The Drive Back to Athens 12/30/19 Day 6

The Drive Back to Athens

Below is the view of Meteora from our hotel balcony. Remarkable that none of the monasteries are visible until you drive up the road to them. We are sad we didn't spend more time here. But we must go any way. 

The Drive:

Instead of taking the train back, we opted for a driver who will stop at key points on the way back to Athens. 

The sites are interesting, when there are some, mostly the drive back is an educational experience. Our driver was born and raised in Athens and once we engaged him in conversation about what it has been like growing up in Greece, we gained context from our impression on the train of the economic state of the country. He and the other guides have strong opinions about the EU creating the economic crisis in their country and a corrupt government filling their pockets fat with monies from the proceeds of imports and exports.

Greece's responsibility towards import and export seems to be holding the Greeks hostage. For instance, in the last posting I observed many barren agricultural plots, dilapidated factories, and limited industry. Based on our driver's explanation, some time ago the EU had made an agreement with some of the farmers to cut down their olive trees to manage exports. In doing so, the EU agreed to pay the Greek farmers a certain amount of money every year for halting their farming to control excess exports. The Greek farmers did not fully understand that after 15 years, the EU would stop paying them, and they could begin farming olives once again. The issue was the amount of money and time it takes to grow an olive tree that is capable of harvesting olives worthy of oil and food production. Some of those farmers never afforded replanting and even if they could they would be without proceeds for many years. possiblyanother 15 years. 

Reminder pics of our view of barren fields.

Unfortunately, the farmers had believed they were getting over on the EU rather than the EU getting over on them. On the import side of the problem our driver explained that they cannot even make their own toothpicks they must import them. Which impacted many businesses and factories. 

These are lessons of the downside to the relationship with the EU for Greece. They have recently elected a new prime minister as of July, and their unemployment is down to 20% from 28%, but many of the youths have found work in other countries so it may be awhile for them to recover, especially if their fertility rate remains low (a $2,000 incentive to have children may not be tantalizing enough, as researchers have shown that such incentives have done little to encourage women to have more than 1 child per family, which is not enough to replace the future workforce, but only time will tell). 

On a positive note: we discovered a massive orchard of olive trees. 

Both sides of the road are olive trees. Still no animals other than feral cats and some roaming dogs though. Maybe meat is imported. 

We stopped briefly in Trikala to see the clock tower which is also part of their medieval fortress. This is no longer a tourist attraction and the small village no longer has a booming economy so there is not much else to see here that does not relate back to the theme of the stories and concerns I have about the current economic conditions of Greece. Soon we moved on to Delphi. 

Delphi, on the other hand, is up in the mountains and it is known as a popular ski town, much like a Park City, Lake Tahoe, or Big Bear type destination in the states. Of course, we had to stop and play a bit in the snow so we could amuse our driver. 

 Delphi is adorable and fruitful this time of year. We planned on going to their historic museum with sarcophagus and ruins. However, when we stopped for lunch, we met Dominique from New Zealand who is on holiday from University. She was coming from Athens by bus and on her way to Meteora. She related with us on the heaviness of the condition of Greece. We also learned from her that New Zealand gives China bottled water for free which upsets her and other New Zealanders. We shared food and conversation and lost track of time so much so that we got to the main museum just as they were closing the security gates. We settled instead on taking pics out front with one ancient sarcophagus. 

Back in the van and on the road again, James fills us in on a history lesson he recalled learning in high school (1988), which was exactly one sentence..."Delphi was a powerful woman who was known as an oracle." Our driver perhaps feeling bad we missed our stop adds, "This area of Delphi was protected by females only. And then the ancient Greeks came in and the men would rape the women of Delphi. Then they decided to take the young women and hide them down the hill somewhere and left only the old women to protect Delphi," shortly after our laughter ended he said, "Now let's stop and take a picture over here." And so we stopped at a popular scenic spot outside the town of Arachova. 

On and off since Trikala snow flurries were following us through the mountains. Quite a bit had collected by the time we were leaving Delphi. When we reached Thebes, the roads had closed. We were maybe twenty cars from the closure. 

 We sat in a gas station for 3 hours listening to the news in Greek. Our driver explained that the people are complaining that the government is not using the 80 machines they have to clear the roads. The government responded saying by 9PM the roads will be open. It is 8:15PM now, so we will see.

On the bright side. If we had had the time to spend at all our stops then perhaps we would be far from a gas station, without toilets and seating and food and drink. Our driver further validated that we were "...lucky in our bad luck, " because were were not stuck on the toll roads.

Travel Tip: Be cool. Things go off track sometimes. Remember Gilligan's Island and then sing the theme song to the Greek tour driver like James did and all will laugh. Be prepared. We have our Potty-on-the-Go kits, and the long line of other women are at a loss for TP, hand towels, etc. Recall, that the driver left from Athens at 4:30AM to pick us up, and does not have his family with him. and it will be well after 10pm before he gets back home. Focus on being lucky enough to have a great driver. 

At 9PM, as promised, we were let back onto the road and will forever be able to tell a story about the time we were stuck in the snow in Greece.

As day 6 comes to a close, we look forward to getting up close and personal with the Acropolis before the New Year comes rushing in. 

Train to Kalambaka 12/29/19 Day 5

Train to Kalambaka.

A lot can be learned about a country through the windows on a train.

Between Athens and Kalambaka there is inconsistent weather patterns ranging from just cold, to cold and rainy to whiteout snow conditions. The mountains range from mere hills to towering slopes. 

As evident as crisis is in the solemn attitudes of the inner city Greeks, it is ever more so profound on the way to the train station where buildings stand empty or settle into accepting their graffiti ladened facades. Train is packed, not an empty seat this AM. Several tourists. Many more commuters. I pay attention to the stops and how many people get off, and to where they came from, and why they commute so far. 

Missing between these two destinations is industry. Miles of factories that pluck up from time to time are all vacant and succumbing to the condition of neglect, half falling down. Farms are abundant, none are growing winter vegetables, all seem to be placeholders for the warmer seasons. Farm animals are non-existent. Zero animals have been spotted between these destinations. Communities are sparse, zero are connected by paved roads. Most homes are seemingly in a state of disrepair or paused amidst renovations--some with gaping, unfinished second stories. All waiting for more abundant times.

Since so few commuters left the train so far or got on at each stop, I imagine Kalambaka to be a bountiful city.

Reflecting on where we came from, James and I recall another missing aspect of Greece; so far---no sirens. Plenty of police---seemingly no emergencies. No fire trucks, no ambulances, and very few homeless along the streets day or night. This is astonishing in relation to the profound graffiti in the city, vacant buildings, over crowded streets, tourists, immigrants, refugees, and the low wage potential (our Russian taxi driver said, "...$600/month on average due to 48% tax," our e-bike tour guide said, "Even when Greeks make only $500/month and take in over 300,000 refugees from Syria, we will always offer a glass of water and let you sit and enjoy for awhile without bother."). In a country starving for better fiscal times, suspended in the midst of financial crisis, they may have less concern for crime and emergency services compared to everywhere I have ever been inside the states during an era of workforce confidence. This is a remarkable Greek feature. I am not sure what to make of this. 

Four hours into our four---now five--hour journey, we spied the first industry...bees for the Greek honey used in several traditional dishes and sold widely in souvenir shops. There were also exactly two horses in one single stable along the tracks. Kardista and every stop closer to Kalambaka seems like a more affluent town relative to everywhere else between Athens and Kalambaka.

And finally Kalambaka. Yes, it is bountiful in comparison. The draw here in this small village is the majestic towering rocks known as Meteora. This is a relatively new tourist attraction, as it was previously widely unheard of until the 1981 James Bond 007 For Your Eyes Only film premiered and drew interest to the location of Meteora. 

 The draw pulls in approximately 2 million tourists annually (the majority in summer months), a figure every tour guide and taxi driver is proud to announce. So impactful are the rock caves and monasteries where the hermets, monks, and nuns have lived for the last thousand years that the town of Kalambaka determines the level of Christmas decorations they hang by the amount of winter reservations they get from overseas. Our taxi driver informed us this year they put up many decorations because many tourists were planning on being here and they had to put on a good showing.

Greece is not a place of tipping for services but whenever we tip them (as is a natural habit for us), they are ecstatic. We were not cool or hip enough to get into the popular Greek restaurants in town (mostly our timing was poor) and the majority of restaurants were standing room only. After being informed that a typical Greek meal can last for hours, we chose not to wait and instead went to the next best option, Greek style pizza and pasta. It was just us, and the family was so grateful to serve us. The young granddaughter (maybe 14 or 15) acted as if the 20% tip (6 Euros) we left might afford her a college education. She was so grateful for the tip.

Our taxi driver was so gracious for an extra 3 Euros that, unbeknownst to us, he waited in the Taxi zone and then took us back to our hotel when we stumbled upon his car grateful to find a taxi at 10pm so we could get out of the cold. Efharisto! Efharisto! (Thank you! Thank you!)

Kalambaka is the first place we have seen restaurants known for gyros and baklava. We have yet to find what Americans believe to be a "Mediterranean Diet." Typical menu items include: meatballs, souvlaki (meat kebabs), pork chops. The appetizers have Tzatziki (for bread), feta and honey, fried cheese balls, and rarely pita bread. Never have we seen falafel, dolmades (stuffed grape vine leaves), saffron rice or hummus. It may just be that Greeks are emulating Americans love of meat and potato meals, and we, Americans, are emulating Greeks. Basically, good luck finding American Style Mediterranean food on the mainland of Greece, they appear to be getting along fine on meat and potato diets.

Tomorrow we make our way back to Athens slowly via a driver who will take us through Trikala and Delphi.

Travel Note: Expect to adjust slowly to the time zone in part due to the typically late meal periods in Greece (9AM or 10AM breakfast--even the rare Starbucks doesn't open until 9AM, lunch around 3pm, a long coffee social hour ahead of a 9PM or 10PM dinner, bedtime around 12AM). Expect set backs, and prepare for naps when most Greeks are having coffee before dinner, which may mean waking around 3AM and possibly deciding just to stay awake until the train arrives like Madeline and James did. 

Athens Outside Plaka 12/28/19 Day 4

Athens Outside Plaka

We found the heart of Athens, or rather, the Athens where our hearts will remain...outside the Plaka District.

After breakfast in the hotel, we walked to the Thiseio district where we met our ebike tour guide, George (and his cat Diego which he later learned from tourists may actually be a Dieg-a). 

Strictly from our opinions, there is no better way to tour Athens than pedaling effortlessly around the historic sites of Athens. The air is crisp, the sun is pure, the guide gives all the history and the insights into the life of the Greeks. We stopped 11 times (Pynx, Areopagus Hill, Herod Atticus Odeon, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Ancient Agora of Athens, Plaka, National Garden, Arch of Hadrian, Zappeion Conference and Exhibition Center, Greek Parliament and changing of the guards, Panathinaiko Stadium).

Guides are the best. Or, at least we have fully appreciated and enjoyed all those we have had over the years. A guide is essential for gaining context to first impressions. I find it just as important to get a first impression without a guide as gaining insight and context with a guide. It seems impossible to get a real feel of the city and the culture without a guide. George was very romantic about ancient Athens as well as practical and honest about where the Greeks suffer, where they have been foolish with archeological sites, their limitations and their enduring power in being the world's first democracy. He was passionate and enthusiastic. He was the essence of Athens we searched for and came up short on yesterday.

Along the bike ride, Madeline rode next to me and said, "I could see myself studying abroad here." Now seems a perfect time to announce that right before we left the states Madeline received an acceptance letter from one of the 8 colleges she applied to. Whittier College extended Madeline acceptance and $15k per year towards tuition with a possibility of an additional talent scholarship when she fully auditions in the new year. We are so excited to see her goal of college coming to fruition and how she takes that idea and imagines herself possibly studying abroad. 

Madeline is able to see herself spending more time in Greece one day because outside of Plaka, Athens is romantic, inviting and authentic. Inside Plaka nearly all of Greece disappears into the crowds, and visible on every corner are reminders of the current Greek struggles. 

How to Finally Beat Jet Lag:

We initially scheduled the tour at 1pm thinking we could sleep in, move slowly, and eat lunch. Instead of that great idea, we had another spark of genius and moved our tour to 11am to beat the forecasted afternoon rain (that we later discovered would never happen). This meant breakfast before 10am and no lunch until 4pm. (Hangry set in as soon as we were off the bikes and wandering without a plan.)

After a 7 mile bike ride and a run around the Panathinaiko Stadium, the kids were zonked during lunch and begged to return to the hotel. (Fischer even more zonked than the others due to his efforts to come in 1st place on our lap around the Olympic Stadium, where he spent some time laying on the ground waiting Madeline and Nolan to appear along with his energy, but hey he came in first.)

Madeline was still on cloud nine and continued her discussion about studying abroad over fried cheese and lemonade, so she was more of a winner if we were keeping points on attitude...

Travel Tip: Find time alone without the kids. 

Since the kids were tired and grumpy, James and I took advantage of the moment and went for a walk around the less crowded streets of Plaka to look for souvenirs It was nice to experience Plaka at night after our Greek history lesson earlier in the day. Sure, we had to pound on the hotel room door and call each of the kid's cell phones in the hopes of waking one of them to let us back in, but for an hour, I had James all to myself.

An ongoing problem we are having is shrugging our jet lag. James is the only one who seems to have adapted. Last night I slept until 1:30am and then stayed up until 4am and then up again at 9am. Nolan couldn't sleep until 3am and Madeline was up in the dark journaling her dreams. Tonight, after we returned from our walk, James begged everyone to please stay awake. This did not go over well. The power of the bed was too strong for us to comply. He ended up going out to bring dinner in (Greek version of Asian food, from The Noodle Bar). Kids and I ate in relative silence looking like zombies eating our dinner, half asleep on the foot of our bed.

It didn't end there. It was like battling quicksand trying to pull us out of bed to prepare for a very early morning train ride.

Greece is challenging to fully experience. There is the mainland and there are the islands. We knew for certain that the islands would be part of some other excursion in the distant future. This trip would be all about the mainland. Tomorrow we wake early, take a train 240 miles inland to Meteora, with one duffle bag and our backpacks. We leave Hermes Hotel just for one night and then return in time for the New Year's Eve celebrations. Hopefully by then we will all be feeling like winners against jet lag.