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Athens, Greece
October 2014
#1/4
I finally got to travel to Greece, which I had always wanted to visit.
The itinerary for the trip was Athens → Crete → Santorini → Athens → Meteora → Delphi → Athens. I made all my hotel reservations online.
First, I fly from Singapore→ Istanbul via Turkish Airlines direct flights.
Flight duration is 11h 30m. The economy class were full.
Istanbul
Istanbul has a population of 14.1 million and spans two continents:
Europe and Asia. It is a large city that boasts a long history.
The main character and name of this city have gone through the following changes to this day.
Urbanization was carried out by the ancient Greeks.
(660 BC) It was called Byzantium.
Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire (395–1204, 1261–1453)
Constantinople, capital of the Ottoman Empire (1453–1922)
Istanbul, the capital of the Republic of Turkey.
After 1923. Ethnic Turkish nation-state.
Bosphorus (Straits)
The strait is bordered by the European continent on the left and the Asian continent on the right, the two continents are connected by three bridges and three undersea tunnels.
Black Circle = Central Istanbul. Red mark = Ataturk Airport.
Ataturk International Airport
Transit lounge
I landed in Ataturk Airport in 2014. In 2015, it overtook Frankfurt Airport for the first time to become Europe’s third-busiest airport.
The airport also found it difficult to keep up with the ever-increasing number of travellers, and on April 6, 2019, operations were finally suspended, and all commercial flights were transferred to the huge new Istanbul airport.
Turkish ice cream shop
The main feature of Turkish ice cream, which is made with unique ingredients, is that the ice cream dough stretches.
The unusual way to make it is to use something like a long stick to lift the ice cream high. This gesture is characterized by its performance to customers.
It looks similar to Japan ice cream, but the difference is that it is sticky.
Sheep’s milk is used as an ingredient.
Photo by author, Oct 2014
A wide variety of breads
The crossroads of cultures also seem to be crossroads of food.
Photo by author, Oct 2014
Smoking lounge
There was a spacious smoking area on the roof of the terminal building.
It’s an oasis for smokers of all races.
Photo by author, Oct 2014
My flight by Turkish Airlines arrived at the airport in Istanbul after a delay of about two hours.
The flight to Athens had departed without waiting for us.
After some confusion and communication with the airport staff, I was able to board the next flight three hours later. It was a relief.
Photo by author, Oct 2014
Turkish Airlines flights to Athens departed from Istanbul Airport under cloudy skies.
Photo by author, Oct 2014
The western city of Istanbul. Under the cloudy sky, buildings cover the horizon.
This is no longer Asia, but part of the European continent.
Photo by author, Oct 2014
We took off from Istanbul and after a while we found ourselves above the Aegean Sea in Greece. The weather improved, and the blue sea and sky were spreading out of the window.
Photo by author, Oct 2014
The deep blue Aegean Sea and the dry land!
Photo by author, Oct 2014
Photo by author, Oct 2014
Photo by author, Oct 2014
Turkish Airlines aircraft bound for Athens descended and prepared for landing.
And the highway came into view below.
Photo by author, Oct 2014
Arrival at Athens Airport
It is officially called Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport.
It’s a hard name to remember.
We were delayed, but we touched down safely in the morning.
Photo by author, Oct 2014
Photo by author, Oct 2014
Booking a ferry to Crete
After passing through immigration and customs at the airport, I found the travel agency counter. Anyway, I was there to make advance reservation for a ferry tickets to Crete. The tickets were issued without any problems here, which saved me time later.
Photo of author, Oct 2014
Hotels in Plaka, Downtown Athens
I took a taxi from the airport and entered the Plaka district in the center of Athens. The streets in this old town area are so narrow that only one car can pass through them.
Photo by author, Oct 2014
Photo by author, Oct 2014
Taxi in front of the hotel.
All the roads in the Plaka district are narrow.
Photo by author, Oct 2014
Reception at the Plaka Hotel.
Photo by author, Oct 2014
A very narrow four-person elevator. Many of the old four and five storey apartment buildings in the center of major European cities go up and down only by stairs and there were no elevators.
When renovating the building into a hotel, they tried to maximize the use of floor space, and as a result, such very small elevator were installed instead.
Photo by author, Oct 2014
If you take the lift with your luggage, only 2 people can enter.
There is always someone left behind waiting.
Photo by author, Oct 2014
Taking a walk in the neighborhoods of the hotel
After checking in, I left my luggage in my room and decided to take a walk around the neighborhood.
This square was about 100 meters walk from the Plaka Hotel.
Surrounded by three-story low-rise buildings, it was an oasis in an area densely populated with man-made objects. At this time of year in Greece, there are many sunny days, and it is pleasant to go out.
Photo by author, Oct 2014
In the corner of this urban oasis, I found a small church.
Photo by author, Oct 2014
Church of Agios Eleytherios
This small church was located in a corner of the square, a few minutes’ walk from the Plaka Hotel. It was a very simple structure, and I felt that it showed the prototype of Byzantine architecture.
It is believed to have been built in the 12th century.
It features a square or Greek cross plan, with a dome in its center.
The walls of the vaulted ceiling supporting the dome and the lighting section are octagonal.
Photo of author, Oct 2014
The roof was being renovated. It is a stately building.
Photo by author, Oct 2014
A number of works of art.
Photo by author, Oct 2014
Photo by author, Oct 2014
It has a typical Greek Orthodox atmosphere.
Photo by author, Oct 2014
When I returned to the hotel, I looked directly under the window of my room and found a small church of Byzantine architecture.
It had been encroached upon by later buildings, and its entrance had been cut off.
Even so, it feels miraculous that it has managed to avoid demolition or relocation and continue to exist here until now. It can be said to be a precious heritage.
Photo by author, Oct 2014
Spectacular view of the Acropolis Hill.
There are about 10 rooms on each floor of the Plaka Hotel.
Of these, only two are located in the direction of the Acropolis facing south.
I knew this in advance, so I made a reservation by specifying a south facing room. (The direction of the arrow is the Acropolis).
This small three-star hotel in the downtown Braga district was better than any other luxury five-star hotel in Athens.
Enjoying the spectacular view from the window of the hotel room.
Acropolis Hill in the evening
Photo taken by the author from a hotel room in October 2014
How do I describe it? It’s so divine.
Photo taken by the author from a hotel room in October 2014
The Parthenon is also perfectly lit up. It’s a photo I’m proud of (laughs).
Photo taken by the author from a hotel room in October 2014
The hill of the Acropolis early the next morning
When I woke up in the morning and looked out the window, I saw the Acropolis Hill and the Parthenon shining in the morning sun under the blue sky.
I was so impressed!
Photo taken by the author from a hotel room in October 2014
Photo taken by the author from a hotel room in October 2014
Photo taken by the author from a hotel room in October 2014
Early in the morning, enjoying the view the Acropolis Hilland the eastern cliffs from my hotel room.
Photo taken by the author from a hotel room in October 2014
After this, I will have breakfast and climb the hill of the Acropolis.
I wonder what kind of scene will unfold?
