Let’s be frank straight off the blocks: Athens is not the simplest city for a leisurely jog—but running in the Greek capital is much easier than reputation would have it. Traffic is lighter than it used to be, pollution is no longer a problem, new walkways have sprung up and it (almost) never rains.

Granted, drivers can be impatient at stop signs and the occasional pothole remains (though plans are afoot to repave half the city’s roads within the next few years), but Athens is much more runner-friendly nowadays, and the increasing number of Athenians lacing up regularly is proof.

The 5K Ultimate Athens Route

Let’s start on the pedestrian paved road in front of the Acropolis Museum. Dionysiou Areopagitou, as the walkway is called, is one of Europe’s most beautiful avenues, and meanders halfway around the Acropolis Hill.

For the first few hundred meters, run towards Philopappou Hill, with the Acropolis towering above you, on your right. After about half a kilometer, the road will begin to crest downhill towards the attractive Thissio neighborhood. In full tourist season, this popular pocket can be hot and crowded. If so, head for pine-clad Philopappou instead.

After another few hundred meters, you’ll reach the old Thissio train station from where you can make out the Temple of Hephaestus (we locals call it Theseus) amid the trees on your right. It’s time to turn right onto Adrianou Street and weave your way into historic Monastiraki, with its tourist shops, antique flea markets, souvlaki joints, and agreeable hustle and bustle.

Continue up Areos Street, then turn left into Dexippou Street, left again into Adrianou, and into Aiolou Street, first weaving around lower Plaka, and then moving uptown towards Syntagma Square.

At the 2.5 kilometers halfway point, you’ll turn right into the busy pedestrian artery of Ermou Street and run uphill past the big international and Greek stores until you reach Syntagma Square.

Cross Syntagma Square and turn left at the Hellenic Parliament which dominates the square. Run up Vasilissis Sofias Avenue, with the National Garden on your right.

At kilometer 3.6, turn right into Irodou Attikou Street and run downhill: along the way, you will pass the Evzones’ boxes where they stand guard. You’ll also see the Maximos Mansion, the seat of the prime minister, and the Presidential Palace. Be sure to keep the National Garden on your right always.

We suggest you continue running around the Zappeion cluster to clock some more city landmarks: you’ll whip past the Fokianos vintage gymnasium, the Zappeion Hall, and the Ethnikos Tennis Club as you move along the newly pedestrianized Vasilissis Olgas Avenue, back towards the Acropolis.

At 5 kilometers from your start, you will reach the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Gates of Hadrian, the most philhellene of Roman emperors. Across the street, Dionysiou Areopagitou beckons, and a couple of hundred meters further along, the Acropolis museum, where you began.

To read this article in full and discover the 10K Athens Riviera Route, please visit: thisisathens.org

Photo Credit: Thomas Gravanis 

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Ironically, Greek mythology is itself the subject of many myths that are widely believed by many people around the world.

Some of this misinformation stems from action-packed Hollywood movies, while other such myths about mythology have been passed down from generation to generation.

No matter how the stories are told, the end result is the same: the stereotypical personifications of ancient gods and creatures are often very far from the truth.

Medusa wasn’t the only woman in ancient Greece with snakes for hair

When you think of Medusa, you immediately picture her horrific hair made of snakes. However, Medusa is wrongly singled out as being the only woman in Greek mythology to have this look.  Don’t forget that Medusa was merely the only mortal of the three Gorgon sisters; the other two sisters, Stheno and Euryale, also had reptilian locks.

Artemis held a grudge and would kill over it

The goddess of hunting is known for her shrewd skills and for being the protector of animals. However, while she is known as the goddess of childbirth in Greek mythology, she is also the destroyer of many young women. In fact, she killed six of Niobe’s daughters for insulting her mother, Leo. Clearly, you didn’t want to get on her bad side!

Apparently, the god of war had a soft spot: his sister Athena, the goddess of war. Ares obeyed his sister’s orders as she was also the goddess of defense and righteous battle. This can be seen in the “Illiad,” when Athena often intervenes to ensure a fair battle and Ares always bows to her command.

Hades wasn’t such a monster 

The god of death and the underworld wasn’t really such a bad guy. Specifically, it wasn’t his choice to rule the underworld; he was stuck with the job that no one wanted. After all, Hades wasn’t the one who was responsible for the redemption of souls; the three demigod brothers, Minos, Aiakos, and Rhadamanthys had that fun job!

To read this article in full, please visit: greekreporter.com

On Sunday 20 June 2021 the Acropolis Museum celebrates its twelfth anniversary, having undergone its most difficult year to date, as it remained closed to the public for more than six months due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Acropolis Museum, now refreshed and renewed, welcomes its visitors on the day of its birthday from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m., with reduced entry (5 euro) to all exhibition areas. Additionally, visitors will have the opportunity to participate in the new thematic presentation “Marathon-Salamis. In traces of myth and history”. 

In this presentation, visitors will discuss with the Museum’s archaeologists about the Persian wars and their significance for the western world, the colliding opponents and the role played by gods and goddesses, the importance of the Marathon battle in the victory of the Salamis naval battle, the price paid by the Acropolis and how it was transfigured into creation and, finally, how the great moments of history are depicted in the exhibits of the Acropolis Museum.

Information:
Greek: 12 noon, 4 p.m. & 6 p.m.
English: 10 a.m. & 2 p.m.
Participation: Limited to 8 visitors per session. For registration, please refer to the Information Desk at the Museum entrance on the same day. First-in first-served. It is necessary to wear a protective mask (not provided by the Museum) and to use the whisper guide system headsets (provided by the Museum).

“I want to live a happy life,” one of my clients told me recently. “And I will succeed, I’m sure when I leave this job and find another one.” “When my kids are old enough so I have the time to take this dance class I so much want,” said another.

Does this sound familiar? Have you ever had similar thoughts? Have you ever said or thought something like: “I will be very happy (calm, ready, fulfilled…) when I get this position” or “when I will be with this partner” or “when I will buy this amazing handbag”? I know I have!

And when you finally got what you wanted, when you did indeed achieve your goal were you happy? Oh, yes! You were thrilled at the beginning! Showing and telling everyone about it! Do you remember what happened afterwards? Do you remember how long your excitement lasted? A week? A month? Six months? A year? Two years? Would you honestly say that you were as happy as you thought you’d be for as long as you wanted to be?

I’ve been there and my answer is a big blunt NO! I remember how much I wanted to be accepted at a specific university for my Master’s degree and how enthusiastic I was when I succeeded. Did that prevent me from feeling or, better yet, securing my not feeling sorry, angry, frustrated, unhappy for the rest of my life? Of course not! And it’s not because I’m underestimating my efforts and what I’ve accomplished; not at all.

What I did not know then is how our brain works. How it is programmed to get used to things, situations and accomplishments regardless of the time it may take. This is exactly the reason why when we finally get what we want (you may fill in what suits you here …) our emotional reaction becomes less intense as time goes by.

“Does this mean we can never be happy?” you’ll righteously ask. Of course not! There are tools we can use at any given time to help ourselves. For example, the 4-step process of the role of our brain:

1. Realize and acknowledge how our mind works.

2. Devote some time to study how we –each one of us – use our minds.

3. Look into our specific prejudices with a magnifying mirror as they affect our perspective. 

4. Work on ways to overcome those prejudices.

Is it easy to do? Not necessarily but it doesn’t have to be hard either. It all depends on how dedicated – and not simply willing – you are to working on bringing about the lasting changes you want to see in your behavior and in your life.

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If there’s a topic you’re interested in and would like to learn more about you may contact me via email. For more information about me and my work check the XpatAthens Directory or visit my website. Because this is your life!

FokiaNou Art Space is pleased to present a solo exhibition of Geeta Roopnarine, “Fragility of Breath.” Geeta Roopnarine is an interdisciplinary artist working within the intersection of art, science, and technology. Her process is inspired by the archaeology of things, unearthing layers of meanings, and in making connections between cultural and historical artefacts. Her background includes Indian, Trinidadian and Greek cultures and she draws upon images and myths to transform the familiar into the unfamiliar.

Prana, the Sanskrit word for breath, life force, which permeates reality on all levels including inanimate things is her starting point to pose questions about mind-body ‘dichotomy’ and what it means to be a breathing body. Paper, a fragile material, interacts with watercolor and mark making and effects a collaboration between artist and material. Watercolor, poems, and 3D installation create a liminal space between abstraction and reality within the context of human and non-human.

Geeta Roopnarine was born in Trinidad and Tobago and lives in Athens. She trained as a forensic scientist before studying sculpture at Athens School of Fine Arts (Professor George Lappas). She recently completed an MA in Computational Arts at Goldsmiths, (Univ of London) and has taken part in exhibitions in Greece, London, and New York.

The use of masks and social distancing are required in all areas of the space, including the roof terrace, halls and elevator.

FokiaNou Art Space is an artist-run project space in the intimacy of a small apartment in an old building in the center of Athens. The space encourages collaborative creative efforts between Greek and foreign artists, thereby promoting and supporting the local art community. The space hosts exhibitions, workshops and projects under the direction of two artists, Mary Cox and Panagiotis Voulgaris. www.fokianou247.gr

Opening: Thursday 10 June 2021, 18.00
Hours: Thursday-Saturday, 18.00-21.00

Greek tennis champion Maria Sakkari reached the French Open semifinals on Wednesday, June 9, 2021, after an impressive performance against last year’s winner Iga Swiatek.

Sakkari won in straight sets, 2-0 (6-4, 6-4), and confirmed her stature among the leading ladies of world tennis. The 17th seed has secured a first Grand Slam semi-final where she will meet Czech ace Barbora Krejcikova.

After her epic win, Sakkari, speaking in Greek, thanked all her fans who watched her performance at the Philippe-Chatrier court in Paris and those back in Greece watching on tv. 

On Monday, June 7, 2021, the Greek player’s 6-1 6-3 demolition of last year’s runner-up Sofia Kenin secured her place in the last eight and prior to that, she had dismissed the 14th seed, Elise Mertens, in the third round.

Sakkari’s progression into the last-four club at a Grand Slam has been a fairly long time coming. This year’s French Open is her 21st appearance in the main draw of a Slam and her previous best was reaching the fourth round at last year’s Australian Open and US Open.

Sakkari will join Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Roland Garros semis, in what has been a dream week for Greek tennis. Tsitsipas defeated Daniil Medvedev in the quarter-final on the Court Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros.

To read this article in full, please visit: greekreporter.com

Photo Credit: Roland Garros