In May I was lucky enough to have a paper accepted at a conference organised by the Netherlands Institute Athens on the subject of Textiles Production and Representation: From Pre- to Postmodernity. It was an incredible three-day event with truly international delegates and it was fascinating to hear about so many aspects of textiles. From spinning to weaving and knitting, from personal narratives to shared histories, from craft practices to industrial production, I learned so much. Everyone was sharing with their research and supportive of each others. I presented my ongoing practical research and received great interest and feedback too. It is a time I won’t forget easily and I’m sure we will cross paths again.

I was able to tag a couple of days of leave on to my trip so there was enough time to explore Athens. I’ve transferred flights over recent years and was last in the city as a young child with memories of intense heat and traffic, but my experience this time was very different. I explored the city on foot, through small alleys and back streets, up and down steps as well as hills. I sat watching sunsets, and took in the sites, including the Acropolis twice! I was completely taken with this city.

I walked miles, visited museums and landmarks, ate wonderful food and took lots of photographs! The dates of some of the artefacts I saw was mind blowing, as was the incredible craftsmanship. I can thoroughly recommend the Benaki museum, the Ghika museum, the Acropolis museum, the Archaeological museum, the stadium, the small squares, the classical ruins, the changing of the guards and botanical gardens, as well as Lycabettus Hill. My photos can only hint at the joyful time I had there – I can’t wait to go back!