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Greek balls of fire around the Acropolis

13th June 202413th June 2024 funtime65

We’ve obviously upset the gods on Mount Olympus because there are Greek balls of fire around the Acropolis.

The dedication to Athena is currently taking a breather from us mere mortals because of the heatwave in the Greek capital.

With the Hellenic Hill closed to the public from midday to 5pm on account of the 43C (109F) temperatures in Athens.

Whether this is down to global warming we can debate, and we don’t know how hot it might have been under Socrates’ sandals.

But we do know that Socrates and his buddies favoured a himation, similar to a toga only with a straight bottom hem.

Dress for excess

Hat’s the gear: Cover up with your bandana

Although we understand less about what they put on their heads, if anything.

But, of course, my favourite headwear of choice, the bandana is a first step towards protecting a scalp.

We don’t know either if our skin is less leathery than our forebears.

But for paler-skinned Northerners hot climes are a challenge.

And we should cover ourselves against the heat and stay hydrated and fuelled.

No need to rush: Visitors to the Acropolis

So that in open spaces, whether the Roman Forum, the Acropolis or Jerash in Jordan it’s worth taking a moment.

And remember that as much as we want to channel the Classsicists we’re many of us just pre or post-Millennials northern folk.

The Athenians share with the rest of the Med a Manana laid-back image.

But, in truth, they have always just adapted to living in baking hot climes.

And anyway isn’t it a better way to live than the hectic pace of those of us in the northern part of the continent.

Fare play

I’ve seen it first hand on my travels around Athens.

Where the taxi drivers will breezily suggest you pay whatever taxi fare you feel fit.

And will even wait for you as you hotfoot it around the Acropolis.

Although I was always going to take my time to take in the full majesty of Athena’s dedication.

It will, of course, take more than a burning sun to melt the stones that have stood for three millennia.

Return to Athens

Shield your eyes: Like the Classic Greeks did

And I know from personal experience that if we must wait then it is worth it, having missed my allotted time to visit on my Greek odyssey.

But I did get to take it all in on an eventful afternoon on my return from the sleepy island of Kythera.

And you will too.

Just say a big Efcharisto that we have this ancient wonder to enjoy.

And say a prayer to the Gods to keep them happy and spare us the Greek balls of fire around the Acropolis.

Countries, Culture, Europe

Give Greece her Marbles back

28th November 202328th November 2023 funtime65

And as British leader Rishi Sunak has a huffy and snubs Kyriakos Mitsotakis why won’t Britain give Greece her Marbles back?

Probably because Britain likes to keep what it finds.

Even if that finding involves chiselling Classical friezes away from the original and shipping it away from its Athenian home.

So that you can show it off in a museum along with all the other treasures you’ve purloined from around the world.

Of course Britain isn’t alone in this, it’s just that it’s done more of it than anybody else.

Mitsotakis’s moan

Mona Sassy: And the Greeks share the tude

Now Mitsotakis made a drama out of a crisis when he lyrically expressed what the separation of the Marbles, the other half is in Athens looks like to the world.

That it was akin to ‘cutting the Mona Lisa in two’ and giving one half to a foreign museum.

Now in what is tantamount to art treason and outing myself as a philistine I would tender that I’d rather have my own Tobago mill pic.

British Museum’s stance

One we stole earlier: The British Museum

The Marbles though are a different story in aesthetics, history and longevity.

Which is why the British Museum is so keen not to give them back.

Saying in its defence: ‘Around 50% of the original architectural decoration on the Parthenon is now lost.

‘Having been destroyed over many centuries in the ancient world and later.

‘It is therefore impossible to reconstruct the monument completely or reunite it with its sculptural decoration.’

Which, of course, comes as a great disappointment to our Greek friends.

As they have a spanking museum in their capital, the Acropolis Museum, to reunite the Elgin Marbles with its partner.

Destiny calling

Elgin, embarrassingly, a Scot who probably learned his devious ways from his neighbours.

Of course, in this little northern part of this septic isle we call Britain we know all about the light-fingered English.

And how they stole the Stone of Destiny upon which Scottish kings were crowned in 1296 and brought it down to England.

And despite entreaties and a smash and grab by nationalistic students to get it back our English overlords decided to keep it.

Until it was finally handed back to be be houses in Edinburgh Castle in 1996, just a few years before we got her extant parliament back.

Work like a Trojan

Now we hope that common decency will prevail over the Elgin, or Parthenon Marbles.

And that it doesn’t take until 2512 for Britain to give back its loot.

But while Rishi Sunak plays Empire Games, backed by champion of anti-returnism Lord Cameron, a different tack is called for.

And as a kiss and make-up gift to sulky Sunak perhaps a Wooden Horse is the way.

Sport

Marathon mania

2nd October 20221st November 2022 funtime65

Men and women in spacesuits and the front and back of horses, it’s Marathon mania on London Marathon Day.

So we’re going right back to the start to 490BC and Philippedes who famously ran 26 miles 385 yards to warn Athens the Persians were coming.

Because, of course they didn’t have social media back then.

Nor sat-nav, cars or even signposts which of course we all have now.

Marathon, signposts for which you can see in the Greek capital, obviously makes a big thing of Philippedes.

And his modern-day successor Spiridon Louis, the first Marathon gold-medallist of the 1896 Modern Olympics.

All at the Marathon Run Museum.

Phil steam ahead

Of course the most authentic experience of all is to run Philippedes’s route.

Which you can do in the Classic Athens Marathon Race which runs in 12-13 November.

Maybe best not reminding you here of Philippedes’ fate after he’d crossed the finishing line of the first Marathon.

Phil, by which we’d know him now, had just enough puff left in him to write out the word ‘Nenikikamen’ or ‘we won’.

Before he collapsed and died of a heart attack.

Better maybe try a less severe Marathon.

Run the world

Maybe warm up with a London, Boston (the world’s oldest annual Marathon dating vack to 1897), Berlin (the fastest course).

Or if you really want to get left field then make a bucket list holiday out of it in say, Tahiti.

Where you can join the 1,000 runners in the Moorea Marathon, The Islands of Tahiti.

And pound the pineapple plantations and along the pristine white beaches.

So maybe you want to avoid today’s London Marathon mania well just choose your location.

Because everybody wants to run the world.