My new home is technically not too far from where I was living this spring, but as those who know the city can confirm, it is definitely an uphill walk and is about a good 10-15 minutes from my old neighborhood. Some may think this is a crazy idea (I mean really why make yourself walk so much?!?!) but I am really enjoying the calm that this area offers and the one way street in front of the apartment is uncomparable to the intersection on Kassandrou where I was before! Further from the center also implies a longer walk to class, or to yoga on the other side of town, or to the center...and definitely a longer return uphill!
Throughout these daily 30-40 minute walks (each way), I never cease to be amazed by the view and am constantly grateful for this possibility to walk along the somewhat restored ancient Eastern walls of the city, to feel as though I'm walking through time (on days when there isn't too much traffic!). I've been exploring different possibilities, some options with steps that I've taken to counting (and others without of course), some with steep uphill roads, one through a park...and am definitely getting regular exercise incorporated into my daily routine...how wonderful it is to have the time to do so! :)
I thought I would share one of the routes that seems to be one of my favorites and starts by climbing up some red steps (17) and then directly over some ruins that are still visible and complete with some old engraved stones (maybe from the old Jewish cemetary?). From here, I either take about 30 steps up to the left or walk through the visible "passage" in the wall. I eventually reach the main road which climbs gradually at first and them more steeply until it turns to the right and the first steps appear on the left. The 31 steps are a warm-up and after crossing the street that can be taken to avoid steps, I usually go straight uphill, past many well-fed black and white cats on the street, until the street levels out a bit temporarily in between the many apartment buildings. Just below a small playground, I take the 65 steps on the right, that wind around and up towards my street. The 50m on level ground are a welcome break before the 42 steps in the building up to the 2nd Greek/3rd US floor. This is a great walk in the evening but I'm still trying to figure out the best options for the uphill return in the 24 degree C/75 degree F afternoon sun...
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| The beginning... |
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| Over this part of a wall |
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| Some old engraved stones... |
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| Possibility of going through the wall |
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| and then up this way! |
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| or taking the street |
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| Some steps... |
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| Hard to get a good idea but this street seems pretty steep to me... |
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| A flat area between buildings... |
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| Before the last steps outside! |
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| and then just a short distance to the apartment! |
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