Steppin Out

So despite the fact that I've been here in Athens for over 3 full days now, this morning was the first time (with the exception of my trip from the airport and last night's meandering walk) that I've actually gotten out and explored the city.

I had made plans late last night to get together with Nicos Anastasopoulos this morning at his office and studio in Athens to meet and talk about ideas for a permaculture workshop in the town of Nea Makri - about 40 minutes east of Athens on the eastern coast of the 'province' of Attica.  

A beautiful sunny morning greeted me as I walked briskly for about two and a half miles to the 

metro station.  I was later to learn that the bus easily serviced this primary highway and free public transport transfers are included in your inexpensive travel ticket - next time...  The walk 

was a good opportunity to soak up some of the commercial development along this busy motorway.  Being early on a Sunday morning, there was little traffic but despite this I found myself in constant need of finding a new segment of sidewalk wide enough to pass along.  The road was constantly changing in its scale and location in the landscape which made for an interesting traverse.  My path was lined with shops of many types but what struck me most was the interior and kitchen decor storefronts with some of the most modern stove, sink and fridge installations I've ever seen.  Very sleek design.

I also quickly noticed the preponderance of solar hot water heaters atop the roofs of apartments lining the horizon.  Want to know which direction is south?  Forget the sun, just check the roofs around here!  It's good to see that common sense, good design and appropriate use of renewable resources has prevailed in one aspect of daily life.

After a steady forty minute walk, I boarded the metro - and I must say that the new underground public transport here is efficient and absolutely immaculate - and affordable - just one Euro for a ticket that lasts for one and a half hours.  

I met with Nicos in a small square across town and we proceeded to pick up pastries and stop off at his office for a vigorous discussion of our various community building initiatives, visions, successes and failures.  It was exciting to meet someone working to help facilitate change in a minor megalopolis.  A graduate of Yale's Architecture school and one a resident of our very own NYC, Nicos has been back in Athens for over fourteen years and now primarily earns his living teaching architecture at a technical college in Athens.  

After making plans for the day, we soon boarded a bus bound for Nea Makri, thereby leaving the confines of Athens and getting my first taste of the dry, rocky, pine covered hills that surround.  

As we made our way to his cottage, we noticed a turtle seemingly stranded in a dry, vacant lot

 enclosed by a fence on all four sides.  We picked her up and brought her with us to make a new 

home in Nicos' garden.  

He introduced me to some of the beautiful mediterranean plants in his yard - including lavender, figs, citrus, lime, oleander and a familiar legume (which reminded me very much of the redbud Cercis canadensis) that we id'd as a relative in the Cercis genus.  From there, we mounted bicycles and made our way to the bay - just a few blocks away - enjoyed a delicious 

lunch of bread, greens, small fried fish (I didn't catch their name), french fries and Uzo and then made our way along the promenade to the former American military base where he intends to host the permaculture workshop and restoration work.

This seaside property apparently played home to a military installation during the Cold War.  After the base was decommmissioned and demolished, the site has since laid vacant although a recent excavation unearthed a first century BC temple to the Egyptian goddess Isis.  This archaeological site is now fenced off from the public, as is the base but we invited ourselves in and explored the denegrated landscape.  

Dry scrubby brush, bamboo and other wetland plants characterized much of the 

perimeter of this property with a tree lined edge that included eucalypts, cypress, tamarisk and the occasional volunteer fig.  As we explored the site more deeply, huge masses of concrete ruin lay strewn about - likely the remnants of the old base - only ending once we reached a ten foot high pile of rubble and trash.  Apparently the site has now become a local dumping ground.

I could go into more detail but time and brevity beg me to stop.  Needless to say, the site is in serious need of attention and I believe this will provide an excellent opportunity to provide locals with an insight into the process and practice of permaculture design - a significant opportunity to begin to heal a landscape that has been so deeply wounded and also reinterpret its potential in the wake of a petroleum mad culture.  To find out more about Nicos' initiative - TREE - Take Responsibility of Environmental Efficiency - visit his blog at http://life-tree1.blogspot.com/