The following is an excerpt from one my posts called “List of Athenian Institutions – Friday, August 27, 2004.”

List of Athenian Institutions

• The Greek Orthodox Church
• Feta Cheese
• Coca-Cola (NOT Pepsi)
• Sprinkled oregano and salt
• Afternoon in and nights out
• Street side kiosks of ice cream, soft drinks, and magazines
• Dining outside
• Family bakeries
• Sitting silently on public trains and buses
• Anything with a techno beat
• Cucumber or olive mayonnaise on dry, chewy bread
• Cans of soda with to-go meals
• Exact change, yes, EXACT change
• Parties of eight paying on one meal bill
• No paper flushed in toilets
• Pictures of cats with blue and white cloth on postcards for tourists
• Half-built buildings with rebar (it’s for tax purposes)
• Roasted corn and sugared donut stands

At the time, I was somewhat timid about traveling and as a college student ever aware of my budget. I did not travel as much as I would have, nor see as much as I wanted to. If I visited Greece again, I would travel to more islands, rent mopeds and get lost. As one Greek told me, Athens is as ugly as any other city and that I needed to get into the countryside to really see how beautiful Greece is. I had no desire then and still do not want to visit bars or clubs at 2am. I’ll pass on the ouzo and olives, too.

View my photographs from the 2004 Olympics in Greece.

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