Dennis J Buckley (DDR 808) - Naval Cruise Book

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Scenes from fhe Riviera

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ATHENS, THERE appears to be a great deal of differ- ence between the Greece we read about in history and the Greece of today. Our two visits to Athens gave ample opportunity to anyone wishing to explore the remnants of past civilizations, and still one could find time to enjoy the present day pleas- ures of that historic city. It is difficult to reconcile the barren hills of Athens and vicinity with the once -great civilization that flourished there. But the evidence is there to prove that some of the finest buildings evererected once stood - and in many cases still stand - in this area. Any book dealing with the ancient history of Greece can assure you that Athens was one of the earliest centers of the demo- cratic way of life, the principles of which we still follow today. The printed word, however, cannot describe the beauty of the architecture in the buildings erected in those early days. Only a visit to these places can convince you that these people of over 2,000 years ago actually erected buildings that much of our modern knowl- edge ,of architecture stems from today. Perhaps the most famousof all the an- cient buildings in Athens is the Parthe- non. Even today architects travel from all parts of the world to study its classic pro- portions, and it is considered to be the most perfect example of ancient art exist- ing in the world today. It still exists in fairly good condition despite the wars that have swept over Greece during the 2,300 years since its construction, and despite the raids of Britain's Lord Elgin, who shipped many of its sculptures to England where they still rest in the British Mu- seum. The Parthenon is only one of the inter- esting ruins to be observed on the Acrop- ol1s throughout the city of Athens, but 3 full description can be found in any his- tory book. Suffice it to say that those who found the time to visit t found the trip well worthwhile. ' hese ancient ruins A glance at modern Greece will find it hard to determine whether to linkhert with the east or the west. Her geographical po- sition, plus the fact that she has been oc- cupied by both Asiatic and European na- tions at various times, has given her peo- ple and her culture a flavor of both con- tinents. Her strategic position has caused her to be overrun by invaders many times, the latest during World War II when the Italians, under Mussolini, tried in vain to conquer her, and succeeded only in being driven back into Albania until the Ger- mans stepped in and crushed her under sheer force of numbers and modern equipment. ' Since World War II Greece has been torn by internal strife and has only re- cently succeeded in getting back on its feet, largely through the efforts of American aid. Today a walk through Constitution Square and the heart of Athens will find large numbers of the city's population sit- ting at sidewalk tables over their coffee, wine or ouzo, probably discussing the pres- ent political setup, much as the residents of other European cities do. A further walk will find the shop windows fairly well stocked with modern goods - some of them manufactured in Greece, but more than likely imported from the U. S. or other nations. To sum it all up, however, what most of us will remember about Athens is: The 15,000 Drachmae necessary to make up a single dollar - the long wild taxi ride from Piraeus to Athens for backj - the shore patrol headquarters in the American bar - the sight of the Acropolis lighted at night - the hot, dusty climate and arid landscape which caused one 'to wonder how the Greeks ever grow any crops there - the American Club in Kiflissia - Tony's and John Bulls in Piraeus - the King George Hotel. Yep, Athens will be. worth- while visiting again - sometime.