Umlando Odumile Wase-Athens Nekusasa Eliyinselele

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! EGREECE

IBHANOYI lijika okokugcina ngaphambi kokuba lithi cababa e-Athens International Airport. Ngemva kokuhamba iminyaka emibili, ngibuyela endaweni eyayiyikhaya iminyaka engu-20. Ngiyazi ukuthi ezincwadini zomlando leli dolobha eliphansi libhekwa njengendawo okwaqala ukusetshenziswa kuyo isimiso sokubusa ngentando yeningi.

Lapho sesehlile ngithola ukuthi ngaphandle komlando, ubuciko, namatshe ezikhumbuzo, inhloko-dolobha yaseGreece edumile nenamatshe igcwele abantu abakhuthele futhi abanethemba. Ngiphawula nokuthi izakhamuzi zayo ezinobungane futhi ezimamathekayo zisebenza kanzima ukwenza idolobha lazo liphumelele—ikakhulukazi ngoba lilungiselelwa ukuba kudlalelwe kulo iMidlalo Yama-Olympic ngo-2004.

Umlando Odumile

I-Athens ihlehlela emuva ekhulwini lama-20 leminyaka ngaphambi kukaKristu futhi yaqanjwa ngonkulunkulukazi waseGreece u-Athena. Lapha usengahamba emigwaqweni okwakuhamba kuyo uSocrate, ungene esikoleni u-Aristotle ayefundisa kuso, noma ujabulele imidlalo yaseshashalazini ekwenza udabuke noma uhleke kuwo kanye amashashalazi uSophocles no-Aristophanes ababenzela kuwo imidlalo yabo.

I-Athens kwakungelinye lamadolobha okuqala aphethwe uhulumeni waseGreece futhi ngekhulu lesihlanu B.C.E. lalijabulela izikhathi zalo zodumo, inkathi yokuchuma kwalo. Phakathi naleyo nkathi i-Athens eyayibuswa intando yeningi yafeza indima ebalulekile ekunqobeni kweGreece iPheresiya futhi yaba isikhungo sezincwadi nezobuciko saseGreece. Inani elithile lamatshe adumile ezikhumbuzo zezakhiwo nalo lamiswa cishe ngaleso sikhathi—phakathi kwawo kukhona eleParthenon enhle eyaziwa kakhulu.

Nakuba abase-Athens bakwazi ukuphunyuka ejokeni labasePheresiya, kamuva baba ukudla kwenkemba ezitheni zabo ezindala eziseduze nasekhaya—iSparta. Emakhulwini eminyaka alandela, i-Athens yayiyidolobha elalinqotshiwe, libuswa yiMacedonia, iRoma, ababusi baseByzantium eConstantinople, amakhosi eziMpi Zenkolo amaFrank, nabaseTurkey. Lapho amaGreki ethola inkululeko yokuzimela ngo-1829, i-Athens yayisiyidolobha lesifunda elincane okwakuhlala kulo izinkulungwane ezimbalwa nje zabantu.

Okwenzeka Namuhla

Kusukela ngo-1834, lapho i-Athens iba inhloko-dolobha yaseGreece, leli dolobha liye lakhula ngesivinini. Manje lihlanganisa indawo engamakhilomitha-skwele angaba ngu-450, lendlalekela ethafeni lase-Attic. Amaphethelo alo afinyelela emithambekeni yeNtaba iParnes, iPendelikón neHymettus. Leli dolobhakazi lihlala abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezine nengxenye—cishe amaphesenti angu-45 abantu baseGreece. Ingxenye enkulu yalo yakhiwa ngaphandle kokuhlelwa futhi kungekho mithetho elandelwayo. Uma silinganisela, cishe izindlu ezingaphezu kwezingxenye ezintathu kwezine zakhiwa ngokungemthetho, futhi namuhla yingxenye encane kakhulu ye-Athens engamboziwe ukhonkolo.

Izindlu eziningi zesimanje e-Athens zakhiwe ngendlela yokwakha ngokuthela ukhonkolo. Leli dolobha libonakala lisithekile elangeni, njengoba linezinsika zasendulo eziphakeme ezivela lapha nalaphaya, ezigcwele ukungcola okubangelwa izimboni nezimoto.

Njengakwamanye amadolobha anamuhla amaningi, i-Athens ihlushwa umusi. Kwakheka ifu elinomusi—abantu bendawo abalibiza ngokuthi i-nefos—emamitheni ambalwa ngaphezu koxhaxha lwezinti zethelevishini. Intuthu ikhumuza amatshe ezikhumbuzo ngesikhulu isivinini kangangokuba abavubukuli bake bacabangela ukwakha ingilazi eyisivikelo phezu kwe-Acropolis. Izexwayiso ngokungcola zijwayelekile. Uma izimo zezulu zivalela lentuthu phakathi kwezintaba ezizungeze i-Athens, i-nefos ingababulala abantu. Ezinsukwini ezinjalo, izimoto ziyenqatshelwa ukuhamba edolobheni, izimboni zinciphisa ukusetshenziswa kwamandla akhipha intuthu, asebekhulile belulekwa ukuba bahlale ezindlini, futhi abase-Athens bacelwa ukuba bashiye izimoto zabo emakhaya.

Abase-Athens bayalishiya idolobha ngobuningi babo ngezimpelasonto. “Ngena emotweni yakho,” kusho uVassilis—isakhamuzi sase-Athens esesimnkantsh’ ubomvu—njengoba ejabulela i-baklava enambitheka njengoju, enongwe ngamantongomane nenkomishi yekhofi elibabayo kwelinye lamathilomu. “Ngemva kwamahora ambalwa nje kuphela, uyobe ususezintabeni noma olwandle.” Lokhu kusho ukuthi ungangena emotweni yakho futhi uhlale esiminyaminyeni sezimoto amahora ambalwa ngaphambi kokuba uphume edolobheni ubhekise amabombo emaphandleni.

Ukuhlanza Nokukhuculula

Nokho, i-Athens ithi izimisele ngokuhlanza, futhi umlando wayo uyakuqinisekisa lokhu. Ngokwesibonelo, imigwaqo yezimoto ivaliwe engxenyeni enkulu yezamabhizinisi esenkabeni yedolobha. Ngaphambi kokuba ivalwe, le migwaqo ephakathi kwezitolo yayingeminye yemigwaqo eminyene ukuyedlula yonke. Izimoto zazihamba ngesilinganiso samakhilomitha amahlanu ngehora, okuyijubane lomuntu ozihambela kahle nje. Manje izihlahla sezithathe indawo yesinyokotho sezimoto, futhi umculo wezinyoni usuthathe indawo yomsindo wezimoto njengoba zishintsha amagiya nowezithuthuthu ezishushuluzayo. Idolobha selize labekela inselele indlela yokuphila engokwesiko yaseMediterranean, ngokucela izisebenzi ukuba ziyeke ukuphuthuma emakhaya zijahe ukuyothatha isihlwathi—okuwumkhuba oye wanezela amahora amabili engeziwe esikhathi esimatasa.

UNikos Yatrakos, isekela lemeya yase-Athens, lisenethemba. Lapho ngiphawula ukuthi kungithathe amahora amabili akhathazayo ukufika ehhovisi lakhe, unqekuzisa ikhanda ngozwela. “Kodwa ungakhohlwa,” egcizelela ngokushesha, “imidlalo yama-Olympic ka-2004 iyeza. Sizimisele ukuthuthukisa idolobha, futhi sizophumelela.” UConstantine Bakouris, ongumhleli oyinhloko wale midlalo, uyaphawula: “Kumelwe [siyiphathe] kahle iMidlalo. Kodwa ngokombono wethu, siqondiswa usuku oluyolandela ngemva kwayo. . . . Sidinga ukwenza izinto esaziyo ukuthi zizohlala isikhathi eside.”

Iqiniso lokuthi e-Athens kuzoba nemidlalo yama-Olympic ka-2004 liye lavusa igagasi elingakaze libe khona lezenzakalo nokuthuthukiswa kwayo. Kuyo yonke indawo imishini iyamba ukuze kuthuthukiswe ingqalasizinda futhi kwakhiwe imigwaqo nezinkundla zemidlalo. Ukunwetshwa kabusha kwedolobha ngamakhilomitha angu-18 sekuyaphela. Uma konke kuhamba njengoba kuhleliwe, ngo-March 2001 ibhanoyi lokuqala liyothi cababa esikhumulweni sezindiza samazwe onke esisha sase-Athens, isikhumulo sezindiza esibhekwa njengesiyisimanje ukuzedlula zonke eYurophu.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngonyaka ka-2001, imigwaqo emikhulu engamakhilomitha angu-72 ubude iyobe isiqediwe. Iyokwenza ukuba izimoto zihambe ngaphandle kwedolobha lase-Athens, futhi lokhu kuyothuthukisa ukusetshenziswa kwezinto zokuhamba zomphakathi. Kunethemba lokuthi lokho kuyonciphisa inani lezimoto edolobheni ngezimoto ezingaphezu kuka-250 000 ngosuku futhi kwehlise ukungcola komoya ngamaphesenti angu-35. Uhlelo olusha lokuhlanza amanzi angcolile e-Athens namaphethelo luthembisa ukuthuthukisa izindawo ezincikene nolwandle ezizungeze inhloko-dolobha. Umgomo oyinhloko, uwukuguqula i-Athens ibe idolobha elisha eminyakeni emibalwa nje, elinesimiso sezinto zokuhamba esithuthukisiwe, izindawo eziningi ezinohlaza, nendawo ehlanzekile .

Indawo Yokuhlala Ye-Athens Endala

Naphezu kwamabhilidi amade amahhovisi amasha, imigwaqo emikhulu elungisiwe neziphethu, izitolo eziwubukhazikhazi, imigwaqo ematasa, kwabaningi, i-Athens iyohlale iyidolobhana—elizenzela noma yini kunokuba liqondiswe, eliyinhlakanhlaka kunokuba lihleleke. Ingxenye ye-Athens esadolobhana itholakala kulezo zingxenye zedolobha ezisenezindlu ezinophahla lwama-tile novulandi abavikelwe yizinsimbi nezitsha zezimbali zohlobo lwe-geranium.

Ukuze ngithole leyo Athens, ngivakashela ePlaka, enye yezindawo zokuhlala ezindala kakhulu zedolobha, ezendlaleke emithambekeni ye-Acropolis engasenyakatho. Lapho ngithola inxanxathela yemigwaqo emincane eyehlelayo emagwincigwinci, izindlu ezimbelwe phansi, izitolo zamawayini, amakati nezinja ezilahlekile, amathilomu nezinqola eziqhutshwayo. Le ndawo isenesasasa, umoya wokuba nezikhathi zenjabulo odonsa izihambi. Amatafula ngezinye izikhathi othola ukuthi omunye umlenze mfushane kakhulu aklelé eceleni kwemigwaqo, nezihlalo ezincane. Oweta baphethe izincwadi ezivuliwe zoku-oda ukudla, bazama ukukhanga amakhasimende.

Umsindo wokuduma kwezithuthuthu ugqiba umculo womdlali wemfiliji. Uhele lwezikhwama zesikhumba esisanda kushukwa lulenga phambi kwezitolo ezidayisa izinto eziyisikhumbuzo. Izinto zokudlala umdlalo we-chess ezenziwe ngezimabula eziyimifanekiso yonkulunkulu baseGreece ami njengamabutho empi, izithombe ezincane zisiniswa imidanso yamandulo, imishini yobumba edonsa amanzi ilokhu iphendukile. Kuyacaca ukuthi le ngxenye yedolobha ayiyingeni noma imiphi imizamo yokuyiphucula.

I-Athens Ebusuku—Okubonwayo Nemisindo

Ukuvakashela e-Athens akuphelele uma ungazange ubone ingcebo yamasiko aleli dolobha. Namuhla kusihlwa, nginqume ukuyolalela umculo nomkami enkundleni kaHerode yemidlalo yasesiteji esanda kulungiswa yaseRoma, esemthambekeni oseningizimu ye-Acropolis. Njengoba abahamba ngezinyawo bezongena kule nkundla bakhulumela phansi, indlela ikhanya kancane ezithunzini zezihlahla zikaphayini. Ingxenye yesakhiwo engaphambili ekhanyisiwe eyenziwe ngamatshe ohlobo lwe-ocher ivela ngendlela ekhangayo phakathi kwezihlahla. Sithenge amathikithi okuhlala emphemeni ongaphezulu, ngakho senyuka ngezitebhisi ezenziwe ngemabula bese singena ngaphakathi kule nkundla yemidlalo yaseshashalazini emnyango owenziwe ngendlela yaseRoma.

Sithi ukuma kancane—isibhakabhaka simnyama, inyanga ethi mayigcwale ngemva kwenkungu yamafu, nokukhanya kwamalambu kagesi, aguqula ingxenye ephakeme engaphakathi yophahla oluyindilinga ibe inkundla ekhazimulayo. Amakhulu abantu—ababukeka bebancane futhi bekude kule nkundla enkulu yemidlalo yaseshashalazini, ekwazi ukuhlalisa abantu abangu-5 000—ahamba emigqeni eyindilinga eyenziwe ngemabula ukuze athole izindawo zawo. Lezi zihlalo ezenziwe ngamatshe zisafudumele ngenxa yokushisa kwelanga, yiwo la matshe afanayo aye enanela imidlalo yaseshashalazini, umculo, uhleko nokushaywa kwehlombe izinkulungwane zeminyaka.

Esingekulibale iminyuziyamu eminingi yaleli dolobha. Evelele phakathi kwayo i-National Archaeological Museum, ehlaba umxhwele nekubukisa imifanekiso yalokho okwakwenzeka eGreece emakhulwini eminyaka. Eminye iminyuziyamu efanele ukuvakashelwa i-Museum of Cycladic Art ne-Byzantine Museum. Kusukela ngo-1991 iMégaron Athens Concert Hall—isakhiwo esihle ngendlela eyisimanga esakhiwe ngemabula esikwazi ukukhulisa umsindo—unyaka wonke siye saba yindawo yomculo we-opera, i-ballet, nowe-classic. Futhi, ngokuqinisekile, ungajabulela umculo wendabuko wamaGreki kuma-taverna amaningi endabuko.

Wamukelekile!

I-Athens yesimanje nomlando wayo odumile ibhekene nokucindezela kwekusasa eliyinselele. Kodwa abantu bakhona baye bafunda ukuvumelana nesimo ngangokusemandleni, ngamahlaya amahle, ikhono lokusungula, ne-philotimo—ngokwezwi nezwi okusho ukuthanda ukuzihlonipha. Izivakashi eziningi zisalokhu zibheka i-Athens njengedolobha elithakazelisayo futhi elicebe ngamasiko.

[Ibalazwe ekhasini 13]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

I-Athens

[Isithombe ekhasini 14]

I-Parthenon, ithempeli lamaqaba lakudala, liye lasetshenziswa njengesonto nesonto lamaSulumane

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

I-Athens ihlala abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezine nengxenye

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

I-“taverna” ePlaka, indawo endala kunazo zonke e-Athens

[Umthombo]

M. Burgess/H. Armstrong Roberts

[Isithombe ekhasini 17]

Ovulandi bagcwele kwezinye izitolo ezidayisa izinto eziyizikhumbuzo

[Umthombo]

H. Sutton/H. Armstrong Roberts