Attacking the ruins of Ancient Athens

Athens is made up of 3 general components. I will start with what you know and move towards the juicy secrets.

The ancient ruins of Athens can't be captured in a picture, however at the same time part of that experience that can't translate to image has to do with other factors. Take for example the people. Neil and I visited the Acropolis at 11 o'clock in the morning (this is what you would call a "busy time"). The place was full of people (no Tourists), and as the masses grew, the people started to get all riled up. Everyone rushes around, looking for the next place to get "the right shot", regardless of who happens to be in "their spot" (Neil and I were basically attacked by wives looking to get their unwilling husbands in front of the Parthenon - thing of beauty). The human factor continues with the Rules of the Acropolis. The best part isn't even the "no FLASHES" of the Acropolis museum, or the "DON'T TOUCH, DON'T TOUCH" of the various pillars and marble structure, the best part is the Rule Enforcers. Everywhere we went people where ID tags were patrolling their region with the enthusiasm of an office Dwight Shrute. How would an old man with a tag stop a young, athletic, charming, oh and not to mention good looking and charismatic (not necessarily me, but someone like me), he would blow his whistle. Everyone had whistles. It was like a freakin wave pool with a bunch of out of control birthday boys at their 8 year old celebration... But beyond the crowds, and the whistles, and even the scaffolding (what are they doing, just get'r done), the Acropolis and it's neighbors (the temple of olympian Zeus, the Ancient and Roman Agoras, and rest of the ruins that still stand today) must be experienced in person. The whole thing is mind blowing. I wonder if the old LBCA rec center will ever be a part of the bonavista communities ancient ruins...


Component two of Athens will also be some what familiar. The amazing streets that carve up the city's center. Like the stage of Aladdin's Arabia, the narrow winding streets hold together the ocean of tall white buildings that make up Athens' city limits. We climbed to the top of the highest hill that over looked the buildings that crawled up the surrounding mountains (not the rockies, but still decent hills). At sunset the city lit up. Seeing Athens from the top of one of these hills is the only way to experience all it has to offer.

Okay, on to the good stuff. The third aspect of this Greek city, that doesn't make the cut at the post-card stands is it's dark side. Neil and I took a wrong turn late in the day. Just like our first wrong turn in Amsterdam took us through mid-day Red Light District, a left instead of a right in Berlin sent us into the "interesting" east, well in Athens we went from the Tourist filled streets in the shadow of the Acropolis to the number 2 scariest place in the world (I have left the number one spot open for some unknown future freak out that I might have). I can't even go into detail, it is all just a blur of fear. "Don't make eye contact, don't make eye contact, don't make..." was all I could think about for the 15 minutes we spent lost in the labyrinth of Athens "real world". To kill the suspense, we made it out alive (a man did bark at me, and Neil was offered drugs from a 6 and a half foot tall Greek, some of the drugs hadn't even been take in Trainspotting, that's how intense these guys are). Travel tip number 19: do not leave your "Ermou" (for us Ermou was the main tourist drag in Athens, it could be another street in another city, but what ever you do, don't be a risk taker when it comes to the ghetto of a foreign country... we don't need heroes on this trip, just talented story tellers)


We have left Athens for the Richard Lotz tour of Santorini. It is warm, sunny, and a mix between the beaches of Mexico and the streets of summer Penticton here. I would love to say "Ali you would love this place", but from there I would end up mentioning everyone I know. If I hadn't outlined a Europe Trip, after two weeks of adventure, Europe would have become just Santorini...