adorable. I kept walking, passing families chasing after their young children who ran about like puppies finally off leash. There were also runners jogging and sprinting about. The same guy must have passed me at least three times. Each time he was running full tilt with his friend lagging far behind. I guess this is where Athens came to be free. (Everyone was probably happy to be out of the heat. It had been in the 90s since we'd arrived.) It was perfection. Athens, I forgive you your shit. You've got some goods too.
It was starting to get late so I walked out of the woods where I found the Zappeion building across from a pretty fountain that lit up in the coming night. The sun was just setting, making for a beautiful backdrop. The Temple of Zeus was just over yonder and I thought about walking over to take one last look, but then decided it best to head back. I didn't know how safe Athens was and my bus was no longer running so I'd have to find my way back on foot. I walked through the center, almost getting taken out by some bro on a skateboard. Then I continued through the lit streets until I came upon a subway entrance. Though the walk thus far has been full of people, I knew our hotel's neighborhood was a bit sketchier. Luckily there was a map just outside the entrance, which showed my stop would be just two away. It was 1.20 euros for a ticket and the train was just pulling up when I got down to the platform. (Sometime things just all fall into place.) In less than 10 minutes I'd made it back to the hotel. Dad was happy to see I'd made it back safe and sound. (I could tell he'd been worried as Athens didn't feel like the safest place for a girl to be wandering alone at night.)
I showered and packed so I'd be ready to hit the pavement at 3:30am the following morning. My flight was to leave Athens at 6:00am and the GPS estimated it'f take 40 minutes to get to the airport so it would be an early day. Which meant an early night. Around midnight, I finally fell asleep.
Tomorrow, I say goodbye to Europe. Time to get back to life in Los Angeles. Mike, I'm coming home!
#eighteenhourflighthereicome
#thankyoueveryoneitsbeenablast
#wanderlustsatedish