There was not much time to explore Athens. We came across some events and passed some neighbourhoods that will remind us of this city that was the cradle of democracy.
It was October 28th, the day when the Greeks commemorated Ochi Day, the anniversary of General Ioannis Metaxas's refusal to allow the Axis's forces free passage to invade Greece. Instead, the Greeks seized the offensive and drove the Italians back through most of Albania. Syntagma Square was closed closed off on the day, to allow the parade to pass through Parliament. Our hotel was right in front of Syntagma Square so we were able to approach the barricades to watch the parade. Endless streams of school children, youths, boy scouts & girl guides marched by. It soon got very tedious. The event was closely watched by the military, the police and plenty of shady men in civilian clothes with earpieces screening every person approaching the barricades. It soon became clear that they were not tourists but men with a mission. As soon as they realized that we were not there to mean harm to the parade, they relaxed and let us approach the barricades.
Everywhere we went in Athens, we came across small Byzantine chapels that were built in the 11th and 12th century, the golden ages of Athenian Byzantine art. These tiny Byzantine chapels with their red-tiled domes are antique gems set among the modern concrete buildings of the urban metropolis. We are so used to the spaciousness of Catholic and Protestant churches that these small dingy chapels feel claustrophobic, enlivened only by the gold and silver icons inside.
Nestled among the bustling old town of Plaka, a tourist trap in every description, are labyrinthine streets that present a charming side of Athens. Here we spotted a tortoise-shell cat among the bougainvillea, pastel and ochre-coloured walls, oblivious to the world around.
And now Plaka. One can love it or hate it.The tourist shops are crammed full of stuff, mostly junk. Most of the shops seem to buy their merchandise from the same factory or distribution outlets. If you dare stand next to a jewelry shop window, you will be pounced on by by eager shop assistants, literally dragging you inside. One shop was asking €22K for a 18 carat gold bracelet, which the shop owner declared would come with certificate to attest to its origin. A few hundred metres away the same article was €8K,also with certificate.
Right in the middle of Syntagma Square was this recycle bank sponsored by Ikea. I was rather intrigued that recycling, which is the responsibility of the municipal administration, has been used to promote private enterprise or was it the other way round?
It was October 28th, the day when the Greeks commemorated Ochi Day, the anniversary of General Ioannis Metaxas's refusal to allow the Axis's forces free passage to invade Greece. Instead, the Greeks seized the offensive and drove the Italians back through most of Albania. Syntagma Square was closed closed off on the day, to allow the parade to pass through Parliament. Our hotel was right in front of Syntagma Square so we were able to approach the barricades to watch the parade. Endless streams of school children, youths, boy scouts & girl guides marched by. It soon got very tedious. The event was closely watched by the military, the police and plenty of shady men in civilian clothes with earpieces screening every person approaching the barricades. It soon became clear that they were not tourists but men with a mission. As soon as they realized that we were not there to mean harm to the parade, they relaxed and let us approach the barricades.
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| Ochi Day Parade in front of the Parliament |
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| A man sweeping outside a Byzantine chapel |
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| Typical street at Plaka, Athens |
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| Plaka,tourist trap |
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| A shop in Plaka adorned with tourist tack |
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| Integrated recycling centre, Syntagma Square |
