October 2017

Being in Athens definitely feels like I am back in continental Europe. The tap-water is finally drinkable, and the showers are finally not wreaking havoc on my skin from all the sodium in the water like it did in Santorini. The city almost gave me a slight sense of nostalgia, as if I’ve been there before. It reminds me of Taipei, or even Rome. There is a mix of the modern and the ancient, and this city is simply beautiful in the day. The Acropolis, where everything is carved from one big thing of marble, is majestic and such a wonder to experience first hand (20€ entrance fee). In the evening, the city center has a different vibe to it. The energy feels different, and the shopkeepers are more aggressive than what I was used to.  One grabbed me by the neck and pushed me back into his store saying “I give you good price,” as I was leaving. As I finally escaped, another shopkeeper would try to get my attention and call out at me, then a little girl came up to me and pressed a rose on me as she tried to sell it. The crowd quickly changed and became more upbeat, and I felt the rush of younger people coming into the city for the nightlife, on a Monday.

A dream come true

How to get around: The metro is so easily accessible in the city center, and the ticketing seemed to go by the honor system. Fare is 1.80€ per 90 minute pass, or 5€ for a 24 hour day pass. It was easy to walk from one place to another since the city didn’t feel that large.

What to eat: I enjoyed drinking the coconut juice they had on the carts

What to do: Watch the changing of the guards every hour in the day time.
Check out the first Olympic stadium.
Lots of shopping can be done here.

Entering the Acropolis

Photographs were prohibited in the Parthenon museum, due to flash possibly causing damage to the marble carvings. I used my cellphone, with no flash, and snuck in what I could.

It’s all Greek to me

Shopping area

First Olympic stadium

Relevant posts:
Guide to Mykonos
Guide to Santorini

Stay Wild,

Evangeline

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Roaming Man Global WiFi Rent Service

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