Sisterly Shenanigans -Site Seeing in and around Athens

ME AT THE TEMPLE OF OLYMPIAN ZEUS.

SHOPPING ON ERMOU STREET, THE SHOPPING DISTRICT.

POSING AT THE ERECHTHEUM TEMPLE.

MY SISTER, SARAH

ME AT HADRIAN'S LIBRARY

ME AT THE THEATRE OF DIONYSUS

SARE BEAR AND I AT THE PARTHENON

ME STANDING AT THE ODEON OF HERODES ATTICUS, WITH VIEW OF THE PARTHENON.

Since my sister has arrived to Athens this past weekend, I have upped the ante on my site-seeing and living the Med life. On Monday, we visited the Acropolis, Hadrian's Arch, Theatre of Dionysus, and Temple of Zeus. On Tuesday, we visited the Temple of Hephaistos, the Ancient Agora, the Agora Museum, and Hadrian's Library. On Wednesday, we visited the National Archaeological Museum and saw an orchestra concert at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus (2nd c. AD theatre). It has been so much fun taking in the history and culture of Greece as grown ups and we laugh when we think back to the photos of us as kids with the bored looks on our face. Now, we actually appreciate what we are seeing and we can actually understand the vivid stories that are associated with these ancient ruins.

I also can't deny that I love my sister's enthusiasm for taking photos, sometimes dramatic (like when she pretended to be in a drama play at the Theatre of Dionysus before being yelled at by the strict guards who said 'No posing!') or her directions to me about posing beautifully with the columns and ruins 'Lou! Think water nymph..show me your glory...bask in the sunlight!" LOL...Yes, we have this joke that we are at a photoshoot amidst these ancient ruins. It's quite fun being with my older sis, being silly, and enjoying all of the sites all over again. Since she has been here for four days, we have also eaten out a lot at traditional Greek tavernas.

Tomorrow, we are going to Sounion to see the Temple of Poseidon, which sits on the edge of the cliff overlooking the sea. On Saturday, we are visiting Sparta and Mystras. But for now, I will leave you with some pics from the Athens site-seeing.

Blog Assignment #3- To Change or Not to Change

The first week I was here, I was cautious. I would bite my tongue before I yelled at a rude gawking male smiling and calling out sleazeball comments to me and I would be passive to that obnoxious lady who pushed me on the Metro. Seven and a half weeks later, I have become just as rude, oblivious, pushy, and fast-paced. I dress quite casual at work, yet dressy when I am out. Let me explain....

-I don't know about you but I can feel it if I step on someone's feet, elbow them, or hit them with my bag by accident. I know it's crowded in Athens and people have to get to places, but I have really become bothered at the fact that people here do not say sorry when they do these things to you! At first I would constantly say "Signomi" (sorry or excuse me in Greek) but now I wait to see if they say it first. If not, then I play the same game they do - the 'I-am-oblivious-to-the-fact-that-I just-elbowed-you-in-the-gut-game.'

-I was fearful and weary of jaywalking especially when the cars are coming at you at a fast speed, but I feel rather stupid whem I am the only one left standing on that sidewalk waiting for the light to change. It's as if I was the one doing the wrong thing....So now, I am at the front of the crowd leading the jaywalk.

-Now that I am used to the Metro system, I have become part of the hustle and bustle. I walk really fast with the crowd when I get off and on trains, otherwise I will get trampled like all the newbies.

-In terms of the sleazy looks and comments I get from the guys here I have departed from my passive and cautious self. I am tired of them associating me with either "the filipino nanny maid who is on her day off" or with their sick asian fetish fantasies. I get catcalls and looks all the time. The mailman from three weeks ago was following me during his work delivery - zig zagging on the pavement with his scooter and smiling and yelling things at me. I turned around angrily and said "What the (beep) are you looking at?" He drove off scared. When I get this kind of behaviour from perverted men, I give them the finger and the look. (Sorry Larissa and Natasha but this is the nitty gritty truth!)

-In terms of clothing, I usually start work 10 minutes after I get up. Since my apartment is attached to my office, I can literally wake up, wash my face, brush my teeth, use the washroom, and be at work. I have to admit I have adopted my boss' casual dress of shorts and t-shirts so I have put away my dressier work tops and business skirts (back in Toronto, my work has an office dresscode, where I wear heels, pencil skirts, silk tops, and pantyhose for the winter) Here, I wear flip flops, tank tops, and shorts. However, to keep up with all the fashionable Greek ladies, I have been wearing dresses more often when I go out, even if I am just going shopping or to the grocery store. I also find the flowy dresses are much better for the heat.

So I think, that I have changed in order to survive. I love Greece but I miss the orderly line ups, the politeness, and the space that I am used to in Canada. I just remembered that the other day I was pleased to see that there was an actual lineup at a store; I was the next one in line but when the cashier said NEXT PLEASE! for some reason, some guy behind me just went ahead of me! They also don't know what it means to have space here. In another situation, one lady looked at me angrily and told me to move as she put her stuff on the counter to pay...the cashier had not even finished ringing in my purchase. And at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus (a 2nd c. AD theatre that still has performances to this day), a lady was pushing me as we were walking to our seats, to the point that I almost tripped. They love to inch up on you here and at times I feel like I have a Siamese twin-not cool! These are the things that really bother me about Greeks' behaviour and I think that I have to just conform to them and not let it bother me! Let's just hope that I can conform back once I return to Toronto in 3 weeks!

38 degrees and sunny

It is so hot here!!! Today, at 7pm when I left the museum, it was still a scorcher. Despite the heat, I decided to take a walk on Ermou Street (shopping district) right off of Syntagma Square(center of Athens)....and what did I see? Two cute dogs taking a fun splash in the fountain! The white dog was so happy splashing around and enjoying the oohs and aahs he was getting from the passers-by. He reminded me of Marley in the movie, Marley and Me. He was just so full of life. What a simple and happy life these homeless dogs live! Meanwhile, the younger black dog watched on the side, eager to join in the fun but a bit timid to jump in....Cute dogs!

Feverishly doing homework....

Me on the 3rd floor, the Parthenon Gallery.

So I realized that I have been M.I.A. for a couple weeks on here so I decided to update you guys on what I have been doing. Last week I went to 3 beaches (Yabanaki, Kalamaki, and Voulameni), all about 1 to 2 hrs away from Athens by bus. It was sooo worth the long bus ride and I had so much fun swimming. I was like a fish taking in the waves and then cooling off on my nice sunbed. The view of the mountains in the background was fantastic and the soft sand beneath my feet was so pleasing.

After a week of that, I came to the realization that my time here was drawing to an end!!!! I have only a month left before I head back home. The internship part is great, I have catalogued so many boxes and boxes of slides, but it's my research that I needed to really focus on. Part of me coming here to Greece, was to do research on the New Acropolis Museum, which opened on June 21, for my MRP (major research paper). Before I had left, I had promised my supervisor that this experience would be vital in my research, for I had unlimited access to the museum, the Acropolis itself, and the libraries here. I also told them that I would interview key figures on staff that were responsible for the construction of the museum. It was in fact a promising proposal that I submitted to my department and I suddenly panicked thinking I hadn't done much really.

So that's when I decided to feverishly start doing research. For the last couple of weeks, I have made it to the American School Library here in Athens which is said to have been the best resource centre worldwide for the study of Ancient Greece Antiquities. Indeed, it was tough to get in - I had to get a Letter of Introduction, passport pics, and proof of my grad student status, in order to gain a library card. In the last week, I have upped the ante by visiting the library more often and alternating days with visits to the museum. To compensate for me not doing interviews with the museum staff, I have drawn endless diagrams, made observations, and sat in the galleries at the museum. I am quite please to say that I have written 20 pages in the last 2 weeks. Today, I dropped off the Letters of Introduction at the front desk of the museum, each addressed to the curators, archaeologists, and president of the museum. I hope before I leave in a month's time, I would have had the chance to speak to one of them....My professors back on campus are rooting for me to get published so this is a big pressure on me to do well in my MRP.

Attached are a few pics, I didn't want to add too many pics as I will be using them for my paper.

Buy Sunblock and Toothpaste at home!

Today, I have succumbed to buying the expensive bottle of sunblock as yesterday I had squeezed the very last of my Walmart bought bottle. Goodbye to the $6 prices that I used to go for in Walmart's vast aisle of many selections, boasting impressive levels of up to 45 SPF. Instead, I have bought Carroten, guaranteed to protect your skin from the high intensity of the Mediterranean sun, and yes done so with a whopping SPF10.

Let us compare.

Fruit of Earth / Block It UP!

• SPF 30
• Waterproof
• With Aloe
• With UVA/UVB Protection
• Made in Texas, USA
• $6 CAD for 355 ml

Carroten Hydra Plus Suncare Milk

• SPF 10
• Water Resistant
• With A+E extra moisturing ingredients, Hydra Plus
• With UVA/UVB Protection
• Made in Maroussi, Greece
• 9.50 euros ($15 CAD) for 200 ml

So, the lesson to be learned here is no matter how dark or tanned you think you are (I tan easily and was surprised to get a little burn and peel here), you should bring lots of sunblock if you plan to come to Greece. While the specs I have outlined above seem comparable and the website of the Greek brand quite impressive, you will be forced to pay double the price. The same goes for my Aquafresh toothpaste which I also bought today for 1.90 euros ($3.05 CAD) for a measly 75 ml.

Then and Now - Greece 1988 to 2009

My family and I the summer of 1988 at the Acropolis, overlooking the Odeon of Herodes Atticus below.

Me at the same Odeon two weeks ago, thinking to myself that this was the first time I have seen this place.

This was taken two weeks ago, looking at the East facade of the Erechtheion temple on the Acropolis.

This is my sister Sarah (light blue shirt) posing at the same spot but slightly different angle. I am the one in the yellow outfit and that is my mom beside me.

Me at the Erechtheion

My family and I posing at the same spot.

As I mentioned before, my family and I lived in Cyprus. I lived there from when I was 4 to 11 years old. My dad worked on a cruise liner that travelled to Greece, Egypt, and Israel. For our family vacations, we spent many times in these wonderful places. It is so interesting to look back at the family pictures and now recognizing the architecture and sites in the background. I have posted a few...... The rest will have to wait when I return to Toronto, as we have boxes full of pictures from many summer vacations in Greece.

Assignment #2-Culture Shock

Palm trees at Edem Beach.

Fuse Box.

Street vendors on the beach selling beach wear, umbrellas, jewellery, etc.

Another one.

Here, I have to remember to put the tube into the toilet while doing laundry, otherwise I flood my washroom like I did the second day I was here.

The shower head. The hose is so short so I guess tall people have to squat in the tub!

In this pic, you can see the bill in the shot glass to the front left.

Metro ticket.

Metro station platform.

Inside the Metro train.

At a Metro station - there is usually artwork or exhibitions as when they were building the Metro, they uncovered sites below the city.

Homeless dogs and cat sleeping in the middle of the street. The marble is cool on their bodies.

This beautiful homeless dog was just content lying down in the middle of the buzz.

Homeless dogs taking their siestas on the grounds at the Temple of Zeus.

Since I have already answered some of the questions in my previous blogs (e.g. my internship, my housing situation, etc.), for this particular one I will focus on the differences between Greece and Canada. Some I have already mentioned so sorry if they are repeats....

1) Toilet Paper and Flushing

-The first big difference that hits you smack dab in the face is the severe warning of "Do not flush tissue paper in the toilet!" Signs are everywhere in the airport, restaurants, and other public washrooms to guide unknowing tourists.

-For me, this is a problem, since not only has it taken me years to be "trained" to flush toilet paper in Canada (having grown up in Cyprus which also does not flush toilet paper). Now I have to be "re-trained" that it is ok to throw tissue paper in the garbage. Second, since I am one of those people who generously pamper myself by using wads and wads of tissue (let's just say, that I like it to be cushiony), then my waste basket gets pretty full. This means, I have to throw out trash quite frequently. Lucky for me the garbage dump is just outside our flat.

2) Metro System

-I have already mentioned the lavish looks of the metro system here and the reasonably priced fares. I will recap them briefly. For adult prices, a weekly fare is 10 euros (16 CAD), a day pass is 3 euros (4.80 CAD), and a single trip is 1 euro (1.60 CAD). For students, the fare is 50 lepta (80 cents CAD) The best part of the single fare is that it lasts for 1.5 hrs so you can actually watch a movie in the theatre or go shopping and have brunch with friends, all on one ticket. There are no stern Metro officers waiting for you to flash your ticket; they simply trust that you will buy it at the automated ticket purchase machine before you enter the "non-existent" entry gates. I know there are so many that just go through without purchasing. The penalty for getting caught without a ticket, however, is 60 times the regular fare. OUCH!

3) Catching the bus

-I tried to go to the beach by myself yesterday afternoon. I decided to go to Alimos Beach, which is just outside the city centre and is reachable by first a metro ride, and then a bus ride. This beach is privately owned, which means you pay 8 euros to get in, but the sand and water is cleaner and there is access to umbrellas and sunbeds. After getting to the right Metro stop and waiting out on the street for Bus 113, I couldn't figure out why it would not stop. THREE buses whizzed by me and being that the bus stop was packed and I didn't want to stick out anymore than I already do, I pretended as if I wasn't really walking towards the bus. I realized after standing at that bus stop for an hour, that to get on the bus, you actually have to stick out your arm way out into the road to indicate to the bus driver that you want to get on. Seeing how Bus 113 wasn't the popular bus that day, I was the only one who needed to get on and seeing how I didn't know this secret code, I lucked out on three buses. I guess standing on the pavement smiling just doesn't work here as it does back home in Toronto, when the bus driver stops all the time. After that hour of waiting, I was beginning to catch the beginnings of heat exhaustion, so I decided to skip the luxury beach and head home.

4) "Signomi (Excuse me)....May I have the bill please?"

-Here in Athens, when the waiter brings you your food or drink, they also bring you a small shotglass with a piece of paper inside. Rather, it is your bill. No longer do you have to tag down your waiter at the end of your meal to say "Cheque please!"

5) "Do not Get Electrocuted!"

-That is the warning that scared the heck out of me my first day in Athens. It was written on the instruction sheet that awaits you at the Institute hostel, when you arrive in your room. It warns you that you have to flip the switch on the fuse box, before taking a hot shower and that you had to make sure to turn it off before you jumped in the shower to avoid electrocution. I had to wait until one of the housemates came home before I jumped in the shower! Fuse box?? I didn't even know what that looked like before I got to Greece! The shower here is very different from back home. You have to flip the switch to get hot water for showers and the shower heads are not stationary. Also, the washing machine is usually in the washroom and as you can see in my picture, the washer and toilet go hand in hand during laundry.

6) Street Vendors

-The streets of Athens is filled with these street vendors trying to sell everything from toys to sun umbrellas. I thought it was only in New York that you see the array of beautiful "Pradas, Louis, and Gucci's" nicely laid on a blanket on the ground, ready to be snatched up by the salesperson in sight of the Policia. These street vendors are usually ignored by the Athenian public, but some tourists go to them and look at what they have to offer. I was told to say "Ohi Efaristo" (No Thank you) in Greek as opposed to saying it in English, because then they will think I am Greek Filipino and leave me alone. If they know that you are a tourist, they become more persistent. At the beach, I usually have my ipod on and my sunglasses on when they come around. I feel bad for these people because I know they are just trying to make a living.

7) Siesta

-I love my daily 2 hour naps! I will leave it that so you fellow Canadians won't feel as bad when you are reading this at 3pm....in your office typing away at the keyboard while I am cuddled in my bed....lol

8) "Pedestrians are the right of way"

-They might as well not have the cross lights, because pedestrians here jaywalk ALL the time. They cross whenever they get a chance in between whizzing scooters and motos (cars). I have yet to see a pedestrian get struck yet.

9) Homeless dogs are fat, sleepy, and very much part of the city.

-The first day I walked through the city, I stopped in the middle of the pedestrian walk mortified to see a dog lying on the street, back against the curb. I thought that it had gotten hit by a car and was left on the street to die. People didn't even flinch as they stepped over the German Shepherd mix, eager to catch the street light. It was the busiest pedestrian walkway off Syntagma Square and my friend was so embarassed that I was stopping to check up on the dog. She said "He is not dead! He is sleeping! They do that everywhere here." And soon after, I began to realize that they are everywhere, the hot summer sun has them sleepy throughout the day--or maybe they too know of siestas. They sleep in the middle of the marble streets and sidewalks, in the stores' entryways, and yes even at the Temple of Zeus. They are all fat because storeowners and restaurant owners feed them scraps. You can only tell they are homeless from their raggedy fur and sores on their elbows from lying on the streets.

10) Butts are everywhere

-This is by far the biggest thing that has bothered me since arriving in Greece. Greeks love to smoke and they do it everywhere---in the restaurant, in the stores, at the beach, in the bars, etc. I have heard that they are going to ban smoking in public places as of July 1st, but I don't think it will be a smooth transition. Therefore, in the meantime I have become a "smoker".

11) Palm trees grow in the Mediterannean.

WHAT?! I know I couldn't believe it. There are soooo many palm trees here that you can sometimes squint your eyes and pretend that you are in Miami. (That's what I do when I miss North America) LOL

12) On walking fashionably and climbing the Acropolis in stilletoes.

-The ladies here are so fashionable that they walk on the marble streets UPHILL in 3 inch heels. I, however, have left my party heels back home in Toronto and have donned a more comfortable form of wear...flip flops and gladiator-inspired sandals. I was quite impressed with the lady who was climbing the Acropolis two weekends ago, wearing a mini skirt and 3 inch stilletoes. Yes, that's right, they weren't even wedges, just the dainty old pencil thin heel. And, she wasn't even my age but a middle aged woman. Here in Athens, you don't have to be 20 something to be in heels and wear fashionable clothes. You are competing with the materas (moms) and the yiayias (grandmas)!