Gadling http://www.gadling.com Gadling http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Gadling http://www.gadling.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Touts Feasting On Tourists Like Hyenas Scavenging For Fresh Meat]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/24/touts-feasting-on-tourists-like-hyenas-scavenging-for-fresh-meat/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/24/touts-feasting-on-tourists-like-hyenas-scavenging-for-fresh-meat/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/24/touts-feasting-on-tourists-like-hyenas-scavenging-for-fresh-meat/#commentsFiled under: Europe, Greece

tout on kos

Walking through the harbor area in Kos, a Greek island that is part of the Dodecanese group in the eastern Aegean, it's easy to imagine what a Playboy Playmate might feel like were she to take a stroll through a penitentiary buck naked carrying a sign reading, "Kiss Me!" A bit of exaggeration there, perhaps, but not much. Touts, who aggressively peddle meals, drinks, excursions and God knows what else, have long been a fact of life in the Greek isles and in numerous other touristy locales around the globe, but do they actually help increase business or do they scare away potential customers?

In many ways, May and June are the best months to visit the Greek Islands, because the weather is generally good, the prices are low and the crowds are manageable. But the one downside is that all the touts are in place but the crowds haven't arrived yet, so early birds like myself are outnumbered by peddlers.

Our apartment is about a ten minute walk along the harbor into the center of town but during that 10 minute walk, we generally encounter about 20-30 peddlers accosting us with menus, brochures, excursion offers and "Where are you from" come-on's. One gentleman's mantra is simply "very good, very nice!" But the way he says "verrrrry nicccce," he reminds us of Borat without the smelly gray suit.

Continue reading Touts Feasting On Tourists Like Hyenas Scavenging For Fresh Meat

Touts Feasting On Tourists Like Hyenas Scavenging For Fresh Meat originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 24 May 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>greecekostoutsThu, 24 May 2012 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[What 50 Euros A Night Buys In The Greek Isles Right Now]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/22/what-50-euros-a-night-buys-in-the-greek-isles-right-now/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/22/what-50-euros-a-night-buys-in-the-greek-isles-right-now/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/22/what-50-euros-a-night-buys-in-the-greek-isles-right-now/#commentsFiled under: Europe, Greece, Hotels and Accommodations, Budget Travel

kos beach

The day before we left for Greece, the newspaper headlines made it sound as though the country was about to disintegrate. "Greece on Brink of Collapse," blared the U.K broadsheet The Daily Telegraph in a front page above the fold piece last week, after the International Monetary Fund said that Europe's leaders should prepare for the possibility of Greece leaving the Euro zone.

We've been reading bad news about Greece for many months now, so the most recent news that Greece is about to hold yet another election and may very well leave the Euro zone is just the latest chapter in Greece's economic free fall. Over the last year, protesters have run wild on the streets of Athens, and other Greek cities on several occasions, but why are some tourists avoiding Greece this year?

We spent most of the last month in Italy and I met several people who said that they considered the Greek Isles but decided against it based upon all the bad news coming out of Greece in recent months. A pharmacist in Kefalos named Bill, who gave my family a lift to the island's lovely "Paradise Beach" told us that he has friends around Europe who asked him if there was enough food to eat in Greece.

"It's ridiculous," he said. "They see all the bad news on T.V. and think people are starving here."

I have the opposite take - Greece is still safe, especially the Greek Isles, and with other tourists staying away, now is the time to visit as the crowds are thinner and the prices will probably never be better.

Continue reading What 50 Euros A Night Buys In The Greek Isles Right Now

What 50 Euros A Night Buys In The Greek Isles Right Now originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 22 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>greecegreek bargainsGreek crisisGreekBargainsGreekCrisiskosTue, 22 May 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[10 Extraordinary Islands To Visit On Your Next Vacation]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/10/10-extraordinary-islands-to-visit-on-your-next-vacation/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/10/10-extraordinary-islands-to-visit-on-your-next-vacation/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/10/10-extraordinary-islands-to-visit-on-your-next-vacation/#commentsFiled under: Scuba Diving, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, South America, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, France, Greece, United States, Australia, Palau, Ecuador, Hotels and Accommodations, Ecotourism, Budget Travel, Nightlife, Caribbean, Luxury Travel

vacation islands

Summer is the time of island vacations. It is time to put as much distance between you and the real world as possible. It is time to stand outside of your everyday life and to see how it all looks from a paradise perspective. Here is a collection of islands for escape - places to recharge, gain perspective and explore. From an island in the land of the gods to a tropical Amsterdam at the edge of an ocean trench, each of these ten destinations provides something extraordinary.

Gallery: 10 Islands To Visit Next

Santorini

Santorini

Santorini

Gili T

Gili T

Continue reading 10 Extraordinary Islands To Visit On Your Next Vacation

10 Extraordinary Islands To Visit On Your Next Vacation originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 10 May 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>australiaborneoCorsicafrancegalapagosGiliIslandsGR 20Gr20greeceindonesiaislandislandsmalaysiamaldivespalauperhentianperhentian islandsPerhentianIslandssantoriniscuba divingScubaDivingSt. CroixSt.CroixtasmaniaUS Virgin IslandsusviUsVirginIslandsvacationvacation islandsVacationIslandsvirgin islandsVirginIslandsThu, 10 May 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gifts From Abroad: What To Bring Your Family When You Come Home]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/04/gifts-from-abroad-what-to-bring-your-family-when-you-come-home/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/04/gifts-from-abroad-what-to-bring-your-family-when-you-come-home/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/04/gifts-from-abroad-what-to-bring-your-family-when-you-come-home/#commentsFiled under: Food and Drink, Asia, Europe, Japan, Greece

gifts from abroad

My wife and I travel a lot, sometimes together, sometimes separately. We both have careers that require us to travel and while it can be tough to be apart, at least we have the regular ritual of seeing what gifts from abroad are popping out of each other's suitcases!

My wife just came back from an astronomy meeting in Tokyo and brought back this haul of loot. The Japanese are masters of packaging, whether they're being stylish and traditional or garish and modern. I wonder what a supermarket full of this stuff must look like. The panda head cookies are especially good. I've always wanted a bag of decapitated pandas. The T-shirt is for her, because she knows I'm fond of her "especially cuteness."

What I forgot to include in this photo were the three bottles of sake she brought back. While I've always had my sake warm, she tells me it's often served cold in Tokyo and that regulars have their own monogrammed bottle reserved for them behind the bar!

When I came back from writing my travel series about Greece, I brought her and my son lots of olives since they both love them. I also brought back some honey from Sparta. My wife adores honey and it's a good gift to bring from abroad because it tastes different in every region. Of all the honey I've brought her from far-flung places, she's liked the Spartan honey the most.

You'll notice that we mostly bring back consumables. A great way to share the experience of your trip is to share some of the tastes. Also, we live in a European apartment (read: small) and we have too much stuff anyway.

What gifts from abroad do you like to give or receive? Tell us in the comments section!

gifts from abroad

Gifts From Abroad: What To Bring Your Family When You Come Home originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 04 May 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>food and drinkFoodAndDrinkGgreecegiftsgifts from abroadGiftsFromAbroadGiftShopGiftShoppinghoneyinternational cuisineInternationalCuisineJapanmarriageolivessakesouvenirsouvenirsSpartaTokyoTokyo shoppingTokyoShoppingtravelFri, 04 May 2012 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Love Among the Ruins: Once Upon A Spring In Greece]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/30/love-among-the-ruins-once-upon-a-spring-in-greece/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/30/love-among-the-ruins-once-upon-a-spring-in-greece/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/30/love-among-the-ruins-once-upon-a-spring-in-greece/#commentsFiled under: Stories, Europe, Greece

I was sifting through the multiple layers of my travel journals, letters, and photos this past weekend when, like an archaeologist happening upon delicate shards of Hellenic pottery, I discovered these handwritten notes on fraying sheets of lined, curling notebook paper. I don't remember exactly when I wrote these words, but they vividly brought back the long-ago springtime they describe, the end of a year when I was living on a teaching fellowship in Athens, fresh out of college, trying to chart the course of my life's path. And especially they conjured the woman whose memory remains a precious shard of Attic magic among the runes and ruins of my life.

It happens at some point every spring: I will be driving innocently along some rural route, and suddenly a certain slant of sunlight will recall the way the light filtered through the pine trees along the road that wound up the coast from Athens to the little taverna no one seemed to know about -- no one except Gisela, the beautiful and mysterious woman with whom I had fallen ineluctably in love that spring of 1976.

We would install ourselves in peeling white wooden chairs around a stolid wooden table on the beach, under the pines, and the kindly taverna owner would bring us huge chunks of hard, delicious bread, a salad of feta cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers and black olives, and glasses of retsina.

We would eat and sip, but mostly we would watch the shimmering sea and listen to the sighing pines, censing the air with their tangy perfume.

I re-create this scene, and suddenly that whole mind-opening, life-transforming Grecian year revives in a sun-flooded succession of images:

I recall the breath-stopping, time-skipping beauty of just-blossomed scarlet poppies against white marble ruins at Olympia.

I recall the Peloponnese mountain family who insisted on sharing their meager Easter feast with my parents and me.

I recall the ethereal geometry and bony patina of the Acropolis at dawn, before the tourists arrived; and the soul-stirring rite of reading Plato, Socrates and Aristotle as Apollo's first rays illumined the site.

I recall unfathomable connections on the island of Crete -- the magical frescoes and sere splendors of Knossos, and the painter from Chania who showed me the island's harbors and meadows, churches and town squares through his eyes.

I recall the craggy monasteries and worldly monks of sacred Mount Athos, and the sensual abandon of the long, embracing beach at Lindos, on Rhodes, where I communed for a week with a ragtag band of European pilgrims who were all seeking some sort of Aegean answer.

Continue reading Love Among the Ruins: Once Upon A Spring In Greece

Love Among the Ruins: Once Upon A Spring In Greece originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>don georgeDonGeorgegreeceMon, 30 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fact vs. Fiction: The Acropolis in Athens, Greece]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/10/fact-vs-fiction-the-acropolis-in-athens-greece/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/10/fact-vs-fiction-the-acropolis-in-athens-greece/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/10/fact-vs-fiction-the-acropolis-in-athens-greece/#commentsFiled under: Europe, Greece

Athens is home to one of the world's most-visited tourist destinations: The Athenian Acropolis. Drawing millions of visitors each year, the Acropolis is perhaps the most famous archaeological site in the world - and it draws the traffic in kind.

The Acropolis Restoration Project also has a marked effect on the ongoing state of display at the Acropolis. Though it's nearing completion, scaffolding is still a major component of any visit to site.

Next: The Great Pyramids in Cairo, Egypt >>

[flickr images via Panoramas and Titanas]

Fact vs. Fiction: The Acropolis in Athens, Greece originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acropolisathensgreeceTue, 10 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The First Floor Of The Stoa Of Attalos To Reopen In Athens]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/30/the-first-floor-of-the-stoa-of-attalos-to-reopen-in-athens/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/30/the-first-floor-of-the-stoa-of-attalos-to-reopen-in-athens/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/30/the-first-floor-of-the-stoa-of-attalos-to-reopen-in-athens/#commentsFiled under: History, Learning, Europe, Greece

Stoa of Attalos, Athens

Despite hard economic times in Greece, its capital city, Athens, is about to expand visitation to a major archaeological treasure -- the Stoa of Attalos. This ancient Greek colonnade and indoor market was built in 150 B.C. by Attalos II, King of Pergamum, as a gift to Athens in gratitude for the happy schooldays he spent there.

The Stoa was meticulously reconstructed in the 1950s by The American School of Classical Studies at Athens, and houses the Museum of the Ancient Agora. While visitors have been able to visit the ground floor, the first floor has been off-limits for thirty years. It will reopen in mid-May, just in time for the start of the peak tourist season. The floor will house a display of Greek sculptures that have never been shown to the public. Windows will allow visitors to get a good view of the rest of the Agora, the ancient city's social, spiritual and political hub.

Top photo courtesy Ken Russell Salvador. Bottom photo courtesy Tilemahos.

Stoa of Attalos, Athens

The First Floor Of The Stoa Of Attalos To Reopen In Athens originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Agoraancient Greeceancient historyAncientGreeceAncientHistoryarchaeologyArchaeologyNewsarcheologyArcheologyNewsarchitectureartart historyart newsArtHistoryArtNewsAthenian AgoraAthenianAgoraAthensAthens tourismAthens travelAthensTourismAthensTravelGreeceGreece tourismgreece travelGreeceTourismGreeceTravelGreek architectureGreekArchitecturehistorymuseum newsMuseumNewsmuseumsmusuemStoaStoa of AttalosStoaOfAttalosFri, 30 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[10 Tips to avoid breaking your neck or your budget on a moped]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/25/10-tips-to-avoid-breaking-your-neck-or-your-budget-on-a-moped/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/25/10-tips-to-avoid-breaking-your-neck-or-your-budget-on-a-moped/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/25/10-tips-to-avoid-breaking-your-neck-or-your-budget-on-a-moped/#commentsFiled under: Europe, Greece

On my second day cruising around the stunning interior of the Greek island of Naxos on a moped, I got a little cocky. My wife and I had never rented mopeds before and the caution I exercised on my first day out gradually disintegrated until I was leaning into hairpin turns and passing old jalopies with impunity.

My wife was seated behind me, arms wrapped around my waist. The sun was out and there wasn't a cloud in the dazzling blue sky. An invigorating breeze embraced us and the view of the Aegean in the distance made us feel indestructible. And then we crashed.

Easy on the curves, tiger.

I guess we'd taken a curve a bit too fast, or had leaned in a bit too much. I flew off the moped, landing awkwardly on my right leg, and Jen, my wife, sort of toppled onto me. My leg hurt and the impact of the collision blew a whole through my sweater and jacket. But we were OK. The moped, however, was another matter. It had a cracked mirror and wouldn't start.

Don't ride two to a moped. It's safer and if your significant other crashes, they won't be able to blame you.

We coasted downhill to the nearest village and argued over who should use the phone in the village's only taverna to call the guy who'd rented us the moped.

"You crashed us, you deal with him," Jen said.

I made a lame, disregarded assertion that that the bike was to blame but grudgingly agreed to make the call.

When the rental agent shows you how to drive the moped, listen!

Continue reading 10 Tips to avoid breaking your neck or your budget on a moped

10 Tips to avoid breaking your neck or your budget on a moped originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 25 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>greecegreek islesGreekIslesmopedmoped rentalMopedRentalmopedsnaxostips to renting mopedsTipsToRentingMopedsSun, 25 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Delos Diary]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/23/delos-diary/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/23/delos-diary/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/23/delos-diary/#commentsFiled under: Stories, Europe, Greece

As reported earlier this week on Gadling, the Greek government recently announced that it has earmarked $2 million for the restoration of an ancient theater on the sacred island of Delos. That welcome announcement -- some rare good news emanating from that beleaguered country I love -- had special import for me, because one of the magical experiences of my early traveling life took place on Delos. Reading about the theater and the history of the island re-immersed me in that singular memory -- and inspired me to hunt through my journals and scrapbooks for an account I wrote shortly after my visit more than three decades ago. I offer it here not as a guidebook to the current conditions of the place -- I've never returned -- but rather as a snapshot of its spirit, and a celebration of the serendipitous bonds that travel can sometimes bestow.

***

There are no tavernas, no discotheques, no pleasure boats at anchor; nor are there churches, windmills or goatherds. Delos, three miles long and less than one mile wide, is a parched, rocky island of ruins, only 14 miles from Mykonos, Aegean playground of the international vagabonderie. Once the center of the Panhellenic world, Delos has been uninhabited since the first century A.D., fulfilling a proclamation of the Delphic oracle that "no man or woman shall give birth, fall sick or meet death on the sacred island."

I chanced on Delos during my first visit to Greece. After three harrowing days of seeing Athens by foot, bus and taxi, my traveling companion and I were ready for open seas and uncrowded beaches. We selected Mykonos on the recommendation of a friend, who suggested that when we tired of the beautiful people, we should take a side trip to Delos.

On arriving in Mykonos, we learned that for under $3 we could catch a fishing trawler to Delos (where the harbor is too shallow for cruise ships) any morning at 8 a.m. and return to Mykonos at 1 p.m. the same afternoon. On the morning of our fourth day, we braved choppy seas and ominous clouds to board a rusty, peeling boat that reeked of fish. With a dozen other tourists, we packed ourselves into the ship's tiny cabin, already crowded with anchors, ropes and wooden crates bearing unknown cargo.

Continue reading Delos Diary

Delos Diary originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>delosdon georgeDonGeorgegreeceislandmediterraneanFri, 23 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Delos: the birthplace of a Greek god]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/21/delos-the-birthplace-of-a-greek-god/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/21/delos-the-birthplace-of-a-greek-god/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/21/delos-the-birthplace-of-a-greek-god/#commentsFiled under: Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Europe, Greece

Delos

An ancient theater on the Greek island of Delos has received funding for a major renovation. The Greek government has earmarked 1.5 million euros ($2 million) to make the site more attractive for the thousands of tourists who visit it every year.

Delos was an important religious site in ancient Greece, being the purported birthplace of Apollo. Delos is one of the smallest of the Cyclades Islands, which are a favorite destination for many travelers for their historical importance and natural beauty.

The theater was finished in 250 B.C., and constructed entirely of marble. It could seat up to 6,500 people and it may be used as a theater again once the restoration is completed. Restoration work will include putting together the jigsaw puzzle of many broken pieces of marble, clearing away the plants that have grown on the site and providing drainage to minimize water damage.

The entire island of Delos is one of Greece's seventeen UNESCO World Heritage Sites and is rich with archaeological remains. Archaeologists from the French School at Athens have been excavating at Delos since 1872 and are still making major finds. One of the most attractive is the Sacred Way leading to the sanctuary of Apollo. The road is flanked with carved lions, much the way sacred paths in Egypt were flanked with sphinxes. Besides Apollo's sanctuary, there were also spaces set aside as sacred to Dionysus. Several giant phallic symbols sacred to the god of wine and partying have been found. You can see a couple in the photo gallery below.

Sumptuous mosaics have been discovered in many of the buildings as well as statues and richly painted pottery. Many of these finds are displayed in the local museum, one of the best in Greece.

Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Gallery: Ancient ruins of Delos

A giant phallus, symbol of Dionysos

Morep halli in the Delos museum

Terrace of the Lions

Statues at the Delos Museum

King Lycurgus of Thrace killing Ambrosia, who turns into a grapevine, 2nd century BC

Delos: the birthplace of a Greek god originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ancient greeceancient historyAncientGreeceAncientHistoryApolloarchaeologyArchaeologyNewsarcheologyArcheologyNewsCycladicCycladic islandsCycladicIslandsDelosdionysusGreeceGreekgreek islandsgreek mmythologygreek templesGreekIslandsGreekMmythologyGreeksGreekTempleshistorymythologyphalliphallicphallic symbolsPhallicSymbolsphallusrestorationtempletemplestheatertheaterstheatreWed, 21 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Volunteers needed to explore Atlantis]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/16/volunteers-needed-to-explore-atlantis/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/16/volunteers-needed-to-explore-atlantis/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/16/volunteers-needed-to-explore-atlantis/#commentsFiled under: Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Europe, Greece

Helike, Atlantis

Want to spend next summer excavating the lost ruins of Atlantis? Well, you can! There are only two catches--it may not be Atlantis, and you won't get to ride in a UFO.

Wide-eyed crystal clutchers need not apply. This is real science and is far more interesting than New Age fantasy.

Archaeologists excavating the once-lost ancient city of Helike in Greece, are looking for volunteers this summer. The city is located in the Peloponnese, the peninsula in southwestern Greece that's home to Corinth and Sparta. Inhabited from the Bronze Age onwards, it was thought lost after a massive earthquake in the winter of 373/372 B.C. supposedly sloughed it into the sea. All that was left were a few vague stories and the occasional statue trawled up in fishermen's nets.

Helike, Atlantis

Some scholars theorize Helike's demise may have led to the legend of Atlantis, the famous lost kingdom that also sank into the sea. Others claim a more likely inspiration for Atlantis was Thera, also known as Santorini, an Aegean island that experienced a massive volcanic explosion in the mid second millennium BC that blew away most of its land and may have disrupted the nearby Minoan civilization.

In 2000 and 2001, a Greek team found Helike and discovered that it hadn't sunk into the sea, but rather got submerged under an inland lagoon that later silted over. Not nearly as romantic, but nostalgia's loss is our gain. Evidence of over three thousand years of habitation have been found. Intriguingly, excavators found a settlement dating to c.2600-2300 BC that may also have been submerged after an earthquake.

The city was dedicated to Poseidon Helikonios, god of the sea and the earthquakes. The citizens even put the god on their coinage. Considering that their entire city was destroyed by an earthquake and water, it appears their faith was misplaced.

Volunteers are needed for this summer's excavations. You don't need any prior experience and you'll be trained in archaeological tasks like excavation, mapping, and lab work. If you'd rather dig somewhere else, there are hundreds of archaeological excavations around the world needing your help this summer. This list of links will get your started in your search.

Photos courtesy Wikimedia Commons. Check the Helike Project website for more photos of this amazing site.

Volunteers needed to explore Atlantis originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ancient Greeceancient historyAncientGreeceAncientHistoryancietn historyAncietnHistoryarchaeologyarchaeology field schoolsArchaeologyFieldSchoolsArchaeologyNewsarcheologyarcheology newsArcheologyNewsAtlantisAtlantis foundAtlantisFoundClassical GreeceClassicalGreeceearthquakeearthquakesfield schoolsFieldSchoolsGreek HistoryGreekHistoryHelikehistoryLostlost citieslost civilizationLostCitiesLostCivilizationNew AgeNew Age ArchaeologyNewAgeNewAgeArchaeologyvolunteer opportunitiesvolunteeringVolunteeringAbroadVolunteerOpportunitiesThu, 16 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Book review: inyourpocket guide to Athens]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/15/book-review-inyourpocket-guide-to-athens/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/15/book-review-inyourpocket-guide-to-athens/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/15/book-review-inyourpocket-guide-to-athens/#commentsFiled under: Europe, Greece, Books

Athens, guide to Athens

This was originally supposed to be a review of the Rough Guide to Greece. I really like the Rough Guides and two weeks before I set off to write my travel series about Greece I ordered a copy from Amazon. The morning of my flight it still hadn't arrived.

Luckily I knew about the inyourpocket guides. I had never tried these free, downloadable guides to dozens of cities, and now looked like the perfect opportunity.

Their Athens guide is 68 pages. After discarding several ads, the kids section, the gay section, and an entire page on prostitution and strip bars, I was left with a compact little guide that fit easily in my laptop bag.

The guide is narrowly focused. The only sections covering attractions outside Athens are a few pages on Delphi and skiing. For Corinth and Sparta I had to wing it. In fact, I winged much of my Athens itinerary as well because I already knew what I wanted to see during the day and the local Couchsurfing community took care of my nightlife. I was reminded just how little we actually need guidebooks for short stays in countries where we have local contacts.

The inyourpocket guide to Athens has several things going for it--free, compact, and handy for grabbing at the last minute, or even after the last minute since you could always print it out at an Internet cafe. Despite its low page count it has lots of listings, giving a wide variety of options for dining, nightlife, and sightseeing.

There were a few problems, however. The maps were too small and coming out of a black and white printer were all but illegible. Luckily the Athens airport hands out good free maps. I also found a few errors of fact. The Athens War Museum is billed as a leading free attraction but actually costs two euros. The transportation section states that to get from the airport to downtown, you take a train and then change to the metro at Nerantziotissa station. Actually there are direct trains to Syntagma Square (downtown) to and from the airport. These are only announced in Greek, but you can spot them because they have an airplane logo and luggage racks. I was excited to hear that a famous souvlaki restaurant, Kostas, is at Pentelis 5, right next to my hotel, yet when I went there I found this address to be an apartment building and there was no restaurant in sight. Considering the guides are published five times a year and this was the Winter 2011-12 edition, these errors should not have happened.

Despite some flaws, I found the inyourpocket guide to Athens a useful last-minute stopgap and would probably try additional guides in the future. Hey, you can't beat the price. If anyone has used their other guides I'd love to hear your opinions in the comments section.

Oh, and my Rough Guide to Greece arrived the day after I got back. Thanks Amazon!

Book review: inyourpocket guide to Athens originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AmazonAthensAthens guideAthens guidebookAthens guidebooksAthens tourismAthens travelAthensGuideAthensGuidebookAthensGuidebooksAthensTourismAthensTravelbook reviewbook reviewsBookReviewBookReviewsCouchsurfingguide to Athensguidebookguidebook reviewguidebook reviewsGuidebookReviewGuidebookReviewsguidebooksGuideToAthensinyourpocketinyourpocket guidesInyourpocketGuidesWed, 15 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ten random observations about Greece]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/11/ten-random-observations-about-greece/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/11/ten-random-observations-about-greece/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/11/ten-random-observations-about-greece/#commentsFiled under: Arts and Culture, Learning, Europe, Greece

Greece

While researching my travel series on Greece I noticed some interesting things that didn't fit into any of the articles. Some of these observations may be obvious to those more familiar with Greece, but odd first impressions are one of the fun things about travel!

1. Flying low over the Aegean as we made our descent into Athens airport, I swear I saw dolphins playing in the blue waters. We were still high enough that they were only visible as dots, but there was a whole group of these dots appearing and reappearing in the water, as if they were coming up and diving. Has anyone else seen this?

2. Like many countries, Greece has a smoking ban in public buildings. It's often ignored, especially in bars and cafes. Some places even have ash trays on the tables.

3. I always like hearing the local music, in my hotel I tuned into MAD TV, a music video station. I discovered lots of Greek stars I'd never heard of (is DEMY hot or what!?) and noticed a strange thing--cans of Red Bull appear in almost all their music videos. Even the lovely DEMY knocks one back in her latest video. Did Red Bull buy up Greek music or just MAD TV?

4. Greece is very visitor-friendly by having bilingual signs in all the touristy areas. This is a bit of a trap, however, because as soon as you get used to them and go someplace a bit out of the way, you'll be staring at Greek-only signs.

5. Have no fear, you can always learn the Greek alphabet. Many of the letters are the same as our alphabet and you're already familiar with some of the others. Learning the Greek alphabet takes less than an hour and you'll discover so many words that are the same or close enough to English that the hour will be well spent.

6. Greek can still throw you some curve balls. For a while I thought "ne" meant "no" since it's similar to so many other "no" words (nein, nyet, non). In fact it means yes.

7. Athens has a large and active Couchsurfing community. Get in touch before you go and they'll show you some awesome nightlife!

8. Small Orthodox Christian shrines can be found everywhere. Some are the size of a mailbox with only room enough for a little icon and a candle. These are often found beside roads. Others are little buildings that can fit a dozen or so people. They're tucked away wherever there's room. Dealerships for these these ready-made churches look like mobile home lots.

9. I saw a lot of graffiti, especially in the smaller towns, that was actually advertising for local businesses. I'm not sure if the businesses themselves are tagging concrete bridges and blank walls or if it's their loyal customers, but I suppose it's a cheap way to advertise during times of financial cutbacks.

10. Speaking of graffiti, my neighborhood in Madrid is covered with the tag "farlopa", which is slang for cocaine in Spanish. Walking through the Exarchia neighborhood in Athens one night I saw the "farlopa" tag. Same word, same style. I guess the tagger went on a road trip!

For something a bit more adventurous, check out my ten random observations about Ethiopia!

Ten random observations about Greece originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AthensAthens nightlifeAthensNightlifecinematicalCouchsurfingdolphindolphinsfarleyfunnygraffitiGreeceGreece tourismGreece travelGreeceTourismGreeceTravelGreek cultureGreek economyGreek languageGreek musicgreek orthodox churchGreek smoking banGreekCultureGreekEconomyGreekLanguageGreekMusicGreekOrthodoxChurchGreekSmokingBanlearning GreekLearningGreekMAD TVMadTvoddpastinperilrandomsmoking bansmoking bansSmokingBanSmokingBansstrangeweirdSat, 11 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mistra: a medieval ghost town in southern Greece]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/10/mistra-a-medieval-ghost-town-in-southern-greece/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/10/mistra-a-medieval-ghost-town-in-southern-greece/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/10/mistra-a-medieval-ghost-town-in-southern-greece/#commentsFiled under: Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Europe, Greece, Books

Mistra, Greece

On a steep hill overlooking the Vale of Sparta in southwestern Greece stands the last capital of the Roman Empire.

In 395 AD, beset by enemies, the empire split into western and eastern halves. The Western Roman Empire was soon overwhelmed. The east flourished. Its capital was at Constantinople, modern Istanbul. Known as the Byzantine Empire, it developed a distinctive style of art and architecture and protected the Greek Orthodox Church of its citizens.

Byzantium declined as civilizations always do, and suffered a serious blow during the Fourth Crusade in 1204. The Crusaders, who had originally set off to retake Jerusalem from the Muslims, decided to capture Constantinople instead. With its capital gone, Byzantium shattered into three small states. Byzantine art and the Greek Orthodox Church survived.

The Crusaders built an imposing castle on the summit of a hill overlooking the Vale of Sparta, one of a number of fortresses to protect their new domains. That didn't work. The Byzantine emperor Michael VIII Palaeologos recaptured Constantinople and steadily pushed the Crusaders out of the lands they had conquered. The castle at Mistra was handed over to the Byzantines in 1262 and a fortified city gradually began to take shape around it. Mistra became the regional capital of the Morea, as the Peloponnese was then called.

The Palaeologian dynasty was the last to rule the Roman Empire. It was a time of political and economic decline, with the Turks pushing in from the east, the Venetians dominating trade, and numerous other enemies nibbling away at the borders. Morea was one of the last wealthy regions of Byzantium and despite the empire's troubles witnessed a renaissance in art, learning, and culture.

Mistra is only seven kilometers outside of Sparta. It's an easy walk but I was anxious to start my visit and so I took a taxi and decided I'd walk back through the olive groves. After a week of cloudy, cold weather, the sky had cleared and the air was cool and pleasant. The winding road up the hill is dominated by the massive town wall. Passing through the gate, I found myself walking along steep, narrow lanes between the remnants of homes, palaces, and churches. Several of these Orthodox houses of worship are still open.

These churches are deceptive. On the outside they are prettily made with patterned brick and a series of small domes and half domes around a large central dome. It's inside that they show their true splendor. Frescoes cover the walls, domes, and pillars. Every available space is decorated with Biblical scenes and images of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the saints, all painted in a rich but somber style.
Mistra, Greece

Mistra, Greece

Gallery: Mistra

Mistra from the distance with the Teygetus mountains behind

The city wall

Looking up the hill toward the castle

Continue reading Mistra: a medieval ghost town in southern Greece

Mistra: a medieval ghost town in southern Greece originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>architectureartart historyArtHistoryByzantineByzantine artByzantineArtByzantineEmpireByzantiumcastlecastlesChristianitychurch frescoesChurchFrescoesConstantinoplecrusadecrusadersdespotate of the MoreaDespotateOfTheMoreafall of ConstantinopleFallOfConstantinoplefourth crusadeFourthCrusadefrescofrescoesghost townghost townsGhostTownGhostTownsGreeceGreece tourismGreece travelGreeceTourismGreeceTravelGreekGreek orthodox ChurchGreekOrthodoxChurchhistory of religonHistoryOfReligoniconiconsmedievalmedieval architecturemedieval churchmedieval churchesmedieval religionMedievalArchitectureMedievalChurchMedievalChurchesMedievalReligionmiddle agesMiddleAgesMistraMistrasMoreaMystraMystrasPalaeologoipastinperilPeloponnesereligionreligonSpartaVale of SpartaValeOfSpartaFri, 10 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sparta: Greece's ancient warrior city]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/08/sparta-greeces-ancient-warrior-city/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/08/sparta-greeces-ancient-warrior-city/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/08/sparta-greeces-ancient-warrior-city/#commentsFiled under: Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Europe, Greece, Budget Travel

Sparta

After having seen Athens and Corinth, I couldn't resist visiting one of the other great city-states of ancient Greece: Sparta.

Sparta needs no introduction. It's a star player on the History and Discovery channels and that schlocky pseudo-historical film 300. While I wanted to see the ancient ruins where brave warriors once strode, my main reason for going was to explore nearby Mistra, a Byzantine ghost town with a castle that rivals Acrocorinth. I'll get to that in my next post.

Sparta is a three-and-a-half hour bus ride from Athens. The route passes along the Aegean shore, through the Isthmus of Corinth, and into the Peloponnese, the peninsula that makes up southwestern Greece. Passing Corinth, the road ascends into rough hills that were being buffeted by a snowstorm.

Luckily the roads were in good condition and I made it on time. The clouds were breaking over the Vale of Sparta although it remained bitterly cold. My first stop was at the Fifth Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities to learn more about how the economic crisis was affecting archaeologists' ability to explore and preserve Greece's past. The Ephorates are divided by region, in this case Lakonia, roughly the central and southern Peloponnese, and also by period. There's a Fifth Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities too.

Archaeologists Lygeri Nikolakaki and Ageliki Mexia greeted me in their cramped office overflowing with books, reports, and maps. They spread out several maps in front of me to demonstrate just how rich their area was in medieval remains. Castles, churches, monasteries, and medieval towns dotted the landscape. This area was called the Morea in late Byzantine times and was one of the few centers of wealth, art, and learning during the waning days of the empire in the 14th and 15th centuries.

One region caught my eye--the Mani peninsula. The Ephorate has recorded some 2,000 Byzantine and post-Byzantine monuments on the peninsula, and the map showed hiking trails crisscrossing the area. The Maniots were always semi-independent, fierce fighters and pirates who never fully submitted to the Greeks, Romans, Crusaders, or Byzantines. Their culture remains distinct even today. As I was researching this trip I was already planning another one.

Gallery: Sparta

Map of the Peloponnese

Ruins and olive trees

Stairway to nowhere

Recent excavations

The theater and modern Sparta

Don't miss the rest of my series: Our Past in Peril, Greek tourism faces the economic crisis.

Coming up next: Mistra: a Byzantine ghost town in Greece!

Continue reading Sparta: Greece's ancient warrior city

Sparta: Greece's ancient warrior city originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ancient Greeceancient historyancient SpartaAncientGreeceAncientHistoryAncientSpartaarchaeologistarchaeologistsarchaeologyArchaeologyNewsarcheologyArcheologyNewsByzantineByzantine EmpireByzantineEmpireByzantiumcastlecastleseconomyGreeceGreece tourismGreece travelGreeceTourismGreeceTravelgreek debt crisisGreekDebtCrisishistorymedievalmedieval greeceMedievalGreecemiddle agesMiddleAgesmodern SpartaModernSpartaMoreamuseummuseum newsMuseumNewsmuseumspastinperilPeloponneseSpartaWed, 08 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Athens War Museum]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/06/the-athens-war-museum/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/06/the-athens-war-museum/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/06/the-athens-war-museum/#commentsFiled under: History, Learning, Europe, Greece

Athens War Museum

This is a Heckler & Koch MP5 9mm submachine gun with gold plated parts. It was given by the Defense Minister of Kuwait to former Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, probably as a thank you for his nation's help in liberating Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm. It's one of a case of Papandreou's personal weapons on display at the Athens War Museum.

Greece has a long and proud military history stretching all the way back to when hoplites met Persian invaders and chariots were the latest thing in military technology. This museum starts right at the beginning and goes up to the modern day. While the section on Classical Greece is large and well detailed, I'd seen this sort of thing in other museums. The other periods of history were much more interesting to me.

One hall is devoted to the armies of the Byzantine Empire. Unfortunately all the weapons here are reproductions, but there are some detailed dioramas of fortresses and troop formations that show just how advanced the Byzantines were. They even had "Greek Fire", an early form of napalm that played havoc with the sailing ships of the time.

The largest amount of space is devoted to Greece's two wars of liberation-first against the Ottoman Empire starting in 1821 and again against Nazi Germany during World War Two. This is when the Greeks really showed their fighting spirit-outnumbered, outgunned, and under occupation, they nevertheless fought against the superpowers of their day and eventually won.

Gallery: War Museum, Athens

How it all began. . .

A reconstruction of a medieval flamethrower used to squirt Greek Fire

Greek fire shown in a 12th century manuscript

A more modern flamethrower from WWII

A passel of polearms

Continue reading The Athens War Museum

The Athens War Museum originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Acropolis, Athens, Greece

Visiting Greece and not visiting the Acropolis is unthinkable. Set atop a high rock overlooking Athens, the temples here were built primarily to honor the city's patron goddess Athena in all her attributes. The buildings here are some of the best examples of Greek architecture and have had a profound effect on the architecture of all the Western world. While I have a preference for medieval sites like Acrocorinth, and I've visited the Acropolis before, I couldn't help but go back.

The last time I was there was 1994, and a lot has changed. There has been a great deal of restoration and the world-class Acropolis Museum has opened up.

Here's one attraction that the Greek government needs to preserve as it passes through its worst economic crisis since World War Two. People still flock here and it's a major reason why Greece is an important tourist destination. Tourism accounts for 18 percent of the Greek GDP and tourist numbers went up last year. Several sources told me there were two reasons for this: budget-conscious Europeans are traveling closer to home and people are staying away from North African favorites like Tunisia and Egypt.

Even though sites like the Acropolis generate billions of euros a year in revenue, the Ministry of Culture survives on just 0.7 percent of the national budget, and that budget is shrinking faster than the supply of Greek olives I brought back from this trip. In the past year the ministry has seen its budget slashed by almost a third, with warnings of more cuts to come. Museums are already feeling the pinch and now ministers, archaeologists, and site directors are scrambling to find ways to maintain their their heritage. There are even plans to lease the Acropolis for film backdrops and photo shoots to help raise funds.

Gallery: The Acropolis and Acropolis Museum

The Propylaia, the entrance to the Acropolis

The first view of the Parthenon as you enter the Acropolis

The Sanctuary of Athena Nike

The Erechtheion

Caryatid columns in the Erechtheion

Continue reading The Acropolis: Greece's most famous monument weathers the crisis

The Acropolis: Greece's most famous monument weathers the crisis originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acrocorinth, Greece, castle, castles

Greece is justly famous for its ancient monuments. The Acropolis, Delphi, and other Classical sites are the reason most history lovers come to this ancient land. The medieval period, however, produced many equally impressive monuments and it's a shame they're so often overlooked. Greece is filled with giant castles, remote monasteries, and lovely churches decorated with gold mosaics and richly colored paintings.

One of the largest castles in Greece is Acrocorinth, less than an hour away from Athens by train. It sits atop a rocky hill 1,800 feet high overlooking the famous city and harbor of Corinth. Its strategic location close to the Isthmus of Corinth, the narrow strip of land connecting the Peloponnese with the rest of Greece, makes it one of the most important castles in the country.

I arrived there one rainy morning to find the hill and its castle wreathed in mist. A taxi ride from the train station took me up a winding road past sheer drops. No approach to the summit is easy, and from some sides it would take a skilled mountain climber to get up. Only the western slope is relatively passable, and it's protected by triple walls.

Acrocorinth is such an obvious point for defense that there's been a castle here for more than 2,500 years. The ancient Greeks built a temple to Aphrodite at the top and built walls made of massive stones to serve as a refuge for the Corinthians against pirates and invaders.
In AD 146 the Romans destroyed Corinth and its castle and for many years they lay abandoned.

The temple was replaced by a church in the 5^th or 6^th century AD. By this time the Western Roman Empire had collapsed and the Eastern Roman Empire, known as Byzantium, was a powerful Christian state ruling over much of the eastern Mediterranean with its capital at Constantinople, modern Istanbul. Corinth and Acrocorinth became important again as a Byzantine regional capital.

Gallery: Acrocorinth

A view from the distance

Drawbridge and first gate

First gate

Second gate

View through second gate

Continue reading Athens day trip: Acrocorinth, one of Greece's greatest castles

Athens day trip: Acrocorinth, one of Greece's greatest castles originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AcrocorintharchitectureAthensAthens day tripAthens daytripAthensDayTripByronLeftwichByzantine artByzantineArtByzantiumcastlecastlesCorinthCrusadeCrusader castleCrusaderCastlecrusaderscrusadesFourth CrusadeFourthCrusadeGreecegreece crisisGreece tourismGreeceCrisisGreeceTourismGreek castleGreek castlesGreekCastleGreekCastlesmedievalmedieval architecturemedieval historymedieval warfareMedievalArchitectureMedievalHistoryMedievalWarfaremiddle agesMiddleAgesmilitary historyMilitaryHistoryOttomanpastinperilPelopennesesiegesiege warfaresiegesSiegeWarfarewarWed, 01 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Greek museums face the economic crisis]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/01/greek-museums-face-the-economic-crisis/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/01/greek-museums-face-the-economic-crisis/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/01/greek-museums-face-the-economic-crisis/#commentsFiled under: Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Europe, Greece, News

Greek museums

It's not easy being the caretaker of Greece's heritage these days. Greek museums are facing budget cuts, strikes, reduced staff, even loss of visitors due to riots. The National Archaeological Museum had many rooms closed during the peak tourist season last summer due to budget cuts, and strikes are regularly closing all publicly owned museums.

Take the Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens. It collects the nation's Medieval heritage, focusing especially on the glory days of Byzantium. When the Roman Empire split into western and eastern halves in 395 AD, the West fell apart within a century, but the East, known as Byzantium, survived for another thousand years. Byzantium produced a distinct and beautiful artistic style and preserved many Classical works that then became the inspiration for the Renaissance.

The museum was founded in 1914 in the palace of a French noble. For most of the twentieth century the displays didn't change much and visitors tended to pass it by for the more famous Classical sights.

"It was a place only for scholars," said Nikolas Constantios, an archaeologist and museologist who works there and showed me around the recently revamped permanent exhibition.

And what an exhibition! Some four hundred icons are on display. Richly embroidered church vestments stand next to colorfully painted manuscripts, gold coins, and day-to-day objects. It's all laid out in an open, well-lit fashion that reminded me of the new Ashmolean in Oxford. This modern style replaced the old "cases filled with stuff" museum design and helps combat museum fatigue.

This ten-year revitalization project almost came too late. The money, half of which came from the Ministry of Culture and half from the European Union, was already earmarked when the crisis hit.

Gallery: The Art of Byzantium

Greek schoolkids learn about thier heritage

An early medieval wooden Coptic cross from Egypt

Mytholigical imagery continued even after the switch to Christianity

Byzantine footwear

Icon of the Archangel Michael, painted in Constantinople in the 14th century

Continue reading Greek museums face the economic crisis

Greek museums face the economic crisis originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>archaeologyarchaeoloogy newsArchaeoloogyNewsarcheologyArcheologyNewsartart newsArtNewsAthensAthens city museumAthens museumsAthens tourismAthens travelAthensCityMuseumAthensMuseumsAthensTourismAthensTravelByzantineByzantine and Christian museumByzantine artByzantineAndChristianMuseumByzantineArtByzantiumeconomic crisisEconomicCrisiseconomicseconomyGreecegreece crisisgreece debt crisisGreece tourismGreece travelGreeceCrisisGreeceDebtCrisisGreeceEconomyGreeceTourismGreeceTravelGreek museumsGreekMuseumshistorymedievalmiddle agesMiddleAgesmuseologymuseummuseum newsMuseumNewsmuseumspastinperilWed, 01 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Athens nightlife: desperate pensioners on the hustle]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/31/athens-nightlife-desperate-pensioners-on-the-hustle/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/31/athens-nightlife-desperate-pensioners-on-the-hustle/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/31/athens-nightlife-desperate-pensioners-on-the-hustle/#commentsFiled under: Europe, Greece, Nightlife, Travel Security

Athens nightlife

Giorgis looked like he didn't have long to live.

Aged about 70, he was a tall man who appeared shorter because he stooped so much that his head hung almost below his shoulders. He was thin and walked with a limp that showed he suffered from sciatica. His clothes--yellow sweater, gray trousers, and brown dress shoes--were old and faded but immaculately clean. His gray hair was neatly combed over watery blue eyes that scrunched up when he coughed, which he did often.

"It's this cold weather," he told me. "People my age always cough like this when it gets cold."

Giorgis was in denial. I know plenty of old people who don't cough like that. There was death in that cough.

I met him on my first night in Athens while standing in front of the Parliament building watching the Evzone Guards. A few other tourists gazed at the guards' famous uniforms of a white skirt, white hose, and shoes with big pompoms. Their costumes may look odd but there was no mistaking that these were real soldiers. I'm six feet tall and every one of them towered over me. They looked in the prime of health.

Giorgis did not.

"I'm an oil engineer," he said. "I work in Saudi Arabia for a big company."

Looking at his clothes I doubted that. I acted interested, though, and answered the usual questions about where I was from and what I was going to see in Greece. He made some hints about knowing some good spots for Athens nightlife. I doubted that too. After a time I was thinking of saying goodbye and moving on. Giorgis must have seen something in my body language.

"What, you don't like talking to Greek people? We don't have to talk."

Ah, The Line! I've heard it from La Paz to Damascus. It's a guilt trip. You go wherever they want just to prove you don't hate their people. Well, as usual I wasn't fooled but went along anyway. I'm too curious for my own good. Falling for The Line has never gotten me into serious trouble and has led to some interesting stories. Giorgis didn't look dangerous. I wouldn't follow him down any dark alleys, but other than that I'd let him take the lead.

"We'll go to a bar," he announced. "I know a good one."

He limped off at a remarkable pace. I hurried to keep up as he coughed his way down the street. I figured him for an alcoholic. He sure looked in a hurry to get to that bar.

Continue reading Athens nightlife: desperate pensioners on the hustle

Athens nightlife: desperate pensioners on the hustle originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AthensAthens nightlifeAthens tourismAthens travelAthensNightlifeAthensTourismAthensTraveleconomic crisisEconomicCrisisGreeceGreece nightlifeGreece tourismGreece travelGreeceNightlifeGreeceTourismGreeceTravelGreekGreek economyGreek pensionersGreek pensionsGreekEconomyGreekPensionersGreekPensionsnightlifepastinperilpensionpensionersprostitutesprostitutes in Athensprostitutes in GreeceProstitutesInAthensProstitutesInGreeceprostitutionrecessionTue, 31 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST