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| Map by goggle maps |
Due to very late start we spent a night on the start of the mountain near the cable car station leading to the Regency Casino Mont Parnes. Took the chance to use it, some nice views of Athens during twilight zone through the cable car.
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| Twilight zone and Athens landscape through the cable car |
Started cycling up the mountain, ten long hairpins to the top and as we got higher slowly slowly Athens landscape started revealing it self.
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| One of the hairpins to the top |
Cute pine cones all around
Just a bit above 1.000m we made a stop to breathe some fresh air
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| The way we came from cycling |
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| Welcome to Parnitha sign |
Unfortunately a big portion of Parnitha forest was burned during the big fire of 2007 (among with much of the wild deer population).
The once sanatorium of Athens lays in decay near the top of the mountain. It was erected on 1914 and functioned for more than 30 years. Many of the patients didn't make it out of it alive. It is estimated that during the 30s, more than 100.000 people died from tuberculosis in Greece. It shut down on the end of the 60s and became a hotel. Finally in the 80s the building got abandoned and lay there all these years in decay... you can actually go inside and linger on places where people suffered and many of them died...
The "Park of Souls" stands in front of the sanatorium. Wooden sculptures made by artist Spyros Dasiotis symbolize the feelings of the patients who suffered and many died inside the sanatorium. Inside the park there is a sign that reads: "We love the earth, the people and the animals. The reptiles, the sky and the insects. We, we are all together as well. Together the sky and the earth". Greek poet John Ritsos spent six months in the sanatorium in 1937-38. He didn't manage to get cured but he kept on writing, this extract is from the "Symphony of Spring" written during that period.
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| The Park of Souls |
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| Extract from "The Symphony of Spring" by John Ritsos |
Passed by a few wild deer and finally managed to spot Mpafi shelter, our final destination for some food and rest before turning back
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| Wild deer |
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| Mpafi shelter on the down left |
The food and tea in the shelter was excellent, some nice views with the Athens landscape on the far horizon and the back of the casino. A few friendly healthy cats begging for food here and there.
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| Athens landscape on the horizon, the back of the casino on the right |
After some rest we took our bicycles for the way back...
All in all it was a nice ride but maybe my expectations were much higher. There is too much traffic in a big part of the route until the casino cable car. Lots of the forest near the top is -sadly- burned and somehow I was expecting the whole scenery more beautiful. Nevertheless it was worth going, the air was very fresh and clean, was some kind of a shock to cycle back to the city!
