Only One day in Athens! You gotta be kidding me! The land of philosophers like Aristotle, Socrates, king like Alexander, poet like Homer, scientist like Archimedes......There is so much to say about the legacy of which remains the foundation of western civilisation.
Lots
more awaited us as we first headed out to 'Manhattan of Aegean' better known
for the battle between Hercules and Giants of Gaia. My first impression was a
little disappointing to see such an arid and dry landscape. I wondered why the
world is obsessed with Mykonos. But i was to be proven wrong - saw the most stellar sunset by the crystal
clear azure waters; partied hard at Scorpios Beach club; indulged into the
delicacies; Walked down the windy cobbled streets of the downtown ‘Hora’ on the
west coast ; Blissfully sat by rocks alongside the sea beaming with music at
night; Relished an amazing ice cream
scoop at a tavern and of course got a rocking picture by the most photographed
church Pangia. Surprisingly, the same place was a world away in terms of vibe
the next afternoon - calm and serene with beautiful 16th century round windmills
sitting above the harbour. Oh yes!! where Shahrukh and Rani danced to the tunes
of 'Tauba tum hare.....' I got one pic too!!
We set
out for a Ferry to yet another island in the Cyclades, Santorini. The strong
Meltemi northern winds blew through the ferry deck while sailing through
islands of Paros and Naxos before docking at a croissant like wonderland. I was in awe of the multicoloured cliffs that soared out of a sea drowned volcanic
crater topped by whitewashed buildings. Walking in the rains sounds crazy but that’s
what we did - in and out of villages at Fira and Oia in this “tailor-made for
me weather”. The Blue and white colours of
the island made me fall in love with this jewel of nature's handiwork. Who
would believe that a Minoan city destroyed by a volcanic eruption would become
so?
The
very next day we set out Sailing in Aegean on the Catamaran boat around
secluded bays. It was indeed the time to switch off and appreciate the
stillness of the turquoise blue waters and black sand with music and barbecue. The
highlight of the evening was an engaging Zorba dance beginning with slow rhythms
that got faster, bringing us all to the moment of joy and in no time we all went
swirling endlessly to the beats like we were born to it. Fortunately since you are always holding
hands I did not tumble down. Lolz
And now
to my favourite part- Athens . Acropolis Hill, the highest point of the town,
Parthenon, a Temple that heaves with history and archaeology. Having
seen two ancient temples of Athena and Erechtheion, it was time to lay my eyes to this lovely stone half-moon-shaped
amphitheater made by Romans where they were prepping up for a live performance that evening. Not to be
missed is the Panathenaic Stadium and the view of the Parthenon from its 21st
aisle and the Hadrians Library.
Like
they say that some of the best trips include times more spent deep inside
the halls of a museum. These grand buildings which are impressive in their
own right take you by their awe. It was an enriching experience though too
short to have visited both Archaeological museum and Numismatic museum which houses
a rich precious heritage. The inscribed stone inventories only assured a
forgetful me that it's not just me who needs constant notes to keep a track of
things , it was very much the way being
followed since ancient ages. The day
ended with a relaxed evening walk through the vivid streets of old neighbourhood
of Plaka. You can’t help but bump into the Greek Orthodox Church with Byzantine
influence, totally treasured the mosaics and frescoes.
Next on
our list was Corinth to get a view of the 6km canal which connects the Ionian
sea with the Aegean sea. This also separates the Peloponnese region from the
mainland. It is is considered by many to be where you will find the ‘real
Greece history’. This is where the Mycenaean king resided and from where his beautiful
wife eloped leading to Trojan war with the Troys.
Dead
tired after days of non stop fun and feast, we planned a day trip to Delphi
only to fulfill my daughters checklist of seeing Temple of Apollo. I have to
admit that I would have been a fool though to not have given to her wishes.
Besides the incredible history of this being the centre of earth and located at
a point that it makes a perfect isosceles triangle with Acropolis ( Temple of
Athena) and Olympia( Temple of Zeus) this place had some inner peace n beauty
about it. The serene drive along the villages was an amazing experience. On the
way back we stopped for lunch at Arachova, a mountainous village nestled
picturesquely at the foot of Mount paranassos. An old time village with cute
little shops of olive wood stuff and gorgeous warm hosts at the tiny tabled
restaurants, we had the best gourmet
experience with dishes suggested by a local. The paved walls reminded me of
where snow white must have found her way into the dwarfs house and decided
never to leave them and go back home.
It
seems to me that even though there were wars, there were no phones, no
entertainment, the ancients had the luxury to live in the moment and the
intellect to create the times ahead that we now claim to be ours. History has
some fascination to me, delving into it is like reading storybooks carved in
stone. Its like falling in love with an era that I can’t
experience. Only imagine an idea of how world used to be.
