By Zeus, What Music!

Toccata performed in two churches in Athens: St Denis Catholic Cathedral (l) and the Catholic Church of St Paul, Piraeus (below).  St Paul's was definitely smaller and more intimate; and the audience was tickled when the chorus, along with we 'Others' in the pews, sang a favorite Greek song, Yalo Yalo.  Since I was never able to attend the pre-trip get-togethers in Lake Tahoe, I practiced with (online) Nana Mouskouri, a Greek singer and politician.  Aah, makes me want to smash a plate.  (Note:  this is the Second installament of my trip to Greece, begun HERE.)

The Cathedral held a Mass before the concert; and after all those Up-Down-Kneel-Upagain's for the 14 Stations of the Cross, I needed to move.  So I snuck out for some sightseeing on my own; since I would, after all, hear the music numerous times over the coming week.  Elizabeth Pitcairn, owner of the famed Red Violin, performs with Toccata twice yearly in Lake Tahoe, and also enjoys touring with them in Europe, providing audiences an extra-special treat (click here to watch the concert...her performance is towards the end).

After offering alms to the fellow on the church steps, I turned right and walked along the sidewalk.  Two policemen were at the church entrance and it was still light outside, so I felt pretty safe walking around this strange city alone.  Besides, I had my traveling 'cane'.

Academy of Athens

Less than a block later I was stunned to discover something I imagined on the Acropolis back in the day (and indeed, the original was).  It's the Academy of Athens, Greece's national academy, and the highest research establishment in the country (fm Wikipedia).  The Academy's website reads, "The world's first university, 387 B.C."  Who knew?

Athena and Plato

I only brought my Instamatic to church so these photos aren't great, but you get an idea of what I saw.  It was nice - the weather was perfect and there were few out and about; but that changed as the sun went down.  I approached a young couple taking selfies, who spoke fluent English. 

"What is this place?"

They explained it was the University's library (I think); and the tall statues were of Athena and Apollo (with a lyre); and the seated were of Plato and Aristotle. 

Apollo and Socrates

Most of the historical facts in this and future posts are researched online as I type.  I kept saying, "I have to go home and read about what I've seen."  Sure, I tried to read a bit before my trip, but there are so many monuments and churches, you can't remember them all.

I was mesmorized by what I saw.  From everywhere you could spot Lycabettus Hill with the small St George  church on top.  It's the highest point in Athens, and a restaurant on top has the best view of the city, if you're planning a visit (so I've read).

As I walked, I marveled at the fact that I was in Athens at all.  Never woulda guessed, but that's the way life seems to work for me, I'm not complaining.

Concerned I might miss the bus back to the hotel (my Left Behind phobia), I turned back towards the church.  It got dark quickly and the street was getting busier, but I was happy to see the Academy lit up.

The last full day in Athens, I chose to look for some of the sights I'd heard about during the Acropolis tour, so passed on the Greek Dancing lesson.  Pal Nancy wasn't up to dancing either, so the two of us went exploring.  I'd studied the hotel's brochure-map for some time, and felt pretty confident about navigating the Athens Metro.

It was a breeze to get around and the trains were free of graffiti (I was even offered a seat; 'cause of my cane, surely.  It's handy for all kinds of reasons).  I wanted to see the Temple of Olympian Zeus, (l) seen in the distance from the Acropolis (looks like a high-rise), so that was our starting point.  (I'll bet you were wondering how the Zeus got in my title)

More scaffolding, oh well. We didn't really care, since it was nice to be able to play catch-up.  Since I became a 'Working Girl' I don't get to Tahoe as often as I used to, so this was a perfect opportunity.

As we walked the ruins, I'm afraid I began to think,

"Oh, ok...more toppled marble."

(FYI, the architects of these monstrosities intentionally designed the huge pillars to slightly taper towards the top;  to offset the perception of the viewer on the ground, what smarties)

'Rubble.'  That's probably what people used to think about the magnificent statues, pillars and pediments littering their farms and villages.

Over time, locals used them for building materials and the flatter and smoother the stone, the better.  Nowadays, many sites have 24-hour guards to prevent any more theft.

We left Zeus's place, walked through Hadrian's Gate (l) and headed towards the Acropolis, which was a terrific waypoint, no matter where you were lost.

Almost immediately we were dumbstruck by this colorful sidewalk display.  I took a picture but I've definitely aged, for I didn't grab one and start tormenting my friend.  These, too, were sold everywhere; also came in keychain sizes.

Every shop had some configuration of Evil Eyes, four concentric circles meant to ward off bad spirits and stay protected.  The design was fashioned into jewelry; painted on stones and ceramics; and incorporated in paintings, scarves and T-shirts.   After a purchase, one shop owner recommended a good place for gyros.

We meandered through winding stone streets, pausing at windows full of enticements, but we were good.  Nancy focused on food-related gifts and I looked for magnets, never considering how much additional weight I'd be adding to my already-stuffed luggage.

In Athens, you can't avoid ruins or statues - they appear out of nowhere.  I find it amazing how much history is piled layer on top of layer.  I'm a frustrated Archaeologist, and if you are, too, I highly recommend James Michener's,  The Source.  It's a historical novel of a (fictitious) archaeological dig; with stories of life through the ages woven and cleverly tied together by artifacts discovered throughout the layers of the dig.

In no time, Nancy and I lost our sense of direction, not to mention the name of the 12+ lettered street.

"Head for the Acropolis!"

We saw a man standing alone, arms crossed, and while Nancy approached him for directions I snapped this Hopscotch board (apparently for Giants) with an inviting set of steps.  Considering the size of the city plus its touristy-nature, I was surprised to see such a serene scene in the midst.

The man remained silent and shook his head, which I assumed meant he didn't understand English; but he explained that he and his wife were also lost and she was off searching for directions, so he was the wrong person to ask.  His wife appeared and we carried on a brief, "Where are you from?" conversation before continuing our quest.  A jeweler who talked us into his beautiful, expensive shop suggested another place with the 'best gyros' not far away.

Church of the Pantanassa, Athens

The tiny streets suddenly opened up into the popular Monastiraki Square, one of the most popular places in Athens for socializing and shopping.  After stepping into a sweet-looking church, we stopped at an outdoor cafe for lunch.  My first gyro-fix in Greece was yummy, but surprisingly not offered with lamb.  The cafes were packed (food is cheap there), and we all were entertained when one waiter began hollering and kicked a pick-pocketer down the street; caused a commotion.

The Metro station was right there, and since the Greek dance class and rehearsals were probably finished, we headed back to the hotel.

That's the way I prefer to travel - winging it.  I may miss loads of interesting stuff, but with these eyes I could probably appreciate sights better in a book.  It's the inconsequential meetings and surprises in-between sights which makes a trip truly interesting, to me.  That's why I drive with a dashboard compass and not Alexa - I don't mind getting lost.

Up next: Thessaloniki
From the beginning: Athens and the Acropolis