Globetrotting

As many of you, my loyal readers know, despite my vow not to get back on a plane for at least 4 months, I recently flew back to Israel. On my over I had a 14 hour lay-over in Athens, just enough time to get out of the airport and see the town.

I took the subway from the airport, all the way to the Acropolis. The structures standing aren’t all that impressive in-and-in-themselves, the supporting scaffolding doesn’t help either, but the thought of where you are is daunting. Standing there, taking

in the surrounding view, one can’t help but think of all the greats people that enjoyed the same view… it may seem a little cliché but there is something very special about being in that place…

After a brief power nap in the park below the Acropolis, I continued to walk around Athens. I was pleasantly surprised how not a tourist-trap it was. Not to say that there weren’t plenty of restaurants, shops, hawkers and all sorts of touristy things, just that it didn’t have that artificial and sinister feel like so many world attractions get.

Acropolis through Plaka, one of theI walked up from the oldest neighborhoods of Athens, through central Athens. I walked all the up to the National archeology museum, enjoying fresh strawberries on the way. The Museum itself was quite good, considering the British pillaging, and had several pieces that made the visit worth while.

By this time, evening was fast approaching, so I headed Pisrri, the infamous nightlife hub of Athens. According to the guide books, the neighborhood was once plagued by armed pointy-shoed-tight-pants-wearing metrosexual gangs, who forced out by the army in the 1930’s. Today it seems safe, at least to me the big white with a beard and a nasty look (grrrrr). Once again, the atmosphere was pleasantly natural, and while clearly recently developed, not a sticky overpriced trap for unwary tourist.

I enjoyed Greek tappas, tasty seafood, a warm wine-ouzo-honey concoction, some Turkish... um.. I mean Greek coffee for the jet lag, and headed back to the airport. I got to see what I wanted, and got a feel for Athens, with my trusty watch/compass and map in hand. A few hours later I was in Israel…