An Athenian Adventure

My hostel is called Athens Backpackers and it is FAB. They have a happy hour with beers for a euro and when the bar closes at 11:30, everyone goes out together. Second night in town I made plans to go out with friends to a new disco, where we got to be on “the list.” I felt so VIP being on a “list” since it was only my second night in town!

Before the festivities were to begin, I went out for a bit to hear some music. I smiled at musicians playing in cafes as I passed. As has become the theme of my trip (life?), things went speedy fab ridiculous, and I just tried to keep up with myself! I started by heading to the local scene, but felt totally out of place sans make-up, proper dress, and Greek beauty! I stayed only long enough to get a feel for the culture of the scene.

Next I started wandering. In the distance I could hear drums- so listened and tried to pick out where it was coming from; I was mesmerized. Whomever was banging these drums was going to be my friend.... I followed the beat to the old city walls around the Acropolis- How do you get in?

I circled, stepping to the beat of the drum and COULD NOT figure out where to cross the fence! I marched around the whole damn Acropolis! The place was impenetrable- but I got the idea to construct a Trojan horse, which the guards would mistake for a gift, and then pass me through the walls, and I’d JUMP OUT and join the party. No, I just gave up haha :P

As I walked home, I saw the gypsies from earlier and paid them again to listen to their music. The father played an accordion, the mom a tamborine. The little gypsy girl danced and offered me what looked like a Christmas tree ornament. I was so happy and said thank you and headed to the hostel to get ready for my swanky VIP night on the town!

By the time I beautified, the Brazilian who was supposed to take me had run off, as had the hostel bar crawl- ALONE IN ATHENS! I did not feel very VIP... I took a deep breath, determined to have the night I had been promised.

I went to the strange Serb-filled disco from the night before. As I suspected, the bar crawl had headed there and I was able to snag its leader. The two of us escaped the madness and were able to join up with the party as planned. We started at a beautiful Greek restaurant, where the owner (who is the third generation to operate the place) gave us wine and bread and tzatziki and espresso and refused to take our money...

We cabbed it to Glow, the megadisco, where the night really started! We bypassed the cover and headed to our private table, in the center of the room on a slightly elevated platform, RIGHT on the dance floor! SO AMAZING! They gave us a bottle of rum and the music was banging! I HAD to dance! It happened again, like in Bratislava, where I had this strange cosmic connection with the music. I closed my eyes, and I just really DID NOT care about anything except dancing! I was going full out and I don’t know, it was just amazing and I felt like the beautiful Somalian go-go dancer skillfully shakin’ it on the box above me... My friend Laura told me she loved how I danced and I was just SO happy.....

We left around 4:30 and made plans to go to the beach and Ikea the next morning, but ended up being too tired to do either after our magic night on the town.... The next night was just as perfect, but I’ve gotta jet to Milano now- I’ll tell you all about it later!

-H*

Pics from Athens: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2145376&l=b4c04&id=22001348