Greek Independence Day Observations

As I wake up on Greek Independence Day - Zito H Ellas - I finally get to catch up on some blogging.  I also posted plenty of photos on my Facebook page last night.

I was hoping to blog more from Greece, but our schedule kept me from sitting down long enough to do so (and when I did have time, for instance when we were waiting for a bus near the theater of Epidauros, my battery died).  So here my impressions; I’ll post a longer tome - on my impressions of Greece since our last visit in 2009 - later.

The good news is after two years the Greek smoking ban is holding; there seems to be less smoking happening in public and folks are abiding by the indoor smoking ban.  We were in Greece two years ago when the indoor smoking ban was initially enacted – and universally ignored by businesses everywhere. Two years later Greeks have adapted AND are abiding by the rule of law – two landmarks for a population that prides flaunting authority.

We did get to watch part of a left-wing protest on Tuesday night.  Lots of police lined the march route, and the march itself was pretty standard for left wingers: lots of chants and signs protesting the EU, World Bank and U.S. intervention in Libya. 

We visited the Panepistimio, university section, of Athens for a meeting with the Hellenic American Union on Thursday.  Saw lots of left-wing graffiti, some Afghan refugees protesting for political asylum – standard liberal college stuff.  But I thought it was high-larious to see a Starbucks, Pizza Hut and Cinnabon near what is widely thought to be a hotbed of anti-Americanism.

Speaking of leftists, most interesting graffiti spotted so far: “Refugees welcome; tourists fuck off.”

We saw that spray-painted on a wall in the Monastiraki section of Athens. It was my first time there, and it was pretty cool.  Ariadne loved the shopping, and the area featured a myriad of shops but most of the shoppers were Greeks not tourists.  We ate most of our dinners there all week.  

Monastiraki is also home to some of the best souvlaki restaurants in Athens.  We had lunch in one shop called “Thanassi’s” and dinner in another, ‘Savvas” which had excellent chicken gyros and a goofy sauce made of yogurt, mustard and Greek parsley (maithano).

The Plaka, in contrast, was empty the night we ate there.  We had a nice meal at Vyzantino (I had some fresh red fish, Ariadne some chicken with Greek pasta) but most of the stores and streets were empty.

Of course, that allowed some longish conversations with the storeowners.  Everyone we talked to complained about raising prices and lower wages, but things are still fairly cheap here.  The Metro, for instance, has risen 40 percent to 1,40 for a round trip.  I pointed out that in D.C. most one-way fares on our Metro during rush hour are now $1.90.

One storeowner was more worried that it’s not just prices, but a general malaise that has taken over Greece.  She said that Greeks used to be more community oriented and watched out for their neighbors more. However, the financial crisis has caused many Greeks to be more selfish.

Despite the complaints and problems Athens still seems busy and prosperous.   A stroll down the main shopping drag in downtown Athens was full with shoppers and not many – if any - empty storefronts.  And you still immigrants selling cheap goods and trinkets.  And Monastiraki and the Psyrri sections of Athens were packed at night.

Perhaps the biggest shock, not really a shock, for us this trip is the weather.  It’s odd being in Greece when it’s cold and windy.  It’s been so windy, and thus the seas have been choppy, that ferry service to many islands has been cut off - including our trip to Poros.  So instead of taking a boat there we staying in Athens and took a bus for a day trip to Nafplion and the ancient theater of Epidauros.

Fantasy Travel has been awesome.  Our travel agents and drivers have been very friendly and love hearing from a Greek-American about both our impressions of Greece and America.  I also may have picked up a blog follower in Neli, who works for Fantasy Travel and writes for The Epoch Times.   

My favorite ‘snack food not available in the U.S.’ has got to be Baked Lays with Mediterranean Herbs.  Could eat those all day. I even heard an American father and son come to the same conclusion on the Acropolis one day.

Is there anything worse than being mistaken for a Canadian?  Many folks in Greece, when they hear me speak Greek, have assumed I was Canadian. When I asked why, one storeowner thought that Greek-Canadians are less assimilated and therefore more likely to hang on to their Greek, where Greek-Americans are more assimilated and therefore speak less Greek – which makes sense.

One also said I looked like I was good at curling.  Either way, it was embarrassing.