Visiting Greece

In late November 2018, my parents and I visited Greece for the first time. After reading about it through literary works and many historical references, as well as enjoying the travelogue portions during the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics, we had been curious about visiting for many years. We were excited to finally have the chance!

We visited Athens for 3 days, the island Santorini for two days, drove around the Peloponnese for a week, visited Delphi and Meteora, and ended our trip with a day in Sounion and a day in Athens respectively. Each day was quite packed!

Our trip route, at a glance

Day 0: Arrival

I flew SwissAir to Athens via Zurich. Although not the newest plane, the seats were clean and comfortable. The food was decent, and of course the meal service ended with Swiss chocolate. The day was cloudy in Zurich, so I could only see the Swiss Alps peaks as we landed. The airport was very clean and easy to navigate. In particular, the passport control was *much* smoother than Amsterdam/Schiphfol or Paris/Charles de Gaulle. I spent my layover in the Aspire lounge, which was also quite spacious with nice wood accents throughout.

View of Zurich gates from Aspire Lounge

 After catching my flight to Athens, I met my parents in the arrivals area just outside baggage claim. Their flight arrived several hours after mine, so I had some time to read, relax and explore. There are two terminals in Athens (A and B), with two baggage claim areas that connect together in an arrivals hall outside security. On one end, there is a luggage storage facility that charges about 8 euros / bag / day. There are the usual airport shops that lead to the other end, where there is an exit which if you walk out and continue in that direction, leads to the rental car lot.

After my parents met me, we deposited their bags for their subsequent trip to India in the luggage facility and caught a taxi to our hotel in downtown Athens, the Hotel Hera. The airport has very convenient highway access, but is situated about 30 minutes outside the city center, similar to other large city airports. The city center can also be reached by train (more on that below).We arrived at our hotel and settled in for the night, ready to start out Athens adventures early the next morning.

Entrance to Hotel Hera, Acropolis, Athens

Day 1: Acropolis

In the morning, we had breakfast at the hotel (lots of Greek yogurt!) and then set out on the short walk to the Acropolis Museum, about 3 blocks away. Along the way, there was a light drizzle, and my mom commented that she had not packed an umbrella (or had been forced to leave it behind perhaps). We coincidentally encountered a man of South Asian descent selling umbrellas outside the Acropolis Metro station. My dad noticed the man and decided to rectify the situation by purchasing one his wares. As the exchange took place, the man made small-talk, asking us where we were from. We said India by way of America. He mentioned he was Bangladeshi and then unprompted, cautioned us to watch our wallets especially if near the train station. Our own Cassandra went on his way and we went forward to the museum.

Acropolis/Parthenon view from the Acropolis Museum Terrace

After waiting a few minutes for the doors to officially open, we wandered inside. The Acropolis Museum is actually built on ruins from the times of the Parthenon foundation, and you can peer down and see the ruins being actively excavated as you walk through the main entrance. Per the guides, the subterranean areas will be open for visitors sometime in 2020.

The museum consists of three floors with many of the original artifacts recovered from the Parthenon site. For safekeeping, they are maintained in the museum with replicas placed on the Acropolis. Photography is limited in some areas of the museum, but overall, it is an impressive collection. We spent about two hours walking around, with a coffee break in the middle in their second floor patio cafe.

One interesting exhibit was a live display of the preservation of the Caryatids. Next to the main Parthenon structure are several other temples, including the Erechtheion (named for a mythical ancient king of Athens Erechtheus), upheld by several columns sculpted into female figures known as the Caryatids. Over the centuries, they have decayed and developed a coating of many layers of debris. In order to clean the statues, the display showed how they used a laser to essentially burn off the dirt while preserving the underlying sculpture.

Afterwards, we walked to the Acropolis itself. There is a western and eastern entrance to the base of the Acropolis, but both lead to a main entrance along the western side. The eastern entrance is just across from the museum main entrance, but the western entrance has a bag check. After about 15 minutes of walking, we reached the main entrance to the Parthenon itself. The first site as we walked in on the right was the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, built by a wealth Athenian in 161 AD to honor his wife. The venue seats 5000 and still occasionally hosts events, although none were occurring during our stay.

Odeon of Herodes Atticus

Next, we continued onwards to the main gate, or propylaea. As we passed through, there was a monumental pedestal to the left upon which once sat a statue to Marcus Agrippa, a Roman benefactor of the city. As columns towered overhead, you pass through to see the first view of the Parthenon. The Erecthion with the Caryatids is to the left. Unfortunately, there was scaffolding up during our visit but the effect was still impressive.

Entering the Acropolis with Parthenon, right.

We circumambulated (ok, walked) around the southern edge to view the colonnade, still impressive after 25 centuries. Looking at the city from the vantage point, it makes a lot of sense why it would have acted as a central focal point for the entire valley, especially the ancient city. It allowed the city to be fortified while still maintaining access to major waterways and the sea. Visiting the museum first helped, as it spurred the imagination to "fill in the blanks" where the original statues would have been on the facade of the building. Similarly, you could look out and see Hadrian's Arch, the ancient Agora, and Hadrian's libraries, all landmarks of the ancient city, now penned in by modern shops and restaurants. Finishing our circuit, we passed by the Erechtheion on the northern edge, with the 5 Caryatid replica statues out front, and then exited via the propylaea.

Erechtheion with Caryatid columns

With the afternoon in front of us, we decided to attempt visiting the Roman agora, supposedly a short walk from the Parthenon. However, we headed the wrong way initially and took nearly 45 minutes to walk there. By the time we got there, the agora had closed at 3pm. During off peak season, many of the sites we visited were half-price... but also half hours as we quickly learned. We instead decided to walk to Monastiraki, where our hotel would be at the end of our trip and get a cup of coffee before heading back to our hotel.

We ended our day by having dinner in the upstairs Peacock restaurant at the Hera Hotel. The night view of Acropolis lit up was the highlight of the dinner (moreso than the food which was mediocre). The view reminded us of my mom staying up late during our trip to Paris nearly 25 years earlier, staring at the Eiffel Tower at night.

Day 2: Syntagma and Agoras

The next morning after another Greek-yogurt-heavy breakfast, we set off to visit Hadrian's Arch, Temple of Olympian Zeus, and Syntagma before heading towards the agoras. Our well-situated hotel was just a few blocks away from the arch, which sits outside the Temple of Olympian Zeus complex.

Upper level facade of the Arch of Hadrian

The arch is about 300m southeast of the Acropolis, and was thought to have been constructed around 131 AD to celebrate the arrival of the Roman emperor Hadrian. Built of Pentelic marble just like the Acropolis, the arch was thought to separate the old Greek and new Roman cities of the era, although this is disputed. Over the centuries, layers of soil accumulated around the bottom, covering (and preserving) the bottom 3 feet. The bottom columns are now missing but the arch still stands at its original height after restoration.

Turning the corner from the arch, we walked about 5 minutes to the main entrance of the Temple of Olympian Zeus. Although only ruins are now left, this must have been a truly colossal structure from what one can still see. Over the years, it seems like people knocked down the columns to repurpose the marble for other uses. Seismic activity also likely toppled some of the structures. Still, it must have been something to see at its height of influence - especially after taking over 600 years to build the 104 columns! Today fifteen columns remain standing today and a sixteenth column lies on the ground where it fell during a storm in 1852.

Temple of Olympian Zeus with Acropolis in the background

After exiting the Temple complex, we decided to take a "shortcut" through the National Gardens of Athens. While walking through, we encountered the Zappeion, which was the first building commissioned for the revival of the modern Olympic games. The cornerstone was laid in 1874 and was used during the first Olympics in 1896 as a fencing hall. It is still actively used as a conference center, and was again put into Olympic service in 2004 as a media center.

Zappeion with Greek flag atop

After relaxing a few moments in the gardens, we continued walking about 15 minutes north to Syntagma Square, which is the main square of Athens. The word syntagma means Constitution in Greek, because this is the site where the modern Greek state was born in 1843. Along the eastern edge is the Greek Parliament, housed in the old Royal Palace. Every morning, there is a changing of the guards which we were able to witness.

We then continued walking to the Roman Agora, a large square which housed the commerical activities of ancient Athens. The agora contained a plaza with shops along it.

Roman Agora entrance

 At the eastern end is an octagonal building known as the Horologion of Andronikos, also known as the "Tower of the Winds." The monument was thought to initially be a primitive astronomical observatory but later served as a church during the Byzantine era.

Facade of the Tower of the Winds

After browsing through an exhibit about the archaeological history of the site, we walked over to the Library of Hadrian. Originally built in 132 AD as a functioning library, it was seriously damaged by the 267 AD Herulian invasion (which damaged much of the ancient and Roman agoras as well). It was repaired in the 4th c. AD, and later centuries saw churches founded at the site.

Tetraconch Church remains, Library of Hadrian

Everywhere one went in Athens and Greece, there were cats. One in particular caught our eye near the entrance to this site, so we nicknamed him Hadrian's cat. As with the other sites, one had to use a bit of imagination to see what the place must have been like at the height of its glory. A few clues were still present, such as the colorful mosaic tiling still visible in some corners.

Mosaic tile at Library of Hadrian

Hadrian's Cat and friend

We next explored the nearby ancient Agora. The site was huge! Our first stop was the restored Stoa Attalos, which now houses a museum. We then walked the grounds, which now looks like a big park but must have once housed truly monumental buildings. One that still stands is the Temple of Hephaistos at the western edge of the Agora, built in honor of the god of metal-workers. The facade shows the labors of Hercules. It has remained in near continuous use since its erection, although serving varying functions as temple, church, burial site, and now museum.

Temple of Hephaistos

Our last stop of the day was Kerameikos, the potters' quarter of the ancient city which was also its main cemetery area. The word 'ceramic' comes from the same root. Again pressed for time by the 3 pm closures, we hurriedly looked through the museum and saw the replica sculptures in the field outside.

After being escorted out by the guard (more or less), we made our way for our routine afternoon coffee and headed back to the hotel, with another packed day behind us.

Day 3: Arriving in Santorini

We headed to the airport bright and early the next morning to catch our flight to Thira, the airport on Santorini. The first surprise of the day was running into my co-intern Ashesh's brother Anant and his wife waiting in line to catch the same flight! Anant lives about 5 minutes away from me in Boston - talk about small world!

After a pleasant 1 hour flight, we landed in Thira and rented a Peugot to tour the island. The main town is barely accessible by car, and we had to make several loops before finding parking and our hotel. But once we did, wow what a view awaited us!

Our first view of Santorini

Part of what makes the view unique is how Santorini formed. The land part is actually the remnant of a large sunken caldera. The island in the middle is actually the tip of the ancient volcano. In warmer weather, people will take boats out to the island and go hiking. Our hike for the afternoon merely consisted of walking down 618 steps to the harbor below. We went on our own human power, but there were donkeys available to ride if you really wanted to make the journey memorable!

The walk down 618 steps

The trip back up was much easier as we used the adjacent cable car. We made our way back to our rental car to drive to the northern tip of the island and the town called Oia. Initially we had grand plans to walk there, but the drive was pleasant enough. Our visit was timed to see the sunset, which Oia is well known for. After a few false turns, we made our way to the main viewing point.

Sunset over Oia

The temperature dropped quite fast after the sun went down, so we quickly found a dinner spot. It looked almost abandoned when we walked in, but by the end, the place was packed. We drove back and were about to turn in when my mom spotted a gelato shop. The lady was so nice that we eventually all got full scoops for a sweet end to a lovely day.

Day 4: Santorini's Revenge

The next day was overcast and eventually quite rainy. We attempted to go for a morning walk but were quickly drenched. My shoes unfortunately were not water-resistant and they soon soaked through into the socks. Still, our adventure was memorable if only for the contrast it provided with the day before.

Compare the caldera to the "before" shot above

We eventually headed back to the hotel and decided to drive towards the southern edge of the island before heading to the airport.  Along the way, we saw some of the famous blue domed Orthodox Christian churches that Santorini is also known for. We eventually ended up at the very tip of the island, at the Hellenic Navy Lighthouse. Not much was written about the site but the views were spectacular.

Hellenic Navy Santorini Lighthouse

We then made our way over to Red Beach,  a small beach composed of rust colored rocks. The place was lovely but had a bit of a surreal quality to it.

Red Beach, Santorini

Adjacent to it was Akrotiri, an archaeological site that is excavating the ruins of the ancient tribe that once lived on the island. We walked around the elevated platforms overlooking the dig for about thirty minutes before heading back to get lunch and catch our flight.

Scale model of Akrotiri site

We waited at the airport for about two hours until learning that our flight was canceled due to the bad weather. The airline put us up for the night at a nearby hotel, and we went to sleep pondering how much this would affect our upcoming travels.

Day 5: Leaving Santorini, Take 2 / Corinth and Epidavros

The weather cleared overnight and the flight back to Athens was uneventful. We immediately went to pick up our rental Volvo and hit the road. Driving in Greece was nerve-wracking at first, but I quickly got the hang of it! Luckily, it was quite similar to American driving as it is a left-hand drive country and the signage is mostly in English as well as Greek.

Our first destination was Corinth. The city sits on a thin isthmus which connects the Peloponnese peninsula to the Greek mainland. It also separates the Gulf of Corinth to the north from the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea to the south. For centuries, rulers had wanted to build a canal at this point in order to cut short the travel time around the peninsula. Eventually, in 1893, the modern canal was built and opened after 11 years of construction. About 6.4 km long but only 21 m wide at its base, it is not passable for most modern ships. We spent several minutes looking at the deeply cut canal and driving across the submersible bridge at the Saronic end before driving onwards to Epidavros.

We luckily reached Epidavros shortly before their closing time (a recurrent theme). The site is the home of Asclepius, father of western medicine, according to legend. After visiting a small museum, we went to the outdoor theater, or Asklepion, the site is most known for and boy was it impressive. Cut into the surrounding rock face, the stadium's acoustics are so good that an orator standing in the center can be heard unassisted by audience members in the top row. The site was also well-positioned to give a fantastic natural backdrop to any speech or drama performed.

Asklepion at Epidavros

View from the top row with the natural background

After another gorgeous sunset, we drove onwards to Nafplio, our night halt prior to our hike of Fortress Palamidi the next morning.

After finding our hotel and parking, we decided to get dinner before turning in. I had done a little research beforehand and suggested a pizza place about a block from our restaurant. As we walked by, the restaurant was entirely empty but fully staffed. Next door, the restaurant was packed but serving more generic Greek fare. We glanced at the next door menu but it was literally Greek to us. We decided to roll the dice and stick with our original pick. Usually, an empty restaurant is not a good sign but I had seen 100s of positive reviews beforehand. The food and service ended up being excellent, and in what was turning into a theme for the trip, the restaurant was packed by the time we left! It seems that we generally ate earlier than the locals most places, which worked well for us as the service was faster and we still could get to sleep in a timely manner. The food helped us fuel up for our big adventure the morning.

Day 6: Palamidi, Tyrins, and Mycenae

Fortress Palamidi loomed large as we planned this trip. The fortress had been built in the early 1700s by the Venetians during their second conquest of the area. The fortress has 8 bastions which oversee the Argolic gulf. To approach the fortress, there is a single staircase from the town square with between 913 and 1000 steps to the very top. Our hotel was nestled in the foothills below, just across the square, for perfect access for a morning hike. We woke up early the next morning in just-above-freezing weather and set off.

Climbing Palamidi - the "Before" shot

The initial climb was not too bad. We merely had to maintain a constant pace, taking each step at a time, and pausing at each switchback turn. The pauses were great not only to catch our breath but also to catch some gorgeous views of the receding town below.

View from the Bastion of Robert along the climb

Near the entrance, the walls of the fortress started to tower over our heads but we felt elated because we did it! We spent about thirty minutes exploring the bastions up top before making our way down. Funny how the steps went by much more quickly on the descent. Breakfast at the Nafsimedon hotel really hit the spot after our morning trek.

The main destination of the day was Mycenae, the ancient city-state that dominated the Greek world from about 1600 to 1100 BC. On the way though were the ruins of Tiryns. The site is now mostly leveled but is still noteworthy for its Cyclopean wall, so-called because the stones are so large they are said to have been put there by Cyclops giants. Although referenced by Homer and the mythic birthplace of Hercules, the site had been abandoned even as early as the time of the ancient Roman traveler Pausanias in the 2nd century AD.

Cyclopean wall stone

After a brief visit to Tiryns, we continued onwards to Mycenae. The citadel was initially identified by its Lion's Gate entrance, from the Pausanias' description. The modern complex consists of a museum, the Lion's Gate, and the foundations of about 10 buildings that still remain, including a large honeycomb shaped tomb known as a tholos.  We decided to visit the museum first, with the large tholos just outside. The acoustics were quite impressive, with a clear echo if one stood directly in the center.

Mycenae Tholos

We next perused the museum for about 15 minutes before walking through the main site. The museum contained many original artifacts from the site, some quite well preserved. The citadel was entered underneath the Lion's Gate, which consists of two large stone lions, standing silently over an archway.

Lions' Gate, Mycenae

Lions, up close

The hilltop contained the foundations of the buildings that fueled the settlement, such as a granary and the royal quarters. My dad separately went and saw the Tomb of Clytemnestra, another large tholos. We attempted to see the adjacent Treasury of Atreus, but - you guessed it - we just missed it because of an early closing time. The name is a misnomer as the site is actually a tholos of likely another sovereign, but was named by the archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann who discovered it, and the name stuck.

We had a long drive ahead to our next night halt, Monemvasia. The drive was quite scenic, and took us through the township of Sparta. Leonidas might be surprised to see this mythic historic home of warriors now looks like another sleepy countryside Greek town. After passing through Sparta, we turned southeast and headed towards the island of Monemvasia, reaching our hotel just after nightfall. Getting into our room though was a mini-adventure, as the receptionist spoke literally no English! We were eventually able to make our intentions clear and she led us to our room, which was ultimately quite spacious.

But not only did we need to rest but so did our car. The hostess pointed to a spot just next to the room and said the access was just around the back. So I dutifully went down to where the car was parked roadside, drove to the side of the building and started up a steep embankment, with several bewildered onlookers. I came to the end of the embankment and only saw a garage, with my intended spot behind a row of hedges. A man came running behind me, rapped on the window, and said "No! No! Private!" -- I was in someone's driveway! Turns out, the actual access point was tightly wrapped around the hotel itself, not a separate entryway. Backing out of that dead end embankment and up the actual ramp was one of only a few white-knuckle driving moments during the trip. With the car settled in, we quickly settled in for the night.

Day 7: Monemvasia & Mystras

The island of Monemvasia has an interesting history.  The name Monemvasia comes from two Greek words mone (single) and emvasia (entrance) referring to the 200 m bridge connecting the island to the mainland. Our hotel the Lazareto was just past the bridge on the island. The island was separated from the mainland by an earthquake in 375 AD. The town on the island was founded in 583 AD and in the centuries since underwent many changes in rule, including local despots, Byantine, Venetian, Ottoman, and ultimately Greek rule.

The "single entry" bridge to Monemvasia

The main attraction to staying on the island was the sunrise, as seen from the mainland. Given its fully eastern location, the time offered a surreal interplay between light, clouds, and waves with the rock acting as a constant amidst the gracefully dynamic backdrop. We awoke in darkness to drive across the bridge, park, and take in the sight.

Sunrise over Monemvasia

After seeing the full sunrise, we made our way back across the bridge and had a full breakfast. Before leaving, we spent two hours hiking to the top of the island to see the old town and the church of Agia Sophia at the top.

Church of Agia Sophia, Monemvasia

Heading out, we backtracked to Sparta in order to visit Mystras, which was a few kilometers past the town in the hills overlooking the valley Sparta sits in. The fortified town was the capital of the Byzantine Despotate of the Morea in the 14th and 15th centuries. A World Heritage Site, the ruins contain many monasteries, churches, and palaces from the era.

We walked through the entrance and initially saw a small museum with many artifacts before hiking up the hill to see the old monasteries. The dimly lit buildings contained hints of the past, with faded frescoes of Christian foundational stories painted on the walls.

Monastery interior

Faded fresco (Adoration of the Magi?)

Trekking down, we returned to our car to drive to the top of the hill. The area, commonly referred to as "upper" Mystras contains the Fortress and Palace of the Despots among other buildings. Guess what? We hit closing time again so could not really see the buildings. The 3 pm closures were really limiting our day!

Knowing that our sightseeing was done, hunger hit hard. The area is somewhat remote so we tried to use map reviews to find a place to eat. On the drive over, I noticed two women who had been at upper Mystras just before us turning off the road into a small cafe. The restaurant we tried looked truly deserted, so we decided to take a chance on the cafe... and what a find! A true gem tucked away in the hillside with fabulous views of the valley below.  Cafe Bistrot had friendly service, a diverse menu, and great tasting food. We greatly enjoyed our coffee break before our long drive to Kalamata for our night halt.  

Day 8: Messini, Pylos & Voidokilia

Kalamata, known worldwide for its olives, was mostly a pit stop for us on the way to the west side of the Peloponnese. That being said, the hotel gave us the full resort experience with nice views of the sea, luxury amenities in the room, and even a private infinity pool! The buffet breakfast was also quite good, and fueled us for another long day of driving.

One could get used to this!

Our first stop was ancient Messene, an archaeological site north of the modern city of Messini. The town was founded in 369 BC to support local rule after a long period of domination by Sparta. Today, the ruins contain the ancient city center, an asclepion and a quite well preserved stadium. We spent a few hours exploring the grounds, mostly on our own with few other visitors in sight.

Theater, Messene

Stadium, Messene

Afterwards, we quickly toured the associated museum, which continued several fine examples of the statues that had once lined the stadium. We next drove up the road less than a kilometer to the Arcadian Gate, which once protected the city. Still an active road, the gate is an impressive piece of masonry that would rank up there with the Cyclopean walls we had seen earlier.

Push & pull

We next drove across the southwestern arm of the Peloponnese to Pylos to see its castle but - yep, you guessed it, closed. Spent another hour driving South to Methoni and its island castle and what do we find? Closed! Luckily, our last stop of the day was a natural beach Voidokilia, something impossible to close due to the slow season.

At least we could still walk up to the door

Voidokilia Beach is uniquely situated on the western coast. Described as a round or omega shaped beach, it is a semicircular set of sand dunes. The spot of historical significance as well, as Nestor's Cave and Old Navarino Fort overlook the sandy shores. We attempted to hike to the Cave and Fort but soon realized the ascent would be too much for us to handle before sunset.

 The Omega of Voidokilia Beach

Sunset at Voidokilia

We made our way to seaside resort town of Marathonpoli for the night, before a long day of driving the next day.


Day 9: Nestor, Bassae & Olympia

Marathonopoli surprised us with a bonus pretty sunrise before we hit the road to visit Nestor's Palace. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the palace is mythologically famous as the seat of King Nestor and features in both the Iliad and Odyssey. Today, it remains as the best preserved Mycenaean Greek palace. We could even see the royal bathtub as it originally stood!

The design along the rim is still faintly visible

See?

After visiting a nearby tholos, we hit the road to Bassae, famous for the well-preserved Temple of Apollo Epicurius. And the name fits, because it is truly a site only for the very curious given how remote it is! Another heritage site, it was actually the first Greek site named to the list by UNESCO in 1986.

After over 2 hours of winding roads, we finally came to a wind-swept peak with only a large white tent visible from the parking lot. Eerie music was playing, which turned out to be from an explanatory video on loop. Initially, even the ticket counter was empty, so we wandered inside. A few minutes later, the attendant came to take our tickets and explain the significance of the site. He seemed happy to have any visitors at all! The site is supposedly designed by Iktinos, the architect of the Parthenon. At an elevation of 1130 m, it is quite impressive, although what we see is a partial reconstruction. It is likely well-preserved due to how remote it is.

Temple of Apollo Epicurius Colonnade inside the tent at Bassae

We eventually descended from the mountain for another few hours of winding roads on the way to Olympia. Site of the original ancient Olympics, today it houses the original site and a museum with many artifacts. Par for the course, we arrived there barely 45 minutes before closing time, so we hurriedly looked through the ruins and original Olympic field before heading over to the museum.

The original Olympic Stadium

The museum was quite impressive and well-laid out. They had attempted to recreate the statuary and frescoes that dotted the original site, including monumental works of Nike, Hermes, and others.

Nike, Goddess of Victory

Hermes, holding the baby Dionysus

As the last visitors to leave, we made our way back to the car and drove onwards to Patras for the night, before planning to see the Oracle... ok, the temple at Delphi and then the hanging monastaries of Meteora on the 'morrow.

Day 10: Delphi & Meteora

Day 10 might have been our earliest wake-up call. We had a few hours to drive to Delphi, before a much longer drive to Meteora. Crossing the bridge from Patras to the mainland found us saying goodbye to the Peloponnese (and about 15 euros haha). The drive was pleasant enough in the dark, with the early rays of dawn slowly breaking through.

We soon reached Delphi, a place of great importance in the ancient world. I had not realized how it was truly built into the mountains, with an almost vertical orientation. As rumor has it, the oracle would make vague pronouncements, which would then be helpfully "interpreted" by the priests, who would act as counselors to the rulers of Athens and the other surrounding city-states. By doing so, they helped guide the state-craft of the ancient Greek world.  In order to curry favor, each city would make grand donations to Delphi, such as the Treasury of Athens below. The central building is the Temple of Apollo, which dates back to the 4th c. BC. This is supposedly where the Oracle would preside and receive her premonitions.

Treasury of Athens

Temple of Apollo at Delphi

Another theater seating perhaps a 1000 was at the top. We then retreated back to our car and drove a few minutes down the street to the Delphi Museum, which was also quite well maintained. Items included the Delphi Sphinx, numerous friezes, gold collection, and a remarkably well-preserved charioteer.

Delphi Sphinx

Relief from frieze

Charioteer

We then headed out to Meteora (after a quick twenty minute detour - my only major GPS goof of the trip!). The drive was about three hours, but the roads were fantastic! Arguably one of the best highways I've ever driven on. In fact, one gas station we stopped at was so new, the shelves had not even been stocked yet!

Meteora is an other-worldly place. The name Meteora means lofty or elevated, and shares a root with the English meteor. The name holds because the rock formations that make up the town seem almost unreal. They are theorized to have formed as seismic activity pushed the rocks upwards, which were then reshaped by centuries of wind and other natural phenomena. About a 1000 years ago, monks who retreated to this area started to build what are now known as 'hanging monasteries.' We hiked to the Monastery of the Holy Trinity and then drove to the others.

Monastery of Holy Trinity

View of Megalo Monastery and others from Holy Trinity

The sunset from Meteora was spectacular. What a way to end a day!

Sunset at Meteora

Day 11: Thermopylae, Marathon, & Sounion

After a nice breakfast at the Archontiko Mesohori B&B we were staying at just outside Meteora, we headed back into the mountain morning chill to head onwards to Thermopylae. Popularized in the movie 300, Thermopylae is the site of the final battle between King Leonidas and the 300 Spartans against the thousands of soldiers of the invading Xerxes. Today, there is a large monument at the site as well as a small museum with a 12 minute video presentation and interactive displays about the battle.

Statue of Leonidas at Thermopylae

After the museum, we drove several more hours to Marathon, birthplace of the famed race distance and now home to a Marathon Run Museum. Built for the 2004 Athens Olympics, the museum hosts an impressive collection of running-related memorabilia, especially for Olympic marathon races.

First Place Medal at the 1896 Athens Olympics

Rain had started to fall at this point, so we quickly stopped by the stadium that hosts the starting line for the Athens Marathon. We actually drove about half the marathon route itself, which was clearly marked along each kilometer we passed.

Marathon Stadium, Athens Marathon starting line

Marathon road sign / kilometer marker

We continued driving south, actually passing Athens to reach the southern-most tip of mainland Greece and Sounion. The town is most famous for its Temple of Poseidon, built on a rocky outcropping overlooking the sea. The temple was built around 440 BC, during the age of Pericles. About half of the original columns are still standing today.

Sounion at sunset

Back of the Temple of Poseidon

The site was famously referenced in one of Lord Byron's poems:

Place me on Sunium's marbled steep
Where nothing save the waves
There, swan-like, let me sing and die!!

The weather turned quite cold, so while I quickly toured the sight (again, at closing time, the last visitor let in), my parents enjoyed a hot meal at the nearby cafe. We vowed to return the next morning, as our hotel was nearby.

Turned out our lodgings were quite hard to find! Despite being only 1-2 km away, the entrance was poorly lit with no adequate signage. After driving around in circles in the dark, we eventually called the proprietor who came to the gate to let us in. He generously "upgraded" us to a better room. Turns out though, the heater in the large entrance hall did not work, nor did the villa have views of the actual Temple. We used the time to plan our last hours in Greece as we drifted off to sleep.

Days 12-13: Yia-sas Greece!

The temple site did not open til 9 AM the next morning, so (for once!) we slept in until it was time to drive over. We snapped a few pics and then headed back to the airport to return the rental car.

After returning the car, we decided to make use of the public transportation system to take us back into the city. However, figuring out the subway was a bit confusing as our intended stop of Monastiraki was not clearly marked on the line map. Eventually the clerks clarified that all the lines ran that way so just hop on the next train.

Unfortunately, the next train was thirty minutes later, and the platform was outdoors. As we waited, a woman who spoke neither English nor Greek approached us about directions. We tried to explain what we were doing and she seemed to wander off, only to follow us onto the train when it arrived. The train ride over was pleasant enough, taking about 30 minutes.

As our stop approached, many people got up to depart. Some people seemed to make way for my parents, encouraging them to go forward with their bags. However, as the train actually stopped, the door my dad was in front of would not open! My mother darted to the next exit, fearing she would be trapped. I was unsure what to do, but decided to follow her since I would otherwise be the very last person out.

Eventually, the stuck door opened and everyone left. My mother and I looked to see my dad looking down and patting his legs. Initially concerned that he was injured or had dropped something, we quickly went to check him, only to hear him exclaim, "My wallet!" Confused, we looked around but nothing else seemed amiss. That same woman though mysteriously had exited with us and again asked for help before wandering off.

We soon decided to just treat this as a pickpocketing and check into our hotel to work on canceling all the relevant credit cards. Our fear was soon validated, as the online accounts showed that the thief had beelined to the nearest ATMs to take out cash. We systematically canceled the cards, but the experience cast a pall on our afternoon plan of visiting the National Archaeological Museum.

After the initial shock wore off, we recalled our earlier Cassandra, warning us of the pickpockets in the Athens Metro. We learned to heed his warnings the hard way. But, we also were grateful that no one was injured, there was no permanent damage, and we learned an important lesson. After relaxing in the room for a bit, we decided to head out anyway to make the most of the remains of the day.

We first walked to the city center to see the statue of Pericles outside City Hall and one of the main squares. We continued to the National Archaeological Museum. It was of course closed, but we looked at the statues outside for a bit before continuing.

Pericles of Athens

For dinner, there were many options in the area. The vegan restaurant we settled upon Mama Tierra was excellent, with tasty food and generous portion sizes.

Tasty dinner, Mama Tierra, Athens

The next morning, we decided to have breakfast and walk to Socrates' Prison before heading to the airport. The hotel had a terrace cafe with fantastic views of the Parthenon.

Sunrise over the Parthenon

The walk lead us back past the Agoras to the hill underneath the Parthenon. Areopagus Hill was the home of the ancient Supreme Court of Athens. Now it offered great views of both the Acropolis and the city below. Descending the hill, we walked along the western edge of the Parthenon to enter the park to the west of site. Located about 200 m within is a set of caves known as the "Prison of Socrates." While unlikely to be the actual spot Socrates was held in, they do hold historical significance, as they were used during WWII to hide items of historical value. The entrances we saw had actually been barricaded behind a cement wall until recent years.

Prison of Socrates

We enjoyed a leisurely stroll back to the hotel, before hailing a taxi for the drive back to the airport. We checked into our flight and bid a happy Yia sas!  (farewell) to Greece. Looking forward to our next visit to the Aegean shores!

Disclaimer

Relationship Principles

Through the ups and downs of my own relationship experiences, and those of my close friends, I have noticed some common themes about what makes them work. At the same time, when they run into issues, several underlying principles emerge despite how varied the problems may seem superficially. After highlighting what is important at the outset of a relationship (the preconditions), I will describe the four principles I rely on and my reasoning for them, and then outline how those principles must be used to build a future together.

The Preconditions

Relationships are as old as time, so unsurprisingly, much ink has already been spilled on this subject. For the modern relationship though, especially when you are first getting to know someone, Mark Manson's article on compatibility and chemistry in a relationship lays out what to focus on quite well. He notes:

Compatibility usually corresponds to the long-term potential between two people. High compatibility between people comes from similarities in their lifestyles and values. Educated and liberal people usually date other educated and liberal people. Hedonists usually date other hedonists. Insane religious nuts usually date other insane religious nuts. For no other reason than people of opposite moral values, quite literally, repel each other. And sometimes violently. 

Chemistry on the other hand, represents the emotional connection present when you’re with each other.

To start though, you must know yourself well. You should have a good sense of who you are, what you are willing to give to a relationship, and what you need in return. Once you know that, and you find it in another, these two simple C's of compatibility and chemistry are enough to spark a romance.

The Present

Once you get into a relationship though, knowing that you have chemistry and compatibility is not enough. You will encounter problems, as surely as you will encounter death and taxes. How you deal with those problems will matter more than how highly you score on the two C's. After a breakup where I felt I had all my ducks in a row, had that spark of chemistry and the deep sense of belonging borne of compatibility, I wanted to come with principles that helped me explain to myself how I had failed *within* the relationship. Here are the four principles I landed upon:

1. Categorical imperative 

2. Co-existence 

3. Communication 

4. Compassion

I'll admit that #2 is a shoe-horned way to make my principles be the four C's. Still, when I look back on ways that I have failed, I can often find at least 1 if not all four of these principles explaining what I was doing wrong regarding the things I can control. Let's go through each one, why I think it matters, and why I think it matters in this particular order.

Categorical imperative

This concept is most associated with Immanuel Kant. In his Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, he lays out his view of actions that can be categorized as absolutes. Many concepts become murky the more you look into them, leading a kind of moral relativism. For example, lying to your partner is bad. Lying to cover up an affair? Bad. Lying to cover up a surprise birthday party for them? Hmm... sounds okay.

Kant wanted to formulate a principle by which any action can be judged independent of the context it is in. He formulated this as:

Act only according to that maxim whereby you can, at the same time, will that it should become a universal law.

Breaking this down, Kant argues that you should act only in a way that could be followed by anyone at any time (the "universal" part). For a relationship, this means that act only in a way that your partner could act in the same way without issue. For a much deeper dive into this and how it can apply to your entire life and not just your relationship, check out Mark Manson's views on Kant.

A simpler way to remember this conceptually is simply The Golden Rule: do unto other as you would have others do unto you. This should be paired with what Black Swan author Nicholas Nassim Taleb has termed The Silver Rule: One should not treat others in ways that one would not like to be treated.

Co-existence

The second principle is better stated simply as being there. Even when things are tough, when they are mad, when you are tired, when there are a 1000 other things to do. To me, this is both a literal and figurative principle. Imagine you are having a fight with your partner - what's worse: hashing it out even if upset, or one person storming out? The first option requires literally being there, so there's at least some chance of a solution. If one leaves, guess what? Unless it was 100% their fault and 100% on them to solve it (rare), nothing will change when they return. If anything, things may be worse. If you are not physically able to be present, modern technology makes it fairly easy to still show that your partner has your attention. Being there in a relationship is a state of mind, and if you approach your relationship with that from the get-go, you will be better able to weather the storms life tosses at you.

Communication

This one is seemingly straightforward but falls into that category of things which are "simple but not easy". Communicating well requires layering multiple skills.

First, the old adage that God gave you two ears and one mouth and you should use them in that proportion applies. Listen.  Truly listen. Pay attention to your partner when they tell you about their day. If you are having an argument, try to first understand their position and literally restate it in terms that they would agree with. This way they absolutely know that you get their point of view and are not confused or intentionally not understanding what they are saying.

When you do speak, try to remember that you both willingly chose each other. You both want the best for each other. Make any comments about the person's actions not who they are or what their intent is. Remember that generally: less is more.

Compassion

I initially had this principle as empathy, but over time, I came to agree with the argument that LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner, author Brene Brown, the Dalai Lama and others have made that compassion is the higher norm.

Empathy manes to truly embody another's feelings. But if your partner is down, what does it mean for you to fully empathize with them? Do you just both feel down now? Have you made your partner's life better?

Animation, with audio of Brene Brown speaking on Compassion

Compassion starts with empathy but only goes halfway. At some point though, instead of meeting the person where they are, one retains some separate-ness in order to help one's partner through whatever obstacle they are facing.

Looking Ahead Together

This would be seem to be enough. If both you and your partner are there for each other, communicate well, and truly care about each other's well-being, what more could one want?

And truly, in any given moment, it probably is. However, the short runs becomes the long run over time. The only constant over the long run is change. Succeeding in the long run means being on the same path through life, which can be quite challenging since no one knows what the future holds.

Imagine that couple that everyone thought was perfect for each other. But then you hear after being married 7 to 20 years or so, they divorce because "they grew apart." This is where values and vision come into play.

Values can be defined as "broad preferences concerning appropriate courses of actions or outcomes." Remember that partner and relationship you were so certain about? What happens when it encounters the unknown, a near certainty in the future? If you and your partner are well-aligned in your values, you are less likely to react by how your partner might respond in the face of job loss, major illness, or any of life's other severe trials.

Values by their nature though are somewhat reactive. They are preferences on how you will respond when prompted by external cues. Vision though is proactive. It looks out on the future not as a dark place full of unknown but rather as a bright field of possibility.

What do you want out of your life? What does your partner want? In a romantic context, basic almost obvious questions should include: do you want to get married? Do you want children? Where do you want to live? How will you integrate your families? How will you handle finances? I am not saying you have to have perfect answers for all of these but if you are aware of that you are incompatible on a major axis, do not assume you or the other person will change.

For example, if you want kids and your partner does not, that's a really really important issue to hash out early. If it is irreconciliable, it is ir-re-con-cil-able: do not take up any more of your time or theirs. It is easy to avoid conflict and have wishful (if not truly magical) thinking early on during the honeymoon phase of a relationship, but this too will pass. If your partner is not on the same journey with you, eventually your paths will diverge. No matter how great the early experiences are, you are potentially foregoing spending that time with somehow who is aligned with you in the short-term and the long-term.

This is a lot to consider, which is why it is best to consider these principles before entering a relationship. The emotional rollercoaster that ensues potentially once a relationship starts means that all bets are off if you do not come prepared beforehand to deal with what you will and will not accept out of the relationship. If you cannot do the work early on, you will certainly be forced to work things out later at much greater cost.

I cannot say if these principles are generalizable, but they are what make sense to me. They are not a static set of rules but rather a dynamic guide to what we all strive to do everyday: work and play well with others. Make your own principles, and they will make you better, in relationships and in life.


For more articles on how to approach relationships, check out:

• Mark Manson's Relationship Advice
• How To Pick A Life Partner - by Tim Urban, author of WaitButWhy
• Your Broken Idea of Fairness - by Oliver Emberton

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Tidying Your Life

Netflix recently released a series called "Tidying Up with Marie Kondo." If you do not know who Marie Kondo is, she is Japanese author and organizational expert. Her 2014 book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up was a surprise hit and #1 NY Times bestseller. A 2016 NYTimes magazine feature piece exposed her to a broader audience, which is how I first heard about her. Reading the piece made me wonder: what's so special about cleaning up?

Kondo has blazed a new trail on a well-worn path not by any revolutionary new technique or device. Rather, what is novel about her approach is the framing. First, the book goes beyond merely cleaning up. Tidying up in Kondo's parlance is the process by which one creates their domicile such that it sparks joy within them. That's it. No geometric principles, no one-size-fits-all template. It is a concept simple enough for anyone to grasp.

Sadly, no Rosie the Robot included.
Source

 The advice itself though, to borrow a Buffett-ism, is simple but not easy. However, she utilizes one key principle and five categories of items to break the insurmountable task of tidying up. The principle is this:

Every item you possess should spark joy within you.

This literally means that when you pick up the item, you should feel at least some stirring of a warm fuzzy feeling. Someone looking at you should see a smile come to your face.

Okay, great - pick things up and see if I feel happy. Where to start though? The house is a mess! Kondo recommends breaking it down into five categories and going through the house in this order:

• Clothing
• Books
• Paper
• Komono (kitchen, bathroom, garage and everything miscellaneous) 
• “Sentimental items.”

The last category is in quotes because it will vary person to person. Someone into fashion might actually do clothing here because of all the memories and emotions attached to particular items of clothing. A literary sort might put books here.

Even within categories, it is important to get your bearings. For each category, find every relevant item in your house and pile them on a bed or other clear space. Pretty imposing, right? Where to even begin?

Kondo suggests starting with something you absolutely love to get a sense of what it should feel like. Think about that warm comfortable piece of clothing that you wear all the time and have had forever. Pick it up and see how it makes you feel. Using that as your "100", pick up other items and see if they make you feel at all like that. When in doubt, discard. Remember: these are objects that are generally replaceable if you go too far. If you feel an item of clothing is "irreplaceable" (perhaps a team uniform), save it for the Sentimental Items category.

Once you have sorted everything, Kondo has a wide range of tips for how to actually store the items so that they are both presentable and easily accessible. The details are beyond the scope of this post, but contained in her book, and its sequel Spark Joy. The second book goes through in great detail cleaning steps that you have probably been doing with muscle memory since childhood. For example, did you know there is a better way to store socks? I did not but now I do!

If you are generally happy with your life, why embark on this process? Simply put, tidying up your home helps you tidy up your mental space. By clearing physical clutter, you clear mental clutter. By making physical items more accessible, you make mental ideas more accessible as well. One cannot help but feel a creative spark after going through her method. Making a habit out of it is a way to sustain that sense of creativity and possibility going forward. See if the magic can be life changing for you.

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Decisive by Chip and Dan Heath

Chip and Dan Heath are brothers who are also co-authors. They have written several books about behavioral economics, including one focused on decision making called (unsurprisingly) Decisive. While many books tackle how to improve your life, this book is the best that I have read that specifically focuses on the decision making process. They proceed by looking at factors that lead to poor decisions, how to optimize deciding, and dealing with the uncertainty that accompanies any significant decision.

They start the book off by defining what they call the four villains of decision making: narrow framing, confirmation bias, short-term emotion, and overconfidence. Narrow framing makes you miss options. Confirmation bias leads you to gather self-serving info. Short-term emotion tempts you to make wrong choice (optimize for short-term instead of long-term). Overconfidence gives you unrealistic expectations of the future. They recommend countering these with WRAP method:

• Widen options to avoid a narrow frame. 
• Reality test your assumptions to avoid confirmation bias
• Attain distance before deciding to overcome short-term emotion (10/10/10 Rule)
• Prepare to be wrong to avoid overconfidence

The framing of a question as "Whether or not" to do something is a sign of a narrow frame. One must consciously consider opportunity costs. To fight this, consider the vanishing options test: you cannot pursue any of the options you are currently considering. Then what would you do?

Another approach to avoid a narrow frame is to consider multiple options simultaneously. This has to be tempered against adding in too many options. One can risk 'decision paralysis' by looking at too many choices; likely only one or two more options are needed.

Most problems are not truly novel. Humans tend to encounter similar problems over time. Instead of focusing on what makes your situation unique, look at what it has common with problems others have faced. Find someone who has solved your common problem. Look at competitors for best practices. Look at your past successes for "bright spots." Look for local analogies, then broaden the problem to look for regional analogies. Then ladder up, broadening analogies over time, to find more solutions.

Inverting the problem and considering the opposite is also a useful approach. Instead of arguing about who was right, ask: What would have to be true for this option to be the right answer? This switches the frame from arguing/defending to analyzing. The search for disconfirming info seems thoroughly negative, poking holes in your argument or others, but what if our least favorite option were actually the best one? What data might convince us of that? In a group setting if dissent is not looked upon favorably, this helps make it seem like you are problem solving.

One can also set a 'tripwire' that triggers team to look at issue again later. Ask for specific disconfirming info. The best question to ask to discover the truth was: "What problems does [the product / situation ] have?" because it signaled confidence and experience in the asker. However, in situations with a clear power dynamic (e.g. Doctor-Patient), the doctor is better asking open-ended questions. Confirmation bias affects not only the questions asked, but what is noticed in the first place.

Decisions in relationships can be even more challenging due to the emotions involved. In a troubled marriage, labeling the other's shortcoming becomes self-reinforcing, making the shortcomings easier to spot and positive acts unnoticed. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) founder Aaron Beck recommends couples keep a "marriage diary" of things that their partner does that pleases them. Assume positive intent. When you assume negative, you are angry. Assuming positive intent, you do not get defensive; you try to understand and listen because at your core, you feel like "Maybe they are saying something to me that I'm not hearing."

Sometimes stepping back from the problem is also helpful. You need to seek out 'outside view' of people who have experience in similar situations. An expert here is simply someone with more experience, not necessarily someone with a particular title or status. But be careful what you ask. Ask for base rates of success, not a particular prediction. The more detail you give, the better The authors refer to the Japanese term Genba, meaning the real place, or more loosely the place where the action happens. To decide,  you need detailed info from the scene, which helps reveal nuances that are not visible in the numbers. Zooming out is taking the outside view. Zooming in is taking a close up of the situation that can help inform our decision.

Once you have a sense of the scope of the problem, the authors introduce the idea of "ooch." To Ooch means to test an idea with a series of small experiments before fully committing ("Ooch before you leap"). We are bad at making specific predictions about the future. Applied base rates are better than expert predictions. "The best way to predict the future is to build it." This approach is not a panacea though: Ooching is lousy for situations that require commitment (e.g. whether to get married) but great for something like trying a new gym.

You are your own worst enemy when it comes to decision making. Specifically, your emotions. What happens when your future self disagrees with the decisions of the present? One way to mitigate this bias is the 10/10/10 Rule: How will you feel about decision in 10 minutes? Months? Years? By imagining yourself looking back at the present, you may be able to step out of some of the short-term emotions driving your actions. We analyze differently when thinking about others, so thinking about the future slightly shifts the frame so that you are thinking about you, but as a separate notion. We see the forest for others, the most important factor, but get stuck in the trees of many variables for ourself
Another way to put it: "What would I tell my best friend to do in this situation?" Short term emotion can make us both too quick to act but more often leads to delay because we focus too much on complexity.

None of this matters though if the decision is not in line with your core values. The goal of the WRAP process is not to neutralize emotion but rather to reveal what truly drives you in the long run
This is ultimately an emotion question speaking to passions, values, and beliefs. There's no rational machine underneath -- it's just who you are and what you want. The buck stops with emotion. Define and enshrine your core priorities. Create a "stop doing" list of activities to avoid. An extreme suggestion by the authors is to create an hourly timer to check if you're staying on task for the thing you most should be doing during that hour. Establishing core priorities is not the same as honoring them. One must clear out non-essential tasks to focus on core priorities

As the decision-making process proceeds, not enough time is spent envisioning the range of possible outcomes. The future is not a single scenario to predict but rather a range. Estimate a dire and rosy scenario (not necessarily best and worst outcomes). People using prospective hindsight, thinking deductively from a certain future, are better at generating explanations for why that outcome occurred. The author introduce the idea of a "premortem" - imagine the idea you had failed, then figure out why. To a lesser degree, one should also consider a "preparade" - to prepare for outsized success.

At some point after deciding though, one should set a tripwire. The tripwire is a combination of a deadline and a metric that causes you to reassess whether the path you are on is the right one. Tripwires do not minimize decisiveness but rather encourage risk taking because they create a safe space for experimentation. Tripwires can be especially useful when change is otherwise gradual.

Instead of viewing decisions as a singular up/down type decision, they are better viewed as a spectrum. Compromise / bargaining is valuable in and of itself as a way to limit risk by including a diversity of opinions. Bargainers come to the table with different options which helps the group dodge a narrow frame. Bargaining takes more time up front, but yields buy-in for a more durable solution. Not everyone will end up happy, but if those who lose consider the process fair, more likely to be okay with it.

What does one mean by 'fair' though? The authors define two forms of justice to address this issue. Procedural justice is a system in which the process of making a decision was just. Distributive justice is a system concerned with whether the spoils of a decision are divided up fairly. People feel better about outcomes where procedural justice was followed.

To enact procedural justice, listen, use accurate information, give people chance to challenge incorrect info, apply principles consistently, avoid bias and self interest, explain why decision was made, and be candid about risks / concerns. You need to be able to argue other side's position as well as they can to show that you truly understand and the decision is reality-based. The authors state,  "That's what a good decision process looks like. It's not a spreadsheet that spits out "the answer" when we plug in numbers. It's not a tallied list of pros and cons. It's a guardrail that guides us in the right direction."

A process provides confidence, which lets you quiet your mind because you know you made the best decision you could. Trusting the process gives you the confidence to take risks. Over time, people regret things they didn't do, regret hesitating, and regret being indecisive. Decisiveness is way of behaving, not an inherited trait. Better to try and fail than to delay and regret

Disclaimer

A Word About Pragmatics

I renamed the blog from "Ajit Anytime" to "Pragmatics" because I wanted the site to better reflect a focus on practical advice. From the idea that the posts would be practical, or pragmatic, I figured the collected ideas would be "Pragmatics."

I had heard the term before in this pluralized form, but knew that it did not actually mean a set of practical ideas. Looking into it more, I like the (improper) usage even more. The proper meaning of pragmatics is the branch of linguistics that studies how the transmission of meaning depends not only on linguistic knowledge but also the context in which the speech occurs. This is opposed to semantics, which looks at how meaning is encoded in the words themselves and how they relate to each other, free of any external context or prior knowledge.

I'm no linguist, but I liked this notion. Meaning requires context.

As a practical matter, every concept we encounter and incorporate has to be incorporated into a larger set of knowledge, akin to Charlie Munger's lattice framework. Each piece of knowledge connects to every other piece.

The people who become outsize successes are the ones who can connect disparate pieces of knowledge together either where no one is looking or no one believes the connection will hold. Steve Jobs gives a great example of this in his Stanford commencement speech, when he describes how a calligraphy class earlier in life inspired him to advocate for variable width fonts in the nascent Macintosh OS.

Will this blog rechristened will live up to its new title? Time will tell but hopefully by at least defining the term, we have a clearer model for its goal.

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New Spins on New Year Resolutions

Whether you make New Year Resolutions or not, it is hard to avoid the concept after the start of a new trip around the Sun. In some sense, not making a resolution is a resolution in and of itself. Instead of being antagonistic or overly idealistic, the best way to approach resolutions is to reframe them as an evolution of the self instead of a revolution that is doomed to failure.

What is a New Year's Resolution? Simply put, it is a commitment to one's self to change.  Historically, many cultures made annual offerings to the gods. The Romans made offerings to the god Janus, after whom January is named. Janus is the god of transitions and time, beginnings and ends. The tradition has carried forward to modern times, an informal custom thought about for a day or two and then soon forgotten. But why does it last then, if no one ever seems to keep to their commitments?

Every year, there are a few among us who manage to escape the futility of their resolutions. How do they manage to break free? You can't change other people, and you can barely change yourself, and yet... some people manage to change. How?

My theory is that these people change not by a revolution sparked by a resolution made at a single point in a time, but rather by a slow, gradual evolution that compounds over time. Instead of focusing on the goal (the "resolution"), they focus on the process that is either broken and needs to be fixed, or is absent and needs to exist.

In my own life, I went from couch potato to runner (and still occasional couch potato). I cannot deny there was some discrete day that I did go, buy running shoes, and go for a run. But I did not have a crazy goal of running a marathon that day. I just wanted to run a few miles and not feel defeated by it. And so I did. The next time, I ran a little bit more. And then some more. Until over time, it was not a resolution to run external to me, but rather a part of my identity: runner.

What makes me a runner though? Simple enough: the habit of running. The simple routine of putting on gym clothes, lacing up my shoes, and hitting the pavement (or ugh, treadmill). That's it - no grand ideas, no big aha! moments, just my headphones and the rhythmic pounding of the pavement.

Over time though, the habit compounds. I ran a 5k, then a half marathon, then several half's, then a full, and now several fulls. Nothing amazing to seasoned runners, but nothing short of miraculous to the guy six years ago buying a pair of shoes and hoping to knock out a few miles.

Don't make resolutions; make habits. For as the saying goes, you make your habits and then your habits make you. If you are going to resolve to do anything this year, resolve to a make a new positive habit and see where it takes you. Good luck!

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