In the Shadow of the Acropolis

By Simonne Celestine

Julia is an Australian woman who was apprehended by police in Athens. She was incarcerated in Korydallos Prison as she struggled to prove her innocence. Julia shared her life with women who had committed petty crimes as well as those who had committed gruesome murders.

She valiantly concentrated on making the best of her adverse circumstances, never losing sight of the day she would walk out through the prison gates and back into the freedom she had lost.

Her health suffers, and she overcomes a distressing accident, but she never gives up hope. This ordeal completely changes her outlook on life forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Jun 23, 2016
• ISBN: 9781514444054

Simonne Celestine

Simonne Celestine is a woman of many talents who lives on the beautiful Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. Ever since she was a child, she has taken great pleasure in writing down her thoughts and feelings, whether it be in short stories or in poetry. Throughout her life, she has spent many happy hours painting, sculpting, and creating splendid pieces of jewelry. Now that she has retired from the workforce, she is devoting much of her time to writing. Over the last five years, her enthusiasm for sharing the written word with other writers has given her the motivation to invite readers into her life.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

It was a beautiful sunny day when I set out on what I was expecting to be an epic adventure around the world. Golden sand and glistening sea cradled a wide expanse of deep blue sky. With a mixture of emotions welling up inside me, I waved goodbye to the friendly shores of my homeland, Australia.

Being a very adventurous and vibrant twenty-two-year-old girl, I forever dreamt about travelling. I imagined so many wonderful journeys lying ahead, beckoning me to take the first step.

Like many young people in the ’70s, I was filled with excitement at the prospect of discovering the world. There were so many exotic places calling me and my friends. It was the thing to do and I felt comfortable knowing I followed in the footsteps of numerous predecessors.

I always imagined flying into the city of London and buying a well-used camper van. This vehicle would carry me on a journey across Europe. I never had a fixed route in mind but preferred to leave that part of my adventure up to destiny, allowing whatever was meant to unfold. It was difficult at times to contain the excitement that was forever bubbling up inside me. I viewed my immediate future as if it was a treasure chest, begging to be opened. After considerable research, I decided the cheapest way to travel to London was to sail by ship to Singapore. From there, I could take a charter flight, which would deliver me to my final destination.

I remember that Valentine’s Day in 1974 as if it was yesterday. I stood on the deck alongside the other enthusiastic passengers as we sailed out of Adelaide harbour in South Australia. The ship Patris, owned by the Greek Chandris Line, was to be my home for the next few days. There wasn’t a soul on the shore waving goodbye to me personally but that didn’t matter to me at all. I enthusiastically waved back at the boisterous crowd, calling out goodbye and blowing kisses. My emotions soon took over and I felt the tears of sadness at leaving my native soil mingle with tears of joy which ran down my cheeks. The sound of people shouting, laughing and singing filled the air, while the band continued to play.

Some of the passengers threw streamers down towards their loved ones, hanging on to their connection for as long as possible. The final song that caused an increased flood of emotions within me was an old Vera Lynn number called We’ll Meet Again. This song echoed inside my head all the way to Singapore.

The Patris was a popular liner in those days, especially amongst Greek nationals. Of course, they would be coming in the opposite direction when they boarded her. Most were immigrants, eagerly looking forward to settling down in Australia, firmly believing it was the land of milk and honey.

In the eyes of many Greeks, who arrived in droves, Australia was considered to be the Promised Land. These brave families sailed right across to the other side of the world, leaving behind extended families and the multitude of customs they had grown up with. In most cases, their reason for doing this was to provide a better future for their children.

Their hearts were often heavy when waving goodbye to the beloved family members who were left standing on the shores of their homeland. Their hope for a wonderful new life was held deep within their hearts and their minds as well.

Before losing sight of the Australian coastline, I fell in love with the flurry of shipboard life. It was this sensation that compelled my decision to apply for a position on a cruise ship as soon as I arrived in England. I never gave it a second thought or even took the time to consider the disadvantages.

Almost as soon as my feet touched down on terra firma, I managed to find employment aboard a Greek cruise ship, which sailed regularly out of Southampton in the south of England. The position offered was that of a drink waitress, a role I had never taken on before. Sadly, my dreams became a little deflated as it turned out to be rather an undesirable job, involving long hours and a paltry remuneration. As soon as the ship docked alongside the wharf, I advised my employer I would be resigning.

I had made earlier arrangements to meet some of my Australian girlfriends, Jenny, Anita and Sue. I was thrilled to see them waiting for me on the wharf in Southampton. I ran down the gangplank with arms outstretched, so happy and eager to spend time with them again. After warm hugs and kisses, we gathered our belongings together and the four of us set off. We unanimously agreed to travel in the direction of Athens.

After checking the transport companies in and around the dockside area, we found a bus service offering trips between London and Athens. We were told the trip would take three full days but this information did nothing to deter our enthusiasm.

Luckily, we found a train that was going right through to London and it was due to leave any minute. The train pulled into Waterloo Railway Station in plenty of time to connect with the next bus service to Athens. Amusingly, everything to do with Greece at that time was advertised as special, including the bus we boarded.

The journey to Dover took just over two hours and it was after midnight when we arrived. It had been a very long day and it seemed the bus felt just like me as it slowly lumbered on to the ferry that would take us across the English Channel. Most of the bus passengers made a beeline for the bar, whilst others zeroed in on the duty-free shop, hoping to save a few dollars on their purchases.

The trip across the channel became rather uncomfortable due to the choppy seas being stirred up by the blustery wind. Unfortunately, this prevented most of us from obtaining some much-needed sleep. Some passengers spent a large amount of time in the toilet, feeling unwell, no doubt. Luckily, I was blessed with good sea legs and a strong constitution. We arrived in France in the early hours of the following morning. To the staff at the ferry terminal, I was sure we were a sick-looking bunch of tourists, to say the least.

The Greek bus driver herded us all on to his bus like cattle that had gone astray. He kept shouting at us to hurry because we were running late. We would have to make up for lost time because the ferry had taken longer than usual to cross the channel due to the buffeting wind and sea.

After leaving the port of Calais, we drove along the coast, passing through Dunkirk, which was the major battle site in World War II. We crossed the border into Belgium, passing through Brussels and then into Germany, calling into Cologne, which was so beautiful. I had never seen so many magnificent buildings in my entire life. Driving southwards, we stopped at Frankfurt for dinner and an opportunity to stretch our legs.

Driving on, we passed through Nuremberg and crossed the border into Austria. Just before entering Hungary, we had a short stop in Vienna, which took me back to that wonderful film Mayerling, starring Omar Sharif, Catherine Deneuve and James Mason. After reaching Budapest, we travelled in a southerly direction till we reached Serbia, Macedonia and finally, we entered Greece. After reaching Thessaloniki, the route we took was close to the shore, which was truly delightful, so different to the Australian coastline.

Finally, we arrived in Athens, which was a huge relief, having been cooped up in such cramped conditions for the last three days. My friends and I grabbed our luggage and immediately searched for a reasonably priced hotel in the area. We found a room with four single beds, which was great as it reduced the cost considerably. Excitedly, barely managing to maintain a degree of patience, we jostled for turns to shower and dress. We were all eager to begin our exploration of the ancient city of Athens.

We were keen to look around for a while and then find a cosy little restaurant to enjoy some authentic Greek food. We all agreed that Athens was one of the most amazing places we had ever seen. It looked different to other cities somehow and the four of us gazed about us in total awe. We spent a few quiet moments soaking up in our imagination all the history held within those ancient buildings. They almost appeared to be alive and wanting to be discovered.

During this short excursion, we stumbled upon a delightful restaurant that had a few tables outside in a garden atmosphere. There was a group of musicians playing traditional Greek music as well, so we had no hesitation at all in choosing to dine there.

The weather was perfect and it wasn’t long before we ventured out to the beautiful Greek islands, taking in Santorini, Naxos and Mykonos. I smiled to myself as I noticed the buildings were painted a brilliant white with deep blue trimmings, just as they were portrayed in glossy magazines. They appeared to be hugging the steep and rugged hills as though they were actually carved out of the rocks. There were literally hundreds of steps running between the homes and winding their way from the town squares perched on the cliff top right down to the water’s edge. We lingered for a moment, watching the donkeys earning their keep. Their strong backs were loaded with everything from baskets of vegetables to bags of cement. Their owners seemed cruelly determined to keep them moving up and down these steps with little chance to rest. How I wanted to give them a loving pat on the back.

My friends and I were having so much fun together and it seemed for a while that we were living a charmed life. Eventually, we came to the conclusion that we needed to find a way to earn some money because ours was fast running out.

I was extremely lucky and found myself a position almost straightaway. Without any hesitation, I accepted a job as a receptionist in an Athens backpacking hotel. The owner was a very nice man, whose name was Thanassy. I wasn’t to know at the time that one day he would become one of the most loyal friends I would ever know.

I enjoyed my duties at this backpackers hotel and I often found myself sharing wonderful travelling experiences with the guests who were passing through. Summer was extremely busy for us, with every room in the building being full to overflowing. Some tourists even elected to sleep outside, taking their sleeping bags up onto the roof. The attraction here was probably the charge, which was only one dollar for the night.

Every morning, I would sit out on the terrace area, beneath the fragrant vine, which crept across the wooden trellis. The thick succulent leaves formed a gorgeous canopy above my head. I would slowly sip a delicious cup of coffee, savouring every last mouthful, as I flicked through an English edition of the local newspaper.

One particular morning, as I was about to turn a page, an advertisement jumped off the page and screamed at me and so I stopped to read it. There was a cruise ship leaving Athens in a few days, heading to the Caribbean and the owners were seeking employees for various roles. The memory of my journey from Adelaide to Singapore filled my mind and instantly, I knew I would love to get back into this environment again.

I quickly folded up the newspaper and carried my empty coffee cup into the kitchen, placing it next to the sink, which was already loaded with dirty breakfast dishes. I wasted no time in making contact with the owners of this cruise ship. I must have made a good impression on the manager as the day after my interview I was offered a position.

In November 1976, I commenced working for the company and as it turned out, I was an employee of theirs for twenty-three years. I was hired as manageress of the gift shop on board. Amongst many other products, the most popular items offered for sale were jewellery, clothes, perfumes and a variety of souvenirs. I was delighted with my stroke of luck and convinced myself this job would be just what I was looking for. The gift shop was always closed while the ship was in port due to customs regulations. This meant I was given the wonderful opportunity to enjoy as much sightseeing as I desired.

The cities and towns I was fortunate enough to visit were many and always exotic. The destinations forever etched into my memory include the Greek Islands, Turkey and Egypt. There were many other delightful places along the picturesque Mediterranean coastline but these were just my favourites.

Later on, I boarded another of the company’s liners, which was based in the beautiful Caribbean. This experience was different again. I enjoyed its laid-back lifestyle and the white sandy beaches, which did remind me a little of home. Leaving this peaceful haven behind, the cruise ship transported me to the colourful sights and sounds of South America. I was lapping up all the diversity that was crossing my path, from the food to the architecture, the art and the music. I loved it all so much. I had parted company with Sue, Jenny and Anita as soon as I had landed my job on board the cruise liner. Anita had found work in Athens but Sue and Jenny decided to continue travelling around Europe. We still kept in touch and it was great to know that they were all doing well.

In March 1996, I decided to leave the Caribbean and fly back to Greece, having been offered a working position on one of the company’s other cruise ships. Twenty years on, it was almost like coming home as I had previously worked on the Stella Oceanis. Once again, I was given the responsibility of being in charge of the duty-free shop. This ship carried out weekly cruises, crossing the Mediterranean Sea over to Egypt and then sailing on towards Israel before returning to its home port.

By this time I had met George whilst working on one of the cruise ships. He was a Greek national and was a waiter in the dining room, sharing a cabin with four of his friends who were also employed in this area. We had a whirlwind romance and were married a few months later. The wedding was very simple, being held at the registry office in Piraeus. George’s mother, his brother and my friend Eileen were in attendance. We all celebrated the occasion with a delicious meal at a local restaurant afterwards.

About one year later, George and I went to America for a holiday and to spend time with my relatives who lived there. While we were there, I discussed with George about my desire for us to settle in Australia and he agreed. So about one year later, again, we left Greece and chose to make a life in Sydney. After a few months, it was clear to me that George was not settling into the Australian way of life. I was really upset about this and our relationship suffered. Sadly, it seemed there was no choice but to return to Greece.

On our return, we discovered that our old apartment in Piraeus was available for rent, so we decided to take it. It was already furnished, which meant that we could avoid having to make any large purchases. It was also large enough for George’s mother to come and stay, which she did a few weeks later. It was soon after we settled into the apartment that I was offered my old job back, of managing the gift shop on my old cruise ship. Not having many belongings, I took them on board with me, leaving just a few clothing items in a wardrobe in the apartment. George’s mother had become ill and he told me he felt it was important for him to stay at home and take care of her. I understood his need, so we agreed he should stay ashore.

I was about ten weeks into my contract and enjoyed the role I was employed to perform. The gift shop was closed at night and fortunately, for me, members of the staff were permitted to mingle with the guests; in fact, it was encouraged. I became friendly with a very nice family from Hawaii. On the evening before docking in Athens, they invited me to join them for a drink after closing up the gift shop. We sat in the lounge area until quite late, chatting and sipping cocktails. We laughed and applauded the members of the talent show, which had been put together by some of the more extroverted and hilarious passengers.

We partied well into the night and after lots of hugs and promises to keep in touch, we said goodnight and went our separate ways. Without even getting undressed, I crashed on to my bed, quickly falling into a deep sleep. I awoke at seven o’clock after a much shorter sleep than I really needed. I showered, put on some fresh clothes and made my way up on to the deck. The ship was pulling into dock in Piraeus, our home port.

CHAPTER TWO

My best friend Eileen, who was my witness when I married George, was working on another cruise ship based in Athens at the port of Piraeus. She was off-duty the morning my cruise ship was docking. I caught a glimpse of her waving and she called out to me as we tied up to the wharf, Julia, how about having breakfast together?

Love to! I called back with a big smile on my face.

As soon as the passengers had all disembarked, Eileen hurried up the gangplank and gave me the biggest hug, which I returned with just as much enthusiasm. This was always the perfect opportunity for us to exchange all the latest gossip, something which had become a regular event, most Fridays anyway.

We were having a wonderful time, exchanging stories, some of them dramatic, some awful and others so hilarious we split our sides laughing. Cruise ships are a great source of storytelling. There is always so much happening and numerous interesting characters to meet and spend time with. There is never a dull moment whilst sailing on the high seas, guaranteed.

Eileen and I ordered some breakfast. We were waiting for it to be delivered when there was a loud knock on my cabin door. Without any hesitation or interruption to our conversation, I calmly opened the door, still looking at Eileen. I was expecting to be greeted by one of our smiling stewards, delivering the delicious omelettes we had ordered a few minutes ago. Instead, urged on by the shocked and puzzled look on Eileen’s face, I turned around to face the open door. What I saw before me was not one but seven burly and serious-looking men. They were all staring at me with stony looks on their faces. I gasped in surprise and putting my hand to my gaping mouth, I swallowed the lump in my throat.

After what seemed like an eternity but only a few seconds of silence, I meekly said, Good morning, how can I help you? Still looking extremely serious and as if in practised unison, every one of them flashed their police identification badges. Feeling rather stunned, I tried to focus on the situation at hand as I listened to each one of them going through the process of introducing themselves. At first I thought it was a silly prank cooked up by my work colleagues and I struggled to stop myself from nervously laughing.

I turned to look at the officer who appeared to be in charge and said to him in a calm and polite manner, I can’t imagine why on earth you want to speak to me. As far as I know, I have done nothing wrong in my entire life. I think you must be looking for someone else, not me.

For a moment there was complete silence and you could have cut the air with a knife. Eileen stood up and attempted to leave. She gave me a quick hug and said, See you tonight, Julia. I’ll be off now. In an instant, one of the police officers stepped forward. He put his arm out in front of her and Eileen was ordered to sit down again.

My mood changed in a flash. This feeling intensified when they began firing questions at me. They were seeking a lot of information about George Ventzopolous, who was, of course, my husband. When I asked them to pause for a minute, they obliged.

Still remaining reasonably calm, I said to them, Please tell me what this is all about. My head is spinning with all kinds of thoughts. I am finding this course of events very strange. Whatever it is you aim to charge me with, I wish to make you aware I have never broken the law in my entire life!

I could feel my voice waver and I trembled with rapidly increasing fear. My mouth was becoming dry and my knees felt terribly weak. I failed to understand why these police officers kept asking me so many bewildering questions. They made very little sense to me and I was having trouble trying to comprehend what this was all about.

As far as I knew George was staying at his mother’s apartment, taking care of her because she was sick. I offered this information to this group of austere-looking men who were scaring me half to death. They looked at me as if I was mad and then at each other, raising their eyebrows.

The next piece of information pricked up my ears and sent me into a deep state of shock, forcing me to quickly sit down. My legs felt as though they would give way any minute, compelling me to collapse in a heap on the floor of my cabin. At this point, one of the officers, again the one who appeared to be in charge, looked directly into my eyes.

In a stony tone of voice, he stated, Madam, I have to inform you that your husband, George Ventzopolous, has been arrested. He has been charged with being in possession of a dangerous drug.

I was struggling to catch my breath now and the statement that followed was even more shocking. The