The Adventure Begins!

Η Περιπέτεια Ξεκινά

​My trip to Athens began with a few unexpected twists and a lot of gratitude. Somewhere between my 5:00 a.m. flight to SeaTac and boarding, I realized I left the one medication I absolutely needed sitting on my bathroom counter.  After a flurry of calls to a dozen pharmacies, a quick chat with my provider, and an impromptu Uber dash (with suitcase in tow) to the nearest Costco, the crisis was averted.  A huge thanks to the pharmacy tech, Kevin, who kindly set aside the prescription so no one else filled it.  The staff there were true lifesavers!

​On the way there and back, I was reminded that travel begins long before the destination.  My drivers (one from Sudan, the other from Rwanda) each shared their stories of leaving civil conflict behind and finding peace in the United States.  Their gratitude and resilience left a deep impression on me.  They were, fittingly, the first of many people from around the world I would meet on this journey; a humbling reminder that travel is as much about people as it is about places.

By the time I finally returned to the airport from my impromptu pharmacy run, the layover had nearly disappeared, but I arrived with plenty of breathing room; a small victory in itself.  Icelandair gave me a flutter of worry, hinting that weather might delay our flight to Copenhagen.  Once again, God's blessings were evident: the plane lifted off on time and even nudged its way ahead of schedule.  I found myself seated next to a remarkable woman from Japan who is an art teacher in the U.S. and a fearless solo traveler.  We swapped stories and travel tips, savoring that rare camaraderie that forms midair, high above the clouds.

Athens Food Tour

Περιήγηση στο φαγητό

​I spotted Diane Kochalis’s email about Athens food tours and signed up on a whim—only to discover I had the whole experience to myself.  Her son became my guide, and what a joy it was to see Athens through his eyes while tasting its flavors.​

We sipped thick, bitter Greek coffee on a sunlit sidewalk, chatting about the curious ways Greece and the U.S. mirror—and differ from—each other.  We wove through a bustling market alive with the scent of fresh seafood and butchered meats, nibbled sweets at the city’s oldest bakery, and explored the world of traditional cheeses.​

The honey tasting was a revelation.  Some bees, I learned, specialize in tree sap instead of flowers—a new piece of knowledge as sweet as the vanilla fir honey I couldn’t resist buying to bring home.  By the end, I was full in every sense: my stomach, my curiosity, and my wonder at this living, breathing city.

The Central Market (Dimotiki Agora) was an experience unto itself. The smells instantly reminded me of visiting Pike Place Market in Seattle many times during my teens and adulthood — fresh fish, sizzling meats, and vibrant produce filling the air. It was a feast for the eyes, with fruits, vegetables, and other products displayed in their freshest, most unprocessed forms. I had been warned before entering that butchered lamb is often hung at eye level, and while that may surprise some, I had read about the market in advance and found the whole scene invigorating; a lively, authentic taste of daily life in Athens. 

The next location was a visit to the Mitropolis, Athens’ grand cathedral.  The Mitropolis serves as the epicenter of the Orthodox Greek faith, akin in importance to the Vatican for Roman Catholics.  From the outside, the building appears deceptively simple, but inside it reveals the rich splendor of Byzantine-style paintings, architectural features, and mosaics, many dating back to 1842. 

National Archaeological Museum

Εθνικό Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο

​I knew I’d want more time to linger at this incredible museum than the official tour allowed, and I happily spent three to four hours wandering its halls—so much so that I had to skip the Byzantine and Christian Museum I had also planned to see. 

Having read the classics that are so deeply woven into Greek culture as part of my Great Books education, it was a delight to see them come to life before my eyes.  The mask of Agamemnon, ancient burial items, intricately painted pottery, the evolution of language and text, and the progression of sculpture techniques all leapt from the pages of my imagination into tangible history.  Every corner offered a connection to the past, a sense of walking alongside the people who first shaped these stories, and a quiet thrill of recognition and wonder.​

Artemision Jockey (above, circa 140 BC).  This remarkable bronze was created using the “lost wax” technique: a clay statue was first covered in wax, which was then shaped and coated with another layer of clay.  Molten bronze was poured into the cavity left by the melted wax, and once cooled, the mold was broken to reveal a hollow bronze statue.  Even frozen in time, I could sense the dynamic movement captured in this incredible work of art. 

The next room contained several masterpieces: the Bronze Statue of a Youth (340-330 BC), a Hellenistic Grave Relief of a Horse (late 4th Century BC) with a boy struggling to hold its bridle, and Poseidon (125-100 BC).

Nighttime Views

Νυχτερινή θέα​

A quick dinner at the hotel’s rooftop bar turned into an unexpected lesson in Greek culture as the Parthenon glowed majestically in the evening light.  From my perch above the city, I watched a birthday celebration unfold—a lively gathering where the guest of honor foots the bill, a charming contrast to the way birthdays are typically celebrated back home in the U.S.  It was a small but vivid glimpse into daily life here; the kind of moment that makes travel feel like a window into another world.