Turn Left at Athens!: How I Spent My Birthday

Turn Left at Athens!: How I Spent My Birthday

How I Spent My Birthday

                        How I Spent My Birthday

I spent my 66th Birthday doing just what I had wanted to do.  Got up, got dressed, fixed my hair put on some great jewellery :-) and headed out to Athens for the day.  I had some house gifts to buy for my upcoming visits with friends in both Barcelona, Spain, and Surrey England, so it was fun to take my time and browse thru the myriad of art and craft shops, ceramic shops, jewellery shops and tacky tourists shops. (Don't worry Sarah, I didn't get something there!)

The journey begins, as always on the small passenger boat from Salamina, which will "Putt Putt" it's way to the Port of Piraeus. 

The Passenger Ferry from Salamina to Piraeus
This little boat takes about 45 minutes, and if the weather permits, I prefer to sit atop.  The trip is very pleasant.  I think there are 4 of these boats, and for the most part, they leave every half hour from both ports...till about 7pm.  Then you have to take the more difficult, less comfortable combination of bus and ferry.

Tired Tom

This ole boy looks as if he was out catting all night long, but is street savvy enough to find himself a cool and comfortable spot, which is also safe from dogs and passers by.  He was totally unfazed by my presence.

Antique Shop

"Little Miracles"

 A wonderfully over-stuffed antique shop; I had to resist the urge to go in and browse, as I was on the hunt for other game today.  But I must remember it for a return trip.  Love the name; Little Miracles.  Don't you just love the Tuba?














The city was bulging with tourists; there were two HUGE cruise ships in the port and all were headed to the Acropoli and then, what else?  Shopping!!

The Tourists are coming!  The Tourists are coming!!

My little boat passed two gimungous cruise ships in the port this morning, and now, here they all are!  First the Acropolis, and then; SHOPPING!

Wood or Leather, anyone?

A famous landmark in Athens

Masques, perhaps?

An alternate walking path up to the Acroplis.

This path takes you up to the Acropolis thru the small winding back streets, with stunning views out over the city, and quaint little marshmallow looking houses and blue rimmed churches, and LOTS of CATS!  Not too many tourists know to go here; mores the pity.

I bought a music CD from this nice young man.

This is the cafe where I usually stop for lunch, and I always get the same thing...boring I know, but it is so good!  It is a huge salad bowl filled with diffent lettuces, avocado, sun-dried tomatoes, walnuts and slices of chicken gyro (read; year-O...Please, Please do not stay Gyro, grates on my teeth!  "Gyro" or year-o, is the Greek word for "round" or to go around...which is what the meat does, it goes round and round with a brazier on 3 sides and it is DELISH!)

My usual cafe

"Quick Pita"

Fresh Fruit kiosk at Monastaraki

Street Artists at Monastaraki Square

The beautiful; Hadrian's Gate

Subway at Monastaraki.

Alas, the day is done and time to go home.   First a train ride of about 29 minutes to the Port of Piraeus, then a short walk to the boat, and I am off again, bound for Salamina.

Disembarking passengers; "MIND THE GAP!"

View of a Flying Dolphin.  

The "Aida"

View from the bow of my boat.

That marks the end of today's Birthday Journey.  I enjoyed it, I hope you did!  

                              An Aegean Bike Ride!

                     How to do a bike ride on an Aegean Island

The first thing that you need in order to do an Aegean Island bike ride, is an Aegean Island!  Since my home is on Salamina, that will be our island today.

                                                                   Salamis Island

Now that we have the island, the next most obvious thing we need is a BIKE!  Here is mine;

My Trusty Steed.

This is my trusty Steed...it is a new Italian model bike and I LOVE it!  I try to get a bike ride in a couple times a week.

 The more tourist oriented Aegean Islands, and larger cities will now have bicycle rentals, but sadly, my island does not.

The Next Item you need is Sunscreen.  (This is an Aegean Bike ride, remember?  Sun! Sun! Sun!)

I never leave home without it!

Now, how about shoes?  A good pair of comfy shoes with a non-slip sole on them.  I just bought these, and I call them my "Heidi" shoes.  Not much on looks, but VERY comfy, and PERFECT for biking.

Heidi, eat your heart out!

  Actually, I would have preferred a classic pair of Keds, but seeing as how I am on a small Greek Island, not too many "Keds" shops around, but these are GREAT shoes, a German company called "Rieker" and they are comfortable from the first minute you put them on.  LOVE my Riekers!






And last, but not least, Jewellery! "What"? You say, "Jewellery"?  How is THAT necessary for an Aegean Bike Ride?

Well, I guess strictly speaking, it isn't; but,  if you are a jewellery artist, and you just LOVE to wear your jewellery every day, then it IS a necessity!

  So, I have chosen my beautiful Silver and Cracked Agate "Aegean Blue" bracelet for the occasion.  It so looks like the waters and sky of the Aegean, wrapped on your wrist.

"Aegean Blue Bracelet"

 Okay, so now that we have the Bike, the Sunscreen, and the Jewellery, where shall we go?  How about to the port?  (actually, that is where I always go, nice ride, about 5 miles each way and down hill most of the way on the outgoing trip...which means UP hill on the way back!)

My trusty Steed brought me safely to the port.  Now we will ride around it and on to my cafe.

 The first waterside Cafe...but not MY cafe...let's go a bit further.

Sculling Team

I usually see the little kids from the sailing school out here, with their funny little square sailboats, but today it seems to be the Sculling Team.  The coach was working them really hard, racing up and down in his motorised Zodiac, screaming orders at them.

Cappuccino and Cookie

Relaxing

This is MY cafe.  Love to sit here.

They make a GREAT cappuccino here.

                                  I hope that you enjoyed the bike ride, let's do it again sometime!

What's Happening at the Work Bench

Every studio should have it's resident cat.....

 This is my resident cat; "Patches" (aka Patsy Cline...long story, don't ask!)
Patches is the perfect studio cat, she "pussy foots" (sorry, couldn't resist) around my work bench, disturbing nothing.

Then we have the Quality Control Cat; "Girlfriend"

Unlike my Studio Cat, Patches,  "Girlfriend" is chaos on 4 legs!  She wants to be in the middle of everything, the center of my attention, and wants to be up close to everything I am doing.  She is always on the job!



A client wanted some ideas for a pair of large hoop earrings, with a Spanish flair, so here I began to make some sketches and try out some different stones.  Working first in Copper

Swirls and curves give a nice Spanish feel...


Here comes Quality Control again!!

"Yes, Girlfriend, I know it is time for a cuddle break".

It is a bit difficult working with a cat in your lap; but I wouldn't have it any other way!




I am happy with the end result; Quality Control did a great job!
  I will be adding these earrings to my Etsy shop this evening.

Copper and Carnelian Large Hoop Earrings

   

A Sunday Stroll to the Acropoli Mueseum

Located on the southeastern slope of the Acropolis Hill, the new Acropolis Museum is a thing of beauty; lightness and solidarity.  The glass facade of the upper gallery beautifully reflects the Sacred Rock and the Parthenon.  I had been to the museum shortly after it's opening, in 2009, and knew that I would be coming back again and again.  

A few weeks ago, on one of the first warm Sundays of the year, I took myself on the promised outing to return to the museum.

The Entrance Way, on Dionysiou Areopagitou Street.

Natural light fills the spaces.

                 

                 From "The Procession"

The glass facade reflects the Sacred Rock of the Acropolis and the Elegant Parthenon

Outside, on the Terrace














When you come to Athens, don't miss touring this beautiful museum.  When you leave, having worked up an appetite, you will want some place great to eat.  I say; forgo the tourist traps restaurants in the area, and go for a real Greek experience.  Upon exiting the museum, go to your right, and then make another right at the wide pedestrian walk way, Makrigianni, past the metro station to the first street directly behind the museum.  This is Hatzichristou Street...go to #12, "

This is "The Kati Allo" and you can enjoy some good Greek cooking and good Greek wine.  They speak English, too.