Athens, Greece 2/18-2/25

I arrived at Nubian Hostel in Athens, Greece on 2/18 around 9 PM. My first impression of the area was that it could use some cleaning and removal of graffiti. I figured I better work my way out of that neighborhood to see if it improved elsewhere. I dropped off my backpack, got some food, and started heading back to my hostel. I was surprised on my way back when I ran into a police bus with at least seven officers armed with automatic weapons and riot shields standing outside of it. It was odd because none of my senses were picking up any conflict in the area, but there had to be a reason for them being there. With no wish to get myself in the middle of something I had no part in, I scurried back to my hostel.

The next morning, I woke up with plans to walk around and look for biking equipment. I also had a list of places to visit in Athens, so I figured I could handle the bike stuff while crossing some of those places off my list as well. My plans immediately changed when I found out that there was a free urban tour provided through a number of hostels in the area, including mine. What better way to start out my Athens experience! I hoped that the tour guide might be able to point me in the right direction for my biking equipment needs as well, so as they say, I was “getting two birds stoned at once.” Something like that!

The tour turned out to be a great decision. I met up with a French girl named Chrystelle who was on her way to the tour as well, so we trekked there together. Chrystelle is from France but is currently a teacher in Munich, teaching German at an international school in the area. Upon arrival, I learned that one out of four others doing the tour with us turned out to be from Lakeville, MN, and the others were from Israel and France. Everyone was extremely welcoming, and we hit the road with our tour guide, Vassilis. I asked about the officers from the evening before. Vassilis explained that our hostel was in the student area and there had been many cases of small rioting in the area. He described it as young people with too much time on their hands causing issues.

We began our day in the Plaka neighborhood and spent the day circling the Acropolis. There were ruins everywhere, and Vassilis was extremely knowledgeable about not only the recent history but also all of the Greek mythology. We were able to see all of the free historical sites in the area with someone knowledgeable about the history of each spot. On top of that, I was also able to get some information about a bike store nearby that the guide suggested I check out. Towards the end of the tour, Vassilis let us take pictures of the must-do spots in Athens. I have included all of this information in the two photos below for those who plan on going to Athens at some point.

Following the tour, I joined the rest of the group for a visit to the Acropolis Museum and then the Acropolis itself. As much as I would love to describe these two sites, words do not do them justice. It is incredible to see what humans have been able to accomplish throughout history. After a full day, the four of us split ways and agreed to meet up later that evening to check out one of the wine bars that Vassilis had recommended. The Warehouse Wine Bar did not disappoint. We did as Vassilis instructed and enjoyed some great wine with some traditional Greek cheeses.

The next day was less busy. I slept in and decided to relocate to a hostel in a different part of town called Athens Backpackers. After moving, I did what I do best and spent much of the afternoon wandering the streets of Athens, consuming multiple Greek gyros along the way. I finished off my day with a run to the top of Mount Lycabettus to catch the sunset at the highest point in the city. The view from the top is worth every second of the trip up.

The island cruise was really great! It was not extremely hot by any means but I was able to read a book, meet some really nice people and enjoyed sites from each island.

BUD

I have a few, but they are not nearly as serious as the past entry. Maybe because I wasn’t in the presence of Alice the Wise.

#1. Lime scooters have made it to Athens and can be found all over the place.

#2. I learned about hoof-position symbolism on equestrian statues. If a statue has both front hooves on the ground, the rider died of natural causes. If a statue has one hoof in the air, it means the rider was wounded in battle but died afterward from his/her battle wounds. If the statue has both front hooves in the air, it means the rider died in battle. Note that this is a fun trick that does not always prove to be accurate. After further research, it seems that there are many cases where this does not hold true. However, it can be a fun trick to pull out during sightseeing adventures. Maybe you can impress someone!

THORN

Getting cycling equipment has been much more difficult than I had originally expected. I ended up having to order some equipment through Amazon, which amazingly but not surprisingly does work here in Greece. The equipment has taken much longer to arrive than I would have liked. If I were to do it over again, I would have ordered the equipment before my arrival. However, I have been able to get my bike for the next couple of months, and my carriage arrived today!