In the Heat of the Day: Summer in Athens (Greece 2019-04)

Athens from Anafiotica, view northwest. Leica 50mm Summicron lens, polarizing filter

Summertime,
And the livin' is easy
Fish are jumpin'
And the cotton is high

Summer in Athens qualifies as easy living, although there is no cotton as in DuBose Heyward's and George Gershwin's famous lyrics. Summer in Greece means tourists, open-air restaurants, the sea, coffeeshops, and sunshine. Athens can be blazing hot, and I recall a couple of July days when the mercury reached 42° C (108° F). Ouch. But August of 2019 was pretty benign, and with the low humidity, it was comfortable. To escape the heat, you can stop for a cool drink almost anywhere or duck into a shop with air conditioning. As usual, when I visit Athens, I take a quick stroll around the Acropolis and through the Pláka. Here are some black and white frames from my last trip; maybe you can appreciate the summer vibe.

Walking towards the Pláka from the Acropolis Museam, you pass narrow streets, looking like they came from an earlier era. The entry to the Acropolis itself is mobbed with tourist groups, especially hoards of Chinese visitors. Thirty years ago, it was Japanese tourists. In the 1950s, it was Americans. Where do Americans travel now? Do they just take soft and air conditioned river cruises?

Creative graffiti. See my previous article for a color view of this alley.

The Anafiotica District is the cluster of tiny island-like houses clustered beneath the limestone massif of the Acropolis. I posted color pictures of this area in article Greece 2019-02.

Temple of the Winds with Mount Lycabettus in the distance, 2019

Temple of the winds, 1951, Canon rangefinder camera, 50mm ƒ/1.9 Serenar lens

Descending to the north from the Anafiotica area, you pass through narrow streets with souvenir shops and archaeological sites.

Souvenir shops abound. I stepped into one and spoke with some college students from the USA, who spend the summer tending the shop with their grandmother, Mrs. Popi. They let me sit while I changed film in my camera.

Electric scooters have come to Athens (Moto G5 digital file)

Monasteraki is a busy and popular plaza a short distance north of the Acropolis. The entrance to the Athens Flea is marked with a modern sign. In the 1950s, the Flea Market really had old machines, metal, and household junk. Now much of the merchandise is commercial and brand new. My dad took pictures in the Market in 1951, and I wrote about the Flea Market in 2013. Warning, Monasteraki is crowded; beware of pickpockets.

Walk north on Athenas Street, and you see snack bars, coffee shops, hardware and electrical vendors, luggage, plumbing, ecclesiastical supplies, and just about anything else. It is safe for tourists, just watch out and beware of traffic. It is an acoustic and visual overload.

Nut and dry fruit stand, Central Market, Athens Street, Athens (Acros film, Leica M2 camera)

Fresh grilled sardines, Central Market, Athens (Moto G5 digital file)

The Central Market is always fun. Buy some spices, nuts, and Greek coffee. And have a meal in one of the tiny tavernas tucked into the side alleys. The prices are for regular people, not jacked up as at the tourist-oriented tavernas in the Plaka.

Bored in the Metro station

After lunch, some glasses of retsina, and a Greek coffee, it is time to walk to the metro at Omonoia Square (architecturally uninspiring) and head home or to your hotel. You will be tired and grubby, time for a shower and long rest.

I took the black and white photographs above on Fuji Acros 100 film with my Leica M2 camera with 35mm and 50mm Summicron lenses. The two sepia images are from a Moto G5 mobile phone. Click any picture to see it enlarged. Thank you for reading.