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November
30, 1999
This is
Todd Borgie. Today we spent our Tuesday in Athens,Greece
When we
woke up in the hotel Icarus, everything around was a reminder of the many
Greek stories we had heard about. Everyday in Greece seemed to me to be a
game. Trying to recall the events, the stories, the people, who once
claimed the many names and titles I was seeing around me. The hotel
Icarus, the Acropolis, the Prometheus bar. So many names it was like I
was on jeopardy, in how I would quiz myself. Sometimes if Nick or Chanda
asked me a question I would have to make something up, as long as you say
it with confidence, it is as good as gold.
We caught
two taxis, as now since we were in the Western world, strict regulation
took precedence over economy. After arriving at the tourist center of
Athens, we began looking for a breakfast spot. Between buildings we could
see the ominous temple of Athena, otherwise known as the Acropolis,
standing high over the rooftops of Athens. I gazed at it with excitement
as I was now going to be able to insert myself in all of those pictures I
had seen in the past.
But first
things first. We spent a good portion of the morning waiting for team
members to take care of financial business. Nick was canceling the credit
cards having lost his wallet in that small Tibetan restaurant so many
miles back. And Jeff, who always seemed to be in subtle financial
turmoil, was doing something or other.
While I was
waiting it was fun to watch a busy street in Athens. I watched the cars,
the people, and everything else that walked by. I couldn't help but
wonder what the natives here thought of living where they do. The ancient
buildings, although many in ruins, bore witness to a very famous recorded
past.
Growing up
in San Gabriel, California, our oldest structure was the Spanish Mission
constructed in 1774. This was a symbol of a past gone by. Using that as a
frame of reference I could imagine Spaniards walking around in the
neighborhood. It was something that helped give me perspective, and a
feeling that I was part of history.
In contrast
to this, it was much harder to imagine the native Americans in the same
place. Although much more intertwined with the valley's history, they
seem to be much less influential, in terms how I was viewing history of
the area. What is it about tangible pieces of the past and their influence
upon us? I wonder how the advent of television has affected my view in
this regard. I wonder how my grandfather thinks of these structures, as
someone who grew up before TV, or has he been just as indoctrinated as I
have?
So how do
the people of Athens think about Athens and the long recorded history? Is
the native callused? Is it just because I am on holiday that I can think
of these lofty thoughts?
2500 years
ago Socrates walked these streets. Perhaps he walked on the same spot in
which I was standing. How many great people have existed that we don't
even know about? There is greatness and beauty all around us, if we take
the time to notice.
Finally,
after a couple hours of transactions, we made our way to the Acropolis.
We bought our tickets with the warning that the Acropolis was closing in
less than hour. It wasn't even 1:00 p.m. We took the challenge and raced
up the steps and all through this ancient place.
The
Acropolis stands high above the City of Athens. In Ancient Greece it was
the Temple of Athena, the name in which Athens derived its name. From its
vantage point you could look out over the entirety of Athens. Athens lay
strewn through the gentle hills that rose away from the Aegean Sea. It
seemed as every pronounced peak in Athens was marked by something
important.
After we
exited the Acropolis and were looking for the next destination, we walked
down to the Apollo theater, which lay in about as modern a state as its
higher neighbor the Acropolis. We regrouped here and noticed some dogs.
Athens seemed to have many dogs that just seemed to wander around. All of
a sudden two bully dogs emerge from the bushes and attack an unassuming
third. Doug immediately took action, scaring the truculent intruders and
ultimately sending them away. He immediately took on hero status to the
third dog, which proceeded to follow us for the next three hours. He took
a picture with this dog. Nick wanted to take it with us but the animal
quarantine program is harsh on animals so he didn't.
We walked
here and there, looked in shops, looked at postcards, with none of us
knowing what was next, after seeing the Acropolis. Tired, we ended up
taking the path of least resistance, having coffee. We speculated about
the previous evening's events with Lynn and Lynn, and general Team
aroundtheworld banter. We finally roused ourselves with the thought of
getting some information about Rome, as we realized that we needed some
accommodations.
We removed
ourselves from the table and started walking. We knew where we had been,
but we set off in a new direction this time. On the way, Jeff purchased a
questionable magazine for his roommates and Nick and Chanda found an
Internet café. I continued the search for a Bookstore. Success! I found a
large bookstore, looked at the travel books, and went to direct the
others to my new find.
We had
dinner and planned for our upcoming Italian adventure. Nick and Chanda
were tired so they departed to the hotel. Doug, Jeff and I remained in
the city to shop. I was looking for Christmas presents for my girlfriend
back home.
We shopped
without much direction, but we met some nice women who did their best to
convince me to buy their goods. Nothing seemed terribly Greek or exotic.
It all seemed to be stuff that I could buy back home.
As was
usual, we figured a bar might be the next step. It was a good thing that
Jeff had done his Athens homework otherwise we might still be washing
dishes. As the saying goes, "Never trust a Greek bearing gifts"
the modern translation, "Never trust an Athenian inviting you to a
bar". The scam works like this, a man comes up and makes friends
with you on a street. After a good conversation has resulted he invites
you to a nearby bar. The crowd is friendly, and you drink the night away,
that is until you are presented with an astronomical bill. The
friendliness soon gives way, as the victims have to come up with the
cash.
Sure enough
we were approached by several gents. Curiosity getting the best of us, we
even went into a bar. A warm crowd welcomed us in. We all looked at each
other, and decided the rumor was true. We continued to walk around the
streets of Athens until weariness got the better of us and, we hailed a
taxi and went back to the hotel.
This is
Todd signing off from Athens.
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