Changing of the Guard

Despite a past-midnight arrival all the way from Vancouver the night before, on my first morning in Athens, I hoofed it up to Syntagma Square to see the changing of the guard outside the Greek Parliament. A small ceremony takes place hourly, but on Sunday mornings, there is a more elaborate ceremony with an entire platoon taking part and I was keen to see it.

Truth be told, I can’t resist a fine uniform. Or a marching band.

The unique uniform of the Greek Presidential Guard has its origin in those worn by the soldiers who liberated modern Greece from the Ottomans. Officially adopted in 1867, they take six months to make (stitched entirely by hand) and one hour to put on. The skirt has 400 pleats, representing the number of years that Greece was under Ottoman control. The white colour of both skirt and shirt symbolizes the purity of Greece’s struggle for independence.

The vest takes the most time to make as it involves intricate embroidery. The red cap symbolizes the blood spilled by the soldiers, and the black tassel symbolizes the tears shed in mourning. The shoes are handmade and based on footwear worn since Byzantine times. The distinctive pompom was originally added to help make the toe waterproof.

A bit of Google research gave me tips as to where to stand to get the best photos. When the crowds got to be too much for me, I wiggled my out and found a spot alongside the street I knew the soldiers would leave by.

I got lucky. Right place, right time.