Ezra Mannix

A collage of the collage of people who made up Thessaloniki through the centuries: Greeks, Muslims, Jews and more.

Thessaloniki is Greece’s second city. I have a lot of experience with second cities. I went to university in Oregon’s second largest city, Eugene; I did my study abroad in Ankara, Turkey’s second largest city. I went to Plovdiv last summer for my first visa run, Bulgaria’s second largest city. Second cities always have a slight inferiority complex. But they are always eager to show off their goods. For Plovdiv, it’s a beautiful Roman theater and more genuine Bulgarian artisan shops than those of Sofia. Ankara chimes in with its stately, calm atmosphere that Ankarans say is a nice break from the helter skelter of Istanbul traffic and pretentiousness. What does Eugene have that Portland doesn’t have? Umm, better running trails? I’ll get back to you on that one.

Thessaloniki has a lot to offer, it’s a combination of a lot of influences.  My experience there was a cross between staying with a Greek family and staying with a Greek university student. My host was Marios, a 27-year-old engineer and artist. We stayed at his and his loving mother’s place in a calm neighborhood in a suburb.

This is a city that is a cross between European order and cleanliness and Middle Eastern “whateverism”.  What I mean by “whateverism” is skirting by rules that don’t really “matter.” Take smoking in a bar, for example. This is illegal in Thessaloniki, but if you are an establishment with a social area of less than 70 meters squared, then you are exempt if you want to be! “Whateverism” at its “logical” zenith. A sort of anti-Aristotelian policy.

City panorama from atop the White Tower

Speaking of which, Thessaloniki is home to Aristotle University, Greece’s largest. It gives the city a hunkered down, always buzzing nightlife. This nightlife, centered in the city center, passes the “dead of winter” test. Some cities claim to have a great nightlife, but, especially in this region, when a serious cold snap settles in, the bars are scantly populated with die hards and curious tourists like me. But The Czech bar me and my host Marios went to after I jumped off the bus from Istanbul was jam packed on a night that didn’t get above freezing. Strolling the streets, I noticed bars packed with young students and professionals looking to show off their Friday night best. There were several districts that were run down warehouse areas as recently as 2 years ago, Marios pointed out. He also noted that Thessaloniki made Lonely Planet’s top 10 list of the best party cities in the world (Why is the ‘Bul NOT on that list?). Based on what I saw, that may be a little much, but I have to see it in the summer to feel the glory.

The next day, we began our tour at the White Tower, the iconic landmark of the city. Inside, visitors are treated to a very well done, recently-installed exhibition that encompasses 5 floors in the tower. Visitors can start at the bottom and slowly wind their way up the circular stairs, marveling at the multi-media displays  that detail the city’s Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and modern history.

mmmm. Sinful pork gyros escapade.

Next was a stop at the ruins of Galerius Palace in the city’s main pedestrian mall. These Roman ruins were excavated in the 1970’s. The ruins comprise the ancient infrastructure of a city: military barracks, market areas, etc. Then we passed the arch of Galerius and the nearby Rotunda. Built in the third century, the arches commemorate a military victory over the Persians. Unfortunately, the faces on the reliefs were scratched out by Ottomans. The arches serve the highly practical function of being THE meeting point in town, with mostly young Greeks milling about at all hours of the day checking their cell phones (at one point it was watches, then maybe beepers…ah, the march of time).

Then it was off to Ataturk’s House (a ridiculously detailed history of it can be found here). He was born there in 1881 and spent his childhood there. Now it also serves as a consulate in addition to a museum that contains period furniture, newspaper clippings highlighting high-water marks in early Greco-Turkish relations, and a gold plaque replica of a kick ass report card. His signature furry top hat, a must say, is also located in the basement under glass. We had to be let in by a Turkish man, and we were later shown around by a young Turkish woman who couldn’t have been more than 22 but spoke fluent Greek.

The Roman ruins in the center of town really frame the city.

After walking by some so-so ruins in the center of town and then through the fish market (which showed me that there are actually a lot of common words in Greek and Turkish, such as that for shrimp), we sipped coffee along the waterfront in a funky little jazz café named after Miles Davis. Smokey as all hell, of course.

The next day Marios and I ventured to the village of Vergina, unremarkable except that it contains the very remarkable tomb of Philip II, the great unifying Macedonian king and father of Alexander the Great. Phil was buried with some of the most amazing gold crowns you can imagine, couple that with some amazing period bronze statues, amulets, etc. The details of the artifacts – which were preserved in the airless environment — were immaculate.

After the ride back in my hosts car, an hour or half or so filled with discussions of Greek politics, culture, relations with Turkey, and – of course – women, it was back to Thessaloniki to buy a train ticket on the very comfortable Filia – Dostluk Express (the words mean “peace” in Greek and Turkish) back to Istanbul. My Thessaloniki mom packed me sandwiches and I was off.

Kalinihta, Greece!

The sun rises over the Thracian winter calm during the train ride back to Istanbul