My thoughts on Athens as of now

Before we had ever headed out to Greece we had gotten lots of perspectives and stories about the country. When we got here, I didn't find much of it to be true. Even the people who live here in Athens asked why we would want to stay in Athens for so long. I'm now beginning to see that some of those things just aren't true for a big city in Greece like Athens. Since we've traveled to beautiful, quiet, and quaint little villages where we often have spectacular views, nice people, and clean air, I dread getting back to Athens and the loud and crazy that it is. I often think it stinks (as overflowing garbage cans are all along the streets), there is dog poop on the sidewalk every few meters, cars are constantly honking their horns, and people don't care if they run into you or if you need to get through their little group and have to step into the road to do it instead of them moving for you. Then yesterday as I was walking I remembered that there are things I love about Athens too. I love Mt Lycabettus and its amazing view, I love that there is history everywhere here, I love how many little food and ice cream places there are, I love Los Loros empanadas and arepas, I love the food in general, and I love how a street can be so old and run down looking where the graffiti is on everything and all the stores have moved out, then one block later a street is bustling with life and color. So I decided to take my camera with me on my walk today and take a few pictures of what I love about Athens to share.

This is what I mean by an old seemingly dead street.

A block later, as I'm still walking on that street above, this is to the left.

And this is to the right. Just shops and people everywhere.

I wanted to take more photos of this bustling and lively street, but I realized it was probably pretty creepy for me to be doing that.

There is so much random stuff in the city -- I think this speaks for itself.

I asked Bob to take me to this circus (I think that's what it is), but he said it was Greek. I said we could still see elephants maybe.

I also want to go to this. The problem with these things is I can't read them and won't be able to understand the show either. Haha

the street people I blogged about a few days ago - the bagel man

the coconut man

all the dogs!

stores have the strangest names which never match what they sell

This place serves the best chicken on a stick I've ever had. It's called Stick Bar and they specialize in meat on a stick also known as kalamaki or souvlaki.

the ice cream here is fantastic and the man who serves it to you is as nice as can be

I saw three stores very similar to this. How creepy is this? I can't help but laugh about it though. Notice all the mannequins are exactly the same?

Oh, and there are two levels of them.

 Also, the amount of Christmas stuff here is crazy.

I don't know what this means, but it says Christmas on it.

snowmen intermixes with children's jackets

straight up Christmas displays.

I ate two Brussels sprouts today. I have never had them before. I am not a fan. I ate the second one anyway for health value.