Ok, I’m gonna warn you. If you were shocked at the title, be shocked no more. I wasn’t referring to a place where you could get mounds of Pseudo-Italian food, I’m talking about a place to stay that’s just a bit northeast of Athens outside the town of Marathonas.
Marathonas or Marathon has become synonymous with a long distance run. You’ll remember from your history that a Greek soldier was sent from the town of Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians had been miraculously defeated in the Battle of Marathon. He ran all the way, evidently.
In reality, “Marathon” is the Greek word for fennel. There’s lots of it around. Italians call fennel “finocchio” which is also synonymous in some circles for a gay man. You see, during times when repressive regimes and religions persecuted witches and homosexuals, they used to burn them “at the stake” as you remember from the fourth grade. Well, the stench was unbearable, as you might imagine, so they used to throw fennel on the fire to sweeten their memories of being so darn righteous.
The Olive Garden Vacation Rental in Greece
Anyway, if you like Greece, you might want to stay for a week or two at the place over there to the right. Yes, it’s called the Olive Garden. You won’t get soft breadsticks there, which could be a good thing.
What you can do is loll about the pool. Imagine, the place was “Built 2000, Modernized 2002, Laid out garden.”
I’m thinking the people who built it must have been really out of the loop. Maybe they were spending all their time running to Athens for Persian rugs or caulk or something, because someone’s got to come in two years later and bring the thing up to modern standards. And the garden is laid out. That’s nice, no? Generally, I like to lie out in the Garden. “Gee, we’re winning the war and are heroes in Iraq” I might utter. I would lay there, too, but for the bugs that most gardens have.
I’m just having some fun here. Look at the place. It’s gorgeous, no? And look at the price for a week of bliss. It’s quasi nothing, as we say. And you can take a car to Athens.
And get this, there’s a beach! Look southwest of the town and you’ll see the beach of Schinias a popular windsurfing spot. The 2004 Olympic Rowing center is also located there.
What are you waiting for?
This reminds me of a visit in Paris a few years ago, it was a nightmare in the height of the season, is this place any different? We’re thinking of coming at the season end this time to avoid the jams and expensive room rates at the hotels. What’s the public transport like, someone suggested hire car as a better option.