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Easy
Landings, New Beginnings
I have always liked flying into Athens at night and gazing down on the city
from above the sea. The Saronic Gulf looks like
a black lake licking the shores of Greece's Beverly Hills.
From on high, the lit swimming pools of the luxurious hotels
and mansions of the coastal suburbs create a fairy tale impression
of Mediterranean prosperity. However, the passengers seated
on the right side of the plane, overlooking the mountain of Hymettus,
cannot witness this scene. The arid slopes of Hymettus present
an otherworldly cityscape on the brink of economic development,
tall white apartment buildings jutting out of a landscape
stripped of its past.
It might seem strange to hear anyone speak of Greece as a
land without history. But those who know the country well
(especially Athens and Thessaloniki )
know that in Greece, perhaps more than anywhere else in post-war
Europe, modern architecture reigns supreme.
On the threshold of the 21st century, the Greek capital faces some of its greatest challenges yet. The 2004 Olympics , which Athens will host, have set a deadline for the
modernisation of the city. Athens is currently being excavated to accommodate the new Metro system , one line of which has already opened. The stock market
constantly attracts new investments. A multitude of renovation projects gives the impression of an extended
construction site, while many neo-classical buildings, which gave 19th century Athens its distinctive charm,
are being restored to their former glory. The wealthy northern suburbs are a lustrous window display of affluence.
Athens is rapidly being transformed into the financial and cultural capital of Southeast Europe and the eastern
Mediterranean. Consequently, the city is emerging as a crossroads of communications, a commercial stepping stone
between Europe and Asia.
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