Observations on Greece

[rusty_armour]

I, uh, failed to mention this before, but I kinda took a trip to Greece with my mom a couple of weeks ago. I'm not sure why I never mentioned it here. I'm guessing it's either due to sheer laziness or my inability to post entries that aren't rants. *g* Anyway, I've created a photo album online if anyone is interesting in taking a look:

Photo Album of Greece

I also wrote a mini-report for my uncle that I thought I'd include here. It's probably more boring than the photo album, but the scroll bar was created for a purpose so...

Observations on Greece

People

One trait I've noticed about the Greeks is that they're a proud and passionate people. They love their country and want to share their heritage. Many of the Greeks I encountered were also warm and friendly. They seemed to appreciate it when you made some effort to speak their language, so I tried to say kaliméra (good morning), geiá sas (hello) and, my personal favourite, efcharistó (thank you). With the last phrase, many people would say parakaló (you're welcome) in return. At least, it sounded like parakaló and not "Get out of my face, you stupid tourist" (not that I've learned the Greek for that). Okay, surely the nun in St. Stephen's gift shop said parakaló because, well, she was a nun.


Religion

For many Greeks, religion isn't something they just observe on a given day, but a guiding force in their lives. Take, for example, this ancient crone we found near the entrance of a Greek Orthodox church in the Pláka, the oldest inhabited area of Athens. She was dressed from head to toe in black and couldn't have been more than five feet tall. However, what she lacked in height she made up for in fierceness. She angrily chased a young woman out of the church when she saw that said visitor was wearing a tiny tank top and very short shorts. Some of the women on our tour had been reluctant to enter the church because they weren't wearing skirts and, while the little old crone didn't chase us out of the church, she certainly didn't seem very impressed with us either.

When our tour visited two monasteries of the Metéora, some of the women did wear skirts. The other women were given wrap-around skirts they could don over their shorts or pants. One man complained about having to wear trousers instead of shorts, but as he had asked me if my siblings were jealous because my mom had taken me to Greece, I had already dismissed him as an idiot. Anyway, I found our visits to the monasteries very interesting. As I'm not religious myself, I'm often amazed at the degree of faith many people possess. It's certainly hard not to observe this phenomenon when you see the hours of work and pure devotion that went into the artwork alone. In some chapels, there hardly seems to be an inch of space that isn't covered with Byzantine art and religious iconography. They'd even made use of the domed ceilings with the image of the Pantokrátor (Christ) in the center.


Ancient Greece


The Acropolis

This might sound silly, but it was bigger than I expected. I mean, yeah, it's the Acropolis, so we all know it's big, but it was a lot higher and steeper than I imagined. When I saw Stonehenge up close (Well, as up-close as the roped barriers allow), I was surprised by how small it was. It always seemed gigantic in any pictures I'd seen. I guess sometimes you have to visit a place to understand its true scope. Sometimes you have to visit a place to discover some unexpected facts as well. While I wasn't completely surprised by the amount of scaffolding around the Parthenon, I hadn't expected certain parts of the Acropolis to be so…so slippery. Some marble stones were so smooth that you could have been walking on ice, especially those around the Propylaia. I assume that this is due to a combination of time and tourist traffic.


Olympia

Unlike the Acropolis, I was surprised by the size of Olympia. After seeing a shot of the ancient stadium (e.g. that dirt field) during the 2004 Olympics, I pictured a much smaller area that resembled, well, a dirt field. Something along the lines of Culloden, with a lot less plant life, I guess. However, Olympia is full of beautiful ruins and I was captivated by the place. Yes, there was that dirt field, but there were also the remains of temples, the Palaestra (training centre), the Leonidaion (a kind of luxury hotel), a fountain, etc. Inside the Olympia museum, there were a number of statues and relics that had been found around the site.


Delphi

Delphi was one of the places I'd been looking forward to seeing the most. I've always found the stories about the Delphic oracle really interesting and I wanted to see the place where so many prophecies had been made. I think the place had a kind of mystical appeal to me. In any case, I wasn't disappointed. As with much of Greece, it was a little steeper than I expected (being situated in the mountains), but I was fascinated by everything. I know that some people don't understand the appeal of walking around ruins, but whenever I think of the history such places represent I feel humbled and awed. Despite earthquakes, and the passing of thousands of years, these places still survive.


Weather

It's hot. Really hot. Okay, not August in Greece hot, but still pretty damn hot. You need light clothing, sunscreen (like SPF 45), a hat and sunglasses. Unfortunately, in my case, my sun protection was a little too good. Yes, on her return from Greece, Pale Face was just as pale as ever. One co-worker demanded to know where my tan was. Another co-worker asked me when I was leaving for Greece then looked at me sceptically when I explained that I had already been there and back. I had to explain (once again) that I don't tan and only have two complexions -- pale and sunburnt.

Another must in Greece is water. Lots of water. Always make sure you have at least one bottle on you. And buy a bottle if you hit a kiosk (even if you aren't getting low) because trust me -- you'll need it. Even with the water, I was usually dehydrated, which was good during long bus trips because I didn't need to go to the bathroom as often. As the average washroom seems to only have two toilets (which may or may not have seats or working locks) and 20 women lined up outside, I only used them when I really had to. Of course, the worst W.C. we came across was in a monastery (I've forgotten which one) in the Metéora. It was a hole in the ground with places to plant your feet. Even Mom the adventurous traveller wouldn't use it!


Food

Before I left for Greece, I had lost at least 25-30 lbs. I think I must have gained at least some of it back during this trip because the food was delicious! My mouth still waters when I think of some of the dishes! There was moussaka, souvlaki, egg plant shoes (e.g. stuffed eggplants) cheese pie, spinach pie, baklava…Oh, how I miss the food! Strangely enough, Mom and I weren't as wild about real Greek salads, which basically consist of a bowl of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, herbs, feta cheese and maybe an olive or two. Of course, we didn't learn that you had to ask for lettuce specifically until almost the end of our trip.


Shopping

It's very easy to spend money in Greece. I think I might have spent 20 euros on postcards alone. However, even with the three tiny museum reproduction statuettes I bought, I didn't spend nearly as much as some of the more serious shoppers on the tour. Some women were laying down hundreds, sometimes even thousands, on jewellery. That isn't to say that it wasn't beautiful jewellery because Greek artisans can do wonderful things with silver and gold. However, as tempting as some pieces looked, they weren't in my budget. Maybe I should have tried buying jewellery at Pegasus, a store in the Pláka that specialized in jewellery and art, for it was in this store that I learned how to haggle.

Before the trip, I read that haggling was only common practice outside Athens (except for some markets), which is why I was surprised that I could bargain in Pegasus. Another, even bigger surprise, was that I was capable of haggling at all, though, to be completely honest, I didn't actually say a word. It was the art of haggling without even trying. What you do is show some interest in an object and then walk away. Then you return to the same object and study it some more, as if you aren't sure whether you want to buy it or not. That is when an eager and helpful storeowner might offer the item to you at a lower price. At Pegasus, I got a discount on everything I bought simply because I was being indecisive. Now, I should probably warn you that this trick doesn't seem to work on female merchants. On Hydra, I spent a long time studying this statuette of a bull, but the ladies behind the counter remained cool and calm. They didn't make any offers, so I paid full price.


Cats & Dogs

Many cats and dogs roam freely in Greece. At Delphi, I counted three or four cats. During a lecture by our tour guide, Mellena, a one-eyed cat came and sat in my lap when I beckoned to him. He seemed happy enough to stay there until Mom pulled out her camera to take a picture. She managed to get the back end of him and the funny expression on my face when he suddenly disappeared. On the island of Hydra, there must have been at least a dozen cats hanging around the port. Although they appeared to be strays, people had provided cans of food for them. In Athens and other areas of Greece, I saw a number of dogs running around without leashes or, for that matter, owners. However, they seemed pretty tame and well-fed, so I assume they had homes.


Greek Drivers

Greek drivers are insane but very very brave, especially motorcyclists, of which there are many. As cars are very expensive in Greece, the motorcycle seems to be the vehicle of choice -- at least in Athens. Given the number of steep narrow streets, I'd also say it was a smart choice. Nevertheless, I found myself holding my breath several times when a motorcyclist rode too close to our tour bus. I even saw one motorcyclist ride between our bus and another bus.


Mountains

There are a LOT of them. Mom read that two-thirds of Greece is covered by mountains, so I guess this shouldn't be a surprise. After all, the gods made their home on Mount Olympus. Until a couple of weeks ago, I didn't really understand why. Then I visited Greece and realized that you can pretty much see some mountain wherever you turn. I think maybe the gods couldn't see the heavens for the mountains, so they ended up making Olympus their base of operations.

Because of all the mountains, I discovered that I definitely get motion sickness. Although Kris was an excellent bus driver, he couldn't control how much the bus swerved and swayed on all those mountain roads. I reached the point where I had to sit in the aisle and stare out the front window, and even then I felt it. In a way it was good because it prevented me from counting the number of little boxes with crosses we passed on the journey. Mom and I both speculated on what their significance could be. Then the tour guide explained that these represented people who had been in accidents. If there was an image of the Virgin Mary in a box then it was someone giving thanks for a loved one who'd been saved. If there was an oil lamp inside then it was to be lit in someone's memory. I saw more of the latter kind than I would have liked.


Landscape

As I said above, there are a lot of mountains. In fact, parts of Greece almost have a barren look about them. However, there are also parts of Greece that are far from that description. When the bus was driving through the Peloponnese, we saw stretches of white beaches and vividly blue water. And it turned out that the water was just as blue up close, as we discovered when we sailed around the islands of Poros, Hydra and Aegina on our last day. Add to it Mediterranean-style houses (the white ones with dark blue accents) and you have your own Greek postcard. Being the land of the olive, there are also several vineyards that dot the landscape. In Athens and other areas, we saw orange trees and palm trees, though the palm trees were shorter and thicker than the kind you'd find in the Caribbean. In Aegina, we saw pistachio trees, something I'd never come across before.


~~~


Well, that's my report on Greece. There's probably a lot more that I should say, but I think I've covered at least some of the basics. Efcharistó and antío!

Comments

[anitamaid.livejournal.com]

I didn't know you'd been on holiday! I've missed you on LJ and wondered what you were up to, but now I know;)

The food sounds delicious, but I think Greece is too warm for me. It even looked very hot in the photos... (I'm not a big fan of heat he he)

Thanks for sharing your travel-report:)

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

To be honest, I think my holiday was only part of the reason for being absent from LJ. Mostly, I just didn't feel like posting anything or, when I did, it was only because I wanted to rant about something. I wanted to wait until I had something more positive to share.

I'm not a big fan of the heat either, but I really wanted to visit Greece, so I put up with it. Thankfully, all the hotels we stayed in had air conditioning, as well as the tour bus. And I found that if I protected myself from the sun and drank lots of fluid, the heat was bearable.

Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed the report. Thanks for taking the time to read it. :-)

[anitamaid.livejournal.com]

Hey: you're allowed to rant!!! I'll read/listen;)

I've never been to Greece, but I feel that I *should* go someday....

I think I'll go to the US, Australia, New Zealand and probably Canada:) before I ever go to Greece... Yes, I *am* weird!

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Well, I know I'm allowed to rant. I just think there should be a limit on how much I rant. When ever entry is sounding like a hissy fit, I think it's a bit much. I don't want to inflict it on my flist. I mean, that's what my family's for... *g*

I don't think you're weird for wanting to visit other places before Greece. I'd love to visit both Australia and New Zealand and I think it's great that Canada is included on your list. :-)

[anitamaid.livejournal.com]

I'd like to bring S. and eventually other children... to Australia, New Zealand and Canada! I want them to, well this sounds a bit "silly", see the world;)

I love your Guy icons!!!

[puckrobin.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean about feeling like you're using your blog only for ranting and the need to post something positive. I have the same anxieties about my own blog.

Allen

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Must be a Taurus thing. It's not enough that we have bad tempers. We have to rant in public too. *g* Well, it's nice to know that I'm not the only person who has this concern.

[puckrobin.livejournal.com]

Part of that 60% Percent cynical rating that I earned (... and I still think I'm way more cynical, but then such tests are hardly reliable)would say it isn't a Taurus or astrology thing at all. Of course, then some people tell me that I'm a double Taurus and my extreme skepticism in such things has something to do with Jupiter. Nice to have free will.

So, what were we saying about ranting again? (g)

It's interesting that our fiery tempers are accompanied by guilt. I know people with icy tempers that don't show any remorse or regret at all. As much as it sucks putting my foot in my mouth some of the time (a lot of the time), I'm still glad to have feelings.

Of course, I brood about decades-old sarcastic remarks. So, maybe this feeling thing is seriously overrated.

Allen

[puckrobin.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a fun trip. Greece has been my number one choice to visit for a while now, although really I need a better job for that.

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Hey, Allen! I didn't realize you were on LJ! This is one reason why I really need to check my user profile more often. Anyway, I've just added you to my flist.

I think you would really enjoy Greece. You'd probably be thrilled by the ancient monuments alone. When you get a better job, you should look into it.

[espirk.livejournal.com]

So that's where you've been this whole time! I suspected something was up when I wasn't getting anything from you on LJ! Thank you so much for sharing your pictures and your travel report. I have *always* wanted to go to Greece. It's one of those places that I've listed down as a Must-See when I develop a slush fund in the far-off future, hopefully. I took most of the Greece & Rome courses they offered in university because I'm just so in love with all of it! You took pics of all the places I want to go visit (Mycenae, Delphi, Acropolis, Theatre of Dionysus!). Thanks again for sharing :)

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Well, I wasn't in Greece the whole time. It was only 9 days. I basically just went quiet because I had nothing to say (see other comments about rants). However, I guess I was pretty busy leading up to the trip, so that would have cut down on potential LJ time aussi.

I didn't know you had an interest in Greece & Rome! I took a Greek & Roman mythology course in university, so maybe we covered some of the same things. If you're interested in mythology and Ancient Greece then there are a lot of places (like Mycenae, Delphi, Acropolis, Theatre of Dionysus) to see. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of museum reproduction products to buy. I ended up buying three statuettes -- one of a Greek (or possibly Spartan) helmet, one of a bull and (my favourite) one of a owl on a tiny marble block.

If you're interested in Roman and Greek history/mythology, you could probably find a tour that covers Greece and Italy. Either that or you could put aside enough money in your slush fund to visit both countries

[espirk.livejournal.com]

Yes, I read your post about not wanting to rant. For the record, I don't think you rant. And when you do, it's justified, in my opinion :)

Our conversations never really get around to Greece & Rome, do they? It's usually about Enterprise or X-Files and something slash-related thrown in there for good measure ;P (hehehe). BTW, the Enterprise ep with the Orion women was on tonight on SPACE! SQUEEE! But I digress -- Yes, I *love* Greek mythology and I adore Ancient Greece & Rome. I've kept a really good textbook on Greek mythology just because I love it so much and can't get enough of the myths. I think if I was given the chance to do over my undergrad degree, I would have gone into Classics.

It sounds like you got some pretty nice statuettes! I would have probably bought them too. When we stayed at Caesar's Palace in Vegas, I ended up buying a museum-reproduction statuette of Augustus Caesar, among other things "Roman". The owl sounds cool (and if I remember correctly, it's one of Athena's symbols).

Slush fund is a loooong way from happening. But I'm aiming for it!

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the vote of confidence about my ranting...or not ranting...or the justification of said ranting. *g* No, I guess with all the fandom talk, we never got around to discovering a mutual interest in Greece & Rome. I somehow misplaced my university text book on mythology (probably lent it to a friend), so I ended up buying myself a new book on Greek mythology in a gift shop near Delphi. And, yes, Classics wouldn't have made a bad undergrad degree. I certainly wish I had taken more courses in that area.

Your Augustus Caesar statuette sounds great. You're right about the owl being associated with Athena, which is probably what drew me to it in the first place. I wanted to get something connected to Athena, so it worked out nicely.

Once you're working full-time at a steady job, you'll be able to put aside some money in a slush fund. And you're still young, so you've got lots of time to travel.

[smithereen.livejournal.com]

You got some really gorgeous pics! Those sheer rock faces everywhere are just stunning. And I love the roundness of some of the buildings like the first monastery. It's so completely different from the stuff we saw in Europe, but just gorgeous in its own right. The ruins are also stunning. And I completely get what you mean about kind of treading in a historical footprint and that feeling of awe to look at what's left of what was.

Is there actually a place called Ice Cream Town?!

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Ooooh! Thanks for reading my report! :-) As you said with your own pictures, it's hard to go wrong when you're photographing such beautiful subjects. Still, I'm happy you like them.

Yes, the landscape and buildings of Greece are quite different from what you see in other parts of Europe. I think that's one thing that drew me to Greece. I had visited Britain three times in a row and, while I absolutely love it, I wanted to see something different. And I certainly wasn't disappointed. I was fascinated by the ruins and could only imagine what the buildings and temples must have been like during their heyday.

Is there actually a place called Ice Cream Town?!

LOL! You must be referring to Nafplio (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nafplio). I don't think I had managed to identify it when I was writing up this report. I actually had to go online and do some fairly extensive research. And I know it's pretty ridiculous not to know the name of a beautiful place serving delicious ice cream, but it was a brief (and unexpected) stop on the way to Olympia. I'd love to go back to Nafplio (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nafplio) -- and not just for the ice cream! *g*