Wednesday, 6.16: Heat Wave

Remember in the last post where I noted that it was around 99°F every day? Yeah....well it is. And I become ridiculously shiny in the heat. Like a newly minted quarter. Usually, getting around the city is doable because I don't have to walk around in the heat too much and the stores and buildings are all air conditioned so they blow cool wind out their doors every once in awhile. The Athens Metro system is pretty good and the buses are usually air conditioned as well (at least, the new ones and the trolleys). It becomes a problem when THE METRO GOES ON STRIKE.

Yeah, you remember the strike two Thursdays ago where the whole transportation system shut down and the traffic was horrid and I had to walk to Syntagma (which wasn't a problem then because it wasn't nearly so hot). On Wednesday, the Metro system shut down, but the bus system was unaffected. My project for work that day was to go to the airport and get some footage of the MEDASSET exhibit that was in the airport. Apparently, Athens airport has a number of exhibits that feature art from the New Acropolis Museum and some contemporary artists, which is pretty cool and just speaks to the culture of sitting, relaxing, and browsing. You could never have such an exhibit in the departures section of LAX, what with people shoving their way into the plane like the airport's on fire.

Anyways, there are a couple ways to get to the airport, and the only really feasible way for me to do it was by bus. Because I had already taken the bus once before, it wasn't a problem and I was able to loiter a little around Syntagma Square while waiting. However, I did not anticipate the number of people that would be boarding this bus at 9:30 AM. It got to the point where it was standing room only and people's baggage only made it worse. Fortunately, I was able to squish my way onto a seat and the ride to the airport was pretty smooth after that.

I creeped around the exhibit for awhile, and walked around the airport, marveling at how expensive everything was. The Athens International Airport is pretty nice in terms of shopping and exhibits.

Even the McDonalds was cushy.

The issues came on the bus ride back to Athens. There were so many people on the bus that I didn't get a seat. Then, any room to stand became smaller and smaller until everyone was just pressed up against everyone else. Super awkwardness ensued. Any movement of the bus caused people to careen into their neighbors and personal space could no longer even be defined. To make matters worse, the bus drove super slowly in the heat and even if the bus was air conditioned (which I think it was), the sheer number of people in the bus made it hard to breathe. I got shinier and shinier and the journey was certainly up there on uncomfortable public transportation experience list.

Finally, after making it back to Syntagma, I lugged myself into work, treated myself to a milkshake, and spent the rest of the day showering and sitting under the air conditioner.

Hopefully, this heat wave will cease soon.


Bright and shiny,

Angela