Alcala, Spain Fall 2007: Athens, Greece

1-5 November 2007

I left very early the morning of the 1st to go from Madrid to Milan and then Milan to Athens. I landed in Athens around 6:30 and made my way via metro to my hotel. My hotel was four stops away from the Acropolis and when i arrived I got to be a sort of translator between a Spanish couple that was visiting and the hotel desk guy who spoke broken English but no Spanish...it was kind of exciting ;)

I dropped my stuff and quickly made my way to a place I had read about in my guide book "Crepes of the World." It is right by the Acropolis (Areopagitou 3, get off at the Acropolis Metro stop...all you who go to Athens in the future go here for sure, open 7-3am I believe). Anyways, I was very exciting when I saw that Peanut Butter was on the menu for things you could add to your crepe, as peanut butter is hard to come buy in Spain and I am somewhat addicted to it at home;) So I got a Peanut Butter, Carmel syrup, and almond crepe (see below). It was late by then and I was tired from traveling so I went back to my hotel to sleep.

The next day I got up early and made my way to the Olympic Fencing Hall at the Hellinikon Olympic Sports Complex. It took about a hour to get there but I had to go in order to pick up my race goodies and my marathon bib number. It was actually along the coast, so I got to see the water.

After collecting my goodies for the marathon (a bag, towel, shirt, pin, pen, running GU, granola bars, information packet, advertisement papers, and key chain) I headed back to my hotel to drop the stuff off and then scurried off to get some more good Greek food. I ended up having some fruit from the flea market right outside the Monastiraki Metro Stop and then went to a restaurant for some authentic feta cheese and a special dipping cheese for break that was from one of the Greek islands (see pics below). Then I stumbled across an amazing looking gelato placed called “Ice Grill”(if you go to Athens you have to go here, the best gelato in Europe if you ask me: get off at the Monastiraki Metro Stop, walk up "Mitropleos", it is number 82). Although stuffed, I couldn’t resist getting some right then because they had a Peanut Butter flavor.

After that I headed to the Acropolis and got in for free since I am a study abroad student (which I guess technically makes me a “EU student” until I leave ;) The Acropolis reminded me a lot of the Roman Ruins in that there was so much history there and that there was so much to see. It was quite a hike around the place, up to the top, and to see the individual parts. The Parthenon proved to be one of those things one thinks won’t be that impressive because there are so many iconic images of it or photos but that one is still blown away by when one sees it. I also saw the Temple of Athena Nike, Erechtheion, Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Ruins of the Classical Theater of Dionysus, The Asclepion, and the Stoa of Eumenes II.

I also went to see the Agora (once the city’s market place and location for debates on democracy) which included Haphaesteion (a temple) and Stoa of Atalos (home of philosophers’ gatherings).

I saw the National Gardens, Temple of Olympian Zeus, and Hadrians’ Arch and then returned to “Crepes of the World” for the second time, the guy who worked there seemed amused to see me there AGAIN. This time I got a Peanut Butter, carmel syrup, and chestnut mousse crepe. Then I went back to “Ice Grill” and got 3 more scoops of gelato: peanut butter (clearly), almond, and carmel.

Suffering from a food coma I went back to my hotel and went to bed. The next day I got up late as it was the day before the marathon and I wanted to be pretty rested. I stopped by the Roman Ogora which includes the Tower of Winds (originally used as a sundial). Then I went to the Central Market which was a completely and wonderfully chaotic experience. Greeks manage masses of people really well while doing their shopping there, quite a cultural experience to say the least. I samples some fruit and nuts (the best being peanuts in candy glaze with sesame seeds).

Then I bought my lunch: a fresh pita (.20 euro cents), a sesame wheel (see pic below) and cottage cheese (to eat with the latter). The pita was the best pita I have ever had in my life, clearly because it is an authentic Greek one, but they put some amazing seasoning: salty-all-spice or something, but perfect. The sesame wheel was quite popular with the Greeks so I wanted to try one. They are sold everywhere from little carts (like hot dogs in NYC), and they are really quite good (esp. with cottage cheese if you ask me).

I didn’t want to do much walking on Saturday because the marathon was the next day and I wanted to stay off my feet as much as I could. SO I went to a international bookstore I had researched before. It is called “Eleftheroudakis”. I stayed there for a few hours, looking at books I wanted to buy but knew I couldn’t because it would just had weight to my bag for when I go home. I did some reading and journal writing and saw the Greek version of the 7th Harry Potter book. I also stopped off at a used book shop I stumbled upon…always about books and food when I travel ;)

For dinner, and my pre-race meal, I clearly had to return to my favorite: Crepes of the World for my usual. The guy seemed even more amused. Then I went back to Ice Grill for Peanut Butter, Almond, and Vanilla with Baklava (famous Greek pastry) gelato.

I went to bed early on Saturday night because I had to get up at 5am on Sunday to catch the 5:30am metro to walk to the Panathinaikon Stadium where they were going to bus all the marathon runners to Marathon (the start of the race). It was pretty cool to see that stadium when it was still dark, just knowing that I was about to run a course that was close to what the original “marathon” (to announced that the Athenians had one a battle) was. It took about 45 minutes to get out to Marathon. I just walked around to keep warm (was in the 50s) and at 0830 I had to turn in my kit bag (with my personal belongings) to the truck that would take it to the finish line.

The race started at 9 am with a Greek marching band and all the runners releasing a balloon into the air. There were between 9,000-10,000 runners in the race, but it seemed small compared to the other marathons I’ve done because I didn’t have to walk the first mile due to people traffic, in fact I was able to start running right away! The course was pretty cool: from Marathon back to Athens. Parts were just rural communities and others more urban. Local Greeks came out to cheer, wave laurel leaves at us, and shout “Bravo!” as we went by.

I was able to run without stopping for almost the first 3 hours, but then I paid for being lazy in my training in Spain and my calves had nothing left to give. I had never been in more physical pain and had no choice but to walk. I walked at least 8-10 miles of the marathon, a big ego blow, but at least it was Greece ;) Although I was hurting I still was having a good time. I was definitely in the very back of the pack, senior citizens Passing me up left and right, but at about the 5 mile mark this old Greek man reached out a laurel branch to me, gesturing that he wanted me to take it, and that really raised my spirits. I mean, I was approaching the 5hr mark and most of the runners were either done or had already gone by, yet this old Greek man was still waiting to cheer us slow pokes on. I kept that branch all the way to the end. I forced myself to run the last km and the half lap we got to finish in the Panathinaikon Stadium. That was an awesome way to finish: everyone was so encouraging still, even though most had finished already and I was one of the last, there were shouts of “Bravo” everywhere and the stadium had high rise seats, and knowing Olympian athletes had finished here…it was just awesome.

After finishing, I went and ate A LOT of good Greek food, gelato (the biggest serving EVER) and went back to my hotel very tired.

I left early am to go back to Spain on the morning of the 5th (Monday) and got back to Alcala that afternoon.

HIGHLIGHT OF ATHENS: Crepes with Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter/Baklava Gelato, Authentic pita bread, and getting a laurel branch from an old Greek man to run the end of my marathon with.

ACROPOLIS:
1.Ruins of the Classical Theater of Dionysus