Athens

We are in Athens now, and it is absolutely nothing like what I expected. I know I sound stupid saying this, but I always pictured it to be filled with ruins and men adorned in togas… I was obviously completely wrong. Instead, I am reminded of Slum Dog Millionaire. Old, run down buildings line streets filled with vendors of fruits, fish, knock off Ray Bans, and army clothes (they literally have camo uniforms on display). The men running the little shops aren’t very shy, and lucky for us, my friend Dena who speaks a little bit of Greek is here to let us know that their shouts and whistles aren’t exactly friendly or respectful. Another thing that I’ve noted is that there is a large homeless population, much of which can be seen begging on the streets.

Judging by the settings around me, I was a little fearful of what our hotel would look like, but it is actually quite nice. It is very modern and has dark wood floors. It even has a desk complete with a Domino’s Pizza flyer (just in case someone traveled half way around the world to have American chain food). The only downside is that the aggressive salesmen outside can be heard loud and clear. We are about to head to lunch, and, sadly enough, my opinion of the food will probably be the largest contributor to my overall view on the city.