Greek food | Krauss-ing The World

Paphos

Posted on January 1 by krauss-ingtheworld

It is great to be in the warm sun again! I shed my layers and walk around with my luggage along the Cyprus coastline to embrace the warm wind. I notice tunnels along an ancient wall above the coastal walk. After dropping off my luggage I return to investigate.

There are tunnels all throughout the hillside like a labyrinth. I feel like Lara Croft: Tomb Raider as I duck inside the narrow passageways, climbing into a larger chamber, then navigating to the other caves. There is a large central entrance that branches off in dozens of directions. It is a maze; I’m certain I explore it all, but who knows? It is really remarkable, and I seem to be the only one inside for the moment. There is a Roman mural too and what looks like an old stadium of some kind.

Curious, I check out the archeological park. To my surprise, there are dozens of ancient Roman villa remains from the Hellenistic period. There are so many remaining pillars, columns and foundations of the buildings still intact. Others are left behind swept to the side, making for a perfect picnic spot as I gaze off to the sea and contemplate what the palace must have looked like.

Dozens of Roman mosaics, in the best condition I’ve seen, dazzle with remarkable geometric patterns and symbols. Many have vibrant colors and detail iconic scenes of lore. The Minotaur, the legend of Dionysus, his colonization of India, Achilles, Leda and the swan, and Scylla from The Odyssey all make appearances. My favorite is a hunting scene in the house, with a dog used to hunt by the looks of it.

I make my way across a ruined Christian temple and towards the ancient agora. Little remains of this massive complex except a theater and neighboring house of healing (purpose debated). The view from up top is grand. There is a lot of natural vegetation, incorporated in the formation of the archeological park, as this is critical habitat for migratory birds.

My last stop is the temple of Apollo or underground passageways of Phoenicians. I almost miss it, but I happen to stumble upon one of the entrances. I go down expecting to get lost, but somehow the maze of tunnels seems more organized.

The caves are more like tombs, and some have very small niches and grooves. A lot of the rooms are more cozy, and there is less mess than the tunnels outside the park. I explore this amazing remnant of history, pondering its purpose, until my stomach urges me to check in to my hotel.

Athens

Posted on January 6, 2022 by krauss-ingtheworld

Arrival

The blue Mediterranean highlights the edges of the islands surrounding the white settlements beneath the hills of Athens.

Immediately I am relieved to hear English and see translations everywhere. Still, it’s a bit scary not knowing the language; it really is all Greek to me. It almost sounds like people are speaking Spanish at first sometimes, but it sounds more like Russian (which is Cyrilic, coming from Greek). Deciphering the language to figure out the names is like a puzzle, and a brief refresher of the Greek alphabet ensures I can at least sound out the place names to figure out where I am.

The first thing I do after entering Hadrian’s arch is find a pork gyro. Eating the heavenly tzatziki and savory grilled pita, surrounded by cats at the base of the acropolis, is one to remember.

Hadrian’s arch at the entrance to Athens

Departure

The return to Athens is smooth, and I have a pizza “boat” (Peinirli) with meat and yogurt for dinner.
Walking around the center shopping is a great refresher of the town. Lots of cute streets line the old neighborhood of Plàka, and I bump into the Pope. Well, I’m too short to see him over the crowds, but I can tell through people’s phone screens that he is there. Athens is very lively at night, less sketchy, and more fun and trendy. I like it more on the weekend.

The last day we check out another museum, and I totally nerd out. It is amazing to see all the artifacts of the islands we visited; the Cyclades are the birth of civilization in Europe, after all.
Their artifacts are really strange, and it is easy to see how Picasso is inspired by them through his works.

I absolutely adore this style of pottery and artwork, but in this context here in Athens they are religious and cultural artifacts. I follow the rise and fall of Myceans, archaic Greece and the classical period, seeing remarkable and typical statues along the way.

The surrounding neighborhood of Exarcheia is described as “bobemian,” but really it seems like the rest of the city, albeit with more cafes. Quickly heading up the hill, there is a fabulous view of Athens from way up high in a Byzantine chapel. It is very windy, but we are blessed by Apollo with sun.

At the base of the hill is the part of the city I identify with the most. Kolonaki features walkways with lots of restaurants and bars. Described as “upscale,” there is limited graffiti here and businesspeople walk around in suits. Kolonaki is the most “normal” looking part of Athens, and I am glad I got to see it before judging the city as too “grungy”.

Winds of trouble brew as policeman gather around the streets. Vans full of officers with riot shields prepare and the gates of the botanical gardens are locked closed (well, mostly; the wind blows it open, but best not to enter anyways). A protest against covid measures seems planned.

Cute guards can be seen marching outside the presidential palace.

We also pass the first Olympic stadium!

Walking through the outside of the park to the base of the acropolis, it seems crazy only a week has passed, but so much has happened, including visits to some of the most spectacular places and delicious meals.
This next neighborhood over is truly “bohemian”, with lots of young Greek people hanging out at the Latin American restaurants and Greek pubs. Koukaki looks like a fun place with lots of trees and greenery and walkways free of cars.

Hiking up the hill to watch the sunset, I go souvenir shopping one last time in Plàka. I have the loukoumades, fried doughnuts with feta, for the last meal, then head off to the airport to go back to Italy!