Burning backdrop

The fire in BC - and resulting smoke haze that has blanketed the country – reminds me of my trip to Europe last summer. More specifically, it reminds me of my last days in Athens.

Mom and I left Athens for Canada on August 24, 2009. For anyone who isn’t aware, this was during the time that severe wildfires threatened parts of the city.

The day we climbed the Acropolis to visit the Parthenon was one I will never forget. On one side of the impressive structure, our pictures were beautiful and clear with a blue sky backdrop. On the other side, however, the Parthenon was shadowed by a quickly-spreading, apocalyptic-looking haze. To be honest, it was actually pretty terrifying. I don’t really believe in Greek Mythology, but it looked like the Gods were literally getting ready to unleash their wrath upon the city.

The following day, we woke up in the wee hours of the morning to begin the long trek home. We drove down the highway to the airport while it was still dark, and barely saw another car on the road. Then, as we turned a corner, I was confronted with one of the most awe-inspiring sights of my life. On the hill, about three miles away, was a huge, angry looking blanket of flames. They cut into the darkness savagely, and lit up the sky in an angry array of red and orange.

Both mom and I didn’t know what to think, and thankfully the cab driver explained about the wildfire before we truly panicked. The fire was far enough away that we weren’t in danger, but close enough that we felt we were not quite safe.

At the airport in London, we watched BBC News report on the event while waiting for our next plane. I wanted to shout “we were just there” over and over again, as if somehow that would lessen the enormity of the situation. We hadn’t realized what was actually happening while we were in Athens, which is probably for the best. Thousands of people were evacuated, and hundreds of homes were destroyed. If we had known, we might have left early. That would have been a tragedy in itself.

If you want to read more about the Athens wildfires, a good link is BBC News. There is a video of the flames on this site, which will give you an idea about what mom and I saw that morning as we headed for the airport in the dark.

Below, I have included a few pictures that we took while atop the Acropolis on August 23, 2009. Even though the fire was burning in the suburbs of Athens during that time, the smoke travelled for miles.

We didn’t manage to take the clear, stock photographs of the Parthenon that most tourists desire. But, I think the photos we got are special in their own way. Who could have guessed that during our two days in Athens, mom and I would become more of a part of history than we ever imagined.

(These were all taken on the same day, during the same visit. I think this last one sums up the situation nicely, don't you?)