Predicting Weather – An Ancient Skill

Weather and winds have long since provoked tales; some quite mysterious and others founded in truths.  Homer tells us that Odysseus (a mere 300nm from his home on Ithica) was blown off course near Cape Maleas for more than ten years.  Athenian General Themistocles used the force of strong north winds to gain victory over 400 Persian ships at Salamis in 480 BC.  Not to mention Octavian’s (Augustus Caesar) victory in 31 BC against Cleopatra & Mark Antony right here in our very own neighbourhood of Aktio (formerly Actium).  Even today, winds in Tarifa, Spain (think Pillars of Hercules) are considered very good for windsurfing or very bad, triggering dramatically high suicide rates, or so we heard.

So, with an hour to spare after a rather too enjoyable breakfast at the Athens Centre Square Hotel, we decided that it was worth a walk to see if the Tower of the Winds had been unveiled following 2 years of extensive restoration works.  Although sited in the Roman Agora precinct, the marble tower dates back to the 1^st c BC, and is thought to have been built by a Macedonian astronomer from Kyrrhos as a horologion or time piece.  Think how useful that is in sailing terms, especially for sailors who, in the not so distant past, used sextants!  This amazing octagonal construction stands over 12m tall with an 8m girth.  It was once bedecked with a bronze wind vane, Triton with a metal rod in his hand of course, and had a spring-fed water clock attached.  Its decorated faces afforded use as a compass**, sundial and  informant of seasonal weather predictions.  The ancients had a great respect for predictions….

The tower’s relief carvings, eight grumpy Ai Areides (or Windy Ones), is quite something.  We had hoped to meet Mr Meltemi in order to lodge our various complaints.  Instead we met Boreas, known for a violent temper and cold north winds that bring on winter.  Boreas blows rather too heartily into a conch shell (does this mean a gusting wind?) and as he is sometimes depicted with snakes for feet, we decided to leave well enough alone. 

Vaguely wondering if Mediterranean Wind Gods are ever truly appeased, we left before our not-so-pious thoughts were noted and we became singled out as future fodder for Mt Olympus’s Gusty Games.  We’ll just take it on the nose, like Odysseus.  Catch you in ten years!!

This is Kaikais - a dark NE wind with hailstones in his shield

** A true compass was not heard of until more than 1000 years later. 

Demons & Angels

Athens, Greece.  2-3 Jun 2016

Demons:  Apologies if you think this is going to be an action packed, Dan Brown-style adventure.  Well, it nearly was…but not quite.  Our day of landing in Athens went without a hitch (well, in the usual Greek style) until we alighted the subway at Monastiraki.  With hands full, we waited for most other passengers to take the steep elevator up to the Square above.  As the Cap’n moved on, he was instantly surrounded by 3 young men.  Having his wits about him, he turned with this back (and back pack) to the wall and made a point of glaring at these men.  The First Mate, now separated from the Cap’n and surrounded by two young women, was pushed by one into the side of the escalator.  The tell-tale bag over her hand was a give- away, and GS smartly moved a step or two down, trying not to trip over her suitcase.  The crowd, and our pick-pocketing gang, disappeared like a flash at the top.  We quickly assessed any damages.  The Cap’n made it without any interference or loss, and although GS’s handbag had been unzipped, that section contained only flight socks, tissues and reading glasses….not the stuff of criminal dreams – thankfully!  Still, in all our time travelling we had only encountered one other pick-pocket (Marrakech, Morocco), and certainly not a brazen gang.  We felt rather shattered and made for the hotel roof-top bar (with that amazing view of the Acropolis) to drown our sorrows with a Mythos beer or two.

Angels: The first gold star goes to the camera lens that should have accompanied us last year!  The second goes to our Hotel Manager for suggesting that we take a taxi to Kifissou Street Coach Station (rather than subway (not again!) and local bus).  An even bigger gold star goes to our honest taxi driver who charged a reasonable & metered fare to get us there.  We easily made the 12 noon bus to Preveza (a six hour & €40 ride) with a gold star driver who kindly let us off at the Aktio Marina road.  We arrived in time for a yet another gold star welcome and dinner (plus necessary refreshing beers) at our favourite water-side taverna.  The Other Woman welcomed us back and informs us she is rather keen to slip into something blue and refreshing for yet another season of adventures.

Corinth Canal - from on high.  A road-side perspective

(For those interested in travelling from Athens to Preveza by coach, the service is excellent, the coaches modern and rest stop near the Rion Andirion Bridge clean and well serviced.  Coaches leave Athens for Preveza at the Kifissou Station, stand number 10, at 0730, 1200, 1330, 1700 & 2000.  This timetable seems to be incredibly difficult to find.  Buy your tickets, with allocated seat, at the inside ticket office; entrance near the taxi stand/local bus stop area. 

From Athens (near the main markets), our taxi, including a decent tip, cost less than €10; but make sure the meter is running – no excuses & walk away from aggressive drivers.  Otherwise, catch the subway to Omonia Square, walk down Konstantinou to Menandrou (on the left).  The #51 bus going to Kifissou stops at the intersection of Menandrou & Zinono.  Easy if you don’t have a lot of luggage to manage.) 

So, now you have the essential traveller’s guide necessary to “experience” Athens… 

The Tempest & Furies

A room with a View

Athens, Greece

So, here we are sitting in a room in Athens with a fabulous view of the Acropolis.  Jetlagged, GS is weeping into her beer.  The scenery, spectacular as it is, cannot be photographed.  Well, not yet anyway. 

Some may recall that GS celebrated a significant birthday with the purchase of a DSLR.  Working on the principle that it can’t be much more complex than a point and shoot, she left discovering its technicalities until - well, the very last minute. 

So Cap’n I Told You So left her to her hissy fit, but not before providing a sedative (a beer or two and a few youtube videos) to assist in working out this complex little device.  Hmmm.

That's better...up on the hotel rooftop & bar (for sedatives only, naturally!)

Our next scenario is a balcony with a view of Santorini to die for.  GS has managed a few digital basics but is not happy with her wide-angle lens.  Even her phone offers better shots and a panorama option as well…  This folks then, is the blonde moment.  The camera came with three lenses and GS, in an effort to save weighty luggage, left one behind.  Yep, you guessed it - the wide angle.  Another hissy fit ensues and the Cap’n leaves the room again but not so discretely, wondering if said camera will learn to fly over the edge of Santorini’s caldera.

Just calming my nerves, my dear

Eruptions are not new to Santorini.  It is the site of one of the largest volcanic events in human history, (1650 BC).  This famously ended Minoan civilization, the remains of which are now being excavated at various points around the island; or rather what remains of it.  Santorini’s extensively photographed (well, by some any way!) white and blue villages perch along and over the volcano’s steep rim.  It’s all rather delightful but somehow our trusty Cap’n can see that life ahead will not be all wine & roses unless the camera issue is solved…and soon!

The white village of Firostefani crests the caldera

Off Guard

Athens, Greece

The Acropolis (now under renovation) can be seen from all over Athens

Sunday in Greece, even Athens, translates too “not a lot open” and as official winter timings were in force (that means even shorter working hours), many attractions closed early.  We’re still coming to terms with Greek “timings” and the official long lunch….  Still, we made it to Parliament House to witness the Sunday Changing of the Guard.  Despite the crowds, we saw some of the review and the Cap’n chalked up yet another military performance to his list of many.  (For anyone interested, the uniforms are derived from traditional Klepht costumes worn by resistance fighters during Ottoman times. The pleats number 400, one for each year of Ottoman occupation. )

Afterwards, and to further embellish his military learning, our military buff Cap'n stopped to browse the National Historical Museum.   GS though, being on something of a national costume mission, dashed off to Plaka to visit the National Folk Art Museum, then took the slow road through the shopping district (tourist-tat heaven - although there are some nice pieces to be found) back to the hotel.

Monastiraki Square

Antique & Flea Market areas of Monastiraki

Having had a couple of nights of appalling stodge (Greek style) in our local area, we caught Big Red (indeed a useful taxi) down into the Monastiraki restaurant district and found, incredible as it seems, an Indian restaurant.  Heaven!  Must be nearly time to come home….

Who needs lions over your front gate?

Jumping Ship

Athens, Greece

We began our visit by walking to the nearby National Archaeological Museum, devoted to ancient Greek civilisation from prehistory to the Roman era.  Breathtaking artefacts, forever photographed in art history books, are located in this museum – it seems so surreal.  There are five permanent collections in a vast space, so again, we had to choose.  Most impressive for us, as we stumbled from room to room, was being able to understand the chronological amalgamation of all the sites we’d visited so far across Greece and Turkey. (Don't worry, there will be no history test at the end of this visit!)

Next on the list was to walk the Acropolis, as one must.  Even Mark Twain jumped ship (passengers had been quarantined – unfairly he thought!) to be sure he would not miss out on visiting this most famous site of antiquity.  The Acropolis houses the sanctuary of Athena with the main monument of early Greek civilisation, the Parthenon, an attestation to liberal society and democracy. 

The Tower of the Winds was out, having been covered head to toe in shade cloth for restoration.  It’s worth mentioning only because this octagonal structure, designed by an astronomer (1AD), was quite the “landmark” for sailors.  It functioned as a sundial, compass, weather vane and water clock.  The reliefs carved into its eight sides personify local winds and we were rather keen to meet Mr Meltemi to have a few words!

From Wiki (see link above)

On to the Big Olive

Athens, Greece

The bus trip (5 ½hrs) from Preveza didn’t seem so bad as our winding journey took us around scenic Amvrakikos Gulf (now we don’t have to sail it!), down to coastal Messolonghi (and its Byron associations), over the Rio-Andirio Bridge and along the northern Peloponnese coastline we’d gotten to know so well in Mr Panda.  The Corinth Canal flashed by and we soon hit the outskirts of Athens and our bus station.  From here, we were euro-fleeced by a taxi driver, but easily found our hotel in downtown Metaxourgio; certainly not the most exclusive of neighbourhoods but not too far from the action downtown, if you don’t mind a walk.

Memorable Graffiti

Memorable Monuments

Next morning we were up early for the obligatory sightseeing routine and luckily had a big red bus go right by our door.  Our first day was given over then to doing the Athens and Pireas loops with a walking tour and a lunch break at Monastiraki sandwiched in between.  These tours are such an easy orientation to new cities; they help us quickly locate major attractions, then after initial tours, become an useful “taxi”.  Back at the hotel, over a beer, we decided from the multitude of attractions for the following days.

Big Red - an excellent solution to get around this big city

Views over Athens