Darcy Hughes

I took a bus from the Thessaloniki Airport to a stop that was about a mile’s walk from the American Farm School where my friend Kate is doing a fellowship as a college counselor for high schoolers. I was immediately struck by the road signs in Greek, for it was the first time I had been to place with a different alphabet. I made my way along streets that had no sidewalks until I arrived at the security gate of the school where Kate met me with a big hug.

That night we met Kate’s fellow fellows out for dinner. I realized Greeks eat much later than Americans, for we entered an empty restaurant at 7:30. The kitchen wasn’t opening for another hour, so we contented ourselves for the time being with wine. By 9:00 the restaurant was full of life. Every seat was occupied, big families laughed, and a live band played. I was surprised to see that the “no smoking” sign was a more of s suggestion than a rule and possibly even a joke, for everyone and their grandmother were smoking a cigarettes.

The five of us shared many plates, including fava, sausages, lamb sticks, zucchini croquettes, tzatziki, and fries. The food in Greece is incredible, so I ate as much as possible while I was there. The service is also incredible. When we finished our meals, the waiter brought us an assortment of complimentary desserts to share.

The next day we went to a farmers’ market downtown that stretched out over a mile of the city streets. Vendors sold a variety of goods including fish, fruit, vegetables, herbs, and pastries. After passing through all the stands, we went to the Thessaloniki boardwalk which is relatively new to the city. It was populated by walkers, joggers, bikers, and fishermen. At the end of it was the city’s iconic White Tower where I experienced a particularly rude photobomb when trying to take a decent picture.

On Sunday Kate and I took three buses from her school to the top of Ana Poli, a town known for an old fort that overlooks Thessaloniki. For the rest of the morning, we wandered through its winding streets which were laden with old beauty untouched by modern aesthetics.

After exploring Ana Poli, Kate had to return to the Farm School for a work dinner, so I stayed downtown and explored the Photography Museum. The exhibit on display was “Capitalist Realism,” and it offered an intriguingly nuanced vision of capitalism around the world. My favorite photo was taken during the Greek financial crisis, for to me it conveyed the power of love during difficult times.

The next day while Kate worked, I went downtown with a list of places to see. The first was called “Seikilo,” which I had read was a workshop where a family replicates instruments from Ancient Greece. When I walked into the building of the listed address, I was confused – and a little embarrassed–to find myself in an office. When I asked someone about the instruments, a man named Nikolas told me that people schedule tours to see them but that he was willing to show me.

In a basement under the office building was a room decorated in instruments and Nikolas told me the history of each one. Seikilo was a family business: one brother researches ancient instruments, one designs them, another builds them, and they all play them in a band with their father. They did not want beautiful music from Ancient Greece to be lost to the world forever.

Next on my list, was a vintage furniture shop where I met another very nice man. His name was Janis, and he greeted me with a smile on his face and a paintbrush in his hand. He was a slightly intimidating 6 foot 4, and the incongruity of this burly man owning a fluffy cat named Chica, and having a passion for carving wooden children’s toys, made me smile.

Janis showed me his studio which was full of furniture, and to my surprise, the pieces were inspired by “MadMen” (which he swears he only watches for the furniture). Before I left, he gave me a little wooden keychain that said “Spíti” and told me it means “home” in Greek. He was bashful when I thanked him and attached it to my backpack.

I had had a great day. I met two kind strangers and learned about two unique and creative ways to make a living: carving replicas of ancient instruments and replicas of “MadMen” inspired furniture.

For my last day in Greece, I went on a tour of the Meteora Monasteries. Meteora means “suspended in air,” and is what our word meteor comes from. The place is named as such because the monasteries look as if they are floating in the sky. The monks originally established themselves in such a remote location to avoid persecution.

Next we went to Varlaam which, fun fact, was featured in the 1981 James Bond film “For Your Eyes Only.” The stairs to this monastery were impressively carved into the rock on which it sat.  Before entering the holy place, I was given a skirt to put on over my pants for traditional reasons. The inside of the monasteries had breath-taking murals, but I didn’t take photos out of respect.

Meteora was a perfect way for me to end my trip to Greece, and as we drove back to Thessaloniki through a stunning sunset bathed country-side, I began planning for my long road home.