Busy much?? With summer really and truly here, Athens feels alive and buzzing with activity. I know that Athens is a big city, and big cities have lots of stuff going on – but this past week it really struck me that Athens offers a lot to its visitors and residents alike.

It really hit home the other day, as I was thinking about what to do, where to go – ‘what’s on’… Do you like music? Do you like dance? Do you like theatre? Do you like culture and history? It seems like there was something for everyone, everywhere, all week long!

A group of us hit the Acropolis Museum anniversary events on Wednesday – people and music! But we could just as easily have gone to the Argentinean Tango Festival, European Music Day events at Philipappou Hill, or Socrates under the Acropolis (still on!)… And that’s just off the top of my head.

Let’s be honest – we’re really spoiled for choice in this city. It’s up to each of us to take advantage and make it happen. Get a group of friends together, pick a spot, and enjoy Athens…

As the saying goes, ‘Just Do It’!

Until next week…

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

Met some great people at the Hard Rock Café this week, with the XpatAthens folks. Nice way to spend an afternoon – and feel like you’re not in Athens for a while!

When I walked in, I must say I really felt like I was in Canada or the US – the look of the place, the uniforms of the staff, the smell of onion rings alone…

A bunch of people came out – few beers and chicken wings made this a decidedly ‘Hard Rock’ evening… At one point, 2 tour buses unloaded a group of Italian tourists into the bar - taking photos of the rock n’roll paraphernalia on the walls and buying ‘Hard Rock Athens’ souvenirs – I guess people still do this…!

Was really cool to chat and hear everyone’s story. There is great variety among us, of course – reasons why we’re here, reasons we choose to stay, our fave places, our joys and frustrations in this crazy city. What’s most amazing is that everyone I met has one thing in common: we are all making the best of being here. We actually want to be here – and our collective cup is half-full. At least, it was on Saturday!

Until next week…

Jack

Hard Rock Café Athens
18 Filellinon Street


In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

My mother is still in town – and we decided to take a ‘city road-trip’ on Saturday. We left the house around 9:00am, stopped at our local Grigoris for a coffee for the road, and went on our way…

We headed out of the city on the Attiki Odos and made our way towards Marathon. Our first stop was Nea Makri and the Monastery of St. Ephraim, a ‘controversial’ saint who lived in the 14th century. It is a small monastery, where you can see the mulberry tree where he is believed to have been hanged by the Ottomans.

We left Nea Makri and headed towards Leoforos Souniou, eventually turning towards Vouliagmeni. What a great day to be at the beach… We stopped in for a bite of lunch at En Plo in Vouliagmeni – nice menu, sea-side views - well worth it if you’ve never been…

Later on, we jumped back in the car and drove across the city on the Paraliaki (beach road) and ended up in Piraeus! A pit-stop in Mikrolimano and a quick look at the cool-looking seafood restaurants around the little harbor, put Mikrolimano firmly back on my ‘to do’ list…

With the gas tank quickly heading towards empty, we headed back north on the Ethniki highway and made Kifissia our final destination. A coffee on the perfect little patio at Casa was the last stop on our city road-trip – one of my favourite corners of the city…

How’s that for a full day on the road?? We loved it.

Until next week,

Jack

En Plo
www.en-plo.gr/en

Casa
www.estiatoria.gr/estiatorio/767/casa_restaurant

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

So I’m on a bicycle kick these days – my first springtime venture a few weeks ago left me braver, and I’m convinced that drivers actually see me as they fly by…

Early on Sunday morning, I dragged myself out of bed and jumped on my bike… The sun and the birds were my only company as I left from Kifissia, and made my way down Kifisias street, past Golden Hall, in through Psihiko, down into Panormou, over the hills of Kolonaki, Syntagma, around Plaka and finally reached my destination in Thissio.

The whole ride took me less than 90minutes – no traffic, no danger, no worries! I loved it. The city took on a different character – it was like watching a movie, seeing sites and scenes that you would never ‘catch’ on foot. The lady washing down the street in front of her door, the couple out walking their dog, the group of people entering the church, the group of men sitting down at the kafeneio for their morning coffee… There was something about riding by these scenes of everyday life, at just the right speed, that made me smile…

Then, after my own morning coffee, I picked up my bike and got on the train at Thissio station, for the ride back home. (Sorry, my cycling ambitions are still ‘one way’…!) Lucky for me, bicycles are allowed on the Athens metro system - you can take your bike on the last car of every train, no issue.

A gentleman in a white suit got on at Monastiraki station, with his bicycle in tow, and said “Good morning” and “Where are you off to?”… Turns out he rides his bike everywhere – always has – and ignores his kids’ requests to buy a car. “At my age, I just need my bike!” His age: 85.

Get out there….

Until next week,

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

My mother is in Athens this week, visiting from Canada after an absence of many years. She is not Greek, but over the years has picked up the language, and many of the customs and ‘-isms’ of being in a bi-cultural family. Unfortunately (!) this doesn’t mean that she does my laundry, nor that she delivers food to my door, but it does mean that we grew up following many of the traditions and cultural norms of ‘being Greek’…

It’s really great to have her here. She has very interesting observations and comments about daily life in Athens, even after a couple days here.

“I forgot that it’s safer to walk on the street than on the sidewalk!”
“There sure are a lot of empty shop windows.”
“That old abandoned factory would be full of squatters in most other cities.”
“I love seeing people out for a walk with their kids.”
“Is that a rooster I hear??”

We’ve been sharing a lot of memories, with my extended family – the time when I refused to come out of the water at the beach, the time when we all went to Delphi, the summers we spent in the village, the time when the whole ‘expat’ family was here together, etc… My mother’s visit reminds me of simpler days, of a time when different things mattered, and everything seemed possible. Those days are certainly behind us – but maybe, like a circle, they’re somewhere up ahead…

Until next week…

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

This was quite a week for Athens, indeed for Greece – for Europe! Politics, economy, business, society – every day held dramatic developments… All of this has left me rather confused – confused about the future for Greece, for Europe; confused about my own beliefs and views; confused about what to tell people when they ask me ‘What’s going on there??’ But one fact remains: Good or bad, Athens is alive.

Just think about it. Sure, the bustling streets, the open-air patios, the din of voices and cars, the music coming from cafes, the smell of food from everywhere, the sunshine and (even!) the rain – there’s something magical in the mix. But this week, we added to that the Olympic flame (and one Mr. Beckham), the Athens Half-Marathon, art exhibits all over the place, summer live music nights popping up, and ‘Tuesdays in Athens’ getting into full swing. Beyond the obvious struggles, Athens remains alive!

I choose to be positive in my outlook. I also choose to live in Athens. This often makes for a difficult combination. With all its imperfections and tragedies and frustrations, I appreciate all the city offers. I love it for what it is; I don’t begrudge it for what it’s not…

Until next week,

Jack

P.S. Wondering which restaurants and bars are participating in the ‘Tuesdays in Athens’ initiative? Check out the map here: www.cityofathens.gr/node/20050

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

This week, our member Marina shares her experience in Athens - a nice reminder for all of us. Hope you enjoy...

I am a visitor in this great city, from Venezuela. This is a true story – it happened this very week.

I am staying with a friend in ‘Maroussi’ – and I decided to spend the day exploring the centre of Athens. I loved walking around the Acropolis and the flea market, having lunch in the Thissio, and visiting the many museums. My Greek skills extend so far as ‘kalimera’, but this wasn’t a problem at all!

I had a Google map which my friend printed for me, so I knew how to get home – or so I thought! I even borrowed my friend’s mobile phone, to be able to call in case of emergency.

On my way back home on the train, the phone somehow locked, so I wasn’t able to use it. Then I noticed the map I had was printed without street names. And I never bothered to write down my friend’s address or phone number – everything was in the phone!

So by the time I exited the train in Maroussi, I was really stuck. A woman noticed my obvious confusion with the map, and approached me, talking to me in Greek. I replied in English, then in Spanish – no luck. She gestured to me to follow her, waving her keys in front of me - and we got into her car. She drove me to her home nearby, and called her entire family out to try to help me – all in Greek. This was great! But it didn’t help, since we couldn’t recognize the actual street name…

So she took me back to the train station, where she asked another random stranger to help. This time, the young man managed to speak some English, but we still couldn't figure out the map! So he walked with me to a nearby internet café, and helped me speak to the shop-keeper. I managed to get online, and found my friend via Facebook!

There is a certain spirit in Greece, and even in Athens, that welcomes you and surprises you, and shows itself when you least expect it. I did love my week-long experience here, but more than the monuments and great food, it is this spirit that will remain in my memory. I hope you have a chance to experience this too!

Thanks Marina.

Until next week,

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

I had the pleasure of hosting 2 business colleagues for a ‘non-business’ couple of days in Athens. These colleagues are both successful professionals, in their 40’s, well-travelled - one Polish, one Turkish. We were quite a sight…

We started Saturday with a slow breakfast at HipCafe at Syntagma (yes, they have pancakes), then wandered around the centre, ventured through Plaka, up the Akropolis and stopped in Thissio for a late lunch. Later, Monastiraki, Ermou, Syntagma and Kolonaki. The evening began with dinner, and ended with a couple drinks around Plateia Karitsi…

I know what you’re thinking – yeah, so what? We do that all the time.

Well, that’s my point. I know it’s ‘more of the same’ for some of us, something we’ve done over and over and ad nauseum. But let’s not take it for granted – we can’t be that jaded...

My colleagues were amazed, to say the least. They kept commenting on the ‘energy’, the ‘life’ of the city centre. Yes, history and ancient culture and western civilization – this amazed them too. But what they didn’t expect in this city of crisis was the relentless and unapologetic buzz of the people. My Polish friend commented that, after 2 days in the city, he is ‘officially optimistic’ about the future of Greece. “Just let them go! Remove the barriers to entrepreneurship, and watch this place go!” he said. Interesting…

We had a wonderful weekend; I was feeling pumped and positive about the possibilities that lay ahead of us… By Monday morning, I was back to square one (I gather most of us were…) – not sure what to think, and a bit unsure about what lay ahead…

They say hope dies last. For now, I’m still hopeful…

Until next week,

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

Summer is here, judging by the incredible weekend weather… Who wants to stay home? Friday night arrived and a few of us headed to the centre for a couple drinks. With no destination in mind, we headed towards the Gazi district – plenty of choice for a couple drinks, and a few for some good food too.

Sure, Gazi is young, trendy, even predictable (is that so bad?!) – but it was also buzzing with amazing energy… people everywhere, out to enjoy the beautiful night. We ended up at The Hive – a well-known multi-level bar & event space on the main square, with a small bar inside and a great rooftop terrace. Upstairs, the terrace was jammed full of people, enjoying in the beautiful view and the charged dance music. Later in the evening we headed downstairs where we were greeted by a live band – a great band! 2 female singers – mix of Greek and English pop music. Fantastic. Later on, after another visit to the rooftop, we wandered around the square – still busy with people - decided against a late-night souvlaki – and headed home…

Athens comes alive at night. It's a transformed city after dark - bright lights, music, sound, people, action - the city truly buzzes in a way that few others do. At least after the sun sets, we are spoiled for choice on where to meet friends and enjoy a spring evening...

I loved the buzz of the night. Bring on summer!

Athens nightlife. Not to be missed. Now appearing everywhere ;)

See you next week.

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

Sunday was a gorgeous day – in what promises to be at least six months of more-or-less gorgeous days! – and I wanted to be outside in the sunshine, doing something active… so I dusted off my bicycle and ventured out for a spin.

I headed for the Olympic Stadium complex, since I know that a few of the main gates are normally open and I could cycle around the grounds…. I must say, living in the northern suburbs (or almost anywhere north of the waterfront) means one thing for cyclists: HILLS. But rather than take them as the horrible torture that they really are, I try to take them as a ‘physical challenge’. Right.

Add to that the constant threat of speeding cars that clearly don't notice bicycles, and you have yourself an adventure, to say the least.

But I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised – cars stopped at intersections to let me go by, drivers gave me lots of space as they drove around me, I made it out alive. It wasn’t nearly as bad as it has been in the past. And the OAKA complex was quite busy: other cyclists, families with kids, skateboarders, remote-control car racers, even a couple tourists snapping pics…

In fact, I’m feeling so pumped after my afternoon ride, that I’m thinking about joining the ‘Freeday’ group for their Friday night adventures around the streets of Athens…

The Freeday outings have turned into a wildly popular weekly social event, with people of different ages and backgrounds from all parts of the greater Athens area meeting, making new friends and sharing their love of bicycling as they discover a different face of the city.

The bikers start gathering at a different designated spot each Friday night and set off for their weekly adventure, cycling around the deserted (or not) streets of Athens. Picture 100’s of bicycles on Kifissias…! The outing usually lasts a few hours, but many of participants continue throughout the night, taking in the sunrise at a different location each time. Check them out on Facebook.

Is Athens on the long road towards being a bicycle-friendly city? Maybe so. I’m even starting to believe that all those hills really are just a ‘physical challenge’. Right.

See you next week.

Jack

In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…