Athens – it’s all Greek to us

So we landed in the birthplace of both Western civilization and the gyros, and some of the sights are staggering. Our AirBNB is five minutes’ walk from the Acropolis (where the Parthenon is) and it’s a truly breathtaking sight. What I didn’t know is that Ancient Greek and Roman ruins are littered throughout the city. History on the doorstep no matter from what door you step out. Just make sure you don’t bump into Plato. He can get a bit testy if jostled.

We’ve visited Aristotle’s Lyceum, popped into the local agoras (in both Ancient and Roman varieties), and sampled some delicious local wines and beers. There also seems to be feta in literally everything. The Greeks are mad for the stuff. Unfortunately I’m not mad for it, but I’ve been brave and given it ago and find it better cooked than raw. One thing I’m usually mad for in all it’s forms, I can confirm that Greek style coffee is not for me. The darkness of the roast and the bitterness are all good, but why did none of you warn me that they leave the grounds in? I need at least two teeth-brushings now.

So what’s next? Tomorrow is our last full day in Athens, so we’ll likely take in a leisurely stroll through the National Gardens and find the statue of Lord Byron. And then we’re off to Istanbul! (not Constantinople)

Matt

Athens has a great vibe, and is certainly a place of duality: it’s lively and but relaxed, it’s modern and ancient, it’s up and it’s down (as in a bit hilly) so our Garmin’s have been popping off constantly about how many equivalent flights of steps we’ve been walking up every day. As well as the bits Matt covered, we’ve also enjoyed some great nature spotting in the city, with many tortoises roaming the hills and flats where the ruins are and we’ve seen olives, pomegranates and limes growing in the wild too – sad really how ‘exotic’ that feels to a British mind, but it’ll make one hell of a fruit salad.

Iris