Believe in Greece?

[pianist]

impressed by your wealth of knowledge..thanks for the sharing..

[chialc]

Many people will remember a eventful Nov-Dec 2008.
Pakistan terrorist occupied Taj and Yellow shirt occupied airport.

Do you remember the Dec 2008 Greece Riots - due to a small shooting incidence?

I did and I think this event marked prelude to the continuous chain of violence domestic protests.

I remember vividly 6 Dec 2008, no in fact, two week before 6 Dec 2008.

After climbing down Lykavittos Hill, I walked towards Syntagma Square for dinner.
At a backstreets near Parliament House, I saw at least 10 riot police bus - huge with wire-mesh covering its window...
but nothing fishly... it's 26 November 2008 and everything is fine.
Greece is as cool as Mt Everest.

6th Dec 2008 is business as usual.
I drove to Ikea (near airport) and have a dinner there.
Ikea setting is very similar to our Tampines Ikea... restaurants and furniture too.
I like to visit Ikea when I'm in that country, they gives me a familiar feeling.

After dinner, drive towards airport and pump petrol at the last petrol stations.
Send in my car and then took a train back to town for a good night sleep at Economy hotel. No joke, my hotel is really called economy hotel. check it out economyhotel.gr

At the hotel train stop, when I get out from underground, there is a mood of carnival. I hear loud music, noise and also some parents pushing children trolleys.... crowded.

Wait a minutes, the atmosphere does not feel like carnival. The noise are actually someone shorting into mic... he sounds urgent, hectic and it's more like a political rally.

got to go.
to continue in my next post.

[zhangwuji]

Thanks for sharing Chialc.

Just wonder what happened to the doctor who gone missing.

Nobody seems to know whether he is dead or alive.

[chialc]

yes, Wuji brother, you reminded me that life is un-predictable.

7th Dec 2008 am

I had my buffet breakfast and finished off with TS6 as usual.
Downstairs, I was chatting with the hotel reception on today itinerary.

I managed to finalize as follows:
1. walk to National Archaeological Museum to look for the golden Mask of Agamemnon (see photo)
2. 11am latest at Parliament house - change of guard
3. walk to Syntagma square Metro stations - there is a exhibit of antiques dug out in these area and it's on the way to my next stop:
4. New Acropolis Museum - just below the famous Athen Acropolis
5. Syntagma square/Ermou Streets - shopping shopping shopping. This is our Orchard Road equivalent

tibits:
1. while waiting for change of guard in front of Parliament house, I over head two ladies talking about their sons who is serving the nation. Basically their conversations says that their sons operation is very secretive. Only when they are back home for Christmas, then the parents will know that they are safe. When on operation, they will not have any info of the location of their sons. One of them says that basically, her sons stays in some part of Korea for three months, and then en-route to Saudi for two months and so on.

2. at New Acropolis Museum, there was a crowd gathering outside, waiting to enter the compound. Strange thing is, instead of queuing up, the crowd is just gathering around the gate. Initially, I thought the museum was closed on sunday but decided to be patient. After a while, a few security guards wearing jacket/coat opens the gate and let us go in. To my surprise, inside the museum, there are already people/visitors. What's caused the security to seal off the gate? Anyway, I enjoy the museum exhibit and history a lot. At the same time, I also understand the Greece national pride.

3. Back to Syntagma/Ermou streets.
First thing I noticed is illegal peddler was on the streets. Mind you, this is the most expensive place in Athens and how could this happen? Uniform Police was standing around but they allow these peddler to sell. The peddlers are very happy as you can see their smiling faces. One father with child is checking out this small sticky man. When you throw on the window, it will flip down, quite fun.


Hey, wait a minute. How come all the shops are closed?
The last time I heard that shopping center is closed on Sunday was CK Tang .. but that was many years ago...

I walk down Ermou streets for another 50 meter and the answer is pretty obvious. The first riot in Greece happened just a few hours ago.

Unknown to our hotel receptionist as the TV/newspaper had yet to published the news yet.
May be, that explains the tighten security at New Acropolis Museum too.

Anyway, take note of the building in this video:


Ermou street is very long, may be 500 m and both sides are dotted with tall building with tall glass display mirror as seen in the video.

When I walk down from Syntagma streets, the glass are intact.
But, when I cross a invisible line, the glass are shattered.
Can you picture how a bullet proof window shattered?

Some of the glass panel broke down and inside the shop was burn down... ashes and smokes were coming out from shops.

... A invisible line, dividing the grand looking un-touch shops from the burn/destroyed one.

I packed up my luggage and left Athens in the evening.

[chialc]

Self explanatory:
[Image: 5824252091_ae9cd9f210_z.jpg]

A refresher (tips: you must learn both the capital and small letters).
[Image: greekalphabet2col.jpg]

going to Greece, my friend?

[chialc88]

I recently read a book on world religion and there is a story from Greek Myth/story which is very strange and against common sense.

The story begins with our almighty Zeus.
Behind the back of his wife Hera, Zeus has an affair with a earth woman.
Zeus is a playboy obviously.

Hera is not very happy. She tricked the earth woman to challenge Zeus to display his original god body.

Zeus did that and transform into lightning god.

Of course, the earth woman burn into death after seeing Zeus original form.

Guess what's amazing...

The woman is pregnant for 6 month.
Zeus, slit open his tight and keep the foetus inside (sewing it back law).

After few months, a baby boy was born!!!

He is a god (but live in earth) - Dionysus (wine god).

Amazing isn't it?

Not only Dionysus birth stories is so fascinated, but also you do not need to pray to god. You just need to walk to his house and talk directly to him.

Mind boggling... Dionysus. Greek Myth...
Everyday, I learn something new.

Live is great!

[kagemusha]

lol Greek god legends are always fascinating and bizarre.
Guess how Athena and Aphrodite were born?

[LionFlyer]

I am thinking of going there for vacation next year, but SQ no longer flies there and the special flights only start in July. (thinking of April) But would Cape Town be a good alternative? (see the place, maybe go safari) I am a bit concerned about safety in Cape Town. I plan to use my miles so was stuck with SQ as the carrier.

[chialc88]

never been to Africa yet! Do tell us your story.

SQ kris flyer 🔁 = star alliance award



A Life not Reflected is a Life not Worth Living.

[LionFlyer]

Dear chialc88, I am undecided so far and I need to find out more about the safety situation there. But overall it seems a nice place.

I have colleagues who had worked in Kenya, traveled to South Africa, Namibia and Ethiopia and they have shared their stories there. Unfortunately, no projects there now so I can't travel on company's expenses. Yes, I plan to use my SQ miles to get a ticket.

Greece is a place that has always been high on my list. But my brother had bad experiences there in 2008 due to the strikes as well.