Arriving in Athens in the middle of the night, my first impressions were of a dark, concrete megalopolis with a dimly lit airport and potential danger waiting behind every corner.  Full immersion into a Greek-speaking environment and Greek language signage all around added to the mystery.  Fortunately, I was armed with several Berlitz phrasebooks that proved to come in handy in the days and weeks ahead.

Tuesday, 15 May 1984- 8:05AM, Hotel Minoa, Athens

Could this be the nightmare I was warned about? Could be, could be. Landed last night after midnight at the airport, which is quite a piece from town.  So, I doubled up with an Australian couple for a taxi ride into town. We had hotel reservations at the same hotel. It was a good thing I was with somebody else who’d done a bit of traveling because I think I’m too good natured to know when I’m being ripped off by a taxi driver. Anyway, I got into town for about $3.30.

On the way, the driver and his brother (mostly the latter) told us we were going to a flophouse where only “cold women” go. He stressed it was dirty, unsafe, and far from the Acropolis, and “for 200 drachma more” we could stay in a “B” hotel with our own bathrooms. Funny how he could quote a price right there in the taxi.

So we pulled up to the Hotel Minoa, and after our benefactor dealt with the desk clerk.  We decided to get our deposit back on the other hotel the next day. If my theory on big cities in anywhere near correct– and I think it is– I’m going to be avoiding them. After getting to bed at 2AM, I awoke at 6 to the thundering of the traffic 6 stories below. This place has all the charm of the intersection of Wilshire & Westwood and the neighborhood has a certain air about it too. I think it’s called smog, with a diesel chaser. I’m hitting the islands as soon as possible.

Anyway, I just went downstairs to find out the name of this place, and couldn’t get the lock to work to get back into my room, so I had to climb out the stairwell window and Spiderman over to my balcony (six floors above the street). It was fun, I suppose. One saving grace is that from my balcony, off in the distance (through all of the concrete buildings that make me think of Beirut) I can see the Acropolis. Even in the thickening haze it is impressive. Then again, so is the toilet which has the tank 8 feet in the air and is flushed by the pull of a chain!

3:47PM, Clare’s House, Athens

A lot has happened since this morning. First of all, Michael and Kathy, the couple I taxied in with, found out the Hotel Minoa was very near the one we were supposed to stay in. Yes, we were swindled, somewhat.

Fortunately however, we left that dump with no serious problems and trekked across town to get our refunds. The streets of Athens are tremendously exciting. Busy too. As we got further away from the Minoa, the street scene changed. News kiosks, commuters, police, tourists it was crazy, but at the same time not obnoxious.

We passed by the building where a bomb went off a day ago, and it was mobbed with rubberneckers. Anyhow, the commercial center of Athens is at least lively, with sidewalk cafes, vendors of all sorts, protesters and people all over.

Taking the advice of “Let’s Go”, we started looking for new accommodations (once we left our bags at the baggage check). Finally I got a good view of the Acropolis, Hadrian’s Arch, and the Temple of Zeus. Not too bad, really.

To cut this short, I’m now sharing a room with someone (who I haven’t met yet, but the bags are here) at a nice, clean place called Clare’s House, in a largely residential area of the city, near the Acropolis. The weather is not bad, and there really isn’t much smog to speak of; well in fact, none. I like this place. It’s very peaceful, and I’m still tired.