A is for Athens – of course. We just came back two days ago, and a is for amazing, but not exactly in the way we expected. A is for Acropolis, and it was the first thing we saw in the distance. and I’m afraid that’s where it remained, for the whole four days we were there. We did intend to approach by taxi on our last day, but the taxis were on strike, and it was raining, So – we went for a little Amble instead.

B is for Ballet dancer – street art at its best. Or is it?

C is for Caryatids. These fascinating sculptures hold up all sorts of shelves and balconies and bulidings. These were some of the more incongruous ones that we saw on one of our walks. the surrounding buildings are falling apart.

D is for Derelict. Sadly so many of the streets we walked in were falling apart. We saw many fairly recently built buildings, unfinished and in various stages of Decrepitude and Dinginess.

E is for Eggs. I judge hotels mainly for their breakfasts. This time was no different. I asked for an omelette the first morning. It was enormous. Too big, even for me. so the next few days I contented myself with fried eggs with asparagus. that did the trick, accompanied by all the other deliciousnesses they served.

F is for Flowers. We were overwhelmed by the abundance of wild flowers everywhere – poppies redder than I had ever seen before, chamomile more aromatic, orange blossom that was divine.

G is for Gas and Graffiti. When we arrived on Friday evening, after an hour and a half long drive from Athens airport, we were a bit perturbed to find that we were being let out in a street that had a high wall running for a few hundred metres, covered with graffiti of the not most artistic kind. Poking out above this wall were some disused gas holders.

Inwardly my spirits drooped. What had we let ourselves in for? Opposite the wall was what looked like a disused parking lot, and some newish neglected buildings – it felt quite creepy. But, ever the optimists, we found the door to the hotel – and inside – paradise.

H is for Hotel. Oh what a wonderful find! A courtyard full of intensely vibrant flowers, olive and cypress trees that were extremely covetable, staff that were pleasantly welcoming and a room that looked out on the Gas holders – and the Acropolis. The best of both worlds!

I is for Inspiration. Any blank wall, any small space, gives the green light to wouldbe Picassos to daub and spatter to their hearts’ content. It is strange, that not many of the colourings seem political. I may be very wrong, but in Lisbon for example the graffiti seemed much angrier. Here it seems more a product of intermittent boredom. Leake Street it ain’t, in my critical opinion, and it would be hard to find a Banksy equivalent in the miasma of spray paint.

Very little attempt seems to made to get rid of it, though we did see one man rather half heartedly trying to paint over some with a very small paintbrush and a tiny tin of paint.

This was one of the most intriguing corners, very near to our hotel.

J is for jeopardy. Absolutely the worst thing about Athens was going to the loo. Everywhere there were signs about not flushing paper. Bins were overflowing.  Plumbing needs an overhaul. I am sure it was better in ancient times. 

K is for Kuzina restaurant. Highly recommended. It was cold, but we braved it on the rooftop. The food was good and unusual. I had a beetroot and trout risotto. Luckily we could just about shelter from the few drops of rain. The patio heaters were full on! But the view. The view was stupendous. Better than from our bedroom, to be sure.

L is for Lovely. I might think of another more original word beginning with l in a minute. Or I might not. I have.

L is for Lght. The light in Athens has a quality of its own, especially in the early evening.

M is for the Metro and Memories and Monastiraki. Many memories were created in Athens. It really is a most extraordinary place. Enormous archaeological sites, interspersed with with the metro network. We didn’t actually go on the metro but we watched it hurtling past, heavily graffitied, as we sat in countless cafes drinking nondescript wine by the monuments of the Agora in Monastiraki.

N is for night. Athens looks stunning at night-time. Though you can’t discern the graffiti so well.

O is for Olive of course. We went to see the oldest olive tree in the world.The Olive tree of Pisistratus. It must also be the largest. (I’ve just googled it and it has a few rivals as to its age. Never mind.) Very impressive as a plant, but the area around it was very disappointing.

We thought we would kill two or three birds with one stone and intended to see the Orthodox Cathedral next to it – but it was firmly locked shut. It was a Monday, so few worshippers expected, but a shame, nonetheless. We also had been told that the place would e full of nice restaurants and cafes, so we could have lunch there, but the area itself was not inviting at all. We caught the nearest taxi and went back to our haven in the centre.

O is also for Orange blossom and Oleander. The scent was heavenly indeed.

P is for St Philip the Apostle. The first day we were sipping out drinks in a fairly nondescript but pleasant enough cafe when suddenly we heard some rather lovely religious chanting. We looked around and there was indeed a small church a few yards away with its doors wide open. I went to investigate, and it transpired that the chanting was a recording, but the church itself was tiny but perfectly formed. Apparently built in 1961 it looks much older. A day later we heard the chanting again. this time it was real – much louder and unfortunately much less musical. But who am I to complain. I too only sing in church. God gave me my voice, so He can enjoy listening to it. Even if no one else does!

P is also for Palm Sunday. we went to Latin mass in the Catholic Cathedral of St Dionysius. A sort of poor mans Brompton Oratory – built at around the same time but not nearly as ornate. A little bit disappointing. Mass was long and crowded. luckily we got a seat. The palms were olive branches. The mainly Filipino congregation, very devout but very noisy and mobile and giggly all grabbed handfuls of the branches which were laid out in huge baskets and waved them around constantly and very enthusiastically. Most of the Mass was in Greek of course, same as in England when the Latin Mass is mostly English. So now i understand the expression – all Greek to me. To be fair the priest did welcome us in English too.

Q is for Quirky. How else would you describe this piece of graffiti?

R is for Rooster Egg, the first and worst Restaurant we went to, and a Rooftop cafe where the view was good but the service was appalling. So disappointing. We went inside because the decor was funky, but you can’t live by funk and decor alone.

S is for Seychelles, the best restaurant, and the most highly recommended by a lot of people, both in Athens and elsewhere. Set in quite a dingy part of town, lots of Chinese wholesale businesses, functioning out of very decrepit and dilapidated buildings – have I mentioned Graffiti? We were welcomed like long lost friends the second time we came and we ate deliciously both times. Portions are enormous and we over ordered each time, but tarama, salad with kohlrabi and apple, octopu and liver were superb. I didn’t try the marrow bone , but it looked good. But what clinched it for me was the sourdough bread. I could have exchanged all the meat for another hunk of it. ( and I’m somewhat of a carnivore).

T is for Tat. I love tat. Lots of market stalls selling lots of things you don’t need. I do however need Tea Towels and always look out for them in tourist shops. Sadly I couldn’t find any. I do have a Greek one already which my daughter brough back for me when she went. I hope it didn’t take her long to find it.

T is also for Technopolis, the aea we were staying in. Modern, Up and coming. Possibly.

U is for Unusual.

Street art or graffiti? Absolutely enormous walls covering the outside of an old bus station.

V is for Very Visual. There is so much to see and we only saw a very small amount.

W is for We’ll be back. To see the rest.

X is for Extraordinary. See Y

Y is for Youth. We witnessed an interesting event. The above bus station has been converted into a music venue. On our way into the centre we saw a little queue forming full of young girls all in fishnet or spider web tights, little black mini skirts, black emblazoned tee shirts, chains, tattoos, spikes – the lot.this was about 4 in the afternoon. On th e fairly long walk into town we saw hundreds more of these gothic lookalikes quietly walking towards the queue, with the occasiona similarly garbed boy among them. Some were arriving by moped or motorbike. A few on scooters. All very young. They really brought back memories of my youth. Not that I was ever a goth or ready to queue for hours to see a pop group. But the idea of wanting to be part of a large cohesive group – for hundreds of these youngsters it was I believe a very successful evening. Certainly the next day when we peeked in on the clearing up process it all looked very good humoured.

Z is for zebra crossings. probably the most dangerous parts of Athens. you wait for ages for the lights to change. Or you don’t wait. Some cars stop. some cars zoom past. Just like here really!

The old gas holders by night.

Well, this alphabetical experiment is over. Let me know if you read it all.