Athens struck me as surprisingly tiny. Geographically, it’s not all that spread out, so it’s quite easy to get from place to place on food – unlike Istanbul which is several times larger. Each site I went to was only a few minutes walk to the next, and I almost never had to look around since you can pretty much see the next batch of ruins from whichever ones you’re at.
The most impressive, by far, were the Acropolis and the Ancient Agora. Though I wish I was better versed in ancient history when visiting the sites, it’s hard not to appreciate their size and grandeur. It just blows my mind that they are thousands of years old, and have been a part of Athens through countless wars and changes over time. They’ve seen the middle ages, the arrival of Christianity, the creation of the EU, and the recent demise of the Greek economy.
It’s truly incredible to see modern political movements taking place just blocks away from where the essence of Western civilization began. You can sit at a Starbucks, sipping your latte while you stare up at the Pantheon. Greece is a truly incredible place.
Perhaps one of my favorite things about Greece was it’s affinity for graffiti. Greek graffiti might be the most eclectic and sophisticated jumble of street drawings I’ve ever encountered, and it was definitely not something I expected to see. Images of Poseidon decorate store fronts while other messages simply remind us of important life lesions. Another strangely wide-spread trend was to adorn buildings and signs across the city with simply the word “Amigos.” Perhaps it’s just a testament to the friendliness of the Greek people who, if I haven’t already mentioned it, speak gloriously refreshing amounts of good English. The ability to discuss payment options and drink modifications while ordering my coffee was a luxury I had largely given up on in Istanbul, although the Starbucks nearest my apartment there does know my order on sight thanks to the few weeks I didn’t have internet at my apartment.
After my glorious weekend in Athens, I returned to Istanbul only to encounter a Sino-Turkish fiasco that could easily rival, nay top my experience with getting a visa to come to Turkey in the first place. My plan for Monday morning was to go to the Chinese consulate, apply for my visa, and then purchase my flights to China that evening. Upon arriving at the address listed on the Consulate website, I discover (thanks to a Turkish man who realized I was lost and called someone who spoke English on his cell phone in order to communicate with me) that the Chinese consulate is in fact in a completely different area of the city which is basically only accessible by taxi. A 40 lira taxi ride that involved the driver asking no less than 15 or 20 people directions on the way later, I arrive at the Chinese consulate ready to apply for my visa. When I get inside, I notice that they have more updated forms that I had already prepared sitting in neat stacks next to the waiting benches. I snagged one and filled it out. Once finished, I strolled up to the window and noticed that the woman behind the window was Turkish and not Chinese. I told her I needed to apply for a visa, and she promptly informed me that despite visa applications being “consular affairs” and me being at the consulate during “consular hours,” the Chinese consulate here does not accept visa applications. I was told that I had to go to a travel agent in Taksim (basically the heart of the city). Knowing that businesses in that area stay open later, I started my 2-hour journey back to work frustrated and slightly defeated, though hopeful.
After work, I got on the shuttle to Taksim at which time I realize that my supervisor is on the same shuttle. She and I discussed where I was going exactly to apply, and she told me that she didn’t think that the address I had written down was correct. She made a phone call in Turkish and eventually informed me that where I was going was indeed to wrong place, but the correct place was right on her way to where she was going. She showed me the way, and I climbed 5 flights of narrow, winding stairs up to the visa application services office of a major travel agency in Turkey. Upon arriving , I was informed that had closed 20 minutes prior to my arrival and that I had to come back the next morning.
Tuesday morning, I hauled myself back to the visa application office, documents in hand. When I sat down in the chair opposite the man I had spoken to the previous day, he took a look at my application and said “you are missing some documents.” Having made completely sure that I had everything listed on Chinese government website, I responded with a slightly perturbed “What? Which documents?” Come to find out, in order for me (even as an American citizen with a US passport) to get a Chinese visa in Turkey, I’m subject to the same requirements of Turkish citizens (though I still would have to pay the higher fee for the visa as an American citizen). I would be required to show bank statements showing that I have at least $5,000 USD in liquid assets to support myself while in China as well as provide proof of airfare to China and hotel reservations for my time there. As I need flexibility in my travel plans while in China, I have no hotel reservations and do not really plan on making any until shortly before hand. Also, I wasn’t going to fork over several hundred dollars for flights until I was sure I could get a visa, and as a college student, I don’t exactly have $5,000 USD just chilling in my bank account to tickle the Chinese government’s fancy. My decision: fly to Hong Kong and apply there so that I would not have to deal with the strange Turkey-specific requirements, and could apply just like as if I were in the US – only with way cooler scenery and better food. Thus, I now am the proud holder of flight confirmations for Turkish Airways flights 70 and 71 non-stop from Istanbul to Hong Kong (amazingly the cheapest possible path, with the best times, and on a Star Alliance member airlines; thus, I can add to my current approximate total of 20,000 air miles on US Airways).
After I left the visa application office, I’m quite glad that it takes almost 2 hours to get back to the office, because I was filled with such profuse displeasure with Turkey that I would have easily said things I would have regretted, plummeting an already low approval rating of Americans even lower. I’ve already been told that “Turkish people really like British people - in fact, even more so than Americans.” To that, I responded with “oh… ok.” The comment came out of nowhere a week or so ago, and I’ve yet to figure out exactly why the UK is so much better. They have neat accents, but really are they that much better than us? I personally think they kind of messed up big time. As one British friend puts it “the UK used to have all of this land all over the world, but look at it now – they’ve lost all of it and are stuck on that crappy little Island.” Crappy, and overcast it may be, but it’s still an Island that I’ dying to visit, regardless of its apparently preferred status here in Turkey.
As my time remaining here in turkey rapidly approaches the two week mark, I’m trying to make plans to do the rest of the “musts.” I have to go to the Modern Art Museum and go to a Turkish bath (hamam) before leaving for sure, so we’ll see how those go. I am glad, however, that most of my friends here will also be leaving around the same time I do, so I’m not necessarily sad to be leaving soon. I’m massively looking forward to my return trip to China. According to my current plans, it will involve time in Hong Kong (Probably tied with New York for my favorite major city in the World), Shanghai (which I’ve never been to before), Xiamen (where I studied abroad Fall 2009), Taipei (which I’ve also never been to), and Beijing (which will be hosting no less than 6 or 7 of my good friends from the US). All I can say is if you think my raving about food has been bad thus far, watch out for my China posts because food there is like nothing else in the world.
Lastly, I’m going to leave you with an interesting update on the strange affinity for the theme song from The Godfather. If you recall, there is apparently a trend to have the theme for a car honk here in Istanbul; however, I have recently discovered it’s an even more wide-reaching phenomenon. While in Greece, I noticed on no less than 3 occasions accordion players on the street playing the theme, and just a few days ago a man in Taksim was trying to sell these devices that you can put in your mouth and chirp like a bird. Of course while demonstrating the amazing abilities of this device, he let out several loud chirps and, of course, the first few bars of The Godfather’s theme in faux birdsong. Why it’s so popular, the world may never know.
For more photos of Greece, check out my Facebook album: Athens
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