Yes my friends, I have made it to the land of the Greeks. My bus trip from Sofia to Thessaloniki was comfortable and relatively quick. I arrived at the train station (apparently train stations are also for buses in Eastern Europe...?) which was really nice for me as my city bus to my hostel left from the train station but not the bus station. Thus, I saved myself some valuable time that I spent lounging in my crazy cute and comfy hostel. My hostel Little Big House is situated up on the hillside of Thessaloniki just above the new town line and just below the old city walls. It's a great location because it's within walking distance of everything but it's in a cosy residential section so it's quiet.
I was greeted by possibly the happiest person on the planet, Vicky the hostel owner. I was given a map and a cup of tea, shown to my room, and then left to my own devices. I won't lie to you. I wasn't overly excited about my stop in Thessaloniki. I really didn't know what to expect and I was anxious to get moving to Mount Olympus. But! As seems to be my style, I liked what I heard about the city and promptly decided to stay for an extra night.
My first day here I made friends with a group of camping Germans who had forsaken the surprisingly frozen mountains for warmer and more urban adventures. We snagged two Dutch boys on the way out of the hostel and headed out into the city. We went wandering the university campus and ended up at a Greek underground hip hop club. We didn't understand a word but we all recognized the passion and talent of the rappers performing. After we had our fill of music, we searched out some tasty midnight snacks to fill our stomachs and wandered the city.
I, the only non drinker, was quickly declared the tour guide and put to work. Who knew that I knew so much about Thessaloniki?! Certainly not me. But that didn't stop me from regailing my new found German and Dutch friends with tales of fantastically dressed drunk monks, terrible prisons, an accidentally drowned bride to be and inukshuks. I can confidently say I had no one fooled and it was all complete nonsense. Except for the inukshuks part. That I actually knew.
Today we slept in as we only got to bed around 4:30am last night. Around 1:30pm we set off to learn more about the Byzantine culture of the area. The museum we visited was nice. I enjoyed it even though we were a bit rushed. The museum closed at 3 and we arrived at 2. The Byzantines have had a large impact on the countries of Eastern Europe and an especially large impact in the Balkan region.
This was made even more clear when at 4 we joined a free walking tour arranged for us by our hostel host. Our guide was perhaps the most historically knowledgable man I have ever met. (Sorry David, he might out knowledge even you!) He showered us in history and when we were soaked he rinsed us off with a little more. The general overview is this: Thessaloniki has been occupied and liberated about 4 times. In nearly every instance there was a significant amount of death and destruction of property, yet reminents of each era remain. Thus the city is a diverse mix of people groups with centuries of history and a diverse collection of buildings and architectures. It makes for a crazy labirynth of streets and shops where the most significant landmarks are shambling ruins from thousands of years ago.
I will share a couple brief segments of the tour that caught my attention. The first story is of chariot racing. There was once a very popular racer who was banned from racing in a tournament in Thessaloniki by the head guard at the venue. The people were so outraged by this ban that they murdered the guard. The emperor, who it turns out was very good friends with the slain guard, responded quickly. He invited the people to a special racing event. When everyone arrived, he had the doors of the venue sealed and all 7,000 men, women, and children killed. He later confessed and repented of this atrocity to a priest who denied him entry to the church because of his grievous sin.
The second story is of Saint Paul. Those of us with Christian backgrounds know that Paul came to Thessaloniki and preached here. Today I stood in a monastery where he is said to have once stayed and looked across the sprawling city to the church where it is said that he hid away and enjoyed his last view of the city before he fled an imminent stoning. Thessalonians are sometimes referred to as "Paul Cursed" because Paul shamed them in one of his letters for threatening to kill him.
The last bit I found interesting was about the architecture in the area of the city where my hostel is situated. As my guide put it, the modern Thessalonians had no respect for their history and were tearing down old and historical buildings with no regard to their cultural values. Thus in, I think..., the 1940's a law was passed that made it illegal to tear down the existing buildings. It also required that any new buildings constructed follow the arichtectural style of the neighbourhood. And also that the new buildings not be more than three stories high. These laws are still in effect today. Unfortunately, due to economic problems many people cannot afford to maintain these old homes and keep them up to code. So they abandon them and wait for nature to take it's course. Once the building collapses of it's own free will, they are able to clear the lot and use it for whatever they may choose. Until the economy rebounds, this neighbourhood will likely become slowly more abandoned. It's a real shame as the area is lovely, the view is stunning, and the people are being displaced from family properties.
The Crisis, as the bankruptcy of Greece is being termed, is something I know very little about. In fact I actually feel slightly uncomfortable in claiming the previous sentence to be totally correct. I can say though that the crisis has had a large impact on Greece and this student city. There is graffiti everywhere, there have been small riots, and the police are making their presence known. When I planned this trip I knew that Greece was not in the best shape, but being me I didn't do any research into what that meant. Now that I am here I am sure I will learn what the crisis really is and how it is effecting the Greek people. Walking around there are many abandoned businesses and the amount of graffiti is truly stunning. I have yet to see a building that hasn't been marred by spray paint. But there is hope. Some of the graffiti is beautiful. There are still many open and, I think, thriving businesses. And the people, as frustrated as they may be, still smile as they walk down the street. I am already taken with this country and I wish good things for it in the future. If 300: The Rise of an Empire taught me anything, it is that the Greeks do not give up.
Tomorrow I hope to channel that Greek tenacity as I will be hiking a section of Mount Olympus. Two lovely German girls from the hostel will be joining me. After the hike I'll be heading to Athens where I hope to meet up with a friend I made in my hostel in Istanbul. There's even a chance he will have a spare room for me to crash in.
Life is good my friends. Xoxo
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