My posts are completely out of order at this point. Here are the places I’ve visited in order, Reykjavik, Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Istanbul, Athens, Barcelona, Vienna, Salzburg, Munich and Interlaken.
Andrew Hyde gets us lost. Do you see cacti there?
In Athens, I got my first glimpse of what it must be like to travel with locals.
The first night I’m in Athens, a colleague of Andrew’s not only gives us a restaurant recommendation, but takes us there personally, introduces us to the waiter, who then gives us complimentary ouzo shots. The food is phenomenal, and this is a local’s favorite.
I am under no illusion that I am seeing the real fabric of the countries I am visiting. In and out in most countries in three days, I hear more English spoken at the sites I’m visiting than whatever the native tongue is. I’m not visiting local favorites, I’m visiting tourists’ favorites. Both have their pluses, but as I write this post, I’m starting to crave a more authentic version of what I’m doing.
I loved the Acropolis. Who wouldn’t? 25 centuries of history reside in Athens, and it is evident
At the Acropolis
everywhere. The subways have exhibits to the artifacts they found while building out the infrastructure for the subway. Even the H&M shows you how they are built on artifacts. One of the locals I meet at Startup Weekend talked about that if you get a building permit, you hold your breath that they don’t actually discover anything while digging. Which of course they do because this is Athens, and it has 25 centuries of history everywhere.
The Acropolis Museum is an incredible building, and is a can’t miss if you go. Provides great perspective on the Acropolis. And is only a Euro. We got frappes, the coffee drink of Greek choice, at the coffee shop on the roof.
At a church right below the Acropolis
I also got to meet some incredibly nice and brilliant people at Athens Startup Weekend. Their hospitality was wonderful, and it was the only leg of my journey where I’ve really gotten to speak to the people living in the countries I’m visiting. One of the cultural nuances that I find hilarious is that everyone is in scarves and jackets. And it’s seventy degrees Fahrenheit. As Vicky told me, if they don’t wear scarves now, what will they wear when it’s 100 degrees out? I wore short sleeves and looked like a tourist. Well, the short sleeves and my albino pallor created the tourist luster.
One other aspect that I find fascinating is that Greece with all of its amazing history is refuting the legality of other countries possessing its historical artifacts. Like the incredible Elgin Marbles. The Getty Museum from Los Angeles had to return more than 40 artifacts to Greece. Including this incredible wreath.
If your nation’s historical artifacts are plundered a century or more ago, chances are you’d like
Plundered Wreath Gets Returned
them back in their rightful country. But where does it begin and end? Every museum has an Egyptian exhibit (including Greece). A lot of these artifacts were taken under auspicious circumstances. France just agreed to return several items to Egypt that were stolen. What is the statue of limitations on plundering or is there one at all?
It makes me more thoughtfully consider when looking at artifacts about where they belong. Can’t wait to get back and discuss this with Bruce Wyman.
