Phobias

As long as I can remember I have always strongly disliked small spaces, or places that are packed with people where I feel I can’t move freely. Also don’t ever consider play wrestling me and pinning me down or I will go for blood. This issue has gotten worse over time. Public transport has become a  bit of a problem and temperature plays a big role. Andre is very aware of this and is usually mindful and will do things like take my bag up in a lift for me while I take the stairs.

Several years ago in Calgary during Stampede a few friends and I decided to go on a pub-crawl. I had never been on one because I was always behind the bar working and they just didn’t interest me. But it was Stampede and we had already had several drinks and everything seemed like a great idea. We got on a bus, a yellow school bus. I had a seat by the window. It was scorching hot outside and the bus was stifling. I immediately felt way to hot and was hoping we’d get moving quickly to get some reprieve from the open windows. But we didn’t move, and people kept piling on. Soon people were squished in like sardines and practically falling onto the laps of those who were seated. I had held it together as long as I could until I was nearly in tears. Luckily my friends saw me spiraling and they were not wallflowers so they got people out of the way in order to get me out before someone lost an eye.

Andre knows this story. He has also seen my tears first hand on a teeny little airplane on a runway in the Philippines where it was hot as hell and the engine was not running and the air was uncomfortably thick. In my mind there may as well have been a plastic bag over my head. Knowing the doors were closed and I couldn’t get off I closed my eyes, fanned myself with the in-flight magazine, and did a lot of self-talk. finally the engine started and the air conditioning came on and I was fine.

Knowing all of this and bearing witnessing to my meltdowns Andre led the way to the underground in Athens to head to our Airbnb. As we got to the platform the train was pulling in and people were filing on. Our bags were the size of two extra humans and in my mind there was no way we were going to fit. The train was full to the doors. Before I knew what was happening Andre had jumped on and I stood there in frozen panic thinking that the doors would close between us and I’d be left behind. I did not have the address of where we were going and we had no phone plans. Luckily (question mark) Andre grabbed my arm and pack and pulled/hurled me onto the train as the doors slammed shut. And I mean slammed. They closed like a prison cell block. This was not my imagination or written for dramatic effect. They actually looked and sounded like they could take your arm off.

I wish I had my face on film because my eyes probably looked like they were going to pop out of my skull. Yes, because of my phobia but also because I felt like my pack had almost taken out a few people as I was tossed on. The look on my face was probably the only reason no one appeared overly angry. I imagine my combined look of fear and embarrassment, at literally being man handled, was amusing.

It wasn’t until after we were crammed in against the doors that Andre realized what he had just done to me. Now the look on his face was amusing. Thankfully it was a short ride and we were right at the doors so I didn’t feel as trapped as I would have in another spot. I know he was so focused on not having to wait for another train that he forgot all about my irrational fears. When he’s in a zone everything else disappears. For this reason I didn’t threaten to do something terrible to him in his sleep. One connection later, in a much less crowded train, followed by a short walk and we were at our place.

Free Stuff!

We had arrived late in the evening so we grabbed a bite to eat and had an early night. The next day we went exploring and as we approached the Acropolis we overheard a guy say that tomorrow was a holiday and that all of the museums and sights would be free entry. Normally it costs 20 Euros per person to enter the Acropolis and 30 if you want to go to the Acropolis museum and a few other spots. Who doesn’t like free stuff? So we stopped to chat with him and get the details. Turns out that once a month there is a day when entry to these things is free and this month it was on the 28^th because of the holiday, Oxi Day.

The following info was taken from https://whyathens.com/events/oxi-day-athens/

Oxi Day (sometimes spelt Ohi or Ochi) is a national public holiday and commemorated on the 28^th October every year in Greece, Cyprus and by Greeks around the world. On this day 79 years ago, the Prime Minister of Greece, Ioannis Metaxas denied Benito Mussolini’s request to allow Italian troops to cross the border into Greece. He responded to the Italian ultimatum in French, the diplomatic language at the time, “Alors, c’est la gueree!” or “Then it is War!”.

In the days following, the word of Metaxas’ denial had spread around the capital and the Greek population took to the streets shouting “Oxi!”. His decision made on 28^th October 1940, is commemorated each year as a day that represents bravery, solidarity and heroism for millions of Greeks all around the world.

Although Greece had tried to remain neutral in the early days of WWII, it was at this time it became allied with Great Britain. The Greek Army turned out to be a formidable force, holding back the Axis forces from entering Greece for almost six months. Winston Churchill commented at the time of the Greco-Italian war and famously said,

“Hence we will not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but that heroes fight like Greeks.”

With a new plan in place we decided to wander around and hike up to get a better view of the Parthenon from a distance since we’d see it up close the following day. We hiked up to a few spots. In one area we passed a cave-like structure where rooms had been carved out of the rock and blocked off with bars. The information sign indicated that it was a popular belief that this was the prison of Socrates or an ancient bath… What was known was that during the Second World War the structure was used to hide antiquities of the Acropolis and the National Archeological Museum and was sealed off with a thick concrete wall.

pic of jail and then below right side monument pic

We continued up toward the Monument of Philopappos and just as we got to the top I noticed two little tortoises. One of them was bashing his body headfirst into the side of the other. With their shells hitting I assumed they were in some sort of battle. They were not. It soon became apparent that this was perhaps part of some reptile romance ritual. I thought we should give them some privacy but Andre is a Nature Channel fanatic and there was no way he was going anywhere. As I walked away a couple from Atlanta was walking down the path and we started to chat. Eventually Andre wandered over and I explained that he had been watching the tortoises. Turns out this guy was also a nature nut and he immediately shoved his bags at his wife to hold while he went over to film them. She flat out refused with a disgusted look on her face, but Andre promptly jumped in with an, “I’ll hold them man!” Once the guys had their fill of Animal Planet we parted ways and got to the top of the Hill. The view was pretty okay.

 

 

The next day we went to see the Parthenon. Gates opened at 8 am but we (me) are not early risers so we got there around 9:30 am. It was not too crowded but steady. By the time we left, around 11:00 it was getting pretty crazy. I was glad to get out and get some breakfast. We stopped at a place that was getting into the Halloween spirit. Andre channeled David Pumpkins.

Plaka

Everyone told us that Athens was dirty and run down and advised us that we should only stay a couple days. Yes, compared to the islands it is not well manicured and riding through on the train you definitely saw that it’s a place that has been more than gently used. It’s a city that looks like it has experience. Wisdom. And what more can you expect from a place that has been inhabited for roughly 3000 years?

If the center resembled someone after the ugly lights came on in the bar, then Plaka (the area we stayed in) looked like that person at the beginning of the evening, all dressed up and clear eyed. Plaka sits near the Acropolis hill and it had lots of nice little places to eat and a great café culture. The vibe was really cool and wandering around the streets we saw unique buildings and old cars and it generally had a real charm to it. If we were to go back to Athens we would definitely stay in this area again.

The weather was super hot during the day and cool enough for me to wear jeans and a light sweater in the evening. Andre kept with shorts and tank tops. On our way home from dinner one evening we passed a little fruit stand and picked up some snacks. We almost lost all our good because Andre got too excited about our haul and nearly spilled the contents of the bag. I just missed catching it on camera while Chris Isaak serenaded the customers. Enjoy!

 

It was a quick stop and I honestly wished we had a day or two more, but we had a flight to catch.

 

116 days in…

Now to Asia