When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Go to Greece

This photo of Nikitas is courtesy of TripAdvisor

 Dana and I are sitting in a sidewalk taverna in Athens called Nikitas, a family-owned ouzeri in the Psirri district in Athens. An ouzeri, we have come to discover, is a traditional Greek eating and drinking establishment. Although the name implies lots of ouzo being imbibed, none of the patrons at this jam-packed, outdoor restaurant are partaking. Most, like Dana, are drinking a small carafe of red wine or the local white retsina. Some, like me, are having a potent, Greek-style coffee with a carafe of water. All are eating. Nikitas has been here since the late 60s, serving up simple, Greek fare to a mostly local clientele. Nikitas is a favorite among Athenians looking for a wholesome, home-cooked meal. It does not disappoint.


The small ouzeri straddles both side of the Agion Anargyron, one of the main pedestrian-friendly thoroughfares that meanders through the Psirri district. With a nondescript, white, clapboard facade, the doors of Nikitas' two entrances are never shut. One entrance opens to the bustling kitchen. The other entrance leads inside to a couple of small rooms with tables. When the weather is warm enough, which is almost always the case here, everyone eats outside. The patrons of Nikitas sit at simple painted pine tables and chairs, dining under a host of square-shaped, mottled canvas umbrellas. Most of the tables are across the street from the taverna, sandwiched between the sealed brick of the Agion Anargyron and a lovely, 200-year-old Greek Orthodox church. It is a splendid setting on this warm, autumn day.


We start our meal with large loaf of fresh, olive bread and a Greek salad. The Greek is served no-nonsense, with a massive slab of herbed feta balanced atop the tomatoes, cucumbers and olives. Before we are half finished, Sofia, one of the owners, brings the mains over. Dana has ordered the roast pork with a side of fries, while I have gone for the moussaka. Although the fries are passable, the pork and the moussaka are divine. Halfway through the meal, Dana and I are wondering whether we can sell the house in Memphis to buy a place in Athens. Although I would end up looking like Marlon Brando, I could eat like this until I was corpulent enough to be buried in a piano box. Dana and I have officially found our favorite eaterie in Athens, and we are already planning to return before flying back to Cairo.

Artful graffiti, Psirri district

We chose Athens and its gritty, Bohemian, Psirri neighborhood weeks ago after an exhaustive research session. We knew we wanted to travel during the Muslim Eid holiday, but the situation here in Egypt did not make us confident that traveling inside the country to anything other than a Western-style resort on the Red Sea was a good idea. Sadly, we have not travelled much in Egypt since our arrival. We still have not gone to the Pyramids, for example. For the most part, travel inside Egypt is safe, but then there are those days. And in our defense, one cannot really tell when one of those days is dawning. So Athens won out over close challengers, Beirut and Munich.


When we travel, we like to avoid resorty-type places or splashy, starred hotels. We stay in those kinds of places when somebody else is picking up the tab for us. When we are making our own travel arrangements however, we like to stay somewhere local. Places like the Xiangzimen Hostel in Xian and the Saphaipae in Bangkok offer accommodating and comfortable private rooms while being incredibly tied into their local communities. And these places do not break the bank; something important for us traveling teachers. Staff at these kinds of places understand our desire to avoid heavily touristed experiences and make sensible recommendations accordingly. With such limited time, we appreciate this. So when we can, we seek out these kinds of places.

Foyer wall, City Circus

City Circus in Athens is one such place. Just over a year old, this locally-owned and operated, upscale hostel is deeply integrated into the local community. The proprietors for example, encourage residents to dine in neighborhood establishments that serve meals based on locally available fruits, vegetables and meats. We see another example in the sumptuous breakfast served every morning at the massive oak table in City Circus' main lobby. The main parts of the meal - the fresh yogurt, the best bread Dana says she has ever eaten, the fruits, the muesli, the jams, the honey - are all locally sourced. When we ask about shopping, the owner encourages us to take a look at some of the small, locally owned shops that showcase the work of local artisans. This is our kind of place, and when we come back - as we most certainly will - we will book the rooftop, balcony room again.

Acropolis amphitheater

Athens itself is an amazing city and much larger than I had thought. The city sprawls for miles and miles, radiating out in all directions, emanating from its still-vibrant, ancient heart. At the center of Athens, as it has been for millennia, is the Acropolis with its ruins. The Acropolis with the Parthenon on top, dominate the Athenian landscape, just as it should be. 


The visit to the Acropolis is a must see, so we head out on the first full day of our visit. We had not planned on seeing the beautiful ruins with thousands and thousands of our dearest friends nor had we planned on a torrential downpour, but that is what happened. The site is breathtaking despite the jostling crowds and the rain. The New Acropolis Museum, built in 2009 at the western end of the ancient site, spectacularly houses the remnants of the history of this ancient place. Some of the pieces in the museum's fine collection are just now seeing the light of day after having been locked away in storage for 200 years. 

Ruins at sunset

Perhaps the most amazing part of the city is its energy. Given the recent news on the state of the Greek economy,  I half expect to see acres of vacant lots haunted by one-time tycoons now morphed into derelict hobos. Far from it. Athenian streets teem with shoppers and food carts. Sure, there are a few empty windows here and there in the Psirri district, but for every empty window there seems to be two more new shops opening. After the sun descends behind the nearby craggy mountains, a vibrant night market rises up on either side of one of the city's central commuter rail stations. The Plaka, the center of tourism in Athens, is constantly buzzing with tourists from all over the continent and from the Arab world. All around the city I see the signs of a strong sense of urban renewal, from dilapidated buildings being lovingly restored to the city's push to encourage more sustainable development and artisan-friendly tourism. If there is a Greek recession, someone should have told the Athenians.

Tumbled Roman ruins in the heart of Athens

Still, the Greek economy has experienced record-setting decline in terms of GDP, leaving almost 1/3 of the Greek workforce without some means of gainful employment. Various news agencies report the unemployment rate being particularly acute among young Greeks, where up to 60% of people 25 and younger may be unemployed. Pessimists worry that the situation will continue to worsen in the face of massive cuts in government spending. Just off of Athens' busiest and most bustling thoroughfares for example, you will find once frenetic cafes and restaurants now just yawning caverns, silent and empty. 

Back at Nikitas' however, the tables are packed and the conversation is lively. Customers, including Dana and me, are enjoying yet another superb meal, dining without a care in the world. After the meal we thank Sofia, the owner who has been waiting on us this evening, for the lovely meal and the equally lovely atmosphere. We tell her that we will definitely be back. She thanks us, mentally making the sign of the cross, and says that God willing, Nikitas will still be here when we return.

 
This week's photos by Dana Purpura except where noted.