So from the 20th to 26th April I headed to Athens with my bf & some friends for the first time to do a parkour seminar with Athens Parkour Academy.
It was an amazing experience, people there were kind, welcoming and warm. On top of this it was a great place in general to get lost in and explore. Even late at night there were shops open until 2AM in the morning. There was a great atmosphere when we went through the market places and at one point we chatted to a very talented painter.
PARKOUR!
The 4th Athens International Parkour Seminar was something I would 10/10 do again, not only was it a good workout but it got me to try things I have never done before. Including working on one of my biggest fears- heights. It is something that I will probably never completely get rid of but to be much more comfortable with heights, in terms of walking around and jumping at height would be awesome. Mainly, because you see some of the most amazing sights when you are up high, plus it can be a lot of fun. (For example: the crowd surfing: I was scared to go up, but when I did it, it was soo fun hahaha)
There was also rail stuff & balancing both of which I am very awkward on. This is mainly because I am scared of slipping but working on it and doing balancing, precisions and various other things on the rails made me slightly more confident on them.
To be honest it was not only the seminar that has made me gain confidence on rails and heights but the various Parkour classes, events and things which worked us on balancing and precision jumps on rails as well as doing things high up. Things that when I first started I would have looked at and just gone nope, not doing that or there is no way I can do that at all.
Additionally the parkour community in Athens are really friendly and easy to talk to. They are also a lot of fun to train with and always had a smile on their face, which just made you want to smile in return. I also got to do a couple of classes in the New World Gym [Athens Parkour Academy, Minoos 13, 11743 Athens, Greece] which were a lot of fun. Panos & Anmar along with the other instructors were really friendly & welcoming. If you have the chance and you are in Athens you should definitely go and have a try. Oooo there is also this really cool cat. 🙂
FOOD!
Food was delicious and we managed to find a cute little vegetarian place called Avocado [Nikis 30, Athina 105 57, Greece] which was super yummy. When we weren’t eating in this place I was lucky enough to have some amazing people around me to tell me what was veggie. Another place that is definitely worth eating at is The Tavern (Pytheou 106 str, 11743, Athens, ‘To Koutouki tou Thoma’) whereby you eat homemade Greek Food. My favourite was the stuffed cabbage rolls. ❤
For ice-cream I suggest ‘Le Greche‘[16Α, Mitropoleos, Athina 105 63, Greece], they had a variety of delicious ice-cream & milkshakes.
Finally for the best bubble tea I’ve ever had you should hit up Bubble Tale Teabar [Aiolou 17, Athina 105 51, Greece].
It was great it’s like a slushie but in bubble tea form! It was so good that we went there not just once but twice!
AIR B & B
All in all it was an amazing trip & somewhere I’d love to go again. 😀
Elizabeth Han Hopkins 