A tale or two : Athens

The Acropolis

The Acropolis

There really doesn’t seem anything better to do in this reluctant Spring of ours other than to retreat into my warm and hazy past. I’ve been delving around in the photo albums and the memories came flooding back.  Perhaps you’d like to share a trip back with me, to one of the most romantic destinations in the world : the Greek Islands.  I’m planning a little series of posts, just to warm me up.  Maybe they’ll hasten the Summer.

The amphitheatre, seen from the Parthenon.

The amphitheatre, seen from the Parthenon.

I’m starting with a tale of high drama.  What better arena?  I spent just one afternoon in Athens- in some respects both the longest and shortest afternoon of my life.  It was to be “the icing on the cake”, but it ended in farce.

I had spent an idyllic fortnight in the Cyclades, and the timeslot before catching the plane back to England was just sufficient to allow a glimpse of the Greek capital.  It had to happen.  I couldn’t wait to see the Acropolis in all its glory.

Nothing ever prepares you for standing on a site like this: the weight of history and expectation.  I ascended slowly and respectfully in the warm day.  Impossible to be alone, of course, but it was still possible to gaze in awe and to stroke the ancient stone.

A bare section of wall invited me to sit and sip at my bottled water, and for one last look.

My viewpoint on the wall

My viewpoint on the wall

Feeling serene, I took Michael’s hand, and headed back down the mountain.  Time was short and I had no definite plan other than to wander and absorb.

“Where is your handbag?” asked Michael.  There was a stunned silence before I said “I must have left it on the wall”.  Galvanised into action, I fled back up to the Acropolis as fast as my legs would carry me, my stomache churning.  My passport was in the bag.

Of course, the wall was naked, though I looked and looked, not wanting to believe.  I had about 2 hours before I had to be back at the hotel to collect my case and the bus to the airport.  At the time, possibly the worst 2 hours of my life.  Have you ever tried to hail a taxi in Athens?  I must have been invisible, because I was dancing about, waving like a demon.

Eventually, the Greek Embassy.  I don’t know what I expected.  A cosy armchair with a cuppa and a rich tea biscuit?  A reassuring pat and the necessary papers produced with a smile?  The reality was a cross between a very severe post office and a police station, where I waited in line, feeling the weight of my transgressions.  And the tick of the clock!  How many times did I look at my watch, yet trying not to do so.  Avoiding Michael’s anxious eyes.

A flimsy sheet of paper was finally produced, with an injunction to obtain a passport photo and return.  Wholescale panic!  Where in the whole of Athens was such a thing to be found?  Why didn’t I carry a spare in my back pocket?  This was before the days of photograph booths.  Out into the street, eventually a photographic studio loomed and I was bundled unceremoniously inside, and dragged back out again, precious minutes later.  Back to the Embassy.  Wait in line.  Got it!  Oh no- not another desperate attempt to hail a taxi!

That magical Parthenon- scene of my woes!

That magical Parthenon- scene of my woes!

Well, I made it, though I’ll never know how.  Fortunately the flight tickets were with the baggage back at the hotel.  It will come as no surprise to you to find that on all trips abroad, Michael now carries both our passports.  I also have him to thank for the photos.  I wasn’t trusted with a camera back then.  I wonder why?

Oh, I almost forgot!  The handbag was returned to me, intact, many months later.  So, that was Athens!  Come with me next time, and we’ll go to the islands.

87 comments

  1. Yikes! There’s nothing worse than losing a handbag (overseas containing passports). I’m so glad it was eventually returned to you – I’m pretty sure that is a whole other story in itself! 😀

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  2. That’s an amazing story Jo! I can totally relate to that awful feeling in the pit of your stomach when you realize you’ve left your handbag somewhere. Been there, done that! Now I only travel with a little cross-body bag that I can’t put down – it’s stuck to me! So far it’s working. My favorite part is that your bag was returned to you – big smile about goodness of human nature. ~Terri

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    1. I think the bag must have been handed in on site, Terri. Maybe we should’ve explored further before going into meltdown, but all’s well that ends well. Many thanks for following by the way.

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  5. I know the horrible feeling of the moment of realizing that something is missing when you left your handbag behind other than on your shoulder when traveling. Jo. It is indeed easier to walk than try to get a taxi in Athens., I agree 🙂 Thank you for sharing this post which I enjoyed reading.
    groetjes, Francina

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    1. I had that feeling again as I was writing this, Suze. Horrible! But we were unbelievably lucky that the coach waited for us. I don’t think we spoke all the way home.

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  9. Oh what a frighting experience for you. I am glad you got your hand bag back. Your post had my heart racing as I read it. This has always been my fear while traveling. I keep a very slim bag around my neck now. Wonderful photos.

    BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!

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      1. LOL! Hey, I was brought up to write 12 word intros, and extremely short stories. I can do it you know 😉

        But I find that people actually engage more with longer posts, oddly.

        My not a photoblog doesn’t lend itself to long so there you go. That’s why I have a range of blogs.

        Considering it is a scanned photo though, I do like that one of the Parthenon.

        Ruff ruff.

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  11. Great story Jo, glad that it had a happy ending. Such a coincidence, we have just booked a cruise which takes in Athens, we are leaving on the 10 April, hope to come back with some nice photos. Any recommendations?

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    1. Ooh, exciting times, David! Where else are you going?
      I wasn’t there long enough to make recommendations. If I were lucky enough to be going back I’d have to do some research. I did read a book not too long ago based in Athens- wish I could remember the title. It reckoned the best viewing points are on some of the surrounding hills. Depends how much time you have.

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      1. We start from Limasol (Cyprus) then travel to Heraklion (Crete), Rhodes, Mykonos, Kusadasi (Turkey) and of course Athens. It would appear from searching the internet, that no trip to Athens will be complete unless one visits the Acropolis, so I guess that will be on the agenda. We will only have about eight hours so won’t be able to do much more. Sixteen days and counting. The weather must be better than here!!

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      2. Should be amazing, David. Depending on what you like to do (jointly!) the Acropolis and Museum are musts, though it’s a hike up there. The Plaka district below is nice for browsing/shopping/eating. The Agora comes highly recommended too. There is a funicular up Mt Lycabettus, from which the views are also said to be wonderful.

        Knossos is another great site, Rhodes town will be perfect for an afternoon’s browsing and Mykonos is pretty as a picture. I never got to Kusadasi for Ephesus, or Cyprus. Looking forward to your photos already.

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  12. That is always a fear – losing the passports. I am the one who looks after the entire family’s. I like to keep my bag slung around my body so I can be sure not to forget it somewhere.

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  13. Loved the post and the photo of the Acropolis.Had visited Athens some years back and your post refresh the memories.

    I can well visualise your situation after having lost the bag.That empty churning sensation in the pit of your stomach when the situation seems to be controlling you. The worst nightmare possible I can imagine and how one wishes one could wake up to find all is well.

    Getting back the bag subsequently must have really restored your faith in humanity! My experience of a similar kind in Rome was not all that pleasant but I guess that is another tale!

    Shakti

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    1. Thank you so much for your comments, Shakti. I guess if we’re lucky enough to travel, sooner or later something will go wrong. You’re right- I had that same awful panicked feeling as I was writing it this morning.

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    1. It seems to have struck a chord with a few people, Gem. We were incredibly lucky that the bus waited for us, otherwise it could have been very expensive all round.
      Aye- he’s not too bad with a camera, is he!

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  15. OOHHH Jo, what a fright you had. So glad it all worked out well.

    It´s certainly a warming thought to know you got your handbag back intact – eventually 🙂

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    1. We were calculating a dash to the airport under our own steam, all the way back in the taxi, but we were so lucky. There was the bus, just waiting for us!
      It was a very battered looking white handbag when it arrived. I never used it again, but kept it for many years.

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  16. Oh dear Johanna, of course I would like to come with you 🙂 not only to the Greece, wherever you travel in the world. 🙂 I know only Rhodos island, but I wish to make a great travel to this beautiful country. Your photographs and travel notes are amazing. I am glad your handbag found you at the end. Thank you, have a nice day, love, nia

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    1. Nia, you are so close! The islands are beautiful. We spent many holidays there, exploring different ones and I loved them all. I always meant to see Meteora and something of the mainland, but then we discovered Italy, and later, Portugal…and you know the rest of the story. Bless you, my dear. It’s a true pleasure to have your company.

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    1. We’ve been lucky over the years, Viv, though we did come unstuck when I was pickpocketed in Lisbon. Again I got my purse back, but we spent an entire day with the police when I’d rather have been exploring lovely Lisbon.

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  18. Wow, what a worry! And to have the handbag returned intact, how lucky is that?
    Whoever took it could have waited a while to see if the owner came back!
    I once left a camera bag in a plane and when I got to the airport I realized I didn’t have it and wanted to go back, but wasn’t allowed. They radioed the plane where the cleaners were already, but no one saw anything! I felt terrible because it wasn’t for the camera but for the photos I had taken on a holiday with family I had visited and wouldn’t see for many years and some never again…

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    1. I’ve spent many a happy hour looking back through the photos, Rich. Athens is one of those memories that’s much better after the event. Where did you come to grief?

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      1. I realised I’d left my passport in the hotel when we were on the bus back to the airport in krakow. Luckily, I got back to the hotel before getting a taxi to the airport, and made it with seconds to spare.

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