Bittersweet Truthes you won't want to read

Standing on top of the Acropolis, looking at the Parthenon and surrounding areas is certainly worth the cost of the plane ticket that got you there. And its looming presence is visible from almost every where in city central. If you've extra time in Athens, a second visit is worth the 2000 drachmas admission fee. Filopappos Hill is also a great location for keeping vidual over this historical monument around the clock during down time.

Even with Athens hosting the 2004 Games, Olympic Fever is part of the daily diet here. Olympia, home of the first Olympics, is a long bus/train ride away but Athens hosted the first "official" Olympics in 1896 at the white marbled Panathenaic Stadium...a modernized version of Hadrian's original for Gladiator contest during his 76-138 A.D. reign. Several additional Olympic stadiums and compounds are scattered around the city.

Nestled below the Acropolis, the pedestrianized areas of Plaka and Monastiraki are definitely worth indepth exploring where newer shops and restaurants blend quite well with 2000+-year old ruins and everything else from in between. Considering your limited options, there'll be no need to hurry!

Quick Tips:

In 1900, there were only a few thousand inhabitants in Athens. One-hundred years later, 3-million+!!! Civil engineering and development DID NOT keep up with the population growth. Be prepared for traffic congestion, air/land pollution that's pretty disgusting.

Athens/Greece in general yielded the only "culture shock" I've experienced in Europe. Things are still pretty primitive - for example: Plumbing is old; toilet paper can't be flushed but must be placed in trash receptacles by sides of stools. Even in some of the fancier places, cans hadn't been emptied nearly often enough!

This is a trip you'll definitely need to do your homework before leaving so you know what you're experiencing. In almost every site/attraction, information is given ONLY in Greek. Street markers are both Greek/Anglo alphabets, bus signs/routes were only in Greek. Unless you're proficient in local language, consider this mode of transportation obsolete.

In 3/99, I averaged 300 drachmas on the dollar, but they didn't go very far. (i.e. large cup of coffee 450 drachmas!) Overall, it's not as expensive as northern Europe but still there weren't a lot of good deals for budget travelers as inflation was high.

Best Way To Get Around:

Walking...and a lot of it is by far the easiest, sanest way for getting around Athens.

Avoid having to drive ANYWHERE in the Athens metropolitan area. Cheap cabs can also run up quite the hefty fares sitting endlessly in congested traffic.

Athens, like Rome, is in desperate need of Metro expansion, except every time they start digging they hit another potential archeological excavation site. The most important line/stop you catch is Monastiraki for going to Piraues. Cost was 45-cents. Remember to validate your ticket before boarding as officers were checking.

Peloponnisou & Larissis are side-by-side train stations in NE central Athens where you can travel to various parts of the country on slow, rattle-trap commuter lines that's just like being part of something from an old Greek movie. A one-way 2-hour ride to Corinth was .15.

Transportation tickets ARE NOT sold round-trip. For ferries going to islands, different reps sell tickets dockside at suprisingly reasonable one-way rates. However, be prepared to pay 25%+ more for your return ticket once they've got you stuck out there!

Other transportation-related info/tips regarding flights, ferries are covered in my ADDITIONAL TIPS entry.

For budget travelers, this is definitely a place to check out. I was fortunate to arrive without a reservation during March off-season and pay $15 a night for a small single room. Kouros is conveniently located on the northern edge of the Plaka district where streets become pedestrianized. (Tell the cabbie to let you off at Fillelinon & Kydathinaon...like you can pronounce that! Point to the map. It''s a short two block walk to Kouros.)

Located in a 4-story neoclassical mansion that''s been converted into a pension, my room was on the top floor (Lots of Stairs!) which had kind of a summer camp/bunkhouse feel to it. It was small/dark with a bed, armoir, nightstand, chair and sink...not space for much more. The hall outside my room opened onto an upperfloor patio that overlooked Plaka, back of the Acropolis. A shared shower room was on each floor. We also had "outhouse-type" commodes on the back patio. Location was excellent, but you''ll get what you pay for so read carefully, get prepared.

Greece is known for having mild winters/torrid summers, but March ''99 was like no other weatherwise that had locals profusely apologizing for conditions. It rained at least some part of 7 of the full 8 days I was there...everything from drizzle to downpour! To make matters worse, I developed a cold/flu on the flight over. Temps were often in the 40''s/50''s, I got soaked everyday, and returning at night WAS NOT to some place warm. Winds kept blowing the shutters open and the window in my room wouldn''t fully shut. A damp, drafty room might''ve been welcomed on a hot night, but was the last thing I wanted/needed. Thanks to my feverish conditions, I also slept with a hoodie on pulled up over my head in addition to the heavy blankets. There is/was no heat.

Many conditions I''m describing were also found in most Greek hotels from what I saw and talking with other travelers...even accomodations charging top-$$$. Water is very scarce in Greece; utilities very costly. At Kouros, lights were kept off in all halls/stairways until the desk clerk heard you coming and flipped a switch. They also kept entering my room and unplugging my alarm clock and rechargable electric razor.

Since a hot water heater is also costly to operate non-stop, you had to notify the desk clerk 25 minutes before you planned on taking a shower...if you wanted your 5-minutes of daily hot water. (Supposedly you were also only to take one shower a day - hot or cold.) It''s not like you go on vacation to plan your time around someone else''s schedule, but be prepared to deal with it. Also, go back to this journal''s Overview tips/hints to read about the plumbing/toilet paper thing which is also definitely a "nasty inconvenience".

I didn''t use a Lonely Planet guidebook as usual, but I''ve got to believe if there are better places for budget travelers, they''d be the ones listing them.

Being ill, I didn't have my "try everything" appetite but still managed to eat countless $1.30 souvlaki pita gyros, and baklavas, other sweet/assorted goodies sold by street vendors everywhere. If you're looking to trim "fat" from your travel budget, eating/snacking like this was a great way.

Two Plaka restaurants worth mentioning/checking out are O DAMIGOS at Kydathinanion 41 and TO GERANI at Tripodon 14. Both were moderate priced establishments serving typical Greek foods; a full meal costing $12-$17. O Damigos is a basement tavern with checkered tablecloths, an old guy with a hand-accordian in the corner, and excellent seafoods. (I had the swordfish and calamari though salted codfish is the house specialty.) O Damigos is more for locals while To Gerani seemed to draw more tourists. Waiters don't bring menus, but a tray with a little of everything they're serving for the night. Simply see, point and smile. I recommend the house specialty of sausages flambeed in Ouzo...and, not to strike a match until your mouth's cooled off!

Greeks tend to dine after 9:00 p.m. so if you're American and used to eating earlier, getting a table without a reservation should be no problem. Be aware of restaurant employees standing in front of cafes. Simply making eye contact is all but agreeing to dine with them. If you don't, they can be rude and even agressive by your snub.

If you're in the Piraues area, there's a place on the eastern side of centrally located Plateia Karaiskaki I took to calling "Crusty Farts Diner" simply by the old codgers the joint was always full of...so you know the food was authentic and cheap! I ate my fill both times I was in the area, but couldn't really tell you what of. Food was laid out on trays in the window/serving counter...give it the old point and smile! Portions were huge; I never paid more than $7.

Athen's is the only place I've hit fast-food places cause they had reasonably priced "help yourself" salad bars that had interesting Greek salads, veggies and other dishes.

The Cental Market area, Athen's largest, is located on "Athinas" between Sofokleous/Evripidou. The meats area is especially interesting; impeccably sanitary considering they slaughter right there on the sidewalk! Best buys were the salamis, pepperonis and sausages to gnaw on.

There's simply no describing the inner-feelings of looking up to see the Acropolis from afar in the city...or in standing on the hallowed grounds with 2000+-year old ruins at your fingertips. For myself, no where else in the world has history been so soul-stirring than from experiencing the Acropolis, Parthenon, and their surrounding areas. After seeing pictures of these in textbooks all one's life, it's why I say coming here is worth cost of the place ticket...even if you did NOTHING else!

Depending on the day/season, the Acropolis opens no later than 8:30 a.m. and I recommend arriving as early as possible to enjoy your own reverant solitude paying uninterrupted homeage to the place (not to meniton phot ops) before mass invasion from tourist buses unloading. Be prepared to lose yourself in time. I spent over 4 hours my first visit; almost 3 the second. Admission was 2000 drachmas.

The Parthenon is mind-boggling in its present form...not to mention trying to imagine its passed granduer. Most intriguing were the reddish-pink stone steps which led up to the entrance of the temple. They're in amazingly decent shape; polished smooth from footsteps of countless people over the last two milleniums and more. The Parthenon is roped of to keep you from actually walking thru the temple, but I couldn't guess how many times I circled the area with head tilted back, mouth agape. Being here was definitely one of my best, overall travel experiences.

Looking out across the city from the Acropolis was the other major highlight one can loose endless time with just as Socrates and others before me likely have. It's also a good distraction once the place fills up with people.

I found the second visit necessary/needed for giving fuller attention to the lesser temples as well as revisting favorites. Binoculars would come in handy for viewing the Porch of the Caryatids as well for looking down into the Greek theaters of Herodes Atticus and Dionysus; the latter of which was under renovations in '99. Also don't leave the area without visitng the Museum which has many fragmented works from the Acropolis, Parthenon and four of the original caryatids...(Yes, the ones on the temple are replacements!)

Another important area easily missed outside the complex down from ticketcounters is Areopogas Hill where Greek officials used to convene court on these rocks looking up to the Acropolis and down to the Ancient Agora. It's also where the Apostle Paul proclaimed Christ to Greeks as their "unknown God" as described in Acts chapter 17. Because of those efforts, Dionysius was converted and today is Greece's patron Christian saint.

If you're looking for a haven and retreat from the madness of Athens, definitely checkout what is known as Filopappos Hill which sits southwest of the Acropolis once you cross Dionysiou Areopagitou; the main thoroughfare. Of the other small hills surrounding the south and western areas, this one is easily detected by remains of a monument to "Philopappus" built in AD 114-116.

Entering the park area, follow one of the many trails leading upward through a dense forest...and breathe deeply to enjoy the fresh aromas of pine and other conifers. As you near the top and the vegetation begins thinning out, you'll see the top of the monument. Be sure to check it out, but you'll quickly notice it's not your priority for coming here.

As southern Athen's highest point at 482 feet, you'll likely be enchanted and mesmerized by the vistas around the city...but especially the many that look directly across to the Acropolis and Parthenon in all their glory. The harshness of the city below melted away spending endless time lost within myself; watching and gazing. I found myself returning here frequently during down time...and "dry time" when it wasn't raining just for some place magical and spectacular to be. Unfortunately, there was never a decent morning to catch a sunrise...nor evening yielding one of the indescribable, captivating sunsets found on Greek postcards everywhere. But at least take time to stay as dusk turns to night and floodlights begin illuminating the entire Acropolis area.

From here, you'll also be able to verify Athens is an endless sea of buildings for as far as the eyes can see...all but rolling right up the sides of the hills in the distance. And with all those buildings come lots of locals; many of which can be found out and about in this park...not tourists! While I never felt threatened, I'm not sure it's a place I'd linger or go exploring too long after dark. But seeing the lights come on the Parthenon was definitely worth any risk. You'll also need a rather good memory/sense of direction for following the trails down in the dark...but JUST DO IT!

If you've came this far, you might as well see it...also considering how limited Athens' options are, but let me give some additional tips for getting as much as you can from another heap of rubble. Even more so than Rome, Athens is cluttered with piles of ancient ruins scattered EVERYWHERE and, quite honestly, after a while they all begin to look the same regardless of location or significance. This factor is also compounded by everything in Greece being ancient...that is unless it's newer. Then it's just old!

For making the most of Ancient Agora, I suggest using the EYEWITNESS Travel Guide for Greece...Athens & The Mainland. They have excellent illustrations for what many attractions would have looked like 2000 years ago which helps put some imaginary life, enjoyment into your efforts. The Agora area is still outlined by the same street grid system including the Panathenaic Way which led thru the marketplace to the Acropolis. Areas are lined with building foundations and statue remains - all of which are missing heads and arms.

Sitting atop a small hill to the west and easily spotted, the Hephaisteion Temple, built around 445 B.C., is the best preserved building of the Agora and of temples in Athens. But don't stop with the temple. Continue exploring behind up to and along the western boundary for what I considered some of the best "finds" within the Agora. The back fence is littered with large, intact relics including what appears to be several marble burial vualts with ornate freizes carved into the sides. (Or else they're the fanciest horse watering troughes I've ever seen!) To the south of the Agora near the Turkish Temple, which is also rather interesting, there were many odds-and-ends artifacts including Ancient Greek Urns that had over time filled and solidified.

Before leaving the Agora, visit the Stoa of Attalos museum which is included in the 1200 drachma admission fee. This stoa was reconstructed in the 1950's on the original foundation and displays many impressive finds from the Agora over the years. Even if you're overloaded and "ruined on ruins", take time to look perhaps from a perspective of not just what you're looking at but actually how old it is...and, which famous Ancient Greeks it might have belonged to. You'll also recognize many of the original works of pottery from knock-off replicas being sold in stores everywhere.

Enjoy this suggested half-day walking tour when you need a "lite day" of sightseeing. Head for the area east of Plaka and if renovations are finished, pass under Hadrian's Arch which was built during his Roman rule to designate where New Athens began. This also leads to remains of the Temple of Olympian Zeus. It's well worth the 500 drachmas admission to take a close-up look of what's left of Greece's largest temple that was begun 6th century BC and finished 650+ years later by Hadrian. You'll feel dwarfed standing under the 15 towering columns which remain...and, be amazed by the two which have toppled over looking like sliced veggies.

Return to the street cutting thru the park and follow it towards Panathenaic Stadium which Hadrian also reconstructed with white marble during his reign. Gladiator battles and unofficial games were held here. It eventually fell in ruin, marble was taken for use of other buildings, but the stadium was refurbished for the first-ever "official" world-wide Olympics held here in 1896. The stadium is accessible from the open-sided end and I highly suggest taking time to walk up/around to get a true feel of it's expansiveness and for elevated viewings. A word of precaution; if it's been raining the marble is VERY slick!

Head back to the park and stop at the "can't miss" Zappeion culture/conference center. Inside are many displays (some interactive) featuring Greek commerce/trade...and unfortunately, they're also only in Greek language. It was great to escape the rain...or likely intense heat. There's restroom facilities, it's all free of charge, and don't leave without checking out the inner-tiled courtyard that's worth a look from both levels.

When finished, find the road running behind the facility and follow one of the many trails which leads back thru the National Gardens. For it being March, I was suprised how lush vegetation was. This is another great place for escaping the intensity of the city, walking contemplatively along pathes or relaxing on one of the many benches. But there were down sides. There's an abundant stray cat population living in the park and smells were sickening at times. There's also a pathetic little animal menagerie they call the Athens Zoo where pigeons outnumbered animals and conditions were SO bad, I filed a complaint with the Greek Consulate once returning to NYC.

If you'd like to extend your trek, head east exiting the gardens on Irodou Attikou and walk north, with a slight uphill grade, to pass the Presidential Palace as well as many of the strangely clad young Greek soldiers...who displayed senses of humor and are definitely more interesting than ones at Buckingham Palace! When the road T's, turn left downhill toward Plateia Syntagmatos and the Parliament building which also includes the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Most tourists never see more than Piraues Port where ferries for the Islands leave...but there's more. If you're bored with Athens and ready for a strenuous hike, follow these vague directions for an interesting walking tour. A good sense of direction comes in handy unless you find a rare indepth map of this area.

Catch the metro at Monastiraki heading for Piraeus. Sit/stand near a window to enjoy scenary on the long ride out. Exit at 'Faliro' and you'll see a leftover Olympic stadium. Head for the water following the road(s) that keep you closest to the coast in search of Mikrolimano Port. You'll eventually come to the two areas with small circular harbors lined with all shapes/sizes of boats/yachts. Some are unloading the "catch of the day" which will be served at the waterfront cafes come evening. If you'd like something to eat daytime, most outdoor establishments have indoor cafes across the street with menu's of medium price...specializing in seafood! Few tourists venture this far out. Come nightfall and you're looking for an authentic Greek experience, this would definitely be a place to come.

Continue along the harbors until coming to a large boat warehouse and secluded yacht club. Begin heading uphill passed some neighborhoods with older houses even having a Victorian architectural feel to them. Continue back downhill along a sandy beachfront park area, but at some point you'll need to traverse right steeply uphill again...until turning left descending back down into the Piraeus Port area.

There's nothing overly extraordinary about here. There's newer shops/areas that were closed on Sunday. Only available for checking out was the actual port area which receives 24-7 hustle/bustle and's fairly rundown and dirty with constant use. If you've any plans for catching a ferry/hydrofoil to islands at a later date, use this time to familiarize yourself with the area. Also, shop around for ticket prices whether from one of many travel agencies or dockside ticket hawkers.

Perhaps the best experience of this day, other than "Crusty Farts Diner" described in my dining entry, was the Metro station just a few blocks north of the port. The oversized, delapidated station looked like something out of a Black & White WWII movie from the outside and proved just as majestically rustic within. My attention was also caught by many people milling around outside...enought that grassy areas were worn bare. Street hawkers/vendors, typical riff-raff that collects near stations, but mostly everyday locals coming/going. For cultural observance/people watching, this was definitely one of the better places for this trip.

Start from Plateia Omondias (metro OMONOIA stop) but if staying in nearby Plaka and walking, plan to hit the city's Central Market on "Athinas" for Greek breakfast and look around. Continue on Athinas to the circular Plateia Omondias and find "Themistokleous Street". Head northeast.

You'll quickly detect changes in architecture, mood, and factions of almost modernism as your wander about the streets. If Athens has a "funky time-warp" neighborhood, this section is definitely it! While not as bizarre as NYC's Greenwich Village, it's definitely full of field hippy, alternative/grunge types likely perceived as bucking the Greek culture system. A large number of stores, cafes, street propoganda certainly reflect a much needed newer, alternative balance to life in Athens.

A "rebellious edge" is nothing new for this part of the city. All northeasterly roads head to Streffi Hill...a park that is quite notorious for protest rallies/demonstrations including in '73 when students were massacred by the Junta. The park is located atop a bare hill that yields limited-range views. I was hoping to catch some Saturday "action", but the place was all but abandoned with pending rains. It was interesting to walk around for a break from the city, but I'm not sure it's worth the effort unless there's Greeks in the park to make people watching enjoyable. And sadly, like seemingly everything else, conditions signaled Streffi Hill too had seen better days.

Find the southeast portion of the park...easily detected by the backside view of Mt. Lykavittos. It's a short distance across, but the walk will seem greater because of the valley that seperates Streffi and here. Descend the steps passing thru some calm residential areas until you begin climbing to the base of Lykavittos. Definitely look around, but unless you plan on a lot of zig-zagging, stick close to "Isavron" as it's the ONLY passage which leads directly from Streffi to Lykavittos.

Once you come to the base of Lykavittos, make a right heading around for quite some distance until coming to the funicular which takes you atop the mountain. (Eyewitness Travel Guide has a good outline for this in the Street Finder maps.)

Atop Athen's highest point, there are two small churches and many cafes to enjoy spectacular views of the city...when the weather's decent of which today wasn't! Heavy drizzle had began falling driven even harder by icy, whipping winds at this higher elevation. Views around the city were hazy at best, but still I felt compelled to stay looking for close to an hour huddled soaking wet in a corner. My greatest disappointment of this trip was time nor weather cooperated for a return visit to fully enjoy this area.

Ride the funicular back down and if you've got any feeling left in your legs, from here it's not that far a downhill walk back to Plateia Syntagmatos thru what was definitely the "highest class" area of new wealth I saw in Athens.

Unless you're planning on checking out of your hotel and spending the night, Aegina is the ONLY island you can visit as a day trip from Athens...unless you're only looking to spend 45 minutes elsewhere before the ferry departs back for the city or, more time on the boat than the island!

For Aegina, the one-hour ferry ride cost $7.45 though only one-way tickets are sold and the departure one about 25% cheaper than the return one. Depending on the schedule, you'll either travel by hydrofoil or full-size steamer.

Aegina is small, not listed or talked about in most guidebooks, and therefore not well-known with tourists. However, it's close enought to have become the "island suburb" for Athens. The ride out/back is peaceful yet non-eventful.

The port town on Aegina is small and pleasant with a definite Mediterranean feel blended with Greek traditions/culture. Narrow streets and alleys are lined with shops, taverns and cafes housed in architectural styles one expects when coming to Greece...but not really found in Athens. There's a fair share of sidewalk cafes along the waterfront with prices most budget travelers wouldn't care to pay. The back streets had many less expensive cafes serving seafoods and other Greek staples.

There are many interesting styles/ages of boats in the small harbor and a miniature chapel but unfortunately, there's not a lot otherwise to see within the village. There's ancient ruins scattered across the island. If you're not already on "ruins overload" and would like to look around more, there were a few cabs and motorscooters were readily available for hourly rent.

The best part of being here was simply escaping the metropolis nightmare of Athens. Once I'd wandered around to see everything, I went into a local market purchasing grapes, cheese, salami, bread, and a bottle of wine for a self-indulgent picnic. If you've the same idea and want a peaceful place to enjoy, head out of town in direction of many boats elevated on dryground with a small ruins site behind them. Follow the coast around until you come to a large rock...about 12 feet tall like a tower. I climbed atop and enjoyed my food while looking out to sea and back to the port town as well as basking in one of the few periods with sun.

* The next "do-able" Greek Island excursion is Hydra which is a 3-half hour ride one-way netting only a 2-half hour stay/look around before returning. Check out other island/ferry information in my Additional tips entry.

Depending on your length of stay in Athens, you'll learn to enjoy, appreciate these touristy areas for what they offer and their convenience. These two oldest Athens communities are snuggled closely around the north and eastern bases of the Acropolis.

The majority of full-scale restaurants are clustered around "Kydathinaion" in Plaka including O DAMIGOS reviewed in this journal. For shopping, "Adrianou and Pandrosou" have the largest selections of shops in both up-scale and touristy goods. Shop owners are friendly without being pushy/aggressive to make a sale. I was suprised how many were from around the world; one-time tourists that fell in love with Athens and relocated here.

There are many jewelers and stores selling endless replicas of Greek pottery and artifacts for what I felt were priced too high for my interests. Keep in mind that stores are small/crowded; passageways narrow so be careful your backpack doesn't cause a costly catastrophe!

As Pandrosou enters Monastiraki, you'll quickly detect a different change in both atmosphere and shops. Streets become narrower and somewhat dirtier with a seedier feel...but there's nothing to fear. The area takes on a type of State Fair/Carnival fairway feel as if everything and one are suddenly vyeing for your attention in these confined quarters. There's definitely more "tourist junk" and other typical buys you tend to find in Chinatown-like areas. There's an abundance of shops, prices are extremely varied, so shop around to insure you get the best buys.

Once you've passed thru Plateia Monastiraki where the metro stop is, you'll feed into "Faistou" which is definitely headquarters for junk, flea markets and other tempting but useless relics. Biggest draw is the Sunday Morning swap meet held on Plateia Avissynias.

Wander off the main areas for more shops AND many churches and archaeological sites that are scattered EVERYWHERE! Most appealing of the churches was the 12th century Panagia Gorgoepikoos located off Pandrosou in Plateia Mitropoleos. Unlike Europe's grand cathedrals, Greek churches are much smaller/darker, but just as rich in hidden decorations/treasures. The Mitropoli next to Gorgoepikoos is a plain 19th century cathedral; the largest I saw in Athens.

Of ancient sites, The Tower of The Winds, a waterclock in the Roman Agora ruins, is definitely the most impressive thing to see. Unless you're hankering for an upclose peek, you'll see it fine from the road without having to pay a small admission fee. There are several other large areas of ruins from the Roman period in Monastiraki as well as hidden Greek finds in Plaka.

GETTING TO/FROM GREECE & ATHENS

Unlike most Europe-bound flights which depart the States on an evening and arrive next morning, flights headed for Greece tend to depart mid-morning and arrive the next day in Athens around 4:00 a.m.!!! I couldn't believe how busy the airport was in the middle of the night, but it's so travelers heading for the islands will have time to catch their ferries - most of which depart by 7:00 a.m. and is discussed later in this section.

If you're going into Athens, I didn't think this was a good way to start a trip! Once clearing customs, I came up to one of the shabby cafes and waited at least until the sun came up since I couldn't imagine trapsing around a strange place in the dark middle of the night.

The airport is somewhat of a distance south of the city. Leaving slightly before 6:30 a.m., it still wasn't early enough to beat the massive traffic congestions headed into town. I don't recall exactly how much I paid, but the fare was definitley higher being stuck in traffic. And drivers mostly speak ONLY Greek so have your map ready and be prepared to point.

Another major downfall from such an early arrival is checking into your hotel. I arrived around 7:30 a.m., but they were adamant about my not checking into the available room until noon UNLESS I wanted to pay for another full night. However, they were willing to lock-up my luggage while I went out...with no sleep...sick and in the rain...to begin discovering Athens.

Returning to the airport in the morning was much quicker and obviously cheaper since all the traffic was heading into the city.

* With sales most airlines promote in Jan/Feb for travel completed by March 31st, I paid $462.30 roundtrip NYC to Athens on British Airways...though I can live WITHOUT the Heathrow transfers!

FERRIES TO GREEK ISLANDS

If you're planning on spending most of your time in the Greek Islands, I would highly suggest booking your travel, accomodations, etc. with a travel agent BEFORE leaving...and still be prepared for major changes. From what I determined, Greeks definitely independently operate on their own agendas when it comes to schedules, reservations and even prices. I think this also plays into why information in travel guides is so vague or basically non-existant.

The port of Piraues is worse than a 3-ring circus with the non-stop chaotic hustle and bustle compounded by the crowded travel agencies and independent ticket sellers offering their own versions of promises for travel accomodations/prices. EYEWITNESS Greek Mainland Travel Guide has a color-coded map of the area you'll definitely want to check out since hydrofoils/steamer ferries for different islands all depart from different areas. And when retrieving baggage/clearing customs at the airport after your 4:00 a.m. arrival, you'll want to consider hurrying lest your cab get stuck in traffic.

From what I could best determine, every major destination departed Piraeus between 6:00 - 7:00 a.m. For islands such as Thira/Santorini & Crete which have 10+ hour one-way travel times, you'd be wise to book one of their sleeper cabins simply to recover from the flight. Return ferries also leave of a late afternoon allowing you to sleep your way back to Athens with a 5:00 a.m. arrival.

Mykonos would seem to be the most popular island to visit, but unless you're planning on spending a night, IS NOT doable as a day-trip from Athens. The one-way ride is approx. 6-hours giving only 45 minutes on the island before the return ferry departs.

* Read additional ferry information in my Piraeus Port and Aegina Island journal entries.

ALMOST TOO DIFFERENT
In case you haven't detected from reading my other journal entries, Athens was not a city to leisurely enjoy. You'll have to "work" to enjoy your vacation using the same determination and ethics that have driven and kept the Greeks from all but the beginning of time. While it's not my preferred style of travel, I had to adapt to make the best of things...and so will you. Since there aren't many main attractions here, be prepared to exercise your senses of discovery/adventure to the fullest; especially if you're here for an extended stay. Hopefully, you'll have a more favorable report than I.

EXCURSTION TOURS
Everywhere you walk/look in Athens & Piraeus, there are travel excursion companies selling motorcoach/ferry/airline tours to sites all over Greece, the islands and Europe. A lot were more than "day tours" and all were priced fairly steep. If you've got the time and the cash and don't mind being shuttled around like a herd of cattle, just know these options are readily available.

A GREAT DAY TRIP
Aside from my venturing to Aegina Island reviewed in this journal, the only other day trip I independently took was to Korinthos which included the modern city as well as the Ancient & Acro areas. Read my seperate "KORINTHOS" journal for more details.

TIME DIFFERENCE
Greece is 7-hours ahead of the State's EST - all but a full sleep cycle. Recovering from the jet lag, etc. of this trip was worse than anything I've ever experienced once returning from Europe.

PHARMACIES
I'd never had reason to know this but was thankful when arriving and coming down with something major, I was able to enter a pharmacy, describe my symptoms to the pharmacist, and to be given reasonably priced antibiotics without needing a prescription. I've since been told these services are widely available across Europe should you ever need them.

LANGUAGE
Once stepping away from the Plaka/Monastiraki areas, you're basically on your own when it comes to means of communication, as English, and few other European languages, aren't spoken anywhere. Even agents at train stations, the airport weren't of much help so mentally prepare for this barrier. Also consider you're not only dealing with a new language but also a different alphabet. Point & Smile!

STREET TREATS???
Many sidewalks in Athens are lined with orange trees loaded with fruit still on the branch and lying around below. You'll be tempted to try one - but don't bother! They were the sourest, most bitter things I'd ever tried that left a foul taste in my mouth that lingered far too long.

CERTAINLY - To Each Their Own, but writing this journal has been difficult for many reasons. Readers deserve and expect the truth about places, but never have I had to describe such a potentially negative travel experience. And now two-half years later, I still have many mixed emotions in questioning what went wrong with my trip to Greece? Was it me OR this ancient-fabled land? Something tells me it was a lot of both!

With all of my travels, never ever have I had an experience where so many uncontrolable circumstances went wrong within a trip. Sunny, arid Greece had rain 7 of the 8 days I was there with temps rarely breaking out of the 50's. (How thankful I was to have packed a sweat-top hoodie at the last minute!) Some of my clothes never did dry out. Winds made use of an umbrella impossible. And I can still see water stains/smudges on all my travel guides and information after even my leather backpack was eventually saturated.

To make matters worse, I came down with a type of cold/flu sickness on the flight over. While I was thankful Greek pharmacies dispensed over-the-counter antibiotics, it certainly limited my availabilities of a full appetite as well as trying more wines and the famous Greek Retsina. But wouldn't you know on departure day it was sunny without a cloud in the sky giving me a full take-off view at the thick blanket of smog I'd been hackin' on all week! Our connecting flight back to London was also delayed and rerouted after the first official night/day of bombings in "too close" Kosovo.

After touring much of Europe, Athens was a "must see" for me but something I was not expecting or prepared for when it came to basic factions of every day life. My rude awakening began when stuck in traffic waiting for my ride into town from the airport. I was in an exhausted, fevered state of comatose staring off when I remember registering that I was looking at dumpsters spilling over with garbage, mounds of trashbags on the grounds, nasty graffiti taggin' everywhere...and finally consciously thinking, "Oh my Gosh! I came all this way and it looks just like the South Bronx!?!" (No disrespect to any SoBro friends/readers.) This was simply a foretaste of what was to come...things described in this journal and countless other encounters I've chosen to forget based on squeezing out as much good from this trip as possible.

When I look thru my limited photos shot during the briefest of dry times, warm memories of experiences continue to come flooding back. I repeatedly find myself asking about this trip, "Was it really that bad?" Yes, in a lot of cases it was. The Athenians and Greeks were almost too different in their ancient customs, cultures and ways...not to mention their all-but prehistoric means of transportation, facilities, utilities, and lack of modernization we so fully take for granted.

Never did I expect my own personal comfort/safety zone levels to be challenged in Greece - and that says a lot coming from someone who live's in NYC's Spanish Harlem ghetto and feels right at home in the most remote impoverished countryside areas of the Dominican Republic. I'd definitely became spoiled traveling across Europe which takes me away from my daily environs and has seemed to enhance a certain degree of luxury and eliteness thru all my experiences...even as a budget traveler. But did this trip squander valued vacation time and money?

As written earlier, the enitre effort was worth the opportunity to fully see and explore the Acropolis...not to mention the well-wasted hours spent lost in time looking around atop Filopappos Hill. Unfortunately, it's not enough to build an entire vacation around as I'm accustomed to doing, as a city dweller, by spending extended stays fully indulging in European cities.

Guidebooks WERE on point saying two days in Athens was more than enough. But never have I felt so at-odds and paralyzed by a travel destination; cut-off from all the beauty and sites across the country who's tempting photos in shops daily reminded/haunted me of just how trapped I really was. Greece DOES have a lot of offer...but not Athens unless you ceatively go looking for it and are also willing to take the good with the bad. So did I?

When returning home I'd written in my personal journal: "Who'd have thought that I'd be so happy to be sitting back in my apartment in NYC after 10-days away in Europe. Well believe it or not, I AM! I still am left with so many mixed feelings about this long awaited vacation wondering how this now leaves me feeling about Greece or this whole trip in general. I'm still not sure just what I would/should learn from all of this besides that I truly feel I made the best of every situation...inspite of." And for that I'm thankful.

Possibly I'll return someday to do the Greek Islands, enjoy the Agean Sea with the bluest waters in the world...and, schedule "A Day" to return to the Acropolis and hopefully catch an awesome Greek sunset from Filopappus Hill before the floodlights come on. But otherwise...once WAS truly more than enough!