The trains into central Athens are not running because of general strikes. We arrived in Greece at the height of public opposition to austerity measures proposed by the government to deal with the country’s burgeoning debt crisis.
A hasty change of plan. Instead of taking the train to Syntagma Square and changing to the local metro for the short ride to Keramikos, we take the long bus ride into central Athens and a taxi to our boutique aparthotel, McQueen.
The taxi driver is entrepreneurial. Throughout the drive, he plays a DVD on the highlights around Athens and as we arrive, offers to show us the sights of Athens and surrounds for a day during our stay.
Kerimikos is close to the city without being in the mayhem of central Athens in the summer. The hotel has a 24-hour check-in, the staff greet us with a smile and are quick to provide helpful information throughout our stay and, our room is spacious and comfortable.
We wonder if we have made the right choice though. It is late afternoon and the streets are deserted! We expected Athens to be a busy metropolis! Have we miscalculated and placed ourselves too far from the action?
Eager to get out and see things we take a stroll along the back streets of the neighbourhood to check out a local eatery recommended by the hotel staff for its home-style Greek food. We find it and see that it’s a family-owned business with a small menu. It looks like the locals in the neighbourhood come here for their takeaway meals and, as in other parts of Europe, the evening meal is taken quite late in the day. They are only just starting to prepare the dishes.
With a map in hand, we walk in the other direction. The area around the metro station is busy with young people sitting drinking coffee and chatting in cafes. The real identity of the area isn’t revealed until we return later in the evening. The precinct has transformed into a vibrant eating and cultural destination. Clubs, bars and restaurants are brimming with young Athenians and maybe a few tourists who have discovered this hub just past the ancient Keramikos cemetery (we recommend reserving an afternoon to wander through this vast archaeological site). Too late, we have already had our dinner. We do end up spending a bit of time enjoying a meal or two in our secret neighbourhood later in our stay.
Disappointed and thinking the area had not much to offer we had walked the short distance to Adrianou Way. The “Way” is lined with restaurants and is touristy with restaurant staff touting for business offering free wine and dessert as an enticement. We ate along the “Way” a couple of times during our stay. The meals were fresh and wholesome, and very reasonably priced. Of course, we took up the wine offers. A plate of watermelon at the end of the meal was always on the house and there was live entertainment while we ate.
We find ourselves mesmerised by Keramikos and its warm evening charm. Every day as we pass through on our way to wander the streets of Athens, we see bands of young Grecians enjoying themselves in the street cafes. There is no obvious sign of a country under financial stress. And, there is no indication whatsoever of how this place transforms after dark.
We have also hit the jackpot with finding entertainment. Keramikos’ industrial past includes an old gasworks which has been reinvented to become an open-air cultural centre called the Technopolis. Tired after a long day of exploring but keen to learn more about Greek culture, we buy tickets to a music festival. Thinking we will leave after the first performance we find it so captivating that we stay to listen to the support artist before the highlight of the evening, Greek icon Dimitra arrives on stage. Our idea of what Greek music and entertainment are changes by the time we stroll out of the centre a little before midnight. Each performance was sensational and so vastly different from the other.
What of the chaos caused by the strikes and protests you ask? Having watched disturbing scenes of the riots during past protests in Syntagma Square on TV, we are wary of getting caught up in anything nasty! However, we are in Greece to see what makes the country tick and that means being out and about in the “hot” areas while being mindful about what is going on around us and ensuring we take appropriate measures to remain safe.
It is a blisteringly hot summer afternoon that we emerge from the metro in Syntagma Square to walk the short distance to watch the changing of the guards at the memorial to the Unknown Soldier in front of Parliament buildings. A highly spectacular and ceremonial affair, it is worthwhile stopping by to watch.
There are a few other tourists like us watching while behind us protesters are gathered to show politicians their displeasure at further public sector cuts. They remain quietly respectful during the ceremony and resume their chants on completion of the change of guard. Police are on hand in abundance to ensure public safety. It is, however, not long before we watch in bemusement the police put down their guns and join the protest! TV cameramen and reporters are weaving their way amongst the peaceful protest capturing shots and stories for the world to see and hear. A while later, their job complete, the cameras disappear and it’s time for the protestors to have a break. They settle down in groups on the road for a chinwag or a little snooze!
We smile quietly to ourselves at the congenial atmosphere surrounding us before we stroll back to our new found haven, Keramikos. It’s a tough life protesting.
If you enjoyed this post, you may like to read about our time on the beautiful Greek Island of Santorini.
