(no subject)
Prose:
There is no light in the lobby to my second floor athens flat. The glass door has been done over in an impressive stained glass motif, and lets in no light from the street. Lightly, I close the door, making sure it clicks home by use of a hip thrust.
Slowly I pace down the hallway, knowing there is a turn to make for the stairs before I run into the large pile of rubbish set underneath the twirling staircase which brings to mind Patrick Bateman with a chainsaw. Too early, I turn, bumping into the wall a bit forcibly. I feel my way up, and grab about for the stair railing that doesnt begin for another four feet, but I dont know that, having been through here only twice before - and preoccupied both times.
Slowly I climb in total dark. Fishing through my bag for my keys, I notice my cell phone tell me its midnight. "In by 10 is safest," my guide told me ealier, his greek nose wrinkling in distaste for the unsavory characters who would take the the streets thereafter. Fumbling my key into the lock by touch alone, I cant help but enjoy the irony that the only trouble I ran into this evening would still have been just as lightless had i been in by the appointed hour.
The last of the tumblers rolls into place and I open the door, greeted by the lemony-chlorophyll of dinner - rice and minced meat stuffed baked cucumbers with a lemon egg sauce - surprisingly tasty. I sit with a fork and the matal bowl of the remains of the dinner on the front balcony. Below, the corner store is closed for the night, its iron gratuing pulled shut. But light, cigarette smoke and old mens greek utterings makes their way up to me through the cracks.
-----
Pith:
Greece is the heaviest smokers of the european nations - the sanctions put into place for the 2004 olympics went largely unnoticed. I'll be a full blown nic addict by the time I come home.
Speaking of things done for the 2004 olympics that have failed - I went out to the self contained kayak slalom course here. Seems its been a bit neglected, so much so that the greece national kayak team moved to another city out of protest! So much for my hopes of running an olympic course. At the very least I suppose it makes an interesting case study on metal courses for my future book.
Landing in Athens, going through immigration, using the odd restrooms, driving from the airport to my flat, even walking about the city and hearing greek spoken - it didn't hit me I was in Greece until I was sitting in a rooftop cafe sipping a coffee and staring out across the tops of the apartment blocks at the Acropolis.
Monistiraki square at night, the lit Acropolis in the background:
This is one of the only two images of Greece I've managed to get online - the POS power converter I bought at best buy doesnt work, and has now burned through $2 of fuses I managed to locate and buy with my pathetic greek skills. I'm going to troll for a computer store in my afternoon wanderings, and if all else fails I suppose I'lll try the US embassy.
Ahoy!
There is no light in the lobby to my second floor athens flat. The glass door has been done over in an impressive stained glass motif, and lets in no light from the street. Lightly, I close the door, making sure it clicks home by use of a hip thrust.
Slowly I pace down the hallway, knowing there is a turn to make for the stairs before I run into the large pile of rubbish set underneath the twirling staircase which brings to mind Patrick Bateman with a chainsaw. Too early, I turn, bumping into the wall a bit forcibly. I feel my way up, and grab about for the stair railing that doesnt begin for another four feet, but I dont know that, having been through here only twice before - and preoccupied both times.
Slowly I climb in total dark. Fishing through my bag for my keys, I notice my cell phone tell me its midnight. "In by 10 is safest," my guide told me ealier, his greek nose wrinkling in distaste for the unsavory characters who would take the the streets thereafter. Fumbling my key into the lock by touch alone, I cant help but enjoy the irony that the only trouble I ran into this evening would still have been just as lightless had i been in by the appointed hour.
The last of the tumblers rolls into place and I open the door, greeted by the lemony-chlorophyll of dinner - rice and minced meat stuffed baked cucumbers with a lemon egg sauce - surprisingly tasty. I sit with a fork and the matal bowl of the remains of the dinner on the front balcony. Below, the corner store is closed for the night, its iron gratuing pulled shut. But light, cigarette smoke and old mens greek utterings makes their way up to me through the cracks.
-----
Pith:
Greece is the heaviest smokers of the european nations - the sanctions put into place for the 2004 olympics went largely unnoticed. I'll be a full blown nic addict by the time I come home.
Speaking of things done for the 2004 olympics that have failed - I went out to the self contained kayak slalom course here. Seems its been a bit neglected, so much so that the greece national kayak team moved to another city out of protest! So much for my hopes of running an olympic course. At the very least I suppose it makes an interesting case study on metal courses for my future book.
Landing in Athens, going through immigration, using the odd restrooms, driving from the airport to my flat, even walking about the city and hearing greek spoken - it didn't hit me I was in Greece until I was sitting in a rooftop cafe sipping a coffee and staring out across the tops of the apartment blocks at the Acropolis.
Monistiraki square at night, the lit Acropolis in the background:
This is one of the only two images of Greece I've managed to get online - the POS power converter I bought at best buy doesnt work, and has now burned through $2 of fuses I managed to locate and buy with my pathetic greek skills. I'm going to troll for a computer store in my afternoon wanderings, and if all else fails I suppose I'lll try the US embassy.
Ahoy!