History, Hills and Haircuts

 

A few things to get done today and falling into a nice, measured routine already. The heart rate dropping, the trials and tribulations of life forgotten for a few moments as we enter the travellers zone.  A hotel breakfast with a few of the local quirks on show in the buffet.  Some sort of mini pizza to accompany some of the usual staples of bacon, eggs, fruit and of course greek yoghurt and coffee.  Smuggled out an apple and a boiled egg; tried to keep that under my hat, but they wouldn't fit.

This years personal travel tradition has been to get a haircut whenever I'm away from home. New York and London so far, and today was Athens bid for a place on the leaderboard. Only a few minutes downhill shuffle to 'mens barbers' on googlemaps. The briefest of waits, a limited exchange in English so no idea what I was going to get, but a nice sharp shave at the sides, and trim on top. Whilst ambience and conversation not as good as the rest, price and pride right up there. Wouldn't accept a tip, almost walked away thinking he's given me money. 3 more to go this year, already know the locations, feel free to guess!

And then the walk over to the site of the ancient Olympics, a monument in its own right, but wanted to see the options of doing a proper run there tomorrow.  Was certainly a sight and site to behold, the rings, the ampitheatre, the track. So good in fact its been used for Placido Domingo and mates to entertain for a few nights. That's what we could hear wafting up to our balcony last night I think.

As we have one more day in Athens at the end of this trip I'm hoping I can fulfil my Olympic dream then. In the mean time we looked for somewhere else to run tomorrow and had the Royal Botanical Gardens staring us in the face as we walked away from the stadium and towards that massive hill I'd had my eye on since our arrival.  Walking through clearly a government and ambassadorial district some rather clog heavy guard changes caught the eye before we noted that the topography began to take a distinctly uphill turn.

Even as we began to climb we noted different time periods marked at different points, the Romans had been fairly solid inhabitants of these parts, building on the already rather sterling engineering and philosophical foundations of the ancient greeks ... trying to get my head around the the predominant groups but lets say some of their best work was 2,500 years ago.  Hadrians aqueduct did however cause us to stop and stare.

Some relatively sanitised steps up to the peak of Lycabettus Hill Hardly Fuji, hardly Penyfan to be honest, so was more than a bit irritated by some people on the descent taking a look at us and saying 'you're ambitious'!  It was a few steep steps on a hot day, no more than that, pretty windy on the top, and able to look down across the sweep of Athens as far as the port and across to the Acropolis.  Little church on the top, and a bell, so the inevitable adolescent photo opportunity.

On the way down I stopped for a cracking milkshake and the opportunity to continue to soak in the views as we looked out across the City. We then descended into the City, and meandered our way back towards the Acropolis. This meant we passed through the main city square, in front of the Parliament Building. May return for the changing of the guards tomorrow if they do that weird clog dance thing.

Realised we were now in peak CBD then tourist hot spot, wall to wall cafes, museums, art shops, they love their local ceramics, something else I understand has been a feature for well over a couple of millennia.  I did think about the Acropolis museum but 10k of walking and the searing heat took its toll and a climb to our hotel mid afternoon was where our heads were at.

I was attracted to the very small pool and even fell asleep on a shady sun lounger, think the body might have been telling me something.  Then a change and out for the early evening as Chrissi had pre booked tickets for the evening Acropolis ascent.

Neither of us super hungry but we did need to eat and found a restaurant nearby. The decision to get 3 sizeable starters quite the result, all vegetarian, plenty of options out here in that regard.  A leek based hummus with flat bread (welsh/greek combo you might say), spinach pie, and small (courgette)zucchini pies.  Really filling, really nice to pick at, and washed down with fanta limon, fortified for our last climb of the day.

It was then time to haul ourselves up the paths of time to the Acropolis, so many remnants of the different ages of civilisation. Theatres, Temples, Tombs and Parthenons all part of the evolution of this citadel. Marble, pillars, ancient gods, sunset, magnificent. Only downside were the millions of others clambering skyward which made this less than a unique experience, but a metaphor for the meaning of life I'm sure.  Am sure the instagram generation would have also worked out the money shots regardless, I just tried to recognise the history we were walking on and through.

Whistle stop probably doesn't do justice to the many ages of Athens we encountered today and it was very much noting something then onto the next thing, but I have to say, as I sank a couple of local beers and people watched as the sun properly set, this is definitely a City one can enjoy both modern and ancient in the same breath.  And we just about had enough breath to do so.

A final clamber back to our hotel, Acropolis Hill, the clue is in the name; we have been doing hill repeats on repeat.  And then a step back into our old world very briefly, from the comfort of the hotel room, Euro 24 semi final and a bit of catch up with those near and dear back on the home front.