Greece | CestLaJu

Travel: Hopeful Disillusions

12 Jun 2013 Leave a comment

by PhoenixKaio in Greece, History, Myths & Legends, Politics, Religion, Travel Tags: European Union, Greece, Public Transit, Strikes, Struggle, Unemployment

I thought I would love Athens. As a kid I was fascinated by the colorfulness and diversity of Greek mythology and the polytheistic nature of is deities. I was wrong. Athens is in disrepair, crime is high, the neighborhoods are sketchy, and the nation is struggling, it is difficult to imagine this city at the height of its glory considering the clear challenges it has before it.

One thing that any passerby in Athens cannot help but notice is the quantity of people that are out and about just lounging, drinking coffee, or enjoying the sun, even in the middle of the day on a weekday. Unfortunately Greece cannot conceal the fact that the country is suffering, and as a tourist on the mainland, the evidence is clear. Unemployment is high, sustainable incomes are scarce, and many government employees are having to work without pay.

This was no truer than it was this morning at 5 AM. After 10 weeks of an amazing solo journey backpacking from the Atlantic Coast of Europe to the Mediterranean Coast, it was time for me to catch a flight home. My graduation ceremony is in a few days, and still without a job offer, it was time for me to return to real life.

When I woke up at 5 AM this morning to catch the metro to the airport, I discovered that the employees had declared a strike overnight. How in the world was I supposed to get to the airport?! My back-up plan, carefully formulated the prior evening, to walk a few blocks north and hop on the slower, more expensive airport shuttle, were also foiled, apparently the operators were also part of the strike.

Amidst my clear panic, the hostel front desk was open and he helped me phone a taxi. The gentleman went even further to coordinate with the Taxi driver for us to stop at a street ATM on the way to the airport, since the driver would not accept credit, and I was down to my last few euros having budgeted my spending for Option A and B.

Thankfully, after a very hectic and stressful morning, I was able to catch my plane for the long flight home!

Travel: Tranquility of Olympus

11 Jun 2013 Leave a comment

by PhoenixKaio in Greece, Landscape, Myths & Legends, Natural Beauty, Religion, Travel Tags: Greece, Landscape, Natural Beauty, Picturesque, Religion

Waking up th 2013-06-11 22.58.17 e next morning, we were greeted by clear skies bursting full of sunshine. I don’t believe I’ve breathed any fresher air than I did on the side of Mount Zeus. There was something so quintessentially pure about the moment, a second of peace with no clock, no city fumes, and the microscopic presence of man.

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Unfortunately, we did not awaken early enough to have time to reach the summit. After a quick breakfast, we had to turn back and begin our descent. My two friends had a plane to catch to Italy out of Thessaloniki, and I had a train to catch back to Athens, as my flight back to California departed the next morning.

We caught some gorgeous views of the region on our way down the side of Mount Olympus, passing a slowly melting mound of snow, and watching the sun crest over the nearby peaks.

Once back at the base of the mountain, we climbed back into the car, and headed back to the hostel. The owner was kind enough to only charge us half the cost of a night, given how we became stranded on the mountainside.

Not too soon after, I was dropped off at the local train station to catch my connection. I was missing the few euros I needed for my train reservation, but a european Samaritan in the station was feeling generous. It was my saving grace.

I arrived in Athens later that evening, treated myself to a Cappuccino and Frozen Greek Yogurt, and called it a night.

Travel: A Night with the Gods

10 Jun 2013 Leave a comment

by PhoenixKaio in Food, Greece, History, Landscape, Myths & Legends, Natural Beauty Tags: Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Mount Olympus, Mythology, Natural Beauty, Olympus, Picturesque, Religion

Our car arrived in Litochoro around midnight, where we were kindly greeted by the hostel owner. Exhausted, we grabbed showers and crawled into bed.

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When we woke early in the morning, the forecast was cloudy with a chance of rain – this is prone to happen in mountainous areas due to the extreme change in elevation between valleys and peaks (also known as microclimates).

Thinking that we had little chance to ascend to the top of Mount Olympus that day, and being exhausted from the license debacle, we all rolled over and went back to sleep. Eventually, when we woke around 10 AM, we decided to go hiking despite the gloomy skies. We decided to first fill our stomaches with some goat stew before embarking on our quest.

Mount Olympus is one of the highest peaks in Europe. The highest peak, Mytikas, meaning “nose,” has a total elevation of 9,570 ft above sea level. The first part of our hike was fairly wooded with dirt paths and wooded steps. You can see from my face how hot we all got from our hike despite the cool atmosphere. It was pretty breathtaking to watch the mist creep over the surrounding peaks and then wisp away to reveal snow along the terrain as we continued to scale the mountain side.

Unfortunately, we were hoping for the weather to clear as we continued our hike; the exact opposite happened. The clouds got larger, the skies got darker, and an ominous shadow started to encroach on our light. Before we knew it, it had started to drizzle. This happened as we were crawling up some more challenging rock faces, the wooded area and trees having long diminished.

One of our friends, stubborn as she is, refused to turn back, and despite our frustration with her, there was little we could do but surge onward. Eventually, we reached one of the climbers rest-stops just as the rain began to pelt and the sun began to set. Fortunately, there was plenty of space for us to spend the night, and we bonded with the other climbers that had also taken shelter. A fireplace was available to dry out our wet clothes, and we enjoyed witty banter and card games.

I like to joke and say that we spent our night with the gods, which in a way is true. 😀

In classic Greek Mythology, this mountain was seen as the residence of the Twelve Olympian Gods. Mytikas was their forum, and Zeus resided over all; from his palace above the clouds, he would preside over humanity, and unleash his godly wrath with his thunderbolts.

Travel: Omniscience of Meteora

09 Jun 2013 Leave a comment

by PhoenixKaio in Architecture, Faith, Greece, History, Landscape, Natural Beauty, Politics, Religion, Travel Tags: Empires, Europe, Faith, Greece, Landscape, Meteora, Monks, Natural Beauty, Picturesque, Politics, Refuge, Religion

The earliest ferry in this morning did not arrive until just before noon, so we slept in a little before hailing a taxi to bring us to the port. After successfully rendezvousing with the crewman, and completing the license hand off, we headed to the airport to pick up our rental car. Unfortunately, the company mixed up our reservation, so it took us longer than anticipated to secure our transportation (2 hours). By the time we were on the road, it was around 2 pm.

We drove to Meteora as fast as we could (the average time is just around 5 hours), and arrived in the valley just before sunset.

The name, Meteora can be broken down into the greek word Μετέωρα, which translates to “suspended in the air” or “in the heavens above.”

It may be logical to then extrapolate that this is the same origin from which we derive “Meteorite.” As one of the most significant Eastern Orthodox complexes in Greece (second to Mount Athos), it is a breathtaking view as all of the monasteries are carved into natural sandstone rock pillars.

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While the exact establishment of these buildings is unknown. A rudimentary monastic state, the Skete of Stagoi, formed in the late 11th and
early 12th centuries. This centered around the existing Church of Theotokos – “Mother of God.”

Athanasios Koinoviti brought a group of followers to the region in 1344, and from 1356 to 1372, they constructed the Great Meteoran Monastery on Broad Rock. – The common legend is that Athanasios did not scale the rock, but was borne there by an eagle.

This was an ideal location for the monks, as it perched them above the reaches of political influence and interests. Only those within the complex had control over whom entered and exited as the only means of admittance was by climbing a long ladder or being hoisted by large nets, which the residents could draw up when threatened.

As the Byzantine Empire‘s 800-year reign over northern Greece became increasingly threatened by Turkish raiders in the late 14th century, the hermit monks found the naturally defensive rock pillars to be an ideal refuge. More than 20 monasteries were built.

In the wise words of UNESCO,

“The net in which intrepid pilgrims were hoisted up vertically alongside the 373 metres (1,224 ft) cliff where the Varlaam monastery dominates the valley, symbolizes the fragility of a traditional way of life that is threatened with extinction.”

Today, only six of them remain; four house men and two are occupied by women.

Due to our extremely tight schedule, we were not able to reach the attractions until after visiting hours. We grabbed dinner at the nearby Kalabaka before heading further north to the foot of Olympus and spending our night in Litochoro. We also had to trim Delphi from our schedule due to the license confusion.

Travel: Winds of Mykonos

07 Jun 2013 Leave a comment

by PhoenixKaio in Food, Greece, Landscape, Natural Beauty, Travel Tags: Beach, Greece, Mediterranean Sea, Picture, Sand, Sexuality, Sunshine, Water

I had really hoped to get some Wind-Surfing practice in while on Mykonos; the nickname for this popular destination is Island of the Winds. Unfortunately, none of my friends had any prior experience, not to mention the ridiculous pricing due to tourism being the primary foundation of their economy.

I was fortunate enough to take a class while I was finishing my Graduate Degree at Stanford University. Its only one of the many reasons that I love California, a state that is North enough for me to catch some powder in the winter in Tahoe and south enough for me to enjoy the beaches of LA.

As we savored the sunshine and the privacy of the beaches, my friends and I decided to ‘throw caution to the wind’ and embrace the sexual openness of europe. Therefore we opted to go topless to balance our tan-lines. I definitely found it to be a strange experience, since I have never even gone skinny dipping before!

A lot of the beaches have small local restaurants that lay out lawn chairs for the beach-goers. The downside is that this means that very little sand-space is left available for individuals that choose not to opt for their food-service.

Since our new friends and us were feeling ready for a snack, we embraced this. One of my more courageous friends decided to try the Octopus; after all, when one is in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea :P. I was just super excited to finally get a chance to savor Grecian Baklava. ^_^

We stopped for some more photo-shoots on our way back to the beach-side hostel. The sun was just starting to set, and the shadows cast by the failing light just emphasized the natural beauty surrounding us.

C and I hopped on the ATV to treat ourselves to some gourmet seafood. Then we met up with the rest of our friends to experience the nightlife of Mykonos. It is classified as one of the 10 best party islands around the world! (I have to say though, it still didn’t live up to my Jersey Origins.)

Travel:Three Beautiful Days on Mykonos.

05 Jun 2013 Leave a comment

by PhoenixKaio in Food, Greece, History, Landscape, Natural Beauty, Travel Tags: Beach, Empire, Greece, Mediterranean Sea, Mykonos, Water

Since I met up with friends from the US of A, my originally planned schedule was modified, and unfortunately this meant foregoing some of my days that were originally planned for Athens. On the bright side, we got to enjoy some lazy, hazy days under the Grecian sun on the beautiful island of Mykonos.

Approximately an 8-hour boat ride from the Athens port, who would have thought that the Greek Islands are so far from the mainland and from each other?!

Nicknamed the “Island of the Winds,” it has a total area of 85.5 square kilometers and has an elevation of 341 metres at its highest point. Mykonos’ origins date from 3000 BC, as archeological findings suggest the presence of the Neolithic tribe Kares. However, the first real settlers, the Ionians, did not arrive until the early 11th century.

Historically, the island was a pawn on the board of the Mediterranean Sea.

Originally under the reign of the Roman Empire, Mykonos became part of the Byzantine Empire until the 12th century. It then became occupied by the Ghizi overlord in 1205 with the fall of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade. By the end of the 13th century, the island was ravaged by the Catalans, and then finally given to the Venetians in 1390.

Fast-forward to 1537, when Mykonos was attacked by Hayreddin Barbarossa, an infamous admiral of Suleiman the Magnificen t, resulting in occupation by the Ottoman fleet. The island remained under the leadership of the Kapudan Pasha until the 18th century when the Greek Revolution against the Turks broke out in 1821.

Mykonos was central during this insurgence, led by the national heroine Mando Mavrogenous, an aristocrat who, guided by the Enlightenment, sacrificed her family’s fortune for the Greek Cause. Greece officially became an independent state in 1830.

We finally arrived on the gorgeous island of Mykonos in the early afternoon. Grabbed some bites, and caught some Vitamin D on a gorgeous beach amidst a beautiful view of vibrant blue water.

Travel: Together at Last

03 Jun 2013 Leave a comment

by PhoenixKaio in Art, Greece, Landscape, Travel Tags: Acropolis, Athens, Greece, Parthenon

I arrived in Athens just in time to rendezvous with my two friends for dinner.

After, we walked through the streets and gazed upon the Acropolis in its nighttime splendor while relaxing on the square. Not too long after, a couch-surfing individual that one of my friends had been in contact with, arrived to socialize. (We were being hosted at another couch-hotel by a generous student).

Honestly, we were pretty skeptical.

He took us down a questionable alleyway that was very close to abandoned in terms of human presence. My other friend and I were lagging behind and looking at each other with concerned faces. However, one friend courageously (or blindly) surged forward, and after swinging open an ominous wooden door, we were greeted by a lively, yet eclectic open atmosphere.

An upstairs level was accessed via stairs and an external porch, the open rooms play host to changing art exhibitions; unfortunately, I can’t recall what the gallery was exhibiting at the time. I remember it being dark and creepy, it may have centered around some context of violence.

The ground floor had your standard bar and the individual associated with it. The four of us settled into a couple of chairs at a table, and the ladies ordered some sangria while the man ordered a beer.

To describe the couch-surfer as a “character” is to term it lightly. He was amongst the unemployed population of the suffering Greek population, and freelances in electronics repair. If you imagine a conspiracy theorist and an anarchist in one body, this fellow would be pretty close. He was also an avid smoker (as are most Europeans).

Calling it a night, we bid αντίο to our strange friend and strolled back to our couch-host’s apartment to rest and strategize for the next day. (This is when I found out that none of us are adept at falling asleep before midnight).

Travel: Longest Travel day EVER (III)

03 Jun 2013 Leave a comment

by PhoenixKaio in Greece, Travel Tags: Athens, Bari, Greece, Gyro, Patras, Rome, Snoopy, Travel

Finally emerging from Bari Castle, I was absolutely starving! I dragged my bedraggled and tired body back on route to the port hoping to grab some food on the way. Unfortunately, being a smaller coastal town, there weren’t a lot of options. I didn’t really have time for a sit-down, and the one food truck I passed didn’t have anything available! (Or simply didn’t understand my pointing or limited and slaughtering of the Italian language).

As a result, I finally make it to the port! (and consequently purchase my sustenance on board)

The important thing to note is that the journey from Bari to Patras lasts for a minimum of 18 hours. The basic ferry ticket does not include a bed or an official seat. There’s some assigned seating in the form of small auditorium, but the rest is a lounge or public space. As a poor, traveling, recently graduate student, I opted for the base charge that went with my EuroRail pass. Therefore, I ended up sleeping on one of the booth seats that you often see in diners. Not exactly the most comfortable way to pass the night, especially if you are carrying all your earthly possessions in a backpack.

Fortunately, I passed the time with some avid reading of my Kindle, some book-keeping for my expenses in my beloved Moleskine, and the uploading of all my media onto my Macbook Air. When it came time to pass out, I used my carabiners to strap the loops of my backpack to my belt-loops (This way I didn’t have to sleep on top of a lumpy bag, or cuddle it on my stomach. (Carabiners are my best friend).

18 crawling hours later, we dock in Patras Greece, exiting the ferry doors to the smell of the sea and fresh sunshine. Finding the bus-stop required to take me to town, I met up with some backpackers, a few traveling solo, and a few with friends. 1 hour later, we arrived at the main bus terminal. From there, it was either a 30 min walk to the train station (with questionable service) or tickets on a bus for about $25 Euro. We just went for it. (At this point we were waaaay too exhausted to even consider the alternative option).

Starving, we used the time we had to venture up the street for food. And I got my first official taste of grecian food in the country of Greece at a placed called Snoopy’s!

Granted it was a Gyro, which is actually pronounce yero, but for about $3 Euro, I got two Gyro’s and they were absolutely fantastic!

A 4-hour bus ride later, we reached the outskirts of Athens. (We meandered about confused for awhile until an english-species grecian helped us out).

The ride into the city center took us about 45 mins. Getting off, we had to take a bus in the opposite direction because the bus driver failed to notify us of our stop.

So let’s sum up my estimated travel time from Rome to Greece.

3-4 hours train
18 hour ferry
1 hour bus
4 hours bus
45 min bus

Equals, it took me MORE than a FULL day to successfully physically relocate my body from the peninsula of Italy to the Peninsula of Greece. Whew!

Travel: Longest Travel day EVER (II) (cestlaju.com)
Travel: Longest Travel day EVER. (cestlaju.com)

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