A former colleague Jeff Brody (I used to guest lecture in his Feature Story Writing class at Cal State Fullerton) traveled to Athens, Greece for a conference, and offered to report on air quality and highlights from his trip for Chasing Clean Air.
In his own words, we learn that Athens' air quality was fit for choking, while the nearby island of Hydra offered a different story.
In Jeff's words:
After a while, a really short while, the choking congestion
of Athens got to me. The car fumes, the traffic, the humid coat of
smog that covered the city beckoned a hasty retreat.
And the best place to go I'd learn was just 44 nautical miles away on Hydra Island.
I grabbed a ferry
for the three hour hop and felt the difference immediately. The strong
sea breeze cleared my lungs and exhilarated me. But what pleased me most
was this ancient island has the progressive idea to ban cars.
No
vehicles are allowed on Hydra!
Transportation comes down to walking,
bicycling or hopping on a mule.
What a break from Athens! No more
diesel smells! No more smutty exhaust!
Just salt sea breezes and boundless views of the shimmering Aegean.
Hydra residents aim to
preserve their lifestyle by maintaining strict architectural standards and
avoiding the curse of the automobile.
I hiked along a
cobblestone road that winds around the port of Hydra. There is an
ancient fort on one side. Shops, taverns and coffee houses line the
harbor. But the best thing to do is to follow one of the winding path
to a restaurant populated by locals. There you will find fresh
calamari, sea bass, red snapper and many other Greek delicacies
including a few pungent eggplant dishes.
A shopkeeper who looked far
younger than her 35 years told me Hydra takes the stress out of life.
She grew up on the rugged island, attended the local high school, and
has no intention of ever leaving. From her store, you can see across
the channel to mainland Greece. Fishing boats dot the harbor and there
are many secluded beaches for swimming.
For those who wish a more
arduous workout, there are plenty of mountain trails with views to the
horizon.
I preferred to watch the boats and meditate on the waves,
forever grateful that I had left Athens.
And that does it for Jeff's Hydra Island review. Here's a photo he sent at Hydra's Fort. I guess Jeff's a comedian now. He got out the big guns.
A note about Greece from Donna.
In the past I absolutely adored Greece for its warm people, big salads, and spirited dance that seemed to take place on every corner. Knowing me, I'm sure I sought out those corners. Not to mention the Aegean Sea that whispered with gentle sea breezes to move closer, enjoy beautiful views, sea-salt smells, and a tapestry of soothing blues.
I haven't been to Greece in several years, though, and I know that air pollution has taken a toll on the capital of Athens, as a result of rapid urbanization.
I've heard that famous landmarks are decaying due to air pollution, such as Western Civilization's crown jewel, The Acropolis built in the 5th Century B.C.
According to scientists The Parthenon, the most important building at The Acropolis, has black crust on its columns as a direct result of air pollution.
So while The Parthenon was once the most sophisticated building in the most sophisticated city of the Western World and is still the most imitated building worldwide, today's modern life via pollution is eating away at its otherwise miraculous white stone.
Despite Athen's city congestion and smog, Greece can still be enjoyed, for well beyond The Parthenon, like tiny jewels on the Aegean Sea are the Greek Islands. Many remain untouched from civilization's hand.
Like Hydra, these islands offer peace, beauty, and cleaner air.
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