Athens Grand Acropolis: Travels with D.L. Siluk

Athens Grand Acropolis


By Dennis L. Siluk


I think I read most of—if not all of—Mary Renault’s books on Greece, and in 1995, went there, to Athens, and a few islands thereabouts. But I spent most of my time around the Acropolis; I think I fell in love with its image. I’d sit down at a café at night, in the surrounding area, the lights would go on around the Acropolis, at twilight, and I’d gaze at it. It was a warm jewel to my eyes. It was the Parthenon that seemed to grab my attention the most, although the full image of the Acropolis at night is magnificent, and it is on my top ten lists. To my understanding, it was inhabited, the citadel area [the hill it is on], 5000-years ago.

It was considered a walled citadel at one time, then the gods took over, and it became a temple of sorts; or temples, I should say. Pericles ordered a temple erected in honor of his patron goddess, Athena, and thus, a marble temple came about. I do like the Athena coins also, of 449 BC, they are beautiful, and were made to support the war effort in Athens. But as we all know the Christians and Muslims conquered, Greece and used the buildings on the Acropolis for their own liking. And the Turks used it for target practice; and the British stolid a lot of the sculptures, now in the British Museum, which I’ve seen. But as I understand the quest goes on to bring them back, and to restore its beauty.

It was a great trip, a few of the Greek men in the hotel [service folks] got a bit controlling with their voices—loud, which is not uncommon for them, and I informed them, I could adjust my vocal cords accordingly, also. I think a few of them have control issues. And we came to an understanding. In Rome do as the Romans do; in Greece, do the same (they don’t like it, but that the way it is).

There was one other incident, where a Greek fella tried to buy me some drinks, and I don’t drink, and after he ordered the drinks, I paid for mine with a my visa, and because it was dark, I didn’t count the zeros on the Visa slip, and when I got back to the hotel, I had paid $1300-for a few cokes and…not much else. I called Visa up in England and had it stopped. They had tried to process the transaction and were hoping to get me drunk to make it easier, and he evidently was a friend of the owner of where I was. So watch who befriends you. I ended up getting a free night out.

Incidentally, the food is great also, I just can’t remember what I ate, but whatever it was I never complained, so it must had been good. Would I go back, yup: to see the Acropolis again, and Crete.