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456.

Sat. April 10- Athens.

'The Glory that was Greece! The cradle of beauty & civilization-' The tourist phrases - so true.

The Parthenon. The Acropolis, the beauty of the landscape - the harmonious nobility of it all defies description. It is all a dream for the Gods - Divine in every sense of the word.

With only two hours sleep, the previous night, I dragged myself to the heights of the Acropolis & felt somewhat dizzy. Wearing my open sandals that come off my feet I was afraid at the thought of descending the steep stone stairs & cobblestones & decided to ask someone to lend me his arm. As luck would have it, a young man sat down next to me on the stone bench (for a second time, showing his interest) and when I asked would he be so kind as to see me down  - was gently obliging.

His name, Nicolas Della-tolla - of Italian descent, born in Athens. He is tapissier (furniture & decoration) 


457

Athens 
Sat. April 10     

Medium height, dark, 38 yrs of age, with forehead, eyes & hair & nose reminding me of Lou. On the whole, a weak face but kind. He began to sing as we descended the stairs with a sweet tenor voice. Told me he had studied for three years, but had not the opportunity to study & practice any longer. Invited me for a café at one of the levels overlooking the city & parts of the Acropolis in the distance. What beauty - 

I was glad when he invited me to dinner at a Taverne. It was a sort of Greek flamenco - small, stone cavern, simple food & good wine, with two guitarists who sang duets beautifully harmonized. With the exception of a few women, the place was crowded with men. The custom here, as in Istanbul, is for the men to go out together. Charming to see them all, poor workers mostly, fraternizing & singing lustily away to the guitars, their faces flushed with wine & joyous. Nicolas