In bed around midnight, alarms set for 8 am, planning on getting our asses out the door and on our way to some rad climbing by 9:30 am. Looked up relevant public transport, knew what moderate limestone lines we were stoked for, packed our bags.
Fast forward to 10:30 am. We lay in bed, we talk about our feelings for a little bit (we talk about our feelings a lot), and within an hour finally get up to make coffee. Greek coffee is fucking great. Our original plan included public transportation for about 2 hours each way, so we changed our plans to reduce travel time and visit a crag in the center of Athens, called Filopappou, which theoretically reduced our travel time by over an hour each way.
We got off the metro down town and during our walk there (freddo espresso in hand, because it turns out that cold espresso with a little sugar is delicious) happened upon a touristy walkway lined with stands selling jewellery and artistic wares and more amazing sites: ruins, ancient water engineering systems (I mean these clay pipes were built literally 8000 years ago), and more views of the Acropolis. When Grecians ask why we’re visiting Greece, we usually talk about the climbing and the current social climate, but seriously, where else in the world can you witness such legendary developments in human civilization and politics casually on your way to climb some rocks? We just happened upon it, again. So this evening when Maria, our bartender again at BeeRaki, asked me about how I like Athens, this is what I told her. Of course there is climbing and that is our primary focus, but ever since primary school we learn about ancient Greece, and so few get to experience it, so I feel so grateful. Maria of course laughed and responded coolly that living and growing up in Athens, it doesn’t feel so spectacular.
The crag was good in some parts and in others smelled a bit too strongly like urine. This area was one of the first widely used by climbing schools since before WWII, and is still widely used for training and traversing, as well as top roping and bouldering. The polished, smooth surfaces of many of the holds attest to this long history. Moves are committing and attainable, and sometimes over scary falls. The rock is pink and gray limestone, sometimes giving angular formations but more often forming small tufas to pinch, and is studded with pockets and crimps. More than once I pulled off of one finger, which is rare for the easier level of climbing we practiced there. Just like the language, the small personal space bubbles, and the recurring views of the Acropolis, this type of rock is so foreign to us, and is worn in a way that causes even less confidence in delicate fingertip and foot placements. Through almost all the moves I was able to keep a cool head over the several people traversing below me, which feels miles away from where I was a week ago.
We got to end the day again by seeing some more live traditional music at the bar. The bar was mostly empty, and the music ended early. Nicos, player of the lute, shared a drink with us and told us stories of his travels, as well as of some Greek history. Our apartment is located between the streets of 3rd September and 28 October, and we have also passed the street of 25 March, and I’ve been wondering for 2 weeks now what those signify. They are all for resisting some kind of invasion or for revolution, which seems apt and still relevant in today’s climate.
This is a good pattern to get settled into: coffee, walking, seeing the freaking Acropolis, climbing, music, Greek history/language lesson. The novelty and appreciation is something I hope to carry with me always, and if I forget how fucking lucky I am right now I hope I find this to remind myself. I also hope I can bring my growth from this experience to my interactions with other people and with the kiddos I serve, in the form of art, story telling, education, or by passing on the kindness others have showed us. Ugh, this feels really sappy and optimistic. Maybe I’ll edit it to be more cynical and nihilistic later so it matches my insides more. But I guess in this moment my insides are less nihilistic than usual.
Peace
Jenn
jennclimbsrocksdotcom 