The Good, the Bad & the Ugly

Here I am at the end of 2 months in Athens putting my thoughts in order regarding the experience of living there.  Some things (noise, light pollution, etc.) I haven’t included because they are common to cities everywhere.  Some seem to be part of Latin or Mediterranean culture, but are ones I haven’t really encountered that often in other cities in which I have lived.  A few were just so fantastic that I thought I should share them.

The good:  

There are so many dance clubs in Athens playing all kinds of music open every day of the week.  Unfortunately for those who prefer to start their evening before 11,  Athenians (like other Mediterraneans) are just starting drinks at 10.  Wine is so cheap here that they serve the house wine by the 1/2 liter or liter.  

While there is sometimes a cover in the clubs, it entitles you to 2 drinks.  And, speaking of drinks,  We were given free shots so often when we went out, that on the one occasion when it didn’t happen, we felt wronged.

Another lovely tradition which Athenians share with Latin culture is the paseo in the evening or on Sunday.  Families congregate in the neighborhood square/park and walk around or sit in the cafes talking to friends.  The teens hang out and flirt and the smaller children ride their bikes. What a relaxing way to spend time with friends and family!

The public transportation is excellent and inexpensive; if we were tired after dancing, we could easily catch a bus.  Long distance trains and buses are fairly cheap.  And the lack of over scheduling allowed us to walk a lot.

Finally, I went to a hamaam, or Turkish bath.  I don’t know if the hamaam originated in Turkey or Morocco; I have been twice before, once in each of those countries.  It is different from going to a sauna or to a massage therapist.  It is a social time.  Women and men are in separate rooms which are steamy and hot and everyone is naked.  The women sit around and chat; they might be in there for an hour or more.  At some point an attendant comes and scrubs you with an abrasive sponge.  At that point, if you are done, you simply pour cold water over yourself and dress, or you might, as I did, elect to get a massage.  When you are finished, so relaxed you can barely move, you get dressed and sit and have tea and Turkish delight.  There is no rush to move you out and have you pay the bill.  I highly recommend the experience if you get the opportunity.

The bad:

The lack of a Latin alphabet is extremely challenging.  It means that you can never just make up a pronunciation to look for on street signs or maps, but it certainly gave the teachers insight into struggling to learn a new language and alphabet at the same time.  Even though many Greeks speak some English, the constant struggle to make oneself understood can be tiring. 

Dog shit!  Most Athenians have never heard of the idea of cleaning up after your dog, or even just keeping the dog to the grass.  One of the safety precautions I would recommend for tourists in Athens is to constantly look down at where you are going.  This might help you avoid stepping in a canine gift left on the sidewalk.  It will help you avoid the many holes as well.

Finally, smoking is ubiquitous just as it is throughout Europe.  I feel certain that I smoked a pack a day just through second-hand smoke.  Sitting in a cafe for a drink or meal is not as pleasant when you are surrounded by a sea of smokers.  The one place Greeks don’t smoke is on public transportation.

And the ugly:

All of the burned out buildings and graffiti everywhere create a very strange vibe.  Even on major streets and in tourist areas, the high end stores selling Gucci, diamond jewelry, or furs are right next to buildings that burned years ago and have never been renovated.  Extremely wealthy people shop at stores that pull down metal doors covered with graffiti upon closing.  I have seen derelict buildings elsewhere but never in the center of the expensive shopping areas.