St. Paul, the Acropolis and Worry Beads

Athens – Cradle of Western Civilization

“The unexamined life is not worth living.”

So says the famous Greek philosopher Socrates some 400 years before Christ. 

I never really understood that quote until recent times, but these last few months I have taken it to heart. I suppose it is only naturally when you lose the people that raised you; to question who you are and what you stand for.

However, as I go through this journey, I must say that Socrates’ famous statement, “everything in moderation”, should apply to self-analysis as well, too much examining and you have paralysis setting in.

But enough said, on to Athens….

Something fantastic happened here in Greece all those thousands of years ago. A blossoming of thinkers and doers that shaped the way our modern world has become; encouraging active thinking and critical deliberation from all of the people, starting with the common citizens on up to the politician and the scientist. Democracy was founded here. Medicine defined. Artwork depicting real humans doing real things was created. Athens, considered the apex city of the ancient Greek world, was the cradle of Western civilization.

The beautiful Parthenon, temple to Athena

We are docked in Piraeus, the port town of Athens, and awake to a crisp morning. Perfect for touring. Liana is raring to go. She has had her plan of seeing the Parthenon and the ancient Athenian acropolis for many a month. It’s only a half an hour by taxi, and we are there in plenty of time to have a leisurely day exploring the ancient part of the city.

Liana keeps us entertained during the taxi ride with stories that she knows of the founding of Athens. The city is named famously for the Goddess Athena. “Do you know the story behind that?” asks Liana.

Well, it seems that when the city of Athens was being built there was a dispute amongst the gods of Olympus as to whom the patron of this promising young city was going to be. The two most favored gods were Poseidon, lord of the sea, and Athena, goddess of wisdom and courage. As the story goes, the gods went to the high marble hill in the center of the city to present their gifts. First Poseidon struck the ground with his staff and out flowed a spring of water to ensure the people of the city that they would always have a drinking source. But upon examining the water the people of Athens realized that the water was salty, like the sea that Poseidon ruled, and so was undrinkable for them. 

Then came Athena, who planted a seed, which in turn became a massive olive tree, thus giving the city food, oil, wood and something to trade. She was the unanimous choice and not only does the city bear her name, but many temples and coins are in her honor.

So, our taxi ride into the city is entertaining. There is nothing like the ancient Greeks and their fascinating tales and legends. I understand why Liana is so enamored of its history.

Liana and I can both feel the ancient spirits here

And so, after waiting our turn in line with all the gigantic busses we climb through the olive groves to buy our tickets to the acropolis. These days they limit the amount of people who are able to enter into the acropolis so hopefully we can avoid the crush that is my memory of the times I have visited here with my parents.

A view of the Erechtheon, and it's graceful maidens

And so we climb the-oh-so-famous steps up the smooth marble that leads us back in time. It’s mostly white marble rubble that is strewn about, but the reconstruction that has been taking place here seems to rebuild the ancient buildings of this ancient capitol. As promised, it it not very crowded when we get to the top, so all that waiting was worthwhile. The very famous Parthenon rises dramatically in front of us.  Built at the height of Athenian power in honor of Athena, the Parthenon has been considered one of the world’s most perfect buildings. Its grace is evident, even after thousands of years of ravishment. The temple would still be standing in good nick today if the Turks hadn’t used it as a storeroom for explosives. In the 1600’s the invading Venetian army shelled the acropolis with the all too predictable explosion that explains the hole and roofless shell that the Parthenon is now.

Ah well, it is still marvelous. And all around are the remnants of the buildings that were the center of power here in Athens. The Erechtheon, a temple whose roof is held up by lovely ladies, stands to one side, and is a beautiful building all on it’s own. It is said that the spring that Poseidon created was within these walls.

And of course there is the Olympic flame which is kept here, symbolic for all the world that Greece was the founder and ancient owner of these games (although, why it's kept in Athens and not in Olympia is a bit of a question)...

The Olympic flame burns here, with the Parthenon in the backround

Looking out over Athens from the top of the Acropolis

And no one can come up here without taking in the view of the city itself. A mass of roof tops, ruins, hills and parks stretching out like a vast sea of humanity. The majority of Greece’s population lives here in Athens, about as many as inhabit the whole of New Zealand in fact! 

All the political machinations with the money and banking systems here in Greece during the past year or so have given the country much press in the outside world, but it seems to me as if life is going on as usual. This city has weathered many a storm in it’s past. The ghosts that roam these streets think the crisis of these times is quite a bit less dire than when the Persians sat at the gates or when the Ottoman Empire was occupying the city. Certainly a whole lot less bloodshed. But who’s to say it won’t come to that someday? May you live in interesting times, as the old Chinese curse goes? I’m sure the Greek people feel like they are in interesting times indeed.

Liana loves the antiquity of the place

As we descend down off the acropolis we wind around the roads at the base of the marble cliffs. Everywhere you go there are ruins of something. An aqueduct. A church. A marketplace. Liana is in heaven. She wants to touch and feel just about every rock that sticks up out of the ground. 

Before heading completely off the mountain I need to make one stop.

It is the Areopagus.

The small outcropping of smoothed marble just at the northwest foot of the Athenian acropolis. It was used from Mycenaean times, and before, as a place of meeting for judicial trials and political speeches. In fact the Greek author Aeschylus set the trial of Orestes at the Areopagus (if anyone tires of the drama’s of the "twilight saga", I highly recommend some ancient Greek plays – Orestes was on trial for killing his mother, who had killed his father, who had sacrificed their daughter to the gods – it’s pretty, well, dramatic, and a very good read!)

The view of the Acropolis from the Areopagus

But the Areopagus is most famous for being the place where the Apostle Paul gave his famous speech to the Athenian elite (found in the chapter of Acts in the bible). It is all about their temple to “the unknown god” and goes on to explain the nature of this unknown god. It’s a powerful speech.

One that my dad found particularly inspiring. When I was a little girl and we first came to Athens this was our first stop, not the Parthenon. It was so very important for him to stand on this spot and recite those lines, like a special link to the divine for him. Seeing him nearly cry while quoting Paul, saying the long ago spoken words, has always stayed with me.

I am not a Christian by name. In fact I feel sometime that I feel too much spirituality to pick a brand of faith. God is everywhere and in everything. Each faith has it’s own way to connect to the god that is universal. What is truly important is that there is a connection with God, whether it is through prayer, song, nature or meditation and I find it difficult to chose one over the other when they seem to be all parts of the same whole.. At least that is my view, but I am only just starting out on my journey into the realm of the divine.

With such memories swirling around it was important for me to bring my own little family up here, possibly more to pay homage to my dad, who is no longer with us, than to the apostle Paul. Talk about seeing ghosts! I could just about see him reciting the words and feeling the divine. I hope that wherever he is in the next life he could feel our love for him and his life long quest for enlightenment bridging the gap. Life is truly a miracle and the love will always remain.

In front of the Greek orthodox church in the Agora

I am truly lucky to have a husband that so understands me. I need a few moments to get myself together. And Liam has now maxed out on the historical stuff. He’s discovered that his shoes, combined with the ultra slippery marble, are kind of like skiing. Boys! Visions of him "skiing" right off the edge, or of us ending up getting his broken arm plastered in a Greek hospital flash before our eyes and Randall directs him quickly off the Areopagus and we head down into the Athenian Agora, also known as the Forum of Athens. A little less spiritual, and a lot more of the common people - although, ironically, the first building we go into a Greek Orthodox Church.

Looking onto the Agora and the temple of Hephaestus from the Acropolis

We wander around, enjoying the calm, olive tree filled ruins. There is a massive museum of the Agora, which, despite Liana’s begging, we do not go into. We do hike up to the graceful temple of Hephaestus, son of Zeus and Hera and blacksmith of the gods. At the top of the Acropolis looking down on the Agora we had remarked on it as standing out of the buildings with such grace. Largely unchanged in the over two thousand years that the temple has stood looking over the Agora, it again anchors us in ancient times. But, as the poppies, red and beautiful, remind us, that ancient history is behind us, and life goes on. So we leave the amazing ruins that define ancient Greece and head out into the big, bustling modern city that is modern Athens.

One of the many cherry vendors in Athens

Lunch is first on the agenda. In a square, with cherry and strawberry vendors selling their wares, we stop for a gyros, beer and fresh fruit. (And an espresso for me!) Then it’s off for some shopping.

Amongst all the other shops we find an amazing music store with every type of instrument. After many passes by, and several auditions, Randall finally buys a travel bouzouki for himself, with full approval from all of us. The small guitar-like instrument sounds a bit like a cross between a mandolin and something oriental. Very unique and we all enjoy the sound. It was made right here in Athens and when ever we hear the sound it will remind us of this amazing country. And some traditional Greek music scores may be on the agenda for Randall, yes! Christmas sorted!!!

Just before we head back to the ship I succumb to a komboloi shop.

Now, that may sound risqué but it’s actually quite cool. Komboloi, or worry beads, are a very strong tradition in Greece, and every Greek man caries his around with him. Said to relieve stress, keep the hands busy and pass the time I have had no interest in buying any for myself. It is said that the beads pick you and that you know when you have the right set of beads. Randall bought an amazing set of red coral beads on our date in Mykonos, but as a woman I felt I really didn’t need any. (We won’t mention my nervous habit of picking at my fingers when I feel stressed.) So when we walked into this shop I didn’t think anything of it, until I touched a pair of beads and just had to have them. Ten euro later I am now a proud owner of some beautiful stone beads that I have worried to death just on the taxi-ride back to the ship - who knew my fingers had so much nervous energy!

Fresh cherries and Greek beer, Life is Good

What a day we had. Liana felt it was not nearly enough. Her appetite is just being whetted for more journeys into classical history.  May it remain so! I feel as if I’ve had a moment or two with my dad, someone who was instrumental in developing me, but whose ghost I need to let go so that I can forge my own journey. And Randall and Liam got a good view of Greece. I know we’ll be coming back here sometime in the future.

And with that we are back on the ship just as a freezing bout of rain hits us. It’s good to be reunited with our littlest munchkins and prepare for the evening and tomorrow, our last taste of Greece (for this trip) – Corfu…..

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for. “

Epicurus