Jonathan Hart -- Our Experience in Greece

Friday 19^th April

With many of us having never before had a taste of Greece, stepping out of the plane in Athens was a moment of great excitement and anticipation. Our exhaustion from the near thirty hours of travel largely dissipated as we started to take in our surroundings. For me, the shock of Greek airport security, or rather the lack of it, as I strolled through ‘customs’, an area which consisted only of several seemingly unmonitored scanning machines, was the first demonstration of a vastly different country to the one in which we are used to living.

We were then exposed to the Athens bus system, and a cost of five euros for a ride of approximately one hour into town was surprisingly reasonable. This trip led us to Syntagma Square, where we viewed the patrolling of the Square’s guards. We then descended into the local metro station, where it became apparent that in such an ancient city, excavations for modern infrastructure often result in the uncovering of ancient ruins. In fact, many of Athens’ metro stations resemble miniature museums, and they display artefacts and remains of buildings which have been found on the site.

Next we checked into our hotel and had a much-needed shower, before Mr Buckingham led us on an introductory tour of Athens. Contrasted with the ancient churches and other buildings scattered around the city are many less pleasant sights, such as much graffiti, dirty vehicles, and cracked roads and pavements. Some rather dangerous alleyways were full of people (we suspected) who were bandits and pickpockets, however we remained safe with our hands on our wallets and bags on our stomachs.

A much needed dinner followed; for most of us, the filled rolls we had bought for a very reasonable two/three euros were consumed on the sidewalk, watching the world go by. After dinner, our tour of the city continued, and we visited the Orthodox Basilica and a Byzantine church. A night walk up Mount Lykevittos (whose true spelling still remains unknown) ended the day, and the beautiful views over Athens from the summit seemed to put many of us to sleep (or perhaps it had something to do with the forty hours without sleep!). I for one barely managed to keep my eyes open as I stumbled back down to the hotel.

Saturday 20^th April

Our first full day in Athens started with a bus ride through the countryside to Delphi. Personally, I had little idea of the beauty of Greek countryside, and the sea, cliffs and trees were indeed a beautiful sight, and the textures and colours are quite different to those of New Zealand. In terms of buildings along the way however, a surprising number of unfinished, seemingly abandoned concrete shells were a clear manifestation of the country’s financial crisis. Likewise, the poor condition of the city roads as opposed to the excellent tolled motorways also shows this.

Arriving at Delphi, a picture of what the site would have looked like many years ago immediately entered the mind. A personal favourite was the Sanctuary of Apollo, where the Oracle used to sit and have sacrifices brought to her. Her hallucinations, perhaps as a result of the intoxicating laurel leaves she used to chew, would give rise to strange utterances, which would then be interpreted and relayed to those who were seeking to consult her.

Other noteworthy structures at the site are a theatre, whose amazing acoustic effect results from the hills on all sides; the stadium, where the Pythian games took place; and the Temple of Athena, whose clever mathematical design was a testament to its designers.

Having returned from Delphi, we departed for another night walk, this time for a more detailed look at the Roman sites in Athens; particular focus was on Hadrian’s Library and the Roman Forum.

Sunday 21^st April

This is my favourite day of the trip so far. Our first activity was an amazing two hours at the National Archaeology Museum, an absolute asset to Athens and indeed Greece itself. A gigantic collection of statues, pots, vases, and other artefacts provides an opportunity for in-depth analysis and the taking of many photographs! It is very difficult to single out works from such an outstanding collection, however included in the most famous are the statue of Poseidon/Zeus and the mask of Agamemnon.

The subsequent metro trip to the Acropolis served primarily to separate us from the stray dogs which had seemed so intent on following Mr Boyce wherever he went, much to his annoyance. The Acropolis, in its elevated position over Athens, is indeed a breathtaking sight (and site). Perhaps what makes the Parthenon so magnificent, other than its size, is its position on the top of the hill, which gives it panoramic views over Athens. Many other temples can also be seen at the Acropolis.

After this we descended back to Athens via some cliffs and fields and finally sliding under a fence, all of which raised questions as to whether or not the Acropolis is a slight health and safety risk! After visiting the Temple of Hephaestus, the group took a walk to the Acropolis Museum.

Like the National Archaeology Museum, this museum contains an astonishing collection; for me, the perfectly crafted, yet simple, Kritios Boy really stood out. After approximately one and a half hours there, the group split, with some visiting the shops of Athens while others returned to the hotel in preparation for our final night in Athens.

This final night in Athens seemed to call for a slightly more exciting meal than usual, so some boys decided to dine at a café or restaurant. My group decided to try Souvlaki, a Greek meal consisting of pita bread, a meat such as chicken or beef, and vegetables.

Before returning for bed, we milled around the city streets and sought out souvenirs and t-shirts from those shops which were open.

Monday 22^nd April

       Although some of us were no doubt sad about leaving Greece so soon, the thought of a ferry trip followed by an exciting week in Rome certainly outweighed this. Our last day in Greece was filled with a trip to the historic settlements of Corinth and Mycenæ. The beauty of the former was its history and its museum, while the surroundings of the latter truly sparked the imagination, creating a vivid image of what the place would have been like when the Mycenæans inhabited it.

Fatigued from running around Mycenæ, though delighted by it, we were provided with a much needed repose in the comfortable cabins in the ferry. Speaking for myself, Greece has been amazing experience, and I am wondering whether Italy can beat it!

- Jonathan Hart