336 hours in Athens

In one of his letters, Freud describes a trip to Athens with his brother. Upon seeing the Holy Rock he said he remembered thinking, "So this all really does exist, just as we learned in school!" He went on to explain that he never disbelieved the existence of the Acropolis, but that he did doubt he would ever see it in person. "There was something dubious and unreal about the situation."  Sing it, my man. At least twice on this trip I have turned to a stranger and said, "I can't believe I'm here." There is a shared exuberance on the hilltop. People skip with joy, handing their phones to strangers, hoping for a perfectly framed photo. Often, the picture-taker will return the request: "Now do me!" I noticed a similar giddiness among visitors at the Baalbek ruins. Maybe it has to do with the colossal nature of these monuments. They are not relatable on a human scale, leaving us a bit dizzy. There are many ways to attack Acropolis Hill, bu...

Imagine being a goat herder in the first century A.D. and, with tremulous curiosity, entering Athens for the first time. It must have been a terrifying sight. The 6-story columns at the Temple of Olympian Zeus alone would send me back to the safety of my backcountry hut. Athenians at the time were falling over themselves to pay respects to Zeus, Athena, Poseidon and the other gods and goddesses on Mount Olympus. Zeus could issue thunderclaps and set the sky ablaze with streaks of lightning. Athena was a font of wisdom and good counsel. Hades kept a three-headed dog. They could all kick your ass. So imagine the audacity it took for St. Paul to set foot in Athens in 51 A.D., stand on Aeropagus Rock, below, and issue his "Men of Athens" speech, recounted in the Bible's Book of Acts. "I see that you are very religious," he began, going on to suggest their worship was misplaced. My god is neither brutal nor jealous; give him a try. I'm kind of surprised he made i...

Though you can see the Aegean Sea from Athens' handful of promontories, if you want to dip your toes in the water, it's a bit of a hike getting there. The No. 2 bus down Syngrou Boulevard will get you to Flisvos Marina, and the metro's green line (No. 1), terminating at Piraeus, will put you within a 35-minute walk of Venus Bay (people here call it Aphrodite's Bay). Metro tickets will work on the buses and trams. You can't go wrong. The sunsets are amazing and the food is great. The Piraeus port is a common destination for immigrants lucky enough to leave dangerous, hopeless situations at home. I believe these influxes peaked in 2015-2016 during the height of the Syrian civil war when a million people passed through Greece on their way to northern Europe, but even today you can see videos on social media of little boats, mostly from Turkey, being intercepted, even fired upon.  The immigration scene here is beyond my understanding. Many new arrivals were warehoused...

Really enjoying my Neos Kosmos perch. It's dead-quiet at night, though somebody's car alarm went off at 5:30 this morning. I was up for the Arizona Wildcats game anyway. Panos came over later in the morning to change the sheets and towels. Wholly unnecessary, but it seems to be his weekly routine, so I didn't try to talk him out of it. Rain was coming down pretty hard when he arrived. While he made my bed ( awkward dynamic), we talked about various restaurants and sights of interest.  He said his university training was in electrical engineering, but he lost interest and went into music instead. Atomic Love is on hiatus but hopes to record a second album after securing a management deal, which would make studio time a lot more affordable. I asked him if there was anything I should investigate in Athens that perhaps even a Greek person wouldn't know about. "I have no recommendations for that." Not much of a backslapper, Panos, but he sure is conscientious and ...

The bronze "Artemision Jockey" (140 B.C.) was recovered from a shipwreck off Euboea Island in the 1920s and '30s and pieced back together in 1971. A museum sign says simply that "an American lady" helped pay for its restoration. Details at 10, I suppose. Not a lot was known about Greek antiquity until 150 years ago. The museum's collection springs primarily from two major excavations in the late 1800s. Heinrich Schliemann excavated Mycenae and Tiryns. Christos Tsountas explored the Cyclade islands and Thessaly, uncovering the first Greek civilzations, the Neolithic and the Cycladic. Before then, Greek prehistory had no timeline, no classifications. Rounding out the museum's holdings are discoveries made in the early 20th century and items confiscated as recently as 1997 from looters, traffickers and associated lowlifes. These exotic objects from a Mycenae grave circle about 75 miles southwest of Athens may be the oldest things I have ever seen in person....

Dear sirs: Saw a reflection of myself and was appalled. What with Friday's gut-busting eat-a-thon, the Λοστρέ κουζίνα's beetroot spread with yogurt and walnuts, and its kontosouvli chunks of grilled pork (Pitheou 32), chased by a Greek salad and plate of fried shrimp at Margara (126 Chatzikiriakou in Piraeus), I am feeling attacked. Not to mention the free desserts. I will not be placated by these furry dining companions you keep sending me. You will be hearing from my lawyers. Next Previous

Everywhere I went today, people were scanning headlines (in actual newspapers!) about Father Antonios, a celebrated Orthodox priest at the center of a scandal involving his Ark of the World charity. Greek authorities are looking into allegations of sexual and physical abuse against kids in the Ark's residences. Prosecutors are also looking into how the press got wind of the case file, so this is getting juicy. Antonios says this is the first he's heard of it. Next Previous