Living history
Go Citybreak: Athens is a vicinity where a glorious past meets an edgy make known. Don’t be put off by the modern Greek dramaturgy, says Lorraine Courtney – make merry the wonders of its past
THE FINANCIAL adversity of the past few months is like a influential tragedy. Social unrest, strikes, spiralling liable and worsening recession are illustrating our newspapers’ front pages. And after years of warm self-indulgence, the final act of this Greek scenario remains a long way off.
But by historical karma and ancient accident, Athens is brimming with era wonders and makes for an excellent diocese break. The Olympic Games in 2004 meant that the see was mightily spruced up; and nowadays undeterred by financial woes, it’s a grade where a glorious past meets an edgy, odd and stylish present.
The beating hub of modern Athens is Syntagma Clean. It is bordered by hotels, the Greek Parliament . . . and a McDonald’s. Have your camera at the swift for the changing of the guard, outside the parliament edifice. The famous Evzones, wearing their skirts and pompom clogs, stride gone and forgotten the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on the hour. Ernest Hemingway called these soldiers “fighting men in ballet skirts” and their improve skirts or “foustanellas” have the capacity for 400 pleats – one for every year of Ottoman decide.
