Αθήνα

What do you get for free... Walter, a drawling unemployed South Carolinian guide of Greek-origin.  He was fantastic: intelligent, local, comprehensible, and knew how to take care of 25 people in a busy city.  The tour was free with tips deserved from all 25 people.  It is such a great entrepreneurial idea.  He probably got 125 euros or so.

We are at Hadrians arch, built by the Roman emporer.  

When Hadrian moved to Athens, he took a Greek boy toy, and they fell in love. The Greeks are proud of that role.  This arch was meant to be the entrance to the emporer's new city, Hadrianapolis,  sort of like in American middle class planned neighborhoods.  I think our sign growing up in Tulsa read "Fairway Estates".  Same difference.  I only now after 40 years realized it was a reference to nearby PGA golf course Southern Hills.

Hadrianoplis was at the fringe of the city when he conceived of his subdivision, 1km from the acropolis.  If there were a city ring road then, and I bet there was, one could have walked around the city in an hour or so.  Amazing.  Those clever monkeys have nowxdecimated the landscape as far as one can see from 600m up.

Hadrianoplis from the Acropolis

I asked Uni ancient Greek and Roman culture expert Walter if ancients genuinely believed beings lived on barren cold Mt Olympus. 

"Yes. But they would only see them if they were privileged."

I don't think people have changed fundamentally over the ages.  I find it hard to believe people could be that stupid.  

Maybe it was just the aforementioned lazy cretins who wanted to believe powerful beings would concede to living in the most dreadful place in Greece, which might make the lowlifers feel better about their lot.  But, really, if you were a god, why not live in Mykonos?  At least get a nice estate near Athens.  It's kind of like our Aussie "tall poppy syndrome". 

Did the father of logic and reason, Aristotle, not, at least, consider no one, especially someone that powerful, would want to live on Mt Olympus?  Hmmm.

Our guide Walter ran a half marathon last year and is training for the simulated original Olympic event stating  in marathon.  Except he'll be in running shoes with no body armour.  Cool Greek tradition.  They are so So Cal!  I am doing my own half marathon, half way around the world now.  It sure has been a marathon.

Robert wins at the Olympics.  Yet again!

Bountiful fragrant orange trees line the roads

A Dork in a traditional military outfit is guarding the Greek president's house.  He breaks into traditional horse-hoof-stamping now and then.  Really.

I wanted to take a picture of the hottie Athens police.  The number one hottie I saw in a gaggle of four less hot Greeks totally checked me out as I walked past.  I was 50m behind the tour since I was snapping pics of the orange trees.  He was sexy with his ak-47 on his side, in tight dark blue pants.  Very sharp.  

On this trip, I've noticed that guys with military bodies always check me out.  Even newlyweds at my boring Zanzibar resort. They must be comparing notes, gay or straight.  Since I am just here for seeing the ancient culture, I doubt I'll visit a gay venue.  Maybe I should for cultural reasons.  They did that in Ancient Greece after all.  Maybe I'll check it out tonight after dinner. Maybe the Apartment bar?  Better nap now.

Dumpy cops, sorry, but working out my sneaky reverse selfie trick.

Oooh, check out his ass!!  Not as hot as first cop I saw, but he will do just for illustration.

Now I'm getting obsessed:  Real hotties, really dark, but bad pic.

I asked the tour guide, and he confirmed that it's not wise to take pics of police here.  Athens increased the police presence recently since it is now ironically the head of the EU.  Some are undercover. Hot.  Though nearly all the men I've seen are hairy twigs or hairy Santas.

They know I am taking pics if them. They like it. Super hot pair, but I'm slow on the draw 

I had expected Athens to be impoverished, but this area of old Attica is safe and the cars are new and no one is begging.  Except gypsies at dinner, selling roses.  Walter said the tragic desperation is on the outskirts of the city; 40 year olds are now living with their parents.  

I was approached by a Disgusting man, obviously a casualty of the GFC, who tries to lure tourists with pigeons he attracts with seed.  I'm not sure what the scam is, but it's disgusting.

Athena Nike temple now without scaffolding.  The rest of the acropolis is in ruins, in every sense.

Athens has been covered by meters of sediment from aeons of civilization.  This Byzantine church's floor is below street level.  Fun in storms.

Yehsas, Maria.

Robert was inprisoned for asking too many tour questions. 

Tourists aren't suppose to challenge anything.  Just take pictures of everything, stupid.

This scene is So Athens 

I didn't even Want to ask another question, but I am curious about the cool street graffiti in Athens.  I didn't bother Walter.

Now I've said goodbye to the tour and am onto the acropolis museum on my own.  It was built as a condition of getting back the frescos that English lord Elgin had stolen from the acropolis and sold to the British museum.  The English never thought those swarthy Greeks could build a state of the art museum, the condition for returning the marbles.  Naive Greeks.  Of course, the English have now changed their minds and claim this treasure is English, otherwise they'd be named in some language they butcher, not "Elgin". Shameful you English!  Write your MP.  You already have enough in your musea.

I'm Not super interested in the acropolis museum contents, but it is a beautiful building with amazing views of Athens.

Don't touch.  No tocar, they say.

Modern 

It's a serious walk up to the top of the acropolis, which is the ancient idea, I guess. The ottomans occupied and trashed it as a fort for a century.

Scorching heat but I have this down after Africa

The Parthenon looks amazing in pics.  Just like a construction site in person, but with phenomenal views!

Not a hospitable place to live if you are a god, either.

Ok, it's gorgeous.

There is a little railroad on top to transport columns 

Choo choo!  That's how careless pedestrians get killed.

I'm out of here.  Have to walk through the Agora on the way home, so why not see it?

Neat enough stuff.  The Speilbergs liked it.

 

Enough of ruins.  Time for rest, finishing my finance and travel logistics.  It's hard work traveling like this, 24x7x6.  Then a big night on the Monistraki row of fun restaurants with Greek for and music.  then the gay bar?

Two nights in a row, at great restaurants, the food is ho hum. Ok, really good but nothing exceptional I have not tried.  

I made a resso at a rooftop glam joint for me and Ilian tomorrow.

Eggplant and dolmas!

Swordfish

My index finger joint is bruised-- from typing all day on iPhone!!

Walking home through montasiraki restaurant strip saw this guy stop suddenly, grab a half glass of wine on an empty table and guzzle it.  Such gypsies. 

Ok, that is nothing. I've gone on a walking journey across three Athenian suburbs trying to find some disco.  I don't ever go to discos but I feel it's my responsibility to see the scene here and it is dark and ugly, with cool lights and trippy groovy music.  

Neighborhood a bit funkier 

Close

Everything I do is planned in advance.  Well, most big things are.  Sometimes I cut through a different alley or stop in a shop.  Since I have no Internet away from hotels and restaurants, I take pics of Internet info so I can look it up from my phone's photo storage.  Smart.  So you can see what I thought I was getting myself into, a fun late night, but pretty wholesome.

The outside security was so tight and the double locked entrance so security, I assumed I was in a sex club!  Oh, I have come this far, it's at least worth a look, but watch your wallet and phone.  To my surprise, It's a disco, an empty disco with dark neon lighting with a horn-billed-stork drag as the money keeper and some not super hot Greek daddy as the barkeep.  And groovy beats, such groovy deep music.  A straight American senior citizen couple just came in and ordered.  Ok.,  just go with the music.

Ok, the DJ is good, but the people all seem randomly out of the airport.  Seriously.  Maybe there on the next flight to Dusseldorf.  I am Curious or rather have sleep?  Curious, of course.  Why fight it?  I know that's how I am.

There's no way I am eating anything more

Ob-session

My fave TBI late night game when my brain is not firing and the Alzheimer's symptoms are kicking is: guess where in the f#^k in the world you are.  I was thinking I was in either Poland or North Korea.  There were some mean looking lesso truck drivers. And no hot guys, same old happily pregnant men. Oh, Greece.

Aerrrsdfhh.  Leaving the club. 230am? All I remember is trying to teach the Greek people to dance to house music not that I am a good dancer.  No one else danced!  I don't get it.  

Now it's 630a.  Got wake up call saying my taxi is here, at 6am.  I don't need that Crap today.  At least I'm alone here!