Athens and Greek islands

Press, 3 November 1988, Page 10

Athens and Greek islands

Memories from abroad

“Living Space”

by

PRUDENCE ROTHENBERG

Our flight from Paris to Greece was quite uneventful, it did seem rather uncanny that we were the only passengers to leave the aircraft in Athens. To meet us was a long stretched bus that drove us in solitary state to the deserted arrival lounge. Our two suitcases stood on their own. Had something happened we did not know about? No, our passports were stamped and there was a delightful Athenian with a large walrus moustache holding up our names. I love Athens and its golden light. Cynics may say gasoline fumes and smog, but I prefer to think it is something very special, as are the people. This city was the glory of the classical world. How can the people not be rather special with this splendid heritage. Crowning the city from every angle is the Acropolis, and there are monuments and antiquities forming part of everyday life. We had three days in Athens. How I enjoyed showing my friend all the places I had enjoyed. We visited Mount Lycabettus, with its beautiful chapel of St George. Sitting at the Taverna, the city of Athens is sprawled below. A cable car runs up the 300 m summit. We found that the taxi drivers did not like taking you up to the cable car as the road was so very narrow.

A guided, visit to the Acropolis followed. The guides are excellent — so well informed. Then, to the Plaka, where shops, ancient ruins, churches and tavernas are all packed into less than a kilometre. To the flea market. How I enjoyed the people

who stand outside their shops watching the world go by, talking in very loud voices to other shop keepers. Walking along the narrow streets, you suddenly have a magical view of the Acropolis. Too quickly, our three days in Athens were up. We received a message in our hotel to say that we should be picked up at 6.30 a.m. to be taken to Piraeus, the Mediterranean’s third largest port, to go to Mykonos. The average time is s'/ 2 hours, but our rather modern boat took less. The interior of the boat was blue and white — striped blue and white chairs, blue and white floor tiles, white walls and blue doors.

We were not met in Mykonos as a telex from Athens had gone astray. Quickly, we were taken in hand by the warm and kind people. To find out where we were staying,

they called Arna. She was a very attractive girl who was in the midst of her last school examinations. Arna was working very hard as it was very difficult to get a place in the university at Athens. Arna told us in perfect English that her sister was a receptionist at Manoulas Hotel and she lived close by. Taking both our suitcases, she deposited us at a table at the yacht club, saying she would organise everything. Sitting in the sunshine overlooking the sea with refreshments in our hands, we did not really care if we stayed there all day. A rather rickety car arrived, which took 15 minutes to drive us to the Manoulas (Little Mother) Hotel. How lucky we were. This pretty white-with-blue-facings hotel in the Cycladic architectural style was owned and run by a single family from great-grandfather to the dear little great-grandson. The lounge was predominantly white and blue. The armchairs upholstered in wool with a blue stripe. White walls with mainly blue in the many paintings. Natural wood was a feature. Balconies overlooked the sea and the island of Delos.

The Mykonos bus arrived at the hotel punctually every hour. It was about a 12-minute scenic drive, during which we passed Yehudi Menuhin’s villa, into Mykonos.

This beautiful little town has narrow, winding flagstone streets, lined with almost dazzling

white-washed houses with blue trims. Balconies project into the streets, sprays of bougainvillaea and oleander make you stop and gaze at the beauty. The small Byzantine churches, white with either blue or red domes, were everywhere. It is said that there is a church for every 10 inhabitants.

We ate out once a day, either at Onus beach, four minutes away by bus, or in Mykonos. Eating outside, we watched the world go by. Meals were inexpensive and enjoyable. There was a choice of Italian, Greek and other European food, as well as American hamburgers. On the way back to our hotel, we would buy delicious olives and cheese from the grocer Our half day in Delos was magical. I had not been in Delos before and was not prepared for the extraordinary awe and maybe reverence we both felt.

There were about 25 on our tour, temperatures were over 30C. “Are you hot,” she said, “if so, forget it.” She then climbed the hills with agility while we scrambled behind. There was so much to see, the sanctuary of Apolla, the marble lions of the sacred lake. The house of the dolphins with detailed mosaics and so on. The mosaics in the various houses were beyond belief. Suddenly, our 10 days in Mykonos were up. We returned to Athens, then on to Singapore on our return trip home.